what a random life I live...

... and what random thoughts lead me to actually write a posting...

I had a Starbucks latte and a 'peynirli simit' this afternoon... my visa paperwork is safely in the hands of "my visa guy" ... and right now my tummy is delightfully filled with delicious 'tavuk shish'... It would seem that my tastebuds (and using apostrophes apparently) constitute a large part in the formation of my happiness. Which, sounds totally and completely shallow: doesn't it?

But today... TWO people offered to help me find my way around (one in the metro, and one in Taksim)... and my friend's downstairs neighbor introduced herself to me in the elevator. (in English no less!!!!) It's so weird to see and experience such friendly helpful people after only a few twenty-some days of being gone from here! (it was also decidedly odd to only be home for a few weeks and get back on an airplane)

And in one day I get to go to the airport at 4 am, get on another airplane... and another... and another... and then finally be picked up by some of my extended family a little after midnight!! :D I am nervous, I think. (not quite sure about what exactly- though there have been so many flight delays through Europe, I have a lot of long layovers, I've got a fairly large extended family that I haven't seen for, a long time!, and... well I'm going from -20*C to +35*C for goodness sake!!)

All this rambling?? To really say... I feel blessed. And maybe now I'll be able to write some more posts about all the things I have learned about snow in the last 28 days (there are a LOT of things! and I keep thinking, "oh, I'll have to write about that!") - how incredibly amazing our Xmas party was on Saturday - the ridiculous language I get to appreciate at a close range-
but my body is reminding me that I woke at 3am and now it is 11:12pm... even though the time here is only 10:12pm.

G'night world!!

whew...

So I've started writing several posts and have either thought them unworthy... or I was interrupted midway through writing them and so they never got posted.

Therefore, this... this is a post just to get my fingers typing again... just to say, "No, I haven't forgotten you"... and "No, it's not that I don't have anything to say"... it's just... I have not said it yet!

A new campaign...

That's right.

In this season of voting- with everyone posting yesterday about how they voted, etc... I have started a new campaign.

It is my "Smile at children when their parents aren't watching" campaign!

:D

So far- I have had quite a lot of successes.

My favorite was this morning. I was on the bus when I noticed a little 5 yr old girl with a pink hat and purple snow suit (properly all bedazzled and mummy wrapped with a scarf, of course) staring at me. She was adorable... and her mom was looking away from me.
So I flashed her a tiny smile.
SHE SMILED BACK!
Then. Well, then my friends, I quickly looked all around me and noted that my fellow passengers were either a) paying their bus fare b)staring blankly out at the grey sky or c)looking at the muddy bus floor.
So I gave her a full, crazy-person, smile with teeth and everything.

And she GAVE ME A FULL SMILE WITH TEETH AND EVERYTHING back!!!!

So- vote for me and my subversive campaign, my friends...

Maybe, in about 10 years, that little girl will become a young woman who will also smile at a child on a bus... and so pass the cycle of smiling on. Cause goodness knows, this city needs some smiles!! Vote for change!

a foggy day...

So I've never really lived anywhere with fog.
But today was... definitely foggy!
This morning it made me feel like I was in a dream world. You know, the bare brown branches of the lonely trees poking through the white opacity and gossamer loveliness of the fog. Totally reminded me of the romantic scene in the new Pride and Prejudice... when Mr. Darcy slowly walks out toward Elizabeth that foggy dawn. ... good sigh... :D
But tonight? Brrrrr.
It wasn't really that cold. (Only a few degrees below zero.) But, the foggy atmosphere on top of the gooshy, swampy mud on every path and the aura it gave the streetlights and headlights of passing cars... good brrrr!

IT'S SNOWING!

Choose

Let me be in love with what You love

Let me be most satisfied in You

Forsaking what this world has offered me

I choose to be in love with You

I will choose to be in love with You

Let me know the peace that's mine in You

Let me know the joy my heart can sing

For I have nothing Lord apart from You

I choose to call on Christ in me

I will choose to call on Christ in me

For in the fullness of who You are

I can rest in this place

And giving over this, my journey Lord

I see nothing but Your face

Let me know that You have loved me first

Let me know the weight of my response

For You have long pursued my wandering heart

I choose to glory in Your cross

I will choose to glory in Your cross

And I bow down...Humbly, I bow down...

Humbly, I bow down...I bow down...

I bow down, I bow downmy beloved- here I am

I bow down, I bow down to You...

