So as I'm standing in the middle of dowtown Denver at 11 o'clock at night after a 3-hour flight delay watching a toddler named Nate stick Cheetos in his nose and holding a foot-long snake who I'm told is busy digesting some mice, I realize that some parts of the U.S. can be much more of a culture shock than Mexico. In fact, now I'm having to get used to fully understanding service industry workers and speaking in complete English sentences.

I'm exhausted and drained, but absolutely excited to be here. There is so much love at Sox Place, and so much opportunity to learn. I know that God is going to open my eyes in a thousand new ways. Sox said that since I'm a writer, I should "just hang around and soak it up, ask questions about everything." I plan to do just that.

I also might cook jambalaya for everyone, so if someone has a good family recipe, please send it to me. I was kind of bluffing because I've only made it once.

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more to come soon, as I get settled and get to writing...