Unfamilarly homesick

So I realize that it’s been over a month since I’ve written. I guess my life has been too exciting… or I just haven’t felt like writing! Either way, time often feels like it’s going so slow here. Most of the time I just wish it was November already so I can go back to my own food & bathroom, work full time again, and be able to plan my wedding & help my sister with hers. I miss my friends and family so much… for the first time! This is my eighth time overseas and yet the first time that I actually miss home. It sounds strange, but I guess it’s because, for the first time, I have so much to come home to. For the first time I’m homesick, and it’s weird.

Well, since I last wrote, I got to go to the beach again, celebrate my birthday for the first time overseas, and had some other pretty fun adventures!

Santy and I haven’t been able to go to the orphanage much this month, but the times we did go were pretty normal! We played with the littler ones for a while then took the two older ones to do crafts that we designed to help them learn more about Jesus. The other little girl was adopted, which was awesome but also sad for us to see her go.

We didn’t feel like we were doing much there until we came last week and after having been gone for two weeks and only serving there the past month, we really thought the kids weren’t as engaged. Yet one of the older girls came up to me to ask if we were “going to school” (which is where we’d take them to do the crafts). Then she asked where “tio” (Santy) was. It was just a reminder to me that they do actually know who we are and do enjoy the time we get to spend with them. Not to mention that they still remember some of the things we’ve taught them whenever we ask! I don’t think they’ll ever forget the blood of Jesus from association with the red bead in the evangelism bracelets! It’s nice to feel like we’re able to do something with them.

Since the kids have gone back to school, we also more recently got to help the tias out with feeding the babies, folding laundry, and cleaning up.

Just a few weeks ago I got to spend an awesome birthday with my wonderful fiancé. It was the first time I’ve gotten to be with him on my birthday, which was awesome. He cooked chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast, and we hung out with my family in the morning. Then he took me to an amusement park where we rode on rides until we were too sick to do anymore! We got a hot dog for a quick snack before going to the artisan market to get me a new lip ring! Then since we were close, we went to one of our favorite Italian places and shared a sandwich and pizza before going to a local city to get some of my favorite American candies. Santy had planned a big surprise party for me when we got back, but many people couldn’t make it. It was fun, regardless, and it was the sweetest thing anyone’s ever done for me. He had bought tons of candy and snacks, party poppers, noise makers, a banana split with sparklers instead of a cake (because I don’t like cake), and even an Elmo piñata. It was probably one of the most fun birthdays I’ve ever had, and let’s just say I have enough candy to last me a lifetime!

Since many people couldn’t make my birthday, Santy and I celebrated again by staying in Quito for a night to meet up with friends and dance at a discoteca. It was so much fun, and we ended up spending the entire night with them and not getting back until 6am! We then got doughnuts from Dunkin Donuts, which were a really nice treat. :)

Santy and I also made another trip down to the beach, where I got to sport my new belly ring with my bikini for the first time! We got to hung out with a lot of new friends at the beach and spent our days soaking up the sun, eating lots of pizza and drinking coconut milkshakes, and dancing. Our friends from the beach actually plan to come to Quito soon to hang out with us.

Other than that, we’ve been able to go to and dance at a few parties, watch lots of CSI, (one of the only shows in English with Spanish subs, and I’m happy with that), plan for our Ecuadorian wedding, and hang out with lots of friends. I’ve actually already created wedding invitations for here, and we went to look at a few rental places!

And since my little siblings have gone back to school, there’s been a little more peace and quiet during the morning, which is a nice change! I also got asked by Angelica to draw princesses in Rebeca’s notebooks, since each child is to decorate their notebooks kind of like in the US. I’m a little rusty, but I think I did a pretty decent job!

I’m trying to make it a point to hang out with people when I’m able to, but sometimes it gets so hard. In America most people know me as loud and outgoing and friendly, but here I’m more reserved. It’s harder when you don’t speak the language as well as everyone else and you don’t have the same cultural background. It’s much harder to connect with people, and it can get awkward, but I’ve definitely gotten to deepen my friendships here. I especially appreciate the missionaries and how supportive they are of us. One of the missionary couples here, Ryan and Erica, helped us out by writing a reference letter for the government for Santy’s visa, and it was PERFECT. We are so grateful to have them as friends!

Emily & John, another one of our missionary couple friends, are incredible, too, and we are so happy to get to spend time with them. I also am SO happy that I get to babysit their cutie little girls while I’m here, too!

I also am hoping to spend a little more time with my family, as well. My brothers committed to having a relationship with God at camp last month, and I want to be able to encourage them more in that.

It’s also been challenging because, like I said, I miss home so much. I have so much going on that it’s hard to keep focused here. Sometimes I just want to get on the next flight home so I can go eat mini wheats and hang out alone in my room. I’m usually not introverted, but Ecuador is a whole different world for me, and I’m much different here. It makes me want to see people less, and it’s hard to appreciate the good things every day when so much goes wrong, and I’m just so tired.

So because of that, Santy has challenged us to point out the good things that happen every day (he’s so supportive!). Yesterday my good thing was that I was still alive and made it through the day! And I know that some days will be like that. Some days will be awesome, and some will be not so awesome, and I know that, but I just have to remember that I’ll definitely be missing Ecuador as soon as I’m back in the US. I’m trying to take advantage of the time I’ve been given here, since I know I’m here for a reason. I won’t be able to be with these families and friends for a very long time, so I want to be able to spend time with them now. So please keep that in your prayers—that I’m able to have the strength

One thing is for sure- I’m blessed to have such an incredible fiancé. He’s dealt with so much of my whining and depression and anxiety here and still constantly makes me feel better and brings me back to where I need to be.

So that’s pretty much it in a nutshell. Other than this unfamiliar homesickness, I’ve been just trying to soak up the few hours of sunlight that we get in Calacali each day and enjoy the little things (and boy, are they little!). So please be praying for me on this journey, friends! I need it :)