Picasa Web Album

I've posted quite a few photos of Malawi on Picasa and wanted to give you the link... http://picasaweb.google.com/elisa.brown

I've just finished four days watching my three nephews on my own. It was fun! We made some art projects, went swimming, worked in the garden, went to the library, spent time with Grandma Brown, Grandpa Sowa and just generally tried to survive the heatwave that hit the Northwest. Ryan and Nathan discovered the butterfly net and caught a few butterflies. The thrilling screeches of "Auntie!!!! I just caught a butterfly!!!!!!!" will stick in my mind! I brought them a new "Complete Guide to Insects and Spiders" so it was fun to identify the bugs and butterflies that they were catching.

Thankfully I'm feeling better since I had a cold the first part of the week. It was so nice that my Mom came down and helped out over one night. The days were up about 100-105 F too so that made it worse - with no AC!!

It has been good to chat on the phone with friends while I'm home. I'm looking forward to next week with Mom and seeing friends at ASI. I'll be traveling for the next couple of weeks but I'm sure I'll still be online - of course!

Blueberries, Dirt Piles, & Sunshine

Summertime! I've decided that I'm a warm-blooded person! It was cold for about 2 weeks in Malawi (cold is relative – down to about 50 F) before I came home to 80-90 F days! This is what I like! Since I've been home I've enjoyed spending time with my parents, brother & his family, and we even got to have a picnic at my uncle's house with my aunt from Southern Oregon. It was a treat to be able to share some stories and photos with them too! We've gone to pick blueberries 3 times in 2 weeks and have enjoyed eating most of them fresh! The garden is starting to produce now so we get excited to be able to have entire meals fresh from the garden! What a blessing! Of course there is the river on the hot days and sitting on the deck with a glass of ice tea on the long summer evenings (I forgot that the sun doesn't set until 9p here!).

I had to get some shopping in (after none for a YEAR!) and was excited to find some good deals at the outlet mall. Of course there are some fun clothes here at home that I've forgotten all about! Nicole and Randy are going on a 4 day cruise next week so she and I decided to go and get a pedicure. I am getting so spoiled – I guess it has to last for the next year so… I don't mind. J BUT I am watching the 3 boys for them while they are gone so it was nice to have a "girl's morning".

On Thursday I got the urge to "get away" so I found a hotel in Lincoln City and headed to the beach for the night and the next day! What a beautiful part of the country! I enjoyed the fresh salt air and the endless waves crashing on the rocks. I even found a few rocks to bring back to Ryan for his rock collection! Part of my time at home is needed to refuel and refresh to be able to face another year of work in Malawi. Not that the work is impossible but it is definitely draining emotionally and physically. With the encouragement of friends and family and some time with God I think that I will be able to function when I go back. I am reading a book called "A Long Obedience in the Same Direction" by Eugene Peterson – I recommend it!

I don't have much more news… I've done a presentation at the Woodland SDA Church and am planning to do a short presentation in Orlando at AHS. I will also be at ASI in Phoenix so if any of you are around there look me up. I am probably not getting a cell phone so email is the best way to contact me.