Blowing Chunks in Spain...

...is just as bad as blowing chunks in America, if not worse, because youre in Spain. and blowing chunks is the last thing you want to be doing in a place like Spain. yes, i had one of those nights when you beg God for death because your insides are trying to make a break for it via your mouth and it seems like the cool comfort of the toilet seat is your only friend. ugh. im so unbelievably relieved thats over. im finally better, four days later. thank You, Jesus.

well, i just cant seem to keep this thing properly updated, and its driving me crazy not to be able to share the sights and stories ive experienced these past few weeks. if you want to get the gist of what ive done this week, just curl up in your bed and proceed to watch two Harry Potter movies, three Star Wars Movies, Capote (which was excellent), Brokeback Mountain, Apocalypto (which should not be watched with an upset stomach), Peter Pan, and Cold Mountain. that about sums up this week.

this past weekend Mom came to visit! it was so good to see her, even though she was sick (and subsequently passed the virus on to me). i will get to see her again this weekend, and i am really looking forward to it.
on Saturday Katie and i journeyed to watch the Carnival Parade- a relatively new festival that is something like Spains version of Mardi Gras. it really made me miss New Orleans. there were SO many people there we had to climb a gate in El Parque del Buen Retiro to get a view of the parade. we had a great view and saw a lot of crazy things that may have been lost in translation, because i had no idea what was going on- a huge group of men of all ages dressed in cheerleading outfits and blonde wigs, giggling and lifting up their skirts pretending to flash people...people dressed up in all forms of garbage, performing the dance from "A Knights Tale"... a great number of people on rollerskates outfitted from head to toe in red, led by a man dressed up as the devil, linking arms and skating in a synchronized wave... what an interesting experience. i hope to put up pictures soon.
this past Sunday i went to El Museo del Prado, one of the most famous art musems in the world. if you know me, you know that i was in heaven. walking in the stillness and silence past the works of great masters was breathtaking. i saw works from Rembrandt, El Greco (his use of color and shadow is fantastic), and one of my personal favorites, the dark and twisted Goya. google Saturno Devorando a Su Hijo and try not to react. thats what great art does to you- makes you have a gut reaction, feel something, be moved. the atmosphere inside Del Prado was almost reverent- there is something about art that captivates my spirit, and my affections were deeply stirred by the Artist who gifted us with such a precious thing. thank You, Jesus. i hope to visit Del Prado at least two or three more times.

miracle of all miracles, i should be getting a laptop this weekend (thank you, Uncle Eric!!), so maybe Sunday i will get a decent update posted. the girls and i are thinking of going to Segovia on Saturday, which im really excited about. i love it there- there is a castle in Segovia that inspired Walt Disney when he was creating the Cinderella castle. also, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella lived there- the king and queen who sent out Christopher Columbus. how cool is that?? i love Segovia.

i miss you and love you and have thought of you so much this week. im grateful for you.