Have you ever seen the rain coming down in a sunny day?

If it wasn't for the promise of the rainbow, you would've thought the world was flooding. It has rained and rained, so much in the past few days. Down pours! I'm sure it's the affect the hurricanes are having on us. I'm not even sure where they all are now, or what their names are, but I can assure you that we know when there's one around. Sunday morning, I dropped the first group of girls off at church and just then Mary called. She said there was 2 to 3 inches of water in our living room! Since I had an hour until I had to take the next group of girls, I went back to help. By the time I got there she had already filled and emptied one bucket, by sweeping water into a plastic bowl and dumping it in, and she had almost filled a second halfway. I grabbed a bowl and a giant squeegee I found, like the things at the gas stations to clean car windows, rolled my pants up, kicked off my shoes and jumped in. All together we filled about four buckets and then Courtney and Elizabeth came over with a wet/dry vacuum and got the majority of the rest. We dried the floor as much as we could with towels, and left for church. By last night it was dry. Gib says that the towel which is shoved under the door that leads to the roof must have been loose and it came from there. It was quite an adventure and one great way to start the day. We were all laughing about it as we worked. Especially when I almost fell twice and so did Elizabeth. I wish I would've thought to take a picture.




I need to take more pictures.



I talked to Jami last night and found out that Daddy is safely in Honduras as of last night. They had to wait out the storms, I think.



I ran this morning again. It has been about twice a week for three weeks so far. I'm also finally reading Courtney's book, The Count of Monte Cristo. I love it! I am so addicted! I can't put it down. I'm not much of a leisurely reader, but I have read more than a fourth in two days. I'm sure I'll finish it this week, and on time too because Courtney leaves on the 2nd.

kay butter and will towan

I'm talking to my sister, Connie, online right now! I got to see her, Will, Clay, and even William on webcam! My fears were relieved because as soon as Clay saw me on webcam he lit up and I knew he knew who I was! Later Connie told me that he was making faces at me from the hall and laughing at himself. heheh. That is so adorable! They are getting so big though. I can't believe it. I can't imagine how they will look when I see them again, for real. But at least this way I know they'll remember me.




I took the 9 older girls to the ushers' meeting at 4 and we got back FINALLY about 6:30, ate and were done just in time to watch the movie. That's were they are now.



My throat is still sore, but no more stomach problems so far. I even jumped a minute on the trampoline with Ceilin the littlest girl. After I got off, I watched as another intern tried to do a front flip unsuccessfully, while Ceilin shaded me under an umbrella. She is truly a doll.



Poor Astrid got her hair cut by a lady yesterday who chopped her hair into layers and gave her a perm. The poor thing was in tears as we tried to straighten her hair today. She is a strong girl who rarely cries, but when she does it is something that has really upset her. I felt so bad for her, but what can we do? It just has to grow. We gave her some bobbie pins to pin back the unwanted bangs, but the rest she'll just have to learn to live with for a while.



I haven't been to tutor in a week or so. I saw a friend of mine, Brennan, at Pricemart a few weeks back and he told me that the Osborn's were moving. I didn't get a chance to call before they went to the States, so I thought I would have to wait until they got back because I didn't know where they had moved. I knew the subdivision, but not the exact house. I wrote Steve about it and found out that they hadn't moved, so I'll start again this week. I have missed those kids!!



It would be so much easier coming and going if I had a car already. I love the walking, but in the rainy season, it just makes it hard. But I know there is one out there for me, I just have to be patient. I have a few numbers from the classified's but I don't know enough about cars and plus, I'd have to have a ride to go look at one. It's frustrating, but it will happen.

I've never believed that getting wet in the rain would make you sick, but I got soaked three days in a row this week and yesterday my throat started hurting and was worse this morning. I was also up all night with stomach "stuff". But life goes on...




I had to be at Shadow this morning at 6AM to substitute for Libni. It amazes me how even when the girls get an extra hour and a half to sleep they are still up at 6am. They are not normal teenagers, that's for sure. I, on the other hand, will pretend to sleep even when I can't, if I have the extra time.



