Happy Birthday Darlene, Bobby & Vanessa-What I am Grateful For

Well, I have to tell you, Hallmark would make a killing here as in my village, I cannot find a birthday card anywhere.  So I have Birthday post cards, so the meaning is the same, just a different way of wishing a HAPPY BIRTHDAY. 

My time in Massariz is coming to a close.  On Thursday, we are officially sworn in as Peace Corps Volunteers (not like now, we are just trainees). On Friday, we will make our way to our permanent sites, mine site is in the North. Azerbaijan is shaped like a hand.  If Baku is the thumb, I am in the middle finger (of course) close to the Georgian border.  I pray for good weather as we have so much to move and if it is snowing or raining it will be difficult. Plus the fact, that these drivers think they are in the Indy 500 race!!  There are seven of us and we were able to secure a marshurutka (somewhat of a Mimi van) that will pick us up from our host families and drop us off to our new site host family.  The trip to my region is 7 hours, a long way from Baku.  Several of us from our Bible Study group were able to go to church in Baku this Sunday.  What a blessing that was.  It was an International church and we were even able to have communion.  I was surely bless.  Since coming here,  I have come up with a few things of which I am grateful for back home:

I am grateful for Indoor Plumbing

I am grateful for mild California weather

(especially NO snow or mud)

I am grateful for traffic and seat belt laws

I am grateful for privacy

I am grateful for insulation and warm buildings

I am grateful for drawings my grandchildren send me

I am grateful for e-mails from my family and friends

I am grateful for the variety of foods that I enjoy

I am grateful for Internet on a regular bases

I am grateful for electricity that rarely goes out

I am grateful for dinner and gatherings with family and friends

Saw this in Baku Coca Cola is Everywhere!!



Since they do not celebrate Christmas here, please put a special ornament or a blessing for me this holiday season.