From Jordan

Christmas is over….really before it even began. Coupled with the warm weather here in the States and then our DR vacay, it never really felt like Christmas much. I postponed writing this blog thinking that I would think of something really great to say. Well the days passed and I figured I better go ahead and write before Lauren called me internationally wanting to know why I hadn’t done her homework assignment.
Christmas was a little different for each of us this year:

After talking to Lauren on Christmas Eve, we found out that the old woman living in her house had died and a nine day funeral was taking place outside her bedroom complete with moaning and wailing. So scratch the pig roast; no Christmas celebration for you! (I’ll let her tell you more about that in her next blog.)

For me, her absence was definitely felt – mainly I miss having a person to roll my eyes with when Mom or Dad does something “funny”. Last year it was Dad blowing into his stocking after it was empty. This year it was Mom dancing to her new iPod. Now that was genuinely funny. I really want to try to upload pictures to this site so everyone can appreciate the humor.

I can’t wait to get back to the DR and see Lauren. Hopefully on the next visit I can stay with her in Baoba and learn more about the people and the town. It’s obvious that the people there love her just as much as we do!