New Kids on the Block

I'm recovering from a great/crazy trip. Two new guys joined our team this week while we said goodbye to one of our teammates, so our team took it as a chance to head to a cabin to celebrate. The 4 hour mountainous car ride options were this little thing or another packed car w/ a two year old and a 6 month old.

I choose the little car. It's a decision I'm regretting b/c my back isn't feeling so swell.

Here's a pic of us doing a little s'more roasting:

I'm home for 4 nights and I'll be back out for a five days. I remembered being bored a few months ago. Definitely those days are gone and I'm definitely thankful. It's almost November!!! That's craziness!!!

Diwali Party

I know I often write about the craziest day ever, but last night has to go on the list for one of the craziest nights ever. Yesterday was Diwali. It's sort of our equivalent to Christmas. It's called the Festival of Lights b/c they celebrate some god's triumph over another god by shooting fireworks and partying. Well we were invited to our neighborhood block party last night and it was ridiculous. We live in a colony with retired doctors, lawyers, etc. so these people have money. Once we arrived the alcohol had already been flowing a little and then I knew it was going to be a crazy night b/c fireworks and drunk people don't mix well. In the beginning it was nice: around 50 people were there, a good fire was going, good music was playing, and our neighborhood association leader, Dr. Gupta(in the pic on my right), was so drunk we were enjoying watching and talking him. Then the fireworks began. I love fireworks and it so cool to see them being set off all over the mountains, but when they are going off 30ft from you it's not so cool. This is when the evening got eventful. There's this one they call the "Rocker Launcher." Well a drunk person lit it and it fell over and hit another drunk person. The man's ankle immediately began to swell and something began oozing out of it. We thought, surely the party is over w/ now. Nope they continued and I began to notice that they were putting the used fireworks' boxes in the fire. I told Katelyn that if one of the rounds didn't initially go off, then it will in the fire. Sure enough one did a few minutes later and hit the injured man's wife in the forehead. At this point we were sort of fearing our lives, but we continued to stay. I think that one party took a few years off of my life. I felt like I was in the middle of a battle reenactment.

Anyways, if you click here you'll see a short video from the tv show, The Office, where Michael sings a song about Diwali. It cracks me up.

I'm on a blogging role huh? Don't worry next week I'm super busy w/ work stuff, so I won't post as much. Try not to miss my enlightening words.

Skating!!!

Today we went skating to celebrate my supervisors' daughter's birthday. While we were there I think I fell in love. I couldn't resist this guys moves. It was love at first sight.

So maybe you don't think it is as funny as I do. This guy kept on flaunting his moves in front of my teammates and me, and we were dying trying not to laugh out loud.

Here's a picture of the girls:

October 16th!!!

Oct. 16, 2008 was my first day here!!! To celebrate Abby and I went to Dominos. Try not to be jealous. I thought our relationship was tight until I got home and looked in the mirror and realized I had tomato stuck in between my teeth. Yeah, she let me walk around the entire afternoon like that. I started screaming from my bathroom that I wanted a divorce and she just laughed. She knew why!!! But that's why I love her and how we've made it this far.

Here are some pics from our journey so far:

This is from our first week here
Our anniversary party at Dominos

So when I signed up for this I never thought I would be carrying my oven into my bedroom to cook:

I definitely didn't intend to let other people dress and put their make-up on me

It never crossed my mind that I would need this man to literally pull out his sword to protect me

Didn't plan to sit on an elephant's lap:

But most importantly I never thought I would become the world's greatest aunt!!! Totally just kidding!!! I know enough w/ the being an aunt thing, but its another thing I didn't expect.

I just wanted to say THANKS to anyone and everyone who has supported and prayed for me along the way. I wish I had another way to say it, but I promise I couldn't do it without you guys. I know I've said that before...but I seriously mean it!!! Not that I'm counting, but have nine and a half months to go and would love your continued support.

