Time Passes

So it's been a while. So I need to update you on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and today, Sunday.

On Thursday we went and served breakfast and the school that a mission team with the church restored the week before we got there, then went to tutoring, then I had lunch with Sara (we each take turns for one on one lunch), and had my first sushi! And it was actually good! There was also this really, really wonderful fried cheese ball that I always forget the name of. After lunch we met with Marissa and Emily and had our Bible Study, and then went to the Let's Start Talking party, which was a talent show. All the interns (Me, Marissa, Emily, and Alex) plus Sam and his kids Victoria and Sopie sang a song, and there were lots of other acts. After the show, there was karaoke, and lots and lots of dancing. It was a lot of fun.

On Friday we went to Fernanda's school for her last day. At schools here they have lots of graduations and presentations. So in her class they went through presentations of all the different subjects. When they got to English, her teacher looked at me and said, "We have some friends with us who speak very good English who are going to help us with our games." So I had to go up to the front where I read vocab words and numbers and in boys vs. girls format the kids competed. It was pretty fun. After that we walked around downtown for a while before heading to tutoring. After tutoring we went home and ate, and after a nap, we went to the youth cell group. And after cell we went with Sara to rent a movie, but we didn't get to watch it that night. But we did go to Sara's house and order pizza and talk for a while, before heading home to sleep.


On Saturday we woke up and went to the cell leaders meeting (which we were early to and locked out of), and then to the mall for a little while, and then to Sara's house where we finally got to watch our movie, and we ordered from El Mago, witch is a really wonderful restaurant. After the movie we walked down the street to go to a six year old's birthday party, which is not the same as in the States. The kids were all in the kitchen, while the adults took up the living and dining room. We talked, had some cake, and were awkward for a while. But after a few hours, we started playing spoons. Most people had left by this time, so it was just us and the family. So we decided to play spoons, but the thing about this family is that they all cheat at cards. Even the grandpa. So it was really funny. People had to be pat down every round to see who was hiding cards, and a water gun was brought out and used. It was loud and a whole lot of fun. And then after that, we had a surprise. Sara had told us we were doing something, but she didn't tell us what (this was Thursday), so we were all excited. We got dressed up, and went downtown, where Sara took us to this really cool restaurant (kinda like a coffeehouse...but not so much about the coffee). There were singers and bands playing that were very enjoyable, and at 12:30, there was the dance of the little old people (La Danza de Los Viejitos). I love this dance, we've seen it around, but in this one, it was even cooler because one of the dancers was really a 75 year old little old person. Often their in their teens or twenties because the dance is really intense. But it is sooo much fun. And so we got home really late.


(The Dance of the Little Old People)

And this morning we woke up and went to church at a church called Filidelfia. It was really cool, because we were talking about Unity in the church, and both churches were their and everyone hugged everyone and everyone was welcoming one another and it was a really wonderful show of Jesus' Love and unity within the one body of Christ.

Picture: Sam preaching.

After church we went with Miguel and Fernanda to lunch. So later, we went back to the house, slept for a while, and then went to Starbucks where we talked with Sara, and then went back to her house and talked until after midnight.

Day of Firsts

So today was a day of firsts. First combi ride, and first solo taxi ride.


(I like this picture. We're Asian tourists.)


But anyways, today we went to prayer time, prayed, went to Sara's house and learned how to use the LiveWorship program that the church uses, and then went to tutoring (by combi). After that we came back and had lunch and rest time, and then I got the first turn going to Sam's cell group by myself, hence the first solo taxi ride. We switch out ever week, so I'll get to go again in three weeks. Which is kinda sad, because I really enjoyed it. A lot. Anyways. It was fun.

Lifehouse's Everything Skit

I'm sure many of you have seen this video...but if you haven't, you should now. It's beautiful and it makes me cry almost every time I watch it.

Free Day

So Monday's are our days off. Today we woke up, had some breakfast, and then walked all the way across town to the VIP movies. We were early, so we walked around the mall for a while, and then went to the movie with Sara, Alex, Montse, and us. We were going to go see Kung Fu Panda, but they lied when they said it was subtitled and not dubbed...so we didn't go. We went to see 21 (Black Jack) instead. But this is a really nice theater. If' you've ever been to Studio Movie Grill in the States, it's kinda like that with the service, but we each get personal recliners with cup holders and tables. And they are very comfortable recliners. I think I may see I reoccurring day off theme coming up.

