sekarang.

Now is much different than before. Whoa! wise words of Lauren. Don't worry there is much more where that came from...

I now have an actual job. I am a teacher's aide for 1st and 2nd grade. It's been really fun hanging out with the kids and getting to know them. At first I thought it would be really tiring and boring but no it's quite the job...breaking up fights on the playground, chasing kids around the basketball court, washing off muddy hands, helping kids with spelling and reading and counting money...something different everyday. From 7:45 - 12:30 I'm up at school with the kids and then from 12:30 - 3:00 I am tutoring math. It's been a little hard waking up so early but I think I'm getting used to it.

This past week, after the middle school retreat, I got really sick and stayed home laying on the couch for 4 days. I'm getting better but am still not completely myself. Four days next week I'm subbing for 2nd grade (20 kids!) so I think that will be fun but I hope I have enough energy.

Two weekends this month have been filled with the high school and middle school retreats, both of which I helped out a lot at. They were tiring but so much fun. Especially night of worship at the middle school retreat when I was singing, making up motions, and jumping around with Dani, Ray, Caleb, Jeni, Jason, and David Y, and some other guys. It was so awesome to be with those guys because at the high school retreat everyone pretty much stands still during worship and sometimes claps but these guys had so much energy and Jeni and I were able to share in their excitement and relax and have fun. For those of you who know me well, you know that I'm not really into dancing around and jumping and all that but this was different...I was doing the motions to Pharaoh Pharaoh. Other highlights of the weekends were British Bulldog, Dark Tag, Sunrise, Polar Bear Dips, and team spirit and cheers....a round of applause definitely goes to the pink team for the most team spirit (Jess, Matt, Taylor, Greg, and a bunch of other kids).

I’m still at a total blank of what I’ll be doing next semester or even this summer. I don’t know if I’ll be working, going back to school, staying here, or doing something else. As I’ve said before it’s a scary place to be but I know that God knows what He’s doing so I’m just waiting for His direction and timing.

Next weekend the varsity basketball teams are going to Salatiga for a tournament. I’m staying so I can sub for 2nd grade while Becky chaperones and so I can go to Mark and Maria’s wedding….speaking of which…Greg and I wanted to make a cake for their wedding but Maria said they’re not going to have cake. Who doesn’t have cake at their wedding? Also getting married are Becky (2nd grade teacher) and Andy (PE assistant), Andrea (4th grade teacher) and Dadan, Amy (a friend from CIU) and Danny, Jana (my cousin) and Mike…so many people. I guess it’s just because I’m getting older and so I know more people that are actually old enough to get married. I’ve only been to 3 weddings before.

The Beeson’s are coming back soon and they’ll have Zoe Claire with them. It’s hard to believe she’ll be almost 2 months old. I’m hoping that since they live next door I can babysit for them a lot.

I guess that’s about all that’s been going on in my life. Have a lovely day and enjoy the pictures.

Me and Jeni after her basketball game...yes I love her even though she was sweaty and her hair was a mess.

Keun and Caleb...they're so cute!

Jana and Cassie intensely arm wrestling to see who will be the champion...I don't remember who won.

Ray, Jeremy, Won Seop, and Dani acting like pregnant women after the balloon relay.

Cassie's small group at the middle school retreat which I assisted her with as the adult leader. It was quite a dynamic group and a good experience.

A pretty rainbow that I saw walking back after a basketball game one rainy afternoon. You could actually see the whole rainbow but it wouldn't fit in the picture.

This is me around 6am...not too happy in the early morning as you can see...actually I was freezing and wincing from the pain of trying to get a splinter out of my finger. Hey, at least I had a Snapple and peaches to make me happy...oh and of course Val was there too.

This was getting closer to 7am when Val and I decided that we had had enough of staying awake and decided to take a nap in order to conserve energy for the violent British Bulldog game that was to take place soon after our nap.

Our breakfast around 6am after the sunrise. We sat on the porch and as I tried to stay awake Val took random pictures of trees, peach cans, and forks.

