Merry Christmas

It's done. The #1 item on my mental bucket list has been crossed off: spend Christmas in another country.  I never thought it would happen, but it just did and it was an incredible thing.

The American group is still here.  I actually didn't see them at all today (I'll explain my day in a bit).  They've been doing camp, loving on all of the students, and getting the full Chinese experience.  Every moment I get to spend with them is such a blessing.  They couldn't have come at a better time.

I have been so overwhelmed with love this week.  It has been unreal.  On Friday, when I arrived at English Corner, I had a room full of about 100 students chanting my name just for simply walking into the room.  I felt like Bieber performing at a mall.  It was the most overwhelming feeling ever.  I think I looked absolutely terrified.

On Saturday, the group went up to the farm with us.  I (all by myself, in Chinese) ordered jiaozi and baozi for us.  I ordered it a day in advance and told her I'd come the next day at 3 to pick it up! AND IT WORKED!  Haha.  I was so proud of myself.  We had a great time playing games and eating good food.  Santa even showed up for a bit!!

Sunday!

Sunday was a marvelous day.  10 1/2 hours of pure greatness.  I met my girls at 9 and we walked to the service we were going to attend.  Everyone was so welcoming.  I understood a bit of the message.  My girls understood the majority, if not all of it.  By the end they were singing along.  Afterwards, we grabbed a quick lunch and I was able to talk to them and ask what they liked, disliked and what they're overall opinion was of it.  I'm anxious to dig a bit more when we meet on Thursday.  After that we went to the place the performance and dinner would be, but the time changed so we had around an hour to spare.  We went to the park and ended up going in this 'haunted house' that's inside of this huge monkey looking thing.   It was terrifying!  My throat hurt the rest of the day from screaming so much.  It was so much fun though.   Then we took some pictures.  Self-timed jumping pic: nailed it!  I love our little photo shoots.

By 1, we headed back to the performance place and that went on for a while.  Some singing and dancing happened.  Mostly it was just a great chance to talk and be in the presence of all that Christmas is about.  I met this sweet 83 year old woman who kept coming up to talk to me.  I asked if I could take a picture with her.  She's about 4/6" maybe.  I had to bend down so low to get closer to being her height.

Other villagers I got to 'talk' to!  I love these people!

The dinner was absolutely delicious.  I love Chinese food.  It's insane how often I crave it.  I could live off of baozi I think.  I've had it every day this week and I still want more!!!

Once it all ended my girls wanted to go shopping.  So we ventured all around the city and got to spend more time together and have some fun.  I adore all of them.  They are just so sweet.  The city at night reminds me a bit of SF.  Just lights and hills and lots of people.

[This time of year, it's customary to buy apples for people you love/appreciate.  The word for apple and for peace are very similar in Chinese (ping guo & ping an) so to give someone an apple is to wish them a peaceful year.  Well, I got about 9 on Friday from my tutoring students and I ended up with a total of 37 as of last night.  INSANE!  Good thing I like apples!]

My tree on Friday night. 

My tree after the party on Christmas Eve.

All around town they have these stands where you can have them wrap your apples up in tissue paper or gift boxes.  Christmas decorations were finally put up everywhere.  I've been told they are really Spring Festival decorations,  but they put them up in time for Christmas.  Trees, lights, Santas, signs that say 'Merry Christmas'.  It finally felt like Christmas here, even if it didn't come until 2 days before.

I came back to campus and there was dancing in the big quad so of course I jumped in on that.

Christmas Eve

There was a big Christmas party Monday night for the foreign language department.  I was expected to dance so at about 4 I did a 2 minute piece in 20 minutes and spent the next few hours panicking.  It went extremely well though.  I had a little 4 year old out there with me and he calmed me down/stole the show.  It was a blast though.  I received about 20 apples last night.  I was just speechless.  We played games, participated in traditional dances and did some classic Christmas carols.  All in all, it wasn't normal Christmas Eve, but it was a beautiful night.

My absolutely beautiful 'sister' Helen (find out about her further down!!!!!!).

CHRISTMAS DAY!!!!!

I was nervous about today.  I was worried I'd have some breakdown or something.  I woke up, got ready (looked adorable too) and then headed up to the farm.  I spent the day w/ the Ls.  The girls and I played Just Dance 4!  It felt like being home.  We played some other games and watched Dumb & Dumber.  HA!  Around 7 we went to the other side for a staff gathering.  So my Christmas dinner was Chinese barbecue.  Grilled zucchini, mushrooms, beef patties, and best of all, chicken gizzards.  Christmas I'll never forget!  That's for sure.

