ABC....123...

I am not really feeling a story-type blog today so I think I shall go with a list. Here goes!

1. Listening to the Avett Brothers and Alexi Murdoch...very tranquil or mostly.

2. I had a very sentimental moment today with one of our little kids Johnatan, who is leaving tomorrow. He decided to come to help me in the garden today (it was the girls turn) but any other day had I asked him to help he would have scrunched up his face and loudly said "no!". So he came and worked hard and then I afterwards I saw him sitting in the front all by himself and instead of passing him and going up to my room to clean up, I sat down next to him. He laid on my lap, looked up at me and said, "Tia, read to me please." So we went to the library to get some books and raced each other to the one shady spot in the yard and read. He sat looking and listening, very contently. My heart was beaming. I am so glad that God allowed this precious moment in my day. I know he has probably forgotten about it already, but it will stay with me forever. I feel like my heart is so full and content. Thank you God for a loving me like this!

3. I have been wearing my overalls all week long, due to the horrendous bed bug and spider bites I have accumulated over the beginning of the week. I dare say they (the overalls) are rather comfy. Who am I kidding? They are the best invention EVER! I wouldn't doubt it if I wore them at home. Although they are rather dirty and stained. But yes I an not ashamed (though I should be) to wear them into town....thinking of it tonight?

4. I am teaching a 4, 5, 6, and 8 yr old their alphabet and numbers. It is taking FOREVER. Just when I think one of them gets it, they mess up so bad. Or I tried moving on to sums..but that doesn't work when you think you are writing 22 but really you wrote 11. I am having them trace their letters and numbers a bazillion times. One girl is a month new and she still won't talk. Thus making tutoring very difficult. I wish I remember how I learned my ABC's so then maybe it would be easier to teach them.

5. I have a mosquito net but it keeps falling on my face during the night. Need to look in the closet for a new one. ASAP! But it is kinda cool b/c it is hunter green and I feel like I am camping every night.

6. Haven't been to the beach lately, but there is a surf comp. this week and onto this weekend...umm feeling the beach Saturday. Wanna come?!!!!

7. I am realizing every day my time here is passing and getting shorter and shorter. This scares me. I am getting very attached to these kids and workers and my friends in Trujillo. I think I don't want to leave, but then I think about everyone back at home and I want to live in America.

8. Life is complicated. Sometimes I wish Jesus would just come back so I wouldn't worry about what to do with my life or such things.

9. I have a hard time imagining my life with less spanish or none at all. ugh...sad

10. I find joy in the morning. My heart comes alive for the day and it is new! I usually run or workout with one or two of the other volunteers. Lately we have been running around the inside of the albergue and two of the 8 yr old girls from one house have been running 3 laps with us, and then I get back and turn on Hillsong. My heart sings!

11. I mentioned in my last blog that Paul in my tutoring class wanted to help the orphans in Haiti, and he asked about them the other day. Mentioning my kids in tutoria, one of the older girls asked me the other day where my husband was, and why was I not looking for him right at that moment. After letting her know I wasn't worried about things like that she told me not to worry that she was looking for me. So reassured that a 6 yr old is going to find my husband...ha ha!

12. I need to call my mother now, plus I think I have run out of things to list for now!

To all the teachers out there....may God bless you as you teach little ones. It is hard and you are amazing for doing it!

Love you all!