Tomorrow is Friday. Good.

Hello all. I am tired. I don't like being by myself at home at night all the time. It is not too bad, not like it was at the beginning. But when my friend found a dog and asked me to foster him until she found his family I said yes. That was over a month ago now. He is mine. But he likes to wake up at 5:30. I used to get up right away and walk him because I would rather get up early then clean up pee, or even worse, poo, later on. That got old VERY fast. Those of you who know me really well will understand that. So now I make him go back to his bed and he promptly falls asleep while I lay there. It is good praying time but I am not always in the best of moods! I have thought about giving that little turkey away. But not sure if I want to yet.

Anyway, Tuesday I woke up and thought it was Friday and it wasn't. Not even close. And now tomorrow it will be. And my dog is at a sitter's place because I am at my friends house looking after her father-in-law while she and her family are in the U.S. So I am GOING to sleep in on Saturday. And that will be a good thing.

That really had nothing to do with anything. I didn't have any lesson or funny story or anything. Hmmm. On to other things then.

I stink at keeping up this blog. Wait. You already know that.

I went to breakfast with a friend of mine on Sunday. We have been family friends since she was about 3 years old (she is now 19). She was volunteering in a place called Tactic and was helping host all the teams that they have come through. I saw her 3 times in the six weeks she was here and let me tell you, it was great. I had two other people I thought were coming down and unfortunately neither of them can come now. So it is nice to have a bit of "home" here.

We decided to splurge ($11.) and go to a nice hotel for a buffet breakfast. I have wanted to go since June of last year when a surgical team I helped out let me stay with them for the night. The food is amazing! And plentiful. They have an omelet bar. You pick what you want to put in it. And they have fried plantains which are my favorite here.

When we got there the waiter said we could leave our bags at the table. I had already spoke to him in Spanish so I couldn't fake that I didn't understand but I sure wasn't going to leave my bag at the table no matter how nice the place was! So we just took them with us. When I went to sit down, Michelle put her bag down and went back for something else. She is skinny so she was allowed. The waiter came up and zap strapped our bags to our chairs! Too funny! I loved it. But didn't feel quite cheesy enough to take a picture of it. After all, we were in a nice restaurant.

Then we went to my church. Let me preface this story by saying that Michelle is a Music major in University, and my worship leader has a good heart and a voice that sings in tune but almost no timing whatsoever. It really threw me when I first started attending. I had a hard time worshipping when I knew he was coming in anywhere from 3-8 beats late. Anyway, we get to a song that Michelle actually knows. Poor girl. She didn't know the previous songs so she had no idea what was in store. She starts singing in the most beautiful voice and then finds herself singing in time, but singing alone. After about 2 verses she heads to the bathroom. I thought she might be sick because she had mentioned that she likes this song and I didn't think she would leave in the middle of it. But when she came back she said she was fine. I figured out later she must have left because it was impossible for her to sing like she wanted to. Ah Guatemala, how I love you. :)

Well, that is it for tonight. I am tired. I just needed to get my blog count back up again so here it is. Please don't give up on me!!! Take care all. God bless.

My drive last week.

I thought I would let you in on a glimpse on my driving life. I live in a small town about a 35 minute drive from Antigua (the main tourist town here in Guatemala) but in reality is less than 14 kms. I have to do my banking and grocery shopping outside of Parramos because it is so small.

So last week I went to Antigua after I was done at the Home at 5. I was with a Guatemalan friend. We passed a bus and a pick up that flashed me some hand signals. I have seen these signals and to be honest, I have no idea what they are trying to say. My friend said to me that they signaled to slow down farther down the hill. There was some sort of problem. She was very specific that is was not here, but farther down the hill. How she got all of that from a couple of hand signals, I have no idea! I was glad she was with me.


There is a stretch of road on the way down the hill that is just dirt on one side for about a km. The government quit paying the road crew sometime last year so the road was never finished. With the Tropical Storm and the heavy rains we have been having, the road is washing away. And not just the dirt, but it is eating away the foundation under the asphalt and that is crumbling away on the sides. It leaves for a pretty narrow lane. And where it is crumbling leads down the side of a steep hill. So there is no where to build that foundation back up again. It can make for a bit of a scary drive on a good day. Especially because nobody wants to drive on the rutted bad side so they drive the wrong way on the asphalt until another car appears. It is a windy road and the buses whip up and down it so this can happen without warning. I have seen and been involved in many close calls. And there is no shoulder to drive on (to avoid them) or cement barriers to prevent driving off the road and down the hill.

