Sweet Little Vendor

Ramkhamhaeng, which is the main street that I am staying off of, as well as the name of the university I am attending, is quite frankly, like a Canal Street in China Town, NYC on steroids. Every morning vendors open and put up with the heat all day long, selling purses, watches, sunglasses, clothes, shoes, charms, flowers, lottery tickets, all kinds of foods and even animals. I passed some baby ferrets the other day chained to a cage. Honestly, it made me sad. But do not worry, Mama and Daddy, I promise I will not be toting home any more animals as hard as it was to pass them up ;) At night it is even worse. I have no clue where they all come from, but during the day there is at least one side of the sidewalk to walk on. I have really done well not spending every dime that I have. I think it is mainly because I am surrounded by hundreds of people in sweltering 98 and 99 degree heat. I just can't really bring myself to pack into a 5x10 cubicle to search through the mounds of clothes even though the majority are very quite cute. Now they might fall apart after the 3rd time to wear it but, hey, at least that's 3 times. There is also no hope of trying them on so the few things that I have grabbed I will just cross my fingers that they fit. If they don't fit me, I am sure they will fit someone! Anyways, this little man in this picture was just as sweet as they come. Of course, being the sucker that I am once he grabbed me, I wasn't leaving until I found something at his stand. He moved along with me, as I tried to say no, to 3 different stands saying "This is my family's stand." Well eventually, I found a cool little painting on rice paper and after giving my bargaining skills a little practice, I bought the painting for, I believe, 350 Baht or roughly $9.50. After I gave him my money we talked for a few minutes about Mississippi, as I tried to help him pronounce it. After I walked around a while, I passed him again. He tried sharing his lunch with me, but I declined (with good reason). He was just the sweetest man, so I asked if I could get his picture and, of couse, he struck a pose.

I cannot forget another super sweet man on his special day! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY DADDY!! Words can't express how much I love you!! It's because of you that I am where I am

today. Your drive to do the best you can in life, HUGE heart for helping others, and faith in the Lord are such an inspiration to everyone, including your hard-headed world-traveler. I am so blessed to have grown up with you as my example in life, paving the way for me and Hannah, and most of all for being my Daddy!! I am also pretty lucky to have inherited your dashing good looks :) Thanks so much for all that you do!! Even though you don't really understand the meaning of take the day for YOURSELF, I hope that you do today. Just wish I could be there with you! I love you to the heavens and back!!!