Don't Get Me Started...

"After two days of talks in the United States, President Karzai said
the Taleban were a defeated force which no longer endangered his government."
~BBC

Tag...You're it!

"Know thyself."
~Socrates

This is for my lovely friend, the Crushing One, who recently tagged me in one of her posts.

10 Things You Might Not Know About Me:
(And apparently, if I'm to follow in the footsteps of 2 who have gone before me, I need to keep count in a foreign language. :)

(yak)- I have some of the world's driest eyes. Ok, so that's not been proven, but my eye doctor informed me that I have bad tear ducts and "dirty tears." Hence, my addiction to eye drops.

(dU)- I am not a huge fan of Mexican food (gasp!) even though I speak Spanish fluently. (Hey, I've never been to Mexico either.)

(sE)- I'm a little bit afraid of heights. This I haven't quite figured out. It doesn't seem to be something I can fix. Whenever I'm standing on the edge of something very high, my whole body tightens up.

(chAr)- Public speaking (except in a classroom setting) still makes me sick to my stomach- even though I've addressed groups of 500-1000+ on many an occasion.

(panj)- The worst final grade I ever received in the history of my education, was given to me in "Marriage and Family" while at Lincoln. (Yes, that explains a lot now, doesn't it?!)

(shIsh)- Every car I've ever owned was white. (Cavalier, Sidekick, Civic) Not all of them were by choice, but the last one was just too good a deal to pass up.

(aft)- Both of my index fingers are double jointed.

(asht)- I've eaten dog (and a whole list of other things I don't want to get into). Sorry, but that's what being a world traveler will do for you!

(nO)- I once went out with a guy based on the fact that he had a cool car. Don't judge me! Of course, that was in my shallow years. And it was just once! It didn't take long for me to learn then that...a cool car does not a cool man make.

(da)- I hate cats and am highly allergic to them (think "Hitch" with shellfish) but I once cried unconsolably for hours one Sunday after my dad hit one on our way to Fellowship.


Geesh! That was hard! Now it's my turn to tag three people. :)
Are you ready??
Oh, do I have to choose just 3??
How about 4??? Or 5???
Okay...I'll name 3 but any of you who read this, feel free to complete too!


I tag....
*The Creative One
*The Bearded
*Kar-Kar
(Don't let me down, people!)

My day yesterday contained no where near the amount of catastrophic events of a day in the life of Jack Bauer (24), however by the time I hit the pillow last night, I had pretty much had enough. Here's the rundown...

10:00am- A girl who couldn't have been more than 14 years old attended my English class in DS village. I would say that she was just like all the other girls, except for the makeup she was wearing and that fact that she's around 7 months pregnant.

This isn't all that uncommon, except for the fact that she is the man's SECOND wife and his daughter from his first wife is in the class as well. (She's about 16!) Later I asked my staff if that girl was his only child and they said, "No, he has 9 children--5 boys and 4 girls from his first wife."

I was blown away! What reason does he have for taking a second wife? Let alone a girl that is younger than his daughter????

It doesn't help that I've almost finished reading "A Thousand Splendid Suns" and am imagining the life of my student as very similar to the life of "Laila" (which also happens to be the name I go by here). Ugh. My stomach felt sick thinking about it.

12:15 pm- Over lunch, my staff informs me that in the other village where we work, there has been a rumor circulating about me. Apparently, everyone in the village was/is under the assumption that I was/am planning to drug their children and when they fall asleep, I will kidnap them and take them to America. (OK, laugh now...but these people seriously believe this to be true!)

The whisper of it was there before I left, but the whole truth of this gossip came out to my staff while I was away. My staff explained to them that this simply isn't true and questioned how they can like me so much and believe such thoughts.

Their response....fear.

Apparently tomorrow when I return, I have a lot of explaining to do.

12:30pm- My staff informs me that I am from Sweden. :) Yes, this is what they have told everyone in both villages. They think it's too dangerous for them to know my true nationality, and so they've made this up.

Who knew??