Right now...I'm so thankful for my experience so far. A few months ago, I'm not going to lie, thankfulness was hard to find in my heart.

But now, I'm totally loving and believing this scripture:

"Praise the Lord, O my soul, all my inmost being praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies the desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel: The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him."

-Psalm 103:1-13

I'm also loving and believing this:

"Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast." -Psalm 139:7-10

HAVE A GREAT DAY!!!! and THANKS FOR HELPING ME THIS YEAR!!!!

The Nerd Herd

My new roomies have me hooked on the TV show Chuck. I had never heard of it until last week and now I can't stop watching it. It's so stupid I'm not even sure its on the air in the US anymore. Anyways, I just wanted to give Chuck a shout out.

Monkey in my Trash!!!

This little guy woke me up this morning after he threw the lid of our trash can down the stairs:

I took this video around 6am-ish from my upstairs bedroom window. Eventually I went downstairs to run him off, but he wouldn't leave. I didn't want to be too loud and wake up the other roomies and I was too scared to open our screen door, so I stood inside and stomped and tried to talk to him. Then I realized he doesn't understand English, so I politely asked him to leave in Hindi and he did. My roommate that stays downstairs said she thought that she has having a dream that I was yelling at someone. Anyways that's the latest monkey drama that I wanted to share.

I hope everyone is having a great week and nothing is trying to steal your trash!!!

I'm Back!!!

And not much has changed here...it's still crazy!!! So, while I was home I had to go to the doctor b/c I had an ear infection...gross I know. It no longer feels like someone is putting a clothes hanger through my ear, so that's good. Anyways, I don't know if it was my ear infection or if I just forgot how loud it is here. I kept on asking my friends, "Is it loud to you?" They were like, "Allison, it's always like this; you were in America too long."

Just in case you haven't experienced it, jet lag is sent straight from the devil!!! It think it's affected me more since I've returned. I landed at 8am and had to meet/speak the new group of workers at 10am. There is no telling what I said...I cannot remember anything. They let me talk to them the next day too. Well the day after that, I asked one of my partners to book my train ticket back for me and to email it to me b/c my card won't work online. She did and sent it to me. Well I woke up, checked my email, saw that she booked my ticket, and proceeded to the train station to buy my ticket!!! I got there stood in line, then left to find an ATM, stood in line there, and then realized I remembered seeing my ticket in my inbox. At this point, I had spent 1 1/2 hours trying to buy a ticket I already had. So, I called my partner to confirm the time the train left and I realized I had 2 hours to get back, get my bags backed, and get a cab to the station. I made it to the station literally running to jump on the train as it pulled off. Which wouldn't be that big of a deal if I didn't have 3 huge bags with me. It was insane!!!

It doesn't end there. Once I was on the train and men helped me put my bags overhead b/c I couldn't lift them (I'm weak), I sat down and tried to relax. Well the older man in the seat beside me wanted to talk. I'm always weary of sharing my testimony and the gospel with people on train or plane rides b/c no matter how it goes, you're stuck beside them the rest of the journey. In this case I had four hours by this man, but the opportunity arose, so I shared. He was like, "That's great! The UFOs are really using you to make this world one!" What???? I didn't even know how to respond. I'm rarely short of words, but I was speechless.

Needless to say, that was one of the roughest/craziest days ever!!!

Tonight once I arrived back home, I took the bus out to eat w/ my teammates. Of course, it was packed and a man's behind was nestled on my shoulder the entire time. My teammates just patted me on the back and said, "Welcome Back!!!" Craziness All the Time!!!

Baby Heath!!!

"I have found the one my soul loves..." Song of Solomon 3:4 Most peeps use that scripture on their wedding invitiations, etc...but I'm going to apply it to this little guy: This is the look he gives me before I pick him up:My sisters:

Heath's favorite Aunt (Center)

How can I stop him from growing while I'm gone? Please email w/ suggestions.