Time is just flying

OK family and friends,

I only have 1 day to go and I'm getting out of this AZ heat. While I am driving up to SLC, UT for General Conference, the weather here is still going to be in the low 100's. Thanks but no thanks. The mornings are cooling down and its awesome because I can open the doors and the garage and not get knocked over by 115 degree heat wave.

I cut my hair and waxed the eyebrows, Kale got a bath and a cute haircut, pictures to come later.

I bought some black boots too, yahoo for Conference and to look snazzy here in AZ. They were like 80% off the original price, I couldn't pass it up.

I put all of my clothes that I'm taking with me on the floor so I am almost ready to go.

I think that Stassy is coming with me, I haven't heard back. If she is, I'll be needing to get her at 9 am Friday morning. I'll be staying with Tiffany and hanging out with her and the family (Nihipali) the rest of the time.

I'll take a lot of pictures and post them when I return. I'm so excited that I wake up at 3-3:15 and I'm ready to go.

See ya later,

Karen

Marathon Training, can you believe it?

I started a 5K marathon training this last week and I don't think I have done to well. I have tried to follow the daily running and resting schedule but can't seem to see any results just yet. That is OK though because results don't come overnight.

I will have to say that over the week, I think that I did run at least 5 days and included my walking with it too. Poor Kale is worn out too because he'll go with me and start out sprinting as all dogs do and then all of a sudden, he is dead at the end and won't leave my side and almost wants me to carry him during the last leg home.

It has been kind of hard running too because of the weather. It is 106 degrees here at 7 PM at night still and I don't want to go to late because then I'm getting ready for bed but then if I don't go later when the sun is down, it is to hot. What to do?

I need to buy a new pair of running shoes for sure. I think I'll get those when I go to Utah this week while we are shopping and having a good time. I think I'll buy some socks and a running outfit too because it'll make me run faster...hehehehehehe.

I made carrot cake Sunday morning before church to give it time to cool off while at church and then after church was over, I made little cards and went around and gave them to my kids in class and a big piece of cake for doing such a great job in the Primary Program and for attending church.

Even those who haven't been to church I gave a card to and expressed to them that they were missed and that I'd like to see them in class this next month.

I even ran around to the two sisters that I visit teach and gave them a piece too since they never called me back either and I was able to catch them at home and give them a treat. Of course, Kale had to come with me so he got to ride in the car while I ran treats around to everyone.

The primary program was sooooo good. The children and their sweet testimonies of the gospel and their love of Jesus is awesome. They brought the spirit in to sacrament meeting and it was awesome to help them identify it when we finally got to class. I have a great primary class. They all come from all walks of life and it is awesome to see that they all are friends and love the Lord.

I'll be working only 3 days this week and they are going to draaaaaaaaaaaaag. I'm leaving for Utah on Thursday and can't wait. I'm so excited to see Sarah and John and Aunt Kelly and Uncle Paul and kids and then the Sam-Yiou and Nihipali clan up in SLC along with Tiffany for GC.

I'm going to be packing tonight and getting things ready because I'm busy for the rest of the week doing laundry and cleaning everything and getting Kale ready as well including a hair cut.

I'll write more later.

Karen

OK, I know I am supposed to be working

If you from Hawaii, you going figgah all this, make sure you shishi before you read it.

You can understand and speak Pidgin English...

You go to dinner and "make one plate" with all the extra food leftover...

You automatically take off your shoes/slippers in people's homes...

You learned to play the ukulele in elementary school...

You wear rubber slippers...

You eat rice every single day...
>
It's "shave ice" not "snow cones"...

You think 70 degrees is freezing cold...

You call everyone older than you "Aunty" or "Uncle" even though they aren't related to you...

"You like beef" has nothing to do with what's for dinner...

You know what ukus are and have had them at least once before when
you was one little keiki...

You eat coconuts straight from the shell and drink the juice...

You know where all the creepy places (like burial sites) are on the island...

You have highlighted hair...

You eat arare...

You know what "tutu" means...

It's SHOYU, not soy sauce...
>
To you, sushi means sushi, not RAW FISH!

You eat malasadas...

You have uku billion pairs of slippers in front your door when your family gets together...

You eat Portuguese sausage, eggs, and rice for breakfast...

You don't understand why anyone would buy less than a 20 lb bag of rice...

You would serve spam as a meat for dinner...

You can taste the difference between teriyaki and kal-bi...

You know why there are alphabets on trees on graduation day...

