Sunset

I have been fortunate to see lot of sunsets in my day, many of which I have captured on camera.... others that have incredible memories attached to them......

1. Tela, Honduras, last October for Fayes Birthday

2. Rio Dulce, Guatemala, my 25th birthday. Sunset on a boat.

3. Hiking the Volcano Picaya, in Guatemala Thanksgiving.

4. Spring Break Junior year of college, somewhere in the middle of the caribbean sea.

5. Florence Italy, sunset picnic overlooking the city.

6. Denver from Happy hour roof.

7. Vienna Austria, by myself in 2008.

8. Rockies games. Sunset on the mountains.

9. Sunset on Wakiki, Hawaii freshman year of college 2007. 

I can now say the sunset on the Lake last night just minutes from our house... may take one of the top spots in my list of sunsets... no need for me to say much. Other than we were picked up by Chicken bus in the middle of town. (chicken bus which in central America is an old USA school bus). Filled with our dearest friends who are our family here, two kegs of beer and fire wood we headed to the sunset spot on the lake. The owner of the hostel brewery decided to invite all of the guests that were staying that evening at the hostel, so with about 30 people or so, (spanning from Ireland, England, Australia, the US, Belgium, the Netherlands, Honduras, Guatemala, Italy and Sweden we celebrated Bobby's birthday in style.

Chicken bus birthday party.

Our ride to the bonfire.

Rooms..... Faye Me and Kylie.

How many boys does it take to build a fire?

Kylie with her toilet paper leaf.

Laughing at who knows what.

With our British Unicorns Up.

Bus ride back to the D and D

What is a Honduran Birthday without a Pinata.

Happy Birthday Bobby. Cheers to more nights like tonight in your future.

Letter to Things...

Days ago I wrote a post here that consisted of Letters. Letters to things part 2.... happy day yall

Dear words,

You have the power to mend, to break and to heal even the faintest of hearts. You offer comfort and with the same lips you can offer pain. Although today I am grateful that long ago someone used these words and said, "Wherever you are, Be all there". I am certain God spoke these words to someone long ago.....now every day these words are a reminder to be present where I am. All there. All in. Who has time to halfway do things. All in with relationships, with people, with my kids, with loving big.....

my bed.

______________________________________

Dear Arturo.... Your sweet face. Your shirt says Captain poopy pants. Its ok that your shirt is meant to be a onesie and you are wearing it as a t-shirt with the buttons hanging down. You look so cute. We met in December and I fell in love with you then. I can assure you that only a few more visits stand between me sweeping you away and taking you home with me. 

love me who was given much more from you then i gave you

______________________________________

Dear roommates since August,

For being the greatest group of three women I have had the privilege of living with. For being the same women who encourage me to love this place and as well remind me when I am being totally ridiculous. Who teach me how to love kids well. Who keep me learning knew things about myself and humbling me about the world. For making me wish sometimes that I too called South Africa or England home...... here's to finally getting a picture of us together that is not taken at the beach.

Alison, Me, Faye, Molly

______________________________________

Dear Yoga Day 23. Stronger I feel, happy is my heart thanks to you. To my ever continuing practice. To the challenge ....thanks for keeping me healthy. thanks for making me believe I could actually do this thing.... bring on the next day.

with gratitude kristina

______________________________________

Dear Hymn,

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

No explanation needed. These words are good ones.... and now I am listening to this song over and over again.... Here.

signed thankful me.

_____________________________________

Dear Snowy Colorado,

Thanks for being still awesome even when I am not there. Don't worry its not like I miss you or anything.... (ahem ahem). You won my heart in high school, took my heart in College and now I am longing for it back, pretty sure you still have. My dear friend Megs messaged me on her flight back to Colorado and said, "Oh it feels good to see the snowy mountains again." Soon, soon I will be saying that again.... I miss the mountains, playing in the snow, skiing. Colorado stay classy, because you wear it well.

love ski longing kristina

______________________________________

Dear future,

Thanks for being a surprise. I am learning to let you happen, slowly....... but surely. I am anxious, excited and nervous about so many things. Thanks for creating a new desire for school. I can honestly say I am open and beginning to think that this is the future that is in store or perhaps a new adventure in New Zealand. Whatever you have in store for me, thanks in advance for surprising me.

love anxious me.

