Thanksgiving

Tomorrow marks the first in my 35 years that I will not celebrate Thanksgiving Day with a proper turkey and fixings. It's an odd feeling. A mixture of missing the traditions that this day holds along with that odd feeling that this is home now and in this home they do not have the same traditions.

So I will make a list of things that I am thankful for and for 2moro I will be content to say thank you without the amazing food.

a comfy bed to sleep in, a hot shower whenever I want, food in the fridge and cabinets, laughter, good music, relationships, family who are friends as well, friends who are family as well, legs that can walk or run, shoes for various purposes, a car to get around in, God's love and pursuit, the ability to read, joy, iced coffee, airplanes to get me places, memories, pictures that tell stories, love, mercy, internet connection, books that challenge, different cultures, opportunity to cuddle friends babies, peace beyond understanding, selfless people/acts, chick-fil-a, the color orange, life lessons-even the hard ones, wisdom, smiles, wrinkles that show life lived, that God is bigger than my understanding, traditions, that life is new every day, free t-shirts, bathrooms that flush, water from a tap, grace, flowers, fall, sweet tea, a full life, opportunity to share God's love with my friends.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!! I pray that the day is amazing-filled with friends, family, traditions and new memories!

Christmas is coming

I have already begun to listen to Christmas music-and I LOVE it! There has been this poster circulating the web about how Nordstrom's is not decorating for Christmas until after thanksgiving- a one holiday at a time policy. 7 or 8 years ago I would have held this same philosophy. Especially given that Thanksgiving has ALWAYS been my favorite holiday. I love it because it does not include the stress of picking out the prefect gift AND it involves eating copious amounts of amazingly good food. The problem is that it is a purely North American holiday. They do not celebrate it over here. I have found ways to celebrate every year with a variety of friends but it has never been the same since leaving the states and SO -I welcome an early Christmas with open arms. I welcome the fact that my neighborhood has already put up the Christmas lights over the streets. I welcome the fact that the other night I walked past a restaurant and they had their Christmas tree lit in the window. I welcome the fact that yesterday I met a friend at the only Starbucks in Brussels city and they had red cups, Christmas music playing and Christmas coffee for sale. I welcome the fact that Brussels has begun setting up for the Christmas market. I welcome these things because they do not bring the fear and panic of the crazy Christmas season in the US. Christmas here is more laid back, it's twinkle lights, candles and drinks with friends. It's ice skating on the square and getting churros at the market:) It is more about special moments with special people then about finding and buying a gift someone probably doesn't NEED anyway. And in the midst of it I seem to be able to remember a bit better the reason we celebrate-Jesus birth in a manger. The fact that our all powerful, all knowing, all loving God came in the form of a baby and HUMBLED himself to be born in a manger. He is about relationships- about loving people before they ever love him and so I welcome this celebration with the joy that comes from knowing I have been loved for eternity and that I have received a gift that I can not and need not repay. So for all my North American friends- I will join you in eating amazing food this month but I will ALSO begin celebrating Christmas a little earlier than you:)!

Lately

It has been a very busy few weeks. I really am not quite sure where september went but I welcome October with open arms. October is, for many reasons, my favorite month. The least of these is that no one looks at me oddly when I wear my varied collection of orange clothing. Another is the introduction of candy corn into everyone's diet. There are just SO many ways to eat those niblets of goodness! I prefer to start at the top-for some reason the white part is my least favorite- and then eat the orange bit and savor the fat yellow bit for last. I have my technique perfected but I would assume there are many other ways to delight in the goodness of candy corn. I also love October for the colors. Everything just looks beautiful this month. The trees start to turn, the forest floor turns orange and golden, there is that brilliant red ivy climbing the sides of buildings. And every once in a while you get that perfect crisp fall day to go for a walk! AHHHH October is here and I love it!

Just because I have not been blogging here it doesn't mean that I have not been up to exciting things.

Several of my friends moved away-and by "away" I mean to australia and california-so about as far away as one could get! Before they left we spent the day at an abbey near Brussels. It is a gorgeous abbey with ivy growing everywhere and Ben kept saying he felt like he was in the Lord of the Rings:) Here are sarah, Julz and I at the abbey.

