Journey part dos

We haven't even been here 48 hours and I feel like our little vacation is coming to a close....it finally hit me that we will have two flippin' weeks on boat...and I'm not quite sure how I really feel about that--but excited for the journey ahead of us!

We spent yesterday exploring Barcelona. It is such a beautiful place with so much to see, as with any European city. There is something special about this place though. We slept in until about 8:30 and then took our dear sweet time getting out of our hotel. We were waken up by and old church's bells. Beautiful! I think of that newer coldplay song that came out? hehe

The funniest story from yesterday was when we had gotten off of our bus for a bite to eat and to walk around and explore parts of the city. We were walking through alley-like paths and were discovering all these cute little shops or cafes. We walked into one shop and the lady was so happy. She didn't really speak any english, but she was full of things to say in Espanol. I bought a magnet and she refused to give it to me for full price. She went on giggling and talking and told us about the Picasso museum that was "gratis" and sure enough we were able to get in for free! I think the lady had a little too much Sangria on her lunch break--but either way--she was great! I took my photo with her and she pinched my cheeks---and it hurt! She declared herself my Espana Mama. haha!

Also another one of Ellen-isms....We were deciding on a place to eat dinner and I said, Let's go to a Tappas Bar and Ellen replied, A topless bar? Ew Greta! It doesn't sound as funny typed out now, but it was funny at the time. :-)

We get on the ship today so I'm not sure how much internet there will be---so until then--adios! Ciao Bella!

The Adventure Begins!

Emily, Ellen and I made it to Bacelona tonight! It has been such a fun adventure so far, and its also going pretty well considering. I guess its only been one day though, but a girl can hope!

We left Friday at 4pm from SFO and flew to LAX and then to Zurich, Switzerland. I've taken many overseas flights in the last few years, but I feel like this was one of the longest. LAX to Switzerland. At one point during the flight it seemed my butt might fall off if I didn't get up that instant. Ellen and I got a two-seater on the side of the plane and Emily had to sit next to a stranger who did not know about having an invisible personal space bubble. Poor guy also had dandruff that was snowing from his head onto my tray. Woo! We flew Swiss Air--a first--but I really loved it. They gave everyone, not just 1st class, warm wash clothes when they wanted us to wake up, they had little TVs for everyone and you could start and finish a movie whenever you wanted as well as the Captain of the plane was awesome! I had a few more fears than normal flying because of all the different airplane crashes in the last 6 months but our captain stood outside and greeted everyone as we got on the flight. He looked smart and experienced. The only downfall of the entire flight was the bathroom was right behind our heads, so we did have to hear a few people getting sick, and we heard the toilet SWWOOOOOOSSSSHHH too many times to count!

We flew into Zurich and I'm not a runner, but I just wanted to go run through the green fields and the beautiful old looking villages with the Swiss Cottages scattered across the countryside! It was like the airport didn't belong there. It was great because I got a Swiss stamp in the passport!!

On our flight there Ellen said, "Aren't we going to Zertec, like the name of the medicine?" Zurich, land of allergies? hehe.

About two hours later we boarded a flight to Barcelona where we got our luggage and braved taking a city bus to our hotel. It saved us so much money because a cab would have been so much!! We got Euros and got on that bus like we knew what we were doing! *We're such great fakers!!! We're staying in Plaza de Cantalunya and there is so much to see! Its right next to Las Ramblas where there is so much going on! Hundreds of men selling fake purses, but ready to run when the police come. Tapa Bars left and right. I even saw two starbucks--which is great news for me because that means I get to add Barcelona to my collection of mugs from around the world!

We are here all day tomorrow and then on Monday figure out a way to get to the port to get onto the ship!

Alright! I'll post pictures when I return! Please continue to pray for the safety of us and and our health!

Besos! Muah!

Koala Lou

If you have not read Koala Lou, by Mem Fox, can I recommend it to you? It's such a cute story about a Koala who loves his mom. Over and over she would always say, "Koala Lou-I do love you!" After the mom has a whole bunch of other koalas, Koala Lou doesn't think that his mom loves him anymore, so he joins the Koala Olympics so his mom will say, "Koala Lou-I do love you!"

We had a long talk in class about how it may not seem like our mommies or daddies don't love us, but really they love us so much and sometimes they just don't know how to say it. We all shared stories of a time when we did something to upset our parents. One kid said he 'organized' his mom's boss' desk. He was in big trouble! Whoops! I told them that if their moms didn't love you, they wouldn't have had you.

To that, my Mary Kate raised her hand and said very sure of herself, "Having babies is hard work." She then started to make pushing sounds and get very dramatic. I tried to hold my laughs in.

I said, "Mary Kate-how do you know what having a baby is like?"

Mary Kate: "I know Miss Dobie. I've had a lot of baby......(long pause).....dolls."

