Let Me Catch You Up

Since it has been a good three weeks since our last blog post...let me catch you up a bit on life here in Nicaragua and more specifically, the Bracht household.

• We are plugging along with homeschooling.  Honestly, we had one of those "implosion mornings" where we were either begging to be sent to school or to do the sending to school.  However, we rallied and re-evaluated and have improved our schedule.  Funny thing, genetics...and I have 'schedule' minded children...well, at least two...who crave a more "school like" atmosphere.  
• We learned this week that we are not the best turtle caregivers.  Water quality of a pond matters.  We are now nursing two turtles back to health from SCUD...otherwise known as shell rot.  I (Bethany) have been applying betadine and silvadene cream to the underside of these turtles.  The little one is a good patient but the big one hisses at me. We have nicknamed her Darth Vader because that is what she sounds like when she hisses.  

• Noah is faithfully praying for an owlet (baby owl) to appear in our yard.  Somehow the lesson of leaving wild animals (ie. the large turtle who can impersonate Darth Vader) in the wild has gotten lost on Noah.  He insists an owl will be a wonderful pet if he can train it while it is still a baby.  [He got this idea from a wonderfully written book called Owls in the Family by Farley Mowat.  If you get a chance, find this book and read it!]
• The "rescued" ugly little kitten has found a home...ours. Yes, as someone put it..."just keep her and admit that you lost control a long time ago."  Lucy is doing well and she can hold her own against the rottweiler.  She looks less ugly.

• We discovered that we can order "pizza dough" from the local bakery and it is the closest I've come to having Pillsbury dough in a can since we left the States! 

• Ella has discovered her entrepreneurial side and has made over 70 friendship bracelets and sold them at her "alma mater" and then donated her profit to a friend's ministry here.  She is currently making a list of other products that she can make and sell.  Soap and baked clay ornaments are at the top of the list.  She has asked me to make a list of different places that she can sell her products.
• Andrew is learning from his wise Papa and has taken to listening to sermons online.  Some of his favorite pastors to listen to are Curtis Hill and Andy Stanley.  
• We are a bit in denial that it is already November.  There are no seasonal cues to tell us that we are two months away from Christmas.  Although, we heard the familiar explosive fireworks at 5am-ish a few mornings ago and that is usually a sign that we are getting close.

Thanks for reading our blog...however sporadic and random our posts tend to be!