I am so incredibly blessed.  Being home for Christmas next year will be nice, but being here was something I will always remember. The reason we celebrate is the whole reason I'm out here and if I lost sight of that, a tex from my student sure was enough to bring me back.  One text from one of my girls today was enough to make every single day out here worth it.  I'm positive I have another sister here, a sister who I may not see again in this life, but will spend plenty of time with in the days to come.

Merry Christmas to all of you at home!  Don't lose sight of the beautiful gift we've all been given.  I may not have opened any presents today, but I have never felt more thankful and loved in my life!

New Friends & Renewed Outlook

It's 9:50 and I'm about to crash, but just wanted to give you all a quick little update about the past few days.

I've been in sort of a funk the last few days, or maybe weeks.  I decided the other night that I needed to get out of it.  I was talking to Evan and he kept pointing out how abnormal I seemed.  I was just letting everything get the best of me knowing that most of it was preventable.  I was so behind on my devos and getting into the Word.  So I stepped up my game and snapped out of it.  I also got the Christmas present I'd been wanting for a while now: American friends!

The Americans came in the other day, 8 of them.  They are a dream for me.  All of them are awesome.  We all have been hanging out constantly the past 2 days.  It's really been putting my language to the test and I've surprised myself a lot.  I know more than I thought, or at least am capable of piecing together things to resemble sentences.  Either way, it's been great.  They started English camp today and it went great.  I get the privilege to be a part of it when I want.  I'm still exhausted but this is an opportunity I won't have again until summer rolls around so I'm going to jump all over it.  I'll spend the first week of January curled up in my bed hibernating until I'm forced to function like a human.  Basically, this group has been a huge blessing to me in the past 2 days and I still have another 10 or so days with them.

It has been absolutely beautiful here... outside.  Inside? Freezing!

I received 2 packages yesterday.  Also a major blessing.  The mail lady got so excited to give them to me.  It was a fun little, practically wordless, situation.  My cuzzo got me a little baby Christmas tree and I set it up on my coffee table right away! It's beautiful, just like her :)  I got some cute clothes from her and my grandparents also.  I'm quite spoiled.

THEN... oh man.  I finally took advantage of having keys to the dance studio and went over there on Wednesday.  I taught the lady I tutor for, her daughter, niece, and sister-in-law.  30 minutes tap.  30 minutes jazz/ballet.  It was lovely.  Then I stuck around for a while to just dance by myself.  I literally locked myself in, turned most of the lights off, and just did whatever I wanted.  Therapy.  Also, I'm super out of shape.  It was a sad reality check.

Today was my normal tutoring, but the kids were oddly attached to me... literally.  It took me almost 10 minutes to leave because about 5 of them latched onto my legs and wouldn't let me leave.  One of the girls asked why I had to leave.  They usually run out and attack me with hugs when I get there and then follow me out as I leave.  They're precious.  I always leave there feeling so lucky.  It's always a good reminder of the opportunity I have.  I am so thankful that I get to do this.  Getting back to that mindset when I've let myself drift is really good.  I need to stay there.

Tomorrow is more camp, my first real Chinese tutoring session, my normal English tutoring, and then some quality time w/ my lovely ladies as we close out our Harry Potter experience.  I'm so sad it's all going to end tomorrow.  Yep, I'm one of them now.

I can't believe Christmas is less than a week away. For those of you who don't know this, Christmas is on the same day for us: Tuesday, the 25th.  Just because I'm in China doesn't mean Christmas changes dates. (Love you mom! Hahaha).   The town has started putting up decorations and creepy Santas and playing Christmas music.  It's pretty nice.  It's starting to feel like Christmas sort of.

That's enough for now.  I really need to get to bed.  The group and I are getting breakfast on the street again tomorrow morning.  Steamed buns, weird taco things, noodles, fresh fruit.  I can make myself get up early for that.

Good night for me.  Good morning for you all.

Change of Plans

Surprise, surprise. Things changed. WHOAH! That's life here.

The sports meeting this week is Wednesday to Friday,  not Monday to Wednesday.  So I had to make some calls and change all of my finals.  The good thing about it all is that I am now halfway done and I am free on Christmas!  My next 3 finals I give are all going to be pretty easy I think.  One will take about 2 hours and be a little hectic, but it's a pass/fail so I don't have to stress too much.

