How Good It Feels

My oh my, how good it does feel to be sitting here clicking away on my own laptop with all the freedom in the world to write as much as please…now whether or not I will choose to exercise that freedom is another matter entirely. That's right I have a new laptop, my Missionary Support Team from Frazer Mennonite gathered up some funds and bought me a new computer. I am so grateful for their kindness and generosity and a little humbled too - needless to say I will never ever walk at night toting my trusty laptop along. Anyway, having been limited to just a few short entries in the past month I’m now finding myself with an overabundance of material to write about - so much has happened in the past few weeks and I hardly know where to begin. Compounding that problem is the feeling of added pressure to relay everything of import before the end of the month because, as of April 26th I will officially be a resident of La Ceiba, Honduras and a new life entirely will commence. Pheww, where to begin...
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Let’s start with something light…I lost Flat Stanley. Those of you out there with steel traps for memories may remember that back in the beginning of February my little cousin Isabel form Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania sent me a flattened, laminated person named Stanley. It was my task to schlep him around Costa Rica snapping photos all along the way and to make sure that nothing ill befell him. As luck would have it on the very last day that he was to be here with me I accidentally dropped him in a taxi cab as I was trying to pay the driver and gather up all my things. It wasn’t until I got back to my room that I realized what happened to my young plastic friend – I’m not lying when I say that I felt a little sick to my stomach, I felt terrible but there was basically nothing I could do. I haven’t yet told Isabel, I’m trusting that she isn’t a rabid online blogger – I think I’m gonna try to construct a replacement..name him Flat Matt, I’m crossing my fingers.
Speaking of Pennsylvania…Flora asked me today over lunch which region of the U.S. was the most beautiful. Without hesitation I answered that PA is by far the loveliest of the lower 48…she thought for a moment and then very calmly asked me if it was true that Count Dracula lived in Pennsylvania…I told her yes, but he now goes by the name of Ed Rendell...just kidding.
So I suppose the biggest news that I have to relay is that of my mini-vacation through Costa Rica during Semana Santa (Holy Week). As I had mentioned in a previous post my Uncle Scott, Aunt Ann, Cousin Benjamin and Grandmother all decided to make a trip down south to see me for the week. It was a glorious trip, I got to see things that I never would have on my own and it was just fun to jaunt around the country, from San Jose, to Arenal Volcano to the Beach with my family - kind of surreal but definitely an experience I will cherish forever.
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I've just decided, to do something a tad different in this post, since so much of what has happened in the past month has been in the way of trips and excursions I'm going to cease my writing and make the rest of this post a semi-pictoral display of the month of March (with a little commentary along the way)...that should ease my stress a little.
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First Up, The Morris Family Costa Rican Adventure 2008:

Next Up, More Pictures From San Carlos:

Lastly, a Few La Carpio Shots:

Alright that about does it for this week - Come on back next week and we'll have more to chat about, I envision conversations about my last month here, the upcoming Saprissa game and my many hikes to La Cruz. Blessings to you this week. Peace!

- Matt