Monday

So this morning I tried to get all the must do's done so they are out of the way. My first stop was the dentist... and who would have guessed because of my new diet I now have more cavities then I have ever had my whole life combined! They found 3 cavities and their guess was it is because of all the fruit I eat, and the sugar and acidity that fruit has (who would guessed fruit could be so bad for you?) Yuck! Then it was off to the Dr. and I'm still kicking and from what they can tell me so far I am good. I have to go in to have my TB test read Thursday but so far I have no red spot on my arm so I think I will pass this test as well. I couldn't go to the DMV to update my license because its closed on Monday, and now I am off to make travel arrangements to go home. Wow its cold!

So Far

I feel like I have done nothing since I have been back.

I know I have done things but its just so different from my normal life,

I had a great opportunity to visit with my aunt Pam, uncle Mike, and cousin Luke for a day when they came up from Al. (and that rest of my family that came to visit with them too!)

I got to take my grandma out for her 81st birthday

I got to stay home and hang out with peter (my sis dog...pic above) while they went to something at church.(if you can't tell peter is growling at me he didn't like me laying on his back)

I got to enjoy the Sunday school Christmas program at church today.

and I got to go out to eat with my granny tonight.

Other then that I have been content to sit in front of the space heater in the basement trying to stay warm.

I will be here for a while so if you have any odd jobs that need to be done let me know... I can see myself getting very bored very quickly.

Have a great week!

Blessings

Erin

Prep Time

God has given me a wonderful opportunity to hang out and serve the past few days here at the Mobay campus. This campus has YEARS of great memories for me. There isn't one place I can look here and not have a great memory of friends, family, and seeing God work and move in great ways.

I love going up at night and hanging out with the kids.

Getting to know them and their stories.

Last night was the kids Christmas party and I felt honored that

I could join in a be a part of that with them.
Love... there is always so much love.

If I get all my work done early enough in the day I let myself go to the beach!

It's so nice to have a beach 20 min. away and not 3 hours away:)

I praise God for this down time to prepare my heart as I get ready to transition

back to the states.

I love going out and watching the sunset each night.

God is SO cool in His creation!

I love you.

Be blessed and be a blessing

Erin

The Past Week

Sheldon, Felicia, Phoebe, Damian, Blake, Brianna, Erica, Trishana, Letricia, Damion

I feel like I have just lived a month in one week. A week ago yesterday. Blake flew in for a week,(to visit his family down here) but missed his morning flight so his ride on this end was not able to pick him up. Because of this I was running around like a crazy person trying to get a ride set up for him from Mobay to Mandeville. Once that was done I headed over to the great house because our 4 Goshen girls where leaving and I needed to clean up after them, and then set up for the audiologists that were to arrive sometime this week (we didn't know when). On my way over to clean up after the girls, I got a call informing me that the girls where not leaving, but that the rest of their group was coming to knockpatrick for a few days, and that I needed to set up accommodations for 16 more people! So I started running around doing that. Thankfully two of my girls where around that could help me before we sat down for our bible study. I then had a down day (Sunday, Praise Jesus!)) before my final week began. Whenever I am going to be gone (for any length of time) the last week is a cram week trying to get everything put together as much as possible for when I am gone. I get daily emails/calls reminding me of all the things I can't forget to do. I would say by Monday afternoon I had about a good 2 weeks worth of work to do on my list. The Audiologists showed up Tuesday and so I was with them doing whatever was needed for the next two days. I praise God that I was still able to spend my normal scheduled time with my kids. I hate to throw off their routine to much. I want to keep as much structure in their lives as possible. They had a special goodbye chapel for me on Friday, and it was great. Part of the deaf culture "fun" is mimicking people and how they act then everyone guesses who they are acting out. So I had a few different staff members and students get up and "play" Erin. It was fun to watch. The hands and praise then got up and made me cry as they ministered to us all. I tried to pack up as much as possible but now that I sit in Mobay I realize what an AWFUL job I did as I continually can't find things I need... like a toothbrush. Yesterday a bus full of us drove into Mobay to enjoy the campus here a while. Today we had a special Christmas service for the students before they leave on Christmas holiday this Friday. There was a group that came with us from JDV Church, and did a great job with Clowns, Songs, and Dramas. And now after a week of complete chaos, very little sleep, and a very long list of things to do. I have nothing. After dropping Blake off at the airport, and saying goodbye to the group from JDV... I had time to take a nap... and it was great! I now have 4 days to relax, and prepare my heart to come back to the frozen yuckiness of central IL. I hope you have a great week, and I will do my best to soak up as much warmth and sunshine as I can to bring back with me to the states!

I love you

Blessings

Erin

Goodbyes

Yesterday I had to tell my kids bye for the next few weeks and now my heart feels broken. This will be the longest I have been away from them in the last year and after a day I miss them already. They are such a HUGE part of my life and a little piece of me feels missing without them. Please pray for them as they go home for Christmas holiday. Please pray for safety, health,that they are all able to make it back to school in Jan. when it opens again, and are not kept home because of financial reasons.

Paris,Me, Alesha
Stephan, Jessimar, Sankeer,w/Me

Sankeer And His Heart He Drew On Our Last Day Together.

Kim, Tattiana, Me

Me and My Buddy Laverene

Blessings

Erin

The Audiologist

The past two days I had the honor of working with 4 wonderful ladies from Tenn. These women work together as audiologists and came to work with our kids. When the audiologists come they bring very long busy days but they are so worth it for all the good they do for the kids.

Kelly, Me, Kim
Blake "playing" Audiologist to Jen

Kim and Kelly testing Maleak

Deb testing Claudine

Blake and Deb working with Kadeem (one of our special students)

Deb, and Kelly working with Daymar. Susie working with Kyle.

Enjoy the rest of the week.

Blessings

Erin

Did you know...

That Milk is part of the cornflakes food group?

That the 4 main products of milk are: Chinese, Indian, American, and Jamaican?

That Water Buffalo is a use of milk?

That Water Buffalo is a type of cheese?

That 3 ways to take care of milk in your home are: cake, ice cream, and cheese?

That 3 sicknesses from bacteria in milk are: not, clean, dirty?

So I gave my final exam on milk yesterday and after studding this very interesting topic for the past 14 weeks these where some of the answers I got on the exam.

I think this goes to show that I am not cut out to be a real teacher!

Have a great Day. I love you.

Be blessed and be a blessing

Erin