Now for the latest news:
Tuesday afternoon, our family went with some others from our team to another orphanage. Grandma Perry’s Children’s Home is warm and spacious. I was delighted to find it very homey. Susan and Reuben have been the house parents for just over a week. They have one biological child, 5 year-old daughter, Ruthann. How amazing it would be to suddenly have a dozen!
It was very heart wrenching to leave. As I said, Sandra never wanted to be put down. Everytime we tried to say good-bye she just latched back on. Thomas gave her to Reuben’s sister when the Jeepney pulled up. She just screamed and cried. Sad we can’t take her with us.
Wednesday morning we went to the market. The vendors were all eager to gain our business. The bartering process adds some entertainment to the shopping experience. Even when we are given their “best price” you can be sure we are paying a good amount of “white tax.” Then we walked to the huge mall. We enjoyed a real treat for lunch…McDonald’s! Hot fries and cold Coca-cola. The Happy Meals are not quite as happy as home…more expensive than larger value meals and don’t come with fries, just burger, small drink and toy. No options such as milk or Apple Dippers either. So it was value meals all around. Costs us about half what it would in the States, now that’s happy!
Susan wakes up at 3 a.m. so she can have an hour of quiet time. At 4 a.m. she begins cooking their breakfast and packs lunches. At 5 a.m. devotions together; 6 a.m. breakfast; 7 a.m. leave for school. 
Little Sandra latched onto me as soon as we arrived. She will be 3 on October 11. Adriana came in with Mot. Sandra seemed frightened of the monkey puppet so Adriana put Mot away only to have Sandra keep asking, “Monkey?” She would go over to the backpack. Thomas would have Mot peek out and she would run away squealing. It wasn’t long before Thomas was holding both Sandra and Mot. Sandra would say, “Kiss,” and lean over and kiss Mot. But if Mot came to her she would scream and back away. It was very funny. Sandra also didn’t like to share Mot. Despite her feelings, Thomas let April carry Mot around.
Little Sandra latched onto me as soon as we arrived. She will be 3 on October 11. Adriana came in with Mot. Sandra seemed frightened of the monkey puppet so Adriana put Mot away only to have Sandra keep asking, “Monkey?” She would go over to the backpack. Thomas would have Mot peek out and she would run away squealing. It wasn’t long before Thomas was holding both Sandra and Mot. Sandra would say, “Kiss,” and lean over and kiss Mot. But if Mot came to her she would scream and back away. It was very funny. Sandra also didn’t like to share Mot. Despite her feelings, Thomas let April carry Mot around.
Sandra was always in someone’s arms usually Thomas’ or mine. I must admit after her play with Thomas and Mot, she preferred Thomas. If we attempted to put her down she just gripped tighter. 
Besides Mot, Thomas brought balloons. He asked the older boys to help him blow them up. He walked out of the room and secretly used the pump to fully inflate his then teased the boys, “Why aren’t the balloons blown up?” He told them they needed to stretch them out first, stand up and put their arms over their head to inflate their lungs. Lastly he said, “I know it sounds funny, but sometimes it helps if you stand on one foot.” It was hilarious to see them follow all the directions. After a while he let them off the hook and showed them his pump. (Note from Tom: I did blow up a balloon myself while standing on one foot, though.)
Besides Mot, Thomas brought balloons. He asked the older boys to help him blow them up. He walked out of the room and secretly used the pump to fully inflate his then teased the boys, “Why aren’t the balloons blown up?” He told them they needed to stretch them out first, stand up and put their arms over their head to inflate their lungs. Lastly he said, “I know it sounds funny, but sometimes it helps if you stand on one foot.” It was hilarious to see them follow all the directions. After a while he let them off the hook and showed them his pump. (Note from Tom: I did blow up a balloon myself while standing on one foot, though.)
It was very heart wrenching to leave. As I said, Sandra never wanted to be put down. Everytime we tried to say good-bye she just latched back on. Thomas gave her to Reuben’s sister when the Jeepney pulled up. She just screamed and cried. Sad we can’t take her with us.
Wednesday morning we went to the market. The vendors were all eager to gain our business. The bartering process adds some entertainment to the shopping experience. Even when we are given their “best price” you can be sure we are paying a good amount of “white tax.” Then we walked to the huge mall. We enjoyed a real treat for lunch…McDonald’s! Hot fries and cold Coca-cola. The Happy Meals are not quite as happy as home…more expensive than larger value meals and don’t come with fries, just burger, small drink and toy. No options such as milk or Apple Dippers either. So it was value meals all around. Costs us about half what it would in the States, now that’s happy!In the evening, Thomas and the older two girls went with the team to youth group to minister. The group did a few puppet shows and enjoyed getting to know the kids. Because of the limited space of the room, they didn’t set the stage up as usual. As a result, part way through one of the shows, a section of the screen came down. As the Wizard says, “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!”
It’s back in the bus…
Dramamine was recommended. Despite this, Alexie was quite green for the first several hours of the trip. Of course, she had gotten sick the night before so not sure how much a virus and how much motion sickness contributed. Didn’t matter which when she “lost” her breakfast. Good thing when we were all downsizing our luggage we made room for some plastic bags. The signs indicating the road ahead would have curves really are quite an understatement. The driver, Arthur, expertly navigated them all as we wound around the mountain sometimes with mere inches between us and a plummet down, down, down. This is why I graciously gave Thomas the window seat. It makes all the fears surrounding the ropes course in Salem seem silly in comparison! But such beauty it’s indescribable…luscious green foliage, cali lilies, waterfalls…
It’s back in the bus…
Dramamine was recommended. Despite this, Alexie was quite green for the first several hours of the trip. Of course, she had gotten sick the night before so not sure how much a virus and how much motion sickness contributed. Didn’t matter which when she “lost” her breakfast. Good thing when we were all downsizing our luggage we made room for some plastic bags. The signs indicating the road ahead would have curves really are quite an understatement. The driver, Arthur, expertly navigated them all as we wound around the mountain sometimes with mere inches between us and a plummet down, down, down. This is why I graciously gave Thomas the window seat. It makes all the fears surrounding the ropes course in Salem seem silly in comparison! But such beauty it’s indescribable…luscious green foliage, cali lilies, waterfalls…
Stops to use a C.R. meant a new level of adventure, squattie potties. This is when having four girls really makes it challenging. If we had four boys I’m sure it would have been great fun to pee on the designated wall with their dad. But not to worry, questions were answered, as if it wasn’t my first time as well, and the mission was successfully accomplished.
Lisa
We are now in Bontoc. Already we are pleased. The city is much smaller and there is actually some space. We actually have two rooms and a C.R. for our family! Baguio was very challenging for us (me especially). I don’t appreciate city life and very much appreciate personal space. In Baguio there was a lot of the first and none of the second.
We enjoyed a nice meal at the hotel restaurant last night. The food was delicious, but we were all too tired to eat much. Afterward we returned to our rooms and collapsed.
Tom 
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