Sunday, December 25, 2011

Sunday, December 25, 2011 NICARAGUA

Christmas Day. I had a lovely day starting with some wonderful quiet time celebrating Jesus’ birth.

Jorge came over to take Beth and me to Las Quimeras church to give out gifts provided by Jamie Hill’s church in TX. What fun! It also gave us a chance to tell the sweet people of the church goodbye until February. I will surely miss them!

On the way home, we stopped at Maxi Palí to buy more minutes for our phones and to pick up a couple of things to snack on. Beth had not had the chance to shop there yet and we had fun walking around pulling the little baskets on wheels. My favorite reason for stopping in there. HA

We fixed pasta for lunch, but didn’t have any spaghetti or macaroni, so we broke up some lasagna noodles and used canned sauce. It was oaky, but I don’t think that Alberto was too crazy about it. Thank goodness there are lots of leftovers in the fridge from previous meals.

Beth and I both grab some naps and loved it. I was still doing laundry all day, trying to get all the towels from the team washed up. I then started in on the sheets, because I couldn’t stand the thought of the washing machine sitting dormant when there were many loads of sheets to finish up. I enjoyed getting them done. And I know the cleaning ladies will be happy to have so much of it taken care of when they come in tomorrow morning.

As I was doing laundry today, I was thinking about how content I am to be here. I was walking up and down a dusty hill to the clothes line, hanging up dozens of towels and sheets, after they had been washed in a very slow filling washer that we add water by the 5-gallon buckets to so that it will fill up quicker. I did use the dryer on every other load. It was a good feeling to see the clean laundry stacking up high all folded and fresh.

While thinking about these things I was comparing it to the way that many of my family and friends were spending the day. I admit that it would be nice for them to all be together, but I also think about the stress and hard work that goes into trying to make it the perfect holiday for everyone. I wouldn’t have traded my day sweating and serving for anything in the world.

I finished sewing a couple of Christmas presents this afternoon. I think I’m ready to put the sewing machine away for now. I sure have loved having it! Can’t wait to get back and start more projects!

I took a quick dip in the pool to cool off. Beth was laying in the hammock near the pool and we chatted a while. Buster the dog was aggravating Scratch the kitten. But Scratch is getting bigger and stronger and tries to bite Buster’s legs. Crazy animals.

We fixed chicken quesadillas for dinner and they were tasty. Alberto liked them better than the pasta.

German and family came by for a quick visit. I gave the kids their gifts and we all sat around and talked. Mostly in Spanish I might add. I guess I’m making progress after all! I’m going to go their house tomorrow at 4pm. I’ve only gotten to visit there one other time this trip. I love that they welcome me into their family.

In the morning I’m going to visit Jeremy and Kelly at their house and then come back to the house for lunch. I’ll travel with Lesly to her house in the early afternoon. Then I’ll come back and head to German’s. I just need to do one last load of laundry tomorrow evening before going to bed early. I think I’ll be in good shape.

I worked on my room this evening. I think everything is pretty much put away and ready for me to be gone for 7 weeks. It feels really good not having to take stuff back and forth. I love my room here. I feel very much at home.

My suitcase is full of souvenir type stuff to take back to the states. And a few books. I travel light on the way to the states. ☺

I’m going to go to bed now and try to get up with Buster (about 5 or 5:30am) in the morning, so that I will be ready for bed early tomorrow night and can get up at 3am on Tuesday to head to the airport. Tuesday will be a very long day, but fun.

It’s been a very happy Christmas Day for me. I’m so thankful. Happy Birthday Jesus!

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