Life going easy...

Well, the infamous stitches (7 to be more exact now) will be removed tomorrow. Yippeee! I'm so ready to have these things out of my finger and have this finger back to full working order. Smile...I'm sure it will still be a bit longer, but oh well!! Thanks for all the prayers. I'm hoping and expecting a good word from the Dr. tomorrow.

An interesting fact that I've slowly been realizing lately...some of you know that it is the custom here to greet a friend with a kiss to each cheek upon first meeting and upon leaving at the end...I'm slowly getting used to this and am able to participate in this part of the culture in a more relaxed fashion....though with guys and people I don't know well it is still rather uncomfortable to me..Grin. Anyway, so I have discovered recently that the Spaniards have figured out how to include this part of their culture in their written conversations as well (such as texts, emails, letters, etc.). It took me a bit (though I'm not sure why) to figure out why everyone was ending their messages to me with "besos", "bss", or "kisses"... ("besos" is Spanish for "kisses), but they are incorporating the two kisses of greeting & fairwell in their written missives.. Thought this was interesting and I'd share my little discovery.. grin! Another little bit to add to this...Greeks begin their greeting kisses on the left cheek, while Spaniards begin on the right...this made for an awkward and very funny confusion when saying goodbye to a Greek friend of mine the other day...haha...I'll leave the rest to your imaginations!

Well, the family here continues to do well...thankfully all are back to full health again. Thanks for the prayers. I'm continuing to ask the Lord to give me new ideas for teaching the girls English in a way that is interesting and would appreciate your prayers and any ideas you may have on this subject.. Smile.

Also a matter of prayer: my younger girls have been rather irritable lately. I'm not sure the cause of their attitudes, but have been praying much for them and for my reaction. As I've become more comfortable with living here, I've also felt like relaxing in the way I react to the girls' attitudes, words, anger, etc... It is my prayer that I will continue to be patient and loving no matter what they say or do. It is very frustrating at times when I am treated with little to no respect, as though my being the adult doesn't matter. I continue to remind myself that these girls don't have Christ in their lives and weren't raised with mind set as I was. I want to be an example for these girls... They really are precious! I love the moments when we're snuggled on the bed for me to read to the youngest before bed, or when one of them is enjoying the bubble bath I managed to create for them without bubblebath soap, or when I hear the girls all laughing together playing something...there are also the times when they are so excited and attentive in their English class, or they're giggling over a game of "I Spy" while drinking a chocolate in some cafe...there are so many other wonderful moments... The Lord is teaching me much through my time with these girls, for example holding my tongue (grin). It has been encouraging to know that I must be having some impact on them through small comments they make or sentences they use about me when we're playing hangman together. Thank you for all your prayers for this family...continue to join with me in prayer for their salvation!

For those of you in Missouri and probably most of the surrounding area...stay warm! I hear that it's amazingly freezing cold there right now...my source is the radio station 88.3 out of Springfield (gotta love internet and all the possibilities it provides). Enjoy the upcoming sunny Saturday! God bless you all...