I'm taking the older girls to the church this afternoon for an ushers' meeting. They actually are ushering tomorrow. I'm the only one here this weekend that drives, so I will take the ushers early and come back for the rest, and bring them home in two shifts as well. I like to drive though.



My dad left this morning for Honduras. Please keep him in your prayers this month as he won't be back home until the middle of August. We're trying to plan a very short trip by bus for him to come visit me or me to go visit him. Either way, I hope it works out. I really miss my family.



I'm planning an online date for tonight with them. I've sent them an e-mail to let them know. I just hope they get it. I may get to see my nephews on webcam. I can't wait. I hope it works out.



Well, I need to get back downstairs.

tour or detour...?

Elizabeth and I went to the artisian market today to buy a quilt for Jill, the girl I roomed with last year here. She is engaged, so this will be a present from the home. So, Sarah and Courtney were off today so they asked if they could go. I really want a quilt for my bed, like I have at home, but I had will power and only bought two woven belts and a postcard.




We had to pick Miriam up from school afterwards, but since I was coming from a different direction, I wasn't sure how to get there. It wasn't that I didn't know where it was from there; it was that I couldn't get there from where we were. I could even see the road we needed to get to, but with all the one way roads and dead end roads and circle roads... anyway, we finally made it only about 15 minutes late. We had missed lunch, so we took Miriam and went to McDonald's drive-through for a burger.



Joanne will take the 4 interns that haven't been to Monjas tomorrow to visit. Her and Gib will be apart these three weeks that Carroll is gone, so I know that she will take any chance to go visit him. They are apart so much because of the home here and the building progress in Monjas. It is such a sacrifice for their mission here. I know that God will bless them because of their faithfulness.

another day.

Carroll left today for the States for three weeks. So that leaves Joanne and I in the office with Elizabeth helping some as well. With Rebeca in the States also, it can get crazy.




This morning I took Miriam to the school where she does her practical work. (She is studying to be a teacher) I had only been to this school once before and I wasn't driving. I tried to pay attention to how to get there, knowing I would be going someday, but that was weeks ago and I couldn't remember exactly. I even dreamed about it last night, all night. A very stressful dream. But it seems that God wouldn't allow us to get lost. It was pretty neat how it worked out. We thought we had passed the turn off, so I was trying to turn around somewhere, which just isn't as easy as it sounds here in the city. You may have to travel a mile or more before you come to a place to turn around and go the other direction. Plus, not being familiar with this part of the city as much, I wanted to be extra careful, especially with Miriam. So, I turned down some road to try and turn around and Miriam shouts, "THIS IS IT!!". We were never lost after all! Isn't that amazing?!?



The next question was how to get home from there. I remembered vaguely the way, so I ventured out. I hit the Aguilar Batres, one of the main roads, but was heading the wrong direction. I knew where I had to go, just not how to get there. I even passed the turn off, but there was no way to get over there. I had to go all the way down to Roosevelt, which is like, THE main road into the city and by that time I just decided to go the way I knew best, to Periferico to San Cristobal. I finally made it home with no problems at all, and was even welcomed by Mary (my house mate) with some fresh made pancakes. MMM!!



Last night, the interns invited me along with them to go out with Alfredo from church. He is such a nice guy and always takes the interns to movies, out to eat, and things like that. We were going to this really cool place called Cuatro Grados Norte, but on Monday nights I guess there isn't much going on. So instead, we went to Los Cebollines, a really great Mexican restaurant in Zone 10. Courtney, Mary, and I were acting something crazy too, in the back seat of the car. Elizabeth rode in the hatch back, and Julie in front becuase she got car sick on the way. It was good times.

Prayer request

Please pray right now for my auny Paula and her family. She lost her oldest son last night, after losing her husband only 7 months ago. My cousin Matt was around 37 years old.




It's times like these that I most want to be with my family.

