Cross-Cultural Training

For those of you who have spent more than 3 seconds with my, you know I am a people-oriented person. Right now, my culture is academically-oriented, thus leading to some cultural clashes. Let me explain...

Todd and I have class from 8am until 12:15pm; five books, three diapers, two homework assignments and one Boppy (oversized pillow for Emme) in tow. Then, we go home to work on homework until 4:45ish, at which point, two gals come over to the house (one missionary intern like us, and the intern coordinator) to watch Rosie, 3 and Paul, 4 (their family leaves for Peru in a few weeks). We then head to class until 10ish. Now, Monday night, I left Emme with these two sitters and was a nervous wreck the entire time, so now she goes with mom and dad to class until 7:30ish, when she gets picked up to spend the rest of the evening with the other kids. We come back from class to do homework until one of two things happen: a) we fall asleep or b) we run out of cereal and/or Cup-O-Noodles.

I was feeling this difference in cultures, but I didn't think it was that extreme until last night. Standing in my 'dining area' after class, looking at the two sitters finishing up bath time with Rosie and Paul, their parents waiting with pj’s in the 'livingroom,' Todd with Emme talking with the husband of one sitter, I had two major epiphanies. First, it was 10pm and I had almost a dozen people in my tiny rental house... a DREAM come true for this people-person. Secondly, I needed to shove them all out because I had a book to read and paper to write before class the next day.

I've never been more aware of how fully I'm in the middle of God's plan for my life, but it's hard to describe how no one, save the other ten people who are going through this with us (and even then, not to the same degree because of the kid-factor), understands what's going on. Pray that God will give my family patience. We are tired, which can quickly lead to crankiness. I know that this is only for 'a season' (trust me, I counted down the last 100 days of my pregnancy, I'm counting down these 10 days!) but that doesn't make that season any shorter. Pray that my family comes out of this still knowing one another... and have some friends to boot!