I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart…

Where?!  Down in my heart!
Where?! Down in my heart! Down in my heart to staaaay!
And if the Devil doesn't like it he can sit on a tack. OUCH!!!
Sit on a tack. OUCH!!! Sit on a tack.
And if the Devil doesn't like it he can sit on a tack! Sit on a tack today!!

Oh I'm so happy, so very happy!!!!

Happy belated Easter!!! Oh man i don't know but these past 3 days have just been super delightful! Actually I've had a wonderful week we just had Semana Santa (aka holy week, aka a week long holiday).  Ah Easter…thanks to my experience here last year i already knew it was going to be pretty chill, as no one wants to be confused with the scandalous *shudder Catholics so they don’t celebrate anything except the joy of having a week long vacation – my friends Jesus loving mom didn’t even remember what day Easter was confusing it for Palm Sunday.  Basically what I'm getting at here is that Easter is a big deal…  ….mmm not!

Okay so you’re probably asking yourself “kayla what DID you do during your time off?!” Well let me tell you i did lots!  So my friends Susi and Sarita were heading to the beach and needed a super responsible, extremely friendly and giggly Canadian to watch their house and puppies – who aren’t actually puppies but judging from the size of Chippies you might think that he is expecting a litter!!!  heehee he’s so fat, he waddles everywhere. 

So Monday to Friday i guarded the house, cooked up a storm, got some rest, was able to fix my nasty back tan, and wrote the maid of honour speech for my best friends wedding in 2 weeks!!!!! Which i am super pumped for! I get to go to Florida and see my best friends, my parents, stuff my face full of ice cream,candy, and yummy Filipino cuisine.  YAY! ooh its going to be so fun!!!!

Then Tuesday and Wednesday  i was holy sick …not just regular sick as it wasn’t a regular week!  Before you panic and worry about how often i am sick let me share my new theory.  It seems that each time i get sick the duration is a little bit shorter (excellent i like where she’s going with this…).  SO I'm thinking that my body is building up some sort of sick fighting antibody and soon I'll just sneeze and that will be my illness! I’m going to be seriously delighted if this hypothesis turns out to be legit but if not oh well, being sick is not the end of the world.

Thursday came rolling around, Susi and Sarita came home, i stayed an extra night because Friday there was a professional skateboarder coming into Carpio and i wanted to go.  Good Friday there are no buses, but fortunately Susi also wanted to go too so she could drive us!  Apparently a while back it was unheard of that people should drive on Good Friday - you only went places you could walk to otherwise you were a heathen (from a Catholic’s viewpoint).  Before Susi and I ventured out into the empty streets on Friday we thoroughly enjoyed our Thursday night which consisted of puzzling, playing upwards, and a new game i learned called bananagrams – which is excellent.  It was so wonderful, i have been missing my prime time people (aka the seniors group at Cedar Grove, my home church) and Susi and Sarita would fit in there seamlessly so i got my seniors fix.  All i needed was a couple stories about so and so’s grandson and how he was single…and so was i (in case i forgot haha) and it would’ve been just like home! 

Saturday i was back home, and i think my host mom missed me – she called me twice in one day- just to say hi.  So you can imagine when i got home we had some serious catching up to do! And catch up we did!

Then came Easter Sunday!!! and golly it was such a treat.  I got to go to an English speaking sunrise service – it was old school Baptist, the music leader came up “okay we’re going to start off with a lively song” haha he then proceeded to sing a medium tempo hymn (piano and guitar).  Grandma Chan would’ve loved it!  After service we went to Denny’s (which to be honest i don’t really like at home when its super cheap and here its like a fancy pants restaurant – the food is the same its just ridiculously expensive so it’s not high on my list of places I'd like to go) BUT i went and shared a plate with a friend and was extremely ecstatic because I got to eat real bacon!!! Oh bacon how i love thee!!!  Afterwards i went into Carpio and attended that church service – we watched a movie on the resurrection.  After service i  went to my friend Carmen’s house and started a fire in her backyard – but not before changing (because i was wearing a pretty dress) into an ensemble her sons pulled together - case in point i was very stylish in my snug athletic shorts,  fancy shirt which was much to big and rubber flip flops.  So we built our fire cooked up a ton a meat.  While we were waiting for the meat to cook i learned the tango, participated in a weight lifting competitions with a dumbbell we found in the backyard – i didn’t win but  gained some street cred when they saw the gun show and realized I'm packing some heat.  Later, when i was back home another Easter surprise! I got to Skype with my wonderful friends in Minnesota AND my host mom made arroz con leche (its kind of like a rice pudding – but of course much better) with raisins!!! Good raisins too not the yucky shrively ones (haha yes I'm aware that all raisins have some shrivel but I'm talking about the juicy shrivelly ones not the yucky ones with no squish).  Ah God is good!

