Pre-Christmas

Can you believe that it’s almost Christmas?  We have been working really hard to get ourselves into the Christmas spirit.  It’s strange, almost like a chore.  I’ve wondered the years that I was in college why Christmas never seemed the same, and now I’m realizing that if you just let it pass by it’s not going to hold much meaning.  Last year I put up a tree in our humble house and I had friends come over to help me decorate and we made pretty little decorations as crafts.  It was such a good time and I’m making myself sad thinking about it.  Dang it!

I’m glad that I happened to have these pictures handy form last year.  They make me feel good.  The white stars were made out of ribbon, something my mother and sister and I used to make for Christmases.  The white flowers and ball were origami.  The red and gold ornaments were Wal-Mart provided… that dear store.  Now, I’m listening to Owl City and it’s taking me back to the winter drives back and forth from Mount Vernon to home.  I was really naïve to think that the Christmas season wasn’t going to be hard.  If I had known last year where I’d be this year then I would have done better to appreciate it.  Our tree here stands at a lowly two feet tall.  Ooooo.  At least it is thicker than a Charlie Brown tree. 

Maybe not much more…  But this is my favorite picture of the kids with the tree!

There have been quite a few people that have gone home for the Christmas season, so now it’s just Garren and I as the only two North Americans and then the Duerre family.  I think it’s been good for us though, having our time together.  My Christmas wish this year was a DSLR camera, but I don’t think that’s going to happen, I’m going to have to keep on stealing Kristen’s and Amanda’s.  This Thursday is our baking day!  We are making Pill Bottle Cookies, these awesome Soft Sugar Cookies with a Frosting I found, maaaaybe Autumn Cheesecake and some other things Amanda has up her sleeve.  Check out the links, you might find something you like and remember to check out The Handicapped Kitchen every once in a while to see what I’ve got going on in the kitchen.  I’ve also been working on making everyone who is here a stocking.  I got some felt and beads and went to work.  I’ll post some pictures later this week!

To help us get into the Christmas spirit the kids had a Christmas program at the church where they go to school.  I was so excited to go! 

“Jo jo jo, yo soy la Navidad, porque tengo muchos regalos para todos los ninos”	“Vamos hasta Belen, para que veamos los que ha sucedido”

Thomas was Santa Claus and Ella was a pastorcita or a little shepherd.  They both had lines in Spanish too!  We are so proud of them, even though they never speak Spanish in front of us. 

I believe that I’ve shared with you that we found our house in Puno.  One hardship down… here’s another!  One of our best here in Peru has gone home to deal with a difficult situation.  Roy’s mother has been in and out of the hospital and they are now trying to dissolve some clots that she has in her lungs.  His family has said that she seems to have given up hope and he has decided to go home for some time to see if he can turn the situation at all.  He has until the end of January to decide if he can come back and still be able to join the Puno team.  If not, he can join with a future team to a future city project.  Please pray that he is able to make an easy decision.  We are behind him no matter the result. 

Thank you all for your prayers.  I love you all so much and hope you have a very Merry Christmas!  I’ll be sure to post later this week with cookie and stocking pictures!