Going to a Skype Party

Alyssa wanted me (her Mom) to update her Blog. How can I do that? I don't really know everything she would want you all to know! I can tell you her adventure continues. She is back at the Truex house now and will continue to serve them after a week taking care of the Narita boys while their parents were out of the country for an emergency. It is the rainy season and she is experiencing the effects of that. The power at the Truex house was out on Saturday morning so she was determined to get to an Internet connection so she could use her web cam. My side of the family had planned to gather at our house to celebrate Seth's birthday and we were going to try to get everyone to talk to Alyssa while they were here.
I wasn't at the computer when she told the story of how she got to the Internet cafe so I'll try to give you some idea. She can give us the facts later. There is a river through town which separated the area where she lives with the Truex's and where the Internet cafe is. Due to the rains, the river had risen and had overflowed. She waded through some areas where the streets were flooded. Some places the water was up to her knees. She felt like she accomplished something when she made it to the Internet cafe. Everyone thought she was crazy for even attempting to go so she could talk with us.
We turned on the computer about 7:30 pm before everyone arrived (almost everyone was late!) and there she was online waiting for us. That would be 9:30 in the morning Cambodia time. Little by little the rest of the family arrived and went to the computer to talk and see Alyssa on the Web cam. Grandma was amazed at the technology and could hardly understand how we could talk to Alyssa on the other side of the World. I don't get the technological aspects either but I know it works and I am thankful to be able to see my daughter and communicate on a regular basis with her. There is something about being able to see her that let's my mommy heart know how she is doing.
Mike got our globe down and showed Andy(10) and Alicia(9)-(her cousin's oldest two kids) where Cambodia was and how Alyssa had to fly across the Ocean to get there. Emilio(3) and Evan(6)-(cousins #3 and #4 children) arrived a bit later. It took Emilio a while to get the whole Alyssa on the computer thing but he would run around the room, poke his little face in the picture and then run away again. He liked seeing himself on the Computer as the Web cam showed us our picture too. Evan had his Uncle Tim(another cousin) type chat for him when the web cam connection got fuzzy and wasn't working too well. The only local people missing were Juan(cousin Beth's husband) and Bella(cousin's #5 child). Alyssa was disappointed to not see Bella but she was home in bed, resting up for a Saturday full of sibling soccer games and her own Birthday party celebrating turning 2 years old in the evening. The Rodriguez kids(her cousins family)you would know as Alyssa's babies.
We all gathered around the computer and made Alyssa sing Happy Birthday with us. At first, she was resistant because she was in the Internet cafe with people there. She was in a more private area of the cafe so after much haranguing and pleading I think she agreed to go along with us quietly. I couldn't see the computer but I bet she was probably faking the singing. We had Seth blow out the Birthday pie candles in front of the web cam and all. The focus of the party seemed to be on Alyssa not the Birthday boy but he is the kind of guy that doesn't like to be the center of attention so it worked out for both if them I suppose.

I think the opportunity to see and talk to most of the family was a great encouragement for Alyssa. She called this a Skype party. Skype is the program we use to chat.
She loves hearing from you all at home. It keeps her going when things get tough. She wants to be in both places at the same time. She wants to experience everything here at home and yet she knows she is called by the Lord to be in Cambodia at this time. I guess that's a hard place to be. She just doesn't like missing out on the fun we have here without her. She asks you all to pray for Wisdom for her as she needs to know what the Lord would have her to do and how to handle things that come up along her adventure there. She will try to post some pictures of the flooding soon, at least that what she says......
I thank you all for keeping in touch and praying for her. We are blessed to know you and have you in our lives.
Tammy for Alyssa