the NATIVES are getting tired

WOW, I am feeling soooo overwhelmed, in a very positive way! thank you so much for all of you who have been praying for us, we are so very appreciative and your prayers are being answered. enough to make me tremble, let me explain....

as i have written in the previous blogs, Micaiah and I are enjoying our time together, however this trip has not been as heavenly as our time together in Guatemala 3 months ago. Don't get me wrong, Micaiah is doing well, and not fussing, except when she is tired, hungry, and a few other times. However, she just hasn't been herself, not the girl I met 3 months ago. I think she has been in a state of "shock" for which I can certainly see why. She is has been meloncholy and maybe even depressed. I don't know if this is normal, however I anticipated this would be a difficult trip for her, so much so that I considered not coming. she cries if i put her down and doesn't even want to be on my knees, she wants to be snuggled in close to me. i love it! but it doesn make taking pictures and going to the bathroom a bit difficult!

earlier this afternoon a friend I met here, Linda and her mom, invited me to dinner with them. We all sat around trying to keep our babies content and enjoy our meal together. I was very impressed with Micaiah, she drank her bottle and sat content on my lap, with barely a fuss, until my meal came , of course. (i think that rule is in the baby manual they read before coming out of the womb). :o) Earlier in the day I had brought her up to a mirror in the lobby and almost got her to smile, but she seemed to resist. she just couldn't let it out. as she fussed at the table i brought her back to the mirror and attempted to cheer her up, she came close, but no smiles. i went back to eating and when she fussed again i decided to try the mirror one more time.

SHE GIGGLED AND SMILED!!! It was my daughther back in my arms again. I was so overwhelmed I ran into the restaurant to show Linda and her mom, they were ecstatic too, as they noticed her demeanor up and to this point. She continued to giggle and coo and smile at me as I tossed her in the air and gave her zerberts. my whole body was trembling inside. God has given me so much peace during this visit and yet my reaction to seeing my baby girl smile gave me a glimpse of what was going on inside her. I relate my demeanor here to two individuals whom I highly respect. My husband and my friend Shelley both have something in them that I want. Something about who they are, how they parent, their abiltiy to laugh, and their patience in all circumstances make me want to be more like them. More like Jesus. I feel like these few days in Guatemala God has given me the strength to live in such a manner (in regards to caring for Micaiah in these circumstances) I am grateful. I sit here crying as I think of the difficult time she must be going through and so thankful that I have been blessed to see the precious little girl I met 3 months ago tonight. ohh, she is so sweet and how my heart aches for her situation. I can't bear to think I will be leaving her again in 2 days and so I will end with some fun moments we shared today.

micaiah has been verbalizing a lot more today. she says baaaa, maaaa, paaa, i think that's it so far.

i read micaiah a book for the first time today, other than picture books with one word per page. she loved it, buenas noches luna ( the book was in spansih) good night moon.

at supper, Benjamin and Micaiah starting getting fussy and Linda said, we should get out of here, then natives are getting tired! i laughed and laughed.

today at breakfast as I was gathering my meal from the buffet, Micaiah began to stroke my arm as if to say, we are going to be okay mommy.


FYI: linda has graciously been taking pictures of us, as she knows I can't seem to post on here. if you want me to email them to you, email me peteandjocelyn@yahoo.com