here are some pics from my class :)

i am currently reading the purpose driven life, by rick warren...at first, i didnt read it because i thought it was going to be really cheesy...but actually, it is a great book...and a great challenge...to live your life with a purpose.

" the best use of your life is love. The best expression of love is time. the best time to love is now."

its a great book...read it with thought and consideration

today was quite an experience at church because during the service..it started POURING down rain...like ive never seen in the states...almost rain like when its hailing..anyways..the church has a tin roof...so the rain sounds sooo loud..and the preacher was like screaming at the top of his lungs to get teh message out! it was kinda funny...bc he wouldnt stop preaching..even when the power went out and his microphone stopped....he wouldn't let anything stop him from getting the Word out...:)

we invited a girl from church, denisse, to come and have dinner with 5 of us gringo girls here..it was really fun! elizabeth helped us make calzones and dessert pizzas! it was great...and it was good to have denisse there...even though i cant understand much...it helps us gringos to get better at our spanish! she invited us to get together this saturday to do some hiking in shell..so im excited about that!

this week will be good...ecuador life is getting better each day...praise god! today i went on a bike ride with katie...who's about 34...and she really kicks my butt...but its good! its a good challenge..but now im getting up to run at 5:30 am.....ooohhh :) God blesses me with energy though!

have a great week..."draw close to God, and God will draw close to you.: james 4:8

i miss you friends, family, dogs, and great lattes!

ever heard of using a microwave to bake a cake? it can be done..and i ate one tonight..and it actually tasted pretty darn good! i am still amazed about it!!! i just had never heard of it..and it is pretty amazing :)

tonight was a fun night..for a second, i actually felt like the good ol' eileen herself..it was nice...me, rachel(my aide..just finished HS), elizabeth (just graduated from cedarville) (now known as betty :), and kirsten (an older lady from sweeden) were playing dutch blitz...it was fun! we were also walking around the streets in shell finding little random items..which is what shell, and most of ecuador specializes in!

i have learned that i just have to realize that any meal i eat at a restaurant...i have to understand the fact that bugs of any shape and size will prob be joining me...down my shirt, at my feet..whatever the case may be :) oh well! live it up :)

tired..and looking foward to a fun weekend!!

ps..if you like kids literature...the series of unfortunate events by lemony sniket..are really great!

ohhh...exhaution much? yes...being a teacher is that...but it's worth it...i have to keep reminding myself that..as well as Im teaching for God's glory vs. my own...bc i know i could not do this without him..i dont know how anyone would or possibly could!

this past weekend, i met with david and his family (the one with downs) to have a little conference about how we can improve his capabiliites in the classroom..bc he had a really hard week and could not participate in fun friday...which is a huge deal! especially with a class of only 5 students...we came to the conclusion that i was working him too hard...which i was (oops) but its all good...for now...we also decided to have rachel, his aide, only come in the mornings...and he will be by himself in the afternoons...which has turned out to be great...plus i am enjoying it, having quality time with the kids...is priceless!

i just sent out my 1st batch of thank you letters/newsletters! wow..it takes a lot of time...but is worth it!!!

i also went to a youth group at the quaint nazarene church taht i am going to! i asked elizabeth, a new girl here my age whose goin to be here for 6 months to go with me...it was fun :) even though i cant understand everything..the ecuadorians are really great! plus other gringos go there...its good to get out there...plus i would like to become more involved at the church at some point..and this is a good way!

i am also starting to read, " the purpose driven life," as well as do a study with some ladies here...the 40 days of purpose...its a challenging read! i just need to spend more time praying about things that are talked about in the book!

i have been continuing to run with a lady here, Katie shaylor..whose husband is a pilot here...and i teach her son, jem! she really pushes me! today, it was so weird..my left foot was falling asleep or something while i was ruuning! it was so weird..and kinda scary!

i hope all is well in everyone! let me know if there's anything i can be praying for you about :)
miss you all!

oh! theres a recent movie, called, "beyond the gates" with stephen curtis chapman..that you should watch bc it is all about nate saint, jim elliott. and crew who basically started the mission here! there is also a newer movie that is coming out too! wow! churches might have it....

