Toddler Jet Lag

When your toddler falls asleep standing up next to you at the dinner table at 6P.M. you know she must have jet lag.
I've decided with my blog that I will really try not to let it be a venue for complaint. God has called us to come on this trip and we are rejoicing in it. He is our Provider and we gratefully receive whatever He provides. At the same time I'm going to be real. We're real human beings not trying to pretend to be "Superchristians" but instead living by grace. So, basically, my intention throughout the blog is not to complain but to still tell the truth. I think that the attitude with which I write will dictate whether or not I'm complaining more than the actual facts I relay. This was, incidentally, a side note, nothing horrible happened I just wanted to make sure I clarified.
Aubrey did not get the memo about not complaining today. She was suffering from some serious jet lag and both Sophie and Aubrey developed pretty yucky coughs and fevers on the airplane. Aubrey hasn't had a fever for 24 hours but Sophie's fever just broke this morning. I'm not sure if it had to do with the dry air on the plane and the altitudes along with their shots on Friday, or the recirculated air, or even just the change in the environment but for those of you who are praying for us we would appreciate prayer for that detail.
Tomorrow morning we make the day long journey to Bagabag. It actually may be a good opportunity for the girls to get caught up on some needed rest. The Bugbee's graciously found friends who loaned them carseats and so the girls are right at home.
We have been preparing most of today for tomorrow. Caleb is finishing last minute details as I write. We're excited about our time with the middle school kids. It seems God has brought together a unique team with many gifts so we're excited to work with each of them.
This afternoon we also found some time to go to the Faith Academy campus swimming pool for a little dip. This was a wonderful diversion for the girls. Even though they have coughs we let them swim because we knew there wasn't any chance of them getting chilled. The pool really did help to lift spirits, too. Sophie had fun "swimming" which she defines as skipping and pulling with her arms in the kiddie pool. And Aubrey has absolutely no fear of jumping into the pool for mommy to catch her. The part I'm really working on is that she has to wait until I count and tell her to jump. I know she understands something about cause and effect but when it comes to the water it doesn't seem that she gets it. There were a couple of times today where she actually went under because I had turned slightly and she didn't have any trouble jumping in the next time. I'm sure glad we decided to bring the life vest because she has no fear of water and there's a pool in Bagabag.
These are a couple of photos of my first impressions of the Philippines. I didn't get the camera out until we were out of the downtown part of Manila but as we left the airport I was impressed by the public men's urinals which consist of a piece of sheet metal shaped in a half arch suspended by a pole with words on the outside expressing the purpose. I was also amazed by the hundreds of squatters in little shacks made of sheet metal and similar temporary materials. Piles of trash burning everywhere, motorcycles with little carts attached to the side for hire, and livestock grazing in random places were some of the other wonders I observed. The only schema I had for which to relate these glimpses I had of the life here were memories from the missions trip we made to Tijuana. When I mentioned this to Caleb he said that he agreed it just seemed cleaner here because the shacks are surrounded by green. I was also amazed that the people who come out of these shacks are often clean with nicely laundered and even pressed clothing.
Above is a picture of some of the work Matt Bugbee has done around the squatter villages nearby to try to help terrace the hills so that the hillside isn't eroding every year causing Filipino homes and possessions to be destroyed.
Here's Sophie skipping away and making sure to keep her mouth closed so as not to get mouthfuls of water. I hope she remembers this trip and learns that our family is about ministering together.