:insert something clever:

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Some pictures

This is a sunset over Lake Erie.

Niagra Falls!! It's breathtakingly beautiful.


This is Joel's family and me; Sue's taking the picture and John couldn't make it on the trip, but it's everyone else.


Joel and I dancing on a rather lovely deck at the home of George Hill on the shore of Lake Erie.

Working out details

So, I leave town in one week. I'll be in Spain in a week and a half. Am I packed? No. Am I excited? Yes. Will I be ready? If not, it doesn't matter.

It looks as if I've found a church. They have 75-80 people and are also involved on campus with a student organization boasting 30 members. One of the elders has a daughter who is a student at Jaume. Yay!

Jaume is starting a homestay program this semester. They emailed us this morning with the information and application. Not only would I love to stay with a family, but the price sounds very reasonable and includes food! To be in a Spanish kitchen everyday with someone who knows how to cook (instead of with other exchange students in an apartment)...I think that would be good. And family is so important to me. I would have one there. :-)

Before finding a family I will spend one night with a friend since middle school who's studying in Valencia. Then I know another girl studying at Jaume who already has an apartment and has offered to let me stay there until I find a place to stay. So, good news all about and things working out quite smoothly.

I had a lovely trip to Vermont, New York, and Pennsylvania with Joel's family. I saw Niagra Falls! On the way home I flew to Phoenix, AZ and visited with my grandparents for a few days. That was nice. :)

I'll try to post some pictures soon.

Tomorrow is Joel's birthday. I wish I could be there with him.

Friday, August 18, 2006

From the Green Mountains

Hello everyone! I'm in Vermont and it's lovely here. I arrived Wednesday afternoon and we leave tomorrow morning for family vacation on the shore of Lake Erie until Joel and I get dropped off at the airport in Buffalo, NY. He'll be headed straight to Italy and I'll be coming back home to Norman.

It's always so wonderful to come here. It is normally when I haven't seen Joel for an extended period of time and before the trip anticipation gets to build up. And then he picks me up at the airport and we hug and stare into each other's eyes for what seems like some combination of forever and only a fraction of a second, for it's never long enough. Eventually we slowly wander off to find my luggage and then drive the two and a half hours back to Essex Junction, USA.

This time we decided to see the sunset over Lake Champlain...but we got to the shore right after the sun had dipped behind the mountains. The sky was still beautiful hues of purple and orange so we found a swing and conversed and enjoyed the long-missed company of each other. When all of the hues were gone leaving only a dark yet starlit sky, and when the mosquitos were getting a bit too annoying, we left the lakeshore and meandered back towards Church Street.--This is a lovely little strip in Burlington of quaint stores, coffeshops, etc where the street has been blocked off to cars permanently and there are outdoor portions to all of the restaurants and street performers and vendors and lots of people.--Unfortunately we had stayed just long enough at the lake that everything was closed or closing, even the hippy-esque tea shop "Muddy Waters" that Joel had wanted me to experience.

So, back to Essex Junction and home of the Pastors to find out in which bed I would sleep and what was in store for the following day. The bed was nice. It was the first time I've had a bed to sleep on in the last few weeks. As comfortable as couches can be, beds are better.

There's a synopsis of day one. It's day three now, and a lot happened day two as well, included dinner cooked by none other than Joel and myself, but I think I'm going to see what productivity I can get in on and post more another time. Have a lovely day!