It's been a while....

Hello out there!! I was planning on writing today despite current circumstances that have me in bed, but alas, I'm updating. I'll prolly update on a few big things a post, so there might be a few posts coming to you today/ in the next week:)

My most recent adventure, and one I hope to never revisit, began at around 1 am last night. I layed down after watching movies all evening with my good friend Kathleen since it was our last weekend that she isn't working, and I felt a bit strange. I thought maybe I just ate too much junk, and it would pass. I fell asleep, but was woken up by this pain. Slowly but surely, I came down with GI virus. It was no good. I was out of my bed at least once an hour, which was not pleasant for either me or my roomates as they could hear me just gagging away. After about 7:30, my body decided to let it rest, though I was, and still am battling a fever. I went to the nurse, and she told me about the virus, and how it's been around the ship, and I shouldn't eat today, but drink a lot. She seemed concerned, which made me concerned about my condition, but she said as long as I don't get worse, I should be fine. I'm feeling much better now, and my boss let me off for the remainder of the day, Thank goodness. I thoguht I could handle it, but I think that would've been bad. I don't think I'll be eating Mexican again for a good while after that fiasco.

Things around here have grown on me over the past few weeks. I remember talking to people back home before I came about how it could happen where I'd come for more than just a few months- more like a year or two, but how I just couldn't see how it'd work out. Well, as time has passed, I've gotten to really know a few people, and I've come completely attatched with a few kids and families I've met here. Now, I honestly can't imagine what it's going to be like to leave this place. Leaving my kids behind is going to be impossible, and leaving all of the people I've met and experiences we've had together will be really painful. But, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Some of the families I've met are expecting to stay for at least another couple of years. One was scheduled for 2 years and I think they're now on their fourth year. Another has been here for a couple years and I don't see them going anywhere soon.

So, for those of you(which is a lot of you) who I havent been able to talk to lately and have heard- I'm considering coming for either a year or two years. I'm really praying that God will bring me here with my family, at least for a year of it. Like, if I come for 2 years, and my family was here for the second year, it'd be completely worth it. It's all still very up in the air, but I feel like I'm supposed to come back. I'd teach drama, and do another job. Teaching drama, and music, etc. is considered a 'minor' job, so I'd need a major job as well, and sales(the cafe) has already told me they'd be happy to have me. Human Resources are on my mom trying to get her to come. My dad likes the idea, and so does my mom, but we just don't know how it'd all work out- with the house and all of our lives back home, family, etc. But if you could just pray for us, I'd deeply appreciate it. Please pray that God would show us clearly what he wants for us, and if possible quickly so that we can begin making fund-raising plans if we all come together, or if I"m alone, or make it known if I"m not even supposed to come back, and help me meet these people again.

Two of my girls are just extremely wonderful and it's so funny because they've asked me maybe 3 times this week if I'd come visit them in England when they go home(which may be a while). I told them we'd see, but they should definetly come visit me in DC. Their little brother, who is 6, also wants me to stick around. They are just so convincing:) They have told me that I must come back and teach them and babysit them:) I would LOVE to hah, but we'll see where God leads me.

On our final day of summer program(which was friday), I made a video of my kids. I had them say their name, age, grade, country, and anything else they'd like to say. Most/all of the girls said that I have to come back, I can't leave, and I need to teach them next year. While filming, I seriously almost cried. I also had them sign a paper for me to hang in my dorm room, and some of those children are the most encouraging people i've ever met. One of my 11 year olds wrote to me about how God will be with me on my journey, and a few of them, again, wrote about how they want/need me to come back.

One of my girls, my 13 year old norwegian from the most beautiful family I've ever seen(all blondies with blue eyes- picturesque), is quite the little actress. When we first got here, there was a film festival, and she and her friends made these amazing little movies. One was polly pockets, one was a news cast, and I forget the last, but they were completely brilliant and incredible! She's just got an extremly inventive and creative mind. She has these great plans for a play, but the teacher is off ship because she's having a baby, but it's not going as planned, so she's coming back maybe after the baby is born. My girl, Linde, was telling me the full plan, and how she needed her teacher back and I said -you realize.. if I come back, I have a lot of experience- then I listed what kinds of classes I took, and she absolutely lit up. SHe was like 'you have to come back so we can do a play, Miss Michelle!!' We sat there for probably 45 minutes just going on about her plans and just talking about everything . She is also addicted to twilight, and got the song book, and asked me to learn a song. I gave up on the one she asked me to learn, but learned one I liked better, and she was so floored with excitement when I showed it to her:) If I do come back, I need to bring her more music. Living here, you only get mail so often, and it's extremly expensive and takes a lot of time, so hopefully I can help introduce some new music to her. SHe's taught me a lot about music and persistence with learning it. Neither of us are good at reading it, but once we get the hang of it, we run with it.

Anyway, feel free to comment if you wanna say a word:) My goal by letting you all know about my hopes to come back, is that you'll help me remember that I do want to come back, and I have a passion for these kids, and not let me forget my dream, or let go too easily. I think that if I got the chance to come back, yeah, it'd be hard to get into the groove again when I come home, but I"m going to be fresh out of college, with no ties quite yet, and it's the perfect time to decide if I'd like to persue teaching, or something medical, and gives me time to explore those options in a place where people want to help you figure these things out.

The end.

<3 Michelle

ps.. sorry if that was semi- incohesive- i am still in fever land.