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| So . . . I remember when I was little we would attend church gatherings and after them we'd often have a "Linger Longer" (I know-a little cheezy) where refreshments were served. We LOVED THEM because we got to eat lots of yummy goodies (like those peanut butter blossom cookies) and hang out with our friends :). It was the best.
Today I was thinking of how thankful I am for the ways that God provides "refreshments" of a different sort in our lives-namely, the encouragement of getting to love and be loved by Him through relationships. As anyone who knows me well would agree, I THRIVE off of having lots of deep relationships. So, that's why my heart is feeling really full right now-I just got off the phone with a friend (who I can never hang up with because there's always so much to say . . . ) and I feel that way . . . refreshed. It's the same feeling I get when I share a good laugh (or cry) with my husband, or realize that someone "hears" me-really gets what I'm saying. It's a pretty incredible thing.
I guess I'm a little like Titus . . .
"In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you." 2 Cor. 7:14
Thanks to all of you who have made me happy by your refreshments!
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| So, tonight Jeff and I had our weekly dinner with our friends Matt and Julie. We have been SERIOUSLY struggling with eating right and exercising, so we decided that we HAD to work out tonight-even though it might be late when we got started. So we didn't leave Matt's until 8:45 . . . and we needed to go home before going to the gym. We decided to save time and . . . run at home! Yup, that means that we ran around our house for 25 minutes tonight. Yes, I'm sure we looked ridiculous, but at least we got a workout in :). Yay for us!
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| So . . . since I last blogged, I . . .
-moved back to the U.S.
-moved to Michigan
-got married (to Jeff Brake-who is INCREDIBLE!)
-started studying Russian
-visited several churches
-started renovating my house
-made plans to move to Russia next summer
-lost my mind
Just kidding on the last one :). Life has been a little crazy . . .and wonderful . . . and hard. So we're still adjusting . . . and I'm sure we will be for a while. I've been processing a lot lately, and, inspired by my
husband's blogging, I've decided to start writing again.
I'm currently "studying" for my Russian exam which is tomorrow. I'm struggling to be motivated . . . but will press on.
I'm including a picture of myself and my hubby.
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| My . . . I have to say that I'm ashamed that I haven't written so long, so yes, this is a guilt-induced blog. (Pretty pathetic, no?) The first news is . . . I'm back from Kenya! I flew in on April 27th, was in Indy, then Washington state, then Indy, and then moved to Michigan on May 19th. So, life has been pretty darn busy . . . moving to Michigan, planning for the wedding (27 DAYS! 27 DAYS!), meeting all of Jeff's family and friends (and family's friends :), readjusting to the U.S. . . . hmmph. I'm realizing I'm less of an extrovert than I was before I went to Kenya-as one friend said, maybe I'm just maxed out on meeting new people. So if you're someone I just met, don't worry-I'm glad to meet you-it might have just made me TIRED to meet you :). All that being said-I've been learning a lot along the way. Most of all, I'm learning that I am who God says I am-a small, but profound truth. And if you don't know who God says you are . . . we can chat because I'll have you know that it will change your life. The truth truly does set us free. Enough deep but random rambling for the night. I AM glad to have returned to the "blogosphere" (a term coined by George W. and quoted on David Letterman-classic) and plan to write more these days. Ole Sere! (Goodbye in Maasai) | | |
| So, as of late, we’ve had some problems round these parts with illnesses. It started a month or two ago when a small ring of dry skin appeared on my arm. We diagnosed it as ringworm (the human form) and treated it, and it disappeared. Then . . . a few weeks later it kind of showed up again-but looking a little different. I just shrugged it off, but it continued to grow in size . . . Around that same time I decided one day to go for a run (I love to run). It had been raining a little, but no biggie. I made it about a quarter of a mile from our house when I hit a patch of mud. I started sliding, tried to correct myself, then suddenly BIT IT HARD (fell down J) and in the process really twisted my right leg and heard it POP. I layed on the road for a while, crying and wondering if I’d destroyed myself. But no one was coming, and so I decided to suck it up and head back. So I hauled my mud-soaked self back to the house gingerly, crying along the way. (It was pretty funny, in retrospect-the only kids around were a few neighbors who do not know English OR Maasai-they are Kikuyu, so I couldn’t even ask THEM for help). We had an x-ray taken and there were no apparent breaks, but we decided to schedule an appointment with an orthopedic doctor for the following Monday. All plans were set to get things checked on until . . . The Saturday before the appointment. I started feeling some stomach pain in the early afternoon, and before I knew it was I was running to the outhouse (so comfortable) every few minutes to relieve myself. I started having INCREDIBLE stomach cramps, had a fever that night, and on Sunday vomited out the plum that I’d recklessly eaten in a moment of weakness that morning. We finally decided on Sunday night that maybe I’d better see a TRAVEL doctor on Monday instead of the orthopedist . . . So now it is Monday, April 2 and I have visited BOTH the travel doctor and the orthopedist, and the results are in. It turns out that I had: Animal ringworm (apparently more aggressive than the human form-I was prescribed an ointment to be applied 4x a day for a MONTH) Eccoli bacteria (that or else something called “shigella”)-results in the production of seaweed-esque excrement A possible hairline fracture to the top of my fibula Pretty impressive, huh? But I’m now healing nicely, and should be able to run in a month. WARNING: Be prepared to contract all KINDS of weird conditions when living in a foreign country. | | |
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