Jet Lag

Coming home has been harder than I expected, and yet easier than I predicted.  I thought there would be some fits of crying for my family, maybe even a sleepless night to waffle back and forth about if we made the right decision to come back to Guatemala... But there has been none of that.  What there has been is frustration.  Maybe it's culture shock... Or would it be reverse culture shock?

I figured that our spanish would come back to us the second we stepped off the plane.  Dave and spoke to each other a bit in Spanish while we were in Canada, as well as were in contact with our Guatemalan friends through Facebook the whole time we were gone... But to me it felt like I forgot everything!  (Keep in mind, I'm the one writing this, and Dave didn't feel this way.). I felt like the first week was going back to the first day ever, trying to remember simple things like how to say I was happy to see someone!  How could I forget so much in such a short time?!  

The second problem has been the fatigue... Part of my inability to speak Spanish has been my low levels of energy, I have napped almost every afternoon and gone to bed before 10pm!  I had no idea out trip had taken so much out of me.  Thankfully, my schedule has been pretty relaxed, and I have been catching up on rest and also on Spanish classes with Eloisa.  Today was the first day I didn't nap and carried a normal conversation in Spanish... Praise the Lord!  I was starting to worry... Haha...  

The easy parts about coming home has been the climate, of course, and being with our team again.  Living in community continues to be a joy, and I love eating meals together especially.  Our cook is still on a medical leave so Dave has been cooking for the base.  Being with Eloisa is wonderful as well, and we enjoyed going to her mother-in-law's birthday party on Sunday.  On Saturday we have will be celebrating a joint birthday for Dave, Ana, Damaris, Miguel, and Z... So many January birthdays!  It's amazing to realize that we have been here for more than a year... We celebrated Z's birthday with them last year too! 

I have started getting up early to pasture the raw milk that I buy from a farmer up the volcano, which has been a good practice for me, to have some quiet time alone to start my day.... Plus the sunrises can't be beat!  The room feels more like home with all the things we brought from our boxes in Canada, with more of our family pictures, and more of those little homey touches that let us know we have really MOVED to Guatemala.  

Jet lagged or not... We are glad to be back.  

My little milk business.  

Z playing "with" the bunny.  

My morning view.  

We are starting literacy class up again!!!! February 4!  Please be in prayer for our future students!