A random question to random geeks anywhere really!

So, I'm wondering one thing, and because I'm too busy to research it (not to mention that it's not that important really) I figured I'd ask and see what folks say. - How, oh how, can some "charity" know that I forwarded an e-mail that's supposed to help some child that's dying of something, and donate however many cents to the medical bill? - What good is it to them and how do they keep track anyway?

I realize that their "good works" is getting out there, but seriously, 7 cents for each e-mail, PALEEEASE! (Yes, I know that's misspelled, that's on purpose) - Just give the child the funds, and count your reward in Heaven! - That's what really matters. Besides, how will they know who and how many e-mails I sent it to? I use BCC for multiple/bulk e-mails - not to mention that I rarely, if ever, forward that stuff (seeing as I know some certain someones - ahem...Dan...cough...cough - who came up with them randomly to see how far they went, and they were totally untrue) .

Realistically though - what is the plot and is there even some reasoning or reality behind this "deal"? Is there a way for a company to keep track of an e-mail and where it goes? I'm actually really interested, as if it's true, sure, there's no loss in forwarding (BCC) to as many as possible, if it helps I'm all for it, but honestly, can it even work? I don't get it... :(

Anyone know?

Comical

The setting is a cafe' where we're having coffee with someone we met out witnessing the other day.

The man is blatantly (BLATANTLY) flirting and trying to tell us that his doctor told him he needs to enjoy life more (ahem), as I try to steer our conversation to, yeah, not blatant flirts from him.

Celeste: So, the woman whose birthday it was the other day at the restaurant where we met you, she's your wife?

Man: No, I'm not married.

Celeste: Oh, but I thought her child was your child?

Man: Oh yes, she's the mother of my child.

Celeste: Oh, I see - of course.

Man: I like kids, I want more kids, what do you think?

Celeste: Ummm...yes, kids are lovely!

I know this is oh so very common, and having lived in Latin countries, surrounded by Latin men, for so many, many years of my life you'd think I don't chuckle anymore, but seriously, I find it so funny the way men are so nonchalant about the fact that they have a wife, lover #1, lover #2, and #3 & #4 finances permitting. - And are they embarrassed about it? Oh no, of course not! Prestige, and pride. :D

Next move is to bring him to our home to show him the many men in our life...oh yes, snicker...

So...

...lots has been going on! - LOTS!

First, we had an area fellowship at the CTC (great advantage in living here actually, it means you don't have to worry about driving through traffic - whew!)...don't worry, there were more people than this picture shows, I just didn't get to take many pics (how about 5?) as for some reason folks were just hunting me down to ask me things. - Oh well! PTL!

Steve and I took a "happy" picture together. - Yes, I love the sunglasses. (I felt like a bumblebee with Kim's sunglasses. LOL! TX for lending them to me, girl!)

Sammy decided to fall at my feet (he originally did it in the kitchen while I was cooking lunch actually - it seems he was hoping it would make a difference in his "sentence". LOL! - As if I make a difference!)

Then that night I drove off to Cuernavaca, just in time to celebrate my oldest nephew's 10th B-day the following day. - They did a treasure hunt to find the first present (well, hot/cold hunt).

Note his incredibly happy face and the cool watch he's sporting. - It's always so fun to see the happy faces of kids on their B-days. ;)

We then went up to a lake (ahem...pond) and had a BBQ. My nephew, Francis, found it incredibly entertaining to stuff his face with marshmallows and come show me he was doing it (much to my disgust).

My brother had brought some presents for the kids...well, actually my mom and I brought the presents (which he paid for) as we (meaning me) spent a long time searching for them in the US. - TTL for sales! Here's Justin trying to take the wrapping paper off (and getting a tad frustrated).

My brother also tried to ride some of the horses that were grazing nearby. Most of them didn't let him get on, but the ones that did, refused to budge. :D - He used every horsey term and name he could think of, in Spanish, of course, but yeah...no luck. - Har-har!

It was a good time though! I took my mom to the airport Friday morning (sniff - though I'm glad she made it safely back to Romania) and I've been back Home since then...and it's been good.

Oh, and I got my furniture, I'll have to post some pics of that soon. I still need a mattress, but once I have that, I'll show my cool room off. - Jesus is so good to me. :)

I'm here...

..at the CTC - and settling in nicely! :)

I'll have to take some pics of my room once its set up, and upload them. - It's actually quite nice and I'm very happy with it! The Lord is really spoiling me, not only am I very comfortable, but I'm also getting extra help for the incredible work-load that has descended upon us and built up over the last two months, and to add to it the folks here are vunderbar. TYJ!!!!

