Erin's diagnosis

Erin has come and gone. Her flight was cancelled so we got to spend two more days together. She wasn't so excited about that, but things turned out fine. I was really sick the whole time however, and am just now starting to feel better. I haven't really been at work in two weeks, so it feels good to get back to normal - which is actually always changing. We got a new girl in the house two days ago and one that has been here a year just left this morning.
Erin sees I've changed a lot and doesn't like it. I knew I was changing within the first few months here, and I didn't like it much either. I've since trusted that if the Lord has brought me here then it's for His glory and my good, and in the end I'll be more Christlike. Pain is a precious gift that God uses too much to take it away from us. So why would I mourn what's been lost and what's been found, when God is so obviously working on me?

who have you noticed today?

For the past 6 days I and a few others have been trained in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention, First Aid and CPR. We just finished our last exam, and I'm glad to be off for the next 5 days (my sister is coming!). I enjoy learning new things, but even more, I enjoy knowing that what I've been doing is what I am supposed to be doing.
It's also exciting to have another thing to add to my resume. I don't know why I care much about building up a resume, but figure that maybe some day, someone somewhere will hopefully be impressed by me. It isn't an odd thing to hope for, but possibly prideful. Or is it just the human desire to be noticed? The desire that our lives be significant to someone?

A quote from "Shall We Dance?":

"We need a witness to our lives. There's a billion people on the planet...I mean, what does any one life really mean? But in a marriage, you're promising to care about everything. The good things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things...all of it, all of the time, every day. You're saying 'Your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go un-witnessed because I will be your witness.' "

Another quote from a British chap:

"Life would be stunted and narrow if we could feel no significance in the world around us beyond that which can be weighed and measured with the tools of the physicist or described by the metrical symbols of the mathematician."
Sir Arthur Eddington

What would our hearts do if no one considered us worthy of something or useful for anything? Who have you noticed today?

cutting back, but lighting up

I believe I've gone to the doctor for the last time. Fifth time's a charm! There's still questions and concerns, that I am probably not allowing to be answered until I speak to an American in America. The pain has ceased, which is a great relief, but there is now another thing that hurts. I have had to cut out caffeine, chocolate and nuts. Grieve with me.
On a brighter note, I had the lovely opportunity of touring a cigar factory today. Did y'all know that Dominican cigars have the highest ratings? Please place your orders, and mail your checks to the address I've listed on a previous post. Include some dill pickles if you want them to come in a nice case or box. I just enjoyed half of one (they're pretty strong), and although I know little about how to rate a cigar, I'm proud to say that I live amongst some of the finest and most professional tobacco manufacturers.

a crazy late night

Two of my girls stayed up late last night (well, until 10:00) to spend time with me. My mom had sent me tons of candy for Christmas that I wasn't going to eat, so I brought it out for them to binge on. Well, after they ate some really pretty packaged ones, one of the girls said that it "burned" her throat. She looked on the box to check the ingredients...to see that they were filled with kahlua! The box read "Not to be sold to or consumed by anyone under 21 years of age". The girls thought this was hilarious and deemed it their most fun late night ever.
I called my mom, who was attempting to help me get through my holidays without completely breaking the rules. Don't worry. I confessed it to my boss today.

2005

On New Year's Eve my fellow groupleaders and I disassembled an entire pig - skin, ears, tail, hooves...everything. And then we ate it.
That night a group of us watched the fireworks shoot up across the valley from our hillside campus. Memorable.
I love not knowing what the year ahead holds. It's crazy to think about all the changes from this past year; I'm truly thankful for being down here, the friends I've made, and the girls I work beside.
A verse that comes to mind: "When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future." Eccl. 7:14
Grace and peace to you this coming year.