So everyone talks about the crazy cows we have in Belgium. They look like they are on steroids. So if you haven't seen them before- here is a photo though this guy isn't as muscly as some!

Spent some time on the "Brussels Beach." Each summer they build a "beach" along the canal. Let's just say it's a good thing this is at night because the canal is disgusting and I am not quite sure that the allure of the sand makes it any better but-hey-we went anyways:)

Had a picnic on the grand place-everyone should experience this at least once in their life-or maybe once a week:) But it was fun and there was even a light show at the end of the night!

Then a few weeks ago I went to visit some friends in the UK. They are dear friends that moved from ATL to the UK this summer so I was anxious to visit and see how they were adjusting. We took a few little trips to castles and towns and just hung out a lot.

In York we went into the cathedral and they were having a service. At the end you could go and have one of the pastors pray for you. It was a really moving experience-which I unabashedly took a photo of:)

Here is a picture of the outside of the cathedral.

and Macey and I at starbucks:) Macey was my roomate for about 4 months 6 years ago. Now she is in the 10th grade and is gorgeous and so mature and I was blessed to be able to eat many of her baked goods while I was there:)

I flew to the UK on an airline I had never flown before(flybe). I was a little concerned that it wasn't a real airline when I booked the tickets and I am not saying they were excellent but not awful either. Here is the view out my window as we landed in Manchester. The fact that the wheels were not under the plane but on the wings lets you know how small the plain was:)

Well that's all for now- many more adventures to come!

You know you've been out of the country too long when . . .

So apparently I have been living outside of the USA for a little too long and no longer remember general holidays actual dates. I tend to remember when the 4th of July(kind of self explanatory) and Christmas are-they keep the same date every year. But those tricky holidays that switch dates every year- well they get me all kinds of confused.

Like yesterday when I was on skype with my mom. It was September 1st and in my head that meant it was labor day- you know- the day where you can no longer wear white? but she mentions something about MONDAY being labor day. . . I tried to play it off but it took me probably a full 30 seconds of going over it in my head to remember that YES indeed labor day is not ALWAYS September 1st but the 1st Monday in September. REALLY- are they just trying to confuse those of us who longer live in America?

can't we make more holidays like 4th of July?- cuz the name really helps me remember the date!

Yes I am still alive!

I know I have been missing for quite some time but I have many excuses-which include but are not limited to being in france and then the states for a month!

So for this moment I will leave you with a little teaser of my time away.

2 of my sisters came to YoungLife camp with me and I made them go on the giant swing:) They may tell you they hated it but they loved it:) they even willingly went on the Zip line the next day!

We also spent the annual week at the shore-here we are being hardcore!

This was my view in France when I went to YoungLife camp to work! God's handiwork is AMAZING!

Bulgaria Hysteria!

Just got back from our annual YoungLife service project. We went to Bulgaria this year. From Brussels we took 22 students and 4 adults. It was an absolute blast! I am still exhausted and a little sick but it was all VERY worth it!

Here is the program team of "Bulgaria Hysteria"

One of the murals we painted at the school for kids with disabilities.

Alyssa getting to use the saw!

Emily and I on the work site

The girls on the beach!

The whole Brussels group in front of the other mural.

With some of the kids from the school

Stephen and his posse!

Our awesome Brussels leaders!!

Paul got to come back and be part of Brussels!!

You know your a people pleaser when . . .

Ok so everyday when I go to the gym I pass one of those blinking signs that has a radar in it and it tells you how fast you are going. Now I have seen many different varieties of these types of radar signs over the years and some are more motivating than others. The ones that just blink your speed-not motivating AT ALL-i can look at my speedometer for that. Then there are the ones that blink your speed and how much the fine$$ would be if they caught you. A little more motivating but still . . who's there to catch me. Well the one I pass on the way home from the gym takes another approach which I find VERY motivating. It flashes your speed and then if you are below 50kmp it gives you a ☺ or a ☹ if you are going over 50mph. Now I am NOT joking when I tell you that every time I go by-if it is on ☹ I slow down to earn my ☺. Sad I know-but so true-way to go radar sign inventor you have figured out how to motivate me to slow down-it's kind of like getting a sticker when you were in kindergarten- ONLY BETTER!!!