thinking about back home

Project has a funny way of making you feel like your outside life is paused. I haven't forgotten about friends back home, but it's easy to be consumed in what is happening here - and it's difficult due to a time change to be able to keep in constant contact with everyone else. However, this has been an exciting week for the people in my life!

• My sweet sister Melody left on Monday for the Czech Republic! She is spending two and a half weeks there teaching English and sharing the Gospel. I am especially excited for her because I have been on this trip, and it is amazing. Just yesterday they hiked Lysa Hora, the second highest mountain in CZ and a hike that hold special memories for me. If you think about it, be praying for their ministry over there. And you can check out their blog and pictures here! (In pictures, she is the really pretty tan girl :) )
  
• My Bible study leader from high school / good friend and mentor Lauren had a baby on Thursday! His name is Logan and this is her first child. We have been waiting for her to finally have a kid, and she is going to be such a wonderful mommy!
• My good friend Fallon, whom I used to work camp with (and tell campers that we were sisters), is officially engaged as of today (Friday)! It is especially a cool thing for me to see because I remember when they were "just friends" and listening to her talk about wondering if they would ever date. I love happy stories like this, and I am so excited for Fallon and Samuel to venture off together into this next stage of life!

I am not really homesick, praise the Lord, but I do miss people. I miss my Bible study girls, who are all over the place this summer - one got married, a few are on different Summer Projects, two are getting ready to study abroad, many are working camps or working jobs back home. I miss my close friends, who are also doing other fun things this summer. I miss my family (although I skyped with them the other day, which was fun). I miss Fayetteville and the South in general. Up in Alaska, they don't even understand the concept of sweet tea. And there are no good BBQ restaurants. Alaskans use the phrase "barbecue" to talk about grilling hamburgers. NOT the same. And I am craving fried pickles from Penguin Ed's.

And, oddly enough, I miss Arkansas heat and humidity. The weather here is mostly rainy (their version of sunny is still mostly overcast), and I have been wearing a sweatshirt during the day. At work, in the greenhouse, I have been getting so cold that I bring along my fleece, and the other day I had it zipped up all the way and my hands in my pocket, trying to stay warm. It's like an Arkansas November.


However, despite all of this other stuff going on and the little things I miss, I am thankful to be here still. There is no where else I'd rather be this summer, and there is no one else I would rather spend my summer with than these girls.