I'm sitting in Panera. It's dripping rain outside the fat, Christmas-tree-high windows and jazzy Christmas music floats over my head. My laptop is up and I am wearing a scrunchy black hat and a hot pink scarf (yep, I knitted it myself). I'm waiting for a girlfriend to call to settle our dinner plans and then...

Do you ever feel that some days you are playing a role? You've entered a movie set and you are the star character, wardrobe and all. Love it. Today is one of those days. Unfortunately, the man of my dreams hasn't accidentally spilled his coffee on me yet or needed my help in saving the life of the slightly rheumatic looking man sitting in the paisley chair (although a cute guy did ask me to watch his computer bag while he went to order...what an honor...perhaps I missed my cue...dang).

My head aches. I had a three hour exam this morning and didn't feel compelled to study until...this morning. I got up at seven to study before my nine thirty exam.

Alack and alas me lassies! It's been a while and I had so hoped to be good. The trouble is that so much happens each day that by the next more is going on and on that I can barely pause to tell the story. To add to this, I work on a computer three days a week for 8 hours each day which doesn't compel me to run home to do more typing and searching and sitting. I hate sitting.

But, alors mes amies, je suis là. I am here.

What's new? WELL, perhaps what isn't new? I will just have to pick a story. Mmmmmmm, story picked, here it is.

The Keysers. The K Kids. My host family -- AND how we live and adventure together.

My host family consists of Ethan, 13, Kari, 11, and Luke, 8 plus parents. I LOVE my host kids! They homeschool so, naturally, they are super creative and fun-loving. In our suburban neighborhood there is a communal meadow which is like a piece of England or New England with swishing hay (hay bales now). It's a blessed retreat for me who loves the country and the city but who finds the suburbs lacking diversity and interest.

ANWAY, Tuesday nights are host family night. The K kids and I have taken to frolicking in the meadow as soon as I get home. We are TAG -- the Treachurous Adventure Gang. Ha, ha. This past Saturday we all climbed on top of a huge hay bale and pretended to be stranded in the ocean. Then we made our way down to the river and bopped around. I was slightly concerned that Luke, in his wobbly snow boots, would certainly fall in or that Kirsten (mrs. k) wouldn't approve of Ethan trying to build a small fire on the bank. But I didn't expect what did happen. Kari fell into the river! Kari is a precise, litte princess and a real trooper. Her pants were wet and she was freezing. Fortunately, I am well practiced in making light of apparently bad situations.

"O.K. here put on my gloves. Here we go, hug, hug. Let's walk back! Which Christmas carols should we sing on the way home?" This is a technique that I think I picked up from my mother. I have since learned that it is a disguise for inward terror.

We still made it to The Best/Worst Christmas Pageant play that night. There's nothing like going to a hokey Christmas play, so great.

So, rambling post. I am tired and am just going to get more tired so I thought I would write.

Peace.

Oh, and random. I was at Michael's tonight and ran into Joe Hall, former Salisbury dude. Familiar faces brighten life.