Hello, I am Becky Evans, Anna’s current host mom and have agreed to be a guest blogger as well.  She is just home from a long day of school and soccer.  She was picked to scrimmage with the top varsity today and is currently taking a steamer shower.

I am a Wyoming native, having been born in Wheatland (guess what they grow?), went to college at the University of Wyoming, married David in college and we moved to Cheyenne after college.  I am one of the few people in the neighborhood who is not an attorney.  I am a speech language pathologist by training and am currently on special assignment working with special needs students and assistive technology in our school district.  I also manage a farm/ranch for my family.  Currently the wheat is out of production and I lease the grassland to a young ranching family.  We plan to take Anna to the farm and our rustic (no running water or electricity) cabin before she comes back to Sweden.

My hobbies are cooking, reading, watching movies, hosting students, and making jewelry.  Anna recently made a friendship bracelet for a friend at East and is welcome to make more items if she would like.  Since we are “empty nesters” now she has the whole basement to herself.  She blogs, face books, plays a mean game of “Call of Duty” on the X box, studies really well to maintain her 4.0, as well as reading, watching TV and movies at home.

Anna has a great sense of humor, and doesn’t like mushrooms, black olives or Mexican food very much.  She is very helpful and cleans up after dinner every night, washes her own clothes and picks up her space.  Sure hopes she keeps this up when she gets home!

Our next holiday, right before New York, is Saint Patrick’s Day.  He is the patron saint of Ireland.  To participate you wear green on March 17^th, and keep your eye out for Leprechauns.  If you catch one he has to take you to his pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  You are also supposed to find a clover patch and look for a four-leaf clover.  If you find one you will have good luck forever.  Unfortunately, in Wyoming there isn’t even any green grass let alone a clover patch at this time of year. If you don’t wear green on 3-17-2010 then anyone can pinch you.  Anna will be wearing her green East High School Thunderbirds shirt with a four-leaf clover on it that says, “Thunderbirds don’t need luck”!  That may be correct as the girls basketball team just won the state championship.

One thing that I don't like, that Anna does is shopping, BUT she is very patient and is slowly bringing me along.  She looks equally fantastic whether dressing in her business attire and blazer for DECA, Rotary meetings, school dances, hanging out, or soccer.  Her current phone ring tone is “New York”(??) by JayZ and Alisha Keys

She has introduced us to Stieg Larsson, the Twilight series, Swedish pancakes, tried to teach us some basic Swedish pronunciations, and rap music.  We will have shown her New York, Denver, Seattle, Italian and Mexican food, and high plains living.  It has been a great exchange for all of us.  Thanks for sharing Anna with us!