It's hard to build a RAFT when no one thinks they'll be going to sea

So I dropped a heavy metal spoon on my toe today, which left a yucky bruise and also a cut. It was quite unfun. It hurt. On top of that, Dan took my wrist and made me punch him in the head three times (to see if it would help his headache...which it didn't-shocker!) which ended up really hurting my pointer finger. It now has weird red bumps on it...and I blame Dan!

Saying goodbye is one of the least fun things in the world. Now I definitely haven't tried everything in the world, but I would guess it's in the top 10 least fun things. The idea of not being able to see the people I love most in the world just saddens my heart. I just said goodbye to Dan and now I will have to add him to the pile of people I intensely miss and will miss for awhile. I think goodbyes are one of those sad experiences that reminds us that earth isn't really our home anyway and makes us long for Heaven and no more good byes. It's hard to even verbalize how much I like my friends and how much it makes my heart hurt to not see them. I'm saving the hardest goodbyes for the absolute last possible time...guaranteeing that I will be depressed when I board my plane, or I won't ever really deal with saying goodbye to those people. I know it's only 10 months...but you never know what can happen. It was really hard to say goodbye to my Dad at the airport when he left for Uganda because I knew I wouldn't see him for a year.

This leads to the topic of missing. There are many people that I miss and there are even different levels of missing. It seems different to know that you don't see people very often but they're only 2 hours away so if you needed to see them, you could. I still miss those people, but I can talk to them online, or on skype. We can send email or mail or whatever. I miss them, but it seems to hurt less than knowing I'll be 6 time zones away and even if I wanted/needed to see someone, I wouldn't be able to. That is a whole new level of emotionally painful missing. Every time I see friends and then leave it's upsetting. It's even worse when I (occasionally as it may be) get to see David and then have to tell him goodbye. That is like a couple day long mini-depression. I mean it's not out of control but I can notice a level of abnormal "down"ness. It goes away though. I suspect that, for awhile at least, I will experience a certain level of mini-depression just knowing there are so many people I love who I won't be able to see, won't be able to hug, and won't be able to cry with for 10 months. My friend is gonna get married and I'll miss it. Another friend will have a baby and I'll miss that too. It just stinks.

I know God has called me to teach in Hungary and I am so excited about going. I have new friends I already know who I'll get to see and even more people I haven't met yet who will become friends as well. I'm so excited about what I'll be doing and it will feel good to be doing what God wants me to do, but I know there will be a little sadness as well. Everyone should write me (email,mail, etc) and talk to me on skype! It's so easy!

In other news, my CWR visit was good and the cookout at the Piners was really fun. I also got to address camper cards, which is extremely fun;) I bought a new ESV Bible which I had been wanting for the past 6 months. I wanted a medium size but I decided they don't make those (b/c ESV isn't as much of a popular translation) and settled on a small red one with a kind of celtic design on the front. I'm excited :)

OK, I need to sleep because I am going to Northern VA tomorrow for more sad goodbyes, but at least I get to see people one more time before I leave. That will be wonderful:)

Some quick pics:

David, Rob, me, Jess














My tattoo

Rob and I














David and I on my birthday
Dan and I

How sweet it is to be loved by you...

I am absolutely one of the luckiest people in the world. I have been blessed by some of the most wonderful friends ever. It is amazing how much love I got on my birthday and the out pouring of support for my year in Hungary next year. I don't even have the words to describe what an amazingly blessed life I am living. I got phone calls, cards, emails, facebook messages (ha), and packages. I had a special pre-birthday dinner, a birthday dinner and movie, a post birthday "surprise" party (plus going away party), plus another going away party later. Now I am dealing with trying to finish getting ready to move to Hungary and so many people love me that I can't seem to find time to see them all (but I'm trying!). Not only was I feeling loved on my birthday, I have so many friends who have always been so amazing and were friends who I knew I could count on to really be true friends through thick and thin. On top of that, I am apparently worth not only one ring pop, but according to David, a lifetime supply of ring pops...which is quite a lot, let's be honest. Even more so, I am blessed with friends who I have only known a month but who will make the transition to Hungary so much easier. I guess what I am trying to say is I am overwhelmed by how blessed I am and I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you to God and thank you to you all who make my life so wonderful I couldn't possibly ask for more.

