Needing a Hug

Do you have that one friend that can almost ALWAYS make you feel better? Well I have a few and I hate when I can't talk to them! Right now Enrique and I are fighting I guess you could say. I know it makes us sound like we're dating and no, mom, we're not. It's a dumb fight that I think he just needs to get over and he thinks I'm being insulting and yada yada yada. I'm sure it'll blow over but it just hurts. He has become one of my best friends here and that makes it even worse. Enrique loves to debate and especially about religion and since mormons are just soooo fascinatingly different it gives him a love of fuel. And our fight was about my standards and it's just dumb. I think he should just get over it and respect me for my beliefs but he feels like because I don't do the same things he does and don't hang around when he does that I judge him or think he's a bad person, which of course isn't true. Our conversation was only about a half hour long and so I don't really know if he's mad and hurt of just being dumb and will get over it like two hours ago haha. But I was thinking about it the whole time I was babysitting. I hate not getting along with people! I hate contention and all that crappy stuff but at the same time I feel like he's the one that needs to just get over it. Oh whatever I'm just venting. Basically I really want to talk to Travis and have a hug! Boooo...

Missing Someone I've Never Met

Updates: I went to Rome for six days and had a wonderful time. The gelato was amazing along with the Colosseum and the sunshine. Alisha and I were supposed to go to Sicily for a day but we missed our flight because of the bus! It was a sad moment. We went different ways that day because she and I tour much differently. I need time to relax on a vacation so that I feel like I've actually taken a vacation. She likes to see everything. And that was fine. We both had great days and met up later. The thing I love about traveling is the people we meet. There were nine people in our room at the hostel and three of the guys were named Dave, Joe and Matt, the names of my three oldest brother. That was pretty strange; made me miss my brothers. I got a nice full body massage for fairly cheap (my idea of vacation!) I tell you, Europeans are not as private as Americans! No shame! All in all it was a great trip where I spent too much money but don't regret it. I've become all the more fasinated with sculptures! People have such amazing talents! That trip also made me realize how much I will really miss my friends here! Mainly Juliana and Enrique. I missed them something fierce and was glad to hear I was missed too.

On another note I HAVE A NEW NIECE!!! Halee Margarite Swope was born February 25th at 9:30 a.m. I can't deny that I love the fact that she and I have the same initials! I am missing her terribly! I was hanging out with friends last night when I found out and I was ecstatic! But my mood shortly changed after that because it reminded me how important family is and how much I hate missing out on these things. I was supposed to be in there when she was born. Being in the room when my first nephew Connor was absolutely amazing! So I was a bit down and when I dropped Enrique off I just cried in my car. It was a bit pitiful I won't lie but I couldn't help it.

Today is much better. Much, much better! I had class, which even though I don't understand everything and Enrique has to explain things to me, I really enjoy. After having lunch with the girls I went swimming with Yuliana (my Russian friend) and we're gonna take a dance class or something, soooo psyched about that! So I've been in a good mood. I picked up my oldest and since she didn't have her English homework we started reading Charlotte's Web. There was this part where E.B. White was describing the smell of the barn and it made me think of my dad and how much I want to marry a country boy and have a farm haha. It says, "It often had a sort of peaceful smell- as though nothing bad could happen ever again in the world. It smelled of grain and of harness dressing and of axle grease and of rubber boots and of new rope." "But mostly is smelled of hay, for there was always hay in the great loft up overhead." This spot betweeen Wellington and the mountains has always been one of my favorites. I want to build a home here, where I'm close enough to the city but far enough to still live the life I want. Colorado is so majestic and I miss it terribly! My heart will always belong there and being able to live there this past summer reenforced that desire and love all the more. I have so many options for my life when I get home and have no idea what it will be. That is the exciting part but also the unsettling part. I've thought a lot more about massage therapy and maybe using that to pay for nursing school. Who knows. But I do want to ultimately end up in Colorado but knowing how my life goes, the Lord generally has different plans for me... *sigh*

Speeding Ticket

On Saturday I went to celebrate Juliana's 21st birthday with her, her boyfriend, Enrique, Juan and some other people. We drove to Geneva to meet up with the other people at their house, which happened to be situated in the Redlight District (aka prostitute territory). When we arrived at the apartment they were not answering their phone to let us in so we had to wait for a bit until we got a hold of them. I was standing in the doorway to the apartment with Juliana, Edgar and Juan (Enrique had gone around to see if their window was open so he could yell to them). I'm standing in the corner of this doorway and four guys walk up and just look at me. Immediately I knew what they were thinking, that I was a prostitute. Talk about insulting! I was in jeans and had my big coat on and zipped up all the way. I just glared at them and told them to keep walking. I should have kicked them and taught them a lesson! Anyways we hung out and I was the only one in a room of 10 people who did not speak Spanish! Needless to say I was grateful Enrique was there to keep me company and speak English with me. In Switzerland they use speed cameras to catch people speeding and so you may not realize you've gotten a ticket until a few months later when it comes in the mail, unless you are lucky, like me, and see the flash and then get pulled over! On our way home I was speeding, naturally. I mean going 50 km/hr is pretty difficult especially when no other cars are on the road! So I saw the flash and Enrique said, "Hannah I think you just got a ticket." I was so mad! But THEN! 10 seconds later I see those adored flashing red and blue lights behind me and in between the lights it says "STOP" just in case you are an idiot and don't know what the lights mean! So I pull over and they come to my window and start speaking french and so I ask if they speak English and so he spoke some and Enrique translated the rest. He asks me to get out of the car and take a breathalyzer! My first one ever! Of course it is 0.00. I think they were a bit surprised to see someone my age on a weekend who hadn't been drinking haha. I think if it hadn't been for that stupid camera I could have gotten off with a warning. But they told me to expect a ticket in the mail. LAME!! Oh well c'est la vive! So there you are with my exciting story =D.