______________________________________

Dear Jcrew,

Thanks for reminding me that although I live in a place where people have very little and many have nothing at all, you remind me of my still love for beautiful things. Most specifically clothes. Thanks for teasing me with things that I do not have, nor things that are appropriate for this place. Your new email had me swooning over patent leather and bright colors. Thanks for that.

Love desiring fashionista me.

______________________________________

Dear second graders,

YOU DID IT! YOU DID IT! You did so well on your English exam! I am so proud. That is all!

Love Miss Kristina, your ever proud teacher.

______________________________________

happy tuesday to you.

Kayak. Sun. Lake. Monday yall

A small glimpse of our weekend.....its Saturday morning... I woke up and wandered into our kitchen... the dishes were piled high, evidence from a successful family dinner night.... the wine bottle is empty on our table, plastic cups are scattered about. It is 7:30 am in the morning and Alison is skyping with her family in South Africa on her computer.  It is summer in South Africa and Alison is sitting here in Honduras bundled up in her blanket.... doesn't make very much sense. The cold weather continues. A week straight of rain.

Around 8:00 I saw a small glimpse of sunlight and quickly rushed to get a load of washing in. Sun means dry clothes. Last week my clothes hung for nearly 3 days, before they got dry. That's what happens when it rains for a whole week straight. While the washing machine filled with water, I boiled some water for tea and carried out all of our trash bags from our porch. Trash must go out the morning before the trash men arrive, not the night before, otherwise the dogs get in it and it will be scattered about in front our house (yes this has happened before). With my laundry started I climbed back in my bed.

Saturday was a great day. After getting a cup of coffee at the shop in our town with Matt and Kylie, and some grocery shopping, Kylie and I headed to the D and D to do yoga with Lotte. An hour of yoga and the three of us were exhausted. Kylie and I joined six others around the campfire, sharing food, having a glass of wine (Perfect post yoga drink). Of the group around the fire nearly half of the people are traveling for the next year. 

Let me introduce them to you: (forgot names)

• First was the couple from Seattle. On two motorcycles they have been traveling for now 9 months.They left Seattle, covered canada, 32 US states, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize and now Honduras.  There final destination is Panama. 
• Second we met an older woman( American), early 60s who is traveling all the way to Argentina. She has 8 articles of clothing in a small backpack. I tried to guess her 8 articles of clothing but was wrong, (3 pairs of pants, one pair of shorts, one t-shirt, one long sleeve, one sweater and a bathing suit). 
• Third there is Paul. (English) Paul we met in Rio Dulce last November. He is finally moving South after settling in Guatemala for a year. He is sending me a few pictures he took of me driving the boat on my birthday. It is really nice to run into people that you have met while traveling. 
• Fourth is an English guy. 42 years old. Avid bird watching enthusiast. Lives on the bay island of Utila. Visited Utila nearly 12 years ago for a few weeks and never left. I told him that come Spring break we are knocking on his door to say hello (Since we are heading to Utila then) but he said we will have to swim to him, he is docking his boat off the island during that week. I told him no problem. We will be there.

We decided to make our way home late afternoon and after a recommendation from the older woman we streamed the movie, The Impossible on my computer. Kylie, Rose, Alison and I climbed in Kylie's bed and watched on my laptop. (we do not have a TV) The Impossible..... brutal to watch. I cried like a baby... incredibly beautiful and heart wrenching. Must watch..... It tells the true story of a Spanish family that survived the 2004 Tsunami that struck Thailand. Dont forget kleenex, but you must watch it. (in the movie the family is very british and blonde not spanish but the true story they are spanish)

Sunday turned up to be my favorite days of the week. Kylie and I took the D and D Kayak out on the lake for the day. With beer and oranges in tow we put the kayak up on top of the tuk tuk and dropped in at the canal. We asked the man to come back in two hours to get us, so we did not have to carry the kayak all the way from the canal. It is awkward shaped and heavy. The lake was beautiful. We finally had a day of sun and we became quite the expert kayakers. This is my third time out on the kayak and it never gets old. A lot of people were out fishing because the weather has finally cooperated. Everyone stops to stare at the two gringo girls on our bright yellow kayak. Comical. 