After that we hung out for a while, and tried to get Montse's broken car home, even though it didn't make it. We also went up the mountain to look and the huge flag and the city during the day. Sooo pretty. And then we went out for tacos. That happens a lot. Interesting fact I learned from Sara: the crunchy taco's from Taco Bell or Bueno...those aren't Mexican. At all. Who knew?

Also, I wonder what would happen if I stopped having English conversations? I mean, I'd still need English for direction, and for times when it's just the interns, but I think when I speak in English around people who speak Spanish, I cheat both them and myself. I cheat them because I distance myself from them, and I cheat myself because I could be learning from listening to and interacting with them. So I'm going to try to use much less English. I don't know how well I'm going to do, but I'm going to try. Maybe I'll be a lot quieter, and learn to reflect better. Hopefully I'll learn Spanish. I don't really know. I do know that I have got to keep trying, and I'm not about to give up.

Unproductive fun. Or is it?

So today we went to church, that was fun. I liked the songs we sang today, and I'm getting a little better about figuring out how the Spanish words work in the songs. After church we hung out at Sara's house, ate at Chili's, took naps, made and ate cookies, watched some TV, and went to Starbucks. It was a lovely day.

I have been wondering lately though, about the differences between short term and long term mission trips. All of my past mission experience has been very short term, where you go with a lot of people and put in a lot of effort in a short period of time, and then leave, but you can see the results of whatever you've done.

But here, life is more normal. We go to movies, get coffee, live in a house, and other things like that. In longer term missions, the goal is to build relationships. Especially in Mexico/Latin America where life itself is more about creating relationships. And it takes a lot longer to see results. There are real lives invested in this, not just a week of time.

So, while it's very needed for people to reach out and do big things on a big scale for people, it's also important to live our daily lives to the glory of God, whether that be in Mexico, the States, Europe, Africa, or anywhere else that we may find ourselves. Balance.

Sometimes it feels to me like we're being unproductive (and ok, every now and then we really are...I really do like to sleep in sometimes), but a lot of the time with our family, with the church, with our tutors, with the youth, with the other interns and the missionaries, we're really being productive...but in a slower way that you have to be more patient to see the results.

I think only God knows where my life is going to go, but I'm learning and being reminded that our relationships and our lives are tools that God uses to reach out to people, whether or not our job description is "missionary". Maybe that will be my formal full time job description, and maybe it won't. But I know know that here in Mexico and wherever I go, I want to try to connect with people, and let my life reflect God's love.

And God knows I don't do that nearly as well as I want to, but I trust in His grace that He'll work through me as I am, and continue to guide me to where I'm going.

[And if you're reading this, pray that I can really put my heart into learning Spanish. Right now, that's by far the biggest barrier I'm facing in connecting with people. I really want to reach out, but I'm held back by my lack of Spanish, and by fear, I guess. Fear that my progress won't be enough, fear that I won't be understood, fear that I won't understand, and fear of something that I can't pinpoint. I want to try to really connect to the culture, but I know I'm holding back. I know that right now, I'm not giving this or God my all as I try to cling to my comfort zone of English. I don't want anything to be a barrier to God's work, and I thing that's what my fear or my holding back is.]

So I need the courage and the strength to dive into this, and not just dip my toes. Not alone, because I have wonderful support here in the other interns and Sara. And I need God's help to take these words and change them into actions. Because as much as I say it, if I don't do anything, then nothing is going to change. Doing this is going to require me to draw closer to God, and rely on Him for strength, because I don't think I have it in me. As Paul says in Philippians 4, "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."

So here goes. Another day is coming, another week, and many more opportunities to learn and grow in God and His grace.

Sweet Saturday

So today we woke up, had breakfast, and then walked for an hour and a half. We made it mostly across town before we ran out of time and had to get a taxi. Everyone was in shock about how far we walked. It was a really long ways.

Anyways, after we got to Sara's house, we found out that it was going to be just us, and we went to a town called Huandecareo. They have lots of little water parks. So we went to one, and played in the pool, went down the slides, tanned, played games, and had a generally very enjoyable afternoon. Then we came back to Morelia, and watched a wonderful movie called La Misma Luna, which means Under the Same Moon. SUCH a good movie. If you ever get a chance, watch it. And after that we went and got tacos for dinner. Yum.

