Got the email confirmation yesterday evening that Lucy has booked my flights!  It’s becoming more real that I’ll be in El Salvador in less than 4 weeks!

Aside from firming up coverage for the boys while I’m gone and going about daily life responsibilities, I’m trying to squeeze in my Spanish lessons on Rosetta Stone and read up on the culture.  So I’ll share pertinent facts as I find them.

Today’s surprise:  El Salvador had a 10-year record high of 4,365 murders in 2009, majority gang-related. 

Today’s note to self:  The political party in power currently, the FMLN, views the U.S. as “the empire to the north.”  Knowing that rhetoric is out there, I’ll watch how I carry myself, since I’d like to project the opposite of an entitlement attitude while in-country.  (and in general here at home, too, of course!)

That’s all for now.  Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I get ready and then go.  It’s a little weird to me to be leaving the kids and Fred here (is going on a service trip when you’re an at-home mom allowed?!)   But I am very excited about it at the same time!