You know what lei day is...

You know what the "stink eye" is; and how to give it...

You can correctly pronouce Kalanianaole, Kalakaua and Aiea...

You know what "huli huli chicken" is...

You know the difference between being hapa and being hapai...

You know what it takes to get into Kamehameha School...

You say, "nori" not seaweed paper...

You say "Brah" not "Bro"...

Your jokes are about Portugese not Polish...

You call it "saimin" not "Top Ramen"...

You know pineapples don't grow on trees...

When you hear the words "fund raiser", you know it means Zippy's Chili...

You have said "wat, owe you money?", "karang your alas", or
"dakine"...

You call public transportation "da BUS"...

You go to Neiman Marcus "jus fo look"...

The mainland people no can understand your language...

You eat mango with shoyu and vinegar...

You like ume, daikon, and kim chee better than pickles...

You know you aren't supposed to whistle at night time, cross your chopsticks, or stick your fork straight out of your rice...

You never understood why adding pineapple and ham to a pizza made it Hawaiian to the rest of the world...

You measure the water for the rice by the knuckle of your index finger...

The condiments at the dinner table are shoyu, ketchup, chili peppah watah, kimchee, takuwan, Hawaiian salt and pickled onion...

Your philosophy is "bumbai"...

Your only suit is a bathing suit...

You drive barefoot...

You feel guilty leaving a get-together without helping clean up...

The idea of taking something from a heiau is unthinkable...

You can live and let live with a smile in your heart...

Nobody is sure exactly where "north" is...

Your cousin is Japanese-Chinese-French-Filipino-Korean-Scottish-Portuguese-Hawaiian, plus some stuff too manini to mention...

You watch your favorite shows "on top the TV"...

An approaching hurricane means only one thing? Surf’s up, brah!...

You are somehow related to your neighbors cousins uncles mothers >husbands nephew, and they are related to your other neighbors aunties nieces >daughters cousin who is related to your cousins uncles mothers brothers son...

You actually get these jokes and pass them on to other friends from Hawaii.

Yahoo...1 week to go...

I changed around my place because I didn't like the setup. Now that I changed it, I still don't like it. I'll be buying a dining room table within the next couple of weeks and can't wait! Yahoo. After that, I'm going to save up all of my pretty pennies to by myself a nice bedroom set. That is something that I have never really had. Right now, my garments are sitting in a plastic bin, not such a fabulous place for such sacred items.

I'm preparing to go to Utah, yahoo. I can't wait. Ironic enough, I am not taking any clothes with me either because since the Nihipali's are going shopping the day they arrive, I figure that I might as well buy clothes while I'm there because they will have really cute good modest clothes that are on clearance from their summer that I can funny enough wear here in AZ during my winter =D. So, I'll just buy clothes there.

I think I'll take a pair of garments with me and buy 3-4 sets while I'm there, I might as well do it since I'll be there too. New clothes for a new life and a fabulous trip. I can't wait.

PJ and Toni will be watching Kale while I'm gone. They are soooo sweet to do so, they'll swim and use the TV and DVR while I'm out too to make it look like someone is home. Its all good. They can eat whatever they want if they can find food that fits their fancy, cheese and nachos is about all they'll find at my house =D

I'm getting ready to leave work for the day and I'm going to rent a couple of movies and get ready for the RS Broadcast tomorrow with dinner and dessert with it all and then the primary presentation on Sunday and my first primary lesson. I'm ssooooooooooooo excited.

My bishop gave me an awesome article about adversity and it was to me hilarious, ironic and sweet, which made me cry and I'd share it with you now but I can't remember the title nor the author, its at home. It was lovely.

Gotta go, I have a few things at work to do still.


Karen

it's over...answers to prayers...

Just thought that I’d let you know the latest, the county where Nathan now lives rejected my side of the divorce papers because I “over paid the filing fee” for the respondent filing fee and they are rejecting the paperwork and sending it back to me. I don’t get it. Really? Oh well.

By the time I receive the paperwork back, it will be outside my 20 day window because of snail mail from them.

I know it is terrible and not fair however I am totally fine with it and my heart aches but believe me I’m not going to commit suicide or anything because no man or woman is worth taking my own life. I’ve forgiven him and this entire situation and it is just time to move on.

He’ll have to deal with whatever it is that he has to deal with and I just get to move on. I’ve emailed him today to let him know that his prayers were answered and that he will never have to deal with me again and that he can consider himself a “winner” because I didn’t do my part and “respond” but little does he know how much work I did do.