To this she just started cracking herself up, which got me to laugh out loud too.

More Thoughts

This last week at school was really difficult, but got easier as the days progressed. It was so hard dealing with Angel’s death. I went to the memorial for her on Thursday night. It was beautiful and simple. There was a priest that did the service, and he kept on saying that because we live in “Christian Culture” the service will be done with a Christian emphasis. The priest, who didn’t even know Angel nor had ever met her prayed many prayers with the “we will see you again” emphasis. Instead I wish he would had shared the gospel.

It saddens me that this man had the opportunity to share, and instead just went with the ‘christian culture’ mindset that heaven is the next step for everyone. I didn't know Angel enough to know whether or not she had a relationship with the Lord but generally speaking, the priest should have shared Jesus!

I also was getting cranky because of all the speakers. I don’t know the people who spoke at the service’s hearts, but I did know a few of them, and they too just read poems or spoke of Heaven and God in the ‘christian culture’ mindset.

These people really had no clue that they were talking about our Heavenly Father, all-knowing, all powerful, all merciful God. One speaker said that whatever your last job was on earth is what you’ll be doing in heaven, so Angel will be teaching the special needs children in Heaven and what better job in Heaven than a teacher!

I am so sad by this. Heaven is all about praising and worshiping God and nothing else!! We will not be teaching children, running businesses, acting as lawyers, etc. I’m trying to be sensitive but also stand up for the injustice the mindset of Heaven for non-believers. If you live in the christian culture, that does not guarantee you a golden ticket to heaven.

Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved. Ask Him to be Lord of your life and when you die, you will be with him.

Its Been Forever...

Gosh, I haven't blogged in ages, but my excuse will be that if its not one thing, its another. I feel like blogging is so great, because I record cool things that happen in my daily life and then will have the opportunity to go back and read about them, but at the end of the day, after a long day at work, the last thing I want to do is sit down and write about what happened.

So much has happened in the last month! I got really sick, had to go to a hearing to fight for my job, I tried to buy a house, reality sank in that I will be paying full rent by myself, and a co-worker and friend was tragically killed in an accident are just to name a few.

My students have been driving me up the wall for the last month. This last week seemed to go a lot better. It all started when I took a day off to go observe other first grade classes. BTSA (a school-payed class I had to take for two years) paid for me to go, and its important that I do that, but I didn't want to leave my babies all by themselves. For one, I just don't like to do that, and for two-I know they would turn into monsters once I stepped foot outside the classroom. I have to have them on such a tight leash that any loosening and the kids will go nuts!

The students turning into monsters is exactly what happened. My sub who was an ex-cop and an ex-teacher told me my class was the worst class he had EVER subbed for in his life. Woah! That makes me feel proud!

Now here I am...scared to take another day off. The following week though I had to take two days off to attend the hearing to fight for my job. It was very important I was there, so I asked my friend Eliza to sub. She did a better job, but it sounds like they wrote sentences and sat in time out the majority of the day. At least it was a safe environment for the kids.

I won't find anything out with my job until next week, but I have a feeling I will be getting the really, for real, the district isn't fooling around lay-off notice next week. Then I'll get another one in July that says: please come back, we layed off too many teachers and would be in big trouble if you don't come back.

So if that happens, I can get unemployment for two months during the summer. Sweet. Is that wrong? I really don't know. I know as Christians we should be self-sufficient and not need the support of the gov't, but what if I don't need it, but would love the extra cash. Is it wrong to take it anyway? HHmmm.

This last week I've been mourning the loss of a friend and fellow 4th grade teacher named Angel Arrellano. She was driving down south and was in a horrid accident and was killed instantly. My school community has been dealing with this, and helping the students to deal with the loss of a teacher. My school's students come from rough homes and for many of them-school is their constant in their life. I would go as far to say too that some teachers are the students' 'mothers' as the moms at home are not really present or involved in any way. The 4th grade class was a SPED (special ed) class. Not physical disabilities but the students are slower, and a lower level accademically then the rest of the students. These kids are already more troubled, and then to lose their teacher----it has been hard.

More on that later.

Right now I need to load up my car for my drive down to SLO to visit my grandma, Mommers, and celebrate Mother's Day and her Birthday! Woo!

Weekend Recap

I had a busy but restful weekend and wanted to write all about it before I forget it all!

Friday was Good Friday and after a very stressful day at school a big group of people met at PF Changs and surprised my roommate for her 23rd birthday. We surprised Sara and the meal was wonderful. Even better than that, a stranger paid for our bill + tax & tip! An older single lady was sitting behind us, and I don't know what it was, but she picked up our bill! When someone from the table asked for the bill, the waiter said that the lady behind us had paid but she didn't want us to know until she had left. That NEVER happens! It was so cool!