So pretty much this past week was a huge blessing, it provided the perfect opportunity for me to take a step back a really press into God without any time constrictions.  I have been struggling with discouragement for the past little while.   It’s hard to watch people you love so much trail blaze down destructive paths and witness people who claim to be followers of the Lord set horrible examples everything all together was really taking it’s toll, my heart was breaking.  It was becoming more and more tempting to harden my heart a little in order to protect it from the pain.  But Jesus didn’t build me to have a hard heart, actually he gave me a really sensitive one.  So i asked myself am i living a life as one who believes in the truth? was hardening my heart showing that i trusted God to keep me safe and protected…mm NO!  How could Jesus fulfill his promise to fill me with joy if i didn’t have a big open heart waiting for him?!  Silly silly kayla!

Living in a fallen world means that things aren’t always going to go smoothly but I'm choosing to throw out my welcome mat invite Jesus over for some tea and biscuits and allow him to fill me with joy in his presence!  (psalm 16.11).

filling up on starch in the month of march…

i wanted to have a cool rhyme  to get you reeeally excited about  the march update video, but nothing really rhymes with march, all i could come up with were starch, arch, and splarch – and i’m pretty sure that’s not a real word…

curling proves itself uber prime yet again!

*insert eye roll* “oh kayla how did you manage to connect curling with extremely tropical Nicaragua?” haHA well let me tell you.  As we all know my visa needs to be updated every three months and to do this I need to leave Costa Rica for 72 hours.  Upon hearing this my wonderful curling club manager, Lesley, informed me that she has a house in Nicaragua open to me when needed for free! My little budget calculator was completely delighted.  But wait it gets even better!!! I’ll break down my weekend of “rest” so you can pretend you were there too!

Day 1 (March 24) So Katie (my wonderful friend who graciously accepted my constant invitations) and I left CR at 12.20 (10 minutes ahead of schedule!).  Nothing too crazy other than a couple of chocolate starved girls gorging on peanut butter and chocolate flavoured cookies (yes flavoured – regular chocolate is real pricey) and conversing about very important things like farting and boys.  Actually, we were  able to share some of our testimonies and all in all good bus ride.  So around 8.30pm we get into Managua and are greeted by Karen (she looks after Lesley’s house) now Karen and I had spoken a little on facebook but of course never met. First thing she says “Whoa you are big!!!”….umm excuse me?!  She was referring to my height, which unless I'm next to little shelly chan, isn’t anything extraordinary, but in Nicaragua I'm apparently an amazon.  So anyways because the beach home was 2 hours away and Karen had to work the next day we spend the night at her place.  However, Karen is in a one bedroom apartment and there wasn’t really a lot of space for 2 more  girls, especially with me being so huge and all.  So the door, to her neighbouring apartment that had been empty for a while, was open so we invited ourselves in and passed out for the night.

 

Day 2: With Karen at work until 6 Katie and I planned to hang out around the house (Karen has a hammock so I was quite content).  We went to the store picked up some groceries and had a morning of rest.  Then around 12.30 one of the other people living in the complex told us we should probably eat lunch because Karen got off work early and we were heading out a little after 1!!! So we dined on some pa-ta (they don’t pronounce the letter s- its pretty entertaining) and headed out.  Originally we were supposed to be getting a ride but that fell through so we ended up taking a taxi and 2 buses and wound up in Casares around 5.30, just in time for the sunset.  I had heard the house was nice, however, I had not been informed that it was a million dollar on the beach paradise!  Like my home in Costa Rica, God has decided that I deserve the best and this was no exception!  It was phenomenal! So we quickly unpacked and hit up the beach, enjoyed the sunset, made dinner and just enjoyed each others company.  Later that night when we were out star gazing I was intrigued by all these little lights and girlish squeals of joy frolicking around the beach.  They got closer and closer and turned out to be 4 grown men chasing crabs – honestly it was hilarious.