Random Quote Series Continues

"Inside jokes a life-long friend do not make"




For more random quote goodness check out www.xanga.com/princesskazoo

Miss Adams' Apples

my new email is missadamsapples@gmail.com--which also reminds me...if you have or see any apple related stuff I could use in my class, tell me...or buy it for me;)

Thoughts from Narnia

"There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it."

That is one of the best first lines ever. I have finally completed Prince Caspian and am now reading The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Voayage is one of my favorites in the series for sure. Partially because of Reepicheep. These two are supposedly books 4 and 5 but are actually books 2 and 3. The inside cover says "The HarperCollins editions of The Chronicles of Narnia have been renumbered in compliance with the original wishes of the author,C.S. Lewis. This is the first time the series has appeared in this order in the United States." What the heck. The original wishes of the author...what does that even mean...one night, over wine, when he was mentally confused, his "friend" heard him say 'I don't know if I might like them in chronological order' and decided to spread the 'truth' that Lewis wanted them reordered?! When I get to heaven, me and Jack are going to have a chat about what the truth really is. I could also ask God but I know Lewis will be there so I may as well ask him.


(I'm actually not in narnia...but I wish I were)

God is intensely amazing

I posted this on xanga but it was so good I wanted it here too.

He is intensely amazing indeed. I wrote that before I left for PFO when I saw God really working in people's hearts and 75% of my support was in by Friday. This was especially significant b/c I had been praying that 75% of my support would be in before I left for PFO and it was...less than 24 hours before I left! God really has been developing my trust in Him during my support raising. Then the night before I left, my cousin and his wife gave me $2,000, so I was at 82%!! It was unreal.

My luggage got lost on the way to NY, which was disappointing, but I made it fine and my ears didn't hurt while I was flying (which is a huge answered prayer and a big deal b/c my ears are whack!). My luggage came the next day, which was another huge answered prayer!

PFO was amazing! I learned soo much and my perspective on things has changed in indescribable ways. I am so much more prepared to teach third culture kids in an overseas international christian school, and to prepare myself to be culturally sensitve and transition well into Hungarian culture. Finally, I learned a lot about myself, as well as, how to transition well and say goodbye to people in the best way possible. I have a lot of hard good byes coming soon but I know how to handle them!

So, I made so many amazing friends while at PFO. I met the other new teachers going to Hungary [Annah Kate- 1st grade, Laura- 3rd grade, Mary-4th grade, Hannah- elem. music, Austin- middle school SS, Paula- HS English, Sara- HS English, Emily- HS Math, Lisa- HS Science, Jonathan (from the video!)- consumer math (i think HS), Mr. Meyer and Mr. K...not sure what they will teach] as well as many new teachers going other places. I learned who I would be living with next year, Emily. I'm very excited I have a new dear friend,matt, who will be teaching in Taiwan, a friend (TJ) teaching in EA, a friend (Sara) in Russia, and a couple friends teaching in Austria (Sarah and Kristin). I am so glad I met them and got to share part of my life with them! I miss them so much, but I may not see some of them ever again on this earth.

On the way back, my suitcase zipper broke at the airport and I had to tape my suitcase together. By the grace of God it made it through both flights and appeared in Richmond when I did. The flights back went well and it was wonderful. I am glad to be home, sleep in my own bed, not have to walk 15 min to breakfast, and not have yellow water.

When I arrived home, I tallied up the checks that had come in while I was gone and I had 100% of what I needed to go to Hungary!! The Lord is gracious and good! Then I just needed about $1,000 more to reimburse from (for expenses I have encountered so far). Of that, I only need $590 more. This is so exciting:) I still have much to do but this is, obviously, such a huge blessing and answered prayer.

I hope to be able to really spend some good time with people before I leave, while still being able to get the million things I have left to do, done.

For more picture action, check out my xanga!

Crazy bestest buddies.














I was in two countries at once!













I miss these kids!!


Matt, me, Emily, Marie, Paula, Hannah

PFO

Heey friends. Things are superriffic at PFO. Learning all about myself, the kids I'll be working with, the country I'll be in, and all the issues I'll face leaving everyone I love and going to another country for a year. Craziness. I miss you all though. One more week and then back to my house. Pictures coming soon.