Picture Dump

So, apparently next week is Thanksgiving, which absolutely blows my mind. I started to sit down and write an "October recap", when I realized we're well into November. So here are a few pictures that might help explain why I have absolutely no idea what day it is:

We spent time in three different village schools giving hygiene trainings to over 1,000 of these precious faces:

Teaching the finer points of why we shouldn't just poop anywhere:

Unrelated to hygiene but a heart melter none the less:

 Attentive pupil eagerly tackling his "How To Brush Your Teeth" coloring book:

First graders proudly showing off their new toothbrush, toothpaste (with fluoride of course!) and gloves:

Not long after this we took off to another village to celebrate the local New Year (don't be confused - this one just celebrates the end of the harvest. The lunar new year is later silly!) No car trip with a car full of local friends is complete without a minimum of two stops for someone to puke. We've found most people here get REALLY carsick, REALLY easily. The little dear you see in the front seat had to stop four times on the trip to "call Roy" as my dad would say. Yikes, right?

We knew that any and all New Year celebrations here included killing a pig, but I wasn't quite mentally prepared for what that would look like when an entire VILLAGE killed a pig at the same time. I'll spare you the details ; ). Baxter, being the manly man (while still tucked in you might notice), decided to get in on the action.

This little man decided to come over and play during the pig cleaning festivities, and then stuck around when he realized I had candy in my purse. Is he a charmer or what?

This past weekend we held court . . . I mean had a picnic with friends at the park:

So there you have it. Five+ weeks of burning up the road and village hoppin' left us pretty worn out. Thankfully, my husband is a doll and realized we needed a break, so last night he whisked us off to a night away at some nearby hot springs. I'd say this view with a private hot spring and dozens of others for soaking out my door wasn't too bad . . .

 

I think that this year with a heart so full, thankful just doesn't quite describe it.