After getting back to the D and D, a little more sunburnt than when we left. We rejoined our friends around the fire to share stories and then stared down a big iguana in the tree.. Enough of me talking see for yourself....

The kayak on top...

awesome.

Heading out from the canal into the lake.

Below the water... so many fish. Incredible.

More sun than when we started. 

Our friend at the D and D. This picture was taken through the telescope.

The lady from Seattle and I talked about "our stuff"in the States. That we thought we would miss our stuff but we do not. We realize quickly how much extra stuff we have. My hope and prayer is pieces of this life here, the simplicity in it never leaves me. But yet that when I indulge in things, when I spend too much money on a meal or do something others would scoff at I enjoy every moment of everything I do, because life is too short to feel guilty for things...... 

As for my post last November and my 20 things I would like to accomplish in the next year, I am happy to say I am well on my way. Here is the list: and soon I will be able to cross a few off. I also think I will be baking cookies this week to deliver to the neighbors. We are done at noon every day!

 7. Visit an Orphanage at least once a month (whether I am in Honduras or anywhere) Orphanage visit: December 1, 2012 (San Pedro Sula). December 8, 2012 (Pena Blanca), Today January 28, 2012 (Pena Blanca)    
14. Read four Jane Austen Novels (Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Northanger Abbey, Mansfield Park)  I have started reading Pride and Prejudice. (love it, so good)
15. Complete 30 days straight of yoga. I am on day 22! Yikes SO exciting! Has been an incredible challenge but I can already see changes in my practice and I have fully mastered crow. see picture below (not me). I have always been able to get up into this pose but often fall out. Proud to say I am no longer wobbly :)

Heres to you Monday and Kicking this week in the A@%$ because its going to be a good one. I think so at least  Ps Happy Belated Birthday to my mother. Thanks for being who you are and I am proud to say that every day I find myself being more and more like you. 

Happy Monday Yall!

Love Does

“It’s about going to extremes and expressing the bright hope that life offers us, a hope that makes us brave and expels darkness with light. That’s what I want my life to be all about – full of abandon, whimsy, and in love.” 

(page 24)

From Love Does...By: Bob Goff

Scenes from Here

Already Wednesday? Where did this week go? The weather here was really cold, low 50s. Let me disclaimer before you think to yourself, that's not cold at all.....when it is a nice 50 degrees outside in the States, you have your heat on inside. Your house is nice and toasty. In Honduras if it is in the low 50s outside then in your house (ours in this case) is even colder. Our house is made of concrete cinder blocks, tin roof and tile floor so we girls bundled up like it was below zero, with what little warm clothes we have. For example Alison wore her beach towel around her to keep warm..... we watched movies, drank tea and coffee around the clock....it has been really chilly at night..... something that I think in a few weeks time we will be wishing to have back. Dandiest thing, always wanting what you cant have.

Speaking of which my dear friend Megs told me today she was longing for summer days and country music.... Which had me thinking of Colorado and hard to believe a year ago I was skiing in Vail for the weekend, heading to work on Mondays to my new job position. Snow covered the ground in Colorado and I made my far too often visit to Starbucks.  How times have changed.. Change for the best.


I stumbled across this book.... excited to read it. Here is a quote from the book below:

“And for me, I’ve realized that I used to be afraid of failing at the things that really mattered to me, but now I’m more afraid of succeeding at things that don’t matter.”

Night from here. to you over there..... enjoy picture from this week....

Saddest alert ever on my phone. Streamed the whole game. Screamed and shouted.  Feeling better now... just hoping we learn now so we do not make the same mistakes come March

View from my bed. Dance Sing Floss and Travel. (thanks lululemon)

New coffee shop in town serves up an incredible latte. 

Roommate molz carrying a book on her head from my room.

Matt just eating lunch with a first grader.

Must see movie list that Kylie and I have created. This is what happens when it is  nasty weather and raining.

Weather from the soccer field.

Love this...... Yoga day 17 complete. 

Watching the Bachelor and dying laughing at the tears, the drama, the whole thing.

