This...

This is bits of random -

 

 

Heat can have dire effects on a girl and her lipstick.

 

 

I'm sure he tweeted about this.

 

 

Here, you can buy olives in cans, jars, or plastic pouches.  Take your pick!

 

 

A can of evaporated milk (for fudge!).  Isn't that little tab thingy odd?  But clever.

 

 

Ruth brought this to class one day - chocolate "with sun-ripened California grapes".  A taste of home.  Literally. :)

 

- - -

 

This is the gecko corner -

 

 

Red (left) and Pinky (right, and blurry)

 

 

Cordelia is kind of camera-shy...

 

 

...but I finally coaxed her inside.

 

 

This is what Pinky decided to do for amusement one night.  I'd left my sifter out on the counter one evening and there she was...

 

 

 

- - -

 

This is a heaping dose of cuteness: four identical kitties that I've considered hiding in my backpack and taking home -

 

 

 

 

- - -

 

This is because of Ebola -

 

 

A hand-washing station at church

 

 

An infographic which has been posted up and distributed (at church)

 

 

Text from the phone company about the importance of hand-washing

 

- - -

 

This is our welcome party for the new arrivals -

 

 

The one-and-only Shawn and Jenn

 

(Actually, there's a lot of Jenns here, but it sounded good that way.)

 

 

 

 

The food was absolutely amazing.  Normally for welcome parties it's a potluck, but this time we ordered food from a Lebanese caterer...chicken, salad, potatoes, pitas, and garlic sauce.  It was all good.  So good.

 

 

Welcome baskets: we all bring household staples and other goodies.  They were really full.  And therefore very heavy. :)

 

 

 

 

Michi did an interpretive dance for us.  (Just kidding.)

 

 

Testimony time.  Ryan (left) sharing his story and Michael translating into French for our guests that didn't speak English.

 

 

Cathren, Ryan's wife, sharing hers

 

 

 

Janel's turn

 

 

 

  

 

Beware the Norbert!

 

 

Presenting the welcome baskets

 

- - -

 

This is the after-party -

 

 

We were trying to get the movie set up.  I'm not sure what was taking so long...

 

 

 

The kids sat on the couch, determined to stay for the movie.  Their parents told them it was time to go home.  I'll leave you to fill in the rest of the details.

 

After the movie, we hung out and talked for a long time.

 

Which made for a late night.

 

 

Like got-back-at-2:00am late.  (I guess that technically means it was an early morning instead of a late night...)

 

But it was good.

 

- - -

 

This is my street on a typical Saturday afternoon -

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- - -

 

This is family...that I finally got to Skype with for the first time since I've been here -

 

 

 

 

 

They're the best.

And this...is the end. :)