Grown-up version of pen pals

Today I realized that all those teenage years of wanting a pen pal has been given to me, but it's a way that has a much more positive impact. I am talking about writing letters to my Compassion kids. I have been so blessed to be able to sponsor 5 beautiful ladies and correspond with one beautiful lady... altogether 6 beautiful young ladies. Why am I so excited about it today? I am excited because I just wrote letters to them (which also included a picture) with shiny heart stickers, in honor of Valentine's this month, that I cannot wait for them to receive! I wish I could be there to see their faces as they open up their translated letter and see these shiny stickers! :) I also recently received a letter from one of my older girls where she began becoming inquisitive based upon letters we have been writing back and forth instead of the letters they copy down when they are at the center. I got really excited! Their artwork is also so priceless! :) The greatest part of Compassion International's letter process is that letters can be handwritten or done online. That has made letter writing a lot easier on my wrist and makes a great way for me to send pictures without having to print them out. I love it! I am so glad that God struck the strings in my heart at a Compassion table at a Creation Festival all those years ago to begin this wonderful process of sponsoring children while spreading the message of Christ!

Last night was my Skype date with Anne, which is always exciting! What made that more exciting was that I received a letter from her from KOREA! :) I must say that living through my cousin's adventures in Korea is enough for me. I am so glad that she and I decided to make a monthly standing date to talk over Skype. There is never a set topic. We just talk as if we were hanging out and sitting next to each other on the couch having a girls night. I have decided that as time allows us that she and I also should write each other. I just think it is so awesome to be able to receive mail from around the world.

The last topic of interest is my upcoming graduation. According to my little countdown gadget from Windows 7, I have 83 days left until graduation day where I will officially have a Master's in Education. :) I still plan on getting my doctorate, but I think that will wait awhile since taking the GRE seems so daunting. Sigh. However, I hope that this degree opens some doors that I need God to open, or even a window. I am enjoying the opportunities not having a job and getting a Master's degree has posed for me though. I am observing a class in the school I used to work in, so I get to see all my beautiful "babies" that I had my first year there. Some of my "babies" from last year have spotted me! It's been so lovely to see all their familiar faces, along with those of my colleagues, who also happen to be my friends! I know that I look forward to my Thursdays, even if it means I get little sleep due to unneeded nerves. I hope that I can make their busy weeks brighter as I pop in on Thursdays as well. Hopefully, I will be able to continue my time there with my action research project. I plan to meet with the principal Thursday to see how that goes. Fingers crossed!

Now I'm off to get some chow and find some good work for my new tutoring student! Yes, I have acquired another student to tutor!