For all but 1 of my finals I'm having them come in at designated times (the groups vary from 4-8 because of the different class sizes).  Each group has 20 minutes and I wanted to get through 5 questions but we only end up having time for 3.  They answer the questions and I grade them based on their grammar, pronunciation, confidence, level of difficulty, and how well they comprehend the question (that's always a 10/10 thankfully).

I have 2 freshmen classes done (the largest 2) and my junior class done.  Now I have sophomore culture, sophomore oral and my freshmen class of 16 so it shouldn't be too bad.  The sophomore oral one will be a little crazy I think.

The American group gets in tomorrow and I'm really excited to meet all of them.  I need some interaction.  Home sickness is at its worst right now and I just need something to hold me down for the next month.  This group will be here until January 1st so that will be nice.

One other really exciting thing: the local 'club' is having a huge Christmas performance and dinner and all of my girls said they wanted to go.  I'm going to attend also, even though I won't understand anything.  I know it'll be good for me to be with them and I can't wait to see what it stirs up in them.

So there's that and there's the english camp w/ my juniors.  Please be thinking of us as all of this goes on the next few weeks.  Whatever happens w/ the camp can lead to more small groups and more conversations for me next semester and I want that more than anything else.

(For those of you who love all of my pictures and skim through the life stories - no shame in admitting that because I do it too - I'm planning on going to this sports meeting as much as I can to snap some pictures of whatever is going to happen.)

I Am...

Happy 12.12.12.  Nine more days and the world will end.  I wonder how that's all going to happen.  I'd like the details so I know how to spend my last moments.  As of now, I'll be giving a final that morning.

I've got a lot going on right now.  I try to pretend I don't, but I do.  It's kind of taking its toll on me too and it's not fun.

I AM:

...teaching my last class this Friday.  After that, it's all finals!

...so happy that the Monday curse wasn't that bad this week.  My Monday morning shower was luke-warm, not hot.  I will gladly take that as the worst part of my Monday.

...in love w/ Burmese tea.  With some cinnamon, it's like a chai and it is my new addiction.

...TIRED.  I woke up feeling tired.  I took a nap today and I plan on going to bed early because tomorrow is my crazy day and there's no time to rest.

...making brownies for the first time (here) tomorrow.  YUM (hopefully)!

...usually completely drowning myself in a blanket.  It's getting into the 30s at night here and my apartment is all tile floors and concrete walls so it gets COLD! And the sun doesn't shine in during the day so it's still cold.

...excited to skype w/ a great friend tomorrow.  It's been too long and I miss her.

...homesick.  Not because of Christmas time, but because it's been almost 6 months and I miss my family - every single member of it.

...very excited to get to hang out w/ some Americans who are my age.  A group is coming in for English camp next week and it will be the first time in about 4 months I think that I will have face to face contact w/ Americans who aren't a decade older or younger than me.  Strange to think about.

...addicted to Once Upon A Time.  I may have watched the entire first season in the last 3 days.  It has been playing constantly.  While I grade, while I cook, while I do lesson plans.  I couldn't stop watching it.

...SO ready to be fairly free next week.  I am almost done grading papers and there is a huge sports meeting next week so I only have 3 classes next week and they are finals and I've already written everything up.  Free time means getting out and making some adventures for myself.  Wandering around w/ my camera, getting some odd shopping done, reading, sleeping in.  It will be beautiful.

...(get ready for it) having class on Christmas day.  Yup.  I am giving one of my freshmen classes their final Tuesday morning.  BUT after that I think I'm heading up to the farm to spend Christmas w/ my surrogate family.  It won't be my usual Christmas, but it will be a good day.  I like being away from all of the hype.  I am enjoying not being immersed in the chaos that comes with Christmas.  I get to think about what Christmas really means without the distractions of Santa and presents.  It's nice in an interesting way, but I still do miss home very much.  After that I have one more final to give and I'll be done w/ my first semester of teaching.  Then it's New Years, some free time, my first Chinese wedding (not mine, a friends. hahaha), and who knows what else.

There's my life.  No pictures.  No crazy stories.  Just grading, sleep, new tea, finals.  Nothing exciting about the end of the semester apart from it being the end of the semester.

-Hailey

Faith & Fried Food

I feel like that title makes me sound like some southern girl about to talk about a 'club' BBQ.