Amanda Panda

Bárbara started calling me "Amanda Panda", so a few of the other girls have picked up on it. So, now Ceilin (the 5 year old) just calls me "Panda"






hehheh. so. cute.

Good night

I feel so worn out tonight. The girls are watching a movie at the moment, so I snuck out to update my journal.




This morning Mary and I went to play soccer. We shot goals for a while and passed it back and forth, but couldn't really figure out how to play one on one, so we just kept passing. It was really fun though. I feel like I walked back and forth from the home to my home today as well. Which isn't a far walk, just up and down hill... both ways. My shins hurt. Then a group came today that have been working in Monjas all week, so Elizabeth and I practiced our flips on the trampoline. I've almost got my back flip and an ariel cartwheel!!



Something strange happened yesterday. It just really made me realize how much control God really has.... TOTAL control. I was in the office all morning by myself. A social worker from Jutiapa called and asked if we could take two girls who were there at the court. I'm not authorized to make that decision, so I asked her to leave a number and I would get right back to her. I called Carroll, who called Joanne, who decided with Carroll that we would take them. The lady had given me two phone numbers, and neither were working. I was trying like a mad man to get back in touch with that lady. Trying to find the right number. If I couldn't get in touch with them, they would send the girls to another home. I finally after an hour got through and they had already placed them somewhere else. I felt so sad. But I knew that I wasn't in control of the situation. I didn't find out until Saturday morning that another new girl had come later on that afternoon. If those other girls had come, this little girl, Glendy (11 years old) couldn't have come. So, that tells me that it was all in His plan. What does that tell you?



I have to say that the other new girl, Ceilin, who came last week is here with me and asking me question after question after question. She is so cute. I will have to take a picture of her next week to put on here. (Daddy, you will love her to death!!)

run forrest, run!!

I woke up early this morning and ran. I used to run downstairs on the treadmill on my time off, but Carroll took the treadmill to her casita when she moved out. These new interns have gotten me motivated. Most of them run or at least do some sort of exercise. I really enjoyed the run so early. It was so nice outside. I just couldn't make it up the hills; I had to walk. I actually ran into Jullie, an intern. We both had the same idea, I guess.




No one is in the office today. Carroll is off. Rebeka is in L.A. visiting her sister, Elizabeth is helping out at P.E. class, and Nora, the social worker, well, I never know when she works and when she supoosed to be off. Today is my day off too, but I didn't have much to do otherwise this morning, so I thought I'd at least come in until after lunch.



We're waiting for a phone call from the attorney about Bárbara's case. This will let us know how soon she will be going to the States. It could be as soon as two weeks. Please continue to pray for her and that situation. She is excited, but so nervous too

Ceilin

We received a new girl, just as Carroll suspected, we lose two and gain one.




This little girl is a young one. She is only 5 years old. Her name is Ceilin and she is a live wire. So full of energy. The other girls upstairs got a little tired of her getting all of the attention at first, but now they seem to be getting used to it. Elizabeth has already taught her to do a flip on the knees on the trampoline.



Sandra did leave last Friday. I wrote her a letter to take with her. It's not like Evelyn, who since she was older, I gave her my phone number so we could keep in touch. Sandra is only 9, so I just have to pray that God will bring us back together someday. Just like he did with Yasmin and I.



Last night, my patience was tested. I wished that I was the kind of person who cound confront someone when they are upset, but I seem to always give the benefit of the doubt. I was sitting in for Libni downstairs, while she ran some errands. She said she would be back between 6 and 7. She showed up about 8:30. The girls were already in bed and since Courtney was doing dialysis down there, I came up to the office to help Miriam with her last minute homework. We had problems opening one program on her disk and then the printer wouldn't work and then we finally got one open and then we had to print it off the other computer... and finally after almost an hour we got it done and I went home at 10:00. This was after waking up at 5AM in vane because Miriam didn't need me to take her to school. So needless to say, I was happy to see my bed.