Not much else. The end.

Perspective.

Okay, so today we woke up, planned another bible study, and went to tutoring. Then we hung out at Sara's house for a while, and then went to lunch with her. After that, we went downtown and had a photo/video scavenger hunt that Alex planned for the youth cell. And then we hung out at Sara's house some more before getting some good food at a taco place before heading home to bed.

However, the most interesting part of my day was the drive home I think. I was sitting in the taxi, feeling kind of bored, when I feel like I flipped a switch inside of me. I think I've always been able to do this, but I haven't really realized this before. Okay, this is confusing, so let me describe it, and then talk about it.

As we sat in the taxi and I was bored, I felt the wind on my face, and one moment it was annoying and making me cold, and the next it was a blessing reminding me to feel alive. I just decided to enjoy it. I looked out the window as we drove through town, and felt God's love for this place and these people. I enjoyed the realness of life.

So I started to think. This time, I was aware of the moment I made the change. So, I do have a choice in the matter. Being miserable or happy is somewhat of a choice. Perspective. It's one thing for me to look around me and get upset because I can't communicate like I want to or be frustrated with things beyond my control, and it's another to enjoy the time I have here now, and to soak up and learn as much as I can, and enjoy the relationships that I can build, whether I speak the language or not.

Picture: I found this very pretty. It's the stairs in our house with the sun coming in from the skylight.


Now, I understand that circumstances will play a role in attitude. I can just about promise that I'll be frustrated with my lack of Spanish again (and again), and I know that life is not always what we want it to be. However, it seems to me that life flows smoother when we flip the switch and enjoy the life we have. (And I am determined. I will learn Spanish).

A phrase we used yesterday was "to live in the present". To take what is right now, and be. Now, I won't always be optimistic, and sometimes I'm just the opposite. But I like myself better when I find the good in things instead of the bad. And I think that God wants us to find the good things too, because they're there. Sometimes they're hidden in a bunch of bad things that are not God's desire for us, but those things shouldn't get in the way of what God does have for us.

A lot of this is probably common sense, but it's the sense that was rekindled in me on my ride home tonight, and I hope that maybe it will encourage you too.

Finally, a thoughtful post. ish.

I got my computer back today! I was very happy.

Today we woke up, and walked to one of the main roads to get a taxi to Sara's house (we made it, even though we got lost on the way), where we had our intern meeting. We didn't have tutoring because our tutors were busy with a huge mission group (48 people) from Oregon, so instead we went home to eat with Morelia. After that we worked on some more of our bible studies for the kids during cell groups, and then after a while went to the Let's Start Talking party, where I won at Bingo! I got a Milky Way bar as my prize...yum. And on the way home Morelia offered a ride to a friend who lives in our neighborhood, so we fit 8 people in her sedan, the two ladies up front, and the three interns in back each with a child on our laps. That was an interesting ride.

So, now for some interesting aspects of Mexican culture. First, did you know that if you invite someone here, you're offering to pay? If you just want to go as a group, you should suggest, not "invite". It's a tricky line to walk.

Another cultural fact: most people don't put their bags on the floor here, because there's a superstition that your money could fall out.


Also, I've found it interesting that most people in the United States are governed by fear, but not so in Mexico. I know that when driving in the States, I usually follow most of the rules, if for no other reason than that I know there's a good possibility that there might be a cop, and I might get a ticket. Here in Mexico, the general rule is that it's not illegal unless you get caught. While many people follow the same rule in the States, there is much less chance of you getting caught here. And if you do get caught, it's not as intimidating, because you can often bribe the police, and they won't ticket you. So traffic here is much more defensive, and it doesn't have nearly as many rules.

For the third cultural difference today, PDA, or Public Display of Affection. In the States, PDA deserves a nice "get a room!" call. Here, it's everywhere. People just walk down the street or in the mall or anywhere really and are all mushy and VERY affectionate. It's a very different sight to see.

And did you know: there are two different kinds of movie theaters here. There's the normal theater, like ones we have in the States, and then there's a VIP theater, where you pay more, and you can eat sushi.

Task of the future: I need at some point to find someone who with "tutor" (used loosely) me in the States. I really am determined to learn Spanish.


Oh, and also, it's possible that people here drink more Coke than they drink water or perhaps breathe air.

