School started on Monday, and I was doing okay. There are approximately 7 million children in my class (okay, 42) so it was a little loud, but I laid down the rules and was basically a hard-ass. There are a few changes to school this year:

1. We have to wear uniforms. Polo shirts and jeans. The polo shirts don’t bother me that much (aside from the ugliness factor of a polo on a woman), but I really don’t like to wear jeans. I prefer a skirt or dress, or if need be, a pair of khakis. So, I will have to adjust, and it is going to suck big time when it’s 99 degrees outside with 97% humidity. 

2. The high school has a new principal. She was the grammar teacher last year. She’s young, no nonsense, and runs a school like it should be run. I am happy for Jd, because I feel this will improve his experience in school. 

3. The principal I am not a fan of is now on maternity leave, which means that I will not have to see her until…THE END OF APRIL!!!!!!

 

I also was informed today that we will be splitting both first and second grade into two classes. Praise the Lord because there is no way work can get done with 42 second graders and 39 first graders.

We have a parent meeting today, in which one mom said we should just hire an assistant because then her son can stay with his friends. How about school is for learning and he can see his friends at recess? This mom also complained because her son got home at 1 today and used to get home at 12. She told us that we needed to let the kids eat lunch at 12 so they aren’t hungry when they leave at 1. Um, how about this is first grade so we get out later? And, let’s try this one on for size…your kid will not starve to death in one hour, and they get to eat at 10 anyways, so feed them breakfast and then send something good. She then told us if she sent the food it would get cold by ten. Um, tough poop lady. The women here baby their children so much and then wonder why the adult men can’t do anything productive. DUH!

That’s pretty much it for now. 

Today was our first day at school. It was a teacher work day, and of course, the others have been there all week. I got up about 6:45 and went for a run, it felt nice to get out in the cool morning. When I got back, Jd and I both took showers and got ready to head to school. I was blowdrying my hair and panic came on. It said this to me “This is so stupid living here. You just took a cold shower, and those are all you will have for the next year, ect.” So, I am praying like a mad-woman, praying against evil, praying for protection, praying for freedom. I stand up, JD comes out of the bathroom, says something or another about school, and the waterworks start. So, I cry, a sob, actually, and am pretty sure Ruth and Arturo know I have been weeping the past two days. Jd and I pray, and we head to school. 

I get to school, Ms. Alicia is thrilled to see us, and I learn that I will be the head teacher for second grade again this year. I go into my room and start decorating. Over our trip to Texas, I got some school decor things and laminate them, and then when I get here, I can just put them up and be done with it. Well, I decorated my room in one day, which is amazing considering that last year it took nearly three days. It’s amazing how fast it went. I also got my list of second grade students and one of my favorites is back! This kid is hilarious, so I am sure I will enjoy having him. God also answered a prayer of mine, in which I asked that the teacher I work with be someone I love. And, it is! It’s Miss Gloria, who taught first grade last year. I felt a little anxious in the afternoon, but by the time I was ready to go home, I was feeling okay. 

The day ended with playing the Wii, watching TV with Jd on the big TV, and calling my family on Skype. Praise God that He is faithful, He is good, and He is in charge of everything. He listens to prayer, He answers, and He never leaves us. Ever. Even in the Honduras, even in the cold shower, even in the cinder-block classroom, even on the lawn furniture couch we now have, He is there.

  This kid, Marcos, he’ll be in my class again, and I am thrilled!

We got up this morning, got on our flight to Houston, got to Tegucigalpa, all of our luggage was there. No mishaps, (not counting the things I had to remove from my bag because of weight, and the bottle of ranch that was confiscated) and very stress free. In fact, the most stressful part was actually yesterday freaking out all day because of the weather. Arturo, Ruth, and the girls came to airport to pick us up, and we drove the 1 1/2 hours to Danli in true Honduran style. Car packed full of luggage, two women, two teenagers in the backseat, the men in the front. It was hot, I was sweating on the ride, and being squished never helps that. 

So, now that you all know we arrived, let’s talk about the other events of the day. The events in my mind. Now, I am a panicker. I have anxiety, I get nervous about just about everything, and definitely anything new or unknown. So, I am cool as a cucumber as we effortlessly get on our flights and drink our Starbucks and talk and share. We get out of the airport, into the car, and start driving, and I immediately think “What the heck was I thinking coming back here?”, followed quickly by “I could be working with my favorite kids as TSA”, followed by “I want to go home”, followed by “I miss my mom and my family”, followed by “This is a bad idea”, followed by “oh my gosh, I will never make it out alive and the next year is going to be hell”, and then praying that Jesus would return soon so I wouldn’t have to live here any longer, or that we would get kicked out of the country. I calm myself on the car drive by praying and thinking of how our house will be just the same as it was, and everything will be fine. We get home from the airport and walk in, and our couch has been replaced by some iron patio furniture. Now normally, I would be fine, but that was not the case today. I burst into tears. Like, a serious burst. 

