Life as we know it!

Playing with Daddy!

Life on the mission field is never dull, as many of you know.  Most of you know that we have been going to Callao as a family.  The kids love to ride on the train, however the ride does get tedious at times.  I have started singing with the kids on the train and on the "Combi."  It seems to help, and I can't help but laugh as I listen to what I'm singing!  Ever since the kids were babies, I have always adjusted songs to make them more personal.  "Jesus Loves Me" has become "Jesus Loves You!"  Of course with both Ian and Martha song titles have changed from what I remember them!  I sometimes have a hard time deciphering which song they are requesting!  For example:  "Jesus Loves the Little Children" is often requested as "English, Irish, French, and Jew."  The other day, Martha asked me "for the black and white people song."  Since I had just finished singing "Jesus loves the Little Children" (the "English, Irish, French, and Jew" version), I assumed she wanted the same song in the "Red and yellow, black and white" version.  Whew!!  I was right!

Not only do I change the songs to make them more personal, I have started trying to fit them to our situation.  For example:  We ride "Combis" quite often.  So I decided to change "The Wheels on the Bus" to "The Wheels on the Combi"!  Now my kids will grow up thinking that's the way the song really goes!  Imagine their confusion years from now when they are in Sunday School in the States on furlough and they sing that song!  Poor kiddos!  But they love it, and every time we get on the train, they start asking for the song about "Dinosaur Jack"!  Right now, Jack is reserved for Sundays, but I have a feeling he is going to become a household name - at least in our house!

Here are some pictures of the latest amusements!  We had some big boxes left from some purchases recently and the kids had a grand time with them! I walked into the kitchen where Ian was playing with his box, and this is what I saw....Hmm....all ready for shipping......to Pappy?....to Grandpa?....I couldn't decide, so I decided to keep him with me!

Yesterday, the kids decided they wanted to use a "manta" with their toys.  The Peruvians (mostly the women from the mountains) use a piece of fabric to tie their babies onto their backs to carry them around!  I have a "manta" that I use with Ian - it frees up my hands when we are going places - but you should see the Peruvians stare!  Martha is the one that started this...she wanted to put Elizabeth in the "manta" so I let her use mine.

 Ian, of course, wanted to join in the fun... so I used his favorite blanket as a manta, put his faithful "Oof" in there, tied it on him, and you can see the result...he was as happy as a cricket!

Today we are going to try to go up to the market to find another plastic sword...or two...or three.....
Ian's sword is such a popular item in our house, that we have decided maybe we should all have one!

So, this is life as we know it....never boring....always exciting....and above all perfectly wonderful because we are exactly where God wants us - doing exactly what He wants us to do!