More Prenatals and feeling more at home!

Greetings! Thank you all for the comments and encouragement this week! We have been so blessed by your e-mails and responses.

Last night, Tim and I hung our first picture in the house...actually it wasn't a picture at all...it was a quilt my dear friend, Heather Lilly made for us for our wedding! (see picture!) It has verses all over it from many of my university friends. What a blessing to put it in our new home. No doubt those Scriptures will come in handy during our stay. Thanks, Heather.

Then today, Thursday, I spent time in the clinic (picture of the outside of the clinic) learning how to do more prenatal exams. (Picture of the other prenatal examiners and the "buntas" praying before their exam). My teacher this time was Tiffany. She was so great! I learned a TON from her. She had me doing quite a bit of charting results, checking the fundal height, palpating the baby, praying for the "bunta" and learning all the risks involved in giving birth in the third world. She was a gem.


The pictures are of Tiffany teaching me with the "buntas". By the end of the shift "Ako si Bethany" rang in my ears and I can honestly say that the best way to learn a language is constant repetition!

God has been so faithful in all of the experiences we have had....right now, Tim is getting our extension to stay in the Philippines until our missionary visas are filed and ready to go. Apparently he has to wear long pants, shoes and socks and look really presentable in order to obtain an extension....it's HOT today and Tim doesn't own anything but sandals, but he suited up for the occasion and wore socks WITH sandals...his dad would be proud! :)

Today we may get househelp, too! Our househelp will come two days a week to help with keeping the floors clean and getting the laundry done....it's surprising how much I have taken for granted the washing machine and dryer! Hanging clothes on a line is a lot of work and because clothes get dirty so fast, you have to do laundry everyday....or close to it! So when I start school, I will have a hard time getting all of it done and the floors are all tile so soot settles on it very quickly....a little black dust never hurt anyone, right? Anyways, it will be a blessing to have the help and one to one time with a Filipina!

Tomorrow, we are heading out with all the married couples at Newlife School (in total, there are 5 families going...30 people in all!). We are heading into the bush with all their kids to get to know each other better....sharing two bathrooms and one house....this should be interesting....I am not sure that I am looking forward to the four days (Saturday to Tuesday for us), but I am sure that at the end, I will REALLY know these people. PRAY FOR US! Fifteen kids does not sound like fun to me- I've enjoyed being childless since leaving our job with the group home, but grace is an attribute that I am asking the Lord to give me. We'll take pictures....but there won't be a post during that time. Many blessings to you all!