Your friendly update

Today was so exciting. We had 16 kids at VBS. Russ took his "joy van" out to the barrio where some of our kids live and picked up anyone who could come. It was so crazy but so much fun. I love how the kids are starting to get attached to us. They are at the point where they always hug me and want to sit with me as Heather tells the stories. Right now we have the 3 interns from Sao Paulo visiting us for about 12 days. It is great having them here even though having 7 and 1/2 people in this apartment is a tight fit. They flew in late Thursday night. Friday morning we got up and went to the beach. Heather and I got massages while Kelton, Paul, Brooke and Josh played around. After that we went and got lunch and began to walk back to the apartment. (It was a long walk..about 45 mins or so) As we were walking this car pulled out of the post office and it was Russ and Val. We got to get a lift home. That night after I met with Silas, we met up with Russ and Val and went out for Sushi. Watching Paul eat an entire chuck of Wasabi was hilarious!!! If someone ever bets you to eat a piece of Wasabi the size of half a ping pong ball JUST say No. He did survive though and we got a very very funny video. On Saturday morning Heather, Paul, Brooke, Josh and I caught a bus and went to the Mercado Modelo. It is about 40 min ride but it is beautiful. We drive along the ocean road. We got to get a good bit of our shopping done as well as talk to people. After the Mercado we went to Matt and Mary's house for small group. She looks like she is about to pop. The baby is due any day now. Small group was great. Lorena and Danille were there as well as the group of us. Rebeca my Portuguese teacher also came. I love her. Every time we have class we end up laughing so hard. We are always joking and picking on each other. Saturday night we all went out to eat. Sunday was normal. I am beginning to really love English class. Yesterday everyone including Mary's parents that are in town, went to Praia do Forte. It is a tourist town with a sea turtle reserve. It is about an hour drive north of Salvador. The day began really rainy but it slowly cleared up. The town is very pretty. There are alot of little stores and shops. It is all expense though due to the fact that it is a tourist town. The reserve was so cool. However yesterday was so so so windy that in all of our pictures everyone's hair is going crazy. :o) I can't believe that we leave two weeks from today. I really miss everyone at home and little things like being about to drink out of the tap but I am so close to some of the people here. It will be really hard not to be able to talk to them. Irla invited me to a theatrical production that she is in during October. She forgot I would not be here. I am excited to come home and start school and wedding planning. I hope that I can come back here some day.