Lucy and Harrison got their Drivers Licenses!!!!!!!

 Lucy and her Drivers License!

 The Top news this week here in Ecuador is that both Lucy and Harrison got their Drivers Licenses!!!  That is huge, they had to take 6 theory classes, where they teach you all the rules of the road here in Ecuador (Everyone has to take that including me and yes it was all in Spanish…which was lots of fun, since I got my license about 6 months after I moved to Ecuador)  And if you have never driven before like Lucy you have to take I think it is like 12 hours of on the road driving.  I didn’t have to do that part since I now have been driving for more years then I have been alive.  Anyway for Lucy this was a HUGE feat.  She had never driven in her life, I’m talking not even a bicycle.  So it was a big thing for her to get in a car and start it and actually make it move and then to go out on a road, she was a little nervous.   The funny thing is her teacher kept telling her "stay to the middle of the road", because she kept moving towards the side of the road.  She told her teacher "look, I’ve spent the past 3 years riding where you are riding so to me THAT is where I NEED TO BE".  Unfortunately he wasn’t very compassionate and He said "well that’s great if you are not driving but if you are driving you need to be in the middle".   She also now likes to tell us, frena, frena, jira jira embraque frena which translates to brake, brake, turn turn, clutch, brake.  So our time in the car now is also practice.  She likes to ask questions, how do you know you need to down shift, or she tells us, the engine is making lots of noise you need to shift, Never a dull moment in the car.  Although the funny thing with Lucy is that I gave her the keys the other day well let me rephrase that I TRIED to give her the keys the other day just to drive to the gate and she said NO NO, I have my license but you still need to teach me how to drive.  HAHA, she is so funny.  She explained to me I have it all in my head I know what I should do and even when I was in the car driving before the teacher was telling me what to do.  So now I need to practice but I can’t do that without one of you with me telling me what to do at first, and then little by little I’ll try to do it without you telling me.  So Lucy has her license, however she isn’t quite ready to drive but it is fun that she has it and if there is ever an emergency when we are on the road she can legally get behind the wheel (if her feet touch the pedals, that is a joke between her and stan he says she is too short and can’t touch the pedals) and drive.  

Harrison also got his drivers license he and Lucy took classes together, which was hilarious because they like to pick on each other.  Anyway he had driven before but he also has had two accidents and so for him getting behind the wheel was just getting over a fear of crashing.  This is a big thing for him as well, once he gets time to practice, which he does in the seminary with the work and witness vans and truck, driving from the shop to the construction site down below and back and just moving the cars around, he will be able to go and run errands for Jon.  Since he is almost always working with teams and Jon and lucho the other work and witness worker someone is always running for supplies.  Most of the time Jon is busy directing the team and Lucho is usually the one to go and get the supplies, but he is usually on the roof or something so now there is the option that Harrison can go and get supplies also.  So it is a really exciting time for both Lucy and Harrison now that they can legally be out and about on the crazy roads of Ecuador.  So please just pray for them, that they find time to practice and for those of us who will help them practice.  Never thought I might be a driving teacher!

Well that’s the news here in Ecuador.  Oh the NILIs just got back form the Galapagos Islands, which they loved!  Tomorrow is 4^th Of July!!! No it’s not really a holiday here but YES we are going to celebrate American style with a cookout and strawberry shortcake! Maybe even some sparklers!  The NILI’s leave in two weeks from today which means I leave two weeks and a day from today!  I’ll be home for a month, which I’m very excited about!!!!  Although it will be hard being away from Harrison for a whole month, we go weeks at a time here, but a month seems long right now.  But I know it will be good for both of us and Hopefully the next time I’m home in December he will be with me!! Please be praying for that also.  When I return in August we will probably start working on the Visa process for him to travel in December!  Ok well time to go make some pasta salad for the cookout!  I’ve already made 7 batches of Rice Krispie treats today (that is for CENIC the convention center.  They have a group of 120 gringos and so Salomon asked if I would make some American desserts…Rice Krispie Treats and banana Bread.  So I’ll be busy today and tomorrow!!!!!) 

Anyway God Bless and Happy 4^th of July!!!!!!!  I’m so proud to be an American, even though live in Ecuador!!!  God Bless You America and all of the troops out there serving for our Freedom!!!  We truly are blessed to have been born in this Great Country, Lets not Forget that this Independence Day!!!!  Hasta la proxima semana, Until nextweek!!!