SolAngel. 
Studying Spanish/English.
Lupita with Pepe.
Vanessa and SolAngel playing with sidewalk chalk.
Brianne and Garrison playing guitar on Thanksgiving.
Rachel.
Stacey, Leobardo, and me waiting on the chicken on Thanksgiving.
Looks American to me! Sunday we all got around surprisingly early for church. We were almost on time and everything! Rod preached both sermons about living life as a follower of Jesus...a living sacrifice. (At least that's what I think it was about...I never can be quite sure. LOL.) After the service, we went back to Loren and Donna's for a delicious spaghetti lunch with real hamburger. Meals like that convince me that I can never be a vegetarian. During the afternoon service, I was so tired that I could barely stay awake. Stacey and I went along to Mochiqui to drop off the Mochiquians. We ended up staying there for a little while and chatting with the little girls. When we got back into town, we found out that Marlen was in the hospital. She went back home that same evening, but please pray for her. She's a new Christian who is under a lot of pressure from her family about not coming to church. She's twelve... so pray hard! We ate dinner quickly, eager to get to bed because Monday morning we had plans to go to the beach. I laid in bed that night, trying my hardest to go to sleep, but instead, I was listening to the noises around me--dogs, music, people sleeping...
I woke up Monday morning with my 3:30 a.m. alarm. I'd only had a couple hours of sleep and my stomach was queasy. I wanted to go, but my body insisted that I couldn't handle a long bus ride, the hot sun, and another late night. So I stayed back and watched as the others trotted off for their day of fun. When I got up at 6:30, I felt a little better--enough better to tackle a dirty house and mounds of laundry. Bri came and joined me for her day off. Our landlady's hired man was out industriously sweeping our lawn and watering our sidewalk. Later that morning, Bri and I were doing our laundry and animatedly talking when the man walked up and handed me a potted flower. I think he said "For you" (in English). Startled, I tried to shuffle the gift off on the landlady: "Para ella?" No luck. "No, para ti" and he handed me the marigold. Then what could I do except murmur, "Gracias" and quickly disappear inside of the house. Around lunch time I walked to Loren and Donna's to write out memory verses for Saturday school. We ate a very delicious lunch around 1:00. I didn't mind although I had plans to eat dinner around 3:00. I finished my laundry when I got home, just in time to go with Bri and Rach to Papa's for a quesadilla. Afterwards, for dessert, we walked over for K-Freezes and Strawberries and Creme. I dropped by Marlen's house to see how she was doing, but she wasn't home. I walked home, checked messages, and made a few phone calls. I showered and went to verb class. By the time that I got home, a very tired Stacey had returned.
Tuesday was one of those days that sort of passes you by in a fog. We were off-kilter from being off-schedule for so long. The happiest moments of my day included the moment I discovered I had yet ANOTHER box, and several belated birthday cards! I opened them throughout the morning, relishing each precious morsel from home. In the afternoon, I went for a walk and dropped by Marlen's house again. She was home and very delighted to have company. We walked back at my apartment and hung out with Rach and Stacey before I walked her home. That evening we stamped tracts and passed them out in the neighborhood. When we got back, we helped make dinner and then ate and came home.
Then came Wednesday...without water. But my day was bright because I called home and talked with Dad, Mom, and Bev (and because I had my green tea). Stacey and I cut up pumpkin and made cookies after language study. While we ate lunch, we discussed writing a book called "101 Uses for Stale Corn Tortillas." Some of our uses include: hot mats, wall art, ear muffs, doilies, frisbees, etc... Please call me with your orders now! They're on sale! We had Kid's Club in Reforma and very few children came and most of the few were late. Rojelio and Adryan sneaked into the house after class; Rojelio saw our food and started to say "Yo quiero..." (I want). I finished his request for him: "...un abrazo!" (A hug!) Then si! si! he wanted "un abrazo muy fuerte" (a very strong hug) and he gave me a crushing hug around my waist. Good news, I think my back is back in place! After our taco soup, we went to prayer meeting and from prayer meeting I went home.
The only tradition some Mexicans know about Thanksgiving is that we eat turkey. Que triste! (How sad!). Besides, on Thursday, we didn't even eat turkey in Mexico. But we did have chicken, stuffing, baked corn, noodles, dinner rolls, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry salad, pumpkin pie, ice cream, and coffee. I felt sick afterwards. Right before lunch Rod stood up and announced that Christa is pregnant again. The ladies swarmed Christa with excited hugs. We played scum that afternoon and later that evening, we played/watched volleyball, talked, ate again (although not as much this time), and discussed politics. Then we came home and Stacey and I sat around and talked some more.
Friday we studied language, went to a nursery to admire plants, and made pumpkin bread and cookies in the morning. We ate Thanksgiving leftovers (surprise, surprise) for lunch. We went out to Mochiqui in the evening to play with the little girls. I tried to talk to the two little girls across the fence from MariCruz's place, but they preferred to stay on their own side of the fence and just stare at the strange gringa peering in. We rushed back to Loren and Donna's for waffles and Loren rushed us back out to the "singles" gathering in the bodega at the orphanage. The six of us played scum and apples to apples while eating smarties, bubble gum, chocolate cake, and strawberry ice cream. It was a lot of fun just to be together and hang out as English-speaking Americans.
Last of all, on Saturday, we had Saturday school. Afterwards, I played memory with several little girls. Then Stacey and I made toasted cheese sandwiches and tomato soup for lunch (talk about comfort food!). Stacey made chai tea to eat with our pumplin cookies for dessert. We didn't get home until 2:00 and Marlen , Aile, and Janessa were planning to come over at 3:00. We were barely home before Vanessa came banging on our gate to see if we had any milk or if we could get some for her. Stacey had a headache so I took the money and walked Vanessa to the nearby tienda. She waited outside while I bought the milk and talked with the friendly cashier who insisted on practicing his English. I walked with Vanessa back to her house and she invited me in to sit on her front porch. I met her mother and little sister and talked with her abuelita (grandmother). They were happy to have me visit and asked when I could come back. I left with a fluent "Ya me voy!" Vanessa and her little sister, SolAngel, walked me home and I invited them to come back at 3:00. They were the first ones of our guests to arrive. After a little while, Marlen, Janessa, Aile, and Lupita came tromping in. Hooray for impromptu parties! We studied Spanish and English, looked at pictures, played with [icky] Pepe, and drew with sidewalk chalk. Stacey and I walked Vanessa and SolAngel home and again were invited inside. This time we met the very pregnant sister and we heard lots of stories from the family. Vanessa's mother had an obsession with the fact that neither of us had boyfriends and we were happy without them! We promised to return when we left. I talked with Janelle for quite awhile and then took a cold shower before I headed over to Loren and Donna's for delicious pizza!
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