2:35pm- Our two male staff returned from their lessons. They are both fired up and proceed to explain in rapid speed how, on Friday, the mullah, during his usual Friday "lecture" over the loud speakers of the village, condemned the usage of jump ropes by girls. This was against their religion and should be banned from this point forward.

What does this have to do with us? ....Well, last week we had just given out jump ropes to all the girls as part of their gift for completing the basic health education course. In our minds (including the minds of my co-workers who are also Muslim), this was a way for the girls to exercise without having to leave their homes.

Needless to say, my two male staff spoke with the mullah directly, explaining if he thought something was wrong, he should come to us first. They also tried to reason with him about the benefits of the jump rope and the mullah's response was this...

"If girls want to be physically healthy, they should pray 5 times a day."

My staff agrees and the mullah then concurs to come to us first next time.

2:45pm- I get into an argument/discussion with one of my male staff members about this whole idea of girls not being able to jump rope. He tells me that "according to Islam" girls should not be allowed to jump or run or walk with a wide stride or ride horses, etc. I asked him if this was in the Koran and he responded with, "This is Islam" and I said, "Who says?" and he says, "I heard it once." And I said, "If you can't find this in your book, then you are no better off than these villagers. You are simply taking something that is said and believing it to be truth."

OK, so I'm not sure if my debating skills were at their best but I was mad!! Ignorance is NOT bliss and it's killing these people and oppressing half the population!!!

Luckily, we were saved by the bell, so to speak, as it was time to head back to the office.

6:15pm- My parents and I tried to talk via the phone, but after the 5th time of being cut off after 1 minute, we all gave up and I resorted back to email.

6:45pm- I get online to send an email to my mom and I have an email from Tricks waiting for me. It has my return itinerary inside (luckily she had decoded it for me) and so I officially have a date for when I'll be returning to the States.

Drumroll please...

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23rd at 6pm!!! :) Just in time for some Black Friday shopping! Ha!

I'll be around until sometime after the first of the year, so if you want to get together, let me know! :)

7:00pm- I went back to reading my book and fell asleep sometime around 10pm.

Just when I think I'm finally breaking in, I realize how very much further I have to go...

These words from Bebo Norman's song, "I Will Lift My Eyes" have really been resonating with me lately and I will end with them today:

I will lift my eyes to the Maker of the mountains I can't climb.
I will lift my eyes to the Calmer of the oceans raging wild
I will lift my eyes to the Healer of the hurt I hold inside.
I will lift my eyes...lift my eyes...to You.

First days back from break can be a bit rough at times, but I'd say today was the exception. I won't get in to how completely overwhelmed I feel with work, but I will say that it was such a joy to reunite with my national staff. I was greeted with long hugs and kisses on the cheek (from the females) and after that, I'm pretty sure the two men almost hugged me as well. Of course that's not the norm for co-workers, but it would be completely acceptable in the context of family.

And that's exactly how it feels...like family.

They sat me down for tea and to hear all about my time away. We were all smiles as we shared the events of the last 2 weeks. They told me how the village ladies and children are continuously hounding them for my return. And they shared how happy they were that I was indeed back. One person went so far to say, "This is where you belong. We should always all be together."

Man, does that feel good.

I guess it's true that there really is "no place like home." Right now, I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be.

5 Things I'm Loving Right Now...

1. The fact that I actually made it out of Ktown this morning (on my very first try!).

2. The scent of my new vanilla candle that’s lit atop my dresser.

3. The comfort of my own bed and pillow.

4. Music by Alexi Murdoch.

5. The fact that everyone keeps commenting on how tan I am!
(Of course, it will fade away in the next 2 days, but I’ll enjoy it for the moment.)

Hours Remaining

It's been a good, full couple of days here in Ktown. There's been eating out at restaurants, wonderful conversations while sipping coffee in the kitchen, mad games of Bop It Extreme (without batteries--I made the rules and we took turns calling out commands), lounging at the UN pool with some of my all-time favorite people, crazy photos with my photo booth (this never gets old for S and me), dinner with the Ozark interns,
and somewhere in the mix...
I even managed to see the dentist.

Oh yes, the dentist.

