Embarrasing moment

My embarrassing moment will be magnified when I look up "embarrasing" and realize it's spelled wrong.
I never have embarrasing moments. Really, it takes a lot to embarrase me, but leave it to kids to humble you. This was my fault, however. Goes a little like this.

My kids were eating lunch outside and a small group of them were sitting down the steps from the classroom about 50 yards in front of me against the wall, facing me. I sat on the step into the room eating my lunch, watching them, being very conscious of putting my knees together since I was in a skirt. About 5 minutes later though I noticed the group of kids looking at me, snickering and pointing, whispering among themselves. I knew what that was about so I changed positions promptly.

All went to go play and all was well, until they all came back to class after lunch was over. All of a sudden Ceci, a girl from "the group", busted out in tears. This is totally not like her. She's a very stable, well-behaved girl. So I took her outside to talk. Since the office is next door, Dr. Troy, the director, came out as well to see what this was all about. Ceci was crying too hard to talk and I couldn't understand her. Two of her friends, who were also in "the group", came out to tell me. Seems some kids had told her that they were going to tell me that she was the one talking about me showing off my "bloomers" (direct quote, i have no idea where he got that word!) and she was scared to death. I told her I knew what they were laughing at but that that happens sometimes in life and I wasn't mad at here, that it had passed, and sent her inside. She was fine. The most embarassing part was that Dr. Troy was there, who understood because he speaks English, knowing that he knew what had happened. Later, at the end of the day, she gave me two pictures she had made for me. She must've been super relieved that I was going to punish her for talking about my "bloomers".

"Our" crazy beautiful dog!

Nosa 1. waiting for the cookies to get done!

2. posing

3. "what? you mean you already cleaned the beaters?"

Just wanted to share

The Table

Here's Beto in the process of making a table for my apt. The finished product is below. Ray S., if you're reading this, the Japanese Choir is on the compu at the time of filming! Thanks!

The table is a much needed thing I've been needing for awhile and I love it! It's so helpful!
Thanks to all who have sent well-wishes. I will get some pics up soon of the ring. Pray for Beto as he's sick with cold and didn't go to school today. We've already had a lot of offers of help. We'll get to print simple invitations for free, a brother from church will provide music and some friends are helping with food. I'm just bumbed we can't dance at the church. Maybe if we just take a few steps outside, technically we wouldn't be IN the church!

It's official!

We're engaged! I'm sorry I can't tell so many of you in person, but this seems to be the best way.

Beto found a nice restaurant in town we'd not been to yet but it was really good. He went ahead of time and told them what he was going to do and ordered 2 nice plates of food and appetizers. Living the high life! He asked me if I wanted to be his wife! Wow, I don't think anyone had ever asked me that before! Then made a nice little speach and the ring is gorgeous. We'll wear them on our right hands because of Beto's accident he can't wear his on his left.

The wedding will be here July 21st and depending on his VISA, we'll have another in Cali in December, TBA.

Blessings to all and thanks for the prayers!

Bookstore and prayer requests

This bookstore idea I've had since August when I first moved to La Esperanza. I've been talking a lot lately to my school principal who is a business man and knows a lot of people. I just see a need for it because there isn't one right now and I would like for school parents to be able to buy quality books they need without having to drive 4 hours to the big cities. Today Dr. Troy mentioned to me that he was going to have a meeting with the man who owns the new bus station tonight to see if I can get a new store spot there. He doesnt know if he'll be too excited about putting a bookstore there. There will only be food stores as of now he thinks, but I think it would be perfect, with all the out of towners and out of countryers passing through, they could sit for a spell and enjoy a cup of coffee, read a book/magazine, hopefully buy one to read on their journey. I really hope to see this happen by the end of the year at the latest. It will be a lot of work and money, so pray for this effort and for us and that God will lead us, give us wisdome, and that we'll be in His will.
Another prayer request is for a little girl that was kidnapped last Friday from a school bus here in twon from another school (the other big private school). 2 guys wanted this new car that a rich family here had just got, so they got on the bus, put a gun to the driver's head, and said who they wanted. They ended up taking the wrong girl. The girl they really were looking for wasn't on the bus that day but they have the same name. They are asking for a lot of money still from the rich family and keeping the poor(er) girl in hiding somewhere. Apparently it happened in front of another one of our own school busses and of course scared a lot of kids and parents. Pray for safety of the little girl, emotional stability, for the family's comfort and peace and for wisdom for the police and those who are searching for a healthy solution to all of this, for all people involved.
Finally, in the surrounding mountains there is a big fire that some helicopters went to today to put out with giant water buckets. Keep that situation in your prayers.
thanks and God bless you this week!

Pictures of stuff

Me in green: "Is it Christmas Vacaation yet???!!!" The four ladies (L-R): Josefina, teacher's aide and our "bus nanny", Angelina, preschool teacher, Dona Juana, school cleaner extroidinaire, and Nora, teacher's aide. Great fun ladies that I love and who are all really sweet friends.

Here we have a scary looking yet yummy tasting fruit called a leechee (here). You break open that prickly skin and eat the inside that tastes like a great.



At the table, Lindsey, Mr. Ken, Monique, Nora, Miss Beverly and I at Thanksgiving dinner.
Javier (half the head) with Darel, our Rundolph at the Christmas program. I forgot the red nose at school(the program was at our church building) so we painted red lipstick on it. He's such a good sport! Down bolow we have some of my kids who were "snow".

Sorry for the abundance of fotos on here, and kind of mixed up. Short on time, so let me explain. The one of both beto and I doesnt need too much explanation really, just that we did win the blue ribbon for beautifulest couple of the year. Beto with our new apt. complex puppy, Caramelo, who was birthed by the dog who lives with the school watchman on the property and is the one we take the most food to, Brownie.

the girl's back in town!

Hey everybody...

Back from a long hiatus. For now a brief summary of the last month or so.

the Christmas program at school went really well. Some of us who stayed late to clean up were abandoned by the bus driver thought and eventually made it home in different cars. We heard later that he was seriously reprimanded by the administration.

My trip home to cali was wonderful! It was a lot colder than I expected, esp. coming from a cold climate. I did a lot of relaxing and having a ton of fun with family and friends. It was bitter sweet to come back to honduras but i feel this is more my home now and was very excited to get back. beto and amber met me at the airport and a few hours later beto and i were on the bus to go back home. My plane trip was great becasue i had a window seat and slept most of the 5 hour flight. we stopped in el salvador and went to the gate printed on my ticket, which was wrong. the workers told me to run to the other terminal because the plane was a bout to leave for honduras! i did run as much as i could with all my carry on(a sax for my principal he ordered online and sent to my parents). i made it just in time, i think i was the last one on the plane. it was only a 30 min. flight to tegucigalpa.

the first week back at school was great..i've resolved to not stress out about this job the rest of the school year! i really enjoy being with my students and it's not nearly as cold now! good thing i brought back like 25 pounds of warm clothes!!! i also brought back here dunkin donuts from teguc. and a box of see's candies which my neighbors have loved. i'm not looking forward to washing clothes by hand tomorrow, however.

when we arrived both fridges were covered in mold b/c we'd turned them off and left the doors closed. I'm glad we came back a day early because we spent all last saturday thoroughly cleaning them, the stoves, the apts. (beto's and mine) and trading them from his to mine, and cleaning all the mold from my windows and book case. i hadn't opened the windows and it was rainy season, but it was cold, but all is well now!

in the meantime, i'm opening a bookstore in town sometime this year, it's going to be the first here, and i need any/all used books/magazines in english and spanish! ask me or my mom for my address,. i can't post it here.

Happy New Year and fotos to come. you know how it is!