Day 3: Beach day! Enough said, I frolicked my little heart out; built a sandcastle (sadly the moat was a giant fail), played frisbee, made some new friends.  That was just the morning later I helped make lunch (fresh fish that we fried up) very yummy.  We had to leave in the afternoon to get back to Managua.  So we packed up and I was overjoyed when I found out that instead of taking 2 microbuses (where you think 18 seats means 18 people , only to discover that seats and seating capacity are 2 very different things– on the way in we had 24 people in our little van, heehee we were like a clown car; it was fun). Okay,  so on our way out we got to take the chicken bus – basically it’s like an old school bus but most of them are painted flamboyant colours and some even have tassels!!! I had really wanted to take it the last time I had visited Nicaragua because it was so ridiculously cheap but apparently they have a reputation for being dangerous so I opted for safety took a taxi and missed out.  Not this time!  It wasn’t really exciting other than the giggling men in the back sitting on their ice cream carts but still.  Once we got back to Managua I saw this really cool float, turns out it was the annual carnival!!! There was reggae blaring , half naked ladies, street vendors, dancers it was quite a big deal.  So we hit that up for a little bit but had to head in early once the borracho (drunks) started to flock to the chelas eating their ice cream on the curb.

         

Day 4: Not exciting.  The bus back was not as pleasant on the way in.  We had quite the chele (american) who was absolutely annoyed when the bus vendor wouldn’t let him pay for a coke with Cordobas (Nicaraguan currency) when we were in Costa Rica.  I was embarrassed by his behaviour and if he hadn’t been so disrespectful to the vendor I probably would have just bought the coke for him.  Thankfully, he got off early and we were all happy.  There was a marathon (in honour of the new stadium opening) being run in downtown San Jose  and so a lot of the streets were closed so it took a lot longer to get home, but I made it back safely without being burned, attacked, or emotionally scarred…success!!!

Case in point I had a delightful time and learned stuff too:
… Nicaraguan hospitality is intense…

..I am extremely floha (clumsy) – we knew this before, but after tripping a few times Karen took it upon herself to inform me of every uneven surface we walked past..

…it is possible to have an exceptional weekend filled with fun in a foreign country for under $70…

 The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him Lamentations 3.25

i will not live too safely …

...growing up I missed out on countless opportunities, allowing the world to pass me by as I sat on the sidelines frozen by fear.  It was impossible for God to let me experience the thrill of  seeing him work through me because I rarely gave him the opportunity.  Since I have dared to  jump out of my comfort zone I have never experienced so much life! GAH!!! I am so grateful to be here!!!

That being said lets review the past couple weeks:

“kayla every time i see you, you are more fat …” (yes this was said to me)

i got sick …again! – but this time only for 2 days

focusing too much on the tangible aspects of ministry instead of the relational

All these things were not making me feel too good.  So the other day tired of feeling tired and mopey, allowing worldly things to affect my mood, I was walking to my bus stop and i think to myself “Ewww I feel disgusting” – but instead of wallowing I say to God “God I'm not even going to think about how little energy I feel I have today for I know that YOU have all the energy that I need so I will instead focus on YOU and serving YOU to the best of my abilities for I know that my strength lies in YOU.” After I chuckled to myself as I knew my disgustingness had no chance muahaha! God has been drilling into me the necessity of depending on Him for everything, nothing is too big or too small!

“Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.” 1 Chronicles 16.11

PRAISE  I have to go to Nicaragua next weekend (24-27th) and until Thursday I was hitting it up solo yet again, not so ideal.  As big as my muscles are I’m not sure how bullet proof they are… But my Dad can now sleep peacefully because not only do I have a partner in crime BUT through my delightful curling connections I have a wonderful house to stay at – for free!!! AND if that wasn’t amazing enough we do not even  have to hunt down the house because the lady who stays there is coming to pick us up from the bus stop! What a guy this Jesus character eh?!

I am a proud auntie!!! My friend Jenn survived birthing her first toddler at 9lbs 3 ounces!

