Chicken Pox!!!
Poor Susanna - she and Samuel came down with them yesterday, Wednesday. She has by far the worst case. . . and is spotted everywhere - in ears, mouth, etc. . . But if you ask her how she is, she still says, "good!" and if you ask her why she is happy, she says because she finally got the chicken pox! - She wanted them 2 weeks ago when Elisabeth had them.
Samuel Pilgrim 18 mo.
Samuel is our sweet, sunny dispositioned little toddler.
Loved by all, he loves to "smile" at request, give kisses,
make his favorite stuffed puppy dog give kisses, and put things in his pockets!
Fresh from the bath - he always crinkles up his eyes when we say, "smile."
Quite a few of our friends have learned the English word "smile" to see him give this rewarding grin. We are teaching him to do smile when we say it in Spanish now!
His latest enjoyment has been bouncing with his sisters on this innertube!
Look at those blue eyes! They get a lot of comments around here.
His blue sandbox-tote is in the background, he plays in it every single day!
Pockets, pockets, pockets.
He was thrilled to find his Sunday overalls had nice big pockets
as he got ready for Church last Sunday!
Susanna Grace, 3
Now that the rainy season has begun, and the grass has once again begun to grow,
Susanna sometimes gathers grass from our yard for the guinea pigs.
We have 4 guinea pigs that she feeds for one of her daily chores.
Pull that grass!
Oh no! That puppy! Susanna's dog, "Monkey" - named by Susanna herself - is often a hindrance to Susanna's chores. She gets a little frustrated. . . .
. . . So she lays on the dog!
Whenever she is getting too many lick-y kisses from puppy,
she just throws herself on the dog and smiles. Trapped!!
Elisabeth Serenity, 5
Elisabeth also has daily chores, including feeding and watering the pigeons.
She does a good job, although she much preffers playing with Samuel or doing school.
Elisabeth with her water pail, in our little back yard - which we call a "patio" here. The guest room is in the building on the left, our little gardens are on the right, and the door behind her opens to neighbor Neli's yard . The picture was taken from our kitchen window.
Gordon and Elisabeth having a "father-daughter" talk about the pigeons. The "palomas," as we call them in Spanish, are their joint project. There are always a few pairs incubating eggs or raising young. . .
Filling the feeder with grain.
Smile! It's Social Studies quiz time! Elisabeth is an eager student!
She really likes school, and now that she can read on her own, does a good bit independantly.
Elisabeth loves babies, and likes to help Samuel with everything he does. Here they are on our bed happily singing together from "The Christian Hymnary." Elisabeth will be such a big help when the new baby comes in February!
Spring is here in the Andes Mountains! On a recent hike through the mountains, which are slowly greening up again after an unusually long dry season, Gordon gathered a bouquet of wildflowers to bring home for me. What a blessing! In years past I have enjoyed wandering the hills, bringing home flowers, but at 7 months pregnant, I'm not doing much hiking right now. :)
A Happy Couple! Here we are during our trip to Cusco last month - enjoying the sunshine and flowers . . . and each other!
Doughnut making day! On Serenity Martin's 21st birthday last week, we enjoyed her choice of doughnuts as a birthday treat. Here Gordon is showing Elisabeth how to use a water bottle to pop out the doughnut holes. Charo, who has fond memories of making doughnuts with the Peachey family when they lived here, came bright and early to help Anna and Serenity. She is also 7 months pregnant in this picture. Please keep praying for her salvation!
Cultivating potatoes by hand, using traditional "foot plows," is back breaking work. But we had fun working together with the Swansons and "the girls" when we took them out to our "chacra" (field). Here are Gordon, Joey Swanson, and Serenity Martin working in a typical two man, one woman "set."
And last of all, when the days work is ended, and time allows, which is really only once in a great while, Gordon gets out his "sampon-ya" (very traditional Quechua musical instrument) [panflute] and plays a few hymns for us.
Here we are with them, Anna, Serenity, and a native friend, as they were leaving.
Another friend (S. H.) was on the work project with them and also came up to Velille for 5 days, but due to personal secuity asked not to appear on our web site. We were blessed to have him back in Velille for a visit.
