It´s Been Different

We have traveled this evening (afternoon to the Spanish mind even though we weren´t leaving the house until 5.45 and arriving here at 6.30) to allow the female contingent of the current Gonzalez household to access the internet -- that would include yours truly, Doreen, and her daughters, Daniela and Stephanie.

This is my first outing since Saturday´s visit to a Spanish Emergency Room. (If I had paid attention at the time I could remember how say that in Spanish, but somehow that detail eluded me.)

The conference we were speaking at was held in an unheated room, in spite of this cold Madridian winter. I was soon chilled to the bones and the low-grade fever I was already battling now had the upper hand. The next morning found me succumbing to some rather extreme manifestations which were on the whole quite unnerving. So off we went. A few hours later I was on my way home, having received a strong dose of fever-reducer (my temperature had soared noticeably) and antibiotic via the ubiquitous drip. Since then I´ve become quite familiar with the Gonzalez flat, and more particularly the sofa in it. It´s been good to rest and finally feel better.

But I will keep this brief; the connection here is quite slow.

The trip to Sevilla for three days of parent conferences was cancelled. Disappointing initially. But God has used our change of plans, as we knew He would. There have been beneficial happenstance conversations and informal question and answer times. Tomorrow I will meet with several mothers from the community. Rick is presently with a pastor from a local church.

Best of all has been our time with the Gonzalez family. I really, really like them and helping them get settled into their new flat has been a treat. (Rick has helped assemble wardrobes, hang shelves, give electrical advice; I have assisted with the hanging of pictures.)

I was willing to stick with a bit more touring as was originally planned. But in the end, sleep and health seemed better. Perhaps next time we will meet parents and mothers in other places, too. This time we will keep it simple. Right about now, I am happy with that.

Will be back in the States on Friday.