I know that this is what he wanted, to feel like he succeeded in something and this, well, he did and he can “feel like he beat me”, which was probably his wish to begin with.

Thanks for reading and listening and caring and letting me cry with you when I needed to. Now, it’s party time!!!

Fear...

I mailed all of my forms to the court where Nathan filed divorce last week and when I called today to see if they got all 3 copies, the directions and the mailing information including a certified envelope to mail to Nathan and the $256 fee, nobody seems to know what is going on. All they see is that Nathan filed for divorce.

I guess, I just lost out on over $300 and Nathan got his wishes. May he be in peace and have a life full of whatever it is that he wants by himself since he would always tell me that he didn't need to be married to be happy or to live with God.

I don't get it. I hope that he is happy and that Heavenly Father does bless him so that way he doesn't think about himself anymore and that he'll come to terms with what he has done and who he has hurt. Apparently, this situation has hurt many people. Don't ask me who, because I have no idea. There are no children in this situation and parents ans siblings don't count because they weren't married to us, that is why they are siblings and parents and not spouses.

I read a lot of good articles from the new www.lds.org site over the weekend and they were very helpful to me. Ironic enough, I think I'm going to go see a counselor at LDS Social Services.

Karen

Forgiveness

I will need to ask for forgiveness of men and women also of my Heavenly Father. I yelled at someone last week for be a jerk to me and then I turned around and was a jerk back about the sacred issues in which I am going through.

I just learned from an article, Alone through Divorce, that I need to keep my mouth shut and humbly, after reading the article, that I will do.

So, for those that I have offended, I'm sorry and for those who don't care, well my apologize are in line anyways.

I didn't feel well today so I didn't go to work. I have slept a lot today on and off and even did some laundry.

Here is the latest picture of me too. I took it of myself yesterday right before I had to leave to go to church.

Love,

Karen

I did it

I bought myself a ticket to go see Les Mis on
Friday, Jun 10, 2011 @
07:30 PM

I can't wait. I'm in the 7th row on the floor near the orchestra! If I had not purchased my ticket now, who knows where I'd be sitting if at all on a Friday night on the floor!

I'm sooooooooooo excited.

Karen

Another Day

I was not able to file the respondent papers as I had planned on Wednesday because I am here in Maricopa County and he is in Cochise (he totally knew that by moving he thought that the divorce would be easier) County. So, the lady at the court house gave me all of the information to file via mail and have the paperwork sent down to the clerks office there and have his served in Douglas.

It makes it a lot easier for me, as all I have to do is put it in the mail and have it notarized this morning.

Just the update.

Karen

PS...I'm getting a ticket to go see Les Mis in June...sweetness!

Primary suggestions

I have a couple of ideas of how to engage my primary class in the lessons and to learn what the lesson is about, however, I need a couple of teaching ideas if anyone has any from either the secular side or the spiritual side.

Anything right now would be helpful. I have the teaching, no greater call book and that will come in handy and I have books for FHE that will come in handy too.

I know that there are some awesome teachers out there and just want to get some great ideas from all of you smarty pants!

Karen

Today is the day

I'm going down to the court house today to file my "respondent" papers. I get to take the train to downtown Phoenix and walk in to the court house. Yahoo! What a place. I've been there twice already this summer and it smells like a bathroom that needs to be cleaned just a tad better. It would look and feel really nice if they added a few flower decors and added a few scented candles.

I've been told that it will only take a few minutes so I'll be doing it during my lunch hour today. I don't expect it to take very long anyways, since I'm just filing papers and not having to go and sit there and tell them that my marriage turned out to be a joke and that my husband only used me to have a place to live, have food to eat, which I didn't make a lot of and to get an education and a good paying job.

Any girl who thinks that a man will stick with her after he gets on his feet financially and emotionally is lying to herself. I guess I have to say that I was the sucker in this relationship and that I was lying to myself. I don't care if they are LDS or not. Men are men and women are women. Nathan told me that our marriage didn't mean anything anyways and that he new that he shouldn't have done it, whatever that means and why he says that I have NNNOOOOO idea. Oh well, after he is served with my side of the papers, he'll think twice about what he is doing and the divorce will take longer than he has anticipated and that isn't my fault. I wouldn't have put nearly the amount of stuff in the papers if he would have just let me do them as I asked him too, but ooohhhhhhhhhhhhh no, he had to be prideful and a complete retard about it, soooooooooooo, he is getting what he deserves, NOTHING!