So back to last night. It was still light when I went down but I knew it would be getting dark when I came up. When we got to the bottom of the hill we saw the problem. There is another stretch of road 200 feet long that is often a river passing down when there is a lot of rain. Another night I came up in the dark and the water was a good 2 feet of rushing water that cars couldn't pass. Anyway, this time it was a semi-trailer stuck in the middle of the road. The main cab was backing up to try and hook up again to pull it out of the way. I drove around him and continued on my way. A few km's later I was in another town and all of a sudden traffic was being diverted and ambulances and fire trucks were driving by. It is hard to get out of the way of a two lane road that has no shoulder, just houses on the side of the road. I turned down a road and then my friend told me I would go way out of my way and I should go back and take a different road.

I dropped my friend off and did my banking and gorcery shopping and I really wanted to go to McDonalds but it was almost dark and I was worried about getting home. I still want McDonalds.

Anyway, I took a different way back. I wanted to avoid the accident so I took a different highway. But I forgot that there is a long stretch of really bad bumpy dirt road that I had to drive to get to the highway. But I was in luck! The ruts had been washed away from the rain and so many vehicles had driven over it that the ruts turned into a continuous road of deep water filled puddles. 15 feet long puddles that went from one side of the road to the other. You would pull up out of one and go right back down into another. It worried me that I couldn't see what was on the bottom (I have already had one flat tire from the bad roads) but I made it without incident. This stretch of road is also very remote so I wouldn't want to get stuck there by myself.

I made it back to the "river" stretch and it wasn't too bad. Just really muddy and I could feel my tires slipping (on a side note, the next day I asked my friend how to use the 4 wheel drive :) I have driven when the water was rushing by and about 2 feet deep.

So, I made it home okay and it was dark but that was okay. Then I was sorry I didn't get my McDonalds! :) Hindsight is always 20/20.

This post is not about complaining. I have become used to it and don't often get too nervous anymore. Although the other day I was in the Capital with a friend and I was doing an errand. I had to walk by myself for a bit and my friend later mentioned to me that it is nice to know we always have angels with us but sometimes she wishes for the angel Micheal! I feel the same way.

But as I was driving it I was thinking about how different my life really is now. I think about things that I didn't use to think about. I have to worry and watch myself and take precautions. I have to not get angry with terrible roads and unthinking people. But it is now normal. And I have good people around me. I know that I could call any number of people and they would help me in a heartbeat. Like my landlord.

Last night I had a large spider on my wall. It was too big to deal with on my own. So I went downstairs and told Axel that I needed help with a spider. I had no shame at this point. I showed him with my fingers how big her was (I included leg span in my estimation) and he was surprised. He said he had never seen one in town before. He asked if I had a broom to deal with it. When we got upstairs I think he had to bite his lip not to laugh. He thought I was talking about a tarantula! He took his shoe and just killed it. I tell you, it was big! He told me they were common and harmless. They are common??!!?? This is supposed to help me feel better??!! Later I thought about my can of Raid. I could have killed him with that and maintained my distance. But my grandpa gave me wise advice last time I complained about picking up dead bugs with toilet paper. I used a broom to sweep him up and I put him in the toilet. I wanted NO chance of reincarnation.

Alright, this is long. But I have a lot of time to make up for. I am still keeping up with the Home blog. http://www.newlifeandpeaceministries.blogspot.com/ So you can see pictures of me and my kiddos. Next time I write, I will write fun stories about them.


Bye!

P.S. These three guys were my dinner dates on Friday night. Jealous?

I am sorry.

My not keeping this up is inexcusable. I hate that I have let it go. Especially when I have so much fun stuff to write about!!!

I started working in a Children's Home at the beginning of May and I will be here for 2 years. I will be learning how to care for the children and all aspects of administration. Already it has been fun and heartbreaking and hard and hilarious. I have loved it.

One of the things I am doing is keep up their blog. It is embarrassing that I am doing better with their blog than mine. But to help you get a glimpse into what I am up to I will give you their blog site. How kind of me!!

http://newlifeandpeaceministries.blogspot.com/

At least there are pictures of me and the kiddos. And these kiddos are CUTE!

So, please enjoy, and let me know if you are missing me terribly and want me to do a better job. It would probably help if I had a bag of candies next to me. I guess I will just have to eat the chocolate and toasted coconut clusters that my friend just brought for me from the U.S. instead. People, she brought me a whole pound of them!!!! And they are amazing.