Baby!

Okay, so I was going to get my computer today, but something more exciting happened!  Ann had her baby!  Her name is Isabella Joy.  She is sooo cute.  We woke up first thing this morning and went to the hospital.  Anyways, because of that, all the cars got switched around, and I didn't get to get my computer.  

After the hospital, we went to the church, and were going to have prayer time, but I don't think the person we were waiting for showed up, so we talked, and then went back to the hospital.  Then we went to Sopie's school for a little while, and then went to tutoring.  Today with my tutor, we worked on vocabulary and tenses.  I had to tell a lot of stories.  

And after that we came back and had more delicious food that Morelia made.  We had a really good Broccoli and Poblano Chili soup today...tasty with a little bit of zing.  So good.  Afterwards we took naps.  And this evening we planned the first of the kids bible studies that we need to plan, and went for a walk with Fernanda and her friend Sofia.  And then they did yoga.  I did not.

Tomorrow, when I have my computer, I should have some interesting things to talk about, like PDA, social fear, invitations and such.  But you'll have to wait for that.

Still No Computer

My computer is still with Sara.  Really, tomorrow I'm going to get it back.

Anyways, today, we woke up, and went to Sam and Ann's house where we got some instructions from Ann as to how to plan the bible studies for the kids, and then we helped to count money.  After that, we went to Starbucks with Sam (his idea).  

Sara picked us up from Starbucks and took us to our first day of tutoring, which was actually really good, I'm excited.  I understood a lot, and it helped me some with my confidence (Marisa and Emily say that's my main problem).  

After that we came back and had lunch and the house, and I did my laundry.  Then we went downtown with Montse and I bought a belt (I forgot to bring one).  After coming back and resting for a little bit, we went with Morelia to her cell group.  That lasted a while, then we went for a walk, and now it's time for bed.

I have been much more frustrated with my inability to speak or understand Spanish tonight.  I don't know why, but it was really stressing me out.  I really almost cried.  I love this culture, I just really wish that I could participate more in it.  

EDIT:  AHHH!! okay, I'm such a creepy person.  Really.  So, I was checking facebook after I posted this, and I noticed that Sara had recently updated her facebook status to say she was babysitting Sam and Ann's kids.  This was a trigger for excitement, because Ann is going to have a baby any time now.  I figured Sam and Ann probably weren't going out for dinner.  So we called Sara, who laughed at us for being creepy stalkers, and she told us that indeed, Ann is at the hospital...no baby yet, but very soon.  Yay!  .

Day Off

So today's is going to be a short post, because I'm on Emily's computer.  I took mine to Sara's house, and when we went to a movie afterward, I left it in her trunk.  Ooops.

Anyways, today was our day off.  We slept in, and Marisa and Emily went bike riding while I did my last maymester paper.  I'm so done!! yay!!  After that we ate lunch, and hung out for a while.  We played Mexican bingo, and told stories in Spanish, the ones where you go around and everyone adds.  Well, I listened, and shared my part in English.  Then we went with Sara over to her house to hang out, and use the phone, and I got to see Jeremiah on Skype!!! 

The fiasco of the evening was that there was a rat in Sara's backyard, and she doesn't do rats.  So, that's a problem.  Anyways, we ended up going to the movies to see What Happens in Vegas, or whatever it's called, the title here in Spanish is different.  It was sooo good, but I don't think the Mexicans got it.  The subtitles must not have captured it, because the four of us laughed almost the whole way through, but we were the only ones laughing.  

Anyways, it was a good day, and tomorrow I'll get my computer back from Sara.

Feliz Dia del Padre!

Happy Father's Day!

This morning we woke up, and went to church. We were at church for three and a half hours, and I think that almost two and a half hours of that was the actual service. It was really interesting though, and the time went quicker than I thought it would. It would have been really awesome if I had understood Spanish.

(This picture is not from church, it's from our tour yesterday.)


For Father's Day, our Mexican father, Miguel, asked that we speak in Spanish. That was rough for me, but the family was really encouraging, and I'm starting to think I might be able to do this.

Anyways, when we got home from church Coco and Montse (I think it was them), had set up a table in the garage for us to eat at. Lunch wasn't ready yet, so we (me, Emily, Marisa, and Fernanda) went upstairs and played some really intense Uno for a while. And when lunch was finally ready, it was sooo good, and we all ate too much food.

