Our first week as missionary students is officially over! Here’s a little glimpse into what daily life looks like these days for our family:
8 AM — Classes start! I usually take Judah to class with me and entertain him with movies, snacks, toys, and whatever else catches his attention
8:45 AM — Childcare starts! I drop off Judah in his childcare room (he’s with the “minis”), and so far he hasn’t had any major meltdown yet. He loves all the toys and kids and playing outside; the only time he starts crying is when I’m not there right away when all the parents come to pick up their kids. I do love it when he yells “MAMA!” and comes running up to my arms when I pick him up 🙂
Besides introduction and orientation classes, the classes we started in the first week are Learning Styles and Worldview Analysis.
12:00 PM — Classes are over and we go home for lunch
Afternoon — Judah naps, John goes to Work Detail two or three times a week (he’s in the carpentry group and they fix up old apartments and such), and I do housework and homework (however much my energy levels allow)
7 PM — After some play time by the lake or with the neighbor kids, we have dinner and then put Judah down around 7 PM. We love our early bedtime :)! That gives John and me time to hang out and most nights do some homework.
Some lessons we have learned about life here:
1. If you want to do anything online that requires more than opening a website, you have to do it when the campus internet isn’t completely overloaded (which is why I am posting this at 6:11 AM in the morning)
2. It gets HOT in Missouri! Not the Spokane maybe-we-should-put-sunscreen-on-the-kids kind of hot, Â but the I-am-sweating-more-than-I-ever-thought-I-could-after-just-sitting-in-the-sun kind of hot. Being very pregnant probably adds to the problem!
3. Being almost 9 months pregnant is a great reason to take the car to class even though it’s only a 5 minute walk! Because of lesson #2, I have no problem making it to class, Â but can barely make back to our apartment after class (mostly uphill with no shade).
4. Do not put on your pajamas before 8 PM (which I always did when we lived in seclusion in our little red house in the woods)!! I tried several times and every time I am in the most ridiculous clothes, someone comes over unexpectedly… lesson learned! Just part of living in close community!
5. Do not leave your door open! This is part of my plan to avoid any contact with poisonous spiders and scorpions that live here (the scorpions aren’t poisonous or even dangerous but just plain freaky!).
6. Take in every day with a thankful heart! Being here to learn, live, and grow is a wonderful privilege that we are just so thankful for…