The kids are home!

Rachel, Gus and Boo have been away almost all of the past month, helping with translating for a visiting team. It was a good opportunity for them to stretch their wings a bit, without us parents watching over them. I'm told they did great! Gus had his 18th birthday away from home, which was a bit sad.

But now, they're back!

Well, Gus and Boo are back. Rachel came back as far as the city of Gracias, and went directly to Russell and Iris' house. This is the week she and Iris cook the meals for the pastor training school, and she stays with them during that time, so I haven't seen her yet. This month's school session ends today, which means she's now done cooking, but I still won't be seeing her until Monday. This is the weekend when the Honduran Air Force Academy has their annual open house - so she's headed to Comayagua on the bus, to visit with her boyfriend, Brandy, who is a student at the academy (she'll stay at the home of missionary friends, so she's not completely unchaperoned - but she's 20 now, so she's old enough to do these kinds of things on her own, occasionally). We're all excited for Brandy, as just last week he had his first opportunity to actually fly a plane! After the weekend, I do sort of expect Rachel to make her way home to us.

Gus has been home since the weekend, but today is the first day since his stint as a translator that he hasn't gone to work at the bridge project. He wasn't feeling well last night, and is taking a rest and recuperate day today.

Boo came home sick (upset tummy, fever, and swollen tonsils), and has been laying low for a few days. Today, for the first time since her return, she's feeling well enough to work on something. She's doing some cleaning and organizing, as she gets the gift box project going again. This month with the kids away put that project way behind schedule!

We do need to get the gift box situation finished, as we're expecting a new house guest/helper in a couple of weeks. Josiah will be staying in half of Gus' large room. Currently that "unoccupied" half of the room is full of supplies for making the gift boxes . . . so that project needs to be put on the front burner, or we won't have a place to put him! Unlike Katy, who mostly helped us around the house (specifically, she put in lots of time on the gift boxes), Josiah will be heading out with Allen every day, to work at the bridge project.

Ben and I have been having some fun one-on-one time while the others were away, but he's awfully glad to have his siblings home again. Apparently I'm not quite as entertaining as they are.