Harvest Party

My costume for the Harvest Party on Wednesday.

Well, Wednesday we had a Harvest party here at the SAM Center. It was a night full of games, treats, a hayride and some prayer (since it was during prayer meeting). The kids were so cute dressed up in their costumes. And even some of the adults were dressed up in fun costumes.

I think the best costumes of the night were those of Camila, Kara and Amy. They came as Charlie's Angels and they looked amazing! If I was in trouble...I would definitley call on them...they are pretty tough looking. =)

There were games and one of the games I took part in was the donut eating contest. We had to eat a donut tied on a string as fast as we could. I didn't win...but I was second for my team! If only Kyle wasn't part of my team. ;~)

Today we had a surprise at school. It actually being Halloween, Kyle decided he needed to have a costume since he didn't have one Wednesday night at the Harvest Party. Here is a picture of what Kyle looked like Wednesday night. This is what he usually looks like.

This is what Kyle looked like this morning! What a shock to all of us at school. Most of us had no clue who he was until he started talking.

It has definitely been an interesting week full of fun parties and surprises. Next week is my one year anniversary of being in Peru. It is amazing how quickly the year has past and how time has come to mean nothing. I have only been here a year and yet I have done so much in that one year. Many days I feel like I have already been here for at least 2 or 3 years and then I stop and remember that it has only been a year. I guess that is what happens when you are having such a great time doing what God has called you to do. I am praying that this next year will be as great as the first one!

Another first

Well, today was another first for me. I was in the need of chicken and hamburger for the next week or so. Since I no longer have a maid, I have to do all my shopping myself and it was an adventure. Karen also needed to do some shopping so we decided to go together. I am so glad she was there otherwise who knows what I would have ended up with. Buying meat down here is nothing like buying meat in the U.S. Here there are nasty smells, flies, who knows what other type of bugs and just plain grossness! But I knew that I needed to make myself go and buy meat.

So finally, after other stops along the way, we make our way to the chicken and beef section of town. A whole street that is dedicated to the butchering and sale of chickens and cows. I knew what I needed to ask for...but apparently it didn't come out right or I wasn't told the right thing to say. The beef was no problem, but the chicken was a different story. I asked for chicken breast without the bone. After much confusion on my part and the lady there...Karen and I finally figured out what we really wanted. Instead of asking for "pechuga de pollo deshuesado" she said we wanted chicken filet (I can't remember how to say it in spanish). Finally, Karen and I had our chicken and beef and headed home. It was a long trip to town...but I now feel like I can do it again and not be grossed out. Yay for firsts and overcoming things that gross us out!

Mural

The mural in all it's greatness! Right on the wall...what will I do if I ever move?!?

For about 3 days my friend Katie, who is in Pucallpa right now because of the political situation in Bolivia, has been painting a beautiful mural on my living room wall. At first I wasn't sure what I wanted her to paint for me, I just knew I wanted something painted on my wall. We had decided on a landscape and were going to put some of my favorite flowers in there somewhere. But then I was talking with Karen, Kyle and David about it when David suggested putting an airplane in there somewhere. Now he might have been joking, but I thought it was a great idea. So I said I was going to suggest that to Katie and see what she thought. Well, we had to then scratch the flower idea because I wanted it to be the SAMAIR float plane and the type of flowers I wanted don't really go with that very well. So Katie, with her wonderful artistic mind, decided to basically paint Cashibo with the float plane coming in to land on the water. It is such a great mural! As I watched her paint I was amazed that she could go from a rectangle of blueish white to a lake with so much detail. It is exactly what I wanted without really knowing it until it was done. I am very happy and will now spend more time in my living room since I have something to look at and not just plain white walls. =)

A close-up of the plane, she did an amazing job on this!

Yahoo!

I was locking up the school this afternoon and to my great surprise and happiness I found out that we have a new dryer! This is very exciting news since rainy season is going to be starting again soon. It will be very nice to have my clothes actually dry the same day and not have to wait two or three days after they get washed. So very exciting for me and my clothes!

3 years

Not much time to write...but I wanted to post this before school. Today is the 3 year anniversary since Jennie's death. I can't believe it has already been 3 years. Some days it feels like it was just yesterday. It is interesting how as the years go by the pain is less, but the missing of her is just as strong. It is especially hard when there are new things in my life that I would have loved to share with her. But I know that no matter how hard this day is, God is great and He loves me!

Lay-overs

I think this is the worst part of traveling alone. Having long lay-overs and no one to talk to! I am currently sitting in the Lima airport at Starbucks (free wireless) waiting for my last fight home. I can't wait to get back to Pucallpa and go to sleep. I have now been up for about 27 hours and will be up for another 7 until I will finally be able to lay down in my own bed and sleep! I am looking forward to the heat and getting rid of the constant shiver that I have had since Chicago!

I had no problems getting through customs...which I am very thankful for. I think my biggest struggle this morning was being really tired and having to lug two very heavy suitcases, my duffle bag and my computer bag around the airport. I have another few hours before I have to lug them anywhere again. And then it is just downstairs to get them checked in! I was a little upset when I got through immigration and saw the schedule of departures. The LAN flight to Pucallpa was delayed and wasn't leaving until 7:15am instead of 4:30am. Oh how I wished that I was flying LAN. But I already paid for my ticket on STAR and so here I am sitting and waiting. =) I will get home eventually...just wish I didn't have to stay up for over 30 hours to get there!