Two More Weeks

In Pucallpa, that is. Well, my mother-in-law really wants to see us (officially in civil ceremony) married. Yesterday after breakfast we took a motokar downtown - I wanted to buy some fruits - stopping at the "mumicipalidad", roughly translated, City Hall. She knew I had all kinds of documents with me, and it was hard for her to accept that there was not some way we could still proceed. But we were assured that indeed, I had to get the apostille, and not only that, documents would have to be recent - in other words, the birth certificate I sent for in advance to have in time for my trip would need to be re-issued, somewhere in time to get it to me with the blessed apostille, and still have it "fresh", ie, not older than 3 months. AND the doc I already paid $50 for as well as some 24 soles, I'll have to get all OVER again. BLAH! But we still lamented that my present docs were not enough to satisfy the bureaucaracy.  This morning she complained of this to niece Erica, who said that she'd heard that a neighboring small town may be less finicky, and urged me to check it out. "But there's the 15 day public announcement?" I countered. She said, "No, they only make you wait THREE." Well...This afternoon before coming home for lunch, Leví called to say the lawyer had contacted him and had the divorce certificate in his hand - so Leví will be picking that up. That's ONE more out of the way. And I mentioned to him what Erica said, and he said, no, we may as well just wait another year and have everything ready, boom-boom-boom...
Besides the lovely paper chase, during the past 3 days Papí and Tío Armando have been extending the roof over the back of the house so that the washing machine can be installed. I helped Papí tidy up a bit, and when Carlín dropped by, he joined us in moving a barbecue and a work table over to the other side of the area to make room for the washer and for the sink to be repositioned. I've been taking pix as they went.
OH! Minina had her kittens on the 6th! Five, very distinct from each other. She's been a very good Mommy, and Papí and I pet her and encourage her. I've gotten pix and vids of the little family. She chose a box under the bench beneath the storefront window. At least it wasn't under our bed!
Tomorrow Leví will have some free time, so he'll take me shopping for breakfast items for some thirty children in the area, and Lord willing, we'll serve it Sunday morning at Erica's - not indoors, but they have a parking area for the motokars. We figure to get something initiated - an introductory thing - to give an idea of what we want to do. In the States we know the importance of a good breakfast for a child to start off at school. There are MANY needy families anywhere you go in a developing counrty like Peru. So we're going to focus on our neck of the woods: Pucallpa.
One other thing, had a nice visit from Leví's - and eventually mine - pastor, Désimo Flores, this morning after Leví'd already left for work. I appreciated his unhurried attention in getting to know me.

Pa and Josue work on addition

Father and Son talk

Kitty and Minina - near TIRES of course

Levi passes the hammer from the bathroom

Uncle Armando at work

Uncle Armando at work

with Pastor Décimo

I continue to enjoy devotions with Leví in the mornings, walks and talks with Papí throughout the day, little chats with Mamí, watching "Combate" with the family (rooting for VERDE), cooking occasionally (yesterday I introduced Leví to tuna salad - made just one can's worth, in case he didn't like it, but he did), relaxing a LOT. My Shepherd is making me lie down in green pastures indeed!