Exhaustion...

So, for over a week now, my brain has been checked out. I am always tired by the end of the week, but last weekend I did not get my rest like usual, so it's been EXHAUSTING this week. Last weekend there was a mission team down here from Florida, so I helped out at two crusades. By the end of Friday night, a group of little kids discovered that I could speak Spanish, so they stuck to me like glue. Needless to say, they found me again on Saturday night.

This actually turned out to be such a blessing for me because I helped someone from the team translate with the kids because they were unsuccessfully trying to communicate. You can imagine my completely shocked face when he asked if I would translate for him while he witnessed to this very large group of kids. I suddenly couldn't swallow, my stomach dropped, my mouth was hanging open in an almost successful attempt to catch some bugs, and my eyes were the size of grapefruits as I proceeded to find myself nodding that I would help. I could not believe that I found myself agreeing... Anyway, he then asked me to translate while he prayed and wanted the kids to repeat what he said. I was completely sure that he was asking the wrong person, but I did it anyway. I somehow had the words, and even when I said things incorrectly, the kids managed to understand and repeat it. I was amazed at God's work in that particular situation. Did I just translate? For real? Wowee...... Who knew!?

Well, for the whole rest of the evening, the kids kept finding me, hugging me, asking to take pictures with me, asking me questions, and all together just wearing me out. My friend Dennis kept saying, "You are famous," in his best attempt at English. He probably regrets telling me that.... All week I have been using that to my advantage around him. My roommate Sara asked him if he could take out the trash, and he looked at me and said that I should do it. I looked at him and put on my best "shocked" face as I proceeded to say, "...But I'm famous!" He then laughed and went to take out the garbage. I tell you, there may be something to this being famous thing.

Monday, of course, was a holiday so NO SCHOOL! Unfortunately, that's our last holiday for a few weeks until the Friday after Thanksgiving. Then, we had school Tuesday and Wednesday... I am also in a new classroom now since I had the most students and the smallest room. I don't think most teachers get their second classroom in their first year of teaching, but I do! Moving all the kids' things and reorganizing was kind of a bear though...

Thursday was another day off because I had to attend a conference with other bilingual teachers. It was one of the better teaching conferences I attended. Mr. John Glasgow was the speaker, and he was really interesting. I even got a diploma from that conference! I GRADUATED!!!!!!!!!! Yay! I never knew you could graduate just by attending a free 3-hour conference about how to teach beyond the textbook. I wonder if I can put that on my resume.....

Friday was another 5am prayer meeting day. There is nothing quite like waking up at 4:40 in the morning on a Friday when I am already exhausted from the work week. Sara had a friend come down to visit from Texas, so she came with us also. We got to the church, and I suddenly realized how awake I was. Probably because my eyes were completely glued to the sight before me. There was a good-sized tarantula sitting by the wall. The first words out of Sara's friend were, "Aw... I wish I had my camera." Let me just say, those weren't the words my mind was screaming... No, mine were probably a little more like, "Oh my GOSH!!!! KILL IT, KILL IT!!!!!" There is something about a tarantula that makes you not want to close your eyes for an hour to pray... Needless to say, my eyes were wide open and staring at my shoes the whole time.

Today was another laundry day, which means there is a chance of rain. The weather may not know it yet, but there is. Every day that I do laundry means it will rain. I did sheets today, too. Although, I am lucky because 2 of my 3 sheets are already dry and back on my bed. Maybe I will beat the rain afterall!... And then the downpour begins...