Thursday, December 23, 2010

PaPa & KiKi for Christmas

My parents arrived Tuesday evening to spend Christmas with us... well really with their grandsons, but us too!
The boys are usually a little cautious around gringos. They weren't really sure what to think of them at the airport, but there were no tears, so that was good. They were really tired by that time too, so I was thankful that they had a good introduction, it set the stage to a really great week so far. My dad hadn't seen them in exactly a year, so they are completely different now. They have 2 personalities and are very mobile now!
Our parents start setting things aside to bring down for us months ahead of time I would guess. They use every ounce of weight the airlines allow to bring down goodies for us. You cannot ship boxes here for under $100, so other than bubble envelopes this is the only way to get things down here. They pack food we miss like cornmeal and Chees-its. I usually have some type of kitchen gadget and sewing supplies. Jimmy usually asks for books and of course there are tons of toys and clothes for the boys. It is also impossible to find underoos here, so there are usually t-shirts, socks, and fun necessities like that for all of us too.
There are always other surprises too. This time my absolute favorite thing was a wooden bowl that my grandma sent me. It was my grandfather's grandmother's bowl that she made biscuits in each morning. I will treasure this always!
Yesterday we got to take them to our forever house. Our doors were up and our house has been roped off and all the trenches dug for the walls, so you could really see it. My dad also got to meet Lico, our mason and first convert here, for the first time.
Then we went to Flores to eat lunch.
The boys are completely comfortable with them now and love them already. They are constaly giggling.
We got all the presents wrapped last night, so they boys saw them for the first time this morning under the tree. I'm not sure if they know what they are, but they look like fun!
My parents come over for breakfast each morning. The boys wave at them as they come in the door. Jonah even reached out to hug them goodbye last night before they left and he usually isn't the affectionate one.
So we are having tons of fun here already and we still have a week left to enjoy them!
Here my dad and Jimmy are pealing our coffee plant berries.
I am really thankful that both sets of the boys' grandparents make it a priority and are able to keep in touch with and visit their grandsons. It is a big deal to travel all the way to Guatemala this often. Not all missionary kids have that. Our family is very blessed.

CRAZY ITEM OF THE DAY: Smoke! We live in the middle of a bonfire half the time. Our neighbors, who are the only ones around with a truck, rather burn their trash in their yard than take it to the dump. They burn plastic bottles, bags, leaves, and old tires. Our house fills with smoke each time because we are down wind of them. The boys' room window is about 5 feet from where they like to burn piles. It is pretty dangerous because their room could fill up with smoke during their nap times without us even knowing. We have talked to them several times and asked if they could not do that, but they say they "have rights." We checked and it is illegal, but if we call the police we are worried they will poison our dogs or something. We talked to the landlord and she said that she thought that they would probably retaliate some way like that too. They had 3 piles going the first morning my parents came over to our house. Oh well, soon we will live inside a very tall wall that should cut down on most of this problem, and our new neighbors are nicer too!

3 comments:

  1. The pics are wonderful! And I love your biscuit bowl too...I so glad that they are there with you for the celebration of Christ's birth.

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  2. Merry Christmas! Hope you have a wonderful time with your parents!

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  3. So glad your parents can see the boys! That's great. Mine will meet my boys for the first time this April and I don't think any grandparent should go that long without knowing their grandkids.

    I think Silas looks a lot like your dad! Merry Christmas!

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