-Christy Nockles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFg_EG4p8Q0&p=517F501D57BBCD69&playnext=1&index=2

Last night I was having a moment of... for lack of a better word, of indecision. Pure and simple.

I'm so thankful for my ipod and the random shuffle setting... for Lisa F. who indirectly got me to download it... and thankful for the words that spoke into my wavering heart.

Choir!!

Yesterday I tried out for the choir.
Yup.
Oh the lengths I will go to sing!
I have been loving singing along with the choruses and things in the local Body that I've decided to join in addition to the English house group that I go to regularly- not only do I get surprised by the fact that I've heard a few of the songs in English before, but I also get to praise Him in song with other believers!! It's great! (And it might be the main reason I joined this body... yup, the singing :) )

So- when my friend told me that there were going to be try-outs for a choir... I was like, why not?!

I'm not sure what I expected. But being called into a room, by myself, with a pianist and the director, and being asked to sing... well... a song of my choice... Hmmm.

Pretty much didn't think that one through. Who knew I would have to sing NOT IN ENGLISH!

I mean- I've sung in other languages before. Ones that I've understood, and quite a few that I haven't. (Hello opera voice lessons with the mandatory Italian repetoire of songs a few years ago!) But- to have to sing... here... unprepared... no music in front of me... hm. Yup. Didn't think that one through.
However... the pianist in front of me had also given the sermon that morning and had used a sermon illustration... that he could have only used if he knew some English. (Bingo! for me A) understanding a sermon illustration, no matter how small B) figuring out he had to know at least a smattering of English to give said illustration)
So- I said simply, in my best accent [and probably mixing up the verb 'to sing' with the verb 'to drink' since they sound pretty much the same to me in the present tense in this new language] , "I can sing, "Breathe" in English for you." (We had sung it that morning in worship- of course- not in English. But, I knew that they knew the song!)
Ta-da!
Nobody had music. I sang in English in front of strangers.
When I finished, piano player man complimented me on my voice (in English! he he... he does know English!) The director-lady looked at me... and said, "But, you are going to be singing in ... not English." To which I replied, "I can read not English. And I want to sing." That was the extent of my pleading. (oh... SARCASM ALERT... Don't you wish you were this fluent in another language!?!?!?!?!? )
In the end... I was told to write my name and my phone number on a list.
I think I got in. I think.
And I also now think that practices are on Wednesday nights... Unfortunately, I have a previous commitment... aka: my job.
Seriously?! ?!

this last week...

I've re-learned a few things this week... it's kinda like "aha" moments all over again...
- don't give cold juice to children. Really. Don't. ... You might harm them or something! (It's a cultural taboo here... and I almost accidentally broke it by giving some new students a snack with juice from the refrigerator even though I know better.) I'm glad that my co-teacher caught the cups before the harmful substance made it to their lips :/
- too many layers... or not enough. It's like I'm five again, and learning how to dress myself! I never know how thick a jacket to put on from one day to another... two days ago it was -2 C... today? Well, the high is supposed to be 5 C. So, we'll see! But I always, always wear a scarf!
- I do love the language. I keep forgetting that love though, as I wade through grammar rules about prefixes and suffixes and cases that seem tailored to confuse even the smartest most detailed oriented linguist. (of which, I am not. Sadly. I miss Spanish. And I miss "just talking")
-my roommate rules! (Yes, my love can be bought with pumpkin spice coffee creamer.)

new wedding party ideas!

Yesterday morning I was really woken up (I mean, I had already had my coffee... but was still sleepily thinking through my to-do list) by LOUD honking outside my window. So, even though it was probably only about 1 deg Celcius outside... I opened my window all the way, and leaned as far as I could so I could see what was making the commotion!
It was a line of cars!
There were about five or six of them, all with bouquets of tulle and fake flowers tied to the handles of the doors. The lead car also had little boutonnieres lining the shiny, ultra-buffed black hood.
And... after a wait that had my snoopy nose slightly frostbitten... out came the bride!!
Everybody (there was a large group that was dressed to the nines along with the bride and groom- complete with girls in teeny-tiny skirts that defy the cold weather and the men in silver and black suits), clapped for the bride as she walked out and up to the lead car. :D
She was wearing such a large poofy white dress that after her groom had helped her inside the car and then stuffed the rest of her skirt in, he kind of had to wiggle to get into the back seat alongside her dress. :D
Then the whole calvalcade trooped off after another loud blast on the horns.
Oh yeah!

oh beautiful day!

