Cupcakes and Friends

A couple weeks ago while traveling through Potosí and Sucre, I was acutely reminded that I have missed an entire winter. It's been a year and a half since I've felt real cold, and now, like those Californians that I used to mock, I've become a wimp. I could barely control my shivering when it dipped down below fifty degrees. And now even back in Santa Cruz when we have a cold front I've resorted to drinking tea and coffee, two substances I've avoided for three decades, to stay warm in my heat-less office. Yesterday, was the first day of winter here in the Southern half of the world, and I spent quite a bit of it outside in my hammock, but I did have to retrieve a blanket to prevent frostbite from the 65 degree chill.

The winter solstice provided us with a new holiday as it is also the Aymara New Year, and in tolerance of every indigenous religion Bolivia may start having many many days off. The three day weekend allowed me time to have amazing conversations with some lovely friends I haven't spent nearly enough time with in the past, Kim, Adreana, the Hoffmans, my new friends the Adjei's, and my women's Bible study from the vet school.

Carrying out one of my top three life initiatives for making the world a better place -- the other two of course being sharing Christ's love and neutering all small animals -- Saturday I had three amigas and three of their sons over for a cupcake making workshop! At my birthday party a couple months ago, they became quite smitten with the strawberry with strawberry icing variety, and although it is not among the simpler of my recipes I could not deny them when they asked to learn how to create these rare treats themselves. Cupcakes have yet to take off in South America, but don't worry I won't let that problem linger for long.

I'm really enjoying so many relationships recently, but these ladies are the Bolivians that have received me the most warmly, even when they comment on how my Spanish is progressing or not, I always feel at ease with them. This weekend we're heading out to see Toy Story 3 in 3D! But first I have another holiday to celebrate tonight, El Dia de San Juan, all I know is that we have bonfires and roast hotdogs, and I'm bringing the marshmallows...

Mi Amor

Watching her sleep... I vaguely remember this is what it was like to be in love.

For seven years I had two precious, practically perfect cats. Then for two years I lived blissfully pet-hair-free. Now, I'm not sure that I was living at all.

I could tell you all those clichéd things about how ecstatic she is to greet me at the door, how she always adores me even when I've scolded her or left her for a long day at work, how her companionship is unwavering, her loyalty is unfaltering, and her love is unconditional, but you probably already know all of that because you probably have your own furry friend. Everyone who's read "Old Yeller", seen "Marley and Me", or watched the puppy on the Scott toilet paper commercials can imagine just how adorable and irresistible she can be.

But did you already know that it makes me smile just to see her smile. That I'm trying to be strong and prohibit her from the furniture, but sometimes that means I'm tempted to sleep on the footstool where she is allowed, just to cuddle with her. That she already has endearing nicknames based on my favorite runner, favorite Rancid song, and favorite Bolivian fish. And that if it weren't for Ruby I'm not sure it'd be nearly as impossible to be lonely around here in this post-visitor lull/pre-return of my dear friend, kindred spirit, and running partner, Heather.

As I tell you about her she's using my knee as a pillow. Someone please remind me that she's just a foster...

Because when I'm feeling insignificant, I can look at how contentedly she basks in others' affection, without any misconception that she has to be changing the world to earn it. She's teaching me about God's love.

"If two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?"

-Ecclesiastes 4:11

A Fresh Perspective

Last week my family brought the comforts of familiarity. This week as Kim, David, and Caleb Carney have been visiting from CVM I've been blessed with familiarity's counterpart--novelty. The freshness of three people I barely knew, the newness of visiting cities and places none of us had ever been to before, and the refreshingness of their unparalleled laid-backness, an outlook that always fascinates me.

Over a holiday weekend we visited the city renowned to be Bolivia's most beautiful - Sucre, one of the world's tallest, and once the largest and richest city - Potosí, and even had an accidental stop off in world's highest capital city - La Paz. After their incredible time in the Amboro forest before they joined me in Santa Cruz it was nearly impossible to impress them, but they had nothing but positive things to say and willingness to try anything including eating things many would not consider foods, such as kidney, heart, intestine, hump, tongue, and David's favorite, udder. A testimony to great parenting, their six year-old son Caleb was phenomenal in his ability to withstand, and even embrace, adult company and boring activities for such a long time with such a good attitude. But yesterday, while the grown-ups were spreading some gravel and painting some baby cribs, Caleb took full advantage of some playground time and the chance to chat with a 5 year-old.

A highlight for me is always the time spent in my little house around the table chatting, eating, or playing games, but outside of my living room, the silver mine tour in Potosí was a must-see. Lacking OSHA, child-labor laws, ventilation, or really any liability the climb down into the manmade caves was an adventure, an educational experience and a heart-wrenching awakening to the reality of these workers' lives. The men we met were upbeat and joking around with us, but it was impossible to see past the truth that the 13 year-old boy we met likely won't live to be as old as I am if he continues to work there with his father.

The rest of our time together was spent showing the Carneys a good view of normalcy here, where my time is divided between car mechanics, the office, the university and the orphanages, just in case they wanna come back in the future as missionaries... hint, hint.

Now that my month of English-speaking guests has come to a close, it's time to attempt to resuscitate my flatlining Spanish.