He has what he deserves, his pride, his stupid truck, which by the way, he put on his papers that I could have if I paid his student loan.....hahahahahahahahaha, no judge will do that, EVER...what idiot would put that on divorce papers! Seriously?

On a good note, I'm going to Hawaii with my parents the first week of November for my grandmas birthday and for a tour of the LDS Laie Temple as it has been closed for renovations and we'll be able to go. I'm soooo excited. We'll be staying in Haliewa at the Hostel because my aunts house is still under construction and the farm just is in total shambles right now. The hostel is nice, Tiffany and I stayed there and it was awesome.

I need to close this, get to work and go to the court house today.

Love,

Karen

I just wanted to give the update

Nathan served me with divorce papers and the stupid thing about it, they are TOTALLY blank. If he thinks that I'm not going to ask for a certain $$ amount or to send up items that he still has that belong to me, he is out of his mind.

I had an inclination to leave work early yesterday so I went home. I walked the dog and within minutes, someone was knocking on the door to give me the papers. It was supposed to be. If I didn't sign for them and contest what he put or in his case, what he didn't put on the forms, then it would prove that he "wins" and that the ball is in his court. Well, I have another thing coming, the ball is not in his court and I'm submitting my side of it all this week. I told him to wait and that I'd send the papers, well, now because he chose to not wait another 4 days, he will have to deal with some additional drama that he probably didn't think he would get. IF he would have just waited, this entire thing would have gone a lot smoother now, he is going to have to respond to what I ask of now. I get to change my papers and wow, are they really going to change.

The spirit prompted me to go home from work yesterday early and I had no idea why, I didn't even have a key to go swimming or check the mail, so, what was I supposed to do all day? I cleaned up the garage, broke down some more boxes and got the place ready for the bed that is coming today, hopefully.

On a better note, I get to teach primary and am soooo excited. Have a great weekend!

Karen

Service to others

I have to admit that I have been cared for this summer despite all of the issues that I have gone through with Nathan or the lack of support from him because of choices that he has made, which ironically, has been kind of nice and peaceful. I can do things that I would like to do as Nathan didn't like to do things that I liked. In that respect, he is just like his dad, whom only wanted to do things that HE wanted to do and nobody else. Anyways, I have a wonderful ward that has cared for me since I explained to them that I'll be living in the ward and needed help and my friends and coworkers have been a great support as well. I have wonderful friends who have come to my rescue and have supported with with temporal and emotional areas.

I lived with Toni, PJ, Ashley and Jake (the dog) for the past 8 weeks and the day after I totally move out, the AC in their house died. It is still dead and I feel so bad because PJ is sleeping my my couch, Jake is hanging out with Kale (my dog) and Toni and Ashley are at her dads house (Ashley's) until we can all get it fixed. They have spent 2 nights at a hotel and spent Monday afternoon with me for Labor Day. They are HOPING that the AC will be fixed by Thursday because if not, it is going to be totally ugly with the management company and Toni and she is going to win.

Work is totally slow since the university has changed his matrix again and its enrolling strategies and policies. I do enjoy talking to my teachers though. They are hilarious whether they mean to be or not. I'm soooo grateful to have a job though because I'd be totally screwed if I didn't and I owe it all to Heavenly Father. He is totally looking out for me and Kale.

I still have the divorce papers. I need to look over them one more time and make sure all the "I" are dotted and all the "T" are crossed. I'm going to try to turn in the papers this week to get them out of my hands and in the hands of the courts so that way I don't have to worry about them anymore, not that I'm worrying about them anyways; I just want them turned in. The quicker the better for me because then I can move on.

I'm still planning on attending General Conference in October, going to Hawaii in November and going to OR/WA in December. I need to work extremely hard so that work will know that I mean business for work and that when I need a vacation, I need the vacation. I can't wait to see Sharon, Aunty Emily, Aunt Kelly and Uncle Paul and 7cousins, Tiffany and a couple of mission companies while in Utah. Its going to be awesome. I have to kind of wait it out and see if it is beneficial to fly or to drive myself. I won't really know until the day before I leave because I'm flying with Kenji via Continental standby. We all know how that works =D.

I think that next spring I'll go and see Kenji for a special occasion. I'll let him fill you in if you want to know more.

