Yesterday was a hard day for Jadzia. We were visiting with my sister Eliza, when Jadzia fell asleep. After a while, I decided to go to the supermarket, and took my time, thinking she would be sleeping. But the other children were loud and she had woken up 15 minutes after I left. When I was back, she looked very tired and unhappy.
I bought grapes for her, but she wouldn’t eat them. So I decided to go back to El Jordan. Once there, I gave her a bath and tried to make her sleep. But she got happy and playful and didn’t want to sleep.
Later she found a picture on the fridge that she wanted. The picture showed Corina’s parents, Josh and I. I gave her the magnets around it instead, but she kept pointing at the picture saying “Bah, Bah” (means dad). I gave her the picture and she played with it for a while. Around 8:30 p.m. she wanted a phone, so I gave her one and she was talking, but there was no answer on the other side. Then she cried. I put the phone away, but she kept signing for phone saying “Bah, Bah.” I realized all she wanted was talk to Josh before going to sleep, like she usually does back home. But I couldn’t do that.
I took her to her bedroom, and I sang for her for a while, but she kept signing phone and saying “Bah, Bah”. She was breaking my heart when somebody was ringing the door. I was wondering if somebody came to see me, but I had all my lights off. It was my sister Eliza and Boris, at 9 p.m. They were worried I didn’t have enough cash, so they wanted to see if I needed anything. They visited for 2 hours, and Jadzia was with us, but she would not sleep.
Once our visitors were gone, I tried singing again, to make her sleep. It was easier this time. It was 11:30 p.m., and she was very, very tired. My poor girl. I don’t want to separate her from her dad again.
Then I was able to work on my icing. I took the two-pound bag of powder sugar and mixed it with one cup of corn starch. Then I sifted it 3 times. I also used an Argentinean shortening that Corina gave me. It was cool at that time. I don’t know which one of those three factors (or more) helped to get a nice buttercream, but it worked.
The girls in the class were very excited, though only one was on time. They learned to use the star tip, and also to write greetings. We decorated mini bear cupcakes. They were very happy, and I felt much more confident for next class. I took a picture of them holding their cupcakes. You’ll have to wait a while to see them.
Thanks to all who have been praying for us. I could feel the power of prayer when my buttercream turned out better last night.
Yes, my buttercream icing was very runny :( I don't know if the ingredients were different, or if it was the heat, but my butterceram was awful. Still, my students at El Jordan liked what we did.
We only had a fan in the kitchen. It felt hot. But I was very embarrassed by the quality of my buttercream. Shortening is supposed to be stable, but it was wasn't really. Even the butter in the fridge was what we call "room temperature". And the powdered sugar here doesn't come mixed with cornstarch. So I don't know, it could be many things.
Today I'm going to experiment a little more and make some changes, to see if I get a better buttercream for tomorrow. I really need to get this right, otherwise we are not going to be able to work at all.
Tomorrow we will be decorating some cupcakes in the shape of bears. I hope the girls will have fun with that. Please, remember us in your prayers.
Take off those sandals! And the blanket.
I knew I had to take my sandals off, and my watch, and all those things to pass the security point at the airport. But I didn't expect the same for Jadzia. Guess what happened when they took her blanket... Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!! Yes, she cried a lot. But they found nothing harmful about her.
Jadzia did pretty well during the trip, better than me I think. It was a little hard on me though. The flight to Miami was oversold, so we could not get an empty row. But the flight to Santa Cruz was not full, so we were very comfortable. When we arrived at the airport in La Paz, we waited there for about 90 minutes. During that time there were janitors cleaning the plane. Jadzia had her own inspection, going row by row, making sure everything was all right.
Baby #2 was busy, too; kicking a lot, especially when Jadzia was climbing my belly. Jadzia has not eaten very much. But I hope she will get better. I bought her apples today, and she ate half of one.
Today I'm visiting my sister Eliza. Her family, Sara and my Mom are here. Later I will be baking a cake for my dad's birthday and another for my cake decorating class at El Jordán. I hope they will turn out well. I'm so used to doing things the American way that my Bolivian instincts aren't working well. Let's say that so far, I haven't found an oven with a thermometer, so I'm glad I brought mine.
I'm already having cross-cultural shocks every 5 minutes. But I'm trying to be nice and not complain. Please, pray for us, and for lower temperature. I know it is not too hot, but I would love it if it were in the 70's.
As you may have seen on our Family weblog, this morning Yoli and Jadzia took off for Bolivia. I will be joining them next week.
Yoli and I awakened at 4:45 a.m. to get ready for her 7:10 flight. That's an early morning for someone who works until at least 11:30 p.m. every night!
Yoli will be making a wedding cake and also teaching a cake-decorating class at El Jordán during this trip, in addition to our normal family visits, etc.
We hope to spend a couple days in the town Samaipata, which is a very mild-weather place near Santa Cruz in the foothills of the Andes. The wedding will be held there. I have visited Samaipata before; If you're interested, you can read about my first adventure there or see some photos (you have to scroll down a bit) from that trip.
Anyway, Yoli will write a few entries about Jadzia's and her adventures this week. Once I join them in Bolivia, I will also be writing, so please check here often!
P.S. - regarding the visa, apparently I will not need one. The consulate tells me they won't start requiring them until mid-April. After all these delays, I'm beginning to wonder if they'll ever get this thing worked out.
Yesterday I talked with the Bolivian consulate in Washington. Apparently the Bolivian government is still working out its plans for requiring visas from Americans. The lady I spoke with said "If you're traveling in March, you should be okay." When I informed her I would be travelling at the beginning of April, she said "Call us back in two weeks."
Since Yoli and Jadzia are going to Bolivia at the end of March, then, they should have no problems. It remains to be seen how the visa process will go for me, since I will depart at the beginning of April. I'm hoping the government continues to procrastinate and I can travel without needing a visa.