And so we get to November. I have some things to blog about in October still, but I want to do a post (hopefully) every day leading up to Thanksgiving with something or some things I am thankful for. Hence I'm up blogging at 11:10pm Lima time. :)
Moving is bittersweet. Today was our last Sunday in the La Molina ward here in Peru. Firstly, I'm very thankful for this ward. Sometimes I really think having a separate English branch would be the better option, but I'm glad they offer translation, and it has been fun to learn some Spanish at church, like some of the primary songs. Henlie sings Cristo Me Manda Que Brille (Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam) and Cabeza, Cara, Hombros, Pies (Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes) now. It's freaking adorable. Also, it has been nice to have a community of like-minded expats as friends. Expat living gives you a new type of community. Like, you're from the States? Let's be friends! -or- Oh my gosh, you speak English? Let's be friends! It doesn't matter if they're from across the country or even another English-speaking country. Or, heck, a different country but they also happen to be fluent in English. Funny how it works.
Anyway, Matt stood up and bore his testimony and announced to the ward it was our last week. We got a lot of goodbyes from friends. Our primary kids locked us out of our classroom for awhile, which let us chat with some other friends. The kids decorated the chalkboard and gave us a card. Two, really. Eliza did one from home. The other had messages from the kids that the primary presidency had them pass around. In Sharing Time, they also thanked us and said goodbye and gave us a bag of fun size Milky Ways. I was amused we were given American candy when we are moving back to America :)
We had tentative plans to have dinner with one of Matt's old mission friends, but he didn't confirm anything, and another friend of ours from the ward invited us to lunch at her house instead, so we got to visit with her and her kids. It was very enjoyable. We had some fun chats, and her kids (while older) did great entertaining Henlie while we talked and she cooked. She also graciously drove us home afterward. I wish we'd taken the opportunity to get together earlier in our stay. It's okay, though, because in December, they are moving to Logan :)
I'm also grateful for the extra push to forge and maintain relationships living in Lima has given us. Even though distance-wise, our friends don't live that far away, the logistics of traffic make it a bit of an ordeal to see them, but it is so very much worth it. And these are the kinds of friends you don't come across every day (see above about expat living :)) It really is a special kind of bond, and makes a two hour drive to Logan on occasion that much more worth it in order to maintain such a friendship. I've also tried to be better about talking with other friends and family instead of letting those relationships wither away. #priorities
Another instant community you find when away from home is church. It's nice that even though it may be in a different language and there are still some cultural differences, the Church is still the Church. The doctrines are the same. The same Spirit is there. The structure of the meetings is the same. Like when I had Andrew and my first nurse was LDS, instant connection. Instant connections are pretty cool.
I've also been grateful to have the opportunity to teach our primary class this year as we studied the New Testament. It has been fun and enlightening to study the life of Christ in such a chronological way.
I guess I'll end tonight's thankful post with one of the simple things - Matt made me hot chocolate, and it was yummy :)