Happy Sunday.

It is Tuesday. Don't be confused by my title. On Sunday I realized that in 2 days (which translates into today) I will have gone a full two months without writing in my blog. It is easy to let it go once I start letting it go (if that made sense). Like too many other things in my life. So I started writing a blog post but then didn't finish it. I was about to do a prayer time and had some thoughts and I thought they would be good to put down. To help myself figure them out. 

I wanted to use the word melancholy in my title but I am not sure of its exact meaning. But I meant to use it to explain that this post won't be funny or uplifting. Just a little bit of thinking out loud and trying to sort my feelings while I am at it.

I love being here. 

I love being in Guatemala where the scenery is fantastic from afar even though it is really dirty up close. 

I love living in a culture that says "good afternoon" to everyone as they get on the chicken bus, or say "have a good day" as they get off the elevator in a nice mall in the capital city. 

I love watching men get up and let women have the inside of the bus seat so that the man will have 3/4 of his back end hanging in mid air, likely with a hand cramp from holding onto the rail (in an attempt to keep said back end LOOK like it is level while not falling off the seat when the G-forces increase as we whip around corners) and a cramped hip from using muscles that are unfamiliar to holding said back end in the air. I would like to insert here that I didn't used to be a fan of "chivalry" but I guess I do like it now. Especially when I have had one cramped hip too many. The chicken buses are really the best place to see the generosity and thoughtfulness in full swing.

I love going to the children's home and have the kids see me and make a beeline for me while yelling "mama" (only one can talk and hold a conversation and the few kids who have a few words either use mama or anna for everyone they see and know) and then get up in my arms and snuggle. I can't get enough of that. 

I love my church. Staying here for Christmas was the best thing that could have happened. I was sad to be away from everyone but I received so much by being here. I got to know a lot of people in the church that I would have not otherwise gotten close to. And I really cherish those friendships. 

I love that I have my friend Ruth here. I can go to her house whenever I want (well, when I have money and time) and I can lay on her couch for a week and not feel bad about it. I don't have to try to keep conversation going because if there is a silence it is one of those ones that don't matter. Although to be honest, we are not often silent. :) 

I love that people send me candy. I love the candy too, but the act of being SENT candy is what makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Mmmmm. Fuzzy peaches.

I love being able to speak Spanish. I know I am far from perfect but I understand what people say to me, and I can make myself be understood to other people. That is a big thing for me. 

I love what God it teaching me here. I know this should have been the first thing that popped into my mind, and trust me. I thought about moving this sentence to the head of the list, but I couldn't let myself. :) I am learning to hear from Him. Another thing I am far from perfect on. I think this takes practice an daily dedication to be confidently hearing God's voice and knowing there is no other way to go. I am also learning I am not perfect. Grace and understanding is being taught to me right now. Kind of a hard one when you have pride and when you are hurting.

But there is a flip side to this coin. There are sacrifices to be made. As most of you know, Disney is one of my favorite things. Disney movies, Disneyland, Disney World, and anything else that is cute and Disney. I have already been to Disney World twice, Disneyland four times, and Disney Paris once. This should be sufficient. But I still want more. I want to go on a Disney cruise. I want to go back to Disney World and spend days and days there until I am sick of it. I want to work for some Disney park, anywhere. And I wonder if I am 50 when I leave here, will I still be able to go to Disney World and still have so much fun? Or will I just look like some silly old lady? Aw, who cares? It is Disney World!!!!!

I want to go to Paris and spend a year learning French. I want to go to Italy and spend a year learning Italian. I want to go to Belguim and spend a year learning.... Belgique? To be honest, I have no idea what they speak. I want to go and live right in the middle of New York City for a year. 

I want to go to WalMart when I feel like it and buy a bag of candy. Or a new DVD. Or Kraft Dinner. I want to go out alone at night and not feel scared (terrified). I want to not have to worry about the way men look at me, or how to respond when they try to get my attention, or want to talk too long, or ask for my phone number just because I happen to be standing at the bus stop.  Or not worry about walking down the road and having my purse stolen or slashed. I want to have a shower that always works. I want a Honda CRV with heated seats, air conditioning, a fantastic sound system, and a sun roof. But not electric windows. I am too afraid they will short out if I drive into a lake. And then I won't be able to break the window to get out and I will die a slow and painful death. 