For the next two hours, while cleaning and putting things away, I intermittently sob, pray, cry out to Jesus, and lay on the floor. I want to go home, I am not going to survive this year, and oh my Lord, please come back soon. Jd leaves after the first sob, as I declare that I am fine, I won’t cry anymore, I have things to do. He returns with our car about an hour later, and I walk down to open the door, and I am crying. He is laughing because there is something stuck to my butt, however, this fails to amuse me. I begin to cry and ask for a hug and share that I am not going to make it this year. He comforts me, we pray and talk, and then he reminds me that I did this same exact thing the day we got here last year. I had forgotten that. I didn’t think I would survive last year.

You see, that is where I tend to walk right into panic attacks. I have a fear of being stuck in an awful situation, and so I project that I will feel this panicky every single day for the next year and never be okay and cry all the time, and I just won’t survive. But, if I just take a moment and remember some truth, things tend to calm down. For instance, Jesus talks about not borrowing trouble from tomorrow, cause it’s got it’s own troubles. Because, yes, in this moment, I am sad. I miss my family, I am nervous about school, and that’s okay. It’s not okay for me to worry because I might one day this year be lonely, or because I might have struggles that are going to be hard even though they are not here today.  I am going to let Jesus handle that. Or at least, I am going to try to let Jesus handle that. 

Jd reminded me of some truth today. He reminded me that God answered every single prayer I had yesterday. I prayed that we would get her smoothly, that we would get all our luggage. He answered that. Jd also reminded me that God carried me through last year, which had language difficulties and culture shock. This year, He will carry me also.

And so, I ask for your prayers. And, I hope this lawn furniture becomes comfortable because right now, it’s not.

.  

 

We are heading home Wednesday morning at 5:30 in the morning. Home=Honduras?  Home=Texas? Home=Heaven. That’s the one I know for sure. I have spent the last few days soaking up time with my family, and Diet DP at Quik Trip. We saw our good friends Courtney and DJ on Friday for a farewell coffee and cheesecake. We ate dinner with Brian and Laura, which was a short but sweet time.  We also got a lot of donations, including some new Wii games, clothing, and monetary donations. We also had Missions Sunday at Hillside Community Church. We were introduced in the service, and then there was a potluck last night for all of us missionaries. It was a good time to be encouraged, and to encourage others to come visit. 

Today I got things packed up, went looking for some more Wii games at Half Price Books. I ended up getting two magazines and a book, for only $5. We also ran some errands, got things laminated and cut out for my classroom, and ran 9 miles at the gym. I would say it was productive. We ate our last Jason’s Deli meal this evening for dinner, and really enjoyed it. My dad, Ellen, Kyle, Joey, and Max ate with us, and we relished our salad bar and soup. I love soup.

We are excited to go home, but I am feeling just a little bit of anxiety. You see, I just struggle with change. I used to get anxious before each new semester at school, nervous before vacations, and had a general feeling of uneasiness each and every Sunday night, knowing that a whole new week of unknowns was coming up. I was thinking today that I really feel that this year will be a lot easier at school. First of all, we know the routine, or lack of, and know what is expected of us at school. Secondly, teaching is a beating when you can’t speak the language, and now that we are able to communicate well, school should really be better. I am also feeling encouraged about the amount of feedback we have gotten about the orphanage. Many people were interested in investing both money and time in our project and I am feeling confident that God will provide all we need and more. So, as we head back this year, I am hopeful, excited, and nervous to see what the Lord is going to do. 

As you think of us this year, please pray for health, guidance from the Lord, and that our marriage remains strong. Pray also for the children who will live in our orphanage, that the Lord will provide the money we need, and for relationships we have in Danli to be strengthened.

 

And, as requested by Andra, more pictures: 

  Eating at Jason’s with Dad and Ellen

All the Hondurans. Elvira, Ruth, Arturo, and Jim.

Speaking at the PotLuck

Ruth, Arturo, and Elvira visit the Spanish Immersion Class

Jd and Max have a Dance Party!

 Paul, Kathryn, and me!

