Funny Fruit - Kaqui

On the corner near our house was a small stand under a colorful umbrella. Grabbing the plastic woven bag that my house help usually used to do the market shopping I took a deep breath and announced my departure. Not quite ready to leave my baby with the help I maneuvered the stroller over the pavement that was losing a futile battle with the roots of the ancient trees. The whole bumpy ride my baby gooed and gaaed while I rehearsed the few Spanish words I knew to prepare for my first produce purchases.

The people running the stand were taken by the baby, leaving me time to take in just what they had for sale. Vivid colors mixed with the fresh fruity fragrance wafting from the oversized baskets lent to a euphoric confidence bolstered by the giggles shared by my child and the venders. Over-pointing abounded but was quickly forgiven when I attempted speaking to them with my limited vocabulary being sure to smile real big. I purchased bananas, kiwis, apples, papaya, watermelon and tomatoes. That was all that would fit into the carrier under the stroller. The papaya was the only exotic thing I bought, or so I thought.

I made the proper leaving remarks and trotted home that cloudy morning. I was so proud of myself for this accomplishment. We began washing the fruit and my help made a comment about how much she loved this fruit as she indicated the tomatoes. The argument if the tomato was a fruit or vegetable was not new to me so I thought that I would practice some Spanish and present the opposing view. A comical discussion ensued that my help won only after she took a knife and cut the ‘tomato’ in half. Huh?! It was not a tomato! It was, indeed, my very first funny fruit encounter.

It is called a ‘Kaqui’. It, obviously, looks like a tomato. The taste is sweet with an extremely subtle hint of a cinnamon flavor. It is juicy yet firm. The flat pale seeds are edible while the tough skin is not. We are in kaqui season now. It is fun to eat it and remember my first market shopping experience about six years ago now. Oh, in English kaqui is translated persimmon.

Talent Show

Last Friday night we participated in a church wide talent show. Timothy recited Psalm 133. Gabrielle sang a song in Spanish. Raimy did one in English. They all did a fine job. After the whole show was done the Washington’s got up and did a few songs together as the grand finale. We did all the actions and had a great time. Tyler stayed at home. But in the next few days he tried out some talents. We are sure that cooking is not one of them. Pepper in the sugar? No thanks. Maybe he should just stick to the technical lean like his father. After all he is not even two yet and he knows how to run the DVD player.

Enjoy the slide show!

Doing What They Do

My ten year old trying her hand at oils for the first time. She is an artist. Her preferred style of expression is pencil drawing. But anything pertaining to creative arts is her outlet. She loves dance, music, painting, crafts, clay, sewing, drama, making books and whatever else she can do to create.


My eight year old doing a word find. These or sudukos are his choice these days. Anything that is building or constructing he enjoys as well. I am amazed at what he can do with his legos and other building sets. He is a thinker.


My six year old doing her lessons in school. She is a worker. She says to me, "Mama, I want to work hard in school today." Her undaunted approach to tackling problems is inspiring. I am wondering what God is going to do with her life. It will be amazing to see, I am sure.


My eighteen month old licking a book. So far he has tasted: deodorant, hand lotion, crayons, bubbles, all the furniture in the house, door handles, books, and seat belts. I can't complain because this flows over into his eating of actual food too. He will eat anything!

This was a glimpse at what my kids like doing. What did you do today that was YOU?

Happenings

Just some bullets to let you know what has been going on:

Finished writing my book Breathe Easy

DaRonn returned from Chile on Saturday

Hired a Christian house help gal

Trying to figure out Tyler’s new affinity to licking deodorant

Gabrielle taught Tyler how to say, “Hello-wah”

What odd thing did you eat when you were a kid?

Laguna de Alalay

Yesterday for Fun Friday we went to the Laguna de Alalay, a man made lake in the South part of the town here in Cochabamba. Since it was Good Friday there were many families out walking, biking, playing soccer, picnicking, and fishing. My kids especially enjoyed forging a way to the shore line. It was hard to find because parts were flooded and overgrown. I let them take the lead exploring and eventually we made it through. There were piles of old lily pads that had been pulled out from last season that we had to climb over. The fish water smell was not as strong thanks to the breeze. Wild horses grazed on the banks as the men with bamboo poles waded in knee deep to catch fish for their families seated on the grass under the shade of the trees. There was even a man selling ice-cream out of his styrophome chest. The kids pulled up the large water plants and inspected the long hair like roots. God really has surrounded us with fascinating creations. As evening set in the mosquitoes awoke and were hungry so we left. As we were walking to the truck my son pronounces, “Thanks for a very fun Fun Friday mom!”