After dinner we (the interns) went with Coco and Montse to the movies, where we saw the Hulk. It was a good movie...lame ending though. And after that we got back to the house and relaxed for a while before bed.

I also got to talk to my parents for the first time since getting here, so that was nice.

So, interesting thought of the day (at least I think it is). So, I've been listening to all the Spanish around me, a lot of it doesn't make sense, even though it makes perfect sense to the people speaking it. This made me think of how babies who are learning to talk. For a while, a lot of what we say must be just noise to them, even though we think that they should understand. It makes me want to understand so badly though, and to be able to communicate. I think that it must be frustrating as a child not to be able to understand or talk with anyone. Plus I have a new appreciation for people who learn English as a second language. Learning a new language is a lot of work.

Coppertown.

So today we woke up, had breakfast, and went with Morelia to the cell leaders meeting. We watched the kids, who got a little bored, and didn't really want to wait for the meeting to be over, but I remember being that age, and being antsy like that.

After the meeting was over we went with Sara and two of the Let's Start Talking people for a tour. We went out to this little town almost an hour away called Pátzcuaro where we had lunch at the Best Western and then did some shopping. This was the place that Vasco de Quiroga (you can read about him for a full story...the part about him as bishop) used as his center for commerce.


After that we went to Tzintzuntzan which was the P'urhépecha (indigenous people's) capital. They specialize in weaving and basketry. We also saw there the yácatas that were their temples and their sacrificial places. We also saw the church there with one of the oldest baptistries in Latin America. After that we went to Santa Clara del Cobre, also known as Coppertown, because they make things from copper. They're amazing. They also showed us the process, and it takes so long, and so much work to make things, it's incredible. The towns are all far apart, so it took us a long time, all day in fact. But just to make this clear, Mexico is not the desert. It rains here all the time, and today we drove through forests into the mountains.


After our long day of touring, we went back to Sam and Ann's house for delicious tacos (and pie for dessert), and we meet the new Let's Start Talking team that just got in. It was so good, and a lot of fun.

So, just for fun, we were listening to the radio yesterday, and heard some really interesting lyrics. The best was, "every time I think about you, thoughts go through my mind." Also, "every day is just another day, no doubt." We laughed because the writer pretty obviously learned English as a second language, and the song wasn't profound at all. But, for his credit, if I were to write a song in Spanish, it'd be even worse.

Oh, and just in case you were wondering, my new name is Elisabet. Just wanted to clear that up.

Late Day.

Okay, so this is a post today for yesterday, because their days go later here. They also start late, which is wonderful.

We woke up this morning and had breakfast around 10 (wonderful), and then went for a bike ride. It was a lot of fun, and a good workout, and we got to meet the guards at the guardshack. We live in the Mexican equivalent of a gated community. That way, the trash truck doesn't come at 6am. Yay! Anyways, after we got back and showered, we went with Sara to a restaurant (I forgot the name) that had huge delicious sandwiches and fruit drinks made with real fruit. My strawberry drink felt like I was drinking strawberries. After lunch (around 3) we went to Sam's Club to print photos that reminded us of God for our youth cell group later, and Office Max, and we got snacks for cell group. Then we went to cell group, and had to describe our picture and how we saw God in it, and describe our favorite birthday...in Spanish. I have sooooo far to go, but I'm learning, and I survived. We also made a collage of our photos. Here was mine:


We talked for a while in cell group, and I tried to understand as much as I could (I'm getting better), and then afterward we came back to our house to wait for Montse, one of the sisters. Morelia made us some food to eat in the meantime. We waited for a long time, but after we all were home and ready, we headed up the mountain, and got to see the most amazing view of the city. You can see everything. It was so beautiful and wonderful. I loved it.

I really enjoy it here, and I hope someday (soon?) I can begin to communicate with a little bit more, and understand more. But I get a little better every day. One day at a time.

The Adventures Begin.

So today we didn't have any planned activities, so we slept in late (9), and after we ate breakfast, we went to the Morelia Zoo. It was really amazing! They had all sorts of animals....lion, tigers, bears, zebras, elephants, rhinos, giraffes, ostritches, sea lions, a polar bear, monkeys, reptiles, birds, lots of peacocks, goats, miniature horses, a huge turtle, an orangatang, reindeer, camels (1 hump and two), hippos, and so much more that I can't remember. It was one of the coolest zoos I've been to, I think better than Dallas, Fort Worth, or London. It was really amazing. Plus it was only 20 pesos, which is like, 2 dollars. Wow.


