New and Old

A blast from the past
I think this was from the first chili cook-off at church, in 2005. If I recall correctly, D McK tailored us these sweet outfits, and L & K McK and I wrote a song especially for the event to the tune of "La Bamba." It went something like this:

Come to Casa de Chil-ay
Come to Casa de Chil-ay
And eat your fill-ay
At Casa de Chil-ay

Hope you win lots of prizes
Hope you win lots of prizes
And dreams come true
And dreams come true

____________________________________________________

Nearly every holiday here is like a federal holiday at home, in that just about everyone stops working. This weekend we are looking forward to an extra day off for the observance of the Prophet's birthday. I guess it's kind of like celebrating Jesus' birthday...well, it's not like it at all, but it means a 3-day weekend for me. I'll take it.

School continues to go well. In spite of all of the adjustments we've had to make throughout the year, I keep enjoying my work with the students. They provide great trials for my patience at times, but I have a margin of hope that through love and discipline I am helping to mold them into responsible teenagers. Is that what parenting is like? I'm sure it's much more concentrated and personal when the children are one's own, but try handling 25 all at once. (I think Chris and I can wait another year.) Our students have some of the same behavioral problems as inner-city students, but generally come from the opposite end of the socioeconomic spectrum. It's a strange occurrence.

Softball plays on, and I think the team record is 2-5 so far. We have five games left, and our two wins come from the best and second-best teams in our division. The girls are steadily improving, and I think everyone had a hit in the last game! We have a lot of girls playing for the first time, so it's fun to watch them develop their skills. More than seeing improvements in hitting or fielding, I enjoy seeing them grow in their "mental game" and in working with others. In a culture where the attitude is often "me first," teamwork and sportsmanship are difficult qualities to instill and promote in young nationals. We continue to progress.

It seems like there isn't too much new or exciting. I know there is a lot happening, but it's mostly the day-by-day or "cotidiano," as we say in Spanish. I'll continue to post some updates in between my posts from Jordan, Jerusalem, and Egypt.

Time for bed.