A Very Tropical Birthday and the Terceros

How do you spend a birthday in Honduras? How about a morning swim under coconut palms, watching the sky turn blue above the mango grove? Then you might enjoy a breakfast of pancakes topped with mango puree, a lunch of beans and fried platanos, and eventually a dinner of pupusas. But watch out—that pickled cabbage salad ("cortido" (sic) for those wanting to be official) that tops your pupusa has some pretty hot peppers hiding in it! (Ranae was rather debilitated by one.) Ranae's cake was chocolate with mango frosting (from the puree) and slices of fresh starfruit to garnish it. We had a festive dance after dinner, and then off to bed. It was a very happy Honduran birthday.

We enjoyed hosting Hermano and Hermana Tercero for lunch Sunday afternoon. They are the Honduran version of Stuart's parents—good people who have lived life well and are committed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They married when she was 15 and he 19; now they are about 70. After lunch we drove them almost home; we couldn't drive them all the way to their house because the road doesn't go there. We had to drop them off at the start of their foot trail, which takes them on a half-hour hike to their remote mountain home. Each Sunday they walk to church for just over two hours. They appreciate a ride back (as far as possible) because the walk back is undeniably uphill. They invited to us to come see their home when we have the time for the hike. They raise all their own food (meat, eggs, produce, and grain), go to sleep and rise with the sun. We loved their good company! We look forward to taking them up on their offer.

Stuart and the children are settling into the routine of school and work, though Abraham's days are very long, according to him. Preschool starts at 7:30 and goes until 12:00. But this week, he is saying he likes it.

Abraham did take a day off to play Indians. He made a knife from some rocks here (mainly basaltic rocks) and worked on smoothing out a stick. He made a firepit and did some other things that Ranae can tell about later. In short, his day was full and fun and what a 5-year old should be able to do all day.

The mango is finishing flowering and the little mangos are forming. I am excited. They won't be ready until April or May, so plan your visits accordingly. It is also one of the early varieties, so if you come in June or July, there'll still be mangoes.