School is in full swing!  It has been a bit of an adjustment for all of us but I think we are getting into our groove.  

5:45 AM - Wake up the kids

6:45 AM - Ivan and the older kids get out the door.

7:00 AM - Kids get dropped off at school

7:00 - 9:00 AM - Ivan goes to the gym, Benji and I do school together (and laundry, clean up breakfast)

9:00 - 12:00 - Homeschool time, Administration tasks, meetings

12:45 PM - Ivan heads back out to pick up the older kids

1:20 PM - Kids get released from school

1:45 - 2:00 PM - Ivan and kids arrive back home

2:00 PM - Lunch

Then the afternoon includes Taekwando classes, homework and anything else that comes up.  Dinner around 6 PM and then off to bed at 7:30 PM for the kids.  (and longingly for me too!).  This is our first experience with school in-person and figuring out the parent drop-off/pick-up lines and the traffic that comes with it.  When Ivan is home and available, he's in charge of that part!  Even though Benji is the only one who could sleep in each morning, he's usually the very first one up and ready for the day.  It's been an adjustment for us to be tied to such a specific schedule for our days.  The hardest part for me is probably waiting until 2 PM for lunch!  I feel like a true Ecuadorian now, haha!  

So far, this change feels like the right fit for us.  

While there are no pumpkin spice lattes to tell me that the seasons are changing, here in Ecuador we go from the dry season to the rainy season.  I'm hoping the rain will hold off a little bit more, as we are working on finishing up the tiny house project on our property and now are planning a small extension on our current house.  The temporary plans for this house are turning into a longer timeframe than originally imagined, so we are hoping to make this space a little bit more comfortable for our family of 5 in the meantime.  Change is always a huge part of our life and at this time change means adjusting expectations and plans.  As I told someone before, it felt like the last few months I had a bunch of tabs open on my computer (ie. brain) and they were all trying to load at the same time.  In the last few weeks it has felt like all the tabs are loaded and have started playing videos simultaneously and I am unsure which one to focus on!  School.  Construction projects.  Young Life projects.  Travel plans.  Paperwork.  Young Life camp.  All the things have been kicked into gear!  

How encouraging to remember that God is unchanging.  He is our steady rock and our center.  

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Hebrews 13:8

Because God can't change, we can trust in who He is.  

Neighbors

Looking sharp in their uniforms!