Near

I was so excited to have a real shower and as I turned the water on, I noticed a little cockroach squirming to get to a corner in the shower. I thought, "Ah, he's not that big, I'm sure he'll leave me alone." After throwing a bit of shampoo and scrubbing it around, I looked at his corner. He was gone. I was a little unnerved, but thought, "Ah, he's probably running around near the toilet somewhere." I lift up my leg to start that awful process only women have to go through (the jury is still out if it really should be done or not) of shaving their legs. I lifted up my right leg, and there he was, sitting on top staring at me. I swear he planned it all beforehand. I jumped and flung him off. Then I just laughed.

I found out that the water pump isn't broken at my apartment complex they just decided to turn it off. So after more than a month of buck bathing, my boss talked to the dueno and asked them to turn it on from 6 to 7 in the morning so I can shower. Tomorrow I get to shower in my own apartment!

Today we went to Wonderland with 4th, 5th and 6th graders. It's like an Emerald Point water park. It was a wonderful refreshing day away from the classroom. 6 out of 8 of my kids went. There was one particular slide that a child could only go on with an adult. Guess who that adult was? Yep. After about 15 times of this one rather scary drop slide, I was exhausted. This is a picture of Josue and me after probably the 12th time.

Two weeks left of school, big hiking/camping trip this weekend, and well the next step in life still yet to figure out.

ma's day

Tonight we had our mother's day program at school. Despite the fact that I usually get super stressed out during the weeks we have them, my mood seems to change during the night's events. "I'm really in Honduras teaching children English" is one of the thoughts that normally enters my mind.

Tonight I was really wishing some of you guys were there to see the poem and skit my students did. I'm going to try to get some of the videos online. Four of my kids made dinner for their mom, the other four were their hands (like those skits from whose line is it anyway). The stage got messy, but not as messy as their faces. One of my students didn't show up, so my hands made the salad. I could not stop laughing, and neither could they. It was precious.

Tonight I missed home.

wazzup

The rain fell rather slowly at first, I thought I'd get home without getting too wet. I threw on my peach rain jacket, one of my best Goodwill finds so far, and began the five block walk. It started coming down faster, and faster. All I could do was smile as I kept my slow but steady pace and watched the rest of the Honduran world try to speed home to avoid the wetness. Suddenly I looked and saw something jump near my feet. A toad. The biggest toad I've ever seen. At least the size of two of my hands. I stopped. Stared. Smiled as I thought of how everyone else must perceive me, the gringa with the bright peach rain jacket, just standing in the rain staring at a toad.

On the way to cook up some of my soon-to-be-famous chicken wraps at my friends' apartment, I turned the corner and walked past the field near their house. It was sparkling green all over. A bazillion (yes I counted) fireflies were covering the field, the cows, the tree. It looked like a scene out of a tale of fairies, like Midsummer night's dream or something of the sort. Mystical and exhilerating (as were the chicken wraps).

School is winding down. I have about three weeks left, and as I hope and wait for certain job opportunities to come through or not, I am learning once again the rather difficult process of waiting on the Lord. It's true I'll stop in the midst of the pouring rain to admire a toad the size of a softball, but there are many times I don't stop. I don't admire. I'm too consumed with the idea of getting home or else my hair will get wet, I'll have to wash my clothes again. I'll make puddles on the kitchen floor if I stay out too long. Sometimes it's just too hard to wait. To sit while chaos continues around me. To relax when I don't know what's going to happen next in life. To remember that God is God and I am man...well, woman.

Pray for me, if you will, that I will not get frustrated because I cannot control the things I want to. That I will be satisfied not with myself, but with my God. This, too, I pray for you.