I want to go to the Cheesecake Factory and eat until I almost explode. I want to go to Old Navy and buy a bunch of relatively cheap t-shirts that I will have to replace in a year because they get these little holes in the front. But also not worry about having to buy them again in a year because I know the money will always be there for them. 

Small side note. Just googled the official language of Belgium. Dutch is most prominent, followed by French and German. Mostly I want to live there because I went once for two nights and I ate an authentic Belgium waffle that changed my life. 

There is a recurring theme here. Money. It takes a LOT of money to do those things. And if I was still at home making the money I did, and living at a low cost of living like I did, these things would be possible. I think this is the thing that most people (myself included) thought would be one of my biggest problems. That and being lonely. And until the last week or so, these were just very occasional thoughts that crossed my mind and didn't truly bother me. And maybe it is because I am going home in two weeks. I will be back among all these great conveniences, great people, great food and I am worried about how I will react. 

One of my friends has lived here for eight years. She was talking to me about going home. It is a hard time for her. She doesn't fully fit in here and she doesn't fully fit in at home. She is closer to being Guatemalan in the way she thinks and acts but no matter how flawless her Spanish is, she is white and will never be a true Guatemalan. But seeing the things she has seen here has changed the U.S. for her. Things bother her that most people in North America wouldn't think twice about. She works in a small town at a school for special needs kids. She makes home visits and takes kids to specialists and raises money for medications and daily sees the hard life that most Guatemalans live. 

I live in an apartment that has cement walls, tile floors and indoor running water. I am way ahead of the game. I volunteer in a children's home where they also have running water, clean clothes, enough food, electricity, and while they are struggling to make ends meet every month, God is faithful and keeps them fed and clothed and housed. So I don't see the poverty every day. Maybe this is why I can live in the country with the second highest rate of malnutrition (behind Haiti) in Central America and still be slightly apathetic. 

I hate that I have become "comfortable" here. I hate that I am not fired up and inspired to go find hungry kids and give them food. Or sick kids and give them medicine. Or kids with no house and build them a house. Or kids with no parents and give them unconditional love and affection while teaching them about God's unconditional love and affection.

What I feel led to do is go into children's home administration.

This keeps me in this comfort zone. For now. And it doesn't highlight my education as a nurse. My ultimate goal, and what I think God has in store for me, is to start a children's home for special needs kids. What that would do is: take hungry special needs kids and give them food EVERY day, give sick special needs kids the medicine they need, AS SOON AS THEY NEED IT, give special needs kids who have no home or roof over their head, their very own HOUSE, and lastly, it would give special needs kids the unconditional LOVE of Jesus every. single. day. 

It is just not glamorous. It wouldn't garner as much attention, or back slapping, or good stories for my blog as would running into the dumps every day loaded with food and medicine and candy. And I have to be okay with that. I mean, who doesn't love a good back slap from a friend or someone you respect? And yet, I feel God calling me into that and I would rather get a good back slap from Him. 

So, to keep these other feelings at bay, I need to pray. I think it is Satan working against me. I have committed to something for when I return and I don't think he likes it. So I am getting these feelings of unease and wanting more. This is not the me that I want to be. I WANT to be smack dab in God's will for my life and not give a hoot about what anyone else around me thinks. 

And I DON'T want to go home and have all those things. Well, to visit yes, but I want to stay living here.

So if you would join with me in prayer I would love that. I am sorry that this rambled on and on and I would love to get back to my regular funny story postings. I just need to get it out on "paper" so that I can move on from it. Here is a picture of one of the kids that I get to cuddle and play with and give love to every day. 

This is why I am here. 

Why am I so terrible at keeping up the blog???

Hello all.

I have so much to write and I just don't do it! 

Today I went to a senior's home with a group of kids from the children's home that my Pastors run. It was so much fun! There were about 12 kids that went. I love them all of course. :) 

I took my camera with me and I wanted so much to take pictures but I got too involved with doing stuff and didn't take a single one. :( One of the other ladies did so maybe I can steal them from her.

I love old people. When I worked with them in the hospital I found it very sad. They didn't have many visitors, they always looked bored, they had so many aches and pains and I just had a hard time dealing with it. I know all of that exists here as well but these seniors seemed to be pretty well taken care of. There were two big rooms (men and women) with the beds all lined up against the walls. We went out into the courtyard and they all started to trickle in. I went around and said hello to each one of them (I was supposed to be blowing up balloons. Oops). I have never been told how beautiful I am that many times!!!!! They all loved me. :) I tried to take a minute with each one. 

