It's a wild ride

This past few days have been wonderful, relaxing and great. Wednesday two guest came for the day, they were from Washington D.C.  We talked about traveling, good food, and how she actually grew up in El Salvador.  She was amazing.  She talked about how she was so poor that one piece of chicken was devine and she would suck on the bone until her mouth hurt.  She worked and came to the US and worked some more and went to college in D.C.  She just graduated after six years of school.  That is why she is amazing.  While they were at the Shelter the rains came.  It poured and there was thunderings and lightning and this wind that blew all the rain into the covered kitchen.  Everything was soaked, including us but we didn't mind.  Once the rains stopped after about 15 minutes we cut some pineapple and enjoyed the freshness of it.  It was so juicy, it ran down our arms and got on our chins every time we took a bite.  It was better then the pineapple from Hawaii by far.  Also on Wednesday I painted the prayer that the kids say before every mea l up on the wall in the kitchen.  (I painted the things that they say in English.)  I had to figure out the words though first so I knew what to paint.  It was hard though because neither Chey nor Kam knew exactly what they were saying.  They mumble most of the English words in the prayer so it was like a guessing game trying to decipher what they were saying.  I got it though and painted all 10 lines of it on the wall in the kitchen.  It is so cute and I love the words in it: This food is a gift from the whole universe, the earth, the sky and much hard work. May we live in a way, so as to be worthy to receive it.  May we change our unskillful state of mind, especially our greed.  May we take all this food that nourishes and prevents illness.  We accept this food.

Friday we were asked by the kids school to come and teach 5 classes English.  It was fun but really hard and really long, it took all my energy not to stop and lay down on the floor and fall asleep.  There are about 75 kids at this school and 18 of them are mine, for the orphanage.  It is crazy because our kids were so much better at English compared to the rest.  I am sure it is just because of all the guest that come and speak in English to them, but it was nice because we could rely on them to help us with the lessons.  After being at the school for 7 hours, Kristin and I got onto a yellow truck and went down to Chiang Mai for the weekend.  The ride took an hour and a half, which is really long to be squished into a truck with no air and only windows for relief.  One we got to the city we checked into our hotel, went and ate at our favorite Thai restaurant and then went to the night market.  We walked around the night market for an hour or two, bought a few movies and got mango sticky rice.  It was nice being just us two because it was less people to worry about and try to make happy.  We then went home and watched some movies and went to bed.  It wasn't a very exciting day but it was a nice because we finally just got to relax.

In the morning I got to Skype with some of my family.  Grandma, Grandpa Vernon, Erin, Frank, Lola, Ava, Amy and Uncle Eric.  It was really good to see them all.  We talked and laughed and had a good time. I forget just how much I miss them until I start talking to them and seeing them. I love you guys, thanks for all the support.  I also got to Skype with my family, mostly just my mom but it was so nice.  We talked about the day when I will have to leave the orphanage.  It is funny because I am already dreading that moment.  The moment when I will have to get into the car and say goodbye to all my kids.  I know it is still two months away but this first month has already gone by so fast I can't imagine how fast these next two will go.  I actually started crying talking about.  I know that it is going to be the hardest, most bittersweet moment of probably my entire life.

Anyways, Saturday we went to the Silk Market and the Umbrella making market.  The silk market wasn't that cool, it was actually like we were in a huge department store and everything was made of silk.  I personally think silk is overrated.  But whatever.  The umbrella making market was awesome.  (Mom - when you come we have to go.)  I got a design painted on my bag and the back of my phone.  It is pretty sweet.  The rest of Saturday and Sunday were pretty lazy but then again that was kinda nice.

Last night it took us 2 hours to get home but I think that it was worth it because the yellow truck dropped us off at this police station just off the highway.  We waited for Aii to come and get us with the truck but then two of the boys showed up on motorbikes so we just jumped on those.  We then raced through the town on those with the wind in our hair and bugs flying into our mouths if we opened them long enough.

Being here has made me have these moments.  They don't happen often and they don't last long but they are the kind a moments that make you stop everything you are doing and just look around you.  The kind of moments that take your breath and make you wonder if you have ever been happier.  Perhaps that is kind of cheesy but that is the only way I know how to explain it.  Here I am in the middle of Thailand riding on the back of a motorbike in the middle of the jungle heading home to see some of my favorite people.  It made me stop and think as I sat there driving down the bumpy road.  This is my life and how grateful I am for it.  For anyone who has seen the movie The Perks of Being a Wallflower or read the book they will know this quote and I think it go along quite well...

I know these will all be stories someday. And our pictures will become old photographs. We'll all become somebody's mom or dad. But right now these moments are not stories. This is happening, I am here.... I can see it. This one moment when you know you're not a sad story. You are alive, and you stand up and see the lights on the buildings and everything that makes you wonder. And in this moment I swear, we are infinite.

Anyways, here's some pictures.

Kid's Uniforms.  They always look so cute!

Coolest. Kid. Ever.

Bee-Mi

So cute!