I mentioned last post how cold it has been in Mississippi...this week it's actually going to be in the 50's during the day, but last week it was in the 20's and 30's during the day. The city of Jackson is not prepared for this weather, because all of their water mains and pipes are breaking. Right now, there is very little water in the city and non of it is drinkable. Bech was able to take a trickle shower this morning, but most people in our neighborhood don't have any water.

It is funny to see people freak out about this. People are rushing to stores to stock up on water, and all of the schools are being closed today. If the water went out in Malawi, it was a bummer, but nothing stopped. We had to filter or boil our water anyway, and hopefully we had some stored up. I remember trying to wash my hands at school only to realize, "Oh, they've turned the water off today," and simply using hand sanatizer instead. And here, everyone is stopping daily life because of the water situation.

Anyway, hopefully we will have water soon so that schools will open back up. And we still have gas and electricity and fast internet, so I'm not complaining!

...we're back!

We are back in the US of A, and I am so happy! We got back Monday at about 7 p.m. and headed straight to Little Tokyo for some much needed sushi. We have just been spending time with our families and enjoying being home for the past two days. I start my job tomorrow, though!

I did make my much anticipated Wal-Mart trip to see the shampoo aisle (and was a little overwhelmed with all of the choices...I mean, do you know how many different brands of sour cream there are? a LOT!). In case there are any overly curious readers out there (and by that, I mean borderline psycho, but not really), I picked the new "hydralicious" Herbal Essence...I am very happy with my purchase.

yummy!

I have a post I'm working on about a crazy day we had in England...I'll try to post it soon!

We leave tomorrow! I absolutely can NOT believe it! I am so ready and so not ready, all at the same time.

We will be in London for 5 days, so I probably won't update. But I will update when I get home on the 29th...oh my goodness! I am going to be home with my family so soon! AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

Okay, I better end this post, because it is simply a meaningless burst of enthusiasm...

less than one month!

First, an update on Malawi...It is winter right now and it is COLD! Okay, so I might be exaggerating a tad bit. It can still get warmish during the day. But at night and the early morning, it is pretty cold. Think late October/early November in Mississippi. I am glad I packed at least one pair of flannel pj's!

Rainy season is officially over, proven by the below pictures. Malawi looks like it did when we arrived last August. The fields are bare and starting to look pretty dusty. We can smell the fires in the morning and at night as people are cooking their nsema for meals. All of the maize has been cut down to feed the people for the next year. And the mice on a stick are back!!!

Here is a close up of mice on a stick. Men burn out the grasses in fields to catch the mice, tie the mice to a stick, then cook the mice. Some people love to eat it (Bech and I are not part of that "some people"). Actually, a few ABC missionaries have tried this "delicacy."

During the dry season, men often stand at the corner to ABC (not because of its proximity to the college, just its a good place to sell things) with the mice. YUM!

Last night, we had the Ballet and Band Recital...It was so great! I will be posting some pictures later today or tomorrow! My girls looked so beautiful and did such a great job! I was so proud of them. The power went out, but it was right before the 2nd ballet song, and the generator came on in a few minutes. Other than that, everything went smoothly.

I can now cross that off of my to-do list! I have a bunch of other things to do, though! We got a calendar of events for the next few weeks, and it is FULL! Today is high school graduation, tonight we are going to the Copper Pot with friends, tomorrow is a college function (plus I am working on the yearbook all day tomorrow)! Then next week is crazy busy! Not to mention, we have to finish selling our things and packing!

In a month from today, we will be home! Actually, I have very specific plans for today. I want to wake up in my bedroom (I mean, I'm almost 24 and married, so its kinda not really my bedroom anymore, but I still love it) in Brookhaven. I will go downstairs in my pj's and eat cheese grits, made by my mother. Then I will go to Wal-Mart. I will probably be very freaked out and overwhelmed by the enormity of Wal-Mart and all of the different options, but I haven't been shampoo shopping in a year. And one of my favorite things to do in the world is stand in the shampoo aisle of Wal-Mart and smell all of the shampoos (even though I usually end up buying the same one I had before)...Bech hates this little ritual of mine, but that's why I won't take him on my 1st day home Wal-Mart trip. But the best part of it all is that we will be with our families!!! We can't wait to see everyone!

2 months

today is april 21st...we are leaving for home on june 23rd. so its almost 2 months. in some ways, i am so excited and anxious to be home. but i am also getting sad about some of the things i will be leaving. so i am making a list of things i can't wait for and things i will miss:

things i can't wait for:

5. diet dr. pepper...you cannot get this here, and i LOVE it!

4. not having to filter my water

3. being able to just plug an appliance in, not having to go through a step up transformer

2. wal-mart. okay, i'm pretty sure i am going to get flack for this one, but, seriously, that store is great. i mean, i can go there and get basically everything i need in the way of groceries. here, we have to go to foodworths, bowers, shoprite, and chipiku to get everything on our list

1. FAMILY! we just got to see bech's parents but even two months is a long time to go without seeing parents. plus, we haven't seen my parents and blaise and ansley since the beginning of December...we will go almost 7 months without seeing them. not to mention, Fahmohr, Nana and Papa, Gaga Jean, and Hunter, all who we will have gone 11 months without seeing!

things i don't want to leave:

5. lucius, our gardener

4. how calm life here is...life here is just slower, and i love it. there's very little of the fast-paced, rushed american attitude

3. the malawian people. malawi's nickname is "the warm heart of africa" for a good reason. i love being asked, "and how are you today, madam?" and answering, "fine, thank you, and you?"

2. the other missionaries at ABC...we have made some lifelong friends here

1. my students! i am so sad to leave them...they are amazing, and i love them so much!

but we will be home soon...on june 29th about 6:30!