I've spent today off and on trying to go through hundreds of photos online of my husband's missions trip.  He's currently either on a train or in Turkey.  I got the joy of speaking to him and a couple of his new friends today on the cellphone.  I signed him up for the International call plan...cheap for $5.99/month...not so cheap the per minute fee of $1.99-2.29!!  YIKES!!!!  Needless to say we've only chatted a couple of times and only for 15 minutes...but that still adds up VERY quickly!!!  Thank God the customer service agent with the cellphone company said it will take 2-3 months for those calls to show up on our bill...in the mean time we will both have to save our pennies to pay for it when it comes!!  Smile!

For those who don't want to play "Where's Waldo" through hundreds of pictures below is the City and day number (if there is one) and then the # of the picture Curt is in.  There a several really good ones of him.  One way to aid in your search...he's typically always wearing a black MU hat and has a small bag that he wears across his body.

You can reach the blog about his trip at:
http://www.riverultion.net   - Click on the big picture at the top of the page to go to the daily blogs.
Thus far I've seen him in pictures in:

1.  Romania - # 91 and 108
2. In Varna, Bulgaria... Day one - he's in 44 (I think) and 91 is a really good one of him and another guy on the trip.  Day two - he's in a yellow shirt 13 - this is definitely a Waldo moment!!
3. Nova Zagora - I've seen him in #33, 37, 66, 77, 89
4. Kazanlak - Day One - #36 and Day Two - #s 22, 166

While in Sofia their hotel room didn't have air conditioning...which made him and his roommate Bob seriously consider walking 2 blocks and getting a room at the Hilton!  It's about as hot there as it is here!  At one point his carry-on was lost...only to be found the next day in the people's room next door.  (Gypsies helped deliver the luggage that day...and several had missing pieces of luggage!!).

I've had the Geek Squad here most of the day installing my new desktop computer for Sonshine Therapy Services, my therapy business!  Now the house is wireless too!  YEAHHH!!  Which will allow for Curt & I both to be on the computer at the same time!  Oh what luxury!!

I have several large projects I'm still trying to wrap up before Curt comes home Thursday night.  The biggest being turning the finished part of the basement into a little "den" get-away for Curt.  That way if he wants to watch his WWE wrestling, ultimate fighting or anything else I don't allow on while I'm home (I absolutely HATE violence!!) he can retreat to the den to enjoy.  Currently that area has been the dump and store area since we've been married.  Somewhere in there is a twin bed!  Craziness!

I aslo have a great deal of kids to see this week AND reports to write, not to mention I already have had some of my teachers call me telling me of meetings I need to attend!  I-yi-yi!!!  I need at least one more month of summer!! 

Hope all is well with you!  God bless ya!

The Dream...

This morning I woke up to my cellphone alarm going off at 8:30...I heard it go and then turned it off.  I thought I'd just get outta bed in a couple minutes.  I then proceeded to fall back asleep.  I dreamed I took a surprise, spontaneous trip to Bolivia.  It was very last minute and I couldn't wait to get there to see the children!  When I got there I saw Marisol and of course Angie & DaRonn and the kids, but also some work colleagues and Jenifer Nold as well!  I was so happy to see some of my work colleagues - a speech therapist and a developmental therapist that I cried as I knew we could put them to good work at The House of Dreams orphanage!  My dream felt so lifelike...I was so happy to be back at Cochabamba that it felt like a second home!!  Shortly before I woke up I realized I had forgotten one VERY important fact...to call or write Angie & DaRonn to let them know I was coming, a major feau-paux!!  One must never just show up to a missions site without proper permission, planning, etc.  When I suddenly realized what I had done I felt AWFUL!!!  I apologized profusely over and over.  They eventually forgave me (thank GOD!) and then decided that since I returned for a short trip that I would then have to be reviewed by their missions panel.  In my dream it was a 12 member panel that subjectively reviewed your time and service during your time there with Christ Nation Ministries.  They complemented you on your strengthes and then gave you very constructive criticism on areas to work on.  In my dream they primarily did this with just their interns (individuals that spent a month or more with their ministry) to help prepare them for future missions trips, however, since this was my 2nd trip, they encouraged me to go through the process.  In a way I took it as a great honor...but I was still a tad weary about the whole process...after all, I did show up unannounced!!  About this time, I woke up...it was 9:49!!!!  I'm at my Aunt's house in Oklahoma City and I told her I would probably be up and about around 8:45-9ish!  Oops!!!!  So I got up and sure enough they were up and dressed and MORE than ready for breakfast!!  I still couldn't get over how REAL my dream felt.  It literally felt that I was there seeing the children and my friends...I think I even cried happy tears about being there again!!  I guess there's more proof that I'm hooked on Bolivia and House of Dreams orphanage!!!  (It's so weird, I haven't had a dream that detailed and remembered it in years!!! I'm still in awe!!)

The Visit...

