Top Ten

1. Last week I went somewhere by myself for the first time in over a month.  I walked a couple blocks to the grocery store, found some food, purchased it, and made it safely home! (...and I'm only 29!!)   :P

2. Today I went running for the first time with a friend.  We went to this little neighborhood and it was just beautiful!  It was probably in the 50's and there was the slightest bit of mist in the air.  The walls around the homes were covered in moss and vines, and there were beautiful tropical plant and flowers poking out through the cracks in the sidewalk.  Some houses are visible from the street and one had statues of Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs in a garden.  I felt like I was running through the Secret Garden. 

3. Tonight I made popcorn in a pan on the stove for the first time.  It was pretty successful and I'm enjoying it while I type this post.  

4. Tonight I also got my phone so I can now receive calls!!  If you don't have my number let me know and I'll send it to you.  

5. Tomorrow we have a half day of professional development...no students.  

6. Monday I go to work on my documents some more.  We leave at 6:15 AM...ewww!

7. Today I attended my first Portuguese lesson.  I can't even say the alphabet correctly!  :P  However, I am really excited to start learning!

8. Last night I had some girls over for dinner.  The menu was the same as the last time I had people over. :)  However, this time one girl brought a salad and another brought dessert.  I did come up with another dinner idea after they left, so maybe next time it won't be spaghetti! :)  

9. Saturday night I went to a surprise 40th birthday party for the high school principal organized by his girlfriend at the time.  She is the preschool director.  Well, he surprised her by asking her to marry him!  Their two surprises collided a little, but it was really fun.  I'm so excited for them!

10.  Monday night I attended my first Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) class here in Brazil.  I was/am so excited about this!  Its an International Bible Study that I participated in when I lived in Grand Rapids, and my church from the Philippines also hosts it.  I have friends in Manila, Grand Rapids, and Seattle all completing the same Bible Study with me at the same time.  Its really wonderful and a huge answer to prayer.  I had been asking God to lead me to a good Bible Study here and BSF is one of the best I have ever been involved in.  I'm so thankful for the other women here who are willing to take me and that time times/location worked out.  People said it would take anywhere from 1.5-2.5 hours to get there because of traffic, but it only took us one hour and it only took 20 min. coming home!  We were really thankful for that!  In addition the study is in English.  The other members of my group speak Portugese as their first language, but we were able to communicate pretty well.  The teaching lady is from the U.S. (with a Southern accent!).