Outdoor Fun

Our afternoon visit with Vera on Saturday was pretty quiet. (Our morning visit was quiet too...we didn't even take any pictures.) We played in the sand for awhile and Vera enjoyed making little sand mounds with the cup we brought.

This kept her busy for awhile.

Saturday was also the first time she would get on anything that required her feet to be off the ground. I think this might have been a trust issue. The first time Jon picked her up, Vera's body was stiff as a board. I wish I had taken a picture of it to compare the difference now. Now when Jon picks her up, she is mostly relaxed. But it's very obvious that she hadn't been picked up or held in a long time. It did not come naturally to her.

Jon and Vera enjoyed the teeter totter for several minutes...

And then we moved on to the swings. We've been trying to get her to swing since the beginning. She was always happy to push us on the swings but would not get on one herself. I was thinking she just feels more secure with both feet on the ground, but now I'm wondering if she just didn't trust what we would do.

These swings are the most awkward, uncomfortable things ever,

but it was so fun to see Vera enjoying herself on one.

There was a shy, quiet boy swinging next to Vera

with one of the ladies from the ministry group.

I hadn't slept well the previous 3 nights and after our visit Saturday I was completely wiped out. I just wanted a good meal and a bed (my bed). We took the bus and headed to a restaurant that the Housers had told us about. English menus are hard to come by here. And if there are no pictures, forget it! We sat down and got our drinks and then the Housers came walking down the street. We ate dinner with them and enjoyed getting to know them better. They live in Alabama, so not too far from us. I am so thankful to God for bringing the Kruliks and Housers here at the same time as us. It's very cool and such a God thing that we have all hit it off so easily and effortlessly. It's so wonderful to share this experience and get to fellowship together. Kim and I were both pretty exhausted, otherwise I'm sure one of us would have thought to take a picture. Oh well. Next time, I guess.

And in case you're wondering, I slept GREAT Saturday night. We decided to skip our morning visit yesterday and I got to sleep in. I needed that!