Although I had a lot of things get to me this week, they haven't all been bad.  I've made some time to relax a bit, usually right before bed.  I watched 2 movies this week: Beware of [Believers] and One Nation Under [the Father].

BoC is about these 4 American college guys who travel to Europe to casually interview people on their thoughts about the Father and clubs and just general beliefs.  They go to several countries and get a variety of opinions.  It's 4 college guys so they have their dumb moments and their distractions, but it all felt very genuine and real.  It was great to hear the opinions of other people and their views on different beliefs, specifically what I believe.  I am really fascinated by all of that.

ONUG is basically the same thing.  Two of the guys are the same.  This time they go around the US, and even into Canada for a few days.  They stay at hostels, in random people's homes, with friends, basically wherever they can.  That led to a lot of conversations with different people.  This movie was more interesting to me because it's a lot closer to home, literally.  It's people around me, who speak my language, and are usually a bit more familiar with what I believe.

I learned a lot from both of those movies.  I got to hear all of these things that people believe that are so different from what I believe.  I heard they way people view [believers].  I teach my students about stereotypes.  You can't fit a whole group of people into one box.  Personalities will always differ and people aren't always going to fit into a mold.  But I think with believers, we should be stereotyped in certain ways.  The stereotypes people currently seem to have of us though, that's the sad/scary thing.

The first word people blurt out is 'hypocrite'.  Awesome.  Makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside right?  No, it's awful.  If we are a group of people, a body, a family, who all base our lives around the Father and his Word, we should have common characteristics or habits.  There should be things about us that are different, but those shouldn't be negative.  We shouldn't be branded as hypocrites.  There's something wrong there.  Not with those who think that, they think that because of their experiences typically, but with those of us who are the portrayal of the Father and of the faith.

I've seen a change in myself recently - the best change I've ever noticed in myself.  I am able to share with others.  I have shared more about what I believe in the past 5 months, than I have in my 22 years living in America.  I share more with people who can't always understand me, who weren't raised with this stuff all around them, than I do with people who speak my own language and I come into contact with constantly.  I've told my girls why I came here, how I make my decisions, why I live the way I do, who my top priority is.  I've shared that with other students and friends who ask.  Most of the time, I try to work it into my conversations.  I want to say as much as I can while I have time here.  Why did it take moving to China for me to be open and excited about sharing?

In the movies, they asked people what their purpose in life is.  I thought about that for a few seconds before I knew what it was.  It's not to make myself a better person.  It's not about finding a perfect job, a perfect husband, having a family, being comfortable, traveling the world.  My purpose is to share the Father's love with every person I come into contact with.  We should be living the life that He has called us to live according to His Word, but those things should come naturally as we live through His love.

I didn't know what was going to happen after this year.  I thought I'd figure that out, or be shown that sometime this year.  I think I know what it is now, but I still constantly ask to be shown how to use that in a bigger way.  Maybe your way of living His love out is through family, maybe it's through teaching, maybe it's through traveling.  It's different for everyone, but the goal should still be the same.

I know this is the really intense post where things get really serious.  I couldn't just let this sit in my head.  I'm too excited about it.  I hate that it's taken me so long to feel excited about things.  I have thousands of people around me every day in my hometown who I usually just pass by, when I could be sharing with them.  I'm not the person who will force it down your throat.  If you're reading this and you don't agree w/ me or believe what I believe, don't be scared of me all of a sudden.  I promise I'm not going to turn into 'that [believer]'.  That's the problem though. We are seen 'that way' and I want so badly for that to change.  For people to love us and respect us, even if they don't agree with us.  I say 'us' because we are an 'us'.  We are all individuals, but our message should still be the same.

The fried food part of it all ties into this a bit.  My small group girls made some traditional Spring Festival foods.  I made apple pie!  It was all perfect.  We had another beautiful meeting with good conversations and good food.

I love Chinese food.
I love my Father.
I love getting the chance to be here and learn new things.

Time to tutor.

What A Week

It's been a week... an interesting week.

Two times the power has gone out.

Three times the water has been turned off.

The post office is undergoing construction which makes me look like an idiot every time I go there and some person has to personally take me to another building because I can't speak or understand enough Chinese to follow their instructions.

I'm catching a cold I think.

It's cold here!

My language tutoring got cancelled, twice.

The new tutoring gig turned out to be a wreck that just threw my whole week off.

