The D.L. on the Grime and Q's Answered

Nathan and I were trying to find good examples of how everything here is so grimey and dirty. This picture of the car wash is a pretty good example. It's how everything looks. I think the reason is because it rains here so much and there is smog and when it rains it brings the smog down with it. After there is a fine layer of black soot on everything. Plus when it isn't raining it's so humid and it amazes me how the constant wetness just rots everything. It never fails, we'll be walking somewhere and I'll turn to find Kohen or Aly's face covered in black smudges like a full-on chimney sweep, since they unknowingly touched something and then touched their face. I did not bring NEAR enough antibacterial Wet Ones Wipes and when Nathan's boss came last month he brought me about 10 more travel packs. We are going through them like crazy.

I guess my point is that it isn't just the hospitals that are dirty. Though inside the hospital you have to wonder what the excuse is. There isn't literal chunks of dirt on the floor or anything, just an overall unclean feel. Everything is old and grimey. I saw (and then quickly tried to delete from my memory) small stains on the sheets at both hospitals we looked at. And to answer a few other questions from the last post, the new Dr. is a younger Chinese guy who speaks great English. The bag next to our broken out window by our car? I wondered about that too but apparently it was just trash. And Trevi, did they deliver in two separate places in Provo or Iowa or both? I guess I am just a little naive about how birthing is in places other then good 'ol Boise.
Okay some more randoms. There are these Koi fish as you walk in or out of our apartment building and every time we go past it attracts our children like magnets. And yes, I fully expect one of them to fall through that space before we are all said and done here.
One annoying thing that happens here a lot is misinformation. In example. Today we needed to go to Ikea. There is a smaller one near our apartment and a big one an hour away. Nathan got online and double checked that the smaller, nearer one had child watch, cuz hello that's key. We get there and low and behold, no child watch. It's only at the bigger one. And as we walked through the packed eating area I swear a hush fell over the crowd as they all rubbernecked at our family as we went by. No lie, I got pointed at with chopsticks several times and a flash to a camera even went off in Aly's direction. I feel really self-conscious being so 'heavy with child'. I wanted to disappear. But look what we found in the bathroom! How fun is that cute toilet? Just like at the kid's school. I liked how they had this one family size ginormous stall for us girls. We could potty and wash without the stares.
We went out to dinner with some friends and after we went to get this traditional dessert called Bing. It is shaved ice milk with fruit, in this case Mangos, and cream over the top. It is really a cool treat and the kids loved it. Out in the heat it is a race to eat it before it melts but don't worry, Kohen was on top of it.
Tonight in the car Kohen asked if "Space Alients" were real. I said No. Kennedy says, "Well, how do you know?" and I said something like, 'Because Heavenly Father created us in his image, so we all look like him." Kennedy says, "No we weren't. He has a beard."

Kenna's been a little argumentative lately but I had to admit she had a point in her own way.
Last but not least, shall we all take a guess what else could possibly be added to my plate right now, as if the whole world can't see me teetering on the brink of insanity? Nathan and I got callings*** last week. Nathan was called to Young Mens Presidency per usual, and then I was called to be Young Womens President. After the contraction passed and I could breathe again (I may or may not have said, "please be joking right now") the Bishop pointed out that there are only a small handful of girls (4-6) but still.... I am overwhelmed. I am not near cool enough or inspired enough for this call. You don't need to say I am in either, I am not fishing for compliments, just saying how I feel...followed by, heaven help us.

***(In our church all positions, Bishop, teachers, nursery leaders, chorister, etc. are all performed by the members without pay. So you get asked to serve in different callings say as a Sunday school teacher, and you do it as a service and as a way to contribute.)