We then went to church and had a Good Friday service at Calvary. There was a great turn-out, with great worship and communion and prayer.

Afterwards a bunch of people went over to Heather's to celebrate Sara just a little bit more. Heather baked a beautiful cake and it was a great time to get to know some people just a tad more. We then got to play the glorious game of Mafia! I am not a good liar, but was able to trick a few people.

It was fun to be able to celebrate with Sara her 23rd year. I have known Sara since 2004 and its been fun to be able to witness first hand how God has molded her into a woman who loves Jesus.

Saturday I woke up, went to Costco then was off to my mom's to visit with my Grandma. We hung out and made dinner together. Ellen and Emily arrived a few hours later and we watched The Sound of Music for the thousandth time and then said goodnight to Grandma!

Since 2003 I have made it my tradition to attend the community sunrise service at Lover's Point and was able to make it this morning.

I came home, picked up Emily and we headed out to my mom's again to hang out with my grandma for the day. We found Easter baskets, made dinner and even got my 88 year old grandma to play the Wii. (Pictures hopefully to follow...)

I got to hang out with good friends, my family, take a few naps and celebrate all the things Jesus did on the cross!

Families

So when I was younger we had to say this prayer before every dinner we had together as a family:

We are a family

We need one another
We love one another
We forgive one another

We work together
We play together
We worship together

Together we use God's word
Together we grow in Christ
Together we love all men
Together we serve our God
Together we hope for heaven

These are our hopes and ideals
Help us to attain them,O God
Through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen

Last night's study totally reminded me of it again. God is so good and has given me a great family family, but has also blessed me with an incredible church family. I love em!

Victory!

So tonight the city of Pacific Grove approved the growth of The Bridge in PG. They had to send out letters to 159 neighbors and put a big yellow sign in front of the big yellow house.

After all the letters were sent out, and the sign that was posted, there was only 1 letter of kind of disapproval, asking that the sign not be there. I think overall the people from The Bridge had the same complaint that they didn't want the big yellow sign in front of their house either. Nobody showed up this evening to dispute the growth, and in a year there has not been one complaint from the neighbors.

The president of the PG chamber of commerce came to the meeting tonight, sporting his Bridge t-shirt. This guy isn't a christian but just a community member who sees that without the guys from the Bridge many things would not be done in Pacific Grove. He went on to list all the things that have been done, including helping and clean up of the Feast of Lantern Festival, serving at the Feast of Salads, Highway 68 clean up, PG Triathalon set-up, help and clean up, PG Concourse, Yellow Brick Road Help, Monarch Sanctuary clean-up and removal of trees, and the list could go on and on.

It's true what the president said. With CA's fiscal situation, PG cannot afford NOT to have The Bridge around. Without them, many events that bring money to Pacific Grove would be waay understaffed.

Anyway... Woohoo! Congrats guys!

New Visa Info for UK

This was taken from my UK pastor's prayer requests... He is a pastor/missionary in London, England. Would you pray with me?

At the turn of the year the British Home Office quietly changed the rules for people entering the country to do volunteer work. They are now considered as workers, even though they will not be paid. Therefore they are required to have the proper paperwork and pay for visas. They are no longer considered tourists.

This applies to individuals and groups of people. Small groups are now going to have to pay for visas along with their airfare and accommodation. And those planning to host these groups are required to advertise the positions in mainline newspapers, even though these so-called positions are voluntary and not remunerated.

There are two main options. Either groups will be forced to fill out reams of applications and comply with unreasonable financial demands, or some groups will simply not comply, and try to fly under the radar. Those that are discovered might harm the movement by their actions.

He is going to try to talk to his local Member of Parliament tomorrow night, to ask him to see if there is anything that can be done about this. Please pray that he would have the boldness to do this.

Meet....

Fish Stick!

I went out on Thursday night to take some clothes back and Marshall's and drove past Pet Smart and for some ODD reason, I parked my car and went inside and came out with a fish. (I think I don't know what inspired me, but I am now the proud owner of Fish Stick, a female Beta.

Male Beta's were 5.99 and females only 2.99, so of course I went for the cheaper! Males are normally bigger with bigger fins and females are smaller and are produced more than males. The guy at Petsmart said that a Beta can live outside the water for 15 minutes! Interesting!

I read Marley and Me on the cruise and instantly became an animal lover. Marley and Me the movie was based on a non-fiction book and that book made me appreciate animals. Although I'm not going to go out and buy a cat or a dog anytime soon, the fish is bringing out the animal lover in me more and more everyday.

I found myself, the first night I got her, worrying about Fish Stick. My house is usually cooler than most homes and the living room gets really cool in the middle of the night. I actually woke up with that thought and brought her to my room where it was warmer. I even considered making her a class fish for my first graders, but then decided against that as I already love her and know my kids would destroy her within a few weeks!