[THE STORY]
Last post, I talked about this new, potential tutoring gig.  Well... NO.
Short summary in case you didn't read the last post and to fill in a few more details: A student named Emily calls me asking me to go to a primary school.  I said I couldn't, she asked about a different day, I caved.  Her friend/boss calls me Monday, we meet that night, I agree to help tutor on Wednesdays or Fridays.  Here's the new stuff...

Tuesday I have my freshmen class with Emily.  I asked her if she called me the other day and she says no.  So at this point, I have NO IDEA who this 'Emily' is.  She's not my student.  [People I don't know, or haven't given my number to, are always contacting me.  It's strange.]  Tuesday I get a call from one of the 2 ladies I met on Monday and she says she'll pick me up at 1 on Wednesday.  She told me Friday, but I'm flexible.  We said one class, but she told me I'd teach 2, each one being 40 minutes.  Fine.

She picks me up and we drive about 10 minutes to the school.  That means riding my bike is kind of unrealistic which means she either picks me up every time or I take a taxi.  Strike #1.  She doesn't really say anything to me, even once we got to the school.  I ask how the day would go and she told me I'd start teaching at 2.  So I'm thinking an hour and a half of teaching and then go home. NOPE.  She says 3 classes, 20 minutes each, but with a break in between.  Well, each class starts on the hour so that means I'll be there til 4:30 at the earliest.  Strike #2.  I teach, I wait, I teach, I wait, I teach, I wait.  She asks me if I'm tired and I said yes, because I was exhausted (this was before I thought I was catching the cold).  Her friend takes me to the teacher's office and I thought it would be a few minutes and then we'd leave.  NOPE.  Almost an hour later her friend comes back and I ask if this is how it would be every week.  That's not strange to ask, right? WRONG.  She says I teach on Sundays.   Yeah.... so I had to clarify that I'm busy on Sundays which is why I said Wednesday or Friday, not Sunday.  Strike #3.  She looks shocked that I said I was busy.  Weird.  So, then she says, "Now we go to dinner."

Oh.
My.
Gosh.

So I think, quick dinner, go home, sleep... oh wait, I have lesson plans and papers to grade.  We go to dinner and it's silent.  Nobody says anything.  Luckily, it was really loud there and I was fighting the urge to face-plant into the table and take a nap.  Around 7:30 I get to go home.  6 1/2 hours later.

I told them I could help them if they needed it on Wednesdays or Fridays.  A few hours ago I got a text: Can you teach on Thursday evenings?  My answer: No, I tutor then.  That whole day is busy.  Next text: What about Tuesday?  My answer: No, I'm sorry.  She asks what day works for me and I finally had to just say, thank you, but I'm really busy and I don't think I can commit to one more thing.  Haven't heard anything since.

It's been a week.  I know I'm complaining a lot right now.  I'm tired.  I need a nap, or 2, or 3.  I just got caught up on grading only to have a new bunch to grade now.  Thankfully, it's my last chunk for that one class.  77 more papers and I'm done w/ the freshmen papers.  WOO!  This week I'm planning finals and then only 2 more weeks and my first semester is done.  CaRayZay.

Tomorrow I get to pick up a package, curl up in a blanket, drink some tea and breathe... for a bit.  I can't wait!

The next post will be the good part of the week.  There's always a good part.  Sometimes I just feel the need to throw in the things that bug me just so nobody thinks everything is always dandy here.  Some people still think I'm on a prolonged vacation.  It's an awesome journey/trip/experience, but it's not just vacation.

Every day is a good day, but not everything is good every day.

Terrible Terrific Mondays

Mondays.  Most people hate them.  The weekend is over and reality begins again.  Work starts.  I have a love/hate relationship with Mondays.  I wish I could love them completely, BUT something always happens to make them a little less terrific.

Mondays are the day that I get to sleep in, in my own bed.  I have no obligations until 2:30 and even then it's just one class that I have to teach.  One class where the lessons plans are guaranteed to be done 4 days prior so there's no need to do any prep that morning.  I usually get my weekly groceries that morning and attempt to grade my biggest chunk of papers after class.  Not a bad day.  Should be a happy day for me.  Something always seems to happen that day that is completely out of my hands.

A few weeks ago: no water for 3 days that started on Monday.

Last week: food poisoning.

