I’ve decided we shouldn’t spend as much time in the states as we did in the past few months. Now I find myself wanting really extravagant things, like hot water at my kitchen sink and 220 so that my dryer can run (I really had forgotten how soft clothes are when they come out of the dryer). Our lease is up in January and we have been looking for a new house (you know, one that doesn’t have a leak in the roof that runs into my kitchen cabinets that has supposedly been fixed 5 times). So, in thinking of all I this I think I need to list some blessings. I am blessed because two of the neighborhood water pumps are broken so one is doing triple duty, and while everyone else only has water every 3-5 days we have it at least three days, and then one day off. I am blessed because I have wonderful friends - we are away from home right now but Giovanni and Carolina have called us 2 times in the past 4 days to check up on us. I am blessed that we have such wonderful friends in the states who work so hard to make our mission successful and let us know they love us - I have a package coming full of goodies!! Hey, this list just made me think that Thanksgiving is coming up soon isn’t it? I am blessed that last year a neighbor brought us turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and pecan pie. Wonder if we’ll have any luck this year! - Oh, I remembered that I was also spoiled by dishwashers (which are totally unheard of in Nicaragua). Have a blessed day!!

Giovanni has been leading a singing class during Sunday morning adult Bible class. He has a CD of the melodies of our song book and we have been going through the songs that we know and making sure we sing them right and making changes and improvements where needed. I especially like it when the CD is different and we all decide we like it our way better! It’s really neat because we are going in order through the song book, so we are singing a lot of songs that we know, but have forgotten to sing, and I’m seeing how many songs in Spanish that we have in English that everyone knows but we don’t sing. Giovanni gave me that CD plus some others that he has that have even more songs, so I’ve been having lots of fun listening and learning new songs at home.

Sewing class is going really well. We have finished all of our lessons and are just making lots of things to practice. My mom bought us lots of cloth at a garage sale (think 50lbs of cloth) and we are making dresses for all the girls of the church. I couldn’t believe there was enough for everyone! I got my first “job” making the shirts that three girls from church have to wear at their preschool graduation. I was a little scared, but they are turning out good. On November 29th we graduate from sewing class, and we all have to make our uniforms. I’m trying to make pants, but we’ll see. My last pair of pants didn’t turn out so great (too tight), so I’m working on improving my pattern. Have I told you about the class? It’s not that we take the premade patterns like they sell at Hancocks and cut them out and make whatever. We have to MAKE our own patterns. So, we learned how to take measurements, add for ease of fit, and make a pattern. I cheat. I have some patterns and I compare with them and then I follow the order of sewing they give. I don’t know how I’d do it if I had to figure out what order to attach everything on my own!
That led me to think about how funny it is when I learn things for the first time in Spanish, so I know how to say them in Spanish and not in English. That happens a lot to me with sewing.

Nope, not US elections, Nicaraguan elections. On Sunday Nicaraguan cities will be voting for mayors. It’s a pretty big deal and both parties have been campaigning really hard. There are trucks with loud speakers, trucks full of people with flags, and generally groups of people sitting around being “supportive.” There have been a few violent events in some universities in Managua and some other big cities. David and I have decided we will suspend our Monday trip to Managua next week. Yesterday, Juan Pablo preached, and he encouraged everyone to come to church first and then go to vote (I don’t know why they always do elections on Sunday). Please keep Nicaragua in your prayers and that able and honest men will be elected.