I’ve also decided to redefine the word fat –in Spanish ‘gorda’  so that next time it’s thrown out – and we know it will be. I won’t feel like jabba the hut (haha yeeeaah that was a star wars reference).

G= gifted hugger

O= open ears for listening

R= reeeally cool, I mean reeeeallly

D= diabolically delightful dancer

A= alarmingly amAzing                                                                 ….I am humble, I swear

PRAYER  I have been very blessed with strong friendships and many people are very comfortable opening up with me.  The past few weeks I have learned things that have made me very sad, aka time to pray.  As these things were said to me in confidence I will not use names:

• A friend of mine informed me that he has walked away from the Lord because he doesn’t feel he is important to God and doesn’t understand why people serve God or do things just because they love Jesus.  I was heartbroken; later I learned he is engulfed in pornography and promiscuity.  I made sure he knew that Jesus and I would love  him no matter what he’s done.  He let me pray for him – yay! Please pray with me that God will seduce his heart so the Holy Spirit can infiltrate.  The most encouraging part of our conversation was when he told me  “the door is shut, but not locked” – he was very adamant that it wasn’t locked!
• Another friend was attacked last weekend, she is doing well; she’s actually in very good spirits – no physical injuries!  Please pray for her protection (she’s been threatened numerous times) and that God will continue to strengthen her daily.  She reminds me very much of the Samaritan woman who met Jesus at the well. How she was ashamed to be around the community because of her lifestyle but after meeting Jesus she unashamedly rejoiced and opened the eyes and hearts of many.  I’m so lucky to have such cool friends!
• My prayer for myself and the other leaders of New Horizons is:
  “I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.  There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called;  one Lord, one faith, one baptism;  one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.  But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.” -Ephesians 4.1-7

jealous of my mad indoor soccer skills some of the boys confused me for a towel and decided to wipe their nasty sweat all over my arms and shirt ….eau de teenage boy = ewww!

february…in 5 minutes

The Lord will sustain [her] on [her] sickbed and restore [her].    _{Psalm 41.3}

love is a 3 letter word…

Happy belated Valentines Day!  I didn’t get into too much trouble – me and Jesus celebrated in style, we had a wonderful dinner with my family and one of my students gave me a box of chocolate flowers accompanied with a little note she wrote telling me how happy and grateful she was that i was here – I'm so spoiled!

Not gona lie February has been rough.  I have been quite sick for the majority of this month – hence the lack of updating.  I was completely out of commission the second week of February and was not able to start my classes on time or, for that matter, leave my bed.  I did see a doctor and was put on medications for a serious flu and a mystery virus – we don’t need to hit anymore details.  Case in point God is faithful and I’m now able to walk to bus stop without needing a nap!  This time of illness was really difficult for me, not only just the physical part of being sick but emotionally it was completely draining.  I felt very alone and struggled to find joy in anything.  Then one morning in my devotional it mentioned how some of the sweetest times people have had with God have been in jail cells or sick beds…I started to not focus on my lack of energy or how sad and lonely it was being quarantined in my room but instead started investing some solid time in the word – trying to make God the center of all my thoughts and i came across this doosy:

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast” – 1 Peter 5.10

This has been incredibly encouraging, sickness is inevitable and its comforting to know that no matter what happens to me God sees it all and he’s got it ALL under control.

PRAISE   So my classes have started! I currently have 1 student who is able to make it to our scheduled English class (Tuesday/Friday, 2-4). But have 4 others whom I tutor individually.  The computer class is run on Thursdays from 2-4 and the lab is open for drop in on Tuesdays. While the feedback is slow right now I am confident and optimistic, word will get out and then we will have to figure out a way to accommodate the plethora of kids who are going to swarm our way!

Also today, I ran into my friend Mikael and he had a fancy looking paper in his hand…so of course I snooped and discovered that is was his high school diploma!!! This is SO exciting we danced around with complete delight – well I danced and he looked at me like I was absolutely ridiculous but still YAY!!!

