Summer is HERE!

Summer has started full swing, and we've been almost 110 this past week!  It's been HOT!  We used to have this type of heat in California, and so we're thankful that God prepared us a little bit for this type of intense heat.  The one major difference is that in the States, we pretty much drove everywhere.  We would go from our air-conditioned home to our air-conditioned car to the air-conditioned stores, etc.  Here, we walk everywhere, so there's no escaping the heat. We DO have air-conditioning in our flat, praise the LORD!  It's not the same as a/c in the states... we still need fans in every room, but it keeps the house somewhat comfortable.)   In some ways, it makes us want to hibernate in our air-conditioned home!! :) 


From what we are finding here in Cáceres, most people leave the city and go to their beach or "countryside" homes for most of July and all of August.  Literally, they close down their shops and just leave for that time... and then things re-open after the heat wave is over. :)  Obviously, where there is concrete and tall buildings, it's intensely hot.  So, they all head to the beach or the countryside where they have pools/beach and a breeze.  Most of our friends for the month of July only work half days until the middle of July, and then they have "off" for the 2nd half of July and all of August.  Isn't that crazy??? :) 

Well, the Lord has provided a new family that has befriended us.  Weston's classmate Patricia and her family have expressed interest in getting together so that the kids could practice their English and Spanish as well as practice for us adults!  Wes has gotten together for coffee several times with Franciso (Patricia's dad), and this past weekend, they invited us to their little cabin in the countryside.  The kids had such a blast.  As I've mentioned before, it's been an adjustment, living in an apartment, so the boys really enjoyed being able to just laugh and yell, and have some fun. :) 

Francisco has 3 horses, a pony, and several dogs... and a tiny kid pool for the porch. :)  The kids got to ride the horses/pony and play in the water.  They had a lot of fun together.

Spaniards don't like to get up really early, but they also don't like to be out too late in the afternoon.  It's funny, just before 1pm, Francisco said it was time to go.  He had mentioned before that anytime after 1pm, it's just too hot out...  I kinda chuckled, b/c it seemed so important for us to be DONE before 1pm... as if it's not too hot at 12:45, but once we hit 1pm, it will be too hot. :)  We do find that it is such a common Spanish thing to be INSIDE for the hottest part of the day.  We were so grateful for the fun time, though.  He invited us back anytime, and we plan to take him up on it!  All the kids LOVED the horses, and it's such great therapy for Nathan.  Francisco and Patricia were so kind, and I loved to watch Patricia with Carolina.  They were both quite taken with each other. :)