Things that made me happy yesterday...

(A photo taken by my friend Nimrod overlooking Morelia... I live toward the right...)

1. Receiving a package from my friend Cody that contained the bound anthology of the "fruits of labor" of our January 2006 travel writing class’s trip to New Orleans (if you are interested I can pass it along)...

2. Re-reading the stories from my talented amigos in the anthology...

3. Sealing my flip-flop (Dad... your glue didn’t hold...) once again with Fernanda’s "magic black goop"...

4. Writing and passing "secret" notes with Booz during La Fea Mas Bella in our living room...

5. Eating an ice cream mixture that had the equivalent of Carnation© sweetened, condensed milk poured over the top and a tiny bit of cinnamon to add flavor (you would have loved it Chel)...

6. Being asked to bring The Next Stage Theatre to Mexico and perform (anyone interested in hopping a plane to Morelia and putting on "Our Town" once again???)...

7. Not getting a single mosquito bite...

8. Reading high school level stories in español and actually understanding all of them (please understand this is sometimes uncommon for me)...

9. Laughing through the conversation club subject of "kissing"...

10. Shopping for "the coolest man shoes in the world" with my friend Eric...

11. Finally realizing that the song "Fantasma" by Zion is by Zion & Lennox so that I can actually find it online (p.s. it’s a fun song... listen to it if you have time on www.imeem.com )...

12. Counting underwear and realizing I don’t have to wash clothes again before I leave...

13. Planning for Meghan to come to our church service with me on Sunday...

14. Playing "winksy" with the cutest little Mexican boy on the bus...

15. Accepting the fact that (as one of the Americans - it’s true for all of us - who wears sandals constantly much to the surprise and... well... dismay... of most of the native Morelians) I will have permanently blackened feet for the rest of my life... "permadirt" as Meghan calls it...

16. Realizing that God had a plan when he sent me to this family to become a "big sister" who frequently becomes la caballita de Booz (Booz’s pony)...

17. Receiving a couple entertaining e-mails from my professors in Kansas...

18. Hearing some of the most beautiful Spanish lyrics I have ever had the privilege to listen to (Silvio Rodriguez’s song "Ojalá"... look that up too if you’d like!) and then crying in class as I listened (I know none of you are surprised)...

19. Drinking the most wonderful capucino con sabor de crema de irrlandesa (cappucino with Irish cream) while having a fabulous conversation...

20. And lastly... knowing that I will see all of you in 10 days! Well... okay... 13 days for you, Tif... =)

Crazy how quickly time can pass when you are enjoying life, but how ready you are to feel and experience the joys and comforts of home...