New Bikes & New Friends

We decided to get the kids some bikes so they could burn some energy. It is the rainy season here, and when it rains, the playgrounds get wet and muddy. We thought they could get some exercise when it rains by riding around on the ground floor garage which has plenty of room. We also have a fairly quiet street, so that is a good place to ride as well. 

When they first started riding in the garage, two sisters from our building saw them and ran to get their bikes. They spoke English pretty well and Brynn was excited to meet some girls from our building. Then Brynn rang the bell on her bike, and when the kids on our street heard, they came running. The kids on our street are children of construction workers, as there are a few constructions sites on our street. Construction workers live with their families in temporary shelters (tents, or cement block huts) built on the construction site. The father is not the only worker, everyone in the family who is able does some type of work on the construction site.  

These kids only speak the language we are learning...no English - other than "cycle."  The kids all yell, "Auntie, Auntie, cycle, cycle." They all want a turn on the bikes. Brynn has been sweet to share, especially when she just got the bike and is dying to ride it. She understands they don't have bikes and has shown some compassion...so sweet. We've already asked our language teacher how to say, "it is his/her turn", "not now", "slow down", "get off the bike", etc. This is a great way for Jimmy and me to practice our language and get to know the kids and their parents. On our second day of the kids riding their bikes we met at least 12 people on our street - not just the construction families. Luke & Brynn are quite the spectacle in our neighborhood since they are the only white kids. The only downside is that they are somewhat mobbed whenever they want to take their bikes out. It's only a small price to pay to be able to interact with so many people and begin building relationships. 

Here are some pics of the kids with their new wheels and their new friends...

Some girls from our building saw the kids riding and decided to get their bikes and join them. They are sisters who live upstairs from us. 

Kids from our street.  These children have the most beautiful, big smiles, but will not smile for the camera.

Luke getting a little help. He's still learning to pedal.

Resting....

Just kidding!

Happy little bugger!  His trike plays music too, and he loves it. The music is only slightly annoying.

Getting a push from his buddy.

Grocery shopping....A New Experience

Shopping for food here is a little different. There are a couple of "Walmart/Target" type stores here that carry familiar items, but they are hard to get to. And, since we don't have a car, it is no fun trying to get bags of groceries home in an auto rickshaw. Going to those stores is a treat, and I try to get there every few weeks. At the local groceries, walking distance from us, surprisingly there are some familiar items all crammed into a small space. I can get all the basics, including a variety of fresh veggies. But even these items are a little different. For instance the eggs are sold on a big flat of about 30 eggs. I asked an employee how to get just a few eggs and she handed me a plastic bag. The milk is sold on the shelf, either in bags or a box. There are tons of bags of rice, beans and other items that I have no idea what they are or how to cook them.  It took me a while to figure out that "maida" is flour. I really need to start learning how to cook local food from scratch.

Last night I ran out to the store to get something quick to cook. It was getting late and we wanted something we could just heat up and eat. About all I could find were some spicy ready-to-eat meals (the kids had pbj's and yogurt). At any rate, I'm very thankful there are western options available, and I'm thankful we can survive on the food in the stores that are just seconds from our home.

Our New Life....

No more 5-point harness car seats, no more couponing or Chick-Fil-A. Life as we know it has very much changed, but it hasn't been overwhelming like we thought it might be. It's been inconvenient, but exciting. Nothing here is dull. Every sight we see is picture worthy - it's like nothing we've experienced in any of our travels. I hope the scenery never becomes dull or ordinary to us over time.

Although there are very modern malls within a 30-minute drive, this shopping district is closer to where we live. And home of my very first taste of local bakery items - they were awesome!

Brynn's first local outfit.

Luke does not have an outfit, but he wanted to pose for a picture too.

Their new car seats. I think they like traveling this way better!

Making friends on the playground.

Brynn & Luke in their favorite place.

And now some random pictures taken while riding around the city....

Power lines!

Airplanes!

We were very thankful for a short flight plan, which included only 2 flights and one 4 hour layover. There were much more lengthy, tiring options we could have encountered I'm sure.  We were also thankful that Brynn and Luke slept most of both flights.

I'm not going to lie...I like airplane food. I love the little trays and utensils too. Brynn was very excited that they served cheesy pasta...her favorite!

Luke asleep on the plane - the perfect scenario!

I take that back...this is the perfect scenario!

Henna Storying

While in Vancouver one of our supervisors organized a henna party with some locals. We were able to practice our henna Bible storying. Each design tells a story from the Bible, with each element representing something from the story. This is my 3rd attempt at henna. This is the story of Noah and the Flood.

Butterfly Henna

Brynn had a henna butterfly done on her hand.  She likes to tell a story of how a butterfly starts as a caterpillar, goes in the cocoon, and then comes out a new creation. Talk about a good bridge to the gospel!

Very Special Mother's Day

Jimmy surprised me with a Mother's Day lunch on top of Grouse Mountain. It was a gorgeous day and the views were awesome!  

Waiting for the gondola.

If only they could always be this loving!

The Views!!

View of downtown Vancouver from the top of Grouse Mountain.

Chocolate mousse for dessert....bad idea!  She was in heaven!

Visiting the bears...Brynn wanted bear food to feed them. We had to gently explain what bears consider food.

That wire fence seemed entirely too thin at that point.

The Rescue

The scene:Baby brother walks to the edge of the boardwalk holding his sister's cherished "Erin" Bear (a green beanie baby bear named Erin) and stares through the railing at the rocks and water about 10-15ft below.  I beam with pride at the picture of my precious son looking out at the view of the harbor. Then to my horror, I see Erin Bear dangling from his fingertips. I run over to him to grab the bear, thinking he may inadvertently drop it through the rails. A mere second before I reach him, he doesn't drop the bear, but raises it over his head and chucks it through the railing.

Here is the result:

 

With no access to the rocks below, and since Brynn did not witness this incident, we decided to quietly walk away and buy a replacement. 

NOPE

Brynn as we're leaving: "Wait, where's my Erin Bear?"

Quivering lips and tears ensued, to which the man playing the accordion on the boardwalk empathized and played "twinkle twinkle little star" just for her.  That didn't work.  A promise of a new Erin Bear and ice cream didn't work. And to be honest, I was getting a little sentimental too...the thought of Erin Bear going out with the tide to eventually be swept to the depths. We were about to have a lesson on loss.

However...
After a harbor pilot tried unsuccessfully with a long pole, he got a boat...

 

 

OUR HERO!!

Amazing! The people in Vancouver are so nice! A lot of commotion over a little bear, but we provided some entertainment for onlookers. All in all it was a good day.