I've been having pain in the same tooth of the root canal so I was a bit nervous going into the visit. I explained this to the doctor, and after a quick check, she decided to take an x-ray. A few minutes later she came back into the room with the results. ...She couldn't see anything wrong. (phew!) Kind of.

She explained how it could be a number of things:
1. It sometimes (read: rarely) takes up to 3-6 months for people to heal completely. Since there were so many initial complications during the procedure, this could be the case for me.
*Answer: Wait a month and see if the pain persists or worsens.

2. Sometimes people have allergic reactions to the filling or medicine they put into the tooth afterwards. I did have a reaction to the anesthetic that she used, so this could also be a possibility.
*Answer: Take out the current filling and replace it with something new and temporary. Return in a month and see how my body is reacting and then, if there is no problem, she could put in a permanent filling.

3. Due to complications before, there's a chance that the root canal is not finished.
*Answer: Re-do the entire root canal. (Also note the doctor explained how doing a second root canal is 3 TIMES more difficult than the first.)

Hmmm....What to do? What to do?

OBVIOUSLY, I chose answer number 1! What did you think?! Now I just hope time is on my side, as they say! :)

So I'm heading out first thing in the morning to the Ancient City . I think I'm ready. It will be good to see my staff and the villagers once again. Reality is calling and "normal" life is soon to resume.

I guess for now, I'm just thankful for these moments of sunshine, friendships, freedoms, and laughter. I'll take times like this any way they come.

It's my last full day here in vacation land. (sigh) I purposefully left my agenda open in order to make myself be still. I had no where to be...nothing to do. I just wanted to "be."

For some reason on this trip, stillness is just not coming easy. Oh sure, I've had hours of sitting by the pool, shopping at the malls, afternoon naps, and basking in the wonders of Starbucks. I'm guessing that all of that has to count for something, right?

But stillness?...I don't think so.

When I turn everything off and try to tune the world out, I can't. I am distracted and restless. Daydreaming and wandering. I haven't really been able to think a lot, much less write. (Even though I just read the other day in the Oprah magazine that if you want to be a good writer, you must write something everyday. --There goes those aspirations!)

Maybe this is all okay? Maybe this is exactly what I needed? Who knows?! I guess only time will tell.

Someday I hope to be like that verse in the Psalms that says, "like a weened child, is my soul within You." That is my aspiration...my picture of "stillness." To be able to sit in His presence, not needing or wanting for anything. Not looking around or thinking about what comes next. Just being.

Maybe someday I'll get there.

MIA

Let's pick up where I left off...

Last you knew of me, I was running around Ktown, chasing after a previously mentioned celebrity. Well, apparently the rumor was true, but unfortunately for me, his trip was kept under raps. (And here, I thought those men at the front desk of the hotel were telling me the truth! Ha!)

Needless to say, we all needed a little consoling the following day, so a group of us treated ourselves to an afternoon of fun at the UN pool. $5 to escape reality for a few hours, in my opinion, is totally worth it. Of course if you were to examine the color of the pool water, you might think otherwise. The funny thing about it was the sign that said something to the affect of: "The chlorine levels were tested today and they are fine. Algae is just in bloom." Hmmm.

Obviously, when we saw the water, we questioned if "algae" was really all that safe. But then again, what's it going to hurt?! So we jumped in. :)

We spent the rest of our time catching some rays, listening to our iPods, reading magazines, and sharing stories of life. It was lovely.
The next day, I headed out of the country for our company's regional retreat. It was held at a lovely resort and was mainly centered around refreshment and renewal. I can't complain about that! It was good to get to know so many other people working in and around my country, as we shared our highlights and struggles that come with doing life in such a place.

Despite the ridiculous heat, I still managed to spend quite a few afternoons poolside. Which, in my opinion, is the best way to refresh one's self anyway! The last night we were there, a group of us decided to go bowling. This may have been the best part of the week (and I'm not just saying that because I got the all-time highest score of the night!!) It was great to let loose a little, as my friend A and I took on the guys. There was a LOT of smack talking, laughing, and even a little dancing action in between (as there was a dance floor right next to the alleys--this was some kind of club).

