Our airplane ride

We are on our way to the States. Yesterday we had an hour plane flight from Cusco to Lima. Tomorrow, (Dec. 26th) we have a 6 hour flight from Lima to the States. We are so very thankful to God for His care in getting us all safely to Lima! Here are a few things the children said on the plane to make us laugh!

Elisabeth sat next to me reading the warnings and information on the seat and suddenly her eyes lit up! She pointed to the sign that said to remove botom seat cushion and use to float. She asked me, "Can we do it right now?" I wondered, "Do what?" "Float!" she exclaimed! "Can we get it out now and just float around here RIGHT NOW?" She motioned to the air around us with an excited look on her face. . . . I had to explain that those were for floating in water. :) After a while Elisabeth looked at Gordon and asked with a worried expression on her face, "What if we run out of gas?"

Susanna was in a seat by herself - enjoying the view from the window and enjoying the luxury of extra seats that a half empty airplane provided us. Out of the blue she looked back to Gordon and yelled over the humm of the motors, "WHAT if all of the sudden we see GOD?!!"

Elisabeth asked me, "Does the pilot weigh a lot?" I asked her several times to repeat herself, and she asked the same thing each time. . . Finally she explained: "There are 2 rows of seats on this side of the plane, and three on the other, and the airplane isn't leaning to the side, so I thought maybe the pilot was sitting on this side of the plane, and maybe he weighs a lot and that's why we aren't tipping." What a thought.

Samuel felt the plane begin to tip downwards as we began the descent. "The plane is falling! The plane is falling! The plane is falling!" he began to cry - in excitment as much as in fear I think!!

Isaiah spent at least 10 minutes at the hotel after we arrived for the night "telling" me about the airplane trip by spreading his arms out and dipping and swooping and saying, "Vroooooom!" and then guesturing up and down and here and there. It would have been interesting to know what all he was trying to tell us! He uses more guestures and full body motions while "telling" stories than any of our others have. . .

Happy 80th birthday Grandma Howe!

Happy, happy, happy 80th birthday Grandma/Greatgrandma Howe!

We love you so much and wanted to send you our greetings accross the miles. We sure would have loved to be there with you for your special day, but trips from Peru to Florida are sort of rare for us. But we hope it won't be too long untill we see you again. The children had a fun morning the day that we decided that making signs for great-grandma and then taking pictures would be our main school subject for the day. The photo session was really funny, cause the batteries on the camera were almost out.... We would line up a pose, then turn the camera on, snap several photos in rapid sucession, and then quickly turn the camera off untill the next pose ws ready. (I had thought of waiting till the batteries were charged and then taking photos in the afternoon, but by the time that faces were washed and their hair was combed, the children were so excited about taking the picture that I didn't want to make them wait.) When we were all done the children asked, "May we make paper airplanes out of the signs now?" So they did! I tried to take a picture of that for you, but the batteries were all dead by then. We love you and hope that this gift brightens your day! Lots of love: Betsie, Gordon, Elisabeth, Susanna, Samuel, Isaiah and baby.

Susanna's Birthday Surprise!!

Happy Birthday Susanna!! Susanna was just as happy as we thought she would be with the pet bunny we bought for her 5th birthday on August 5th! She named her "Pansy", and loves to cuddle with her in the fleece blanket that Elisabeth and I tied for her as a gift. . . Thanks Sister Charlotte for the pink and burgundy pieces of fleece that you gave us! Grandma and Grandpa, thanks so much for the games and puzzles and goodies you sent down to help make Susanna's birthday a happy one!

Sweet Susanna with her new game!

When we woke the children up early in the morning of Susanna's birthday with the gift of a bunny rabbit, all of the children were surprised and thrilled!

Pansy is a mini-lop, and very tame. . . a pet like that could cost a lot in the States, but we were grateful to get it in the market here for only a few dollars. She is Susanna's favorite color, "a soft brown!"

Elisabeth and Susanna in their nightgowns, with sleep in their eyes, enjoy the early morning surprise we gave them!

Ice Cream!!! Isaiah wasn't too sure about the ice cream treat that Lucinda and Marie bought them when we went to the plaza (city square/park).

. . . But everyone else quite enjoyed the cool, sticky treat! Thanks Lucinda and Marie!!

Well, today we leave this nice apartment. . . We are going to go to the seashore - it's in the middle of winter here now - brrr. . . but we will enjoy a few days at sea level taking in the quiet majesty of the ocean! But we won't have phone or internet in the house any longer! So we shall say farewell for a while. . . It has been lots of fun putting so many pictures on the blog this week, but I guess you will only get a scattered few for the next few months. But we love and think about you all lots, even when pictures are few and far between!

Parakeets and Arequipa Life

Gordon lovingly bought Betsie 3 parakeets for her 30th birthday! What a kind and thoughtful gift! He knows how I love the sound of birdsong! Susanna named "Kiwi" - the tamest of the birds, and loves holding her. Elisabeth giggled and squirmed when Kiwi climbed up to her shoulder! Susanna was so attentive when we taught her how to hold a bird, she loves any kind of animal. . . Which is why we have a very special surprise planned for her 5th birthday on Thursday, August 5th! Can you guess what?