PRAYER   There is a HUGE need for some serious prayer down here right now…to choose one word- well two words “gong show” I think explains it the best:

• So the week that I was sick one of the girls at The Refuge, Angie,  attempted to commit suicide by jumping off a bridge. She did not succeed, and is currently in the hospital.  They had to amputate her foot as her ankle was too badly shattered to repair.  Aside from the physical healing please pray that God would really speak to her – it’s a miracle that she is alive!  Pray that she would recognize how much she is loved and special she is. 
• For a burst of energy, patience, and grace to cover all the leaders and volunteers in New Horizons. There seems to be a sense of discouragement and confusion due to miscommunication. That we would be united and working towards the same goal – witnessing Christ’s love to the youth of La Carpio.
• We have had two more of our cement blocks in our fence kicked down (which if you saw this fence..is a feat).  This needs to be addressed otherwise we will have no way of regulating who enters the property (aka the only open space in all of Carpio) it’s just scary to think about…
• And of course the regulars: my health, spanish, and a big ‘ol dose of wisdom – with all this craziness i need the trifecta more than ever!

oooh valentines dinner…YUM!

God = love

january…in 5 minutes!!!

so january has been so wonderful,  i have a huge list of things that i am thankful for and a ton of experiences that  i wouldn’t trade for all the swedish berries in canada!

let the little children come to me…

“Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” – Matthew 19:14

i feel like a little child who has just found out that they are getting a swimming pool of candy that never runs out!  I am SO completely overcome with delight!  I LOVE what God is doing in my life, I LOVE the people he’s connecting me with, I LOVE that he loves me so much and i can’t screw it up…GAAAH!!!! i don’t even know how to explain everything that has been happening with me these past few weeks…

…God has been at work!  He’s really working on my trust factor – i mean of course i trust him but we’re working on trusting when he’s only given me a teeny tiny morsel of what is to come.  Just enough to know that something awesome is going to happen, but not enough to know what it is or how its going to be put into action…what a guy!  It’s definitely tricky but each time i feel needy i take a gander at Philippians 4:6-7

“Don’t be anxious about anything but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving. Present your requests to God.  And the peace of God with transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” 

PRAISE! Okay so as we know there is a computer lab at new horizons where i am going to be teaching computer classes.  So i get here and realize, “hmm problem you don’t really know HOW to teach computer classes”  so i start praying for some knowledge and maybe like 2 days later i meet this guy who informs me that he knows a guy who not only is like a computer brainiac but he is looking for a computer lab to pimp out AND he is able and wanting to teach the boys how to assemble and fix computers, which is totally prime as most of the computers in the community are not up to par!  i mean excuse me Jesus but are you for serious you want to give me a helper AND provide a way to train boys for prime job opportunities!?!  So all this guy needs is the green light from the sponsoring church; i started praying for said light and wouldn’t you know but the next day i find out that he’s got it. So we’re getting new computers, a smarty pants instructor, AND the boys are going to be learning some seriously prime skills!!!

AAAH!  So the other day i was waiting for a friend in this park that has a little duck pond.  I had found this super prime spot right beside the water on a rock under a little tree and was having a delightful time watching the fish jump and the ducks..ducking around (doing duck things).  So as I'm sitting there this little girl comes by pulling her mom, she was completely entranced with the water and her mom was kind of freaking out because this little girl had no fear and was right on the edge.  So i figured i would help the mom a little…so i say to the little girl “do you like the ducks and the fish in the water” “YES!” she says..then i put my serious face on “well you had better be careful not to fall in because the fish in this pond EAT little girls and boys!” Her eyes got real wide and she backed away from the water and decided to sit on the ground beside my rock.  Then a few minutes later her little brother  comes running over grabs a random feather wriggles his way into my lap and starts to tickle me with said feather (he was so awesome!)…by the time my friend finds me i have 2 children at my feet (their cousin also came over) and 1 in my lap..i for serious felt like Jesus – come to me children.  As i left i felt the power of God’s love affirmed in me, these kids were so innocent (I'm sure their mothers wouldn’t completely agree , but still) and trusting, they didn’t know me at all and yet they threw themselves at me…it was like God showing me “Kayla this is how you love…”

i also got to help a little girl in my small group at kids club ask Jesus into her heart the week before last…it was soooo awesome, i don’t think I've ever done it before.  It felt so natural,  i prayed and her and her cousin repeated, it was uber prime!  For 2 weeks now I've been a small group helper and for 2 weeks the girls kind of fight over who gets to be in my group – i feel so popular!  They don`t even care that my spanish is ridiculously awful, in fact last week we finished our devotional time a little early the girls were like “kayla why don’t you read us the passage again so that we can remember and you can practice your spanish!”  i mean are you kidding me? they are seriously delightful! aaah I'm so blessed!

