Crazy week!

Monay Jan. 31-Saturday Dec. 5, 2012

Ok guys I have had another bad week as far as blogging goes. I have been very busy here in Bolivia, and yet very lazy about blogging. So for the days, I will mostly just give the highlights in bullet form instead of a play by play of each day.

1) Mark is back!

I'm not sure if you all remember who mark is, but he is the ex-special forces guy from Great Britain. He is the one that used to work at Familia Feliz years ago and has been getting into trouble ever since. But fortunately, he likes me, Eric, and everyone else at Familia Feliz. But he is the last person you want angry at you. Several weeks ago, he was arrested for having numerous military-grade weapons, exploding ammunition, cocaine, and a hit list of people he was planning on killing. However, I spotted him in town on Monday. Turns out he bribed the police by giving them is guns, and his government requested that he be brought to the border of Bolivia and released. However he came back into Bolivia along with his hitlist! Scary stuff!

2) Guillermo left, David returned.

Both of these kids were mine at the very beginning when I first got to Familia Feliz, but David has been in Santa Cruz for about a month with his mother. Guillermo on the other hand has been here the whole time. But I found out Sunday night I found out that he was leaving Monday morning. This is also the same time that I found out that David is coming back, which is trouble. David is one of the biggest problems on campus and the most difficult to maintain. So Monday morning, the mission plane arrived and out popped David and in went Guillermo.

3) Tracy?

Tracy (Bryan's mom) randomly showed up. She disappeared from Familia Feliz awhile ago and no one knew. Now she just showed up with no one knowing. But later in the week, she left again.

4) Carrying luggage on a moto.

The same day that we took Guillermo and his sisters to the airport, we ran into a slight problem in town. The truck was being used and we really needed to get them to the airport immediately. So we sent them on a moto taxi while Joy and I decided to take our moto. However, we had 2 backpacks, a bag of dirty laundry, and 2 luggage size bags that were incredibly heavy. In case you are not sure, this is a ton of stuff to drive with on a dirty bike on unpaved roads. But when Joy said we could just pay another moto to take the bags, I said no way. That wasn't an option. I mean it would have costed us another $1.00. Unacceptable. Besides, you never put a McLennan up to a challenge like that! My grandmother taught me better than that!

5) Melissa pee'd on me!

So the same Monday that I was in town taking the kids to the airport, little Melissa was with us. While we were at Narguila's, Joy had to run some errands, so I watched the kids. While I was doing this, Melissa needed to use the bathroom, but when she went, she didn't take her sandals and as she was coming back, she slipped and just started crying like crazy. So I ran over to her, picked her up and started rubbing her head telling her it was ok as she sobbed. While I was holding her, I felt that her pants were soaked, but I figured it was just rain water or something from when she fell......nope. Not so much. After awhile of crying into my chest, she finally just fell asleep in my arms. Definitely one of those "AWW" moments.

6) Truck got fixed!

The small truck which is the last one standing has now been broken for about 2 weeks which is very bad news. This is because we use that truck to get to town, to bring groceries and other things back to Familia Feliz, and to haul the kids places. But finally after 2 weeks or so, it is finally fixed! Such very good news. However, now there is a new problem with it. When we drive it, the truck shakes violently. So we will have to get that fixed too.

7) Missy is back!

Missy (Joy's sister and the founder of Familia Feliz) went to Santa Cruz and was planning one being there for 2 or 3 days, however, that turned out to be a month. This is because she got very sick down there and needed to be hospitalized. That is why she also kept having her kids flown down there to be with her. But finally she is back which everyone is happy about.

8) Girls said that they would cook for us from now on.

This is probably the best news ever! One day Eric was working with the girls and decided to use his Mr. G. Q. skills and convinced the girls to cook for us for the rest of the summer. This was great news, however, after they said that, the next day, we almost starved our kids because for 2 different meals, we were waiting for them to be ready, but never heard a thing. They decided to change their minds about cooking without telling us. When we mentioned this to Joy, she wasn't happy because those 2 girls are paid volunteers and are not doing too much. So she insisted that they start cooking for us. Good deal!

9) Christmas Gifts!

All the kids finally got their Christmas gifts! Better late than never.

10) Soccer.....duh.

I don't think an explanation is needed.

11) Head of the South American Division (SAD) of GMI is coming.

Saturday night, Eric and I were told that this big gun, his wife, and the pilot and his wife are coming on Sunday afternoon and will be here for a few days. So Sunday morning, Eric and I needed to move 5 beds and a stove to different locations and clean a room. This is a simultaneous preparation for the head of the SAD of GMI, moving Missy into a different house, and moving some girls into the big house. So Sunday morning has been very busy.

12) Edwin.

Edwin, one of the biggest pains in my side since he arrived has been an angel this Sunday. When Eric and I woke up, he was already almost done cleaning all the dishes, the table, floor, pots, and counter tops. No one asked him to do that. He just did it. Amazing. Later on he was sitting on my lap talking and playing with me which he does a lot, but today he kissed me on the cheek and just hugged me. Kind of a cool moment for me.

13) Monkey Ears!

Today the kids went into the jungle and came back with tons of monkey ears which they absolutely love to cook and eat. They have always kind of grossed me out, but I decided that I wanted to taste one. So yes, after they boiled them and greased them up, I tried my first monkey ear. It was a very weird texture, but not that bad.

13b) Rest easy.

Relax everone, they wern't REAL monkey ears. It is a fungus kind of like mushrooms. But they look exactly like they are monkey ears. Hence why they call them that. The first time I saw them and heard what they were, I thought that they really were monkey ears. So don't worry mom and dad, I'm not eating scratched parts of a monkey.

I am experiencing some internet problems. i will upload pictures later if possible

You Stay Civilized........ Planet Earth!!!!