So, that decided it. I would just have to make a trip into town and pick up some other things while I was there.
We look like the typical Gringos when we go anywhere...complete with the flip flops, crazy windblown hair, sweaty, dirty...you get the picture. I don't know how they do it, but everyone here is always dressed up, hair precisely in place, not a speck of dirt on them, clothes dry and void of perspiration. They do this all while we look like we have been through the ringer and the dirt field. My children's feet are black by noon. We scrub and we scrub their feet at bath time. I notice every time we get on a bus how nice these people smell (with the exception of a few) when they walk past me. They smell like they literally just stepped out of the shower and directly onto the bus. Maybe they buy better soap. Which, by the way we now use bar soap. I have not used bar soap in 12 years. They only sell like 2 different kinds of body wash and it is super expensive for a pidly amount that we would go through in less than a week. Okay, I strayed a bit. Anyways, I was determined we were going to go to town clean and presentable, void of dirt, hair fixed, and smelling good. Kids all bathed, non stained clothes on, clean shoes, hair fixed, backpacks on, and I called the taxi. He must have understood me because he was here in 7 minutes. Took us about 5 minutes to get to town and within maybe 30 minutes we smelled bad again and were starting to get the nasty sweaty look. But, my kids did manage to steer clear of sewage water puddles and dirt. We accomplished something.
With 4 kids in tow, we managed to pick up a couple things at the grocery store, went to the pharmacy so I could pick up some of my medicines. By the way, I went to the doctor here on Wednesday. David made the appointment Tuesday for me to go on Wednesday. I walked in, went straight to her office. She asked me if I was allergic to anything, what medicines I needed, and gave me some prescriptions. It took like 10 minutes from the time I walked into the door until I walked out. I was in shock. Nothing is ever that simple or easy to do in Costa Rica. Bad thing is, the laboratories here in Costa Rica are no longer making the medication that I take for my Lupus. Thankfully I had a fairly new prescription from my Rheumatologist in the states and a very generous pharmacist filled the rest of the prescription and only charged me $1. Because we no longer have insurance. So, at least once a year I will have to somehow see my Rheumatologist so I can get that script for my medicine.
Took the kids to Tio Mano's, a little local soda shop, and bought them a strawberry milkshake that they all shared together. It was so cute. Didn't get a picture. My hands were sticky from keeping their straws from falling into the deep old-fashioned milkshake glass.
Then we strolled to the central park. A trip to town just does not seem complete if you don't at least walk through the park. There are always people in the park relaxing on the benches, kids running around laughing, eating a snack, and just enjoying one another's company. It is one of the things we love most about this town. It isn't a fancy park with million dollar play sets. It is a square block of beautiful trees with a big X sidewalk going through it. Park benches line all sides of the sidewalks and tables are placed in the grassy areas. The kids love going to the park. They ran around for a few minutes, hid behind trees, smiled at other children. It is always worth every extra minute to go to the park. We usually run into someone we already know or meet someone new. It is a great meeting place.
See, they cleaned up pretty well.
By the time we were almost finished at the park David got home from some studies he had, and we met him at the bus station. Walked to Kay's to pick up our meat right before closing time. Called a taxi for this ride home. David didn't want to carry meat all the way home, and if he was carrying meat, then that would mean
I would be carrying Leia all the way home.
This picture was taken last week when Liv and I walked to Market. We must buy a little rolling cart thing. Produce gets really heavy, very fast. Olivia asks, "What is that horrible smell? Where is that coming from? Oh, Mom, that is really awful. There is something bad here." I told her to turn around and look. A meat vendor.....the smells and the looks of it will cause you to gladly become a vegetarian or search really hard for somewhere else to get your meat. Thank you Kay for allowing me to order meat from you.
These pictures were actually taken last Friday when I took them to market with me to help.
She is trying to figure out what the smell is.
ChaChing!! Here it is. Her response, "I don't
ever want to eat meat again."
Plum pooped from walking all the way to town, twice that day.
Along the way this German Shepard protected us from some yappy little dogs. He followed us all through town and waited outside stores for us, until we stayed in one too long. The kids were just convinced that he could come home with us and we could wash him up and keep him....
I think I fared pretty well on my own (only with the Lord walking with me holding my hand) with 4 kids in a foreign country, and my Spanish most definitely a work in progress. As I prepared for this outing, without my protective husband and with 4 very small children, Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" kept coming to my mind. I have to lean on Him and allow Him to carry me through. He will guide my steps and direct them in His will. We must ask though. This will not be the last time I need Him to hold my hand all the way, every hour of the day. No, I need him with every breath I take to help
me and guide me through things that are set before me. Lord, I need you.
And you can do the things that He has set before you. Lean on Him like you have never leaned before. I need to do a lot more leaning and a lot less dissecting of any given situations.
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