One man knew a little English as he has spent a year in Utah. Then he said something about playing basketball. So maybe he played basketball in Utah??? :) I was kissed on the hand by at least 3 men. And I know it is actually a bad thing for them, but when old people have no teeth and their lips are all sunken in and wrinkly, I think it looks so cute!!!! 

There was one lady with a black eye and a gauze bandage on her forehead. She said someone else came up to her while she was laying in bed and hit her in the face and in the stomach with their shoe!! Another lady just started crying and crying when I asked her how she was and she was telling me all these terrible things. I couldn't understand all of it. But it broke my heart. I don't think it all was true but you never know. 

Another man had no teeth and maybe had had a stroke. He was mobile though. He had so much to say!!!! He kept coming up to me to tell me things. And he used hand motions. I can't tell how lucid he was because his language was so garbled (one of the reasons I think he had a stroke) And he was showing me some cut outs of magazines that he had. He was very cute. But he spit a LOT when he talked! 

The kids all blew up these long balloons to give out (the ones you make balloon animals from) and they had no fear in approaching the seniors and helping out. They go once every two months. The other month in between they visit a home for kids with AIDS. I can't wait to go there as well! One of the teenage boys (he just turned 18) went up to one of the ladies and made a necklace out of the balloon and tied it around her neck. It was so cute I could have cried! This kid obviously has a really good heart. We sang a song (and I even got in there and waved my balloons around as well) and handed out cookies and juice. They were so grateful and kind in receiving it. Some of them were reverting back to their childhoods mentally, but most of them seemed lucid. We were only there an hour and I would have loved to stay a lot longer. Maybe it is something I can do on my own. Seriously, I loved it there. 

The staff seemed really great. Attentive and kind, and I was told later by a guy who works at the children's home that a lot of the staff are volunteers. I hope this next thought comes out right. I used to think that we missionaries here give up a lot and, although we are no better than anyone else, we are doing a good thing for the "poor people of Guatemala". The longer I am here and the more I get to know people here, I have not given up the most. I have a good standard of living. I budget, and I don't have a lot (or any) excess but I still have a lot compared to a lot of people here. And if I REALLY need something I know that someone at home will help me. If I NEED to get away, someone will buy me a plane ticket home. 

I met a young couple in December when I was traveling in the Peten (the jungle in the North of the country). They lived near the Capital and a couple weeks after they were married they were called to pastor a church up in a place called Mario Mendez. It is remote! We couldn't take the van out there, someone took us in their 4x4 truck. They live in a simple house, dirt floors, thatch roof, and a hammock in the middle of the room (which I took advantage of!) and not a lot of access to anything. It took them 15 hours on many different buses (with their 10 month old daughter) to get home for a visit this Christmas. I went to visit their family and I will write another post about that. It was amazing. Anyway, they have been there for 2 years now. They have given up their family (which here, is a much bigger deal) their resources, their nice climate (it is really hot and humid where they live now) and much more. I know that Abigail is lonely. She had to have her first baby away from her mother and sisters and extended family. I am not sure but I assume a local midwife delivered the baby. At least, I hope she had someone else there! 

And then these people who could be out making a better wage, decide to care for old people in their home. It is not like when we in Canada volunteer in a home. We read books, sing songs, hand out food, etc. These people are changing beds, changing clothes, changing diapers, feeding them, helping when they are hurt, and on and on. For free. Because they have good hearts. 

I know of a Dr. who practices not far from where I live. He is in his mid thirties and treats everyone. He has good equipment, good education (he spent time in a med school in the U.S.) and could be treating only the wealthy. He treats many from the village clinic where I volunteered, he started giving out food in a local dump nearby. Providing food and help with education and medical services to people who live in garbage.

What do I do? I work in a nice clean home for special needs kids. I sometimes change diapers but mostly the ladies do it. I work on the computer. I play with the kids when I want to. I go home at night to an apartment that is safe and nice and clean and although I hate my tiles, I have tiles. I don't have cement or dirt for floors. I watch my cable (I have a couple of English channels) and I eat Kraft Dinner or other treats that people send me. They send me these treats because I can't get them here. And imported candy is expensive. And I love that people do this for me. But the big question is, what have I really given up? I could list things for you but I sometimes feel it doesn't compare to the generosity and giving up of things that is done here locally. The stuff that isn't seen by most groups and people that come down here. Even I was ignorant to it until a couple of months ago. Because these people won't brag about it. When I go home in April and I meet new people and they ask me what I am doing here I will tell them. And they will think, and more often than not tell me, that I am great. I am doing such a good thing. I am not folks. And this is not me being humble. It is me being honest. I could be doing a lot more. I need to be doing a lot more. 

