Guatemala , at last!

So much has happened since our last blog so I am going to do a catch up and try to keep up. Most of the new entries will be purely for my benefit as a journal. But you can read it if you want!!

When we arrived at the airport Monday morning, We were a little worried about our weight with our suitcases but they allowed us the to or 3 pounds they were over and we only had to pay for the one we knew was 70 pounds ($50). We left a number of things behind at Emily's trying to make the weight limit. Small miracle, My missionary badge was somehow brushed off my sweater when it went through security check. I felt sad that I was going to have to travel and arrive without it. When we got on the plane, as I sat down, I heard something fall on the floor. It was my badge which had somehow managed to not get lost all the way through the airport, probably hanging somewhere inside my seater or coat.
We left Salt Lake at 12:00, had a plane change in Texas where we had a nice lunch at TGIF. We had to make a route detour before we reached Guatemala so we arrived in Guatemala City a couple of hours late. The Thompkinson's were there to meet us and they have been wonderful helping us get settled. By the time we retreived our multitude of suitcases and got through customs (not difficuilt) it was midnight. When we arrived at our apartment, there were welcome signs all over the apartment and our refrigerator and shelves were stocked with beginning necessities-milk, bread, muffins, cereal, butter, peanut butter lunchmeat, juice and other such things as well as laundry detergent and cleaner and clorox. It was such a relief knowing we were not going to have to rush out first thing.

We actually unpacked our suitcases that night. There are lots of nice closets and shelves, sheets and pillows for each room (I'm sure glad I brought my down pillow). We bought Paul a down pillow the next day at Price Smart. We finally got to bed at about 1:30 in the morning. The next day we mostly tried to get organized and the sisters welcomed me with a nice potluck luncheon at Carol and Clate Mask's home by the temple. It was so good to Carol and meet all the other sisters. They are a pretty fantastic group of women. I'm feeling a little out of my league. Tuesday afternoon the Thompkinsons took us around to a store like Price Club and one like Walmart to get more of the things we needed to stock or shelves with and get organized. We can't drive our car yet and we haven't been able to set up our internet and phone. From what everyone tells us, we should do Skype instead of Vonage. We'll see.

On Wednesday, we spent some time at the Clinic.

Paul hunted around to find the things he will need to use. We are a little frustrated because the church computer person hasn't been able to get the clinic computers networked yet and we can work on the clinic program. That afternoon we went to a nice kitchen, linen place. We didn't get anything fun but we did get some baskets and things for organizing our work space in the kitchen and for our home. We are a little frustrated at not being able to answer our e-mail or use a phone. Paul did go by and get the phone he got from Parker working. He is still trying to figure out how to use it.

We decided Wednesday evening that we had better do something about exercising. Suzanne told us most of the couples go to the gym. Paul is not really wanting to buy a gym membership for $150 a month because he doesn't really think we would use it. He is probably right. We are so used to exercising at home. We will miss our treadmill and eliptical thought. So we started exercising together doing some pilates, stretches, using the elastic bands they gave us with a booklet in the MTC. and whatever else we could think of. Sometime soon we will get some weights and some mats. Anyone that wants to send us some good exercises, feel free.

Thursday we had our first clinic day which started early in the morning.

The morning was missionaries from the MTC and Paul was pretty frustrated trying to make everything work and it was some pretty awful cases besides. Apparently there are a lot of cases that require root canals and Dr. Thompkinson really likes to do them but he will be gone in June and Paul really doesn't do root canals so He was feeling like he was kind of out of his element. He will have to find the things he does well and not worry about the fact that he can't do the same things. Our contribution will just be different and we will have to find our strentghts, and hope we actually have some. However, things brightened up in the afternoon when we started working on some young men from the orphanage. Paul was able to do a lot of good hygiene teaching and was feeling better by the time we cleaned up the clinic and left.

When we arrived back at the apartments, we met the Tilly's who gave us a nice loaf of warm bread. I hadn't even thought of supper. Monday night we had great chicken enchiladas with the Thompkinson's and Wednesday night I made Chicken, Grandma's zuccini casserole, Potatoes and gravy and last night we had our warm bread with great spaghetti, seasoned green beans, and salad. Paul has decided he is going to be okay with Prego spaghetti sauce. We are going to have to think of easy meals because most of the time we will be so tired by the time we get home.

Last night we met Dr. MacArthur and his wife Sandy and they showed us how to use their internet. We were finally able to answer some letters. This morning, Friday, we had to get up early and get dressed up because we had to take some head shots for ID cards. We exercised and had breakfast and Paul went off to finish car and phone and internet stuff. I am doing a little washing and blogging. So that brings us up to date.

We feel pretty lucky to be in such easy, pleasant surroundings. We have 3 bedrooms, one of which we will use for an office, a t.v. room which we basically haven't used, a front room and dining area and a nice sized kitchen with lots of cupboards. (more than I have at home). We have a laundry room and by it maid's quarters (I'm the maid) with an ironing board, iron, it's own bathroom. So we will use that room for suitcase storage and ironing, etc. We have a nice washer and dryer, dishwasher (no disposal) microwave, new toaster and iron, blender, mixer, just about everything I need. Wow! We feel a little guilty because it is so different from what we would have in the Ukraine--next time I guess.

Tomorrow we are going with other couples to see some ruins. Don't anyone feel sorry for us. We will have more social life here after a long day-week's work than we have ever had time for at home. I do miss my children and granchildren but at least we will soon be able to talk to them. I hope I can find some way to contribute to the work here in Guatemala and that I will begin to feel more useful.

And just in case you were wondering...

Twilight is very much alive here too!

Two of our patients from Tio Juan Orphanage Clinic