First, I want to thank all of you who dropped me a little note after our last post. It was an encouragement to know that there are people out there reading our posts who care about us. It is easy to feel alone and forgotten on this side of the world. So - please drop us a little note as often as you think of it. Even just those 1-liners are an encouragement. You can either make a comment on a post (it's GREAT to get feedback) or email us at sjmhagen@juno.com .

Secondly, Steve's trip to Bicol is going well. He has "texted" (the popular and economic mode of communication here) both evenings he has been gone so far. He is overwhelmed at the vast amount of info they are gathering, and it sparks many more questions. I am just as anxious as you to hear all about it when he gets back. :)

Third, I thought you may enjoy some random pics. The first one is of a basket vendor who came through our neighborhood recently. We bought a hammock/swing from him that the kids are enjoying in the back yard. The other pics are from a trip we took to a nearby resort with the medical team that was here a while ago. First, we all rode on a carabao (water buffalo) cart. Lunch was served at the foot of a waterfall - literally. The water was about calf-deep, and the food was delicious. After lunch, the kids enjoyed playing in the waterfall with one of the young guys who came with the team.