Val and I at the 5am sunrise that I still can't believe I was awake for (and I shocked that I can remember it).

At the high school retreat - me, Val, and Jess. Not the most flattering picture but I had to post it since sitting on the roof after Night of Worship is tradition.

berbeda.

ok so i've been back in indonesia for a month now and it's going well. for those of you who don't know, i'm staying here until june. it was quite a decision to come back here and stay for a while, but overall i think it was the best choice. during christmas break i hung around my house and hung out with some friends, i went to the beach with few families and had a relaxing vacation, then on the 11th of january school started here and i started subbing. the main science teacher had knee surgery and was out of the country for the first 2 weeks of school so and i subbed for science (it was fun but i didn't really know what to do since i pretty much failed science). in 3 days i subbed for 15 classes...all you students believe me being a teacher is so much more work than being a student. now i'm down to one class a day...the school relocation class which i am the secretary of. one day i subbed for french (also intersting because the only french word i know is oui and i'm not even sure if that's how it's spelled).

other things i've been up to are: working with the youth group (sofefo) and doing things similar to last year like t-shirt design, door decs, packets, buying snacks (yuhei!! jess and i are missing you and your skills!) friday was the first sofefo of the year and my mom talked and we all had fun. a ton of people came over afterwards and made dinner and we watched i robot. it was a great night.

also the most exciting thing that has happened is that american idol started!! the first two nights there was some creepy gold girl, a man singing "i shot the sherriff but i didn't shoot the deputy" over and over and over and over, another man who begged for an extra hour because he wasn't prepared, a psycho spastic jumping guy who couldn't sit still, and some quiet cowboy guy from wyoming who said this was his first time in public...we're still trying to figure out if he meant singing in public or just being in public in general (like he’s never been to the mall). anyway, it was quite the exciting time and all who came over were laughing hysterically (that would be cassie, brittany, kolbe, jeni, megan, kelsea, caleb, greg, and dani). i finally saw episode 10 of LOST!! it's so amazing and addictive…i love it and i can’t wait for the next episode.

the guys and girls started basketball this week and i think it's going to be quite different from last year. sarah is gone for the time being and jennie is here but she’s still on crutches and she’s coaching with rusty (who everyone says is a good coach). some of the high school girls are going to lead a pep rally at the jv game so that should be exciting and full of school spirit.

two saturdays ago jess took me and a few others to gambrinus (awesome indian restaurant) and it was so so wonderful because it totally satisfied the craving i've been having for the past 7 months!!! after that a bunch of us went to a midnight movie...half of us saw proof and half saw cheaper by the dozen 2 i think in this case proof was not the best choice. it was ok but i don't think i'd watch it again and everyone said the other movie was much funnier.

yep so that's a little of what i've been up to. not really that exciting but not too boring either. hope you all are doing well. email me sometime.

Sunrise after the 5am!!!!! polar bear dip (a time to jump in the freezing pool for one minute and earn extra points for your team). Val, Tim, and I watched the sunrise from the top of the water tower. It was beautiful to say the least (except for the annoying telephone wire that got in the way of most of the pictures). After this we fell asleep at 7 and got back up at 8 to finish out the day and go home.

Hanging out on Saturday afternoon at the SOFEFO retreat. Jon, Tim, Val, Kolbe, Jana, Jeni, Mari, and Courtney.

At the SOFEFO retreat...the guys who were brave enough to plkay British Bulldog against the Brit himself...Simon. It was so much fun to watch and such violence. After they caught someone they would just drop them on the ground. Then there was the brutal tackling and shirt ripping. What a relaxing Sunday morning event.

The sunset from the restaurant of the Surya Beach Hotel. A place with many special memories and fun times with family and friends that we enjoy over each Christmas vacation.

Sunset on Pangandaran beach.

The "castle" and second Great Wall of China...some Chinese guy in Pangandaran missed seeing the actual Great Wall so he decided to build his own...it's not quite as large as the original but it's still impressive and fun to walk around with some beautiful scenery.

Celine, Val, and I "falling" off the side of the "castle."