Out of town...

Well friends! I am off on a VACATION! So... for the next 2 1/2 weeks I will be gone! Until then...

The first of many goodbyes...

Tonight was the first of my many goodbyes I will be making over the next month and a half. Katherine Cash is off to Hawaii and Washington for the summer and so I had to say adios this evening. It was not fun. Katherine is someone that I have only known for about a year and a half, but I feel as though I have known her much longer. She has become more than just a friend, but truly a sister in Christ. She makes me smile whenever I am sad (or just all of the time). She comes and helps me at school with my little ninos. She sings me my favorite song when her hand is not broken (and she wrote a song about the Rubik's cube that is incredible!). She drives a Buick and we listen to Pointe of Grace all the time! Katherine is truly one in a million!

Katherine was able to come on the mission trip with me in March. Together we were able to pray over the country and the decisions that I had to make regarding the move. The Lord really used her to encourage me to go.

Kat and I on our "Like Jake" trip

People will be the main thing that I miss when I move. I know that now. My life revolves around my relationships with those in my life. I love people! But the cool thing about this love that I have is that there are many people in Guatemala that I will love as well. It just takes me going there to find out who it will be!

The age of the IPod

I have fallen into the dark pit. I have succumb to what society sees as necessary. I now own an IPod. Thanks to the encouragement of my brother I am now a proud owner of a video IPod. The sad thing about now having this portal device is that I REALLY like it! I have now spent countless hours putting all of my music onto my computer and then transferring it to the little machine. I have also tried to place all of my pictures on it. This is cool!! I can just scroll through and see wonderful pictures of past Guatemala trips, playing with Katherine in the mountains, my brother's wedding, and New York City.

I formally take this time to apologize to all of those who I teased or laughed at for having an IPod. I think they are great!

By the way- the spell check needs to be updated because IPod shows up as a misspelled word!

Moving date and children's home

I have found out my moving date today. I will be leaving on a Delta flight the morning of Monday, July 2nd. I am getting excited and just wanted to share it! If you know of anyone who is visiting Guatemala this summer or fall please let me know. I am looking for ways to get my personal items to the country.

On another note, here are two pictures of the Global Soccer Ministries Children's Home. If you would like to learn more, check out the following website:
http://guatedolls.com/GSM/index.html

The view from the children's home. That is downtown Guatemala City.

The actual land! It is beautiful!

14 days... who's counting??

With only 14 days of school (with kids), I am counting down the days until I am no longer an elementary school Spanish teacher. Don't get me wrong, I really do like my job. But I am ready for a change. So I am counting down the days until I begin my transition to move (and go on a cruise!).

For so many years I thought that only students counted down the days until Summer Break. Clearly I was wrong. As a teacher I now know that teachers count down to the end of the school more than the children. They anticipate that final "adios" on the last day knowing that the following year will be a new group of kids. And for those two quick months there is freedom. Freedom from silly comments made for no reason. Freedom to wear what you choose. Freedom from 5th graders rolling their eyes. Freedom from school food and the smell that it brings. Freedom from waking up at 6:00 (before the sun even rises). Freedom from bus duty!

Now like I said, I like my job, but I REALLY like summer too! So for 14 more days, I will get up early, dress professionally, pack a brown bag lunch, smile and bear rolling eyes, and say "adios" as the children board the bus! But on that final day, we teachers will unite with a sigh of relief knowing there is freedom... until August!