Yay for Art Day

Thursdays are Art Day here at our home school. We have been having a good time creating together. Usually some of the kids of another home school family who live a few blocks away walk down to do the art project with us. It makes for a fun time for everyone involved (teacher included). So far we have made: me posters, rubbings collections, potato prints, slot sculptures, color spinner pull yo-yos, and woven paper. Each week we learn an art vocabulary word. I make the oversized vocab cards with card stock. The top line is the term, the second line is the definition and finally the card has an example of the term. Some of my projects I find at the Art Attack web site. I love art!


Getting all set up


Raimy with some of the vocabulary cards


Gabrielle working hard


Timothy finishing up


Aren't they lovely?! (The art is pretty nice too)

Peanut’s Plan

Last night my four little nuts and I were eating our dinner. I said, “Guys, after you go to bed tonight…”

Peanut-butter interrupts rolling her eyes with a little grin on her face, “I know, I know. You are going to go out.”

“I know where she is going! She is going to see papa bowling!” Peanut-man declared triumphantly.

“Nu-uh! You don’t know!” Peanut-butter stated trying to get the upper hand.

Peanut, ever the peacemaker, raised her voice above the din of the argument brewing across the table, “There is a way we can know! In the morning we can go into mama and papa’s room. If there is a trophy there that means that papa was bowling!”

Cheers of approval from both sides of the table revealed their enthusiasm as to the validity and rightness of this plan to verify mama and papa’s extracurricular activities. The unanimous observation was completely founded on logic (in their heart): If papa is indeed bowling then a trophy will be the sure proof of this activity.

In conclusion: Papa bowling = a trophy won.

All in their jammies this morning my little nuts gathered around the gleaming white trophy in the shape of a bowling pin. The comments were varied.

“You got another one?” Peanut-butter clarified.

“How many of those do you have now?” Peanut asked with proud grin on her face.

“Is this one bigger than the last one?” Peanut-man implored with eyes wide inspecting the first-place, city-wide championship prize.

Nutmeg just watched and listened, contented to be in the middle of the mix as his papa showed the trophy to his ever adoring and most faithful fans. Someday they might actually get to see him win one of those things; when the championship is not held past their bed-time.

Belly Button Gazers

Getting the kids ready for bed last night DaRonn says, “What would it be like if the world did not rotate around Gabrielle?” A hypothetical question not necessarily directed at our six year old. Nevertheless she did not miss a beat and explained, “It would be like everything would be stuck in their place and not moving; like freezed.”

How often do we have the attitude of my precious little girl? We think that if it were not for us then the world would go into a catatonic state of shock. It would be ‘freezed’ if it were not for us, and our brilliance, and our work, and our ideas, and our whatever.

I believe that everyone is special and important. I believe that everybody should feel free to express themselves in all their creativity as they love their Maker. I also believe that we need to look at the way we are viewing ourselves.

Eastman Curtis calls selfish people “Belly Button Gazers”. They incline their heads at such and angle that the singular view they have is that of their own belly button. What a sad song these people drone out, either in self-pity or in puffed up pride.

Let’s lift up our heads and look around today. You might just be the answer that God has provided to ease someone else’s misery. (But don’t let that go to you head now; smile!)

Like This Child

Gabrielle and Timothy on the walking trail this winter.

Hippo Happiness

My Gabrielle is so happy with her new hippo tent. Oh, the life of a six year old!

Basement Beginnings - 4

Part 4 – Santa Cruz, Bolivia
(Maids quarters)

Youth is marked by three outstanding characteristics: invincibility, omniscience and hope. Without these one would never risk it all in pursuit of a passion. The Neverlands and Narnias, Wonderlands and Lands of Oz would never be discovered were it not for these three magical spells that have been spoken over all wide-eyed girls and boys.

DaRonn and I were enchanted and our mysterious land yet to be discovered was Bolivia. After a 10 day trip with a group from church to help with a crusade in the spring of 2001 we were ever so much more convinced that we were to spend our internship time in Santa Cruz, Bolivia with a missionary couple that were connected with Tulsa’s Victory Christian Center. They graciously extended the invitation for us to come and we spent the summer months in preparation.

A few significant things took place. In July we decided that if we were really going to live overseas fully supported by donations then we must practice now; so DaRonn stopped working his temp jobs that he might dedicate his full attention to the fund-raising process. August brought us our third child; she was 10 weeks old when we moved to Bolivia. In September the twin towers were hit; thus changing airport procedures forever.