I have a few activities that I'll be doing this week also. I'll be fixing the ceiling/roof in my house too along with the primary presidency coming to visit on Thursday, picking up my bed and attending the Lamb of God musical on Friday, cleaning house on Saturday and having a BBQ and Swimming Party at the Phillips home Saturday night. Can't wait, it'll be fun.

Well, that is what is happening in my world right now. If anyone still cares, yes, I do still feel hurt, used and abused and I feel left alone. Do I cry? Yes, I cry. I cry on my way home from work and while I go pick up a few things from the store, yes I cry in the weirdest places. Do I feel neglected? Yes. Do I feel like nobody cares? Yes.

Did the Savior feel neglected, left alone and cry? Yes. Does he know how I feel going through this trial of my life? Heck yeah, he does. Are his arms wrapped around me? Yep and I know it. Do I pray that Nathan is fine? Yes. I hope that he is taken care of and that I hope that he realizes that his pride isn't worth what he has done and that someday, he'll catch on and that is between him and the Lord. Have I learned my lesson? Yes. Will I marry again? No. I don't need to nor do I want to. I cannot and will not take advantage of someone nor will I put myself in the place of being taken advantaged of, it isn't worth it and all it does is hurt people including the ones involved. The Saviors father loved him and allowed him to go through what he was asked to do, likewise, Heavenly Father is allowing me to go through this trial as well and his hands have been in it the entire time.

I need to get back to work. Thanks for reading. I love life...it is hilarious at times, stressful at others and glorious all in all.

Karen

A few pictures

of the new place. All of the furniture was given to me. The pillows I bought and everything else was already mine. When I get a dining room table and chairs and a bed and finish the office room, I'll take pictures of those areas but until then...enjoy.

A new vase with some beautiful white dried roses.

Liza and Heather gave me the red couch, Toni gave me the brown chair and the tables are 2 end tables pushed together to be a table in the middle because there was no room at the end of the red couch. Behind the couch is where the dining room table will go when I finally save my $$ to get one.

This is the living room from standing where the dining room table will go. Kale, is at the bottom right. The piano is wonderful. Right of it is the master bedroom with blankets just thrown on the floor until Friday. The picture that is sitting on the piano has now hanging above the piano. It is of King Solomons temple. Nathan decided he would steel the 2nd one, so he can have it, this one looks much nicer with the house, even though the other was beautiful too.

Another picture of the living room. I just realized that I forgot to take a picture of the front door area. I'll take one later when I get the dining room, the kitchen and the other 2 rooms ready.

Thank you everyone for you help and support. I am truly amazed at how the Lord provides people in ones life to edify and uplift them and I am totally grateful for that.

Karen

Labor Day

Had a great weekend. I fixed up the house, I took pictures, brought the camera to work today and forgot the connection line, sooooo, I'll have to add pictures tomorrow when I bring the line.

I received a calling in Primary, yahoo! I'll be teaching Valiant 9, which are kids that are 9 turning 10. That is a great age. There are only 5 of them, 1 is less active because sports comes first in their family apparently. That is fine, I'll send a card to his house every time he does come to church that way he knows that I know that we as his class love him and that I care that he is there. Another boy is the youngest of 3 boys. He comes to church with is dad and his grandparents. I'm not sure exactly where his mom is but I'll figure it out within the next couple of weeks. Another boy is Maori. His dad is and his mom is haule. He has an older brother on a mission and one just left for MSU to play football. I was told that he only comes to class if he isn't asked to do anything so we'll see. I bet I can get him to help and do stuff, even give a talk.

There are 2 girls in my class and I can't remember their names right now. I'll know who they are on Sunday. I did sit between the two sexes and can't remember a thing. Everything is a blur.

Poor Toni, PJ, Ashley and Jake. They AC to their house went out on Saturday morning so they were stranded at a hotel, at Mikes and then at my house for the weekend. I've had Jake all weekend too to help keep Kale company. They came over on Monday afternoon and spent the day, watching movies, eating and swimming and walking the Dogs. I had to take Jake back over to their place this morning on my way in to work so that he could watch the house while everyone is out. I walked through the door and it was a cookin' 90-100 degrees in there. I immediately put him outside so that he wouldn't die. So, Kale is at home by himself today again. He better not bark while nobody is home. I feel so bad that he does because it would bug everyone that around there if their home.

I have the divorce papers all ready to go. I'm going to have a couple of people look them over though to see if they are filled in right and if everything that I have on there is right. I'll be hopefully taking them this Friday and if not, it'll be the middle of next week.