I said goodbye to all my new friends on Saturday afternoon and, since then, I've been enjoying some downtime to myself. I could share some of my introspectiveness, but I think I'll save it for another time.

For now, this is what's been happening in my world.

Lindsay Blake--I got bangs. Now it's your turn. :)

FYI

I'm at a company retreat. Limited internet access (as it should be). I promise to post pictures and updates soon. So much to share...so little time.

The Thrill of the Chase...

So I know you all are dying to know if I met Jude yesterday. Unfortunately, the answer to that would be....NO. (Sniff, sniff) But if you know me at all, then you are probably aware that it wasn't for lack of trying.

You see, I had this great plan worked up in my head. And since there really aren't a lot of places for celebrities to frequent in this city, I figured my chances of finding him were pretty good.

In the morning I had figured out what I would wear...the best spots to wait for our celebrity sighting... what I would say when we met...what we would name our first child....etc. It was going to be perfect.

(Side Note: Kar-Kar, remember that time when I made you skip work to hang out with me so we could spend the day stalking...err, I mean, finding... the "Trading Spaces" crew {read: Carpenter Ty} in the 'Ville? Good times. Good times. This was very similar. :)

Anyway, about 4pm we headed over to the fancy hotel. We ordered some water and dessert and sat strategically in the center courtyard to ensure the perfect view of people's comings and goings from the hotel. We waited and waited, but nothing seemed to be happening.

The girls encouraged me to go ask the front desk if he was staying there and I reluctantly accepted. (Somehow, I'm always the one put up to such tasks.) I flipped my hair a bit and smiled a lot while asking for an address to a restaurant (you know, to warm the guy up to me) and then I popped the big question.

Scene 1:
Me: (Big smile, eye lashes batting) OK, I understand that you don't have that address. Thank you for your work in looking that up. Now, (leaning in) could you tell me if you have a guest here by the name of Jude Law?

Front Desk Man: Umm...who?

Me: Jude*Law.

Front Desk Man: (Moving over to the computer) What is the last name again? And how do you spell that?

Me: (Thinking how I can't believe he's actually going to tell me if he's here or not.) L*A*W

Front Desk Man: No. I'm sorry, Ma'am. We don't have anyone by that name here.

Me: Ok, thank you again.

End Scene

I walked away disappointed but not completely convinced that Front Desk Man was telling me the truth. Either way, we decided to move on to Plan B.

The 4 of us girls piled into the back of a taxi and headed off to a restaurant where many a journalist and socialite can be found. Maybe he was out having dinner?

Now, I won't bore you with the details of how we got lost, ended up on the other side of town, called for another taxi, and eventually found the location. But I will say, that my heart quickened a bit as we walked in to the restaurant. Expectancy was high, but my hopes were soon dashed as we realized that hardly anyone was there...and most importantly, JL was no where to be found.

It was a lovely restaurant setting though, so we all sat outside and had dinner by candle light while French music played softly in the background. (See! It would have been perfect for a date with Jude!)

By 10pm we were headed home, exhausted from the very long and crazy day of searching for a celebrity and I have resigned myself to the fact that I'm not cut out for this type of work.

Of course, now it's the morning after the excitement and disappointment, and I'm thinking that there's no sense in being a pessimist. After all, he may very well be on my flight out of the country tomorrow. Who knows? Hope springs eternal!

If that happens, trust me, you'll hear about it!

na mEsha

"na mEsha" literally translated means "it doesn't become." This can be used when one wants to say "it won't work"..."that can't happen"..."it doesn't fit"..."I can't pay that much"...etc.
Really, there's no English equivalent.

But here's a list of things that apply in this country:

*Batteries in your carry-on....na mEsha.

*Girls without head coverings....na mEsha.

*Electricity 24/7-365...na mEsha.

*Bacon & sausage for breakfast...na mEsha.

*Finding one guy for every five girls...na mEsha.

*Hassle-free airport experience...na mEsha.

*Staying at a wedding for less than 5 hours...na mEsha.

