What A Glorious thing Unlimited Long-Distance Is!

This is one of the best days of my life! I am so so pleased because I just signed up with At&T for unlimited long-distance! No more phone cards for me! I don't know what it is about those things but they are just so disabling, I never wanted to have to use them. You have to type in that big 1-800 number and then there is this big speel that you can't skip about how you can't recharge your card from Alaska anymore. Then you have to put in the passcode and all this other junk, I just dreaded having to use it. Now I am free to make calls whenever I feel like it without that dreaded feeling of having to use the card. And you guys can call me and then I can call you right back so you don't have to pay big bucks. I just feel so free and so much closer to everyone now. Sigh.. I'm a happy girl. This is especially good because yesterday I was feeling extra far from everyone. This little apt can get a little lonely. It's good though, I still love it, it's just extra good now that i can call you guys whenever I want.
Oh and to make it even better I have a Christmas mat outside my door, because Joey brought it over to me last night. It is perfectly wonderful! I am so pleased with it. It is both functional and festive! I would like to get some Christmas Lights soon so I can hang them in my little window for some added cheer. I have to admit I only actually have 2 Christmas cds... I'm going to put one in right now. I think Joanna might be sending me some others. And if anyone else feels so inclined to make me a little Christmas mix cd feel free. :)
How wonderful I just turned on my Christmas Cd and it's just wonderful! I feel so much more in the Christmas spirit now.

So I have good news and bad news about my camera. The bad news is that my old camera is pretty much dead, it never was quite the same after that fall in Mexico City... The good news is that I'm gonna get a new camera! I'm consulting an "electronics expert" and trying to find the best one. I never really did like this old one that I have so hopefully I'll do better this time. So hopefully with-in a couple of weeks I'll have a new cam to be able to document my life here in Bethel for you all.

I also wanted to let you all know that I had a wonderful day on Saturday going to the market and watching movies with Tiffany. She was so sweet she let me watch Oceans 12 (even though she'd already seen it) and then we watched the new Oceans 13 together. It was great, I've been wanting to do that forever, but no one else seemed to keen on watching both movies with me like I wanted to. My dream finally came true here in Bethel. I like the third one better than the 2nd one. And is it just me of is Brad Pitt getting old? Poor guy.
The market mostly consists of Yupik arts and crafts. Alot of beautiful jewelery, fur items and knitted items. The fur stuff is so nice! I mean it sounds horrible, especially to people in Seattle... but still it's really nice. It's also really really warm and... really really expensive.
Oh and want to know something crazy, the INSIDEs of the cars freeze here in Bethel. Like you know how we get frost on the outside of the window that you have to scrape in the AM? Well here it even freezes on the inside, i was so surprised. It gets stinking cold here, good thing I have warm jackets and long underwear! Tiffany laughs at my long underwear, but I don't think there is anything funny about it.

So please keep me in your prayers as I brainstorm what to do about the children's program at church. I've been encouraged to talk to the pastor about starting a program for the kids. I've been told that he would be very open to the idea. I really want to, I'm really missing hanging out with the kids but if I do this I really have to do it. You know. Like I have to start it, and organize it and plan everything and get curriculum. I know with the Lord's help I can do it, I just want to know what He wants me to do, you know. Like I said before I don't want to over-commit, I want to do everything with excellence. I really feel like this is partly why I came here, though, so as long as the timing is right and I feel the Lord give me the go ahead and as long as He gives me ideas... then I'm gonna embark on starting a children's program at the church.
It's really needed, there's been alot of hard stuff going on here. I've seen and heard about alot of suicide attempts and just last week a teenage boy was killed. The kids here really need a fun safe place to be and somewhere where people are speaking life to them and reminding them of the purpose that God has created each of them for! I'll keep you all posted.
Love you bunches and bunches!
Alessandra