Torrential Downpours, Dreaming of Bugs, Costa Rican Friends + More {July 11, 2015 Weekend Reads}

Reading Time: 7 minutes

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Table of Contents

Costa Rica Trip Update #3

I can’t believe we are at the halfway point of our trip!

We finished up our two weeks of intensive Spanish refresher on Thursday, and we decided to hang around the village this weekend to save money and simply because we needed to rest!

I am also working ahead on some blog posts this weekend since next week we will most likely not have internet at all (except for on our phones), and I hope I can actually take a vacation the final week of our trip!

Along with Spanish class, this week Becca and I attended a Bible class in Spanish, where we learned how to share our testimonies in Spanish and also went over the books of the Bible.

She, my middle one, and I also learned how to make fried plantains or patacones.

A highlight of the week was when some new friends invited us over to their home for dinner.

We then invited them to our home for a traditional Southern meal of hamburgers, homemade fries, baked cabbage, cornbread, and apple pie (made with corn flour, though, because we needed it to be gluten-free for us!) on Thursday night.

The area where we are has had torrential rainfall this week. In fact, our friends in San Jose checked in with us because it seems the area has been in an elevated state of alarm.

But we seem to be high enough in the mountains to be OK for now. Although the river behind our house continued to grow all week during the rainfall, it seems to subside quickly during the hours when it’s not raining.

We were joking tonight that all of us have seemed to have tasted of some of level 2 culture shock except for Becca, who is still in level 1–or the honeymoon phase. (Will is so comfortable here that he is on level 4–which is the full acceptance stage.)

The only parts I have really struggled with have been the bugs. We are pretty much in the middle of a jungle-like area, and we cannot keep the bugs out of the house.

One night I dreamed bugs were crawling all over me! Yes, it’s been a bit hard to sleep.

Our oldest and youngest girls have begun to adjust better, but our middle one is still having a hard time. Last night, as Becca, the two oldest girls, and I were walking home from the store, my middle one began crying and said she didn’t like walking in the mud, hated Costa Rica, and wanted to go home.

My husband is currently working on a post about expectations with children. We have definitely learned a lot about parenting our children here, and we have also learned a lot about our own character and the areas where God is working on us as well.

This next week we will join Will’s school in an even smaller village that is about 30 minutes away from here.

Since I will have very limited access to internet the next two weeks, I may have a few more guest posts. I hope you will welcome these guests and enjoy their posts. I have written some posts ahead of time, and Will has written some as well, so you might not even notice the guests. But please do comment and check out their sites!

Without further ado, check out this week’s Weekend Reads!

Reads I Loved This Week

The Christian Parent Manifesto @ We Are THAT Family

“I understand that teaching absolute truth that sometimes contradicts cultural norms could be making life a little more challenging for them. But perfect love casts out fear, so we are just going to love people and hold onto Jesus.”

What We Learn About Life from Fairytales @ Goins Writer

“This is where a story always starts — with an unrealized dream. A hope deferred. A life un-lived. Before a chain of events sets the hero on a course to his destiny, there is a sense that there should be more to life than this. But hopefully, that’s not where the story ends.”

14 Reasons You’re Tired All the Time @ Time

“Lack of sleep isn’t the only thing sapping your energy. Little things you do (and don’t do) can exhaust you both mentally and physically, which can make getting through your day a chore.”

Inside Out Can Help Parents Avoid This Big Mistake @ Crosswalk.com

“Kids need us to set boundaries on behaviors, but we should beware of setting boundaries on emotions. Telling your child how to act is necessary; telling your child how to feel is a disaster waiting to happen.”

It’s Okay for Kids to be Bored During Church @ Your Mom Has a Blog

“Not everything at church has to be a big show or a major production. Let’s stop living in fear of our kids having a single moment of boredom. Take them to church. Let them sit. See how the truths they hear work their way into tiny hearts. And watch God work through the preaching of His word.”

What You Should and Shouldn’t Say to Someone Who Has Lost a Baby @ Natural Fertility and Wellness

“Sometimes words can sting a bit too, even though they may be said with love.”

The above post grabbed my attention as I am praying for Gabby of Mama Gab who lost her sweet little boy this week.

Cramp Relief Without Medication @ The Greenbacks Gal

“If you are a female, I’m certain you know about cramps. But are you familiar with clary sage and how it is used for cramp relief without medication?”

What’s on my Nightstand

I just started reading Yellow Crocus, and it is already pulling me in! I have always loved reading historical fiction, especially when it comes to the pre-Civil War or Civil War period or World War II period.