This week is full of things. I have institute tonight, fixing the ceiling/roof on Thursday, picking up my bed on Friday and going to the Lamb of God musical production at Gammage, and the ward BBQ and Swim Party on Saturday.

I don't have access to the Internet at home yet because Kent, Terri's husband can't come and connect it for at least another 3 days soooo, I'll be watching movies and going on lots of walks with Kale, which I like anyways. There is a park down the street anyways and heaven knows, that we both need the walk. As the weather begins to cool down, we'll go there more often.

Karen

Applying scriptures

I read this morning in Helaman about Samuel the Lamanite who went to the city and cried repentance on the people who were bad. I actually changed the Nephite people to my own name and Samuels name to the Lords and or his prophet and found myself crying because I was in the same spot at the Nephite people, rude, gross in error, wicked and without feeling toward God and the commandments.

I found myself in humility to acknowledge the Lords hand in everything including losing a family, losing temporal possessions and then he allowing me to work, having a job, having a wonderful ward family, having been given a place to live, a car to drive to get to work, an education and returning back to school. I know that this is something that the Lord wants me to do and a place where I need to be at this time.

I was reminded this morning that as we go through trials and go through this life that ALL the good times are because of HIM and ALL of the issues and trials are also because of HIM and when we rely on him and ask him to help us, we will get through it and we'll be blessed even more, even though we may think that what we have is sufficient.

I was also reminded to return to the Lords house and give thanks and to give my time to those who are waiting patiently for the blessings of the temple.

I was called last night to meet with someone in the bishopric on Sunday morning at 9, soooo, I'll be given a calling, yahoo! I'll also sing in choir too. I love choir and this Sunday will be the first time that I'll be attending. Apparently they practice at the seminary building by Hamilton HS, I don't know where that is, so I hope I find it and make it on time.

Gotta get to work.

Karen

Almost there

I'm almost at my new place. I took pretty much everything over there this morning and left Kale there again for the day. He knows that I'm leaving for work and gets reallllllly sappy.

Just to see what he would do yesterday I went to the garage like I was leaving and then I ran to the office bedroom and hid behind the door, he whined for about 5 minutes and was mad at me and kind of pranced around the place looking for me to see if I really left. He was frustrated that he couldn't open the door to the garage, even though he tried to, I could hear him use his paws on the door.

He finally got smart and started sniffing around the bathroom and the spare bedroom and found me behind the door. It was hilarious to see his reaction and to see what he would do if I would really leave. I heard him barking the other day when I just went to swim. I was hoping he wasn't barking the entire time.

I'll post pictures later as I'll be over there totally tonight but won't have TV or Internet until first thing next week...OMG, what am I supposed to do with my time if I don't have a TV? Swim, read and walk the dog.

I already painted what needed to be painted and the handyman will come on Monday to help me fix the little things. Someone from the ward is going to come on Saturday morning to help me setup the surround sound system to my TV too so that I can at least watch movies...yahoo!

Yahoo, finally

I finally saved enough $$ to buy a new bed. Wow, it has been a month in the making and it because of Heavenly Father that I was able to do so today. I paid for it in full and will pick it up next week! I'm sooooo excited. My own nice bed, finally.

Thank you floor, you have done wonderful wonders for me and my disabled back since April of this year. You have been good to me and now it is time to move on to bigger and better things.

Karen

Keeping in contact

I received the most awesome phone call last night from my former exchange student, Cherry.

We talked for about 30 minutes on school which starts today by the way (09/02), my chocolate chip cookies and how she makes treats for family and friends and they love it and when she has a 3 day weekend to let me know because we'll go to Disneyland together!

The conversation also included the selfishness of Nathan and she didn't think that the entire situation is right or even wrong, she just felt bad because she said that she liked the both of us and was sad to see that we will be in different areas and not together. It was interesting to listener to her and get her perspective and tell me that she was sorry and that she felt bad, which she doesn't have to say or feel at all, it isn't anything that she can fix or change, but none the less, it was sweet.

She has braces, which I'll never understand why, her teeth weren't terrible, they were fine so why she got them it is beyond me.

She is excited to drive a car. She turned 16 on 08/01 and in December she said that she'll take the test and be able to drive, she is soooo excited!

I told her that I have a small box for her and that I'll make some cookies and put them in the box. She got soooo excited.

I have to go to work now, but I needed to tell the world that this is what hosting an exchange student is all about!

Love,

Karen