La casa de Norman y Susanna

I know I've said it before...but I love Sunday's!! I love going to church and seeing all the kids from the orphanage. It allows me time to focus on what's going on in my head and then to hear the message, which always seems to put things in perspective for me. Today when I sat in church, I wrote some notes about how I was feeling. I wrote:

"Today I am sad and happy. My adventure here in Nicaragua has come to an end - it seems like so long since I have been home but I cannot believe it has gone by so fast. Why can't I appreciate every moment? If I did, I wouldn't feel this way - I would be ready for the next day"

Pastor Josue focused on Matthew 6 - 25 today - it just so happens it was about worrying. Some of what we read was "When we worry about tomorrow - we miss out on today!" "Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble on its' own"

This was a message I needed to hear. These last few days have been a struggle for me. I am so ready to pack and do things to move forward and have had to do nothing but wait. So focusing on our time here...enjoying it, that's exactly what I am going to do!!

After church, our cab driver and dear friend, Norman invited us to his home for lunch. His wife Susanna was cooking for us and he was very excited to show us his home. He told me it was small but full of love...and he was exactly right!! Norman and Susanna live in a very modest home - it is about the size of our downstairs townhouse. I would guess a total of about 700 sq feet. It was spotless and decorated with wedding pictures and home-made pictures. The main area had a small kitchen and sitting area and then off to the left was their TV and shelves. They had plastic chairs and no fans (hello Norman, you are getting ALL our fans!!).

Norman has about 1/4 of an acre of land - they have 2 gardens, a laundry area and room to build on to their home, which they plan to do as their family grows. They have a sweet dog and 2 birds that we met and played with. Susanna cooked a GREAT lunch. We had fish, chicken, the best rice I have ever had (Lucie ate all of hers and half of mine), plantains and tomatoes from their garden. It was muy rico!!

After lunch, Norman had bought presents for us all!! Bracelets with the girls names on them, Lucie got the movie Transformers I and II, and for me a small key chain that says "Nicaragua" on it - all so we won't forget him. Scarlett had me tell Norman that even if we didn't have anything from him, we will never forget him! How true is that?!!?

We were telling Susanna that we had 2 dogs at home and then Norman asked Scarlett to show her what our dog Esme looked like and Scarlett immediately transformed her face to look JUST LIKE our bulldog. It was hilarious!! We talked, laughed and got to know Susanna much better. We spend almost everyday with Norman and spending all this time together, we have gotten to all know each other very well.

Norman told us that when he builds on to his home, our family can stay with him when we come back to visit Nicaragua. The generosity amazes me!! Lucie had a great idea - she could fly by herself (like Scarlett does when she goes to California to visit her dad) to Nicaragua and stay in this new casita. ;)

We had one of the best afternoons ever today!! I so missed my husband and knew he would have loved to have been there - but it was very special and we felt so welcome. Norman started off as our cab driver, became our friend and now he is a special part of our family. What a blessing he is to us all!!