Please Pray for Esther

Please pray for Esther and her new little family, as they are all sick. I just got off the phone with her, and she was at the hospital, where they are keeping little Norbi for a couple days. He apparently has a lot of fluid in his lungs. Esther was trying to sleep in a chair, all that they could do for her without charging her more for a bed. Her husband is also sick, but still going in to work. They are just off to a REALLY rough, tight start, and Esther is under a lot of stress. Stress never helps healing, and when mommy is stressed, it effects baby and husband, too. I know Norbi, Sr. is under a lot of stress, trying to provide for everyone, but he's having a hard time finding consistent, reliable work. Esther is such a strong person, but she broke down briefly when on the phone with me, so I know she's feeling the pressures of life in a big way. Please pray for them!

Did you know the Chicken dance is a volleyball practice cool-down?

I just remembered something from today that was so funny it made me laugh as I was in bed and falling asleep. I decided it was worth getting up and documenting. At the end of volleyball practice today, we coaches were trying to figure out who should be our captains, based on team member vote and our own insight. We made the girls laps while we had our little pow-wow. Usually I have them do different drills like high knees and grapevine and shuffles, but we just told Liz, a junior, to lead them in whatever she wanted to do. We were anticipating she would follow my example... She starts them off just jogging the first few laps, but as we're standing there in a serious discussion, all of the sudden we notice the girls not running by, but walking by, and doing the chicken dance! We just laughed, shook our heads, and went on with our deliberations. Next time around, the girls are now doing the Skooby-Doo/Shaggy walk, with their heads way forward and their hips way forward. They looked hilarious, all in a row like that. Leave them to their own volition and this is what they choose to do. I couldn't help cracking up at them. I love the freedom that they embody. Sigh. So funny. And good night.

tired but happy

I come home spent every day, after volleyball practice and grading papers and unit planning and everything else. I'm so tired. But I LOVE what I do here. I love teaching for so many reasons, but the biggest one is the opportunity to invest in these kids lives. I love these kids! I love my job.

Ratatouilli (the real stuff)

As I sit at my desk in my classroom at 7pm after a long day of classes and volleyball practice, I am thankful for ratatouille (the food, not the movie). It's so delicious and so nutritious. For those of you who are not familiar with it, it's a combination of any number of vegetables cooked down on the stove top and lightly seasoned. The main ingredients are tomatoes, zuchini, onions, and I really like mine with eggplant and summer squash. Some olive oil and garlic start it all off, and then there really is nothing more to add, because the flavors of the vegetables take it from there, and it's SO good. I really should say I'm thankful for Beth Weaver, one of the missionary ladies here who makes this ratatouille that is my dinner. She has an appreciation for nutrition like I do and in addition to ratatouille makes peanut butter (a very expensive commodity here) from just peanuts, salsa (also rare and expensive here), and sells these items at the school. I have her to thank for providing some nutrition to my hurried days.