I have had a really nice day today talking to my Aunt Ginny and her new boyfriend Bill.  She and Bill went to High School together in Elgin, Oklahoma.  Bill has had a crush on my aunt since 1955!!  He even went as far to ask her out, however, since he was Indian my grandfather would not let her go out with Bill.  Bill later got married and was married 44 years prior to his wife dying of cancer.  Last Fall Ginny was doing the prep work for their 50th High School Reunion and that's when Bill connected with her and volunteered his help.  They went to lunch together a lot and then started dating.  Kind of a warm and fuzzy, cute story eh??  He says he only went to 3 reunions total and each time he asked the lady who called if Virginia (my aunt) was going.  If she went then he went.  He stayed long enough for her to say hi and then he left. I guess Bill and Ginny have been dating for 3-4 months now.  It's nice seeing my aunt so happy!!

This afternoon we went to my cousin Renea's house and got to visit with her and her husband Kevin and two children Hailey and Greg.  It was fun talking and catching up!  Hailey is I think 14 or 15 now and looks soooo much like her mother did at that age.  It's almost eery!!  We then went out to eat.

Texting Lesson 101...

When we got home Bill wanted me to teach him and Ginny how to text message.  So I gave them a 30 minute lesson on the ins and outs of text messaging!  I gave them each a test of texting me a message.  They both passed with flying colors! We had so much fun doing it!  (They both are 70 so it was fun teaching them new techy stuff!!)  Ginny then texted her daughter Renea and Hailey, her granddaughter!  Then later I got a text from some friends of mine and finally Curt too!

A Very Important Call from Bulgaria...

I added the international calling plan to Curt's cellphone which allows us to talk briefly a little cheaper! He said he's having a fun time.  They are now leaving Vargna and heading to Nessabar for shopping and sightseeing in the Black Sea area!  Then they will have an outreach in Burgass, Bulgaria.  It's currently 8:34 AM there (12 midnight 34 here).  He said that the police shewed them away from their outreach yesterday.  I guess it was the second time it's happened to Georgian and the gang (the first time on this trip).  They were able to stay put an additional hour after the initial warning and then the police told them they had to leave right away.  I guess they are suppose to have permission and permits of some sort to minister is some regions!  Be praying that they will be able to continue the rest of their outreaches without incident.  He also said that the 3-4 star hotels there that they are staying at are WAY different than ours (and not in the good way).  First of the beds...the single sizes are not like our twin beds, but instead are 3 foot by 6 foot "pallets"  he said he didn't sleep to well last night.  I suggested some Tylenol PM that I packed, but then he stated he was afraid that then he wouldn't hear the cellphone alarm!  Evidently wake-up calls are not reliable as customer service is not a priority!  He said they asked for butter for their bread at the hotel...they brought them 5 pats of butter and then after the meal brought them a bill for $2.50 for the butter!!  So overall he's really enjoying it.  Hopefully tomorrow there will be a blog with pictures...I'll be sure to pass it on when I learn of it!!  So pray that he gets some good sleep for the rest of the trip.  They keep a very hectic pass, so not sleeping well I'm sure will get to him eventually.  Although Curt would probably never complain about it other than to me!

God bless ya!! Good night my friends!!

I've spent the day in Kansas City at the National Down Syndrome Congress Convention learning how to help my clients with Downs.  It's been a fun day...I always love to learn!  I got treated to a lovely dinner by the grandma of one of my clients and had some nice fellowship.  I networked with others, found some neat resources (including a fabulous devotional to give to parents of children with special needs!), and learned a great deal too.  This evening I went to the expo...yeahhh!!! Free stuff!! and met even more people there!!

It wasn't until the drive back to the hotel that "it" felt weird.  I was done with my day, wrapped up and going "home" for the evening.  This is when I would typically call my dear hubby just to check in and let him know where I was, what I was doing, when I'd be home, etc.  The only thing is...I can't call him.  It was 9:30 on a Friday night....his folks were in bed, most of my friends were at church (WOLC) and the rest of the few people I called - answering machines!!  Down-and-out club, Party of 1!!!!  I have forgotten what it felt like to be "single"...and almost began to get a little sad when I started thinking about just how blessed I was with such a neat guy.  I thought about the things I really missed and appreciated about my husband...his voice on the phone, his smile, his playful goofiness, his encouragement, predictability, etc.

For those of you who don't know...Curt is now "Partying with the Gypsies" and has already spent a day in Bucharest, Romania!  It's now Saturday morning...7:19 AM there.  He's probably eating breakfast at the hotel.  Then his schedule says they're driving to Varna, Bulgaria where they will minister with the gypsies in the afternoon!  I got a text message from him when he was in Munich, Germany transferring planes.  I'm sure he's having a great time...or at least I hope so.

They will be blogging about their trip...I'll be sure to post it when they do.

Please keep him in your prayers while he's gone.  Tomorrow I will go back to the Down's conference and then later in the afternoon fly to Oklahoma City to see my dad's side of the family -- one MUST keep busy while hubby is away!! 

God bless ya!