Why I Love Monterrey This Week

1. English Christmas songs translated into Spanish
2. tacos, quesadillas, sopes and tostadas
3. Posadas...name for Christmas parties...that literally happen with every group of people you could ever find an excuse to throw a party with (I've lived here for a year and I was invited to 7-not because I'm popular. That's probably a small number).
4. Meeting sweet ladies at a church garage sale
5. Chispa...roommate's new puppy that I am quickly falling in love with
6. I have a sweet friend who doesn't care a whole lot about the Lord, but is going through a hard time. This week she sent me this email, "Starting looking up old church songs I sang when I was younger. I really wanted to share them with someone and I thought of you."
7. The bible study girls I have been blessed with
8. My roommate/neighbors asking me, now on a regular basis, how church was and what I got out of it.
9. After a very brief and vague interaction, a Starbucks barista asked me yesterday if I was fluent in Spanish. I told him I was working on it.
10. Mexico is close enough to the U.S. that I can go and visit and see my family and friends for 2 whole weeks over Christmas.
11. Talking with a coworker about the differences in the Catholic church and Protestant church, and about what she thinks a genuine relationship with God should look like compared to how she was raised.
12. God's endless provision and sense of humor, even when I doubt.

Merry Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving!

So, same as last year, I worked today. My Thanksgiving involved baking pumpkin chip cookies for my kids. When I passed out the cookies the kids were pumped, as homemade cookies are pretty uncommon here. One kid in particular just kept going on and on and finally said, "Will you marry me?" When I turned to look at him, I realized he was talking to the cookie. He later referred to his wife digesting in his tummy.

Also had a kid ask this during a Science lesson about the digestive system: "So, do babies pass through the intestines too?"
Answer: "Nope. Ask your mom."

I hope you had a great day...now go do some serious Black Friday shopping for me!!

Highs and Lows

I feel that my life as of late would be best expressed in Bible Study Ice Breaker fashion. Ladies and gentlemen, my high and low for the week:

High: Krispy Kreme is opened in Monterrey TODAY only a few miles from my house. I drove by it today and there was a line of about 20 cars trying to get into the parking lot. I might have to wait til the newness wears off, but I'm sure I'll make it there sooner rather than later. I'll take pictures.

Low: My car wouldn't start this morning. CAN YOU PLEASE PRAY FOR MY SWEET CAR if you think about it? It has been to the mechanic 5 times in 3 months- to two different mechanics. My friend convinced me that my ability to choose a mechanic is weak so she insisted I go to the one she and her family go to. I took it tonight and they were super helpful (and there was an antique Rolls Royce being fixed. For some reason, that gave me comfort).

Also, two sweet friends from college lost their dads this past weekend. To my knowledge, both had massive heart attacks. So if you could also remember Margaret (and Bill- they are siblings) and Jessica and their families.

When the bee stings (and when the Spanish isn't quite there)

Below is an email I sent to some of my friends during the dog bite saga. After it happened, I talked about it with my neighbor, Chava, because the dog had previously bitten his sister Katy. I retold it to the school nurse and then again to my vice principal when they were helping me find a place that would give me the tetanus shot.

So I was talking to Chava last night about the dog biting Katy and I said, “Y el perro se mordió a Katy verdad?” And he answered my question and continued on with the conversation. This morning I said it again…”Y a mi amiga se mordió tambien.” THEN I was in the office with Cynthia and Martha and overheard Cynthia on the phone saying, “Y anoche la mordió…” and I said to Martha, “Wow, I’ve saying ‘se mordio,’ so I’ve been telling people that the dog bit himself haven’t I? Or that Katy bit herself?” And Martha died laughing in affirmation.

All that to say, that while I speak Spanish on a daily basis and can communicate effectly almost all of the time, I still have a few things to learn.

When the dog bites...

So ever since I moved into this apartment, I have been afraid of the neighbor's dog. Every time I walk by there it barks at me like I am the most evil person on the planet. Anyway, it thankfully is behind a gate and can't get to me, but it does scare me. Anyway, a few weeks ago my friend and I were walking by, the gate was opened, and it started running at us ready for attack. My friend yelled and stomped and scared it, but it made me pretty nervous. It made me afraid to walk by there again, and my friend even tried to give me a crash course in scaring dogs.

