Drama-Meter Overload....
Something’s got to give. That’s all I have to say about that!
Of Operations and Vacations…
Andy is scheduled to have the operation to remove the pins from his knee on the 31st of August. Thank God we recently obtained health insurance which will cover the costs of the operation and the hospital stay. It should only be two nights in total, but the hospital here in Veracruz is doing so badly that patients now need to buy some of the operating tools themselves, not to mention gowns, pillows, blankets, etc.
...
I will be off work and staying with him at the hospital and at home for the recovery period which the doctors are saying should only be fifteen days.
Just asking for prayer that all goes well with the operation and that Andy recovers quickly and without the same levels of pain he endured when they put the pins in. Of course it is a different procedure and the doctors have assured him the pain should be much less than before. But all the same, prayers will be welcomed!
Other than that, not much else is going on. On the eigth of August I start my two week immersion period at my new job, and on the 15th my 12 hour work days begin! I have one week off work which will be spent with Andy recovering but we still intend to make it as vacation-esque as possible…you know, somehow.
...
Maybe I should start stocking up on the six-packs 
…..
Of Callbacks and Contracts…
I GOT THE JOB!!
*does happy dance*
Thanks so much to everyone who prayed etc. Got a call yesterday while at work asking me to please come down today at 11 AM and sign the contract. Don’t know exactly yet what they will be offering in terms of salary, though if my coworkers who got hired there are anything to go by, it will be the needed amount 
. Please pray for the last minute details to go smoothly, as well as that there will be no problems or awkward hour-clashes with my current afternoon job.
You all are the best!! 
Of Discriminating against Discrimination…
AIN'T IT THE TRUTH!!
“The fact that in some realms there is a tendency to consider religion as a socially insignificant factor, even annoying, does not justify trying to marginalize it, at times through denigration, ridicule, discrimination and even indifference in face of incidents of clear profanation, which violate the fundamental right of religious liberty inherent to the dignity of the human person.”
THIS *nods*.
Of Mexican Pine Trees…
My LBD 
Hana and I took the children to Puebla (another state just north of Veracruz) for a much-needed visit to the German consulate. The fresh weather was a welcome break (by fresh, I mean 25 degrees. A normal Boca Del Rio summer day is between 35-45 degrees), and we stopped off in Xalapa (Veracruz’s capital city which is an hour north of where we live) to enjoy the hilly region and crisp air!
Yup - believe it or not, this is southern Mexico, people.
Tiffy was enraptured...
With Jess..
Hana and the kids
An abandoned cabin
It was so fresh I even wore my trusty leather jacket!
It was so refreshing to find a little piece of Europe tucked away barely an hour’s drive from sand and palm trees. Don’t get me wrong – I will take the sand and palm trees any day over dismal rain and gloom…
But sometimes I do miss certain aspects of European living – like being able to wash a cup without breaking into a sweat, or being able to sit outside in the evening without every mosquito in Veracruz flocking to my ankles.
Just saying .
Of Mad Hatters and Psychologists…
Keep Your Fingers Crossed!
Finally buckled down and put feelers out for a job at one of the most prestigious bilingual schools in Veracruz. Got to meet with both the principal and their head of Human Resources, both of whom not only spoke fairly decent english but were also lovely and agreeable. Things looks promising! I’ve got an appointment on Monday to meet with their psychologist for a series of standard tests…
Understandably, (for reasons obvious to anyone who knows me ), desperate prayer and support is needed!
The Maddest Hatterette
Jokes aside though (‘um Heather, that wasn’t funny. You really are quite unbalanced’), I would really appreciate your prayers, or positive vibes if praying isn’t your thing. Any support will be welcomed. I would be landing this as a second job so the hours would be grueling, but it might eventually enable Andy and I to make a much-desired visit to see our families, obtain our TKTs (Teacher Knowledge Test), pamper Andy’s angelfish, etc…
You get the idea. Positive energy, people. Thank you!
Of Hard, Cold Facts…
I’ve been listening to this woman’s motivational speaking and I HAVE to share it with y’all! She is fantastic – with a capital F. She hits the nail on the head with so many issues I’ve been grappling with in life recently. It’s worth your time if you are looking for major, positive changes to take place TODAY.
I should be salesman of the year .
Of the Merry Month of May…
Wow – it’s been ages since I updated this thing. Well, a lot’s been going on, I suppose. For one thing, Andrew and Joy have left for Texas as of last month *sniff*. We miss them very much already and are looking forward to hopefully seeing them in summer if we can make it over.
Los queremos mucho!
A few more photo updates, since pictures speak a thousand words and all that jazz…
At a plaza celebrating Brendan's sixth birthday
The birthday boy with Mommy
Workin' it
The kids with Mr McDonald
At a friend's wedding we attended
Mel with Angie, her son Jesse's girlfriend who was visiting with him last month
Hana and Mel
With my dashing escort
Laughing with Mel
Of Fervent Prayer…
Pray for Mary
I’d like to ask anybody reading this post to please join me in praying for my very dear friend, Mary (of Peter and Lily Strutt). She was hit by a truck earlier today in Italy and is in ICU. Miraculously, even though she went under the heavy wheel, it missed her head by inches. Most of the bones on one side of her body are fractured and she is in severe pain.
Please, please pray for Mary’s complete and total recovery from this accident. Pray that the doctors will allow her fiance and family to be with her as right now they are only allowed during visiting hours. Pray for strength and peace for both Mary and her loved ones. Pray that the doctors will be given supernatural wisdom as they treat her.
Thank you.
Of Word-Power…
Four Words That Help Make Life Worthwhile
By Jim Rohn, May 9, 2011
Over the years, as I’ve sought out ideas, principles and strategies to life’s challenges, I’ve come across four simple words that can make living worthwhile.
First, life is worthwhile if you LEARN. What you don’t know will hurt you. You have to have learning to exist, let alone succeed. Life is worthwhile if you learn from your own experiences—negative or positive.
We learn to do it right by first sometimes doing it wrong. We also learn from other people’s experiences, both positive and negative. I’ve always said that it is too bad failures don’t give seminars. Obviously, we don’t want to pay them, so they aren’t usually touring around giving seminars. But that information would be very valuable. We would learn how someone who had it all, messed it up. Learning from other people’s experiences and mistakes is valuable information because we can learn what not to do without the pain of having tried and failed ourselves.
We learn by what we see, so pay attention. We learn by what we hear, so be a good listener. Now, I do suggest that you should be a selective listener. Don’t just let anybody dump into your mental factory. We learn from what we read, so learn from every source. Learn from lectures. Learn from songs. Learn from sermons. Learn from conversations with people who care. Always keep learning.
Second, life is worthwhile if you TRY. You can’t just learn. Now you have to try something to see if you can do it. Try to make a difference. Try to make some progress. Try to learn a new skill. Try to learn a new sport. It doesn’t mean you can do everything, but there are a lot of things you can do if you just try. Try your best. Give it every effort. Why not go all out?
Third, life is worthwhile if you STAY. You have to stay from spring until harvest. If you have signed up for the day or for the game or for the project, see it through. Sometimes calamity comes; then it is worth wrapping it up and that’s the end. But just don’t end in the middle. Maybe on the next project you pass, but on this one, if you signed up, see it through.
And lastly, life is worthwhile if you CARE. Care enough to make a difference. Care enough to turn somebody around. Care enough to start a new enterprise. Care enough to change it all. Care enough to be the highest producer. Care enough to set some records. Care enough to win.
Four powerful little words: learn, try, stay and care. What difference can you make in your life today by putting these words to work?
