CHEETOS!

For these I am thankful (#16)....

Comfort food!

There are a few food items (snickers, marshmellows, poptarts, peanut butter cups, Dr Pepper, Rootbeer, doritos, salsa, A-1 sauce, cinnamon toast crunch cereal, candy canes, twizzlers....just to name a few) we miss from Texas and we are very thankful when we have visitors that carry them over for us from time to time.

These Cheetos I found in Brazil when I was recently there for a women’s conference.  Yum!

HOW MANY HANDS CAN FIT ON A COMPUTER?

For these I am thankful (#15).....

computer and internet.

I am blown away by technology of today and I am so thankful for our computer and internet (as slow as ours is).  It allows me to skype with family and e-mail friends.  It helps me not feel so far away!  I have enjoyed blogging and being able to sharing our lives with you.  We also use the internet a lot for homeschooling and writing bible study curriculum.

Here we are skyping with Grandma and Grandpa on one of our recent trips into Asuncion.

LAUNDRY

For these I am thankful (#14)....

Modern conveniences.

I am very thankful that I have a washing machine and other modern conveniences like a refrigerator, a stove, electricity, computer and printer, and running water.

DINNER ANYONE?

For these I am thankful (#13)....

Being able to cook, clean, fold, wash, fix, change and stay at home to take care of my family.

I have never regretted getting a nursing degree and I have never regretted not using it. I love being a mom and wife and I consider it a HUGE blessing to be able to provide a loving home for them. 

Various meat options in Yuty (about 1 1/2 hours from us).

SHARING GOD’S WORD and SEEING PATIENTS (my husband at work)

For these I am thankful (#12)....

Ease-dropping on my husband

Each morning before Jeff sees patients he shares a bible story with the waiting crowd.  I love to ease-drop.  I can’t help it.  I absolutely LOVE hearing my husband teach God’s word (especially in Guarani).  Usually I am finishing my quiet time when he begins his story on just the other side of the window. I am amazed at his boldness in teaching stories that contradict their beliefs and flies in the face of this culture.  It never ceases to amaze me how confident he seems to be in this language; moving swiftly between Spanish and Guarani.  God has given him revelations and insights about the texts and the ability to craft a story.         

THE BEST WAY TO SPEAK THE LANGUAGE….

…Use your hands

For these I am thankful (#11)....

Friends who are patient enough with me to “read between the lines” and help me learn Guarani.

Speaking of language.....

Yesterday I went to visit a friend of mine.  We spent a loooong time talking about goats.

How Ginny wants one to milk.  Their eyes got real wide like they had never heard of that concept.  Oh yes, I assured them that it is actually healthier for you than cow milk.

How you can then make cheese from the milk.   I told them all about how people in the Middle East do this ALL the time.  They use goats more than cows.  Their eyes got wider still.

How I've never had goat's meat, but  to try it.  Their eyes got ever wider and they looked rather discussed.


Aparently all my information on goats was wrong because they kept answering no to all my questions.  No, they don't eat everything in sight.  No, they don't like to climb on things.  

Since I was getting nowhere,  I asked them to tell me about goats.  Well,  they said. they cut the grass, work in the field and we ride them.

Ride them?

Then it dawned on me.  I had been using the word for horse the entire time! 

Once my friend realized what I had done, she could not stop laughing.  Every now and then she could catch her breath enough to interject, “Horse cheese!  Ginny milking a horse!”   

THANKSGIVING DAY

For these I am thankful (#10)

Our SIM family

It’s tough to be away from your home country and away from family around the holidays.  That is why I am especially thankful that we serve with such wonderful team mates.  We spent thanksgiving together making it as American as possible.  We ate cranberry sauce flown in from Canada, homegrown pumpkins for pumpkin pie, pecans from Texas for the pecan pie and 2 turkeys killed by team mates.

 Julia eating her first pumpkin pie.  Yum!

 Thanksgiving here should always include water.  Man, this season is hot!

 
Preparing for the firecrackers.

First snow of the year (AKA a blown up toilet paper roll).