What a beautiful day :D
I had two friends spend the night last night (we didn't go to sleep till about 2am), and I made pancakes for all of us before we all raced out the door at 9 am today. Me and one of the girls then took an hour bus ride across town to babysit at a local Body that was having a conference this weekend.
What fun right?
I enjoyed it! There was a little 8 yr old girl who was endlessly patient with my language inabilities :D She actually got a kick out of making me say different animals with her... And once the other little girl, 6 yrs old, figured out my name... well, the game was on! She was so excited to get my attention and try to tell me things. "Кристина! Кристина смотре!" (Kristina, Kristina look!) Then, a precious little boy named "Nikita" who kept trying to go back to the main room where his mom was, but was perfectly content to be distracted by some crayons or legos that I found. (Speaking of Nikita, I still get a kick out of boys with names that end in "A" - probably because my Spanish brain loudly says "A-ending = female" He he :D ) There was also a little 1 yr old boy who wouldn't come near me- and actually started crying when I smiled at him... I tell ya, they start this 'no-smiling' rule young!
Anyway- on my bus ride home... a little old lady with a pink fuzzy hat asked me if a certain bus stop was near. Well... I didn't understand that she had asked me if it was 'near' until about 3 sentences later... So she proceeded to ask the lady that collects money on the bus the same question. By this time, I had my non-English brain geared up a smidge better, and I understood that all this nice babushka got in reply was a curt "This bus anounces the stops when they come up. Just listen." I thought, "Aha. she asked if M-bus stop is NEAR. I know the answer!" to myself. Then proceeded to say out loud (in the brokenest phrases and gestures ever), that I was an American, but that I thought that the bustop she wanted was not soon, and we were going to turn left, then right, and then finally reach her desired bustop. For my efforts, I got a sweet small smile, a compliment on my language learning, a tiny little conversation on what I thought of the city, AND when I told her, "Your bus stop is next." she said, "Thank you. You've been so kind."
wohoooo!!!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe you didn't hear me properly...
WOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! :D
A friendly encounter. No English.
Thank You Father!!
Like I said- it's a beautiful day.

RAIN!!

It rained a large majority of yesterday... I mean, really rained! The potholes in the street filled up to overflowing, there were rivers whooshing from low place to lower place, and I used my umbrella!I got it from a friend, so it's not the kind of umbrella I'd usually buy. It's pink and yellow, bright pink and yellow! And let me tell you... against the backdrop of the grey sky, grey buildings, foggy skyline, and everyone else's black or brown umbrella... it stands out! And guess what… I was still wet when I got to the office. :)

more than coffee

I had my first language lesson since I returned. (I know, I waited too long- but I needed to acclimate a bit beforehand!) So I was very nervous, but I haven't forgotten all my language! It was very encouraging.
However, during the lesson my teacher asked me to tell her (not in English!) what I had done in Turkey. In my limited ability I told her, “I went and had Starbucks.”
She corrected me, "You mean; you went TO Starbucks." To which I replied, "No, I DRANK Starbucks." Then she responded, "You drank a type of coffee IN Starbucks." And I said, "No, I drank STARBUCKS."
Well... then I lapsed (regretably) back into English. And tried to explain that, yes, it is a place. And yes, they do roast their own coffee that you can drink. However, there was more to 'having Starbucks' than just the physical act of imbibing a personalized caffeinated beverage. I was also going because it was a Starbucks place and concept.
So she asked me to describe Starbucks and not in English. Ha ha ha...

Forget my limited language ability. How to describe a coffee shop to someone who has most likely never even thought of the concept let alone experienced it?
The friendly, "What can I get for you today?" (customer service doesn’t seem to exist here)
The plethora of options to tailor my drink the way I like it at that particular moment in time? (A team member of mine has joked that you can go to any restaurant in town, even if it’s a fancy restaurant that you think is Mexican food and they will serve the same menu as everywhere else.)
The ambiance of green and brown, and quiet music in the background? (Um- yeah. Ambiance? Again- not thought of yet.)
The wonderful sound of clink-clink as the barista makes drink after drink, even the annoying buzz the blender makes when someone orders a frappuccino? (…hear that? That’s silence.)