We came back to the house for lunch at 2:30 (normal time, a little early), and guess what!? I ate cactus today...in my fajita. Mmm. After lunch we had some time to rest. We finally woke up from our naps, and went with Coco (one of the sisters) into town before we went to the church office and had a Let's Start Talking party (LST is mission group). It was fun, we played pictionary and spoons and had some good food. Then we got a taxi back to the house, and our driver spoke English and lived in the states for 12 years.


It's sorta nice, I'm starting to understand more Spanish. We've pretty much been adopted into this family, but I feel like the special child who needs to ride the short bus because I have such a hard time understanding or communicating. But they're all trying to help me. They are such wonderful people, and we're very blessed to stay with them. My most used Spanish phrases now are "no se" (I don't know), and "esta bien" (I'm good). I use them a lot.

It's so nice though, everyone is so sweet and helpful to us. I'm really starting to like it here, and I think I'd be in love with it if I could speak or understand. Someday, I really hope that I will.

Finally in Mexico!

I made it to Mexico! Finally!

And so much has happened in the last 24 hours, it's crazy. I was picked up at the airport by Sara and Alex, and we drove about thirty minutes to get into town and to the house we're staying at. My first word to learn in Morelia is "tope". Morelia is apparently "topelandia". AKA "speed bump land". They're EVERYWHERE. I had a lot of fun talking with Sara and Alex...and I could tell from the start (cause I knew the other interns) that this should be an amazing group. We made it to the house, and I got to meet my host family, and was reunited with my fellow interns. I also realized I know even less Spanish than I thought I did, and had a bit of a hard time. We got in late, so I chatted with Marisa and Emily, the other interns, for a while, and then went to bed.

We woke up this morning, and had breakfast that our host mother, Morelia, made for us. It was very good....she's a great cook. Then we got a taxi to the church office, where we met for prayer time, which was all in Spanish, so I didn't understand a lot of it. After that, we went back with Sara to her house where we had orientation and some chill time. I love the other interns I'm working with, and Sara, Sam, and Ann, the missionaries. I'm so excited to work with them this summer. I really do relish the moments I spend with each of them. I couldn't be happier about the group.

Anyways, after that we went to lunch (it's around 3pm here), where I had enchiladas morelias. Or Morelian enchiladas. They were very good, but really spicy. That seems to be a theme with the food here. (I had some pico with dinner, and just about died...my mouth burned and tingled for a really long time.) And after lunch we walked around downtown. We also got to try some churros as well...mmmm. We went back to Sara's house for a while, had some more team bonding and adventures, like climbing on the roof, overcoming fears, and generally getting to know each other more.


Then we went to a cell group led by Sam and Ann...but just Sam tonight, because Ann is giving birth any day. (Their three girls they already have are soo cute.) We sang, prayed, and did a Bible study...I just tried to soak in as much Spanish as I could.

On the way home with Morelia, we were sitting with her grandaughter Fernanda. We were invited to a movie next week, and so Morelia was talking about how the "chicas" were going. Fernanda promptly replies, "esta chica!", to which Morelia goes, "nooooo". It was cute.

Also, when I came to Mexico, I was expecting it to be a hot dry desert. But no. We're in the mountains, in rainy season. And even in the dry season, the 90's are hot. I'm pretty much in love with this climate already.

And did you know: not even the locals in Mexico drink the tap water. No one does. But, it's "better than it used to be" according to the Mexican government.

See: Water bottles, everywhere.

So that's all for now. I have a lot to learn and experience, and I'm frustrated with my lack of Spanish, but I'm so excited to see where this crazy adventure goes...

So buenas noches! Via con Dios! Watch out for los topes!

Stuck.

Okay, good story.

So I woke up this morning, with the understanding that I was leaving today for Morelia, Mexico. So exciting! I did the last of my errands, finished packing, and said goodbyes. Everything seemed to be going well. All of my stuff fits in my bags, I got checked in at the airport okay, and my flight was on time. Yay!

But no. It wasn't meant to be. It was all going too well.

