well, this is embarassing...

I think I will keep apologizing about my lack of blog posts until the cows come home...or more likely, til I get home to the states and there will really be no need to document the life I am living with the friends and family who read this blog ;)  But I DO want to summarize what has been happening on the Grenada side of things for the past two weeks or so...

The Photo Auction turned out well.  Not as well as I had hoped, but we still raised almost $2,000EC, and those who came said they had a really great time.  I will post pictures later because I am currently using the sketchy computer that can choose to shut down on me at any point in time...but I am hoping that if we continue to do the Photo Auction every term that it will become a bigger and better fundraiser eventually :)  Now all we have is the 5K run [next Saturday] and possibly one last bake sale... :)

Some of you know that I also started babysitting a little kiddo down here, and so that has been taking at least 5 hours of my day every day since last week.  However, his mom decided to send him home, and so he is leaving Saturday.  It was a great blessing to have a bit of income for a while, and he was/is a cute kid...

I also attended one of the bi-weekly "Breakfast Clubs" hosted by the Social Coordinators of the SO Board. It was at a little hotel called Le Paplillion [spelling??] and I LOVED it.  It was a perfect, quaint little venue and they had REAL tea cups [Mom - gold lined! Just like the chocolate place in Amstelveen!] for serving tea and specialty coffee drinks [very cute] and some great breakfast dishes.  I ended up getting a Morning Glory muffin, but Natalie got a chocolate croissant and let me try a few bites - it was AWESOME!!! Made me wish my roomies were here and we could venture over there together for our old "breakfast club" get-togethers...ah well...I can imagine ;)  And we can find something similar state-side [or I can bake some muffins for us!!!] and have eachother's company anyway - which is better than any location ;)

I have also been to the doctor's office twice since my last post.  The doc suggested I go on a low dose of hypothyroid meds since my blood levels showed up a little low.  She thought this might help my body release the right amount of hormones again and might sort things out...either way, she suggested trying it for 2 months and then to "let her know, because it's a good clinical test" - ha!!!  Anyway, I am currently finishing up the oral anti-fungal meds since the cream wasn't doing it completely afterall...but alas, I am still itchy.  So I've made an appointment with a dermatologist when I get home in the states.  *Sigh*  I am really wondering if the US will just "fix" all my health problems?? I feel quite ridiculous...

If any of you remember me talking about the art auction for the orphanages here last term, they had another one last night.  I bid on a couple things, but was eventually out-bid, but it was still fun.  I think last semester was better attended, but it was still a good time and I was glad to see a lot of the art work of kids I know from Bel Air :)  I have actually missed the last two Tuesdays of tutoring and going there since I had doctor appointments, and she was only available on Tuesdays, so hopefully all will be well next Tuesday and back to normal...

Two of our sisters [Anna and J's sister, Victoria] turned the big 2-1 this week, one day apart :)  HAPPY BIRTHDAY again, ladies!!! We hope it was great, and miss you all tons! :)

The countdown has officially begun and I have 33 days to go until I am boarding a plane and heading back home!  

Well, this seems to be a rather spastic recount of the two weeks, but I wanted to catch everyone up.  If you could all be praying for me - health wise and mentally-wise [word??] since I feel very antsy and disoriented [maybe disorganized is a better word? Mix the two...] at times...unable to sit down and focus on much at all, and just anxious, I guess.  I don't necessarily feel stressed, but I am still discouraged that the fungus isn't going away, and nervous about the thyroid stuff.  I also feel like I have been lacking good, edifying time in the Word, as well as deep fellowship.  I know that part of this is my own doing as I have been more of a home body this term, and I also feel a bit apathetic since I am coming home so soon...I don't know.  Hopefully that makes sense, but please be praying for us! J is still doing well, but he only has about 5 weeks until finals, too, so he will be busy til the end, and as always, he is in need of just as much encouragement as I am, too.  We are eager to be home and at Immanuel for a bit of a breather - what a blessing our church family is to us!  We are so grateful to know what good, solid teaching looks like, as well as what relationships should be like that spur us on towards godliness.  Pray that I can be an example of that here, and I wouldn't be lazy about it - even though we are leaving soon. 

We have a long weekend this weekend, so J is planning on spending today and tomorrow studying and then having Sunday/Monday to chill out a bit.  We are hoping to have one of our friends over for dinner on Easter as well [it seems weird that it is Easter - again, nothing changes to "mark" it for us, really, haha...] and then I don't really know what he has in mind to do.  He gets to choose, usually...since he is the one with the most limited time :)  

May your Easter Sunday be one that encourages you...

...to see God as holy and perfectly righteous

...to recognize the sin you have committed within and without, and the standing it gives you before Him

...to run to Christ, the perfect Savior who was sent to make propitiation for YOUR sin

...to recognize your need for the forgiveness He has provided through His death on the cross and resurrection three days later

...to turn to Him for full forgiveness, repenting and trusting in His work alone

...to long for His return

This is truth, and it requires a response from each and every one of us - God has provided a way...will you see your need and honor Him as Lord of your life?  

May this be true of us DAILY, and especially a gracious reminder for us this Easter!
Much love to everyone from Grenada!