My kids today copying their study guides. They were being so good.

Faye after a hard day at school.

Tonight while at the D and D, Paul, who we met while in Rio Dulce my birthday weekend was staying for the night. He is passing through on his way down to Nicaragua. He let me know that he had a bunch of pictures from my Birthday Boat ride. Here is one he took of our pontoon. Hilarious.

Meet "Little Creature" the cat that lives at the D and D Brewery. She was sleeping up on the CD player on top of the refrigerator ......It was heated... 

tonights fire around at the d and d.

Every Minute

I have spent many a moments thinking about what comes after this. My roommates are applying, some planning to go to Mexico, some already sure of what is in store for them come June. I can confidently say that just when I think I have something all planned out, I second guess myself, start thinking no that's not what i want to do.

I think about teaching in the US, having my own classroom, loving kids there and I get excited. I think about working with children in another avenue, with orphans and widows, or in a center that works with families getting assistance and aid. I think about getting a business job, something I am not closed off too and rather investing my personal time with children.... I think about going back to school, because no matter what career path I seem to come up with it appears school is needed or maybe it is not. I think about my former job, my cubicle, moving people around the world and a small glimpse of relief is placed in my heart. Knowing full well that that season of work is done. That that job was so necessary to get me to Honduras, but knowing full well that something else is on the horizon.

I think for a few moments I could go again some place new. Some place adventurous. If you have spoken to me recently I have a developed fascination with New Zealand. Some say my Colorado love affair would look like a mere crush to what I will feel in New Zealand..... but alas I am not booking my flight straight away...

If any of you have any ideas, leads, jobs in Louisville? Jobs that perhaps you think to yourself, "thats a great position for Kristina", I am willing and open to listen. If you have any thoughts on neither well that's OK too... because for now I am here. For now I am going to be here for this season. Trying not to anticipate worry to much and or loose sleep over the unforeseen future. Who has time for that anyways...... besides everything in the past has ALWAYS worked out for something much grander and much greater than I myself could have ever come up with on my own. Regardless of what is in store I am overwhelmed with the gratitude that comes from knowing that something new and excited is coming my way......

Today I am choosing to be grateful for where I am at,  the rooster calling, misty cloudy morning, and the third grade science and english exams I have left to write this morning....

"For every minute

that I get to share with you,

I will be thankful."

— Daily Haiku on Love by Tyler Knott Gregson 

source

Joy.

learning to find joy in little things. celebrate what happens in real time without trying to wish too much time away, is a real challenge. but it is simply the best.....

When I describe to others what living here is like, one of the only ways i can attempt to explain is by saying i experience real joy. real joy that comes from the faces of children. real joy that is found in tasting the really sweet watermelon that you just paid one dollar just up the road. real joy in a hot cup of coffee that you know was carefully tended too by people that live in our village.

joy from watching our house cleaner put on my jeans because she just ripped her own cleaning our house. she smiles and says "thank you prof"....

smiling because I am eating smartees in my bed while watching college gameday live from butler on my computer at ten o'clock in the morning all the while painting my nails.

complaining because of the chilly air that is finding its way through our house....

enjoying the overcast day, that makes staying in bed, watching tv, reading my new book, and drinking coffee all day long not only fantastic but totally excusable.

facetiming my sister just moments after she wrote on facebook that she wished we could drink coffee together. thanks to the Internet we can.

trip planning for spring and this summer. incredible backdrops for kayaking. volcano's. drinking champs. starry nights. scuba diving. beach drinks. hiking..... its is enough to get anyone excited.

listening to ed sheeran.... just bought this cd. obsessed.

looking back at pictures from the week would make you smile too........

Henry.... Notice that he skipped over problem 2 and 3 because he could not reach so he opted to answer number 4.

Cockroach next to Kylies coffee. We left him to lie there for a day or so.  

Louisville Fan officially created. 

Freezing day at school. Ignore how I look but notice how Nahomy and I had matching black jackets.

South Africa themed dinner night... 

Watermelon.. so sweet.

Making signs for my class..... and watching college gameday. 

And here it is..... The Louisville Cheer......

from one full heart to hopefully yours as well. kristina