Ticks and Contractions

This morning while I was in the shower I noticed something on my belly right at my waistband. Although it looked like a scab, I immediately realized it was a tick. YUCK!

Of course it wouldn't come out. I am guessing it's been there since yesterday afternoon when I was rolling around on the grass at Pastora Ruth's house.

I covered it with liquid soap, which has worked before, and let it suffocate for a while. Finally it started to come loose. I didn't wait for it to come all of the way out, I just pulled. Not sure if the head is still in there.

It's six hours later and the spot is still red and swollen. I didn't see a head on the body, so it might be in my belly. The good news is that ticks here don't carry disease.

Today at work my boss told me I will start teaching social skills to the kids in her son's class on Wednesday. I have a lot to do in order to prepare, and feel like I can't do any of it because my car is in the shop getting the suspension re-done.

In our weekly meeting one of the people who I always think of as bravest and safest, muttered under his breath that his area is really "hot" (dangerous) right now. Ugh. I hated hearing that from him. Tomorrow I am going with another team to a place that is famously worse.

Everything feels dangerous right now. But I am not frozen with fear anymore. My biggest stress is feeling overwhelmed with work.

So far I've voiced my concern twice to my boss. The first time I felt like she heard me. But afterward she piled a whole new load of work on my plate. Friday I went to her with a written list of all of my responsibilities, including what she gave me as well what I have to do at church. I told my boss if I am going to do anything with excellence, I need to prioritize and cut some stuff out. I was surprised, she really wasn't helpful.

My biggest prayer is a selfish one. It would be best for my organization if one of my co-workers takes over for another co-worker who is going back to college. But if that happens, I have to take over the club and home visits for the co-worker who is getting the promotion. My co-worker has not decided if she is going to accept the promotion. She said she needs some time of prayer. My selfish hope is that she doesn't accept the position and stays in her club so I don't have to take over. But that would not be the best for everyone else, because she would do a good job in the new position.

Yesterday Pastora Ruth and her family hosted a bunch of us for a gathering at her house. We barbequed, which was good because NOBODY had power yesterday. They were working on the electric lines all over the city.

Laura is missing school this week. She already caught a horrible cold. Welcome to the world of an only child being exposed to new germs.

Tonight I'll be working on preparation for the kids with autism. I can't wait until I settle into a regular schedule and know exactly what is on my plate. Yesterday Pastora Ruth told me I need to talk to my boss again. I told Pastora Ruth that I already did, twice. Pastora Ruth said, "Yes, and you need to talk to her again, a third time."

Today I got an email from a friend who always has good advice. She said I need to talk to my boss too. Maybe she'll have time to talk to me on Wednesday.

On top of it all my boss told me that I need to come up with some "dinamicas", which are songs and dances to do with 15 year old boys. Songs and dances are not really my thing. But they are really big in Honduras. I told Fany I think it's nuts to prepare songs and dances prepared for 15 year old boys. Fany raved about the dances she and her husband had to do in a parents' conference at the school. She and Santos apparently had a ball acting like different animals. I told her I don't imagine that going over well at parent conferences in the US.

It will be nice to go to the missionary retreat this weekend. They seem to come up right when the cultural differences are starting to grind on my nerves and I need to spend time with other North Americans.

I talked to Erika today. Finally she is starting to have contractions. Doctors gave her the 18th as her due date. She said the "cramps" are soft. I put Fany on the phone. Fany asked a bunch of questions and thinks that Erika will go into labor tonight. I bet on tomorrow during the day. Erika said that with Marjory there were three days of these cramps before she went into labor. But she doesn't seem to care when the baby comes. She said God's time is fine with her.

She said she still sleeps well at night. She is happy because today is payday, so they will have the $25 to get Erika and the baby out of the hospital after the birth.

Today I give thanks for Fany. I am grateful for a friend who listens to me when I am grumpy and frustrated and overwhelmed. As I was grumbling to her, I kept waiting for Fany to excuse herself, but she never did. She listened and listened until I was done. God really blessed me when He gave me Fany as my neighbor.