Monday April 1

NOT!!!!!

THIS IS DEFINITELY A NOT!!!!

April Fools!!!!!!

I did not wear miniskirts .... I did wear short skirts .... Never called them Mini skirts .

I did wear what they called Hot Pants, as part of the Diamond Darling uniform.

I never wore GoGo boots.

I didn't drive a Mustangs GT  BUT

I rode in Denny's Pontiac GT.

I listened to the Beatles, Beach Boys and Carole King.

AND  my Grands are WAY cooler than I ever was.

In fact, if the truth be told,
I was never cool and My Grands are WAY cooler than I ever was  ...
or ever hope to be.
BUT I DID RIDE IN DENNY'S PONTIAC GT!!!

     Now for my day in N.   Nice night's sleep.  I guess Tylenol pm does the trick.  Nice to know.  Anabel had a great April Fools joke with TP and soft chocolate.  After we walked the kids to the school van, Missy and I went to the vendors and bought 24 potatoes for the team potato bake on Tuesday night.  At home I fried bacon and ham for potato toppings and put in freezer.  We left to walk to Language class about 10.  I shopped at a paper store while Missy got a few groceries.  Cool stuff at the store.  I love their textiles.  NOTE TO SELF: ALWAYS have Missy practice on her flashcards when we walk.  Missy walks very fast.  Much faster than I.  It helps a lot when she practices on language flashcards on her phone when we walk.  I can almost keep up with her.  

      That being said, I really think I should be better at navigating and remembering my way around places.  But I feel like I have choices.  Do I look around at the stores/shops/landmarks like the place where they burned cornstalks right by the road/ our house? And try to remember them.  Or do I keep my eyes on the road/path/street and all of it's pot holes/mud puddles/ dog poop?  So I don't sprain an ankle.  Or do I look at Missy when she is talking to me?  Because it is respectful to do that. Or do I watch out for the motorcycles/bicycles/cars that are traveling so very close to me?  Because if I reached out my hand I could touch them as they pass.  Very interesting!!!  I don't really know where my limited attention should be spent.  In the next couple days I hope to venture out on my own.  (Of course, it will be with a very short leash.)

This picture is of the house which has been being built 10 feet from the Jensen's front gate.  

Two brothers are building it. The men who are building it are staying in a house/tent close 

so they come to work early.  All of the labor is done by hand.

James is on the rented motorcycle and he and Missy are visiting before he takes off.  

Recorded pictures of house construction from December 24, 2018:

All the labor is done by hand.  Uffta!!!!

April 14, 2019.  This is the house when we got back from the trek.  Two brothers are building it.  I am not sure how many people will live in it, kind of a duplex.   The outside is now covered with plaster that will probably be painted.  

In the second house they have painted some of the walls and has electricity.  The chandelier was very pretty.  There were 2 kitchens in this side of the duplex.  One on ground level and one on 2nd or 3rd floor. 

Staircase was marble???  granite???  Pretty stair railing of stainless steel?? aluminum??
It is going to be a very nice house/ houses I think.  Pretty tile on the floors. 

Sunday March 31

Devotions in hammock.   The day is calm,  there was quite a rain storm during the night, but the sun is out, workers are building on the house 15 feet away from our entrance gate.  Dogs are barking, birds chirping.  Missy is doing T25, Anabel has made chai tea.  It is so good.  I have caught the eyes of 2 neighbor ladies.  The one who is working on the house across the street smiled.  The lady next door (two feet from the trampoline behind a 4 foot brick wall) first ducked, then stood up again and tentatively smiled and slightly waved in return.  This is to be a day of rest, But we do have Brooks' birthday party at KISC with 6 other boys from 2-4:30.  Anabel looked on youtube for guitar instructions, but it was hard.  Anabel and I went to the bakery for croissants, then Missy joined us and we got groceries.  Brooks, Evan and I played Carcassonne on the table in the front yard.  Brooks won on the very last card.   At 1 we took a taxi to KISC.  The fuutsal field was a perfect place for the active birthday party.   For 2 hours the 6 second graders played hard and didn't stop.  Very cool that the boys were from Austria, Australia, England, Korea, San Diego, & India born (mom from Missouri) Quite the assortment.  James and Phillip came right when we transitioned to the food time.  We took the same taxi home.  After supper we watched a video of James and Phillip's motorcycle ride home and the Kindness adventure.   To bed early.  :)  with Tylenol pm.   At a talk with Denny earlier today I found out there was antifreeze in the tractor oil.  NOT a good sign.  Lord, grant us wisdom.