This week: I got up around 9 (which never happens here anymore), made chocolate oatmeal (yup), and then right when I wanted to go hop in the shower... POWER GOES OUT.  That means no hot water for Hailey and also a pitch black bathroom which would be terrifying to take a shower in.  Also, no internet so no communication w/ home - sorry for disappearing while we were chatting, mom.  I thought 'oh no, I'm not doing this again' but luckily the water was still working.  So I made a pretty successful produce run - I got me some corn, mushrooms, cucumbers, eggplant, and broccoli - and then had a lunch meeting.  To add to it, it was super cold this morning.  Couldn't boil water for tea, couldn't take a hot shower, couldn't heat my cute little Hello Kitty hot water bottle pillow thing.  Sunlight sounded nice... but we ate in the shade.  HA!  Anyways, had a nice lunch, talked about some upcoming events, figured out how I want to run my finals, got my papers to finally get my visa fixed soon.  Twas a good lunch.  Power came back on when I got back to my apartment around 2, but still no internet.  No biggie, I had class.

[Right before class I got a call from some random lady wanting me to tutor some children she teaches.  She asked if I had free time this evening to get together to talk about it.  She offered milk tea so I agreed.  But I knew I would have to say no to the tutoring and I really don't like having to do that.]

Got back from class and started to get some stuff ready for dinner (which I'll explain in a minute) and then BOOM no water.  NOT. EVEN. A. DROP.  Seriously? Earlier that morning I had this feeling that I should fill my teapot up just in case something like that happened but, like an idiot, I didn't do that.  So I'm making my knock off Olive Garden salad dressing and chopping up some of todays veggies and I have nothing to do dishes with (not like that part really made me sad).  The worst part about not having something is that the fact that you can't have it makes you want it so much more.  I didn't need the water then, it would have been nice to get my dishes rinsed, but knowing I couldn't wash my hands, do dishes, take a shower, all of that was just frustrating, especially on top of the lack of power earlier in the day.

So I made my dinner.  Salad (a first in this apartment because lettuce isn't always available and I'd never made salad dressing) and garlic-brown sugar baked chicken (easiest thing ever, takes 20 minutes to bake and it's super scrumptious).  It was one of the best dinners I've made here so that made me really happy.  I almost sliced my finger off though and that wasn't too exciting.  Luckily I only sliced the tip of my nail off.  Now Evan is convinced I'm going to kill myself in the kitchen while we're on skype.  I promise that will not happen.  I had to eat fairly quickly because I had to go meet this random lady.  I was pretty excited for milk tea though.  Asking someone to go get milk tea is the equivalent of going to get Starbucks.  I like milk tea SO much more.

So I meet this woman, and her friend, and she says, "Let's go to my car."  I kind of thought this was some kind of kidnapping done really gracefully, but then I realized this is China and she just told me how young and beautiful I looked and people don't kidnap you after saying something like that.  (I think I'm tired and that's why this post is strange).  We went to this place called 'Yesterday Once More' (seriously).  I'd been past it a few times but never gone inside.  BEAUTIFUL! I felt like I walked into a nice American restaurant.  Strange feeling.  They played some Beibs, T-Swift, Selena Gomez and some other pop-y American music which I appreciated.  We got some youzi cha (grapefruit tea) which was DELISH and some weird, yet incredible, pumpkin things.  Of course I took a picture because that's what I do (yay iphone camera).

How adorable are those little tea cups? 

Basically they asked how busy I was and I explained that I teach about 12 hours and have 4 tutoring gigs all throughout the week and I'm actually pretty busy.  They said they needed someone during the week, preferably the daytime.  I said Wednesday or Friday morning worked for me.  Then they asked how much I want to get paid.  I hat when that happens.  It's like when the parents ask the babysitter how much she gets paid an hour.  I don't care.  You just pay me what you want to pay me.  Tomorrow I'll get a call and find out if Friday works for them and if it does, I'll be teaching another 40 minutes to more little kids.  It's really not much to add.  They know when I'll be on vacation and when I'm leaving and they are fine with it all.  So now I can add one more thing to my list, but I got to fit it into my schedule so I'm pretty happy.

Mondays.  Always something to tweak my happy day... but then something great seems to happen to make Mondays my favorite day.  Every day is kind of my favorite day though.  I think I set myself up pretty well when I came here and I've learned to focus on the good things more than the bad things.  I know I have my moments and my days, but I try to end each day thinking of why it was a good day and I usually have something pretty great to end each day with.  Today: new friends, good tea, great dinner, unexpected skype date, a hot shower, and the possibility of more little kids to love on!  Good day!

PS: Water came on when I was almost done cooking dinner.  YAY!