One of the lovely fountains (that we are not allowed to play in) outside the cafeteria.

A whole week has passed! Actually we have technique class for an hour and 45 minutes tomorrow morning, but that is nothing. My schedule has been: up at 7 for breakfast, then come back to the dorms to get into my 'tard and tights and do my hair. Chapel is at 8:30 and if my days classes are in the Ballet Mag! studios, I hop on a big yellow school bus at 9:30, and if not, I just walk down the hall to the Belhaven studios. Tech is actually a killer class after which I'm usually so tired I'm not even hungry. Lunch break ends all too soon and class (variations, improvisation, jazz, modern, etc) begins at 1:45 till 3. At 3:15 we have our last class of the day and stumble back to the bus or our dorms. I then shower before going to supper. In the evening we have small group, or Bible study, or a Ballet Mag! company performance (tomorrow we will see The Hiding Place! yay!), or free time. Lights out is at 10.

This evening we had creative worship, and perhaps God has me here to break the bonds I have put on myself in that area of just praising Him without giving anything else a second thought. In any case, it was beautiful and I was able to put this whole deal into perspective because God is so in control and I just need to do what I need to do where He puts me. So though these weeks are going to be incredibly challenging, there is nothing I cannot do. Last night after our halls' small group time I had a beautiful time with one of the girls as she affirmed that for whatever reason God had for bringing me here, He will do or reveal to me.

Anyway, I'm missing all the fun out there.....

God is good!

I'm....... HERE!!

Yep, in Jackson, Mississippi, after all these years of dreams. The arrival was complication-free, with the exception that I almost missed my shuttle from airport to Belhaven College, and it all went very smoothly. The campus is lovely, if hot, and I have the sweetest roommate, Sarah T. In two hours I have my placement class, and I confess to a tangled belly of nerves. What if I'm stuck in the lowest level with a bunch of tiny 11 year olds?
If that tipped you off, yes, I am suffering from an acute case of intimidation. There are 150 wonderful ballet dancers, if they weren't, they wouldn't be here, and ME.
I am not sure when I will be able to update this blog, so don't hold your breath. I will do my best, though!
Off to stretch and warm up......................

Saturday the 14th we left PA at about 8 in the morning, driving till 2 when we reached our destination, the house of Jay and Evie H., some old friends of my parents (Jay is also a cousin of my dad) about an hour outside of Richmond, Virginia. We spent a wonderful afternoon at their lovely house, splashing in their pool, reading on their porch, and enjoying the renewal of our acquaintance. We hadn't seen them in ten years. Jordan also learned in the ins and outs of a tree stand and bow hunting.

Sunday morning we were out early, driving to - Church in Richmond. Deb and I were born during out parent's involvement with their ministry and each person of the congregation seemed to have a special memory of my parents or Deb and me. It was truly a beautiful and filling service.

Immediately afterwards we began driving to New Bern, North Carolina to see Shawn and Jeanette S.; the last time we were in the US we stayed in their old house in PA. Not too many people will share their home with a family of seven! We miraculously found their deli in town and as miracle number two, Jeanette was there to meet us! Upon arriving at their new house we were delighted to find that they still had their fabulous 4-wheeler!! Wooowhoo! What a blast we had with it.

Monday morning we went to the beach where we frolicked in the Atlantic Ocean and got burnt a lobster red. At 2pm we cleared out and drove six hours to my Aunt Connie's home in Charlotte. There we spent the evening with the Zweibohmer/Linn/Hauck family.

Today we had some together time with Hunter and Emily, cousins Katie and Lauren's kids, respectively. Well!



Ballet Magnificat! minus 5!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

view pics here: http://picasaweb.google.com/elizabeth.hostetter/USTrip08

With my cousin Abigail last evening.
New second cousin Wyatt.

Cousin Michael, his wife Kara with little AJ, Mommom, myself with Wyatt, Aunt Peggy, and Adrienne,

and my other darling new second cousin AJ, but first....................

In the plane coming here.... My favorite plane ride was this one, from Puerto Montt to Santiago. We were finally off!

In Santiago we spent five hours waiting, and when we went through customs we got a bit of a scare as Deb and I went through separately and were separated from the rest of the family. They finally caught up with us when our plane began to board!

Miami airport was an immense bore, as usual, but thankfully our time there was brief: only about two hours. What a welcome into the heat! That first step out the door was like a humid slap to the face and I wanted to scurry back to freezing Chile..... for about two minutes.

The plane from Miami to Philly was the LONGEST ever. There was an air-traffic delay during which we remained parked for an hour in the plane but I did make myself comfortable on mom's shoulder for a snooze. Do we look wasted or what?

We arrived in Philly at about 11:40, and the sight of our dear friends, the Stoltzfuses, there to greet was a sight from heaven! Lunch was at Friendly's and we were hugging our grandma hello about two hours later.

PA, prepare yourself for the invasion of the galloping herd.

Here and Lovin' It

I'm wearing a tee-shirt and shorts, I'm at my grandma's house, yesterday I had supper at my Uncle and Aunt's, today it's at my cousin's...... I'm in PA, and so very, very glad.
My head still hurts, my ears ache slightly, I'm still getting dizzy spells, and eleven hours of sleep last night did not completely eradicate the effects of the trip here, but I'M HERE! And so very, very glad.