How true that no two days are alike! Today we had a great breakfast and then I was very busy buying a ticket to fly to Idaho for a Hofer family reunion Aug. 19-21. I had started to plan the reunion before we knew that we were taking off for Guatemala. My heart is torn between longing to see my mom, siblings and Jeremy's, and leaving Vernon, Jody and Jeana here when they would love to come along. Vernon and the girls were so sweet and encouraged me to go, so Jared and I will fly out on the 18th.
I talked to Sharon and Marta and Priscila to see how they felt about the housemom deserting her post so soon and they gave their blessing! Marta tried to keep a straight face and told me "no, you can't go, there is too much work!" So I dried my eyes with the dusting cloth and told her ok, then she told me that I could go if I started working real hard from today on!!
I am sitting in the kitchen trying to keep my thoughts collected as Jody and Jeana and Sharon charge around preparing food. Jody and Jeana have to make snack for youth activity tonight, fruit pizza with fresh strawberries, sweet pineapple and kiwi. It is a feast for the eyes and looks delicious too!  Sharon mixed up this wonderful dessert for lunch tomorrow.
Shopping for kitchen tile is a learning experience in Guatemala! Vernon and I took Priscila and Marta along to translate and ended up searching through 4 stores till we found something that matched our new paint job. We had a lot of fun, literally driving in big circles trying to find the right street that would take us in the right direction! After finding the tile we felt would work, we enjoyed looking at the beautiful designs and colors of tile that didn't fit a missionary budget. Danny and Linda and boys came over after supper and Brian Yoders dropped by and we had a good time visiting while the boys played volleyball in the courtyard with chairs for the net.
Thought for the day - "Bitterness is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die." I couldn't wait to use that one. Hasta leuga............

A Monday in the life of a housemom.................
5:15am wake up hearing church bells getting louder and louder (it's my alarm clock)
5:40 getting breakfast for the 'water girls' before they leave for Pasaco to paint a house for Ross and Danita Good. Also sent a lunch along for seven people.
6:15am start breakfast for Jody and Jeana before they head to Antigua to live with a native family for the week as they study Spanish.
6:20am Vernon finds out he has to drive the girls and Danny and Linda to Antigua, so he eats and leaves at 6:45.
6:50 make breakfast for two guests and find out one gets sick when he eats eggs, but he insisted on eating them any way. I offered something else.
7:25am  Sharon, Priscila and Marta came to the kitchen. They had decided to skip breakfast since we had a special Sunday eve. snack of waffles with homemade ice cream, peanut butter and syrup and strawberries!
8:00-10:00am started hanging out laundry.Got a phone call from Brian telling us we would be getting a family of five for supper and the night. Vernon got back from Antigua just in time to take a visitor to the airport to fly back to the states. I started to prep the kitchen for a paint job on Tues. James came in from Oratorio to drop off a vehicle that needed to go to another out post.
10:30 Vernon got back from the airport and helped take some things down in the kitchen. We put away all the pizza sauce we had canned on Friday. I kept trying to get my laundry done.
10:45-12:00 sanded the kitchen walls with 60 grit sandpaper because we thought the old paint may have been oil based and we wanted to use a water based paint. We got that dusty job done before lunch thanks to Jared helping me. Vernon ran to the airport to pick up Janet Meyers, a RN who is starting a term of service in El Chal.
1:00-5:30pm After one of Elbas delicious meals of rice, beans, tortillas, and 'quesa fresca' and a cup of wonderful coffee, I was ready to get going. Sharon and Janet walked to Walmart to get a few groceries we urgently needed.
Vernon and I worked in the kitchen and got a coat of primer on the walls and ceiling and got everything ready for the paint job next day. Jared was helping too, and was pleased that he got to do some painting. We received a call that the family of five got held up in construction and would not be coming for the night; but maybe the next night.
Sharon made a delicious supper that I felt almost too tired to eat.
The evening was a bit more relaxed and I got our laundry done and started working on a large bi weekly grocery list. Had some story time and talking time with Jared before bedtime.
This is a birds eye view of one day in our life, and I have learned that every day is different!!

Yesterday was a great day! It was very busy but interesting. Sharon was managing the making of 100 jars of pizza sauce so I was doing all the cooking. I made tostadas with refried beans, guacamole, guatemalan salsa, and all the other little fixings that go on top. It was a challenge to get it all made correctly  and on time, but we sure enjoyed the results!Then for the evening we had a campfire over at our house and made mountain pies with the best homemade ice cream!!  We had a great time sitting around and eating and laughing and then there was a very loud active volleyball game in the courtyard.
The grandmother of some of our friends died this week. We went to the wake on Thursday eve. and it is a very sobering reminder that God has given us the freedom to choose His gift. We don't know that she chose this, though her grand children shared the plan of salvation with her. May we all be reminded that life is a gift from God to be used for His glory for His light to shine through us and draw others to Him.

