I know I'm dramatic and process emotionally, but I feel my soul filling up...I had this dream, and it's happening, just as I'd hoped.  I was prepared to be flexible and ok if it wasn't so great, but it's better than I had hoped.  Doesn't mean there aren't challenging, annoying, pain in the butt times, but all that is a part of it, making the whole experience whole.

It feels so good to be settled in our casita.  We've been in our house almost a week.  Small, but new and cute (purple, Maya's favorite color); has tile floors, electricity, one room that we have our 2 beds and suitcases in, and another room for the kitchen.  We have a table, chairs and a 2 burner electric stove.  You have to go outside to get to bathroom, but it's attached, small (door hits toilet when you try and go in), but has toilet, sink, shower w/hot water.  There's a sink outside to wash dishes, no hot water and no roof, but it's only rained one day so far.  We have a nice porch and yard, that has a wall around it, with a purple gate that we can lock.  Our doors and windows lock too.   Our neighborhood is quiet and safe; we're about a 15' walk from the center of Paraguari, the town central.  We could take a quick bus ride, but so far, we choose to walk.  We are about 2 hour bus ride from Asuncion, and 1 hour bus ride to the campo where I lived 20 years ago.

One of my neighbors from the campo now lives here and he found us the house; he wanted us near to help protect us and take care of us ("my north american daughter").  He lent us 2 beds, table and chairs, and a cooler.  We're using that instead of a fridge for now.  My other friend, Yeni, is going to lend us a fridge, but who knows when.  She said she'd have some guys deliver it Tuesday at 11 (it's now Thursday, 4pm, and no fridge).  "paraguayan time"

We are getting our routine down.  I drink my mate (tea), fix the girls cocido (sweet, hot milk type thing), then we eat breakfast, sweep, mop, wash dishes; we usually visit, run an errand, go to grocery/market, play in park, then fix lunch, wash dishes; then rest, computer/DS time; then journal, read, draw, shower, then visit, then cook dinner, dishes, computer, read, etc, bed.

The girls will start tomorrow with their Spanish classes.  Profesora Lily teaches English at the technical school for teachers.  She's Paraguayan and has 3 kids.  She wants to practice her English as well.  Once I get them going with a schedule, I will hopefully volunteer at the regional hospital.  My former counterpart, Barbara, a nurses aide works there, and I have the cell number of a Peace Corps nurse volunteer that's  been working there.  In general, the girls are still only speaking the basics, but I can tell how they are understanding a lot of what is being said.  Maya is working at it very hard, and Jacey doesn't seem to want to much, but she's so darn smart, she is getting it too.  They even learned some Guarani, which just thrills the paraguayans.

There's been moments of complete surrealness dream like, then settles in to regular ole daily living.  The girls continue to do well; helping me with the cleaning, patient with the visiting, which is important part of Paraguayan culture, but boring for them.  Not only because they don't speak the language, but just sitting around talking.  They've been playing with some kids.  Every time they meet new kids, it takes them a little bit to get comfortable, then it's no big deal.  They haven't met the neighbor kids and started playing with them yet, but we have been busy getting set up, so hopefully soon. 

We spent a weekend in the campo.  The girls loved it, and I couldn't get over how they weren't even phased by it.  I mean, they could verbalize how it's different, but Maya even said, "What's the big deal; it's just humans, living."  They got to do all the fun country living stuff:  milk cows, make cheese, grind corn and make cornbread, ride in a horse drawn cart, pick mandarines, oranges, grapefruit, mangos, avocados from the trees, make grapefruit juice.  Man, how fresh is fruit and vegies when you eat them right away!  There were 5 week old puppies, that the girls wouldn't put down the whole time, as well as the plethora of cow, chickens, dogs, pigs...

We've been skyping with my mom and dad, and the girls with Scott.  We skyped with his parents last night. We will skype with Maya's class on Wednesday.  This skype thing is so dang cool.  I really haven't been homesick at all yet, and the girls say they aren't either.

I'm learning lots about myself and growing.  So easy to "see" yourself when you're stripped of your routine, culture.  Really working on living in the moment, accepting/appreciating what is, removing the judgment, and taking care of myself.  I have to tell the girls several times a day, "no more questions for 10 minutes", or I am going to sit outside by myself for 15 minutes.  They are so curious, but it is so draining explaining everything, translating everything, and trying to be responsible and deal with everything.

So, that's it for now.  We'll post again soon.  We hope all are well.