2 weeks...crazy!

Well, I can’t believe I hit 18 months yesterday.  Sometimes it feels like an eternity since I have seen you and then in other ways it seems like yesterday.  I am sure we have all changed some.  I can’t wait to see your faces in 2 weeks.  I only have one real p-day left since the last one we have to go to Managua for my exit interview...crazy.  Well, we are super excited for our baptism on Saturday.  He is a great man who will definitely be a leader in the church here.  Today we went with the elders and youth and played basketball and soccer with him. He is great.  On Saturday we found him with the elders in the street and invited him to come to a visit with us.  He did and then joined us for dinner.  He sent a text later to us that said he had never eaten so little at dinner but felt so full afterwards.  He has come to church 3 weeks in a row and is getting baptized on the date we set with him a few weeks ago.  That is rare that people actually get baptized on the first date we set with them.  The man has changed tons and is great.  Well, I had to give a talk yesterday in church.  It went well, and one member complimented me on my Spanish.  The Branch President spoke too and one thing he said that I really liked is that true friends are people who make you better or be better.  That’s the truth.  Thanks for being my bestest buddies and family.  I love you tons.  I also thought of Hermana Rivera - maybe that’s why we were so close, because by watching her I wanted to be better.  She didn’t tell me what to do but watching her I learned.  I am always smiling.  I love it here.  It will be so weird leaving.  I am ready but it will be weird leaving my Nica life and coming home.  I know my tastes have changed in the fact that I will eat just about anything...definitely not a picky eater.  When the people ask if I like something I just tell them I eat what they give me.  Obviously there are things I like better than others but now I eat coconut ice cream and like it and pineapple fresco (or punch) and lots of things.  You would be proud of your Nica. I am so excited to see you.  I can’t believe my mission is almost over.  I love you sooooooooo much.  I know the gospel is true.  I am so happy being a missionary but I will be so happy to see you and tell you all my crazy stories.  Thanks for being the best and always supporting me.  I don’t know what I would do without you.  I better get going.  We are off to get some groceries and then to work.  Thanks for everything.  I will love you forever and ever.  Love, your Nica hija, alc

P.S. Dad, we can see the Monbacho Volcano from here.  We were in Granada today.

Elena, I was wondering what you did after you dumped me off 18 months ago.  Try not to keep the gas on all night again.  I hate gas.  Luckily we don’t have it in the houses here.  Well, we don’t cook anyway.  I loved the mom is an angel, dad is a saint...super funny... but it’s true.  I love the way you write Lenny!

Mom, I will cook you some gallo pinto...mmmmmm.  It’s rice and beans, that’s it.  You cook the beans and the rice and then mix them together... mmmmmm...not too hard.  I found these cookie things this week that I might bring home for Dad.  It is a regular butter cookie with marshmallows on top covered in coconut.  Sounds like a Nicaraguan snowball.  You could look up some Nica recipes like gallo pinto, indio viejo, or the drink arroz con piña - which is a pineapple and rice drink.  We drink oatmeal and barley too...gotta love it here.  Actually the barley drink is my fave.  It is barley with cinnamon... really tasty!   It feels so surreal to think I will be home with you so soon.  It will be awesome.