Missy ordered cupcakes that spelled out Brooks' name from nearby bakery.

Also had soccer balls and Olympic symbols. 

The gang

Treats for those boys in trees or on the ground. 

The family:

Saturday March 30 Full!

I fell back asleep until 7:30 and I knew we needed to leave soon for gymnastics.  And we did.  We got a taxi and got there by 8:10.  Anabel said that was okay because they never start on time.  It was fun to watch.  There were only about 9 girls there with 3 instructors.  From gymnastics we headed to N. church, but we stopped at 12 Baskets Bakery before.  Church was next, with around 5% English words when the service was 2 hours long.  Every Knee shall bow and every tongue profess that Jesus Christ is Lord.  So good ... the body of Christ.  Missy and Evan took a taxi to KISC because Evan was invited to a paintball birthday party.  We went to Evoke for lunch with Ross and Abby.  Great food.  Then Anabel, Brooks and I went to a painting class.  So fun and I let the instructor make many additions to my poor painted picture and I think it turned out pretty good.  We met

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Friday March 28 KISC

James spent the night and we had pancakes for breakfast.  As the Grands were about to go out the door,  Brooks said," There is a N. assembly this morning.  You should come, Grandma."  So I got on my shoes, (skipped taking a shower,  So sorry for the people that I would come in contact with.) and headed out to ride the school van with the 3.  The assembly was very good.  Brooks class sang a song,  Some girls were dressed in N. dress and danced a traditional dance.  I finished the laminating project that I had started yesterday for Amber.  Brooks' class had a field day and we watched him run a dash and be on a relay team and do long jump.  We went to his class room for a poetry cafe, complete with tea and N. cookies.  It was noon and I went with Anabel, Hannah and Kimberly for lunch.  I sat in a corner of the school yard and watched the recess activity.  Then I went to watch in Anabel's class room in the afternoon.  After school Anabel and I took a tuk-tuk.  It was my first time riding a tuk-tuk.  This was the first time I  put a handkerchief over my face to help me breath, the smell was really gassey. We rode to Bethesda where we met Josie, Annika and Lynnea and to work on embroidery at Josie's house.  Sweet Josie had popcorn and cut up apples for afternoon snacks and spent time (and love) arranging this time for the girls.  About 5 she walked us home.  5 other ladies joined us to watch the movie Instant Family, plus eat popcorn and American candy.  Kids watched a movie upstairs.  Rose spent the night with us, instead of the long ride home.

Look at Brooks long jump!!!

Brooks' second grade teacher

Josie and 3 pretty little blonds wrapping thread as the start of embroidering.

Missy, Rose, Leah, Josie

Abby, Cindy, me, Missy

Thurs March 28

Sometimes my weird sleep patterns help my life.  Take tonight.   I woke to use the room next door and take Tylenol pm BUT because of the time change ... and me waking up in the middle of the night ... I could call Denny before I fell back asleep.  He was driving the car and 25 minutes from Matt's work in St. Joseph Missouri, 2:30 in the afternoon on Wednesday.  Matt's pick up was in the shop, I had taken the Jeep home with me, Becky had taken Matt to work and Denny is going to bring Matt home after work.  Worked out well.  Denny said he was keeping track of mileage, time driving, road conditions, amount of traffic and then he will be able to evaluate the trip for "something".  We laughed ... that's a pretty good way to put it ... all of out lives we have recorded mileage, or time traveled, or fastest route ...  We have little notebooks filled with mileage, time left, time arrived, amount of gas purchases, cost of gas purchases of various trips or vacations ...in order to evaluate for "something".  I guess it gives us "something" to do.  (I don't know if it ever REALLY made a difference in anything)   :)   T'was good to laugh.  'Twas good to talk to him.  I love him so much and I am so thankful he is my husband. 
Now for the N. day:  I walked with the kids to meet the school van.  Missy and I took a taxi to language school from 11-1 and then walked to Abby's house to visit until we headed home and then to KISC.  Missy was planning that we would take a taxi, but the community bus was there, so we hopped on.  It was crowded and of course the traffic was stopped several times as we rode to school.   Missy met with Amber who is now doing the job Missy will be doing next year. Amber had some laminating projects for me.  We rode the school van home.  Anabel and I walked to Bethesda and bought some jewelry.  Evan and I played Carcazoni on the table outside.  I went to the grocery store with Brooks and Missy.  We got blackened corn from a street vendor.  James came in tonight.  Phillip rented a motorcycle so they both can go to a village 8 hours away on the motorcycles tomorrow.

