Tomorrow around this time I will be on my way to the Miami airport to head back down to South America. Perhaps I’m a little sad that I have to leave my family again, but I’m glad to be able to get back to school and be with my friends and whatnot.

The wedding was nice, and I will have some pictures posted eventually [Update: they are now posted on Flickr]. We spent a few afternoons at the beach as well, but it was so windy each day it was hardly fun to be there. More fun was spending time at the hotel where the family was staying. I’ve done some shopping for some “necessities” to bring back, and I think my extra suitcase is now full. I’ll find out when I pack tomorrow.

Please pray for the trip. The one up was great, and I’m sure the Lord can make the one back down great too. I’d really like the seats to myself this time (which is why I fly on off days), but I won’t complain if I don’t have them. The next time I write, I’ll be back in my house in Lambaré.

-j

Well, the flight was fine, and I’m back in the States for a few days. The only problem I had was that the guy in front of me, yet much smaller than me, spent the entire (day) trip reclined, and I’m pretty sure his seat went back farther than most. I couldn’t even clearly watch the TV screen that was on it without slouching myself, because I didn’t want to cause as much discomfort to the lovely couple behind me. But I shan’t complain…I’m here, and that’s what matters.

Today we went shopping for a suit. I’m down 2 jacket sizes and several inches in the pant. That is always good news.

Tonight Rob and Julie and I are going out for Chinese, and then we have church. Tomorrow Jenny and Chris get here, and Friday my family gets here. It’s gonna be good times.

-j

When I had a dog, I didn’t think I was ready to be a dad. Lucy was completely insane and would often bark when it was time to sleep for no apparent reason. I remember getting so angry with her that I was bordering on getting violent, and then afterward I felt so bad and said to myself there’s no way I can have a kid yet. I was afraid I’d get too angry and beat someone.

Lately I’m realizing something: having a kid and having a dog are two separate things. Like I’ve mentioned before, I’ve experienced disciplining a child when you’d prefer not to. As much as my kids drive me to anger on nearly a daily basis when they won’t shut up, I honestly love each one of them and care for them like they would be my own children. I am super eager to threaten them with punishment, but when it comes time to actually carry it out, sometimes I almost can’t do it. On Thursday I had to stay firm and write a kid up when I didn’t want to, and his teacher said it’s good I did.

Also I see kids I wish I could adopt. There’s one absolutely precious girl in my first grade class, and I am completely serious when I say if I found out she was an orphan, I’d be making some phone calls to find out if adoption is a possibility. Turns out she has both parents at home. Twice so far I’ve come across students with visible castigations that make my blood boil. I actually saw it on one of my kids, and the other one just told me that the day before she had been punished and had marks. I remember being punished pretty severely at times, and I might have even had a bruise or two, but seeing it in my little darlings here throws my guardian instincts into a panic. I love them so much and never want them to hurt.

I feel that way with so many of my kids. I want them to succeed. I want them to feel safe. I want them to feel loved and have a positive self-image. Many of my students I know already have good homes and have everything I’d want to give them. But the ones who I’m not so sure about…they’re the ones who I want to take home with me. There are kids in each class that make me ponder, “I hope I have a kid like that some day.” Maybe I will…maybe I will.

-j

Last week being Holy Week, the school was shut down and our church had a smallish camp at this place we’re (read: Oscar’s) now in charge of that we call “La Quinta San Antonio” (for those of you who recognize the name of the hotel chain, I found out that “la quinta” essentially means “the big house”). San Antonio is the locality the house is in, right on the Rio Paraguay. The opposite bank, at least from where the house is, is Argentina.

I remember sitting at the campfire on the last night wishing I had something to write on. My thoughts were so centered on “time with God” – the theme – that I totally forgot to do the other things I had planned to do, like go over some teaching plans with Karen and interview more of the Sisters for our recipe book. So on Friday, as we sat around a blaze just talking, all I wanted to do was write about the experience. Of course, by now I feel it’s more a duty than a desire, but I’m hoping I can rekindle the flame, so to speak.

First, a story. We were recently allowed use of a drum set, which obviously makes the younger kids pretty psyched. I enjoy seeing the teens interested in making music that glorifies God, so I include myself once in a while. I can’t remember what I ended up supposed to be doing, but on Wednesday afternoon I was just messing around on the drum set. The guy who was leading thought it was funny because I had to move my entire body to be able to use my hands and the bass. The surprise came later in the afternoon when the original drummer said I was to play that night. So I played, and it was just OK in my opinion because I had no bass drum. I ended up playing the rest of the week, and I can even kind of use my foot now.

Friday night I was challenged by the message to create a place to spend time with God. Sort of an “alter” of sorts that’s just for me and God. No one else can come in there, and when I’m there it’s time to worship and pray. Space in my house is limited, so it’s probably more of a mindspace than an actual spot in the house, but I think that’s something I need. A place I can go to retreat after a long day at school to thank God for today and give tomorrow to Him. Spend time in prayer and reading of the Word. There’s a corner in my room that doesn’t really have anything much in it. Maybe I could buy a small chair to put there for my quiet times.

The camp ended all too soon, and the next one here is in January, so I don’t think I’ll be able to get to another one. I know of a possible one in Argentina in July that Steven and I will probably find a way to get to, so if you want to come, let me know!

-j

I normally have Monday’s off, but this one was special because this week I also have Tuesday through Friday off. One of the perks of working in an entirely Catholic country is that we take the Christian holidays pretty seriously here. Most people in the States probably don’t even know it’s Holy Week, but hardly a person here doesn’t. The school is closed this week to celebrate the Passion and Resurrection of Christ.

I wanted to head to the city to look for a wedding present for my cousin. Ben told me of a sweet little shop that I will probably take all my guests to from now on. The matron even speaks English. Anyway, I’m not going to say what I got her, because she’ll probably read it and that wouldn’t be cool, but I will say it’s a cool traditional Paraguayan thing.

After that, I went to this bookstore that I want to go in every time I pass it. It looks like it mostly has old books, but I was interested in comics. I’ve wanted to get a few of my favorite titles in Spanish, mostly for nostalgia. I came across three bins full of Superman comics and picked up 6.

By then I was hungry, so I decided to double back and hit up this Burger King I saw earlier. I wanted to see if they did it the same way. Bottom line, they do. Only here it’s nicer because it’s a little swankier (they have doormen), and a little cheaper. Not *much* cheaper, and certainly not cheap by Paraguayan standards. I had a Furious Whopper, which they said was new, and it was delicious.

After that I high-tailed it home because I had to meet Ben and Vivi at 1 so we could come out to San Antonio for a missionary meeting. I enjoyed my Monday. I might do it again sometime.

-j