Okay- I’m going somewhere with this other than bemoaning not having Starbucks in my city. I promise. :D But, here’s the thought:

I want to be able to explain to you that which you have never experienced. I have tasted, touched and seen; even though you haven’t yet. I want to be able to use this new language to convey to you, in words, Somebody that I KNOW is amazing. My heart is overflowing with a concept that you have no basis for, and couldn’t have a basis for, that you have no background in… yet I want it to spill out of me to such an extent that I MUST TELL YOU.

And it’s way better than Starbucks.

I'm HOME!

There seems to be some confusion on my facebook page...
... just to clear up any misunderstandings. Home is not in the States.

Home. Home is where my heart is. Home is where I need to be.

So right now... Home is where I still have problems reading signs. Home is where I have a headache after straining to listen and understand shopkeepers, telemarketers, and bus ticket ladies during an outing to the center of town. Home is where I get to buy thick, fur lined boots (which I did today!). Home is where women walk around on impossible stilletto heels that perfectly coordinate with their perfect purses and might even match their manicure. Home is where right now, it is neither too hot, nor too cold. Home is where my roommate welcomed me with nachos (because of a miraculous find of tortilla chips) and cherry cobbler (mmmmhmmm).

And after six weeks, I'm gonna go unpack my suitcases now. 'Cause I'm home!!

I'm LOVING my life here in the 'bul. And to think I didn't want to come. Silly me.

While the first difficulties were finding stores, learning my way around, overcoming my fear of "new", and hearing yet another language that I didn't know... the challenges have become finding places to plug in, to be useful, to be a Light in the overwhelming dark.

Yesterday morning I woke up to a drum beat at about 4 am... A man was walking down the street with his large drum to remind people to wake up and eat before the sun rose. Those who woke would begin their fasting with the first rays of light, and would last all day until the sun set. And this happens all month.
I only saw a few lights on in the neighborhood flick on... but what those few lights represented really stuck with me. Because in this city, even those people that were behind the other darkened windows, don't know.

hoşgeldiniz

It's funny, I was one of those people that thought it was ludicrous that Wallmart had people whose job was "greeter." But... after having three months of no, "Welcome!" when I enter stores... I am enjoying getting greeted by this phrase as I enter malls, stores, offices here.

But- it's a reminder that I'm still not at home.

I'm so privileged though. I am appreciating the opportunities to meet new people - to read a lot of books - to be in a bustling, busy city - to see some sights.

Even though there is still no word on how or when I will receive permission to go back- I am being daily reassured that He has it ALL in control. He knows- even if I don't- and I am grateful for the chance to trust Him and to rest in Him (and I can only say this because of His grace).

free bags and minarets!

I bought groceries today- and was just GIVEN a plastic bag to put them in! Yeah!

Oh- and yesterday I ordered pizza online and paid for it with my credit card when the man on the scooter delivered them.

There was ice in my Starbucks latte...

And today- as I was just hanging out in the balmy sea air that just wafts up and down the tiny, hilly, zig-zaggy streets- I heard a man whistling as he walked home from work!

If it weren't for the call to prayer issuing from the many mosques around town that I hear five times a day... I might forget. Sounds silly, doesn't it? But I might forget that this is not paradise...

Oh yeah- there's also this little, tiny detail that once again I CAN'T SPEAK TO LOCALS!! Grrrr.... Not paradise after all. :P

However... after studying the numbers and several power questions like "how much? what's your name? where?" ... I started laughing hysterically...

:D he he... Turkish numbers make sense!! (For example: the word for 11 is ten and one! And 12 is ten and two! And the wonder of that continues as you go through the twenties, thirties, forties... it ALL is sequential... the way numbers should be!)

I pretty much think that every language after this one that I've been slaving over the last three months will be a comparative piece of cake!

The challenges of the next month however will be: patience as I wait for a new visa to go home, tackling new public transportation and not being too terrified of getting lost in the big city, keeping my eyes on Him in everything!

it's raining!!!

It still fills me with joy when I see large drops of rain... especially when they blow a lovely cooling breeze in through our porch windows!! The desert has left me with nothing but an amazingly never-ending appreciation for green and precipitation... and I'm enjoing both here right now as I write!

Yesterday a teammate admitted that he would love nothing more than to be 'stuck in a rut,' but that this country doesn't let us be in any kind of rut because we have to leave every three months to renew our visas. Hah- I'd love to find a rut too. I feel like I've just started finding a path though, and I have to leave. I can't believe that I have been here for three months already!!

