Emotions are going stir crazy. The range from being really hyper because I'm going home and will be a part of my family, friends, and church family's lives again to crying because of the slow tearing in my heart as I think of leaving a big chunk of it here.
  Rhonda, the girl that is replacing me is coming on Wednesday evening. I'm looking forward to meeting her and am very glad that I'll be able to get to know her a little before I leave. 
   Fernando was among happiest of boys today. He got to ride to town in the big well drilling rig. They came up behind as I was biking home from Choix and thankfully offered me a ride home (it was 102 so you can imagine my relief!) His grin and shining eyes said it all! I think he was feeling big and tough, as well as important that he had been picked to go. I know all you moms out there know what I mean when I say that one of the greatest joys is to see your children happy from the inside out and then it just can't help but bubble over in giggles ~ or in Fernando's case a grin that makes your heart melt.
  Swine flu has seemed to have had it's fun scaring people and is now retreating back to where it belongs. Thankfully there have been no cases of it in our state. Everything was pretty dead around here though. No church, no Wednesday prayer meeting, no Saturday school class for the children, no Friday night get together, no going to San Blas to get Fernando's tongue clipped (huge disappointment for me cause now I can't be here for it)...anyway it's good to get back into routine. Since we didn't have church on Sunday we held our own little service here at the orphanage. We even had special singing! It was so good to hear a sermon in English again and sing English songs. I felt like I was just soaking it up.
   My children gave me a belated surprise birthday party the other evening. There was yummy cake and ice cream and gifts. Another wonderful memory to store in my heart! 
  I'll try to post some pictures later. These next two weeks might be a little crazy......   later, rach

   A lot has happened in the last month..... The month of march was the month to have visitors. Among them some pretty special people. (in my opinion!) We had a very good time with Mom and Dad and Wilma here. A cool part of it was that they got to be here to celebrate my 26th Birthday. It was my lucky one, or golden one, whichever you want to call it. As a kid, growing up for some reason I always thought that my lucky 26 is forever away and that something special would maybe happen. Well, it isn't forever away. In fact, I can hardly believe that it's here. And something pretty cool did happen.....In my dreams of it I hadn't included Mexico or that my parents would come all the way from Ohio to see me and my life here. Plus I got some of Daddy's fabulous grilled chicken out of the deal.
  Last Saturday Fernando, Lenn, Dietrich, and I got up way early and headed for San Blas, a town about 2 hours from here. We are wanting to get Fernando's tongue clipped and hopefully it'll allow him to talk more clearly. He cannot move his tongue around very much at all therefore restraining him from using it as he should be able to. Unfortunately one of the doctors needed for the operation was sick so we had to head back home and try again some other day. I'm praying and hoping that it can be done before I leave.
  Suzanne and I got ambitious one morning and made 140 donuts. It was fun again. I had never actually been in charge of making them (always being the helper) My dough didn't want to rise very well so the big, fat donuts I was envisioning didn't quite happen. They are still eating them so I guess that's a good sign!
  Well sorry folks that's about all that my mind can come up with to write. I would like to request prayer for the 'last leg' of my journey here. In less than 7 weeks I'm leaving. I want these last weeks to be effective and good. I want to give my whole heart yet while I have the chance.
  In closing.... here's prayer I've found that I have been praying. It is so powerful! I challenge you to pray this prayer everyday for a while...
  Oh, God, show me more of your holiness. Show me more of my sinfulness. Help me to hate sin and to love righteousness as you do. Grant me a deeper conviction of sin and a more thorough spirit of repentance. And make me holy as you are holy.
  Until next time, Rach

This is what I got for my birthday!!! Quite a few of my friends and family went together and got it for me. I was very surprised and extremely impressed!

Waiting at the clinic for our turn. He can't actually read but he would like too!

Donut time!

This is Jesse right after I dared him to drink a bowl full of hot chili juice!! (for two cookies!) Do you think it was worth it?