Kimchi, not for me

I feel like I've been marinating all day in my own germs and...ick. It was quite a gross feelings. However, I have just emerged from the shower, and I now feel at least mostly human.

Allow me to hit the high points of last week:

Thursday: took the cat to the vet to get his shots before I give him away, he was SO incredibly freaked out by the noise outside that he peed in the soft-sided bag I was carrying him in - of course the cat pee then got all over my new pants and my jacket. Aside from that, the vet visit was rather uneventful. Well, and I found out that he weighs 6.5 kg (the doctor said, "Whoa." when he saw the scale, which I found humorous). Daive only weighs 8 kg.

Friday: increasing anxiety about giving the cat away on Saturday. At some point in the day (thanks to the helpful concern of Adam and Lis) I realized that my anxiety had MUCH more to do with my own guilt and abandonment issues than the actual cat. The cat will be fine, I'm quite sure of that. He's so not even attached to me.

Saturday: It wasn't a dark and stormy night, but it was a dark and snowy morning. Go figure. In addition to the cat and all the cat's stuff (litter box, toys, food, stocking, etc.) I was giving Daive's kennel to these people because they are foreigners doing animal rescue in Seoul, and need all the help they can get. Hard to carry all that stuff. Especially in the snow. Kind and wonderful Lis carried the very full dog carrier out to the main street for me so I could get a taxi. While walking out to the main street, I realized that in my semi-confused state, I had put on my Crocs, which are worn down enough that walking on snow and ice is REALLY not a good idea (especially for me). Then, the cat spent the entire trip yowling frantically/furiously. We arrived and met up with Claude's foster mom easily, and she directed us to her apartment. Of course it had to be at the bottom of a hill. She carried Claude in his carrier, and I was carrying the dog kennel. I slid and fell to one knee while walking down the hill. All in all, I'm proud that's all that happened.

We got to her apartment, unloaded everything, I explained all that needed explaining, and then said my goodbyes and left with only a tear or two. Then I went to the black market store (close to where this girl lived) and paid $8.00 for a box of Benadryl allergy and sinus medicine. I cannot wait to get back to the States! Then I came home, only nearly falling down once more. Not bad for a Florida girl wearing worn-down Crocs in the snow and ice.

Since I got back home Saturday evening, I've only left the house to walk the dog. I had been fighting a cold for awhile now, and when I woke up Saturday morning, I realized that I had most definitely lost. That overpriced Benadryl sinus stuff I got has been amazing, but it knocks me out. Today I didn't even go to work at all. I woke up with a fever, took medicine, slept some more, watched some of a movie (mostly while sleeping), read some (again, mostly slept), and had every intention of teaching my afternoon classes. That SO did not happen. I started feeling more horrible around lunchtime, and warned Lis that I might not make it in for my afternoon classes. I slept from 2 to 6 PM, which would be quite embarrassing if it weren't for the fact that I'm sick. That means I have spent the vast majority of this day sleeping, which has to be good for my body. I know that I do feel much better right now.

I spent some quality time on Monster.com this weekend, applying for jobs. I was able to talk to an old friend Saturday afternoon and it was during that conversation that I realized something. All my plans for going back to the States were made when I was either living in sin or living in distraction. Now that my heart and life has been cleared, I'm not entirely sure that's what God wants me to do. I received some wise counsel from another dear friend in an email, so right now I'm just praying, applying to some different jobs, and seeing what happens. At the moment, it looks quite likely that I won't be moving back to Dothan. I don't know where I'll be going, and can you believe that, with all of that established, that right now I am more excited about moving back to the States than I have been at all so far? That not-so-little fact alone makes me realize I'm headed in the right direction. So please pray for me. I'll be sure to keep you all updated. And Mary, I applied for some jobs around State College. :) I'll let you know if that works out.