gringa to tica: 24.

Soooooo, October happened.

And, quite honestly, I'm not completely sure how it happened.

The image that comes to mind when I reflect upon this past month is a giant, overpacked suitcase (a fairly familiar sight in my life..). And as I look back on October and try to unpack it all, I'm amazed at how many things I managed to stuff in there, and I don't have the slightest idea how I was able to zip it all up. It's like that moment when Mary Poppins pulls a coat rack out of her carpet bag, and you just can´t help but laugh because it doesn´t make any sense how it fit in there in the first place...

However, I am going to try to unpack it in the most coherent way possible. So, in honor of my 24th birthday on November 2nd (I know, I'm getting old!), I am going to give you a list of my 24 favorite things about this past month....

Here we go!

1. We had two AWESOME WyldLife Clubs: the first was a "beach party," in which we played crazy "beachy" games, like crab soccer and beach volleyball, and I got do my FIRST EVER talk in Costa Rica about Jesus's first miracle of turning water into wine.

2. The second club was called "INCOGNITO." We went to the local mall and had some friends dress up in whacky ways and hide in different places within the mall. The middle school kids then had to run around and try to find them, and afterwards, my friend and team leader, Jessie, talked about how we never need to hide from Jesus.

3. Pumpkin Spice Lattes. We may not experience fall in Costa Rica, but we can still pretend it's chilly outside by drinking sweet fall treats!

4. I got wheels. PRAISE THE LORD! My very own little Toyota Corrolla.

5. It can be hard to find a good bacon cheeseburger in Costa Rica...that's what Gringa nights at Chili's are for! (Yes, we have Chili's here, and the burgers are just as delicious as in the States...but twice as expensive.)

6. Michigan. I got to travel North for a Young Life International Schools Conference and spend some sweet time with some of my favorite people from Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, and, of course, Costa Rica.

7. Fall leaves in MI.

8. Apple picking, apple cider, and pumpkin patches.

9. Spending time with this chica. My sweet friend Ella who I met 3 summers ago while interning in the Dominican Republic. It was the summer that changed both of our lives, and afterward, we both independently decided to go on Young Life Staff in Latin America, she in Nicaragua, and me in Costa Rica. Words can't describe how much she has impacted my life with her joy, wisdom, and wonderful friendship.

9. Bonfires, smores, and laughter in the cold weather.

10. Time in prayer and reflection in front of a beautiful fireplace. (And we got to sit on the floor because there was CARPET! It's almost silly the little things that I miss!)

11. The Costa Rica Young Life team dominated the Corn Maze.

12. Acting like a little kid by bouncing on a giant "jumping pillow."

13. Kettle Korn! While I was in Michigan, Dad sent me the best Kettle Korn in the world from the Watkinsville Fall Festival (which I haven't missed since 6th grade...).

14. Chick-Fil-A in the airport. Enough said.

15. This lady. My pretty Mama came to visit me for my birthday!!!

16. Beach trips. My mom and I went to Manuel Antonio for a beautiful weekend.

17. Animales. While at the beach, we walked around the Manuel Antonio National Park and saw howler monkeys, sloths, iguanas, toucans, and lots of little monkeys and raccoons that tried to steal our bags.