Last Tuesday I went for a walk alone and decided to take the risk to walk by the house. The gate was closed when I passed by, but when I turned around and was coming back, I noticed the gate was open. I had to walk by in order to get back to my house so I just went for it. When I turned, the dog was running after me Sandlot-style. I tried to yell, but it just became higher and higher pitched until I realized I was screaming for help in Spanish, and also realized that the dog caught my elbow with its teeth (technically it bit me, but its never even hurt). The family came running out of the house and got the dog under control. I started sobbing uncontrollably and told them I wasn't hurt, but then launched into a tearFULL monologue about how much their dog scares me. They were nice but I know I'll have to worry about this dog (Coco, a waimaraner) everytime I exercise. We're going to report it but I don't think anyone will take action.
All that to say, I'm not really known to be afraid of dogs, and I think its safe to say that that was the most terrified I have ever been in my entire life. Ever. Period.

A Carolina Wedding

So I went home a few weeks ago which was a huge blessing! I got to celebrate the marriage of my dear friend Meredith and her now husband Rankin. I got to stand in front of the church in a pretty dress with the bride and a handful of other dear, dear friends. I got to spend time with my family, including my awesome sister who turned 30 yesterday! Family time seemed to mostly involve eating all of my favorite foods. I also got to meet Elijah, my OTHER dear friend Meredith's new baby.
It was a great weekend of family and friends (and of Merediths' apparently...Can I also mention that I saw my OTHER dear friend Meredith at the formerly mentioned Meredith's wedding? Grand total of Merediths=3)

My next trip home will be in two months, just in time for my cousin's wedding!

Trip to the Bull City!

I'll be in Durham next week to celebrate Meredith and Rankin's marriage with these fine ladies...
And to see this new mommy and meet this little man

Ya creciste Hector?

So I went to Zacatecas, a city about 5 hours south of Monterrey, to celebrate Independence Day. We stayed with my friend Sal's family who were awesome. His girlfriend is one of my coworkers and his family did a fabulous job of hosting us for the weekend. Pictures to come, but for now, a cute story...

Sal has a brother that is 12 years younger than him named Hector. They are completely identical, Hector is just a few years behind.

Anyway, Sal was letting the dog out on Saturday afternoon and this little neighbor kid was riding by on his bike. Apparently he stopped abruptly when he saw Sal and stared for several seconds. He finally said, "Hector, did you already grow up?"

My new happy place

I finally got the pictures to load for "Chiapas Part Two" and for some reason, it didn't pop up as my most recent post.


In other news....
After weeks of brainstorming about how to put this thing up, I finally put aside my pride and asked two handymen friends if they would hang my hammock. From here on out, if I have a phone conversation with you and I'm at home, I'm probably sitting here. (Please note the excessive amount of chain I bought and how they have to loop it back several times so it wouldn't hang down).

Why I Love My Job Today...

Assignment on the board this morning:
"Write down 7-10 things you did this morning. Example: I brushed my teeth"

Student response:

"7. I got dressed
8. I ate breakfast
9. I drove to school
10. I got dressed."

The Industrial City

The longer I live in Monterrey the more I learn about how unique and sweet of a city it is. On Saturday I spent the day with my friend Nelly, a girl I met through some missionaries that is from here. She recently got married and moved to Texas, but she's in town visiting and taking care of some things, so I've seen her a few times this week. She was driving me around near her mom's house where there are TONS of factories. She pointed to one and said, "that one makes soap. Many days when you drive by, it smells like soap." Really? How odd to drive down the street with the smell of soap in the air. She continued, "there's a Gamesa (cookie) factory nearby too so a lot of times when you drive by there it smells like cookies. AND there is a Bimbo factory (the most popular brand of bread in Mty and yes, its called Bimbo bread) that smells like fresh bread." She went on and on about the different factories in the northern part of the city, there's a Kraft plant, a huge steel plant, a huge cement plant, a Mary Kay Distribution Center, a York Peppermint Pattie Factory, and I just found out tonight that my favorite chipotle salsa is made there too. I've been told that Monterrey has some of the hardest workers in Mexico. I believe it.