So, we board the plane, it's %100 full, and we taxi off to wait in line at the runway...where we waited for two hours. It just so happened that right at that time a little bitty storm moved in, and no one could take off....for two hours. So even though my connecting flight from Houston to Morelia was delayed an hour, we still arrived after it left.


(Picture: as I looked out the window on the plane, there were a good 8 planes just that I could see waiting behind us, and the pilot said that he could see fifteen in front of us. So add like twelve more planes to the picture and understand that it would only be one side of the airport, and that's what my afternoon was like. This isn't my picture, but I wanted you to have a visualization.)

And lucky for me, there's only one flight from Houston to Morelia everyday. The next one was tomorrow evening, and there was no other available way to get there faster. So, after some hastle with customer service (and a whole line of other people doing the same), I ended up getting a discounted rate to the Sheraton for a night, with 24 hour shuttle service. It's not so bad. I have a very expensive hotel room for not much money, a very comfortable bed, TV, internet, my books, and room service. Mind you, my luggage is still at the airport so I have no clothes or hair gel or things of that nature. However, the hotel has very nice smelling shampoo and lotion.

I got a lovely Italian club sandwich delivered to my room for dinner, and I'm expecting bacon, eggs, apple juice, coffee, a muffin, and breakfast potatoes to be delivered to my room in the morning. I would have gone out, but was hindered by my being a single young woman in a town I've never been to, and it was getting dark outside. So I stayed in. And it's been nice so far...time has yet to tell if I'm productive with any of my extra time.

Interesting Times

Well, this has been an interesting week. On Tuesday my sister Nicole left for job core. If it goes well, she'll be there for almost a year. And for the time being, Jeremiah is staying with us. On Wednesday a photographer from the Dallas Morning News came out to the house to take pictures of our family to go along with the story that they're doing on us. It's weird. We think that it has to do with getting positive rep for the foster care system.

And on Monday, I leave for Mexico. I will be spending the next six weeks in Morelia, Mexico. I'm a little nervous because I don't speak Spanish, but I hope that I will by the end of the summer.

Plus I've been cleaning my room. It's hard to keep it clean when you leave for four months, then come back with all your stuff, and leave again in a few days, and then come back with all that stuff. It just doesn't seem to have anywhere to go. But, I'm mastering the problem, and the outlook is looking good.














I bought a Spanish/English Dictionary today, plus I have a Spanish Bible, and a few fun books to read in Spanish to help to to get going. I felt sad though, because my Spanish/English Dictionary is published by Oxford...and I miss Oxford so much.

Jeremiah is certainly growing up fast. He's starting to say more and more words, even though his two favorites are still "ball" and "hot". His favorite things so far seem to be books, balls, and belts. He is such a good kid though.

Midnight Rescue Mission

This story actually starts about a week ago. My parents have a vegetable garden in our backyard, and the plants were growing well. The squash were particularly promising, with their vibrant color and blossoms. However, one morning about a week ago, my dad came in from checking the garden, and said that the squash plants looked dead. They had suddenly withered. And parts of them looked like they had disintegrated. Funny. My mom wasn't too pleased though.

Anyways, fast forward to last night. The dog had been barking outside for a while, and he didn't want to come in. I was getting ready to put Brandi to bed when my mom told me and my brother to come outside with her. I was worried she was going to show us something bad. Instead, when we went out into the garden, we found a little white rabbit...eating our plants. He was super cute though, so my mom decided not to scare him off, just to board up the hole he got in through in the morning.

However, after some more observation and approach, we discovered he wasn't scared of us at all. He even let us pet him. And when we got that close, we could tell he wasn't a wild rabbit. With that discovery, and the knowledge that a domestic rabbit probably won't live too long in the city, we decided to conduct a midnight rescue mission. My parents dug an old cage out of our garage, and my brother washed it out while I watched the rabbit, my mom ran to wal-mart for rabbit food, bedding, and a water bottle, and my dad went back to bed. After a while, we got the makeshift cage together, and brought the rabbit inside.

Once in, we discovered several things in the light.

First of all, the rabbit was albino, but he was filthy. Also, he had been attacked by something, but got away. It's not bad, but he has some scratches. He is also very much a full grown pet rabbit. There's not a bit of wild in him. So we put him in the cage, where he very quickly got started on the food and water we gave him.


So, we'll do some searching to see if anyone has lost a pet rabbit. And if not, we may have a pet rabbit of our own.