*Buying national clothes that fit right...na mEsha.

*Paying $40 (US) for a taxi ride from the airport...na mEsha.

*Going for longer than a month (a week for me) without stomach problems...na mEsha.

*Telling someone there's no more room when you've already got 7 people in a cab...na mEsha.

*(For me) Flying out of the country in less than 4 days...na mEsha.

*Keeping your feet from cracking in the summer...na mEsha.

*Having your white clothes remain white...na mEsha.

*Going longer than a week without experiencing a dust storm...na mEsha.

*Jude Law coming to Ktown...MESHA!!!!!!!!!
(Sources say that he came in today and guess who's going to find him TOMORROW??)

Horrible, No Good, Terrible, Very Bad...Week

I’m beginning to think that my week thus far could have been the source for Murphy’s Law should my week have been occurring whenever it was that Murphy wrote his law. Everything that can go wrong…will and has.

OK, maybe not everything. But a lot of things.

Saturday (the first day of the week for us here) B & J left for break. I was filled with possibilities and looking forward to having the house almost all to myself. (I say almost, because there’s another girl staying with me until we leave.)

Well, at 6am Saturday morning our electricity went out. No big deal, I told myself. It will be back on after a while. I got ready for work and left the house without further thought.

Much to my chagrin, after a very long and hot day in the village, I returned that evening to find that the power still hadn’t come back on. Our refrigerator had defrosted all over the floor and my guess was that I was in for an even longer night.

I was correct.

On Sunday I was supposed to have my community development staff over for lunch. It felt like 100 + degrees downstairs and I couldn’t imagine lighting the oven and cooking for the next 5 hours. So I called and canceled but rescheduled for Tuesday.

Later that day an electrician came to our house and fixed the problem. Electricity was back and things started looking up.

Monday I spent all day in the village again and returned that night to find our refrigerator had stopped working. Once again our kitchen was flooded with water and this time around it had nothing to do with electricity. The fridge needs repaired. This wouldn’t have been that big a deal except that I had bought tons of food (including thawed out chicken) for my meal on Tuesday. What was I to do?

At one point it came back on, but then went off again for the rest of the night. I just prayed that the food wouldn’t go bad and I would cook up the chicken first thing in the morning.

This morning (Tuesday) was quite stressful as hosting nationals is a pretty big deal. I spent all morning in the kitchen, cleaning, etc. and my staff arrived a little after 12pm. The lunch went well, they ate lots of food (whew!), and then they left.

If you are still reading this, you’re probably wondering what the big deal is.

Well, if you were to follow me into the kitchen afterwards, you would have seen me cleaning up. You also would have seen me trying to place the nice china tea cups on the top shelf, only to have the domino affect happen right before my eyes. Luckily I managed to save all but the pepper shaker which fell violently to the ground, breaking and leaving a heap of pepper all over the kitchen counter. Had you still been watching, you would have then seen me bend over to pick up some pieces only to stand up and whack the back of my head violently on the still-opened cabinet door. (I’m not joking, this scene could have been part of some slap-stick comedy act.) Obviously the word “grace” would NOT be used to describe me.

At that point, terrible thoughts filled my mind, a choice word may have come out of my mouth, and I decided to take a break. Naps are good for gaining perspective, I thought, as is a little Gilmore Girls.

But here's the good news...Have I mention that I’m leaving TOMORROW MORNING for break?

Yes, yes. It is time for some refreshment. I’m sure later on down the road I’ll re-read this post and laugh at how dramatic I felt my life had become. But that's going to take some time. And time away at Starbucks is just what's in order!

Girl Babble...

Lots of randomness going on in my head these days as I have 2 days remaining before I head out of this place for break. (Not that I'm counting or anything.)

