Headaches, Flying Salsa, and WATER!!!

Sunday, April 19, 2009. 10:34 a.m.
I'm sick. I hate being sick. Last night my headache was pounding as I tried to sleep and it wasn't better by this morning. I got up, thinking I would throw up, but I haven't...yet. What a lovely way to start the week. Now I'm laying in bed with a bucket beside me wishing that I could join the service outside of my bedroom door. I've never missed a service since I've come to Mexico...until today.

Sunday, April 19, 2009. 2:41 p.m.
I think I'm better. I stayed in my room until everyone was gone, but then I went out to help with lunch. And I ate with the Yoders. I tried to work on some e-mails in my room, but I was tired of the same four walls and walked up to the plaza instead. But it's so hot that I won't stay here long; it's gotta be over 100*.

Sunday, April 19, 2009. 9:50 p.m.
I'm back from San Pedro. I enjoyed the service in the afternoon and getting home in the dark. One of the ladies we picked up in El Tepejuaje spoke perfect English. Strange the people you meet out here in the boonies of Choix. Joe, the man that is here to dig the well, entertained us on the way home with stories from his interesting life. We had a late dinner and then I fell onto my bed, completely exhausted.

Monday, April 20, 2009. 8:32 p.m.
Today is Grandma Kennell's birthday. This morning we had a very late breakfast. I went to the store to pick up some groceries and then over to Vanessa's house to visit her family. I had a good visit with them today. They seemed more concerned with spiritual things than ever before. Or maybe it's just that my language is getting good enough that I can finally understand their questions. God definitely is giving me grace with the language when I talk with them. Lupita might come over tomorrow to make a cake with me. I'm glad that our relationship is getting stronger. I came home and made a cake and then ate taco salad with the Yoder family and Reina, the cleaning lady. I called Grandma this afternoon and had a good chat with her. We went to San Pedro to try to entertain a pile of energetic children for Kid's Club. I did my best to keep my table quiet. When we got home, we ate cebiche and then I hung out in my room and am currently waiting for the shower and looking at pictures from home. It's making me even more homesick.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009. 9:37 p.m.
Today I hit the ground running. I made out my grocery list and went uptown and downtown. When I stopped at SuperChoix, they smiled at me knowingly as I politely asked for "un medio kilo de carne molida" (1/2 kilo of hamburger). They recognize me enough to know that I never visit their store without getting hamburger. At JLR, the cashier told me my bill was "forty-four" in perfect English. Yet, he got all flustered and bumbled about when I asked him if he knew English. Apparently he doesn't. When I got home, I made cookies for the prison, lasagna, garden salad, and pumpkin dessert. The whipped cream stubbornly refused to set up, but I slopped it on anyway. During my time off I mainly laid on my bed and listened to music. At 4:00 p.m. Lupita (Vanessa's sister) came over to make a cake. The cake turned out nicely and she decorated it for Alejito's 4-month "birthday." Fransisca stopped by while we were making the cake and wanted to make one too. She didn't then...but only because Julian was coming at any time to pick her up. When Lupita left, I walked uptown to Kedric's game. While I was talking with Donna and Janessa, some little boys from Kedric's team came over and sat beside us. They just stared at us like they'd never heard English before. Before we left, some kid threw a salsa bag. It was an amazing shot because it first hit Donna in the head and then me in the head and finally splattered in my lap. The coach made the boy come over and apologize. The whole thing was entirely random and makes me laugh as I'm writing about it. Mario from San Pedro was in town and hung out at our house and ate dinner with us. Before sunset, Janessa gleefully informed me that the temperature was currently 105* F. And then she added the punch: "And it's only APRIL!" Well, I had a cold shower and it felt wonderful. Now I'm ready for bed. Good night.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009. 8:39 p.m.
My day off. I got up early and wrote lots of e-mails. Then I walked up to the post office. Diego, the post office man didn't even try to talk much; he's very busy. At home, I typed and did my laundry. After awhile I walked up to the vet's office to buy an ice cream cone. Yum...I haven't had soft serve ice cream since I've been here. I slobbered on it for the walk home. I had to lick fast; the hot noon sun was melting my treat. I made some phone calls and while I was talking to Dad, I brought in and folded my laundry. While I was talking to Bradley, I swept my floor and cleaned out under my bed. While I was talking with Mom, I mopped the floor. While I was talking with Janelle, I cleaned off and wiped down my shelves. I was a very good multi-tasker today. When dinner was ready, I made myself a toasted cheese sandwich. Then we had prayer meeting. I sat between a very bad Bella and a very bad Carla. After the meeting, I went to Mochiqui with the girls (and Jesse, who didn't want to ride a pink bike all of the way home). When we got back, we decided to make smoothies. Janessa and I went to the store [twice] to get the ingredients. After our smoothies, we walked up to Loren's basketball game where I am currently sitting on the concrete bleachers. No flying salsa bags this time....at least YET. It's very hot and the players are sweating profusely; I'm glad I don't have to wash their clothes. Well, my day isn't over yet, but goodnight!