PRAYER!  So i would be so grateful if everyone could throw out some prayers for:

.my spanish to increase.

..for the Holy Spirit to crash down and completely envelope the community of La Carpio with God’s never ending and all consuming love..

…for my english syllabus– I'm having a brain block on how to attack these classes…

 

it was my friend Joann’s 15th birthday…SO after telling him the day before that i wouldn’t have enough time to make him a cake (as i had forgotten when his birthday was – i know shame on me)… i surprised him by actually making one and sneak attacking him with it!  he he…I'm so sneaky!

  

…he was pretty delighted..success!!!

the seed i've received i will sow

Oh friends what a life i have in Jesus!  So last friday i moved into my new home…scratch that my new palace.  This place is amAzing its more than i could have ever dreamed of!  Jesus has heard our prayers and answered every single one but he’s given me the fancy pants version of everything!  I made a list of things that i am especially grateful for in this house:

    - i have hot water            - a closet        - a desk (I'm able to be organized)   

       - a door which goes along with my VERY OWN room!  

 - i have a little lamp by my bed, which is also home to my 2 pillows! AND my blanket that fits me

            - i able to pick my portions and the food is healthier

- the spider situation was over exaggerated (haha mostly by my own paranoia but still) and i should have no troubles

  - not to mention the fact that this family is so unbelievably prime..seriously top notch!  i have privacy, encouraging spanish tutors, spiritual leaders…honestly i don’t think there is a better situation for me

It is wicked awesome here…if there is one downside though it’s that the stairs and balcony have no railings, a bit of a safety hazard for our clumsy kayla…BUT instead of seeing it as danger I've decided to use it to help me continue my faith walk…each day i am trusting Jesus to not let me fall!

God has really been speaking to me about trusting in him no matter what…he WILL take care of me..and i have daily proof each time i wake up, walk through my front door, or sit down for a meal with my new family. 

“For nothing is impossible for God” Luke 1:37

I'm white?...happy new year :)

So i have been in Costa Rica now for 4 and a half days but it feels like I've been here for so much longer.  Me, along with all my luggage arrived on time without being hassled or broken.  Once picked up from the airport i was informed that my host family was in the states so i couldn't go directly to their house so i am temporarily placed in another home, which has actually worked out quite well.  There are some other missionaries here so as it is still holiday time i have some people to visit with.

Wednesday was my first day back in Carpio, everything is pretty much closed right now due to the holidays so i was able to just meander around visiting friends and taking in the delight that is Carpio.  Things that i had forgotten and was reminded of during these past few days: Latin's do not always keep their word (a friend of mine was supposed to come visit, after not showing up we tracked him down at his house, to discover that he had no excuse other than he couldn't come so he stayed home *insert eye roll here haha), that in Latin America many girls leave the house and forget half their outfits in the closet, i also found out from a LOT of people that i am white...who knew!?!

Last night I rung in the new year Carpio style - massive amounts of fireworks.  It was so crazy to look down the street and just see huge fires and hoards of people.  Was it an extreme safety hazard? Probably.  Was it super fun? YES!  After the fire departments nightmare we went back in the house and i was stuffed full of yummy yummy food like barbequed pork *excuse me while i wipe up my drool mmmm it was soo good!

So with the new year all started it is now time to focus on camp which is coming up on the 4th, i don't think there are any words which could describe how excited i am for camp...not only will i get to see SO many friends BUT its like a 4 day slumber party and who can honestly say that they don't love slumber parties?! no one!  So that is coming up then once back from camp i should be moving into my house, which i have heard is also home to many gigantic spiders so on that note I've created a little list of prayer requests:
1) I've been battling sickness and would be so delighted if i didn't have to anymore, so being healthy and more energetic would be nice

     2) Protection from the 8 legged beasts which are roaming about in my living area

  3) Wisdom, grace, and patience.                       4) and of course for my Spanish to improve :)

Lastly, it wouldn't be new years without a resolution...           

 

                                     ....therefore, this year i am going  to be more hardcore.....