And when I say "randomness," I mean...
*I'm thinking of getting bangs.*

Yes, bangs. NO, not the straight across your forehead kind, but the slanted, semi-longer, swooped kind. But I'm nervous. For several reasons:

1. I did this two years ago and liked it...the first time. The second time I went back to get them shaped up and the lady totally butchered my hair! My usual rapid growth hair seemed to take MONTHS to return to a style I actually liked. So I'm hesitant. Maybe I have some trust issues? So what?!
2. I'm not in Kansas anymore (not that I ever was, but it's the expression)--You see, where I'm going for break may seem like a playground for the rich and famous of the first world. However, the people who work there (and I guess "there" in this context means the places in which I can afford to frequent) usually are not. Therefore, communication and service is always a funny (and sometimes frustrating) thing. So do I trust the sweet Phillippino lady who barely speaks English, to understand what I mean when I say the word "bangs?" Hmmm...
3. Most of my life is lived in a place that requires me to have my hair completely covered. This can be seen as a positive or a negative, depending on the outcome. The positive being that if I despise my hair, no one else will have to look at it. The negative being that it's harder to keep shorter bangs pulled back and hidden from the world.

Now I know this is not an international crisis or anything, but what do you think?

Should I do it?

(Please Note: People who blog about hockey teams have no room to comment on what a waste of time this post was to read.)

Is it just me or is getting the stomach flu twice in less than a week and half ridiculous?!
I'm thinking it's not just me.

Maybe this is just my body's way of telling me it's time for a break?
Or maybe it's the fact that the room in which I play with the kids in SZ village is just dirt, rocks, and animal feces? (Sorry, I know that sounds gross, but it's truth.)
Or maybe it's just summer and germs are out in full-force?

Honestly, I don't have a clue what's causing this. But what I do know is that I am currently recovering from yet another day and a half of serious stomach issues and I would be very happy if this were it. Forever. Fin. khalAs shUd.

I also know that if I have to spend another night in the bathroom before I leave for break, I'm quitting.

Quitting what? ....That has yet to be decided.
This is simply a declaration.
And seeing as how it's nearly the 4th, I feel that's fitting.

(And no, K, I don't need to see a doctor! I live with one, ok?)

i need a blue-sky holiday...

Today our community development staff had our 6 month meeting. I won't bore you with all the details, as even I didn't feel much like being present. Yawn.

I, did, however want to share what was written on the English version of our meeting's agenda. (I know I shouldn't laugh as they are so kind to compensate for my first grade reading level in their language!) But here's what the agenda stated:

"5. Are the appalled employs satisfied from their jobs?"

I thought, "Oh boy! This is going to be fun!" as I highly doubted the "appalled" employees were satisfied with their jobs if they have to use that term.

I cracked a smile and then asked R what he meant by that word. He said that he was trying to say "employed employees." I told him that just writing employees was sufficient and then I explained the meaning of the word "appalled."

We all laughed.

Another day of fun in cross-cultural communication.

Excuse me as I'm sweaty and covered in dust as I type. (Not that you can see that or care, but just thought I'd give you the whole picture of this post.)

I just returned from another fun-filled day in the village where, today, I taught the kids to play "Duck, Duck, Goose" and "Red Rover." We even did a mixed game (boys and girls) for "DDG." (Yep, I'm a rebel.) The children loved it and it was great for me to see the boys and girls playing together.

When our time was up, we all headed back down the hillside to their homes and our vehicle. I pretty much heard giggles and laughter the entire descent. This was just what I needed.

Because...

Today I was also a bit homesick. Not in the sense of wanting out of this place, but in the sense that my family is all hanging out on the lake right now and I wish I was there too. Now, I know that what I'm doing is important and valuable--blah,blah, blah. But I also know that it's times like this that my choice to be here becomes a little more difficult. The cost a little more visible.

It's ok.

Right now I am just grateful for the laughter of those children. For whatever the sacrifice, they are precious reminders that...

IT'S WORTH IT.
THEY are worth it.
HE is worthy.

Last night I had a date with this little guy and his baby brother--who is not pictured because he fell asleep in my arms at 7:30pm. (I have that affect on men. ;)

Anyway, it was B & J's 15th Wedding Anniversary, so I offered to babysit so they could have a night out on the town.

We made popcorn. Ate junk food. And watched "Ice Age 2." (Aren't I the greatest sitter?!)

