Our Newest Addition

On Saturday night, we were outside our balcony talking to our next door neighbor. A boy walked by the house and threw a kitten into the neighbor’s yard below us. We ran downstairs and that neighbor helped us get the kitten. We took it upstairs into the house and gave it some milk. We’ve been wanting a cat, and decided that this was God’s answer. Daniel ran out to buy kitty litter and food. That first night, the kitten kept hiding from us under the couch. By the next day, she let us play with her some. She soon got used to the house, and us. We’ve been keeping her in the bathroom when we leave. She meows for a while because she wants out. But then when she’s free to roam the house and we’re in another room, she’ll meow because she wants in. She’s very social and likes to be wherever we are.
We’ve posted pictures of our kitten (Chai té, or Chai for short). She’s beautiful and tiny. We love her already. We’ve also included pictures of our house. Hopefully this will give you a taste our lives here. :)

P.S. Ashley- we need tips on how to raise and kitten! :)

Daniel and Chai 

Teresa and Chai 

She matches the floor! 

Chai te- our new cat! Isn't she adorable! 

Our pasola 

The front of the house (ours is the upstairs) with our two balconies. Our deck is to the right of the picture. 

Our bedroom and mosquito net. 

Our family room. 

Our kitchen and vaulted ceiling 

Our "deck" 

Our "car port" area with our pasola. 

Our neighbor's house (about 5 feet away)  

View from our house (2) 

View from our house (1) 

Julie and Teresa at the Beach 

The Peterson's adventures of the week

Last weekend was great- except for the minor accident. On Friday night JCS had a movie night and showed Princess Bride. We helped make and sell popcorn, and had fun as the students watched the movie for the first time. On Saturday we had a soccer tournament between 3 teams. We helped sell food, once again, and had fun being with the students but not being disciplinarians. We took some time during when the other two schools were playing to run some errands. I was driving back to the school on the pesola (Daniel was in the back) when I took a turn a little too quickly onto a wet patch. Our front tire was bald and the pesola slipped out from underneath me and I scrapped my leg against the pavement. It caused a large (but suface) cut. We bandaged it up at the school and watched the rest of the tournament. JCS won! Yay! My wound is doing much better, but there's some bruising on the muscle that makes it hurt to walk far or stand on for a long time.
On Sunday after church we went to play in the River (the cold water felt good on my cut). Then we went to a moving sale of some Americans who were moving back to the States. We found a lot of things that we have been waiting to buy (a small computer desk, mirrors, some cooking things, shelves, etc.) It was truly a blessing.
The rest of this week has been good but busy. Right now Daniel is hiking with Steve Chase (another teacher at JCS) while I am at the Chase's house with Erin. I would have gone, but alas, my leg would not have been happy.
We're slowly adjusting to life here and are enjoying it. Next weekend we are going on a day trip to the beach and Santiago. Yay!
We took some pictures of our house and will send them when we have our computer hooked up to someone's internet.
Love you all! Thanks for all your prayers!

a better week

Well, this week has definitely been better than the previous! We've had water for at least part of most days, and the same for power. We did not have classes on Friday for the end of our six-week block and spent the day filling out report cards, and then going to a river with the rest of the staff to swim and hang out. It was a lot of fun but FREEZING cold in the water and not at all tropical and hot outside. We spent Saturday morning and early afternoon cleaning and cementing up some of the holes in our walls. Later in the afternoon, we went to one of Teresa's student's birthday party and it was a lot of fun. Then we went over to the women's staff house and watched "Finding Neverland." It was very depressing that the key to his inspiration in writing "Peter Pan" was ditching his wife and spending every waking moment with another woman and her kids.
Today (Sunday) it's been cool and rainy, and Teresa has been sick. She rested all day and is feeling a lot better tonight. Thankfully, After-school Supervision is over for Teresa which means we don't have to stay at school 'till 5 every night and can have a lot more time together in the evenings (yay!). I'm also going to start coaching 3rd-5th grade basketball on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. It should be a lot of fun!!