Lately

Is it really almost October? Last time I blogged Grace was still getting adjusted to school and I was unsure if we would stick with the whole local school experience. Well yes, Rachel C. and all my expat friends, you were absolutely right. Grace surprised me with how quickly she adjusted to school. Now she's been hurrying us up in the mornings to get there because she's ready to go! I am so completely thankful! I think it's been good for us all...

Well, except maybe for our health....ha! Grace has been sick 2 times already and apparently pink eye is going around something fierce at school. When I got home this past weekend from a retreat (bless his wonderful heart my husband gave me a chance to get away for 3 days), I noticed Grace's eyelid seemed a little swollen and her eye was just a little bit red. I knew pink eye was going around school, but that didn't really seem like pink eye, right? Well, the next day Trinity woke up with pink eye big time, and it has spread to the other eye. Yesterday I also fell victim in both eyes. If you've never had pink eye, you don't want it! I look like something out of a horror film. Good thing my husband can't see red/green very well because he can't be scared with just how red my eyes are. Bless his heart, he's really hoping not to get it before he leaves on a trip this Sunday.

Anyway, with Grace in school I've been enjoying some one-on-one Trinity time in the mornings. Can you tell she recently learned how to smile for the camera and say "cheeeeese!?"

Sometimes in the mornings Trinity and I will hop on a 3 wheel vehicle and head further into town. The nice thing about the 3 wheelers (a motorcycle with an open cab in the back) is that I can just pick up the stroller with Trinity still inside and we are on our way. Sometimes T likes to kick back while she rides. Another benefit of the 3 wheeler cab ride; you can take pictures out the back as you ride down the road.

Here's Trinity at our open-air market. She's being bribed to stay in her stroller with a rice cake-cracker. It beats having her run around in wet, rainy mud.

Another view of our market...we have a decent supermarket in town, too, but the produce is fresher here.

We recently had Mid-Autumn festival once again. Our family was looking forward to going to the big gov't complex in town and eating mooncakes outside with other families, but alas it rained and rained and there was no moon to be found. Grace was so disappointed we couldn't have our "mooncake party" but some sweet friends who live in town were at our house and made it special for her.

They suggested we color and cut out a picture of the moon and some stars. Grace was thrilled! You'd never know we didn't get to look at the real moon. Here's Trinity trying to do her part. I'm pretty sure her mouth was stuffed with mooncake at this point.

Thank you, J and K, for saving the day!