Slices of life...update style.

Drinking: Mama Ray's Southern Sweet Tea. Love this lately! Reminds me of home...

Recovering:... From Moving to another country almost 7 months ago! Still growing and grasping every day I'm here to embrace, shift, stretch and be uncomfortable all that I may make much of Jesus here in my corner.

Reading: Still enjoying fiction. A LOT. I've mostly been a deep christian book reader but this move here has really caused me to enjoy reading great fiction books. The ones that blend theology with life questions, show you the reality apart from God, haunt you with the knowledge of a hurting world, amaze you that God created the gift of writing OR make you laugh, cry and rest. The last two I read were mystery types and both were good The Thirteenth Tale & Secret Adversary (free on Kindle). About to start Cranford (again free!). Also making my way through Instruments in the Redeemers Hands...It's certainly NO secret that I love Paul Tripp!

Linking: A great idea for us overseas, my sis and I plan to follow along with THIS BOOK CLUB.

Thinking about some intentional ways to make my husband and kids feel LOVED on Valentines Day. Nothing huge... but if your anything like me it's difficult to remember the importance of planning to shower love, laugh and show these 4 precious people in my life that they are my first priority.

Watching: Fairly Legal & Table For Twelve.

Listening To: Amos Lee. WOW, he's an amazing artist. Still hearing fireworks going off from the Huge Holiday we celebrate here this week. Insanity...seriously.

Slices of Life.

2:58 P.M.

Slicing potatoes for homemade fries...

Laughing with my house helper as she tries to get a stain out of my sons shirt with dishsoap - who knew?

First attempt at homemade applesauce...amazing stuff.

Completely enjoying this laid back day with windows open and fall weather.

Slices of Life.

Job and I went to the grocery store this morning together. I usually go to our bigger more "western" place once a week and then try and buy my fruits and vegetables at this place that is really just a road near my apartment with stands and families selling fruit/vegetables. I have not had as much time lately because of language to go to 2-3 places (it can be up to 3 sometimes depending on what I need if only one place has cheese, another has black beans, etc) so I usually ask my helper if she will buy my my fruit/veg for me. She's great! A huge gift to me. With language, 3 kids and LIFE here you feel like your days are so full! The last thing I want to do after a day of language and keeping up house is go spend my "free" time doing errands. I have been enjoying trying to get the kids out and let them play and get some face to face time with them. It also gives us a way to interact with locals and get more comfortable with our surroundings.

Here's a picture of Job in front of the fish tanks at the bigger grocery store. Think PetSmart meets WalMart - I guess that really would just be named "PetSmart" :) Anyway, there's these enormous tanks with lobsters, crab, various types of fish, shrimp and sea urchins. My kids love to walk around and look (we inevitably use our sense of smell too!). I was able to order a few pounds of ground beef this morning without any help too...progress. Don't think I sounded like a local though, all I know is I definitely got "cow meat". Then she asked me something I had no idea what she meant. Such is my life at this point, unless I'm within my walls the majority of communication I'm hearing is not understood. I have to tell myself often this is a great season for breaking, depending and of flexibly learning, being "sanded down" by life.

Good and uncomfortable.

Slices of life.

Here's a slice of my life... An observation I have from living here : Old people here are in great shape. I see them out walking all the time and they have all these old people playgrounds...you think they are for kids at first but nope. They are for elderly people to work out with - monkey-bars, things to stretch and climb on, etc. I watched a lady recently walk by one and throw her leg over the edge for a pretty deep stretch (she was probably 70!). I've seen them out in the mornings or evenings do Tai Chi. The woman below was in my courtyard laying these out - I think they are some type of leaf. Not sure. I'll investigate and get back with you. She spread them out to dry in the sun all day.

This lady (as others do) walks around our apartment courtyard to hang her laundry. She finds a good tree and like any flexible, healthy old woman ...

Tries to climb it and tie her rope around. She is successful.
I would never have seen this in my apartment courtyard back in the States!