Wednesday, January 12, 2011

English Lesson

"We don't eat cats! We eat dogs- and silkworms!" ~ my Chinese roommate

Little did I know that using the word litter for both trash and kittens would upset her so much.

Nanny Highlights

* There's a gazebo near the tree house Raegan likes to visit. She asked me what it was and I said a gazebo. She now calls it either a "gazeeba" or the "zageebo."

* The other day Raegan took out her Barbies and said "They're getting their noses cut." I asked why, at first thinking it was nose piercing. She said, "Because they aren't perfect." I panicked. How did she find out about plastic surgery?! Suddenly I remembered that she had just watched the Veggie Tales Pinnochio movie. In it "Pistachio" had to have his nose trimmed by his father because it had grown after he lied. We had a talk about wooden people vs. real people.

* Anabelle got to try real solid food for the first time today. I never knew Ritz crackers could be such a mess.

* Raegan read my Bible today. The story went something like, "And God saved your life and for 400 years. And you and me are going to work together now, and you're powerful!"

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Ohana

So nannies aren't exactly the most noticed people at the YWAM base. I get to participate in activities when I'm not watching the kids, but it's not the easiest position. The enemy's been trying to tell me that I'm not going to get anything out of this, that this is for students and not for me, that I'm not going to be here long enough, etc. Jordan and Danielle prayed for me this morning and called me out on it, and I repented and asked for God's grace.
The day was fun, in town with the Boleys and then a rather stressful afternoon with the kids. At night there was a dessert social for all the students, and after eating a lot of wonderful sweets we sat at tables and were told to each answer 3 questions.

#1. How did you come to know the Lord?
#2. What has been your biggest struggle/the hardest thing you've had to come through?
#3. What's your biggest, ultimate dream?

There were 8 of us at my table, and we ended up talking for probably 2 hours. Simple icebreaker questions, but something happened. The Holy Spirit came and we were all overwhelmed, we finished our talking by praising God and praying for each other. Suddenly I saw and experienced what I had been hearing over and over again the past couple of days: ohana. It's Hawaiian for family (think Lilo & Stitch), and the leaders have been impressing it on everyone that this is who we are now.

I know that I need to go back. I miss my friends, I really miss Jason, and I don't think I could survive Hawaii once the weather isn't "mild." But tonight I actually wished that I could stay for longer. Ohana made me long to stay.

P.S.- My allergies are doing a lot better. I actually wore contacts today! Keep praying, though. :)

Friday, January 7, 2011

Next Adventure: Kona!!!

Okay, so it hasn't quite been a year since the last post. It just feels like it. It was almost a year ago that I stepped on the plane to London, and just yesterday I stepped on another plane to go west.
My dear friends Jordan and Danielle Boley felt called to pack up everything and take their family to do a Discipleship Training School with Youth With a Mission (YWAM) in Kona, Hawaii. Not only do I love them, but I adore their kids, too. So when they needed a nanny, they asked me to come along with them. Unfortunately, I can't stay for the entire 3 months because of school, but I am totally blessed to be able to nanny for them for the first month of their DTS. The decision was made and forms were filled out in the nick of time, and suddenly I found myself in a tropical climate for the first time ever.
I have some amazing roommates from all over the world- Norway, Canada, Russia, and Hawaii! Most of them are doing their own DTS programs, but one other is a nanny. It feels very much like camp- camp food, a small room with bunk beds, lots and lots of unfamiliar faces, ants . . . During the weekdays I get to hang out with the Boley girls while mom and dad are in school. Raegan is 3 and adjusting well, although it's very confusing and hard for her. Anabelle is 10 months and just starting to walk, which makes it that much more challenging to keep those girls occupied! They are very sweet girls, though, and I feel super blessed to be here.

Random: I saw a strange animal by the playground, a little girl informed me that it was a mongoose. I heard they eat snakes, so I now really like them.
More random information: The moon is upside down! The moon was a sliver last night, and the sliver was on the bottom instead of the side. It was very bizarre. I keep on reminding myself I'm in another state, not another country.

If you read this, please pray for my health. I've been having eye problems, and it's hard to stay upbeat and to focus on things when my eye is hurting. I think my allergies are acting up, too, which isn't helping. Praise the Lord, I got a nap in today!

I'll keep you updated!