Did You Hear Me Puking?

The last few days I think I had the flu. The last time I remember being sick with the flu was in Colorado on my fifteenth birthday when my mom and I had the 24 hour flu. And I don't remember the last time I threw up. On Monday night I started to feel a bit nauseous so I didn't eat much dinner. After dinner I went to hang out with Juliana and Enrique. We just relaxed and I was still feeling pretty bad. Enrique made me drink alka-seltzer. He was very insistent that I drink every little chalky piece. I felt a bit better but not for long. After our movie he was worried about me driving home being sick and offered to let me stay but I wanted to go home. I came home and felt so sick that I gagged myself so I could puke. Yeah probably too much information but are you surprised that I shared it? Didn't think so. I felt much better and then went to bed. The next morning I felt like crap again. I picked up the girls from school at lunch time and took them to Ferney to meet up with Sophie for lunch since the girls English classes are in Ferney on Tuesday afternoons. I wasn't going to eat but I was so hungry so I had some chicken and rice. Ines had an assembly later that afternoon in Ferney so I went to hang out with Enrique and Juliana until then so I wouldn't have to drive all the way home. I told Sophie I'd call her if I was too sick to come. I felt sick. So I went in the bathroom with my glass of water and Enrique cheering me on. That was the first time I've had a cheerleading squad when I throw up. But once I started throwing up I head him go in the other room and turn on his music hahahaha. Anyways, I stayed there for a while and hung out. I fell asleep on his bed while he was on the computer and Juliana had left to go job hunting. He left for class and I stayed and slept. Their family is so sweet to just let me stay. Juliana came home and she and I started watching a movie until she got hungry and we went downstairs so she could find something. Their mom came home and insisted that I eat something. She made me soup and it did the trick. I kept it down and have felt better since. I stayed for a while after that and we all hung out until I went home to sleep. It was just so nice to be taken care of. Juliana was like can I get you anything? all the time and so was Enrique. Well he was more just trying to get me to puke so I'd feel better haha. It was nice. That is the update for now. Oh and I'm going to Italy two weeks from today!!

Snowboarding the Alps!

This weekend I went snowboarding and skiing with Juliana and Enrique and their family. Needless to say that I fell... a lot! It's been a while since I've snowboarded and then it was my first time skiing. But it was soooo beautiful up there in the Alps. Obviously. You could just see the little villages below and that other peaks all around. The sun was shining and it could not have been a prettier day. I had a blast but I am soooooo sore!! All my muscles just ache. I fell asleep almost the whole way home and when we got back to their house Enrique's mom lent me a dry shirt and we just sat around. Then when I went to go home my car doors wouldn't unlock and then once I got them unlocked my driver door wouldn't stay shut so I stayed the night there on the couch and that didn't help my sore muscles haha. So I know I'll sleep well tonight!!

Much Needed Update

I know it's been a while since a real update but not much out of the ordinary. Been warm the last few days which has been really wonderful because when the air is warmer that the huge lake in Geneva then we can actually see the village and all the way to the Alps!!! And the sun has not burnt out!! Just in case you were wondering, I sure was! I'm sure it'll get colder once again but that's ok as long as I get little breaks in between. I spoke in church on Sunday. It went really well thankfully. My return ticket has been purchased. I will return to Colorado on Wednesday, August 5, 2009. It is bittersweet news for me. I'm still enjoying myself here of course. I recently got a cleaning job to do on Fridays after I get groceries for another lady. It's nice to earn income in other ways. I really like the grocery shopping but not the cleaning as much but that is life. My girls have lice really bad and thankfully I have NOT gotten it yet. If this sounds like a list it's because it is. I'm listing off new things here. Oh! I almost talked to the hot swim teacher today but he turned the corner and I didn't want to go running and screaming after him. Kinda wishing I did... Booo! But that is life as I know it at the moment. Good night! Bisou!

Cute Happenings

So last Friday Sophie and Dimitri went out so I put the girls to bed. I went to sleep later after they had come home and I had gone out. In the middle of the night I woke up thinking I heard someone knocking. I opened my door and look around and then kinda realized it was in my dream. Imagine my surprise when I hear knock, knock then the 2 year-old's voice saying, "Hannah Mae!" I open my door to see my little girl pantless with her slippers and doudou (little blankie) in her hand. She was just kinda like ok I'm up let's do something. Since my shutters were closed I was thinking it was about 4 am so I put her in my bed and shut off the light. I think she figured since I put her to bed that her parents weren't gonna be home that night. But I heard Sophie get up and look for her because they must have heard her at my door. So I took her upstairs and went back to bed. It was just too cute. She's been really sweet lately since she's kinda been sick. She almost always calls me Hannah Mae now and I just love it. That's about it.