Thursday, April 23, 2009. 8:50 p.m.
ENCONTRARON AGUA!!! (They found water!!!) And at only 57 feet. What a HUGE blessing! But that was later on; let me rewind to earlier in the morning. Loren dropped me off at the orphanage. The children were already hard at work, peeling potatoes. Miguel was even helping. I told him that one day he should help make lunch. He seemed excited at the prospect of making bread. The girls were extremely helpful, but I still had the last minute rush before lunch. We had mashed potatoes with hotdog gravy which was much better than it sounds. I was skeptical at first, but now I'm a believer. I made thumbprint cookies; the kids kept drooling over them as I was making them. Debbie came in to tell me that the men found water where they are digging the well. PTL. I oversaw lunch clean-up. Miguel and Diego hid as usual. Johan told me that they hide from me because I LET them hide from me. "Give them bad points!" I took my time off and spent my time laying on Rosalina's bunk, staring up at the bottom of Maria's mattress. In the afternoon, I went up to watch the well process. It was a fascinating process and I asked a lot of questions, undoubtedly annoying the workers. The children had lots of visitors and in between supervising the visits and heating up leftovers for dinner, my afternoon was used up. We got to eat tamales for dinner; Fernando and MariChuy's grandma was one of the visitors and came bustling through the gate with an armload of tamales. After clean-up, I talked with Rach as she relaxed for her day off. I caught a ride home with Rod, and that's where I am right now...home.

Friday, April 24, 2009. 10:46 p.m.
I started out on bike this morning...well, walking my bike at least. When I got to the orphanage, I started the laundry. I didn't do much sitting and relaxing in between loads; the girls joined me when they were free from their jobs. Rosalina insisted on reading to me from the "Antorcha" magazine. It was hard to understand Spanish syllable by syllable. Roxina came with an "I Spy" book. She wanted me to translate the hidden things, but she gave up after I tried to describe a windmill. I love those girls so much. Roxina helped me fold the laundry and we had a good little chat. She made my day by telling me that, yes, I have an accent in Spanish, but it's not a bad accent. After lunch I biked back into town and used Internet time until we left for Mochiqui. MariCruz was at the creek washing clothes and we joined her. Sitting beside the water was much cooler than walking along the dusty road. But eventually, Maria and I carried clothes up to the house and studied with Carla and Tita. While Maria entertained them with a card game (a good alternative to throwing rocks), I hung out the dripping laundry. We then walked to the orphanage and then caught a ride back into town. Loren ran some errands in town. We passed the time by looking for aluminum soda cans. The singles got together in the evening. The kids were all upstairs watching a movie so we played a card game called "Snitch." It was interesting to see the different personalities coming out during the game. Lenn brought me home and now I'm writing a few words before I drift into oblivion.

Saturday, April 25, 2009. 9:43 p.m.
We got up late as has become the norm for Saturdays. However, this morning was REALLY late. I discouraged myself by taking a Spanish test online and finding out that I really don't know much about Spanish verbs. At Saturday school, Santos sat at my table. He was extremely pesty, but I didn't feel like moving to another table. I didn't go to help at the orphanage today. Therefore, Janessa and I walked up to the store and bought a variety of fruits and vegetables. That's what we had for lunch....and it was delicious. We chopped mango, pineapple, watermelon, plum, cantaloupe, pear, cucumbers, carrots, and broccoli. After all of that, I took my time off. After time off I walked up and visited my [former] landlady. We had a good little chat before I went to visit Vanessa's family. I didn't stay long, but came back to help with miscellaneous jobs until dinner. Marlen and Janessa had made delicious pizza and Marlen and I had made smoothies to go along with it. The food was really good today now that I think about it... Now I'm sorta being lazy and sorta waiting for the shower.