Two for the price of one (about PILAT AND my Afternoon off)

PILAT so far has been wonderful....it has been good to meet other misisonaries...to share frustrations and suggestions and jsut feel like people understand!

We have classes/sessions/whatever you call them from 845 till 430 and A lot of what we're doing has been really interesting and useful. Ive gotten some really practical ideas for learning Slovak and a lot of encouragement that it can be done. I've even been practicing some of them with Russian!

we've also been trying to break out of our "sound boxes" did you know that English only has about 44 sounds but the human mouth and vocal chords are capable of THOUSANDS!!?? (i wish English still had an interrobang too) but our mouths fall into a rut...yesterday after practicing laterals and fricatives, my mouth was sooo tired....but i'm starting to be able to hear and make the sounds too...it's really neat....

Here at MTI we get weekends off...except this week we started late so we had a session this morning....so here's what i did with my afternoon off

Art & Lois from headquarters who help me keep focused and figure out fundraising drove down from Denver to take Jessica (also with YFC...going to Uganda) and me out to Lunch it was a great. fellowship and chineese food (without roaches!!) next friday i'll be going up there to visit

Till we got back most people had left for the afternoon on hikes or otherday trips so i am here mostly on my own....i took the chance to embrace the solitude and get some stuff done

I wrote some thank yous. I still have quite a few to go and darn it if Postage isnt going up this weekend!!

I finally ballanced my checkbook....

Also I uploaded a ton of pictures....if youve been waiting for pictures of the Lane Christmas/Anniversary, or the pictures for updating your magnets, or some pictures of Colorado, The Link to Flikr on the right is for you!!!!! Also if i get enough comments, i may break down and post the picture of me with the banana on my head!

I sat with some kids who are here and watched the never ending story while is did the pictures and wrote this

Additionally and a source of joy, I sat outside in the sun (it was 65 here today....what kind of wussy January is this?) I havent seen sun in months it seems!! I did some reading and some just sitting!!

later, i'll write a paper (or at least start it) and watch another hour of "Pride and Predjudice"...send some e-mails....and go to bed early!!

more to come.....stay tuned