Us and those Hofmanns. We love you!

We go home in six days. I am ready, but not ready. Does that make sense? I made some things for my classroom tonight, a huge birthday calender, and some other signs and posters, and I started thinking about how I just want to be with the same kids as last year. I mean, I guess it’s good that they are in third grade now, but part of me dreads the idea of the first graders I had last year being in my class again. Some of them were TERRIBLE! I pray that this year, as I am more aware of how things function in Honduras, maybe my temper will be a little less obvious. I never lost it, but , lordy lord, there were time I just wanted to scream bad words. Really bad words.

I also need to confess something…

I enjoy listening to…K$sha. And, I hope Ivan is at our school again this year. He’s hilarious.

 

 

One year ago today, Jd and I got on an airplane with our cat in a carrier, six bags, a safe and DVD player in JD’s backpack, and some big dreams in our hearts. One year later, we are savoring our last few days here in the states, and spending time with our Honduran friends who are here to visit. We are officially booked for everyday until we leave, so if you wanted to make plans, well, try again next year.

We will spend the next week taking the gang to visit the Spanish Immersion class at my mom’s school, meeting our Village friends and touring the campuses. We are also going to try to make time to ride my dad’s new 4 wheeler. We will also be volunteering at the Union Gospel Mission in Fort Worth, playing soccer, and just hanging out in general. They are also coming to eat dinner with my family on Wednesday night. It will be a very jam-packed, busy week. Next Sunday is mission Sunday at Hillside Community Church in Keller, Arturo will be speaking, and it is a great opportunity to learn all about what’s going on in missions. 

 

It is hard to believe our time here is almost over. I am nervous about returning yet, excited. I have missed our Honduran friends, I have missed our cat, I have missed the convenience of the pulperias. I have not missed being “hollered” at, or waiting in line for millions of years at the grocery store, or cold showers. 

And so, Danli, we will see you in ten days. 

 

Tomorrow is Martin Luther King Jr. Day here in America. Often this holiday is overlooked as just another day off or a day about a guy who did some stuff in the ’60s and wrote some letters and then got shot. I admit I have thought this way before, but there is more to this holiday that just a day off.

The Lord used this man to change our world. He gave MLK such grace and ability to fight against the horrible sin that is racism. Think about how different our world would be if he would have not obeyed when the Lord struck his heart. Praise God that he obeyed the Lord, that he stood up for the masses who couldn’t stand up for themselves. Our schools, our churches, our stores, our lives would a lot less beautiful if this man would have just stood by and took the abuse doled out. 

The truth is that God is not a God of white people. God is a God of every tongue, tribe, and nation on the earth. So tomorrow, as we all enjoy our day off, remember the man of God who died fighting for the least of these.

Thank you Lord for this man who fought for equality for all mankind.

These are a few random thoughts that have been on my mind as of late.

1. Rapunzel’s hair was really long, yet she never tripped over it, nor did it get tangled or gross. I pondered this the entire time I was watching “Tangled”. How is this possible?

2. The last two days I have eaten at places where I have had to drink my diet coke out of a bottle, not just out of a fountain, thus making me remember the one thing I got most annoyed at in Honduras. Just put it in my cup, dang!

3. I bought a new pair of men’s workout shorts and a new dress at Old Navy yesterday. Thank you gift card.

4. Can you take a sewing machine as a carry-on? I have been doing some sewing, as well as “Sprucing-up” a Christmas present, and well, I want my sewing machine in Honduras.

5. Last Friday, I wept in the kitchen of a friend because Jd and I were running quite low on funds. We prayed over my anxiety. Then on Sunday, I prayed again that our money would be deposited, and on Monday morning we found out we got a very generous donation, then went to dinner with some new friends on Tuesday and they donated a very generous sum to us. God does provide.

6. Really, I love Quik Trip. I praise the Lord for this establishment.

7. Finally saw “The Social Network”. We watched it with the Spanish subtitles, thus teaching me the word for “Network” in Spanish, as well as many other words I have wanted to know but knew not to ask about. You know, cuss words.

8. The picture of the man who murdered the people in Tuscon last week, scares me to death. It takes some real balls to smile like a crazy dude in your mug shot, like he must really be crazy.

9. Our dog stole the lighter fluid off the grill of my parents. She is really special sometimes (but really good, so trust me, you want her).

10. Today Oprah told the people in her crowd that to “Live Your Best Life” you needed to clean the clutter out of your house. I find this to be true. We have few belongings in Honduras, thus not much clutter. I guess I just found this statement to be ironic as it came out of the mouth of a woman who owns like ten houses. And after the next commercial break, she told everyone the top fashion things to buy for 2011. Um, contradicting messages, anyone?