It is always good to see something familiar.  

This is a wisteria vine as Missy and I walked to class. 

This is a wisteria vine at home.  I got the plant from Alma B's farm 

where Mike and Brenda live. 

This is on the bus from our home area to the school.   There was about 8 people in front of me where the driver was.  I was standing by the center exit door. There were about another 10-15 people behind me seated/standing.  We had long waits for traffic, but arrived when we got there.  

N. time.

The kids really enjoy the trampoline.  They got it at Christmas time and one of the games they play is:   One kid on the tramp and the other 2-3 throw 3  balls onto the tramp.  The goal is to have all three balls in the tramp before the tramp person catches and throws the balls out. 

Evan loves the game Carcazonnee.  So far I won 1 game, he won 1 game.    

These are items I bought at Bethsaida to share with people back home.   Beauty to Ashes ( a women's help agency) was selling their last years inventory for 100 rupees each item.  I bought a variety of jewelry and cloth bags.

Phillip rented a motorcycle for around $25 a day.  Brooks is NOT driving it. :)  James and Phillip will be taking the motor bikes to a village to preach on Saturday.  

For my daughters: Becky, Missy, Karen, Mandy
About my Grands

And you are each special to me.

Devotions in the morning:

                                          

On another note.  Boys ...  I just shake my head  and love 'em.  

In the newspaper April 2nd, so I added it.  

Wednesday March 27 fuutsball

I was awake at midnight after going to bed at 8:30.  That's about par for the course.  So I gave Denny a call.  He was driving toward the hill country toward  Fredrickson??? Fredricksburg, Texas????  Back to sleep with Tylenol and benadryl until 6:30.  I walked with Anabel and Brooks to get milk (buffalo milk) and 2 loaves of bread.  The bakery man sometimes gives them a chocolate muffin to share when no one else is with them (no luck today).  We came back to a phone visit with Family.  It was so nice to hear from everyone.  Missy and I rode the school van with the kids today and played Fuutsball with 7 other ladies.  It was fun.  I felt old.  I enjoyed it.  The astro turf was soft :).  I know.  I fell down 3 times.  Nothing injured but my pride. (Well, i guess I might have twisted my ankle a little 'cause it hurt later that day.)  We stopped at Bethesda again and I got $30 of gift choices for family and friends.  At home Missy showered and I worked on dishes.  We took a taxi to language school this am.  1.87 miles 10 minutes  Cost: about $2.50   We met Rose and she treated us to a wonderful N. lunch, Momo.  I really enjoyed it.  We went to a grocery store with her and got supper.  After school Hannah came home and the girls did homework.  Missy and Phillip went out for the night, First supper with another couple and then a small group night that meets with 5 couples from different ministries.  After we walked Hannah to her driver we walked to the nursery and got 7 plants.  About $10. Anabel planted them.  We put carpet on dirt by the trampoline and moved the table and chairs down from 3rd floor deck.  We ate supper outside under the tree.  Before bed we watched Peter Rabbit.  Nice day in N.  Jack has been continuously fighting crud and so today he had surgery to put ear tubes in and tonsils out.  Lord, bei wth his healing process. 

A&B getting milk before breakfast  about a 5 minute walk

Fuutsball Missy, Mindy, Jo, Faith, Deb, Michell, Courtney, Kiley

 Outside meal with Grands.  Newly planted flowers. 

Mo:mos are kind of like Nishamura's pot stickers.   SO GOOD , 7 sauces to go with them. 

Dad visited Matt at his new office building for CliftonLarsonAllen.

See the wires ... now multiply it by a GaZillion ...

Missy and Rose walking downtown street in K.