hola, hello, hola

Hi!  I've not been spending much computer time lately but figured it's time to fill you in a tiny bit on the last month. 

My final 2 weeks in Mexico went by very quickly.  My first night in Mexico I was in my bed thinking about how I really didn't want to live in Mexico, this form of melancholy isn't very standard for me, then by the end of the 2 months I didn't want to leave, at all.  As I was reflecting on specific things I would miss I realized it was more like when we would stay at my grandma's when we were little and watch soap operas for a few days and then would go home and I would never know how the dramas were going to be resolved (or not).  The drama in Mascota was changing every day and it was like living in a telenovela and I knew when leaving it would be really hard to not know how things were continuing to unfurl.  So, what it comes down to is I need to leave the drama in the hands of the Lord and pray that He will continue to work in Mascota, even if I'm not there to see it. I'm learning to be faithful in this and to remember to call Luz to ask specific questions, not just to gain knowledge but to encourage.  Because it's not a telenovela, these are real depressing, dramatic lives. 

After Mascota I headed to Richmond, VA to catch up with friends. Yard saling, antique shopping and even spending one glorious day sitting at a coffee shop doing computer work.  Because after a few months of being with people all the time it was good to have a tiny break.  While there someone asked me if foreign food every made me sick.  I decided that no, it doesn't but Southern food does.  I mean Hush-puppies are one of the most wonderful foods invented but are easy to overdose on.

Then came Long Beach, New Jersey for a weekend conference that my family has all been to in the past but I've never gone.  It was great, the messages encouraging, I made lots of new friends and got to experience the blustery Atlantic coast. 

I left the conference with some family friends (the Griecos) that live outside of Pittsburgh.  I've been here a week now and have spent half my time in their little town and half the time in Pittsburgh proper.  My first day my friend Monica had me meet with her friend who works in non-profit consulting.  On the way to meet with this girl I asked Monica what she told her about me, "not much, just that you were thinking about moving to Pittsburgh and have worked with non-profits in the past."  I think claiming I am thinking about moving to Pittsburgh is quite a stretch but it has been lots of fun seeing the fall colors change and I got a really nice pair of jeans for a dollar and we went to banjo night at the Elk's lodge so the area does have a lot to offer. 

And this email has been written very quickly because I have a flight to Madrid in 2.5 hours.   I'll be there until November 12th with the Ferrers, a missionary family that has known my family forever but I became really close to when they were in Nicaragua.  I have no clue what it will be like but I'll find out in 13 hours when I land (we did confirm that they'll be at the airport).

So that's it, no pictures because I'm out of time.

love, joy