Mexico: 5 down, 5 to go

I'm five weeks through my 10 week stay.  Some of you are probably curious as to whether this makes me happy or sad.  Maybe you can help me decide after reading these pros and cons to being in Ixtlan:

Pros:

• Getting acquainted with the Ixtlan church and the mission here.  They have many different church activities throughout the week so while I haven't made any tight relationships with the Mexicans, I am learning names and families.  Also I'm getting to know the Americans here and I see they have all given so much that it's quite humbling.
• Growing and learning.  Spanish (slowly), about myself, about lots of things.
• Having a better understanding of what the school is like and getting to know the children.
• Enjoying a different culture
• Walking from place to place and easy access to the market/plaza
• Saying hello to almost everybody you pass on the street
• Cheap street food that is incredibly delicious
• The way people make do with what they have
• All kinds of fresh produce available and very affordable
• Sights like three people on a moped zooming down a country road, older men in cowboy hats hanging out in the plaza, or a bright blue Volkswagen van parked underneath colorful banners  on the side of the street that are so normal here but, oh, so wonderful I want to paint a picture of it.
• A more relaxed environment where not everybody is so tight on a schedule and people stop in or you visit somebody randomly and it isn't a big deal.  People have time for flexibility
• While singing hymns in Spanish I get some phrases while others don't make sense.  The phrases I do understand are always so beautiful to me and I think now when I sing in English I'll be more alert to what I'm singing.
• Strengthening my immune system.  You don't even want to know where all the students put the pencil that I ask to borrow.
• I now get dessert every day, thanks to Marshall who likes to have something sweet after a meal. 
• I've played more Settler's here than I thought possible.  It's a great way to wind down (all though sometimes it gets me wound up).
• Oh, and could I leave out the weather?  I have really enjoyed the weather :)

Cons:

• Growing is good, but sometimes growing hurts.
• I miss my family and all those people I would interact with throughout the week.  I miss hearing the things my adorable little sister says.  She has suddenly decided she likes piano and is picking up on it quickly while I'm not there to watch.  After lessons on Monday she told Mom, "Sevenths sound so ugly, I like the sound of sixths much better.  They could just put me to sleep."  
• A language barrier makes things interesting so that is more my fault than anybody's (although I am wondering who ever had the idea to make a tower to heaven).  Good thing is that Grant reminded me this week that love knows no language.  Just show love and people will understand.
• A con to the culture would be the influence of Catholicism everywhere.  Today when I went to the plaza we walked in front of the cathedral and a man passing us crossed himself out of habit.  Just a few yards down the road from the compound is a painting on two walls that says something about Saint Somebody interceding the prayers.  It's frustrating because the Bible is clear in I Tim 2:5 that Jesus is the only Mediator.  Seeing things that are so clearly contrary is sad.  But I know that there is a lot of deception in America as well.  So I guess this is just a con of living in a fallen world.
• There haven't been huge sacrifices as far as conveniences we have in the US that we don't have here.  But two that are mention worthy are space/freedom and water pressure.  I'm wondering what it will be like to wash my hair with good water pressure.
• It will be nice to cook, paint, and craft again, but that's just a petty complaint.  

I'm sure there are more in both categories I didn't include but this gives you the general idea.  Right now this is where I'm supposed to be and God is giving me the grace I need daily to be here.  I think I've grown in the area that I have a better appreciation for the 'simple pleasures' of life I took for granted in the States.  But there are things I will miss about Ixtlan and Mexico in general when I get back to the US.

A huge huge thanks for all the prayers said on my behalf.  And on behalf of the Ixtlan church.  God bless you all!