11. Jonathan Edwards has a list of resolution that, well, I think only Jesus could really uphold. There is one I just think is ridiculous. He resolves to not speak anything that causes laughter on the Sabbath. Hmmmm….other than that, love the list. 

12. We are going to eat at Jason’s Deli this evening. Love Jason’s. 

We have been enjoying our time here in the States. Here are a few pictures of what we have been up:

Here we are with Ruth and Arturo, as they dropped us off at the airport!

Jd got to meet his hero, the ESPN writer, Bill Simmons.

Max spent the night with us and we spent time reading and hanging out.

Mikey came over to make Christmas cookies, we also went to see “Tangled” and had pizza.

We went to Littlefield for a few days to celebrate Christmas, then came home right before Christmas so we could be at my mom’s for Christmas morning.

We celebrated New Year’s Eve at Kyle and Joey’s house, playing games and watching the ball drop.

Max and I practice our “Ice Cream Headache” faces at Chic-fil-A.

Max was my date to Landry and Jen’s wedding because Jd had a migraine with stabbing eye-ball pain of death. We had fun looking at the horses and dancing. I really missed JD, but had a good time with Max and the rest of the family. We still have three weeks left here, and will be totally busy. Ruth and Arturo are coming to visit for the Missions Conference at Hillside Community Church, we will also be taking them to visit our friends at the Village. We have lots of dinners planned and a few shopping trips to make. I also plan on enjoying every last minute I have with a warm shower, the treadmill, and Quik Trip. 

Well, it is December 31, 1020. The last day of a rather epic year in our household. Lots of moments occurred in the past year that I would like to forget (i.e. getting splashed with cow poop), but more than those times, today I have been reflecting on the faithfulness of the Lord in the past year. There have been more blessings this past year that I even know of, and I pray that 2011 brings the same joy, peace, and longing for Christ that 2010 did.

So, I am going to make a list of my favorite moments of the past year. Please enjoy.

1. After arriving in Teguc, we took  our cat inside a Church’s Chicken because I did not want to leave him in the car. Don’t worry, it’s totally legal in Honduras.

2. Hearing Carlos Armando tell me he wanted to pray for Jesus to come into his heart.

3. Watching Ruth, Arturo, and JD ribbon dance in the living room.

4. Having kids at school ask me “Que significa ‘Douchebag’?” 

5. Singing “I Will Not Be Afraid” with second grade for Parent’s Day.

6. Eating Carne Asada in Ms. Alicia’s backyard.

7. Realizing the “Party Bus” is actually a car with a stereo strapped on the back that just drives around to annoy us in the middle of the night. I really thought it was a party bus. It was not.

8. Reading the comments our kids at school write on our Facebook pages “Que Horror!”

9. Visiting Cayos Cochinos with my family.

10. When Max got “slain in the spirit” at church. He was so full of the Holy Spirit he took our his paci and screamed.

11. Getting to visit the people in the trash dump with my dad.

12. Getting a package full of delicious yummy food. Well, we actually got a few of these and I was overjoyed each time.

13. Crying in PriceMart because I was so relieved to see American things.

14. When it rained during Parent’s Day.17

15. Discovering “Man vs. Food” “Community” and “Breaking Bad”.

16. Having a birthday party on Fransisco’s land, complete with pinata and watermelon.

17. Watching God provide all we need after the flood.

18. Running with the cows.

19. Listening to Abi laugh and sing. It’s especially awesome when she doesn’t know we are listening.

20. Bit Torrent

21. Having the group from Tennessee visit, TWICE!

22. Having Hillside Community Church visit, TWICE!!!!!

23. The day the new grocery store opened in Danli. (and a student exclaimed “Mister, it’s like Kroger)

24. Discovering Asado el Gordo, and tacos Catracho.

25. Praying with Ruth and Arturo over JD when he was ill.

26. Introducing all our family members to our Honduran family.

27. The day Dilieth brought a rear-view mirror to school in her backpack.

28. The day the stray dog ran into class, stole a lunch, and ran back out.

29. Playing soccer with the Hillside ladies.

30. All the days we actually had electricity.

 

The Lord has given us many moments of laughter, a few tears, and many opportunities to learn more about Him. We can only hope and pray that this next year will go as smoothly as 2010 did, and that we continue to listen to what God is calling us to do in Honduras.