Um...wow

This is Luis Miguel. Remember him? Fungus Head? Well he is numb right now and swears his bottom lipis gone and wants to see a mirror to prove it's not there since he can't feel it. I don't have a mirror, so I took a picture and let him see. So concerned he is...

Typical first five minutes of the morning. Notice...this is Dominican Hair, I'll show you American Hair when I return to the states. It's huge and I can't help it...just embrace it

My Robin and I right before she leaves for her flight home to Austin. Miss her already

The famous cups of Tylenol, water and a rinse they have to swish until I tell them to stop. It burns and I am quite impressed...I have a hard time using regular Scope and this stuff is pretty potent.

Working...I'm not having to do much, she's a good kid

This is crazy Kendri before the extractions with Anne. Can you see our issue? The front teeth needed to come out. You might get a better look if you click on the picture

This is him after...mom carrying him home

The work station

Kendall making the kids brush their teeth before seeing Dr. Steve

Yazmin and I playing around outside

So the dentist is here and we had lots of work to do. Thankfully, not as much as last year, but still...lots! Most kids did great, the girls did much better than the boys. Not one peep out of most of their mouths, and yet there were a set of brothers that it took four of us to hold one of them down. Jesmarco has more strength than one child should, but I seriously think for a lot of them, they go into survival mode and they will fight with all they have to get out of a situation. Kendri, who had has multiple medical issues, gave us a run for our money. Between a stuffed animal, bubbles, singing, four women, tylenol, benadryl and brute force, we got the six teeth out. I don't know the exact count, but I believe we have so far removed somewhere around 45 teeth. Only four kids have given us a really hard time.

Yesterday I went to visit Marta in Pancho Mateo. She has a bad case of chicken pox and was not herself AT ALL! This is the one who is usually up to something, bouncing off walls and barking orders. She was sleeping and miserable when we got there. I went to take motrin for her fever and a bunch of water to keep her hydrated. Her one eye was swollen shut and she was covered in bumps. I am going to be taking some benadryl to her tomorrow and some drops to a kid with pink eye. Gabrielle's burn looks much better and I didn't get a chance to see Diori's dog bitten hand, but will call for him tomorrow.

Today in between groups of kids I met a super sweet kid. I was talking with Nata, whom I love, and he was telling me they had no gaterade in their colmado but there was another one around the corner that I could go to. His brother, Isaac, walked me around the corner and it was closed...next one...closed. Finally way up the street and around the corner there was an open colmado. He even negotiated getting change for me. How sweet! It's always nice when people take time out of their day to help, even when not asked. I often feel like I am inconvient and troubling someone, but here, that thought doesn't seem to occur to them.

Tonight we had a great big family dinner with many stories and laughter. Time to be still...which I don't do well in the states. Praying to come back with new insight and depth that can only be gained through this experience.