When the movie finished, D was already practically asleep on my lap. So I changed his diaper, brushed his teeth, and laid him in his bed. I'm pretty sure he was out as soon as I said "amen" to his bedtime prayer, so I don't think there was any need to worry that he'd eaten too much sugar.

Afterwards I went back to my room to read until their parents returned. I thought about how precious these little guys are and how grateful I am to be a part of their lives. I thought about how I may never have the privilege of being someone's "mommy," BUT I have been blessed several times over in being quite a few little someone's "LoLo." And that is enough to make one's heart very full.

So if you are one of those people who've allowed me the joy of being a part of your child's life...Thank You! My cup runneth over.

There are times when it seems as though my prayers are never going to be answered. Or, at least not in my lifetime. And then there are times when I pray and 2 hours later God shows up and totally knocks my socks off with His speedy reply and astounding goodness.

Today I experienced the later.

Yesterday I sent an email to the lady in charge of my finances asking if I could get $300 or $400 extra for this coming month, as I'm leaving to go on break.
This morning she had replied informing me that she could do that. However, she didn't know if she would then be able to give me the regular amount for August as the funds are low.

Great.

Enter "Not-So-Spiritual" me. (Luckily I was alone in my room.)

My mind immediately starts jumping to extremes. I wonder if I shouldn't be taking this break. I think about how I could cut down on expenses. ...I imagine that just as I find my fit in this place, I'm ripped off the field because I have no money. Etc., etc. etc.

AAAAAhhhhh!

And just at the point when my thoughts were totally out of control, I caught myself. Me in all my drama.

And so I sat down to pray. I tried to take those thoughts captive, but I was mostly just grateful that the Spirit intercedes for us when our words come out as a jumbled mess (as mine often do when I'm stressed). I conceded that this was totally out of my control and if God wants me here, then He will have to provide.

Fast forward with me two hours later when I arrived at the office to receive another email from the lady in charge of my finances. (You probably already know where this is headed, right?) Yeah.

The subject line was "WOW!" and the rest went on to tell me how a friend of mine had sent a check for $400. The exact amount that I had requested!

2 hours....$400...a few tears...and 1 awestruck "me."

This was my morning.

In Case You Were Wondering...

1. I'm feeling better.
Still not up to 100% at this point, but definitely on the up and up as I can actually keep some food in my system. Yay!
Note to Self: 3 days of eating next to nothing is a good way to lose weight, but not so good for the energy level.

2. My mom is the greatest.
For my birthday she bought me a subscription to InStyle magazine and has been sending them to me on a monthly basis ever since. Today, after several very hot and dusty hours in the village, I returned to find a package from her sitting on my desk. Inside was a copy of the June edition of said magazine, some pictures (Sis, the pic of you and the dogs on Easter is adorable!), iced coffee mixes, and a charleston chew (the best candy in the history of the world!) Suffice it to say...I love my mom.

3. My staff is becoming like family.
I know I give them a bad rap at times (i.e. our arguments over whether or not to build a bathroom), but they really are great. Today as I was/am still recovering from the flu, my staff took care of me as if I were their own. I'm thinking our arguments are helping us grow together. And when you add the teasing and joking in the mix...well, basically I feel right at home.

4. Accuweather should NEVER be trusted.
I made the mistake of looking online yesterday at our week's forecast. I was expecting to see much the same--Sunny and Hot--but instead found a drastic drop in the temperature posted for Friday. And when I say "drastic" I mean we go from 110 to 87 degrees for the high. I didn't really believe it, but it said it (as I checked multiple times throughout the day), and with all my heart I wanted it to be true.

Much to my dismay, I checked back today. Everything about that forecast had changed. It's now saying 100 degrees for Friday. Disappointed? Yes. Realistic? For sure.

Accuweather, I so want to quit you.

5. No, I haven't read the latest book by the author of the Kite Runner.
I've received several emails from people asking me this as of late. Unfortunately, my answer is always the same as there isn't a copy to be found in this city to date. SOooo...if anyone wants to send it to me (hint, hint) I could get you an address. :)