Welcome to our house....

So here's my kitchen as you walk into it. That little stove looks innocent but is a weapon of evil as it has burned our sunday lunches to a crisp. It is gas and continues to get hotter the longer its on, so the chicken needs to go into the oven FROZEN and by the time we get home around 2:00 sunday afternoon it should be falling off the bone tender. So we shall see what this sunday holds....will it be tender, juicy chicken? Or burnt sacrifice, causing the man of the house to mutter while slapping together sandwiches? 

If you turn to the right as you walk into the kitchen, you will see our wee sink.  And no, i don't normally have beautiful bouquets in the corner. We had company last eve and those flowers graced the table outside and so i thought i'd make a good impression on my blog readers......i guess i shouldn't admit it but my conscience wants you to know that normally that corner is filled with dishes drying. We do have the most beautiful flowers here growing on the hedge that surrounds our yard, and we usually have a bouquet on the table. Neither is my kitchen so spotless on a regular morning. What can i say? Its a small kitchen and we are a large family and no matter hard we try, there isn't time for perfection unless i'm taking pictures. Right behind the door is a pantry that is a sanity saver, and the door leads out to the little back yard, washing machine, carport and large freezer. The rat and i both feel it is very handy! 

Immediately to the left when you walk into the kitchen is our fruit stand, (i was scheming how to take one back to the states) our water jug, a bowl of oranges and yes, they're green and very tart, and our beloved aprons. Emily and i wear them ALL the time. Such sloppy cooks we are....The windows are facing the front of the house and the gate. 

Now turn around and as you leave the kitchen you walk into the dining/living room. You can't see it but to the left is our table, to the right the fridge and obviously straight ahead the sitting area. Small but efficient. The monkeys on the couch are the only ones home today. Jacob and Jonathan went with Marlin on some errands and will be home this afternoon. Such a quiet house and how bored Caleb is! Oh, and speaking of monkeys, we've had some in our trees, to the great delight of the human ones.

So loving.....i'll only show the good side, ok? Such well behaved angels, so tender and compassionate.
Reality? We have had more sibling bickering, big and little, since we came than i ever remember. Maybe because they used to fight far away from the house? Adjustments? Not sure but i have been praying for much wisdom since i don't seem to be having any on my own. 

Ok, there's where we inhale our food, spill the water, order each other to stop chewing with mouths open, get your feet away from me, and is there any more food? Kitchen is through the door, and sitting area is where you see the corner of couch/settee. Hallway to the right goes back to bedrooms, office and bathrooms. The walls are concrete so hanging anything is an ordeal and one we haven't tackled. The few things you see were either there before or at least the nails were. Simple is good at this stage of life. I long for comfy rugs but if you saw the dirt that comes in through the windows you wouldn't have many rugs either. 

If you are standing in the kitchen door facing the living room this is what you would see, except normally there would be books and various paraphenalia strewn all over the floor. I have finally relegated the toys to the office, (not sure when Marlin will realize that) and if you look beside the fridge you can see the corner of a black tub. That's where all the sandals and flip flops go, in a desperate attempt to have a semblance of neatness. Speaking of flip flops, i always get a chuckle on sunday as i view various shoes at church. In the states, flip flops to church are a fashion statement. Here? If you're poor you wear flip flops and a dressy pair of shoes would be envied. The first sunday Emily wanted to hide her cute, black shoes under the bench as she felt so bad for the others. I usually wear casual shoes because the church floor is dirt and feet get filthy, but as my feet grow along with my stomach, i'll probably don the flip flop gear. 

And there's the hallway with bedroom doors, office and bathroom doors leading off to each side. Someday i'll post pictures of them but they aren't "picture worthy" right now and besides, this post is long enough. Everything is tile and needs to be mopped each week. "Need" to be is what i said, i did not say they actually get mopped each week. The older children are responsible to clean and mop their rooms on saturdays and as language school and time allow, i mop our room and various others. The kitchen and living area aren't an option however, as they get FILTHY!! But such is housekeeping.

One more thing. Because of the traumatic happenings of last week, the mission board is sending all missionaries off to Rondo retreat next week. Its a beautiful haven in a rain forest about 2 hrs from here. All food will be supplied and we'll each have our own cabin, and from pictures i've seen it's beautiful. We'll leave here early monday morning and spend the day relaxing and connecting. Late afternoon most of the missionaries will head back and three of us couples and the three young single women, the ones who saw and experienced the horror, will stay til Tuesday. There's also an older couple (parents of someone here) that has flown in from the states and will be sharing on how to process all that's happened and will be available to counsel anyone that feels they need it. I'm crying as i write this.....the Holy Spirit has truly brought peace and healing but to know that people are willing to do this for us touches a deep chord in my heart. The children are beyond excited and we're all looking very forward to it.  I promise we will try and take lots of pictures. I said try, ok? ;)