Where do we begin?

So much seems to be going on it's hard to fit it all in when I can only post a couple times a week. Let's start back at last Friday.

I noticed last Friday as I walked along the harbor

on my way to work that it smelled extra fishy. I have always been concerned about this because of the suspicions I've had of a fish/shellfish allergy that seems to be triggered by the mere smell of fish. The past two weeks of working at the harbor I have just tried to endure the slight irritation in my throat and go on since I was not outside too much. But I guess on Friday my body had had enough! Since I was the receptionist I sat by the door. They kept the door out to the harbor open and the other one closed, but the smells and fish proteins must have still been coming inside. I found out there is a fish market just across the harbor and the wind must have been blowing in the right direction to bring it all in my door! All Friday afternoon my throat was tight and irritated. I managed to stay awake after taking some Benadryl and right before it was time to leave I started to get some relief from the symptoms. But off and on all weekend I have struggled. Yesterday morning I went to work planning to work this week, but within 30 minutes I was struggling again. I decided it wasn't worth continuing to put myself in that position for the rest of the day or week. Thankfully, because it was a temp job I was able to quit. That in itself was not easy to do because I hate leaving other people to do my work. But there was no other way and I've been trusting God through this disappointment.

I have concluded that I must also be eating something that is adding to the fish overload. Allergies are like that--sometimes you can handle one thing, but then you put two, three or four allergens together and bam! you get hit and start reacting. I would appreciate your prayers as I seek out what is causing me to be in this place again. I know many of you had been asking about my health. Up until Friday I was feeling great most days. I had my usual small issues, but nothing that was going on and on. I am somewhat discouraged to find myself struggling with all this again. I am going to try to start the process of getting into various doctors here tomorrow morning. I'll keep you posted...

On a lighter note, Mark was able to enjoy (and endure?!) a culture experience on Saturday. The men of the church we've been attending went on a "hill walk." That sounds easy unless you realize that a "hill" is more like a small mountain :) They walked through a Scotch Pine forest (see pic) and Heather fields before they reached the summit (see tiny peak below)

I think they walked for over 5 hours total! He was only slightly sore and I was quite impressed he was not more so! It must be all the walking we've done since we got here has prepared him :)

Unfortunately, Sat. night he didn't get to rest because we were headed to our friends house, James and Allison. We have enjoyed hanging out with them several times but hadn't been to their house yet. They live out of the city a little bit and we discovered it is hard to find the correct bus stop in the dark! We finally found them and enjoyed a night of comparing newcomers stories (they got here a week after we did) and some Jenga fun. We were impressed we got the tower as high as we did :)

Other highlights of our week/weekend include a broken washing machine...It's been broken since Friday morning when it didn't drain properly. I had fun scooping out a bucket full of water on Sat. Our landlord decided to try another cycle with nothing in it on Sunday night. It didn't drain then either....only this time it's up past the mark where the door opens (it's a small front loader). I haven't had the desire to deal with the mess that will bring when we open the door! Since laundry is piling up and I know it could be days more before it's fixed (and days more for things to dry after that) I cleaned up the tub today and did two loads of laundry by hand. I was having flashbacks to my first mission trip to Honduras where I did laundry for two months by hand. And you think we are having fun over here!!! Just kidding, we are....with a few other humbling experiences in between :)