I LOVE my job!

Not many people can say that they truly enjoy their job. Yes, like many people, I have my rough days. However, when my day is at its roughest, just the smile, hug, kiss, or look from one of my kids puts my life back on track. So here's a little something from my kiddos that might just touch your heart as much as its touched mine.

Well, on Monday morning, we're getting started with our morning activity, when one of the boys comes to my desk and asks me to sharpen his pencil. While doing so, Alannah (one of my little girls) comes up to me with her pencil. So I ask her "Let me guess, you need your pencil sharpened?" She looks at me and replies "No, I just need a kiss!" This just made my day. I thought it was WAY too cute!

There's this Korean boy that I tutor 4 times a week. He's 10 years old and basically here alone. Here's a background on most Korean students: They usually come here alone to learn english for a year. They stay at a dorm type house with a guardian. Most guardians run this EXACTLY like a business. So on top of being in a brand new country without knowing the language, they don't quite get the TLC that we all need from our parents and families. Well, back to the story. His name is Joon Seo and he's really compassionate. He's definately brought out some of my gray hair, but he's AMAZING! Well, today, he had a bad day at school. We're both hovering over the internet translator, trying to understand what the other is saying. After sort of talking about his day and why he was upset, we realize that my ride is here. So I get up, but notice him still frustrated. So I type in the translator "I care for you". He read it, and said a simple, but heartfelt, "Thank you". This opened up my floodgates! He drives me crazy, but I love that little boy and i'm just so thankful that the Lord finally allowed me to tell him that I do care.

Ok so, now for some cheering up: My mom has always had this special phrase with us where she'd say "Mommy loves you..." and we'd respond "No matter what". One day this year, I remembered the phrase while explaining to my kids that Jesus loves them in that same way and that I do too. So I changed around the phrase, and well here ya go!

I want to say thank you to all of you who pray for me and I ask you to pray for these kids as well. Pray that they may get to know Jesus, and that the Lord can use me to minister to them as well! Love you all!

Tooth Wisdom

Yesterday, I went to the Dentist to get my wisdom teeth extracted. After Dr. Pierson explained what the procedure would consist of, I laid in the seat filled with anxiety. My wisdom teeth had been bugging me for a while. Then, when i finally had made the decision to get them extracted, I didn't have the money for it. G-d provided and it was D-Day! They gave me these cool "futuristic" glasses where i could watch a movie while they did the procedure. I apparently was the first patient to try it. YAY ME! lol =) Well, the first shot of anesthesia went in and it hurt a little. Felt more like someone was putting a rod in my gums that just didn't fit. Of course that description sounds so much worse, but that's what i imagined. After all my gums were injected, i sat there for a while, trying to control my tongue which felt bigger than my mouth. By the time i was all numbed up, i felt like Will Smith in the movie "Hitch". Thankfully, i looked pretty normal. Then he started with the first tooth. I mentally prepared myself...but before i could even think of the word "ouch:", the tooth was out. I was pleased...but it was only 1/4 of the way. Then came the second one. I felt some pain...and it got worse. Then Dr. Pierson noticed and asked me if it was hurting. I said yes. He then put some more anesthesia. He let it kick in and then when he came back, he said something that stuck in my head for a while. "You don't have to be a hero, let me know if it hurts, that's what the anesthesia is here for". You may think that this is pretty normal to hear, but immediately, all i could think about was G-d. So many times he tells us the same thing "You don't have to be a hero, give me your load, that's what I'm here for! The Lord has many ways of speaking to us, yes, even in the middle of an extraction, while sitting in the dentist's chair. I'm glad the Lord spoke to me that day. I know he speaks to us at all times, we just got to listen.

Well, here are some words from the "less-wiser"! =) lol

Love you all!
G-d's Island Girl

My four wisdom teeth. The one on the right (the painful one) has some bone attached.

Thanksgiving Break!

On Tuesday, my kiddos and also the 1st and 2nd graders joined together to tell the "ABC's of The First Thanksgiving" to all our parents. Afterwards, it was chow time. So many parents...so many kids...SO MUCH FOOD! It was a wonderful time for all of us. When everything was finally done, I went and did some much needed laundry. The next day, I woke up early to go scuba diving. It was absolutely AMAZING! It was my first open water dive and I honestly can't wait for the rest. However, I was EXHAUSTED! When I got home (around 3:00 p.m.) I decided to take a "nap". So I laid down and went off to sleepy land. When I finally opened my eyes again, it was roughly around 4:00 a.m....the next day! It was definitely some much needed rest! I couldn't go back to sleep, so I got up, and was able to "web cam" with my cousins back home. It was really great to do so! I missed seeing their faces so. Then around 8:00 a.m., I realized that it was Thanksgiving Day. So I got up, picked up Eva from her house and we started cooking. We later were on our way to do run some errands, and then maybe lay out by the beach for a while. Then we decided, hmmm...we have our bathing suits and practically the whole day ahead of us...so lets go to the MANDI! The Mandi is this AHHHMAZING spa and since we're locals, it only costs $15 to spend the day there. So we went and had a blast.

Later that night, we went to the Maycock's for Thanksgiving Dinner. I remember starting to feel the knot in my stomach at the thought of spending Thanksgiving without my family. I kept telling myself "It's only a dinner...JUST A DINNER". When we arrived, everything was perfectly set. From name tags to fancy cups....it was just perfect. I found myself that night looking around the table, and thinking, "These people here ARE my family and I'm sure I'm going to miss them even more, when my year here is finished." It was truly a perfect night!

So here's my list of only five of the things I'm thankful for this year:

1 - My G-d

2 - Family (including Saipan Family)

3 - My kids and their wonderful, comforting words, hugs and smiles

4 - My church Family (back home and here in Saipan)

5 - For the privilege to serve G-d

G-d's Plans for My Christmas

"While i'm in Saipan, i'm going to travel to as many places as I can. I love traveling and everything is just so close and cheap" I remember these words coming out of my mouth throughout the entire summer. These were MY plans for every break that I would have while here. Philippines...Thailand...Bali...Japan...Australia...New Zealand...my plans kept changing. Nothing seemed to be working out. When I would finally decide on one place and it seemed like it would work....WOOSH something would happen and those plans would get demolished. Time was running out, and I was getting frustrated. Then one night, while talking to my mom about my frustrations, she said "Just Pray"...I had done so, so many times, but I always prayed for the Lord to allow this trip to work out, or for that trip to work out, and so on. But that night, I prayed a very heartfelt prayer about something as simple as Christmas plans. I awoke the next day with the thought "It'll be okay if I stay here in Saipan" (I didn't want to because I knew I would miss my family too much over the holidays) I felt a peace in my heart, and the words just started rambling in my head. "If I stay here, I can show everyone how we celebrate it back home" Then that thought led to another... "What if I can give a Christmas to those children who wouldn't otherwise have one?" Immediately, I started planning it out in my head. The peace I felt for staying here is how I knew that it was an answer from G-d. So my Christmas Plans? To continue the work that I believe G-d is doing here (and hopefully through me). I will be collecting Toys, Clothes, and Cards for those kids here. I have some people from the States that will be sending some of these items. If you are one of those that is interested, please let me know. Starting December, my house will look like Santa's Workshop as I will be baking cookies, wrapping presents, and hopefully bringing some Christmas joy to some less fortunate children. Please continue praying for me and all my....no...I mean...G-d's plans for me here on Saipan!

Till my next post,

G-d's Island Girl =)