Mission Trip to Brazil

One week from today, I will be getting on a plane and heading to Brazil with 10 other people.  We will be on this boat for 10 days on the Amazon River doing medical work with villages along the river.  I am so excited about this trip, I can hardly wait.  I have gotten my vaccinations (lots of them), and my prescriptions for the trip.  I got my passport (first ever) and my Visa for Brazil.  I am feeling a bit nervous and guilty about being away from my kids for such a long time.  I have never been away from them for more than a few days.  That will likely be the most difficult part for me.  I am also a little nervous about my health.  I have asthma and recently had some serious allergy problems, but I feel prepared as best as I can be.   I have read all of the journals from people who have taken this trip before me.  It has been really neat to read about their experiences and try to imagine what mine will be.  I am going with an open mind and open heart.  I know this trip will change me as a person and I hope that I am able to be a real blessing to others.  I have much to do to get ready....so I will post more after my trip.

Canoeing with Kids....

Well, yesterday I thought...."Hey it is a great day, why don't we go try canoing...."  So I told the kids, we ran to Kroger and grabbed some food and loaded into the car.  Within two minutes they were asking if they could Kayak or raft instead....each of them wanted to do something different.  I was pretty sure that a kayak and a canoe would be a bad idea because we would not stay together.   And I was also pretty sure an inner tube and a kayak would not travel at the same rate.  I stuck to my guns for the HOUR car ride.....and we got a canoe.  Let me just say that about 5 minutes into the 2 hour trek, I was pretty sure it was a big mistake.  My son was in the front rowing pretty much whichever way struck his fancy--usually the opposite of what I asked, and my daughter--in the middle thought it was hilarious to rock the boat by dipping her hands on either side of the boat.  I was pretty sure we were gonna tip.....I did finally remember that we were here to have fun and that it really did not matter  which way we went or if we tipped over, so I finally just let them take over and made myself relax.  We shared alot of laughs and the kids fought a LITTLE less than normal.  I do enjoy the summer, when we can all relax a bit more..... So, we did finally get into a groove, we did not tip over at any point, the kids got to swim a little, and we did not run into anyone.... AND my son came home with a very tiny little frog that he caught on the side of the little river.  I think that really made his day actually more than anything else.  He was so sweet when he hugged me out of the blue and smiled sweetly and said, "thanks for letting me keep him, mom.  I love you."  So, now we are back home and we all survived and I am looking around the house thinking of all the cleaning I need to get done.  The fun cannot last forever I guess....LOL