North Africa

North Africa

You guys.....I am seriously so pee-my-pants excited to be going on a Mission trip to Africa this summer.
SERIOUSLY
This will be my first mission trip and we are being trained SO thoroughly by my church, which I believe is very wise. We will be serving the missionaries established there and encouraging them, as well as the locals. It's going to be hard (culture shock, anyone?) and demanding, but I KNOW this is where God wants me this summer and I am so excited to see what He's planning. :) The sneak.
I will post more information as I go through my six week training.
I will also post information on how you (yes YOU) can help me!

Lots of Love!
This girl

ps. SO (a)FRICAN EXCITED!!!

Ceramics is Tricky

Last Thursday was a BEAST of a day--let me tell you!
It began with ceramics, which is usually a great way to begin a day, but oh-hooohoo, no sir, not today. I almost slept in but changed mah mind. I get in and see that my vase is dry enough to go into the kiln, but instead I ask the instructor if I should sand the leg first. He says yes and gives me his special sanding tool.
"Why sand it?"
You ask.
Because it was leaning a little. So, I sand one of the legs a little and whattya know-the leg BREAKS OFF. I'm left gaping at the foot in my hand and the amputee vase.
I whine to whoever will listen and they tell me to mash up some paper clay (I felt like Rafiki from the Lion King) and put it on. I do this, but it breaks again...so I get some fresh clay and put THAT on, along with the paper clay. Then I carry it to my locker and lay it inside like it's my dead child being laid into its coffin. AND I go home.
Well. THIS Tuesday I go to Ceramics and all goes well with amputee vase. He's standing (still tilted slightly) and today was being fired. It was a good day. I made three bowls and one cup. I clean up and put my stuff away before heading to my next class for my exam (which goes swimmingly). Then I take the five minute walk to my car only to realize that I am key less.
I decide to trace my steps and look for my keys...well...they weren't int he classroom or by my wheel...y'know where they were?
In the pocket of my apron....
In my toolbox...
In my locker.
Which is locked.
"Easy peasy!" You say, "unlock your locker and drive on!"
If only...y'know what else is on my keying in my locked locker? The key to my locker.
I go to the nearest janitor I find who tells me to go the college safety (across campus) who tells me to go to maintenance, who tells me to go BACK to college safety but I'm all, "They told me to come here!" So, we go to the ceramic lab together and he McGyver's my locker and VUA LA! I'm free to go.
Crazy right?
I thought that I would struggle in ceramics but not in these ways....

Preggos

I'm officially surrounded by preggos.
There's my best friend, a good friend's best friend, and two girls in my class.
One of these girls I thought was crazy at first--or just plain mean...she was really aggressive and would turn everything I said into some insenuation that she was fat. No, it's true...

Me: Oh, you're taking Zumba classes? How fun!
Her: Yeah, I'm just not going to tell my instructor.
Me: Not...tell them...what?
Her: That I'm pregnant.
Me: -looking at her stomach- Ohhh!
Her: What? Does it make sense now?
Me: What?
Her: That I'm FAT.
Me: Oh...that's not what-no, no, no, I didn't think...I mean, you're pregnant so of course you're bigger....
Other girl: So...Zumba's fun...
Me: How far along are you?
Her: 36 weeks...why, do I LOOK it?
Me: I...I have no idea, I have no way to reference that. I'm going to go...

However, from the next class on, she was super friendly.
Well, God told me to befriend her.
I was all, "nuh-uh God, nooo thanks".
But He's relentless and insists on us being friends.
She's really very nice, and I have gotten to know her better. Her life is difficult and she's having a hard time with everything.
The other day, God told me to call he or take her out, but I ignored Him. This really does make me feel sad.
Well, today she was late to class because her tires popped on the freeway. She was crying and wheezing from asthma and I had no idea what to do (I'm like a man around crying girls). But we manage to cheer her up, and we talk about her baby shower. Well, a bit ago she calls and asks if I can help with her shower because her other friend bailed on her.
Yes, God, I hear You...
So, I said yes.
She started crying again because she didn't expect me to say yes and she was really happy and relieved.

Please pray for her and for me. This whole thing makes me nervous, because I don't want to let her or God down. But I'll do my best.

A snippet of us

• Boyfriend: -calls me and I answer- Hello, is this Miss Sarah?
• Me: Yes, how are-
• Boyfriend: I'd like to report a theft.
• Me: Oh...well, what's been stolen?
• Boyfriend: My heart. I want you to know that you're a suspect.
• Me: -A- suspect?
• Boyfriend: Well, there's also my closet girlfriends...
• Me: Oh, yeah, like Misty? (from Pokemon...one of his old crushes)
• Boyfriend: Yes. Exactly.
• Me: Well, am I the number -1- suspect?
• Boyfriend: Yes, you are.
• Me: Ok...I'll work on it, but I don't know if I'll be able to recover the missing item.
• Boyfriend: I'm okay with that.
• -------------------
• Ohhhh it's so corny, but I love it...