It's been interesting though, I went from a Home where there was a majority of FGAs and teens, with just a couple of us YAs/SGAs (which reminds me, I need to post the fun poems those in my former Home came up with for my goodbye party - so sweet), to a Home where there are no FGAs and only 2 teens - how odd is that? - Talk about extremes! It's cool though, they're all fun folks (and Home Councils have a very interesting spin, especially when you have James doing interesting things with the pole throughout...ahem) but its going to be fun, I know it!

I'm off for some witnessing this afternoon, so I'm all jazzed about that, and then next week I'll probably head down to Cuernavaca for a couple days to spend some time with my family - yay! - The future is bright peoples, it's bright. ;)

P.S. Pray pray against the mosquitoes. - They've been feasting on me.

Good days! :)

I had a great day today! - Had a nice hour-long swim in the lovely pool that I'm going to miss so much! Sniff...
I just had to have some pics for the memory of it...and thanks to Fifi this is what we have.

Excuse the smudged make-up, and that bonk on my head! (Yes, I bonked my head - crazy things happen to me all at once sometimes. :D)

And in other news, my brother's in Mexico now (I picked him up at the airport last night.) Yay!

Here we go!

All things change…

All good things must come to an end…

When it rains it pours…

I will survive! :D

Those are all short liners that are running through my head right now. - Life is exciting peoples! I’m on a roller coaster, things have been incredibly “out of norm” these past months, and they don’t seem to be calming down at all, but I know that it’s all going to turn out okay and that I’ll look back some day and thank the Lord for these changes.

I had a great two months though! The XDs were both awesome, each one alike yet so different in their particularly unique ways. I’m so thankful I was able to be at both! I know weariness was like MAJOR, and there were days when I didn’t know what in the world I was contributing to be around there, but even just being able to meet all the YAs and SGAs that came to these was awesome, and though I know I didn’t have a chance to form a special friendship with all, I now know them more personally and feel so much closer to them too.

These are such inspiring times to live in! I feel as if I’m literally caught up in a majorly huge wave - we all are - and though the crashing and the tumbling makes us feel totally out of whack, breaks us and throws us around, that feeling of knowing that I’m totally in the Lord’s hands is really the life-saver. - And rather than trying to fight against it and get to what I think is the top (and where there’s hopefully oxygen and air) I’m realizing that I just need to just let the wave move me and carry me, and I’ll get to the surface and shore in God’s good timing.

I was reading this prophecy vitamin today and realized how true it is.

(Jesus:) I’m feeling very generous these days toward My obedient children. I’m like a rich man who is handing out gifts and blessings right and left. You who please Me deserve everything that I have to give… It would be My delight to fulfill your wish. (“Prophecy Vitamins, Part 1,” ML #3587)

The way the Lord supplies and spoils me never ceases to amaze me! I just got to spend a week with my aunt and mom in Florida, and though it was low key (aside from the special driver license ordeal, and the mega running around with errands and shopping for others that took place) it was needed and I’m glad I was able to get away.

I also got to spend a few days with Loana and Eman and their family out in Atlanta! Thanks for having me, guys, and thanks too for letting me drive your car! :D (Yes, they have a stick-shift car, which I got to drive. Yay! – Man, I miss those here in this part of the world.) Loana, thanks for taking me out and showing me a good time. – Eman, thanks for letting her! ;) Thanks for introducing me to your friends, and for making me feel so welcome. Please thank Marie too for her fun self, and for joining us (and for that Long Island Tea that I didn’t even finish…heh) and thank Tim too for being the man. – I still think he overdid it with the butter and sugar though! :P

I really am spoiled, and I know it. Sure, life has a way of coming at you fast and you think that you’re not strapped in well enough to take it, but if you’re anything like me, well, so far I’ve survived. So far I can look back and see the improvements, the changes, and the blessings from things that happened to me, and I even see how the Lord is extra good to me, so heck, bring it on.

I’m now back in Mexico City and basically packing to move back out to the CTC. It’s been such a weird feeling to return to my Home for this past year - a home full of people I love and want to be with, only to know that it’s just for a time as I prepare to pack up and leave. I’m going to miss this place so much (though it seems I might be able to visit with the excuse of their wanting me back at least once a month to help them with their parties – lol), but I guess all good things must come to an end, and I keep telling myself that the future is as bright as His promises. – Yieldedness, that’s a big word!

I went to the market yesterday, to basically say “bye” to the contacts and let them know that if I see them it won’t be with the common pot team, but with the CTC (I sure hope it works out). – After two months of being gone I was pretty popular. So sweet!

At any rate, pray for me? I’ll be out of here any day so I need to get to the packing, not to mention the HUGE backlog of work that’s built up these last two months. - And I’m sure that life at the CTC will be great too! There are so many cool people there, so I hope this doesn’t reflect negatively on them (ooops), but forsaking and change is always tough and I think that’s the big issue now.

Sorry this got long…I’ll leave you with some pics of my time in the US. – Ciao to all! XX