I say "No!" to eating congealed blood cubes!

Hello all!
Sorry it's been awhile since I last posted; I've been busy and haven't had the opportunity to use the computer. Well, the last time I wrote I think I was leaving for Thailand . . . what an adventure! My flight to Bangkok was fine, no worries. My flight to Chiang Mai, however, was another story. My original flight was cancelled, and I was booked on a later flight. So now my flight is later than expected, and I'm not sure if there will be someone to pick me up at the airport. So I went through passport control, which took forever, and my heart started beating faster as I headed for the arrivals meeting section. I scanned the crowd for a familiar face, any familiar face. Nope, nothing. People are meeting friends and family members all around me, hugging, filming each joyous reunion, etc. etc. etc. and I just stand there, feeling quite alone in the world. So I decide to call Tutu; Dave had given me her number "just in case." Well, he forgot one digit in the number so not only did I have a heck of a time figuring out the phone, but I had to ask someone what the extra digit should be (they have 10 digits; he had forgotten the "8" that goes in the beginning of the number--don't ask me!?!)
So! I finally got a hold of Tutu, her brother had just left the airport for the second time. He had been waiting at the Domestic gate, but I had flown International from Phnom Penh, so we missed each other. Also, when Tutu and Debbie showed up and saw my flight was cancelled, they tried to ask to see if I was on the next flight, but they didn't know my last name so Thai Airways wouldn't give them any information!!!!! Crazy!!! It was a long day; I almost LOST IT at the airport, but I was able to calm myself down ("You're ok, you're ok, you're ok") and get on with figuring out what I was going to do if no one came to pick me up. So, long story long:), I finally made it back to the orphanage. I went with "B" (Tutu's bro) to pick up the kids from school--so many familiar faces. I received lots of hugs and smiles.:) So I hung out with the kids until I left for my "new home" in Chiang Mai--the "mansion" that belongs to Allen and Claire, friends of Mike and Debbie. Allen and Claire own the house where the team from Virginia stayed when they were here. My room was amazing! I wish you could see this house--6 bedrooms, patios, 8? bathrooms, large kitchen, living room, open spaces, ponds, gardens--BEAUTIFUL! It was really nice of them to let me stay at their house. Another guy from Ohio (so many from O-H-I-O!) was also staying there; he had been doing some painting at the orphanage while he was in Chiang Mai visiting friends, etc. We all ate dinner (Thai version of beef stew) and played a couple rounds of Bingo with the two girls staying with Allen and Claire. The girls are hill tribe girls who live with Allen and Claire and they barely speak English. They asked a lot of questions about me and Jonathan, though, so we must have intrigued them!
Anyway, this is getting long, and there is so much to write about! Jonathan and I went to the orphanage early on Tuesday and stayed all day. We played with the kids (a large group was home from school because of a special program) and helped some of the kids write letters to their sponsors. We ate both lunch and dinner at the orphanage; lunch was fairly edible, dinner was interesting. There were cubes of congealed pork blood in the noodles. I'm sorry, but I say "No!" to eating animal blood in any form!!!
On Wednesday Claire, Allen, Jonathan and I headed into Chiang Mai for the day. After showing us the system for catching each taxi bus (one for Doi Soket, one for Chiang Mai), they left us to make it back on our own. We wandered about Chiang Mai, ate fruit shakes, ate at the Art Cafe (a Western restaurant--I tried an interesting interpretation of carrot cake--not like my mom's!), looked around some shops, and then got Thai foot massages! It was so fun and so relaxing (except for the sappy Boyz 2 Men music playing in the background!:) even though I don't like feet! I felt bad for the woman working on my feet--my feet are so dirty from wearing sandals; I don't know if they will ever be clean again! So! It was a good day; we headed back to Doi Soket hanging on the back of the taxi bus--what an adventure! More and more people wanted to get on, and there was NO ROOM! We contemplated heading up on the roof, but we were saved by Debbie and Mike (they used to live in Thailand as missionaries and have just moved back after 10 years in the States--they know Tutu, who is the director of the Thailand orphanage) who were driving by and asked us if we needed a ride! It was so funny! They said they couldn't help but notice my white skin and the fact that Jonathan was literally hanging off the back of the truck! I guess we stood out from a few miles away!
So! Back to the orphanage, the rest of the team was there . . . OH! I forgot to mention that the night before I left PP, I had my picture taken in the traditional Chinese/Thai and Indian costumes! It was so much fun!!! It was like playing dress up--the hair, makeup, costumes, etc. I had a great time. One of the girls, Seda, took me to her favorite place. The pictures were picked up by the team, so I was happy to see them and asked for the pictures as soon as I saw them! :) We then went out to dinner---good ole' Pizza Hut. Relief! Not a piece of congealed blood in sight!
Today was another early morning. While the rest of the team headed out to one of the hill tribe villages, Debbie took Jonathan and me to the Elephant Show! It was really cool; elephants are amazing animals, especially the ones that can paint pictures better than I could!:) I fulfilled a goal and had my picture taken while I was sitting on a baby elephant! He was so cute--a little Dumbo! :) Elephants are hairy little creatures--this one had lots of prickly hair! It was a fun time; I'm so grateful I was able to experience the elephant show before I left Thailand!
WHEW! I could write about so much more, but I am hungry and I think I will go and see what I could order for dinner. I'm staying at a guest house in Bangkok; I just wrote in my journal by the pool:) It's a nice night here in Bangkok . . . and I am so proud of myself for actually getting out the the airport! My flight leaves early tomorrow, so I should probably hit the sack early. I am so not looking forward to the long flight home, especially heading back to cold and now SNOW! We heard about the crazy snow on the news all the way here in Thailand! Dang, I miss everything! :)
Well, I'll probably post one last time when I get home, and then you can stick a fork in this baby because it's DONE! My time here has flown by, but I can't wait to come back!
Goodnight from Bangkok!

Susannah
"Oh, the wild joys of living!" (Robert Browning)
"For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream." (Van Gogh)
"O Solitude! if I must with thee dwell . . ." (John Keats)
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you, I have summoned you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. "(Isaiah 43:1-2)