days 29, 30, and 31: fabulous friday???

Someday, i'd like to start fashion friday with a certain fashion that I like or would like to sew myself. But since i'm in portugal and the Portuguese people missed the “European fashion” memo, I think i'll wait on that til I get back to the states. They are lacking in the fashion industry here. For real. I just hope i'm not really behind when I get back! But I think I was behind when I left, so I guess no one will even notice.

the past few days haven't brought anything terribly exciting except for maybe just life itself. but what is honestly more exciting that life?? well, the hope of eternal life with the Creator and Savior AFTER this life? YES!!! but for now, while i'm here... life is mine to live for Him. that was supposed to be more simple of a thought than it became. and now it's becoming a meaningless rambling... oh wow... 

anyway... it's friday evening. krisanna and i are spending the evening in getting work done and recuperating (i spelled it write mom! be proud! and i spelled that wrong just for you. ;) on with my pointless rambling...

1. i had a busy week of teaching.

2. i love my kids more this week than last. :)

3. i love when that (#2) happens!

4. i've been working on lesson plans a LOT. :/

5. wednesday afternoon i realized that i felt iffy.

6. thursday, it turned into a sore throat, swollen glands, and aches...

7. after a good night's sleep and prayer, friday was a better day!

8. now i just sneeze every 15-20 seconds. 

9. and i was reminded how awful feeling crummy is when you're away from mom.

10. so mom, krisanna took care of me.

11. i taught a science lesson today and my kids were enthralled by... tapeworm and naked mole rats... just in case gestation wasn't exciting enough yesterday...

12. sometimes i forget how much i miss people from home.

13. but today i remembered.

14. this afternoon, i had an INCREDIBLE chance to worship the Savior in song (even though my voice sounds like a man right now because i'm sick) with Erin and Krisanna and we just sat around the piano and played and sang (i played and they sang) songs that praise the name of our great God. i miss that. i was afraid my fingers would get confused without touching a piano very often for these two months in portugal, but i've gotten a wonderful amount of finger exercise. :) THAT kind of exercise is the kind i like. anyway... playing with them singing was a great blessing in more ways than one. two incredible voices, and two incredible testimonies... all we needed was Erin's mom gracing us with her musical ability, and it would've sounded just perfect.

15. this week, i've counted to 15 more often than any other time in my life... you see, i'm on recess duty by myself. and for some reason, i'm terrified of losing a child. and there are 15 in the elementary. so i've done head-counts over, and over, and OVER again... i've never been paranoid before. not sure why it's starting now...

16. tomorrow brings more adventures, more lesson plans, more SHOPPING, and even a basketball game. it might not be march madness, but hey, Duke is a let-down anyway. i think i'd rather watch European basketball than another team from the states ruin my bracket any more. i need to quit picking good-seeded teams, because their "pride" is causing them to FALL! lol. good thing i'm not a betting gal! i'd be BROKE... more than i already am... ;)

17. i realized today that i love mountain dew. in a moment of weakness, i asked Joyce to buy me some at the embassy. that has been the lifeblood that fuels my dreams (even though it's not coffee and i'm not a champion...)

18. i found out wednesday that a dear friend went home to be with the Lord. Miss Amy Phillips, (probably) world-famous pianist and well-known humble, patient, gracious, encouraging lady breathed her last breath on earth and is now in the presence of our God and King and worshiping at His feet. i would be greatly honored to live a life like Miss Amy lived. always fighting. always encouraging. always seeing the best in people and pushing them to it. always making me practice piano. always telling me she was praying for me. always telling me how great life is when God is Lord of your life. always ready to sacrifice anything and everything for others. always ready to serve. always WILLING to serve. always a joy. always a blessing. always... Miss Amy. but now until always, the glorified Miss Amy. 

19. God is good. He wants what is best for us. that's why He puts us in the situations He does. He wants me here now. He wants me learning lessons that i can only learn here and only learn now... so i can become more like Him. He never changes, but i am like a vapor in the wind. i am pathetic. filthy. wretched. BUT... i am redeemed. forgiven. bound for heaven. 

i am

blessed.

20. i just couldn't end on 19. what a weird number! anyway... i'll make this goodbye... after i ramble some more. today at recess, i had the kids teaching me phrases from several different languages. it was way fun. :) not every day do you learn as much in school as your students do... or should be learning...