Spring has sprung in full bloom!

You may think with the blog silence that we have been working ourselves into the ground, but no!

We had a minor spell of Internet NOT being the highway to anything (read: not working), but our days have been full of uplifting and interesting opportunities.

With the joyful celebration of last week, we were able to talk with several students. One girl really wants to meet with me to find out more how He warned His best friends before Good Friday. She wants to know just what He said! PtL!

Another is "on the way" to becoming family, and she is excited to join with a group of other students to study with me next week. Please think hard for these, H and G, as they are so dear to me. Had H in two classes last semester and two again this semester.

Also, I have the cool privilege of playing with some foreign language colleagues in the school volleyball tournament. We are 2-1 with another game this afternoon. My forearms are so bruised from 3 games in 3 days, PLUS practice! This is a great opportunity to meet and impact my fellow teachers. Most are so friendly and nice to talk to (the ones that speak English!).

One of our company's advisors is here visiting and we are so thankful for her. She has given great advice about teaching (apparently, I say "okay" WAAAAAY too much!) and being a good team. She is going to make a superb Mexican meal this weekend, so we are really excited for that too! This lady is serious: She can MAKE refried beans!

As my post title says, spring is truly here (I am trying really hard to hold back the "na na na na na na" gloating from the Minnesota friends!) and we are LOVING it. Okay, Mike dislikes the hot sunshine a little and wishes for snow to ski on.... but the REST of us are ecstatic!

I took a photo-taking walk a few days this week and last to capture some of the amazing flowering trees. Purple and white lilacs, bleeding hearts, yellow "welcome spring" flowers, and an abundance of flowers I don't know the names of but that are gorgeous. There is one pink tree that I can hardly believe is real the color is so vibrant!

So, all in all, we are blessed. We have had special opportunities with our students, and we will study tonight (please think of us and them!). He has blessed us with another beautiful spring - and 2 months earlier than "normal"! - and we are getting to love the outdoors of our dry, dusty city :)

We think often of you and hope the end of winter is treating you well. We'd love to hear how you are, so please drop us a line soon! Our next paper newsletter should be out soon, so enjoy the great pictures!

With love,
M+A