trip to quito was nice..long bus rides...which are interesting because while you are riding...people hop on the bus from the streets and go up and down the isles trying to sell various things...on our ride people tried to sell these things: oranges, ice cream, water, juice, pills to cure prostate and ovarian cance (accompanied by a 15 minute sales talk with pictures), beggars, chocolate, mini dinners, chips, ,peanuts, toilet paper...and the list continues! it really is crazy :) and pretty funny at the same time..unless you are trying to sleep :)

i got my hair done at a place in quito by a couple who used to cut hair in chicago..it was nice to talk about familiar places :) kinda funny!

school continues...im starting to get used to rachel, my aide being there...but its so hard...i really dont like it...but i juat have to act like shes not there critiquing me!

also in quito we were able to go to English Fellowhip Church..a church where mainly missionaries go..it was so great to worship God in english..thats the thing i miss most...its hard bc i dont totally understand when i worship in spanish..but the holy spirit still moves in you! crazy how that works!

while i have been here, ive been listening to pastor dave deselms sermons online...from fellowhip missionary church in fort wayne..he is such a great pastor! his series he just finished was amazing..and very challenging! basically, its about waking up the mostly sleeping and lazy churches and accept this dangerous invitation that jesus has for us during our ONE life! basically, bringing God's kingdom down here..in many ways! the Lord sacrificed and did so much for us..but what are we doing for him? the lord never said christianity was going to be safe..so why do we try to be so safe in our faith? was Jesus safe? he was out on crazy seas and talking to people who could have/did kill him! is that safe? so why do we try to lead mediocre and safe lives in our materialistic lives? its hard to swallow..and i am trying to grab a hold of it...
god does forgive our mistakes...but what about our LAZINESS???
"I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through teh laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." 2 Tim 1:5-8

if you want to check out the series online..download free at www.fmcfw.org ! it will be worth your listen! download onto ipods...listen to on way to work :)

livin it up in shell! have a great week!

thank God for families here that ask me over for dinner! i love to cook for myself...but i enjoy being asked over too...bc the moms here are great cooks! This week was a long but short 4 day school week...I am exhausted...and need to catch up on some major zzzz's!

tomorrow at 5 am I am off to Quito with 3 other ladies here...I am going to get my haircut there...by a lady who used to live in Chicago...and she speaks English..so that should be fun! I am looking forward to a relaxing weekend...only to await me with a classroom with work to be done...oh well...i am enjoying it though..even though it is really different to teach with someone else in the room...i need to get over it and just be myself!

the kids are so great though..they really make my laugh :) today i got a letter from erica and some printer cartridges from my grandparents! thank you very much! its great to get mail and packages..you can send small ones here no problem :)

hope all is well! keepin on keepin on here in shell!

did you know that september is "5 a day" month? did you know that you should be eating fruits and vegetables that are the color of the rainbow? did you know that the food pyramid has been redesigned? if not, you should educate yourself! you can check out how valuable fruits and veggies are at www.5aday.com and see how you are doing with the food pyramid at mypyramid.gov...at this website you can enter all the food you eat in a day and see where you are compared to the reccomendations...its pretty cool! we are going to be taking a closer look in my classroom :)

anyways...today i went "ropa americano" shopping..which entails a goodwill like experience here in ecuador! i guess there are huge boxes of goodwill clothes that get shipped here each week! there really are american brands..its kinda funny! i found a few things...but you know how those experiences go..hit and miss

not anything too exciting is happening..monday, we dont have school...which i just forgot about! i dont have school on monday! yes! i need to get some running shoes, which now i have time to go to ambato (2 1/2 hr bus ride) bc i didnt bring my nice ones down here..and my feet are killing me becuase of it!

there have been a few young people occurances...which is nice...keeps things interesting around here...

school is going fine...im getting a little tired of school...but it will be fine...ill snap out of it :)

talked to my parents the other night...in cambodia..i think thats where they were...somewhere on some tropical beach/paradise type of thing :) hi mom and dad...you are really great :)

pretty tired...ive been researching this 5 a day thing for a long time now...prob about 4 hours...yeah..tonight has been slow :)
much love!