Random Thoughts

No theme really tonight, just some things I would bore you with if we were together right now:

I haven´t worn lipstick in nearly 6 weeks. I looked around during our first few days and noticed I was the only woman in this country that owned some and that I probably looked like a prostitute. So I have been using my OSU mentholated lip balm that was a gift from Fran. Sorry, no picture. I promise to return to my regular personal hygiene methods when I return home so that you don´t have to see the ¨fresh from the coffin¨look that I am sporting here.

Speaking of looks, I have decided that international travel is the way to go if you need an ego boost about your appearance. People in other cultures have a really hard time guessing our ages (and we can´t guess theirs either) and when I travel to another country, nearly 100% of the time, people think I am 10-15 years younger than I am. Really throws them off when I introduce my daughter! In the US, I am on the verge of ¨old and fat¨ but here, all they want to talk to Erin and I about are our ¨beautiful eyes¨. They never even look down at the hip size! This is the first time I have traveled to a place where I look so different than the locals. We stand out very clearly and get regular comments and noises from bus and taxi drivers. We´ve learned to ignore pretty well and if Raul (age 38, short, round, very funny) is with us when it happens, he always yells ¨Gracias!¨ like they were talking to him. Hilarious every time.

I am completely sick to death of the clothes I brought with me. We wear the same 3-4 things over and over and over and over and over......... I am leaving some things here with Marcela because I now hate them so much I will never wear them again and others I am thinking about burning when I get home, unless any of you would like them. Bright pink polo shirt, anyone?????

We have been having a blast with our friends here the last few days. Our readers all want a piece of us since we are leaving so soon. We went to dinner at a reader´s house last night (I barely escaped having to learn to salsa-would NOT have been pretty!) and then 6 readers and some church members went with us to join the other team and their readers for some outdoor games at 11 pm then a bonfire. It was a blast and we didn´t get home till 2 am! On the ride home, there were 11 people in our taxi plus the driver. At least we were warm for a few minutes! Today, one of our readers joined us at the mall food court and came home with us. He walked us to a nearby business owned by his 3 sisters. We´ve been there, just didn´t know they were his family. They serve desserts that are wonderful! We sat outside in the mucho frio weather and ate pinapple cake and drank hot tea. Laughed our heads off.

Tomorrow morning, we meet at the church at 10 am with our readers, guests, and church members. We will catch a bus to a nearby city park to have a picnic as our last party. We are expecting a lot of people to join us to play ¨Duck, Duck, Goose¨, ¨Red Rover¨, and ¨Toilet Tag¨. Should be fun. Erin and I then hope to find a nearby place to get a pedicure before we head home to sandal weather. My right heel could cut iron about now, a little rough around the edges.

Our time is really winding down. I need to get home (it´s 9 pm) to make a brownie mix and a sugar cookie mix for tomorrow´s picnic. We have the party tomorrow, then Sunday is our last day here. We have worship in the morning, pack in the afternoon, back at church at 7pm for a ¨surprise¨from the church members (remind me to take kleenex), church at 8, then head to the airport. Our flight leaves at 12:30 am Monday morning, arriving in Atlanta at 7:15 your time. We land in Dallas at 12:30 pm Monday afternoon and have some free time. Tuesday morning, we have an endmeeting banquet with about 15 other teams that are arriving from all over the world, always one of the most exciting parts of the trip! We land in Tulsa at 6:15 Tues evening and can´t wait to see the faces of our loved ones.

Please pray for us to end things well here, for the safety of our trip, the arrival of our luggage at each destination, and our transition back into American society (it´s harder than it sounds after 6 weeks!). Love you all!