Today was a day for standing around the oven. I started early with the kids and made two batches of scones (one chocolate chip, and one cinnamon raisin), then a double batch of peanut butter cookies. Two of the girls around the Home were available to help out mixing, scooping, and sampling. My first batch of peanut butter cookies earlier this week went so fast in our cabina that I decided it was double batches hereafter. Their speed of departure also made me question why I don’t make cookies often in the states. Matt noted that I spend my free time doing things like making tomato sauce from the garden tomatoes. Considering how inexpensive tomato sauce is to buy, and how much more enjoyment my family got from the cookies, I’ve come to the conclusion that my priorities have been really mixed up! I’ve also realized that to my husband’s loyally Skippy Super Chunk dismay, I prefer creamy peanut butter. 🙂

As for the bun in my own personal oven, things are rising up nicely. Early this last week I felt the first sure-fire movements of our tiny Baby Gnuse as I was waiting to fall asleep. The sweet little morse code in my belly went on for a few minutes tonight as I typed the first paragraph of this post, so I can honestly say that our baby is trying to greet everyone. I have been in a lovely state of ignorance about the size of my belly, due to the stretchy waistband clothes that I brought and the lack of full length mirrors here. One especially warm tia, named Lourdes, greets me and the baby every morning during devotions, pantomiming a sleepy baby response to her kind pats to my tummy. We saw her yesterday while we were out on the town and she said, in approximate translation: “Yesterday you weren’t big, but today you are!” I tried to take that as a good thing and not mind the telltale reflections in the store windows. We are scheduled for our ultrasound the day after we return to the states, and many people here have asked us to let them know if we are having un nino or una nina. (There should be a squiggle sign over the second n in each word, but my creative attempt–let’s try control-n!– to make one resulted in almost loosing my entire post, so I’m calling it good enough.) Blessings on all the things that the Lord is cooking up in your life!