Went to the biiiiiggg market today. How do I describe all the fresh produce?! We went to get stuff to make pizza sauce on Friday. There are lines of bulk produce vendors and then there are the 'small amount' vendors. It is a most interesting experience! Fresh asparagus, peaches, lemons(limes), pears, pineapple, avocado, star fruit, cilantro, watermelon, to name only a few. We bought 100 lb. of nice potatoes for Q100. which translates into about $13.00. It feels so healthy to have fresh produce year round. There is a small market we walk to a twice a week and sometimes people bring food to our door to sell as well. One morning a woman brought bananas,  delicious bananas, and I bought some from her.Then she asked me to help her put the basket back on her head and we both heaved it up on her head. It was very heavy!
Tonight there was a knock on the door and when I opened it, there was a man telling me he was 'mucho hombre' and needed 'comida'. He drinks a lot and when I looked in his face, I had such a feeling of sadness for him and had to think of the deep need in his life!
Today Elba made a special meal called pepian. It has this well seasoned rice and chicken and wasquil and a chili sauce full of fresh cilantro! What an enjoyable meal! I was again surrounded by total Spanish since all the other gringos were not in for lunch. I may learn it yet!

Six weeks in our glass house! Words can't describe the feeling I had when we drove into the compound and saw the big black doors closing behind us, cutting us off from the rest of the world! I looked around and thought, "what kind of frying pan have we jumped into"?  That first day was a day of  reminding myself that the same God who led us here would be with us all the way.
Now, six weeks later, I have the proof that God has been with us. It is only by His grace and help that I can feel as comfortable and calm as I do. I love the people here. They are  normal,  dedicated people who are very friendly and welcoming.
Sunday evening I heard lots of  shouting and laughter coming from the kitchen. Marta was doing Spanish flash cards and Jody and Jeana were competing with the answer. We were entertained! .......lunch bell just went.....
My warm thoughts had a dose of reality as I sat through a 'toto espaniol  el almuerzo'. It can be isolating, yet I tell the girls, total Spanish! I hope I will pick some up.
 Vernon, Jody and Jeana left the house this morning in a happy mood. They walked to the bus stop to catch a chicken bus to Antigua for their second day of Spanish School. The school only had room for three, so I may get to go yet.

Help me fix these beans!

A few days ago I decided to make a Guatemalan meal of black beans, Guatemalan rice, tortillas and watermelon. Yum! I could just taste it! Then................. we all, 13 of us , sat down to eat. There was silence and there were small helpings and there were no second helpings. I sensed there may be a problem! The beans were gritty, the rice didn't have flavor, I was bitterly disappointed. After lunch I told Priscila, "please help me fix these beans", and she did. After some frying onions in oil, blending them with the beans and cooking them a bit more, we had some wonderful beans! Then for the evening meal, Priscila and Marta 'helped' me make supper while I watched! We made refried beans, and fried platenos. Was that meal ever good!
I am determined to learn how to cook Guatemalan and do it right! When we go back to the states my grocery budget may be smaller :). 
Today, I must confess, we had an all American lunch - meatloaf, baked potatoes, salad and pumpkin pie and apple pie. Our group added up to 18 people and we had a great time eating and figuring out brain teaser puzzles! Adios............

Be flexible!

This morning I planned the traditional Saturday morning prayer breakfast of pancakes. Expected 30 people and so made lots of pancakes and sausage gravy to go with it. (try that combo before you gag, it's real good). As the pancake level went down, I went into my traditional panic mode and quickly stirred up some more pancakes. Good thing I did!
Today I was able to communicate with Elba, a lady who comes and works here a few days a week. We can love each other through the language barrier! I know she has grandchildren and that we a just a year apart in age. My life has been easier than hers has!
Since we have been here, God has shown He can speak to us in spite of the language. Our souls can be fed, by His mercy. The second Sunday we were trying to find Spanish numbers to sing Spanish songs and I felt very dry and I just told God, "I need help, please feed my soul". He answered in such a beautiful way! The song we sang was 'Day by Day' and I felt so loved by His response. That song had been one of our family theme songs before we came to Guatemala. Then the pastor preached in Spanish but gave us the scripture and a few sentences of what he was speaking on. It was about laying our all on the alter and surrendering. Our souls were fed!"

For five weeks Mission Headquarters has been my glass house. There is a sense of privacy but the open windows and the walls that sound bounces over, shatter the illusion. God has been very real as we adjust to life in a glass house. I have decided that I am who I am and God sees and hears all, so no hiding my grouchiness here! Today I felt homesick and wanted to have a good cry. Just writing it makes me feel more like laughing at myself.  This week has been a very busy one with missionaries from all the outposts coming in for a 2 day 'workers meeting'. This meeting is a time of fun, laughing, talking, eating and being encouraged- all in the English language! We had a wonderful time. Our motivational speaker gave us a lot of food for thought and kept hitting on the thought that it is Gods spirit within us that touches hearts and draws others to Him.
We love it here in Guatemala and the people are so sweet! There are 2 girls, Priscila and Marta that live here at the mission. They have been wonderful and patient and keep pronouncing spanish words over and over and over!