I'm terribly embarrassed by my lack of blog-writing. The guilt crept up on me several times throughout the past mmm....6....months but I unfortunately ignored it. Mil disculpas (1,000 apologies). So you know what it took to get me focused and writing again?? Wisdom teeth SURGERY!!!

That's right! On Friday I got all four of my wisdom teeth pulled in a surgeon's office in Tegus (Tegucigalpa). I was a bit nervous since my only other surgery in my life was getting a little freckle removed from my cheek and even just thinking about that surgery made me pass out, five-starred on the welcome mat of the dermotologist's office :-)

I couldn't have a better report about the 100% Honduran surgery. I was only given a local anesthesia but it took no longer than 45 minutes for the extractions and they finished it off with the Honduran signature injection in the butt. I was honestly more nervous about the injection than the surgery. The worst part was the "home" injection I had to get the next morning. Apparently it's a common practice to give injections at home so I just went to the pharmacy, filled my shot prescriptions and walked away with the solution and syringes...LARGE syringes might I add. Uuuuuffffff......it really hurt.

I regret not writing more often, because I know the recaps and highlights of the last 6 months will do my experience NO justice. But know that I've been busy, challenged and blessed abundantly.

Here are just some of the highlights...more to come!

My parents and my brother David came to visit the day after Christmas!!! We had a fantastic time doing all things Honduran. Although it was a short visit, but they were able to walk around Tegus, eat lots of traditional food, meet my Honduran family and friends and sight-see throughout the country! On our way to the northern coast we stopped at a beautiful lake that is known for its delectable fried fish and my dad, my brother and I did an insane waterfall tour and rock-jumping adventure nearby. When we got to the beach we enjoyed sipping from coconuts, swimming in the Caribbean Sea and long mountainous hikes with "Honduran experience" written all over it! :-)

In February I started a new school year with a new class of 4th graders, ages 9-15. In my opinion they were/(still are?) the rowdiest group in the whole school. Eleven boys and eight girls; let's just say it wasn't long before they pulled out my first white hairs!! Four months of trial-and-error, exhausting school days and lots of laughing, but I've decided to stay until November in order to finish the school year with them. And I'll be home for Thanksgiving!!

I never would have guessed it, but I've turned into quite the cake-baker in the last several months. I started making cakes for my students' birthdays and everyone was so impressed that they started putting in orders. Baking is kind of a mystery to most Hondurans because they don't or didn't have ovens in their homes; so it's not something kids inherintly learn from their mothers. The mother of the family I live with (Chuchi) is a quick learner and very creative so we've had lots of fun and many late nights creating or salvaging homeade masterpieces. We even made a wedding cake for a girl from our church who got married. We were asked to make it on Thursday and the wedding was on Friday, but with the help of another North American who had taken some cake decorating classes it turned out beautifully!!