"Cielo" (Sky) named by Samuel, "Kiwi" named by Susanna, and "Chirpy" our bright yellow chatterbox, named by Elisabeth enjoy their large cage. . . The cage is twice the size of any I ever had when a girl, and cost $6. . . what a blessing!

Guests

We all enjoyed the evening that two families from the church here came and brought their children.

Geronimo, Fortunato and Gordon enjoying lunch meat sandwiches!

Elena and Sandra: the wives of the brothers above, also enjoyed the sandwiches.

We made popcorn balls with the 8 children. . . what fun - and what a mess!

Gordon introduced them to soft pretzels . . . what a variety of creative shapes emerged!

THANK YOU GREAT-GRANDMA HOWE!!!!!! The children had lots of fun painting their pictures that evening! (Everyone is yelling "Gracias!" or "Thank you!")

Daily Life Finds. . .

. . . Isaiah doing his important job of making us all smile with his cheerful grin!

. . . As well as sitting with Papa at the desk - one of his all time favorite "jobs!"

. . . Elisabeth, growing into a young lady, washing dishes without a stool at the sink here in the apartment!

. . .Samuel helping by throwing the dirty laundry down to the washer.

. . . And Sweet Susanna sweeping under the table!

F

A Happy 30th Birthday!

What a wonderful family I have! Gordon asked, "What is the best breakfast you can imagine?" I said, "Waffles with real butter and bacon!" So July 16th, 2010, my 30th birthday, Gordon got up early and cooked waffles for me. It was an extra special treat to have Marta visiting us that week from Arequipa. Gordon at the grill! Elisabeth, Susanna, and the 3 girls with us, all blessed me with cards, poems, mottoes that birthday morning! THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!

We had a very nice week with Marta! She enjoyed learning to make spaghetti sauce with Marie.

We all enjoyed cooking together!

Thanks for coming Marta!!!

That week we also butchered some young pigeons and an old hen. Samuel takes after his Papa!

It was a delicious meal! And lots of fun working together as a family on it.

While Marta was with us we went out for a special Pollo A La Brasa meal - rotisserie chicken. The chicken foot soup they always serve was an extra special treat for Susanna that day, since all 3 youth girls opted to give their pieces of toes and ankle bones to Susanna. She relished each one! Can you tell that it is cold in Velille these days? Brrrrrrr! Chiriwayra! (Marie is taking this picture.)

Here is a shot of our kitchen with the "new wallpaper" that we put up behind the stove.

Well, Susanna sits on my lap and comments as I type - "Why did you put a picture up with none people sitting at the table and in the kitchen. . . are we all outside? Or at church? Oh, I know, it is night time and we are all sitting upstairs in bed listening to Papa read a bed time story. . ." Then, "Mama, should I go up on the roof now and eat a Popsicle or should I go hold Kiwi, (one of our new parakeets -pictures to follow soon!), which one Mama?" Me: "Hmmm, well, why don't you just sit quietly with me while I type?" Susanna: "Mama, that was not an option." Grin! Well, Papa has come home and now she and the other 3 are all sitting up on the roof eating Popsicles!

Hello from Arequipa!

Here are a few glimpses into our July back home in Velille. We are now in Arequipa for a few weeks. Enjoy some varied snapshots! Neighbor Nelly came over one afternoon to ask for help rolling her yarn. Susanna helped her patiently for 20 minutes, then I took over. Nadia returned to Velille a couple of weeks ago with her one month old daughter, Floralet. She loved the blanket, Helena, and the gifts Mom and Lydia - thank you!!

Floralet likes her new blanket!

Sweet dreams~

Isaiah, 17 months old, busies himself with a little scrap of cloth right outside the schoolroom while I teach the others inside.

So interesting. . .

Susanna sits patiently waiting for school to begin with Samuel's kitten on her head! Susanna ever loves animals. . . and can be patient and still for much longer than ususal with a pet to cuddle! "Misti" the kitten has now found a new home. . . kittens are always in demand here, so it is easy to find new homes for them.

Double rainbow in Velille

Now photos and info on the youth site. Click on "click to see what youth are doing," on the right to see them.

Wenger Family and Guests

Can you tell that we love each other?

Brother Lucio has blesses us with his presence on his birthday for the last 3 years.

(He turned 40 this year, and he really likes our cakes)

He is the brother that carries Bibles and other books back to the baptist churches over the mountian, usually walking 4-6 hours plus a bus ride.

Nelly, Cidrillo and their children came too!

Since it was my teaching day, we all went to a Mothers' Day asembly at the school in Tachllapampa, and I got to speak a few words.

We enjoyed Anna and Serenity's visit.

Two peas in a pod.

Or Four?

We love our dear children. It is amazing to think that our youngest 3 don't really remeber anything from the States, but they don't seem to be any the worse for it. Life is life to them.

Four sweet happy blessings!