We were red-flagged because of the five one way tickets we had purchased for our family. Our bags and babies were searched at every checkpoint. I landed in humid Santa Cruz exhausted and hoarse after the journey that took close to 24 hours. Trying to make use of all our carry-on and check-on privileges we had checked 13 duct-taped rubber tubs and had 10 hand bags. Three-year-old Raimy and two-year-old Timothy each had a little rolling bag to tote around. I had the baby on a front pack and a back-pack on the back keeping my hands free for my toddlers. DaRonn carried the rest.

We left October 31 and landed November 1, Bolivia’s “Day of the Dead” on which they celebrate their dead ancestors by visiting the grave sites and sharing a meal together, leaving the leftovers for the spirits to enjoy. How odd it was as we drove into the city to look around and see every person dressed in black. Due to the fact that I had completely lost my voice I was unable to carry on a conversation with the missionary that had kindly picked us up from the airport. I was left to my thoughts. The main theme running through my mind was, “These people need Jesus.”

The missionaries had benevolently offered for us to stay with them until we could find our own place. The home they lived in, along with their four children, was in a neighborhood with dirt roads and high walls around all the houses. We were directed to a room behind their small place in the maid’s quarters. There was a bathroom attached to it. A double bed and a small table took up three fourths of the room. There was a closet and some wicker furniture as well. This was to be our home for the next six weeks. We shared it with the mosquitoes, spiders, quite an impressive variety of ants, biting flies, lizards, and scorpions.

Our next two years in that city were filled with adventures and challenges that could cover many pages. We were placed over the bible school operations, a public school outreach program and the children and nursery at the church. This couple had founded all of this work in the seven years they had been there at the time of our arrival. All the while we were learning Spanish and learning the Bolivian culture. Our internship was useful and I am grateful for it.

We knew that eventually we were going to launch out with a separate work. The instances that led to this breaking away will be saved for a later date. Suffice it to say that I am happy that we left the “maid’ quarters” stage of our missionary career. Cochabamba was the next destination as we packed up to move in November of 2003.

Funny Fruit - Chirimoya

Chirimoya [chee - dee - moy’ - ah]

It has other names depending on what part of the world you are in: Atemoya, Cherimola, Cherimoya, Custard Apple, Custard Fruit, Sitaphal

Taste: For those that enjoy the fruit they would describe it as sweet, yet mellow with a soft ripe pear feeling, but not so grainy. For those that don’t enjoy it they have described it as mushy with the strong taste of dish detergent or soap bubbles.

Look, size and feel: One of those especially ergonomic fruits it ranges in size from that of a soft ball to four times that size. It is heavy and dense. The bitter green skin bruises and tears easily. The actual fruit that you eat is white and a bit juicy with a few large black seeds throughout.

Just the gals in our house consider it a treat. The guys only like it as a flavor of ice-cream. Even though I just finished eating the one you see in the picture with my daughters, my mouth is watering just typing about this treat. We have a chirimoya tree here at our house, though this one I bought in the market.

The Finite Points of Life

While cleaning up around the house with the family I stuck my finger in a live current. Upon hearing my yelp my good husband inquired, “What happened? Are you ok?” A bit disgusted with myself I responded, “Yeah, I just stuck my finger here and got a shock.” My five year old asked, “Did you get burned?” “Yes, I did,” I said. Moved to sympathy she cooed, “Ooh! Ow!” as she examined my finger. Glancing over and surveying the situation big sister purses her lips and frowns at the little one then curtly replies, “Yeah, but at least she is still alive.”

My pinky is still tingling, making it hard to type my a’s. But, as the sage said, at least I am still alive.

Newness

An often contemplated subject that rolls around in my brain is newness. We are told that God makes all things new; that we are a new creation, that God's mercies are new every morning. An integral part of life is newness. New things are a thrill to me: the smell of new books, new clothes, new carpet and new cars, the feel of a new baby's skin, a new bloom or a cake fresh out of the oven. Why does the human enjoy new things? I think part of the reason is that we were made in the likeness of a God who enjoys new things.

I did something new the other day. In hopes to establish a closer family connection I employed a modern tool and set up a group blog with the contributors being my parents, my siblings, our spouses and our kids (eventually).

What new thing have you done lately? Today is a new day. Start fresh. Start new. (Philippians 3:13-14)

A seven year old boy’s philosophy about extra terrestrials

So this morning my son made me an origami Tulip from the kit that he got this Christmas. Thus began the discussion about this type of flower. My five year old girl was convinced that this type of flower did not exist because she had never seen one before. So I explained that Tulips didn’t grow here usually. And she asked, “They grow on another planet?” I said no, they grow mostly in a place called Holland. She said, “The planet Holland?” she is my kidder. Timothy, my seven year old, found it necessary to interject, “No. There is nothing on the other planets. God just made them because He wanted to.”