And my Guatemalan friends down here treat me so well. Like I am special. And I don't think it is just because I am such nice and great person! :) They clean my bathroom, they give me surprise birthday cakes, they prepare special food for me, they buy me housewarming gifts, they don't mind spending time to show me places, or take me through the market so I don't get ripped off, etc. People in Canada do this too (except maybe the cleaning my bathroom part!). And maybe it is me and my bad thinking. That I think they have less to give and so they shouldn't give anything to me because I have so much more than they do. But it seems to mean a lot more to me down here than at home. They give so unselfishly and with a genuine heart behind it, more so than I ever will. I don't want to share my candies. And yet when I visit someone in their house I am given the best food and the best chair. I have SO much to learn from people here. About how to be Jesus. And how to give properly. 

Well that rant went on. 

In the car on the way home I pretty much tickled kids all the way. I would have loved to go back to the home with them and stayed longer. Two of the girls held on pretty tight when they dropped me off at the bus. There are only 5 girls and about 20 or so boys. And they have a "mom" who is there full time but I think they like to have other girls to talk to as well.

Anyway, I am off to take a look at an exercise video that my friend sent me. I was complaining to her that I can't run here (it is too dangerous in my area) and I needed to do some exercise. Problem is, well, it is not a problem, she sent candy as well. She told me she felt a little silly in the Wal-Mart line up with her exercise video and a bunch of bags of candy. So I guess I could eat the candy while I am exercising. That would negate all calories right? Because on Monday I hit a milestone. I am now 30 years old. So my metabolism that I have been abusing for years will continue to decline more so than it already has. How sad. 

Did you know that ageism is the only "ism" that people always get over? With racism you can stay a racist all your life because you won't change color. With sexism, you will be a sexist all your life because you won't change your sex (although changing your sex is an option, but if you do, it is obvious that you don't "not like" the other sex. Did any of that just make sense??!!??) But with age, we will all get old. And we will change our minds at some point. If you think that old people are in the way and have nothing to add to society, you WILL change your mind. Not sure where I heard that. 

So, carry on with your lives people. And thanks for stopping by!!!

Happy New Year!

This is a quick one. I am tired. I wrote my first ever newsletter and just sent it out. If you follow this and want to receive what will hopefully be a "monthly" newsletter please leave me a comment with your e-mail address.

God bless you all in the New Year!

It's NOT beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Hello folks. 

Less than 2 weeks to Christmas and it feels a little weird. I see fake Christmas trees and cheesy christmas decorations in the streets but I just can't feel the magic when it is so green and hot out! And the big Christmas trees in each square of the towns is sponsored by Gallo, the Guatemalan beer. So the trees are covered in Gallo symbols and it is basically advertising. Way to get into the spirit! 

And maybe because I don't see or feel the magic I am not missing home as much as I could be. It feels strange to see everyone's Christmas party pictures on Facebook, and their Christmas tree pictures. I am at Ruth's house again and her house is decorated and her tree is up. And we made whipped shortbread yesterday so that helped me feel a little more Christmasy. :) I am now inspired to go home and bake my little heart out! I picked up a bunch of recipes from Ruth and there is always the internet for finding recipes. As long as I can find all of the ingredients here!

I also now officially have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day plans! I was getting worried as many people asked what I was doing for Christmas (a lot of people thought I would be going home for Christmas) and when I said nothing, there would be this awkward silence. But now I will be eating with the kids at the home where I volunteer on Christmas Eve, then heading to my church for the Christmas Eve service. After, I will spend the night at my friend Amy's house. She is about my age and is single as well. So we won't have to wake up alone on Christmas morning!!! The next day, we will go together to our pastor's children's home and eat Christmas dinner there. So I am excited about it! And I even have a few presents to open. When Taraleigh came down in Sep. she brought presents from her, my mom, and my friend Amy (in Canada). Yay for family and friends who think in advance! Not everyone knows that it is difficult for me to receive mail here. 

I need to update you all on what I have been up to these last several weeks! I will do it in another post as this is my Christmasy post. :)

Merry Early Christmas!!!!