Exciting Weekend!

There aren't too many times in my life where I can say I spent the weekend baking bread in a pot.  But that is what happened this weekend.  As we were all hunkered down inside due to Irene outside (well, for most of the time anyway), we were taught how to bake bread and dry meat (aka make your own beef jerky).  Apparently, these skills may come in handy one day. 
      

Emma and I rock at kneading dough!

Yeah.. so this is what bread made in a pot looks like. The finished product. It's actually tastes pretty good!


We also had an awesome time of worship African style this past Sunday night.  There was a lot more hand-clapping and feet-moving than normal for a group like us :) 

Sorry the picture quality is bad but you get the idea!

Only a few more weeks left here.  The time is winding down quickly!  This makes me both nervous and excited!!

Ramblings

I wanted to recap the events surrounding the earthquake that we had here this past week.  We're sitting in our session.  It's about 1:45.  We're finishing early that day at 2:00 so everyone has hit that antsy point where we know freedom is coming.  Out of nowhere, this loud sound happens... almost like a plane is flying way too low and it permeates the room.  Then the shaking begins.  The entire room is shaking.  At this point, no one has a clue what is happening.  We all start looking around at each other.  I'm freaking out on the inside.  I see one person stand up and head toward the door and that is all it took.  I was on my feet and outside in a flash.  And then everyone was out there and the parents went running to the school to make sure kids were okay.  After the panic subsided, it was really funny to get people's reactions - some people got on the floor under the tables and then realized that was for a tornado.  We were all just in shock.  Now this earthquake may not seem like a big deal but about ninety percent of us had never been in one and had no idea what you were even supposed to do in the event of one.   The weirdest thing about the entire thing to me was the fluidity of the earth underneath your feet.  It was like walking in a fun house or trying to walk (or run) on lava.  Strangeness.

We've had a few aftershocks and they're not near as long or intense.  The weirdest one happened in the middle of the night.  Such a strange feeling to wake up to your bed shaking.

Now, we've got a hurricane heading toward us but being a Florida girl that doesn't bother me so much.  I'll take a hurricane over an earthquake any day.

This week has been a little more tough than the others.  Trying to stay focused and not get overwhelmed by the overviews of information but just to plug them away for further review.  The president came out today and gave us a "toolbox" with five indespensible tools for relationships which I found to be a great session.  Plus, when the president comes, we get to eat good food!!

On the agenda for the weekend:  tonight, laser-tag for a friend's birthday; tomorrow most likely hunkering down with a pizza and some movies for the storm.  I should probably start on the last book that I'm supposed to read too :)

Precious Moments

Well, welcome to my blog!  This feels really weird to be writing to the world wide web for all to see.. but we're gonna go with it. 

I've been at orientation for almost five weeks now and I should have started on this a long time ago so I'll be playing catch up with this post. 

Title:  For me, I have such a difficult time living in the present.  I'm always looking forward or past and hardly ever appreciating the gift of a single day placed before me.  Even tonight as I was walking away from an awesome time of worship around a bonfire, I was reminded that these moments are precious and will soon be gone. 

I want to say thank you for coming along side me on this journey!  It's already been a fun ride so here are some recaps for you:

1)  I've been learning more than I ever thought possible in a matter of a few weeks.  If I had to choose one word to describe the process it would be thorough.  I'm hoping to one day soon be able to sit down and sort through everything.  I'm glad that I have the "hide of a rhinoceros" to be able to sit through everything ;)

2)  I made a quilt.  No, I didn't just pose with it.  I actually used a sewing machine and did it all myself with the instruction of some fabulous ladies!  Who would have guessed I'd have any homemaker instinct!?  But there it was!  Buried... deep.

3)  We've had lots of shots.  I have lots of small quantities of live viruses circulating my system.  This is quite an adventure to be a part of 200 people receiving anywhere from 1-6 vaccinations in an afternoon.  Knowing that there is a Disney princess bandaid (or four) waiting is the only thing that gets me through...  

4)  I have learned that once again, He is faithful.  The people around me are absolutely wonderful.  I could not have asked for a better group of people to share this experience with. 

5)  We had our first taste of a traditional African meal.  The combination of rice, beef, peanut sauce, fruits and vegetables do not seemingly go together, but it's really not bad!  You eat from your "triangle" around the bowl with your hands (how fun!).  My favorite thing though is that if you do not particuarly care for something out of your "triangle" you just throw it into someone elses.  For me, this was tomatos into my friend Mindy's.  She needed more veggies.

About to dig in!

I just am overwhelmed at the moment with just how absolutely blessed I am.  This time of sweet fellowship, focus, reflection, worship, preparation is just truly a gift.