Highlights of the last three months?

- people I've met

- fashionistas and faux-pas

- the language I have managed to learn

- weather that is changeable and is not just 110+ deg

- my wonderful roommate :)

- a team that pulls together in a time of crisis

- the cheese and ice cream!!!!

I don't want to complain about leaving. I know know KNOW that He is in control of all this. And even though I will have to be out of the country for longer than anticipated because of paperwork issues... I know that this is for my good. Because He is good.

I'm actually optimistic right now- because I realize I've fallen into some not so beneficial summertime habits like sleeping in a lot, not making plans to get out of the house until late because I'm not teaching, and staying up late at night watching (blush) Wizards of Waverly Place online.

It will be a good thing to "reset" even if I don't feel like I'm in a rut of comfort- because I might actually be in a rut of lazyness.

Thank you!

Here's the song in my head this morning...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9HTXT7TPnI&feature=related

Thank you for lifting us all up. The little girl on our team is still recuperating in the hospital, but she is doing better. I was able to spend some time with the Father alone, and I feel recharged again. We have banded together as a team, and are taking care of each other for sure.

He is good and worthy to be praised!! And I have experienced that for myself yet again...

Now I'm off to sit in front of the fan for a little bit longer- at 8 in the morning it was already 29 degrees Celcius!

standing in the need of pryer...

"It's me, it's me, it's me, O L*rd...
Standing in the need of pryr. Hallelujah!
It's me, it's me, it's me, O L*rd.
Standing in the need of pryr."

My family here is hurting. There's a little girl seriously ill and in the hospital... extra people here visiting... my sister who just found she has to move out and find a new place in less than a week...

And all this on top of the day to day language barriers, legal hurdles, crowded bus-riding trips, personal loneliness, and planning plans that plan for change.

If you're reading this... lift us up, please.
He alone knows why this is all happening at once and why all these responsibilities and challenges are layering up upon one another. He alone knows how much we can stand up under.

Hospitality... really!

I had an adventure on Wednesday :)

The great thing is that it started out with something ridiculous like me wanting to get acrylic nails again (since I'm not a practicing nurse anymore!! Wahoo!) ... and a student at the English center was going to take me to 'her' nail place.

Now- Zee is an amazing lady. I think she's in her late twenties, maybe early thirties. She's a very intelligent, busy chemical engineer- and she decided after a vacation to the Canary islands this year she needed to learn English ASAP so she would be able to communicate at least a little bit on her next vacation... so she returned and immediately signed up for English classes. That's the kind of dedication this girl has. But... unfortunately for us... her dedication does not translate to ability. :) And- since I have also failed in finding the fountain at which I can drink and automatically speak her language- we have... Well, we have a lot of FUN when we communicate! he he...

Anyway, back to my story about Wednesday.

I met Zee at a bus stop and she took me to a sketchy apartment building, and up one of the dirtiest stairwells I have seen here, into a tiny apartment, and into the even tinier kitchen of this miniscule apartment. And there... yes... there was a table set up in the corner. A nail salon if you will. UV lamp and everything! So- I got these fantastic nails - and at 4:10pm I congratulate myself on that accomplished vanity AND that I had also spent some time with Zee (which is what I was aiming for).

However, the real adventure started at 4:20pm when we left the nail lady's place. Zee asked me if I would go home with her to pick up her books and, "maybe drink some tea." I had to teach at 5pm, but figured she probably did not live far from the English center. So I said, "Sure! Let's go!" (Which, by the way, is the one thing I do know how to say in R.!) So- we get on the bus- and we go... :) We get to her house at about 4:40pm. At this point I'm thinking I'm just gonna look around her place, she's gonna get her books, and we'll go. I'll barely make it to the English center, but... I'll be only a few minutes late. That should be fine.

But no.

Zee lights up her gas stove... I think it's maybe she's just heating up water for tea. Hmm, okay. I take a deep breath. I'll only be like, 10 minutes late for my class. Culturally it's okay to be late here... so my student's will understand. "I'll be fine," I think to myself.

Oh.... it get's better though. Zee proceeds to heat up a soupy, spicy kind of noodle and chicken dish. Washes and slices fresh cucumber and tomato. Cuts up brown bread. Slices some fish pizza she had set aside. Makes this amazing green tea from loose leaf tea (and raspberry leaves that she picked and dried herself at her mother's country home). AND then serves me chocolates and dried apricots.

