Not quite enough cereal

As I wrote this post (a while back, mind you) I realized how much I was wrestling with myself. I would love to tell you something more spiritual like "I wrestled with the Lord like Jacob did" but thats not true at all...not in this circumstance. This time it is just me against me. Me being selfish and ungrateful. Ouch it really hurts sometimes.

(Deep breath...here I go). I struggled. No, don't feel bad for me. Don't feel sad for me. Don't feel anything. If you do, re-read the first paragraph...I'm fought with only me.

For a few days I wallowed in my own self pity that I just don't have anything to talk about, anything to "do". John goes to work and has lots of "stuff" to do. V goes to work and Spanish school. Jenn goes to Spanish school. The boys started nursery school. I....(quiet chirps). I take care of Eli when he is home. I cook. I clean. I exercise. I go to the grocery store. I have a new life. I can sometimes struggle with finding purpose. I know I came here with one. I know its only been 5 weeks, but everyone is moving on and working into their purposes while I wait. I often feel a little behind.

So I have been praying about it. I choose not to let this get to me. I choose to believe that my value or worth in the Lord is nothing less then beautiful and exactly what He desires. I choose to believe in the calling He has instilled on me and that exactly what I do each day...whether or not it seems mundane, simple and unnoticed, is just what He wants me to do which makes it so significant and perfect.

So with that I will continue to share with you the happenings of my life. Our lives. The adventures we embark on. This one is pretty fun....

A couple weeks ago we went on an excursion!  John had errands to run so we decided to make it a full morning out of it! And yes, my outing still involved a "grocery store"...sort of. We started our trip on a venture to find cheaper diapers. Diapers are crazy expensive here and the quality is not what we are used to. We heard that the "market" is the place to find them inexpensive so that is where we went. We had to get some cereal, Ronan's favorite cereal that he can't get enough of is from there...its called Trigo and my favorite cereal Quinoa Pop, so going there for those things justified our logic to make this part of our day. The market is open and there are people everywhere selling anything you can imagine.  Picture endless amounts of fruit, vegetables, "cereal", meat, chicken etc! It is awesome, but warning, it is not for those with weak stomaches. I am one of those people right now so the trip came with a few almost throw up moments while passing through the chicken and meat stands. We left the market with no diapers, a LOT of cereal and a fun memory or Eli greeting a dead hanging pig ("Hello pig")!

Cereal Area

Ronan's Cereal! Maybe not quite enough? 3 Kilograms!

Ro next to "his" bag of cereal...A dream realized for him!

My Quinoa Pop! 2 Kilograms!

Fruit & Veggie Area

Veggies & Potatoes Area

Meat Area

From there we went to the immigrations office so John could do some paperwork. Fortunately for us, next to the immigrations office is a playground. Jenn decided we should let the boys go play. I hesitated knowing the battle we would incur getting them back in the car after a short time playing, but eventually decided she was right  and off we went to play. The boys went on the slide, swings and had their first experience on a see saw (teter toter). They had fun. Of course, there were tears shed when it was time to leave but I think they found it worth it.

From there we drove the long way home thru different areas, then Sachaca, which is were we would ultimately like to live in the Arequipa area (if that is where the Lord guides us). Along the way we saw what the heavy rains have done to different areas in city. It has really messed up some area roads. Pray for a quick recovery for some area's. We love Sachaca. It is beautiful there. Close to the schools the boys will go to. Green. Slightly New Braunfels like. Its not real close to a lot...not super close to a grocery store, mall or movie theater but rather quiet and peaceful. A truly beautiful place.

We had a great day. It was nice to go out as a family. Enjoyed time together. Dreamt of our lives and how it will be.

It was beautiful.