Que sueño!

Let's talk about redeeming qualities. Today one of the kids said he was mad at me because I didn't let him have his way or something of that sort. Because today was a long day I wanted to tell him that he cries too much and does not listen. Today was a little hard because I missed home and all day was looking forward to skyping Jenna tonight ( which was great!) and today I learned why we take showers other than for hygiene... You actually get to be alone for 10 minutes! That sounds awful to say but I needed a break from the kids. After I showered I felt better and as I Played with the kids more, speaking all in English of course! Instead of being a little at wits end with them I started seeing their redeeming qualities. Kids cry a lot about dumb things, they don't listen and they can be aggrevating and hard to be patient with. But kids are also the first to give you a hug or kiss when hey see you are sad, they have laughs that are more contagious than swine flu and they don't care if your hair is messy or you have zits; they are more accepting and pure than adults and they show it.

With that said I had a second wind tonight. I am very thankful that I am stYing with this family and for everything hey are doing for me! Like teaching me Spanish and helping me find transportation for my dad and i's trip ( don't worry daddy, I've got it covered) and for feeding me food I actually like!

I got to help take the twins to the doctors this morning and that was an experience trying to kep them entertained. We were there for 2 hours but it was cool to see the hospital. Their heLthcare is a little different here as far as how you pY for it goes. I couldn't tell you the politics of it though because that's not my thing. Teaching English on the other hand is going very well! There is a lot of authentic interaction going on between the kids and I and they are already starting to produce small words and phrases. It has been really neat to put into practice everything I have learned in school thus far! Again thank you because if you are reading this then you have a part in making my life awesome, and for that I am grateful! And I hope I can reciprocate :)

Love, jacq

Valladolid with Bethany

Well I tried writing this last night but it got deleted so here goes! I wish I knew how to put pictures on here because I had my first tapas and sangria which are typical of Spain on Friday night! They were delicious and I appreciated them even more when Sunday, bless their hearts bethany's au pair family are great people but the traditional food they made for lunch smelled and tasted like cow manure in July. But they were so kind and hospitable! It was great to see Bethany and catch up. We walked around a lot which was awesome until I got blisters. I should listen to my mother when she says to wear better shoes! Today I wore the ones she bought me and am very thankful she did so because they're like a foot massage in a box. Thanks momma!

Last night I got to skype with some awesome people! ( you know who you are ) and I got to see my godbabe, via skype of course. Shes the best although I'm quite biased :)

On the way to see bethany on Friday god painted a beautiful sunset. He is quite artistic to have created the world so that he could paint the sky every night and morning. I bet there's never been two of the same sunsets or sunrises EVER. how cool is that! And peacocks? Yeah they were running free in a park in the middle of the city. How he thought of peacocks I haven't a clue but even though I'm scared of birds I got a few pictures with them! I wish I knew how to
put pictures on here but I'm technologically challenged so if you can see them on my Facebook please look! God is good, I am blessed and am learning new things everyday. I am starting to have trouble thinking of words in English which is a good sign that I am practicing a lot. I am in the midst of an incredible opportunity and am trying to take as much of it in as I can. Here's a line from a hymn I really like that a band revamped:
O God be my everything, be my delight
Be Jesus my glory, my soul satisfy

What if I really lived that?

Silly technology...

I wrote and the post did not go through! I'll write again tomorrow instead.

Valladolid

I got here on Friday a little after 10. On the fast train it was about an hour away. They are having a festival this weekend and I'm staying with Bethany and her family. It's so nice to have one of my best friends here. Always great to see a familiar face! Anywho this festival. Basically a bunch of performing groups come to do their shows. Some of them do comedy or crazy acrobatics. It was cool to watch but some of them dragged on too long and this was not due to my short attention span.

It's been so good to see Bethany and explore a little and go out. Because I am with the kids the majority of the time this is the first chance ice really had to do so. I had tapas for the first time last night and they were awesome! If I wasn't technologically challenged and knew how to put pictures on here I would show you the one I took of my first tapas and sangria!

Tomorrow we are going to try to find this English speaking church and go there, then shop and eat and then I go home. When i get to madrid I am taking the metro from Madrid to arganda so hopefully I don't get lost. I am very grateful that I got to come here. And that Bethany is coming to see and stay with me next weekend. We both have very hospitable families here! It's 3 in the a.m. here and I am falling asleep. It is encouraging to see how many lovely people there are in the world. Even though there is a lot of bad stuff, there will always be good people. After all, we are. Reared in God's image and what a splendid God he is.

P.S....

Don't mind the earlier blogs unless you would like to read about the theoretical foundations of second language acquisition :)I had this blog for a class last semester and figured I might as well use it.

España!

Well I'm in Spain which when you look at a map looks very far away from Illinois...and it is! But as always God is showing me and teaching me new things every day. I've been here for 4 days now and have 38 left until my daddy comes to Madrid. Yes, I did count the first night I was here. I'm not ashamed that I get homesick though because that just means I have an awesome family and friends that I love more than I can bare sometimes. The first thing God has taught me this summer is that I would be a wreck without him. God never leaves me though, therefore I am never actually away from home. He also showed me a great verse in philipians about love and how to do so sincerely. I'm also reading the book love wins by rob bell and am intrigued by it. I've quickly found out though that helping care for and teaching English to 2 year old twins and their 3 year old brother does not leave much time for me to read! What a great family I am staying with though. The kids are very energetic and Llani and Cesar are always talking to me and have been so welcoming. Llani's mom comes during they day while they Are working and Manuel is at school and she is just as kind and as talkative. Today she taught me how to make paella! Tonight I went to Madrid with with Llani and Cesar to see a movie but it was a documentary and didn't have dialogue. It was still good though! I have really enjoyed living here so far and am excited because Friday I am going to Valladolid to see Bethany for the weekend. It will be great to see a familiar face. It's almost 1 a.m. Here so I am going to sleep, I am so blessed and if you're reading this then you're one of the reasons why!