I was floored.

And desperately trying to be cool...

I don't like being late... but I've been working on it... (Well, since my college best friend was always late meeting me for coffee- I've had some training. But, it goes against my natural instincts to be late.) So this... this incredible display of hospitality was... trying.

Oh- I appreciated it. I truly did. All the details and generosity blew me away.

But the whole time I was thinking, "Don't show that you're concerned with being late. Appreciate the moment. Just... breathe... smile... breathe... You're okay. It's okay to be late. ... Even if you're the teacher. This is so great, but I'm late! It's gonna be okay. It's gonna be okay. (smile)"

He he...

So - even though I have a family who is willing to 'kill the fatted calf' when guests come over. (I mean, my grandmother has four sets of dishes... and my mother buys event themed appropriate napkins every time guests come over...) ... I still have a lot to learn in the hospitality department. I could NOT whip up a full three course meal for an unexpected guest (in 20 minutes)!!

Oh- and I was 30 minutes late for my lesson. And my students didn't mind. :D

Honestly... honesty

Of course you know, "Honesty is the best policy!"

Well...

Here... not so much.

I'd heard about it. And I thought that it would always be easy to make the honest decision.

However, first you have to identify the decision to make it an honest one, right?

Here's my story that illustrates how different my life is from six months ago.

In our hunt for an apartment of our very own we went to see our 'realtor' and potential landlady last night. After three hours of discussion in three different languages (until 11pm)... it basically boiled down to us paying a lot more money every month to be completely straighforward. Now our landlady will be registering us officially at that address.

And I think that we are now renting it from her, but I'm not really sure. And I'm pretty sure we are being totally honest. At any rate, we have ANOTHER set of fantastical looking keys!

I was thinking of this verse... but in the hunt for the reference, my roommie found this one instead... and I find it more appropos than the one I was thinking of!

"Pry for us.

We are sure that we have a clear conscience,

and desire to live honorably in every way."

Heb 13:18

smile!

I got smiled at by a local yesterday.

You don't know how momentuous a moment that is... until you know the saying about smiling here. Basically it says that if you see someone smiling they have had too much to drink, or they are crazy (and in my case we add- "or they are a foreigner").

So when this lovely old babushka (old lady) came up to me and gave me a smile wreathed in wrinkles yesterday... I smiled back! I was a tad shocked by this little gift... until her caretaker led her away from me mumuring (as far as I could understand) something about "Leave that girl alone. She doesn't want to be bothered."

It was then that I realized... that kind little babushka... probably had Alzheimers or some kind of senile dementia. And that was why she smiled at me...

I love it!

The start of week four here…

Wow. I hadn’t thought of that until my wonderful roommate counted the days for me.

Not only is she fantastically funny, my compass and bus map for getting around the city, a language coach… but she does math for me too! I am so blessed by what she does for me… as I try to learn my right from my left here.

I am finding out that language is still going to be a very steep curve for me… I just can’t seem to learn fast enough! I think subconsciously I was hoping that miraculously I would wake up one morning after breathing in the air, smiling at a few locals, and listening to their conversation… and would just automatically KNOW.

He he… instead I found out… I will have to learn the normal way. The hard way.

But in the midst of it all- I am being blessed.
Just by being here.
Just by meeting my students at the English center.
Just by being able to answer the questions of the teachers who teach at the center.
Just by being me.

I love it!

I love that the women here perfectly match their astonishingly high heeled boots to their beautiful coats and are pretty much always dressed ‘to the nines.’ I love that there is actual architecture in downtown buildings. I love that “hot” here was yesterday, a whopping 80 degrees F. I love that I can have internet and keep up on Facebook with friends and family across the globe. And I love… well… I love that I can say “I love…” in yet another language even if I can’t properly conjugate the direct object yet!

Three more sleeps...

It is interesting how children affect how I see life.

The wonder... the mayhem...the chaos...and the sheer joy of chocolate.

Also- I've remembered how to count with anticipation!

So yeah... three more sleeps till two days of traveling... and then I will be in my new home city. (at least for the next two years!!!)

Father has been so so so faithful to remind me that He will continue to protect, guide and lead me. I have been shown this because He has rewarded me with friends that are now all over the globe, family that continues to encourage me, and daily blessings in what others would call "chance occurrences."