Finally Back On Line

Hello everyone. It has been a few days since I have posted anything and I just wanted to let you know we are still here. We have had very bad Internet connections lately which is why I haven't posted. I haven't even been able to get onto my blog. Today Jim saw a Megacable car on his way home from work and had them come and check it out. Now it is working much better allowing me to finally update on what we have been doing.

We have gone over to EV the last couple of days and the kids have had a lot of fun playing with the kids at the home. Yesterday Erin was able to go over to the girls side where she could play with the younger girls. Molly, one of the other missionary moms, went to the home with her four kids. She went to the girls side with Erin and her two girls and I stayed on the boys side with Jonathan and Molly's two boys. Erin had a great time and Jonathan did too. Jonathan played soccer with a bunch of the little boys. It was pretty funny since Jonathan was a foot taller than all the other boys. It looked like the boys were playing soccer against a giant. Today we went again but we had to stay on the boys side. So Erin visited with some of the teen girls and Jonathan was playing with the boys. One boy, Mario, likes playing with Jonathan. He and another boy were asking what different words were in English which was good because we heard the same word in Spanish. Jonathan has taken off with asking what words are in Spanish which is really neat. We hear Erin speaking in Spanish at times also. They are catching on more and more as we go over to the home and they interact with the kids.

I began my Spanish tutoring on Monday and I have my second lesson tomorrow. It is great to just listen to people talk and I am understand a lot more than I can speak. The tutor speaks only in Spanish to me so it is a total immersion class. I am also going through vocabulary cards trying to increase my Spanish vocabulary. My only question is, "Why didn't I do more of this while in the states?" It was much harder there though since I didn't have many places to practice what I was learning. Here, anything I learn, I can use right away.

The kids recently asked to carry their own money with them rather than us carrying it for them. It has been amazing to see how they handle it. We thought that they would just blow through there money, wasting it on things. We have been pleasantly surprised at how they have chosen to use it though. They have bought things for themselves, stopping at OXXO, which is like a 7-Eleven, to get a soda or some chips. But what has been wonderful to see is their generous hearts at the home. They have been choosing to spend their money on the kids at the home. They have bought them popcycles, chips and other things like that. Erin even used her money to tip the grocery bagger at the store the other night. Here you tip the grocery bagger at the store and that is their only pay. So, it was quite a thing to see her take her wallet and tell Jim, "No, I will do it."

Well, it is almost 11:00 at night and I need to say good-night. I will try to get more pictures posted soon.