Judges 15:16 (King James Version)

So I've been having this problem with my jaw. I can't help but clench it at all times. It's really irritating. The more I try to relax it, the more tense it seems to get. Bethany says that I'm internalizing stress. That's probably true. It certainly seems like a reasonable explanation. Except for one thing. I'm not stressed. Well, maybe I am, but I don't feel stressed. Except for my jaw.

I love my job. I get to have new adventures every week (why is 'everyday' one word, but 'every week' is two?). I'm helping to bring safe drinking water to thousands of people who need it. I have flexible hours and a cool little red truck. What is there to be stressed about?

We're having a baby in three months. Is that stressful? I think it's supposed to be. I don't feel stressed about it. Except in my jaw. Truthfully, the whole baby thing still hasn't sunk in yet. I understand that it's going to happen, and everything is going to change, but I don't really understand what that means. Do you understand what I mean?

The water project is growing very well. Tomorrow I'm going over to our new shop (Toti's old house) to get estimates on the cost of converting it into a really cool space. We're gonna tear down his house, put up a new roof, and pave the entire lot. Soon we're gonna have a big six wheel truck and we'll be making a ton of filters. We make 18 filters a week right now. That's not bad, but sometimes we have trouble keeping up with demand. Soon we're gonna be up to 24 a week, and we're just gonna keep growing.

I'm trying to figure out how to get various levels of government involved in our project. I met with a Barangay council on Friday to ask for their help. My hope is that they will pay for at least a portion of each filter we deliver to their community. I'd like it if they could help us identify the homes with the greatest need. They seemed to indicate that they don't have a very big budget, but I never know if they're just trying to milk the white guy for all he's worth. I really believe the government should be helping out. These are their people. Besides, according to my calculations there are over five million people on this island who don't have access to safe drinking water. We can't afford to pay for filters for each and every one of them.

My jaw is getting tight again. I think it's the whole attempt at government involvement thing that is stressing me out. Or maybe it's the whole baby thing. Or maybe it's all the little details in life that add up to a big mountain of baaaahhhhh. Like immigration. And rabbit droppings. And stuff like that.

Toti and I both got sick this week. And Bethany has been really ill (LBM) all weekend. Toti thinks that one of our customers poisoned him. He's threatening to go pour insecticide in her water filter. I told him that wasn't Christian. Anyways, our illness has put us behind on deliveries. But Toti did get to go to a far off Muslim area last week. He says the people are incredibly poor. I didn't get to go because being kidnapped would be inconvenient at this stage of my life. Toti says their water is very bad, and everyone stood amazed as he was able to remove the yellow colour and the offensive odor.

I'm a little worried about this jaw thing. I think I'm grinding my teeth day and night. Toti and I drink a couple of swimming pools of Coke every day. When we install filters, each family wants to bless us so they serve us Coke and bread. We usually do five installs in a day. That's a lot of Coke. Bethany says I should stop drinking Coke, but I don't want to be discourteous. I could stop drinking it at home I guess. I'm not addicted to it. I could stop drinking it at any time. I just don't feel like it. It's probably not good for my teeth. Copious Coke and grinding. I'm worried about my teeth. Maybe that's why my jaw is so tense...

Peace out.
Timmy.

It's been raining a lot lately.Seriously, it's been raining a lot here.
Sometimes the truck can't get there.

Sometimes a motorcycle can't get there.This is me talking with the Barangay council. Notice the reflection of my cool little red truck.This is our new property. I hope to show you the changes soon.I'm not sure what to say about this.