Today we are in Copan enjoying a much deserved break! it is a bit difficult to blog daily as we don't have a lot of time and we have to take a small walk to the Youngberg's house to get Internet accesss. However, now that I know that the guy standing there with a gun strapped to his chest watching us type is a friend and not foe it is easier. he is very smiley and talks to us a lot...but I wasn't sure if he was asking us to leave or just making conversation. Apparently he is the security guard for the compound so now we like to see him!

Our life here is so routine that I almost forget it isn't permanent. Up early for an ice cold shower...Hondurans don't have hot water for the most part...and then breakfast followed by brick laying from 8 am to 6 pm. Dinner is at 6 and chapel is at 7 and bedtime for the girls and I is at 8. Yesterday we finished our wall and it is beautiful! We call ourselves "Team Chica" (originally "Team Chico" until we realized Chico meant "boy". Our team is comprised of me, Jessa and Sophie....Gavin ditched us to join a team with a beautiful girl, Michelle, as leader. The kids have worked very hard without a single word of complaint. Brick laying is fun but can be very tiring. Gavin finally lost interest Tuesday (which scares me to think it took 4 days and 5 8 ft walls of bricks to get to that point as he is wanting to lay bricks at our house every Sunday!) and found his way into the kitchen. He has been very complimentary of the 2 chefs as they have somehow managed to cook only foods on Gavin's small list of foods acceptable to put in his mouth and they have really taken to him. Yesterday we went into the kitchen for a drink and they invited him to help wash dishes...I didn't see him again until dinner time! Apparently he now knows how to make pizza from scratch!

Yesterday we worked a half day and left for Copan after lunch. We are staying in a hotel which is quite fun. This is our first time to do anything other than work and play with the kids...so it is a wonderful treat! More tomorrow!

Jessa, Sophie And I worked on our own wall today and I am proud to say it looked mighty nice! Super straight and even beautiful....there may be brick structures going up all over Walnut Tree Lane when we get back! Gavin worked with another group and had a lot of fun. This morning I went into town with the Weigs to get produce....basically a crazy and loud market place with products you could find in Dollar Tree!

Another eventful day in Honduras! Yesterday was a brick laying day which was actually quite fun....Gavin did great and worked hard (as did we all!). Today we went to church and after church ate lunch with the kids here. After eating they broke out into some crazy and loud circle games with clapping and singing....these people are not shy! The monkey that hangs around actually got cuddly with Jessa and I!

After a long trip and no sleep, we arrived in Pena Blanca, Honduras. We woke up this morning to see monkeys sliding down the slide on playground....very interesting! our project today was making a brick wall....and I think Gavin has found a vocation...laying bricks! we all had fun doing it..kind of like playing with mud. The people are very friendly and love to hug. The girls and I went to the casitas for a bit today...the house for the sick babies. We played with the kids and had fun just holding them. More later!

We will be leaving for Honduras on February 9 and I am creating this blog as a journal of our trip.  If anyone wants to know what we are doing...just check in here!  We will have internet access, which is a surprise to me, so we are hoping to be able to keep in touch fairly easily.  We will be in Pena Blanca, working with the Pan American Health Service and the orphanage there.  We are pouring concrete...yay!

Let's see....sunscreen with SPF100, mosquito repellent, funky looking hat, work gloves, sheets, blankets, towels, soap, hand sanitizer, Malto-Meal, peanut butter....I think we are ready to go!  BTW...our huge pit bull is such an excellent guard dog.....now we just have to teach him not to actually eat strangers.  He will learn eventually!