That's about what my brain is right now.

Tomorrow marks my first official day at school, though teaching doesn't start until Tuesday. It's going to be a whirlwind weekend as I get set up in my classroom and get some major planning done. :) All in all, I think I am looking forward to this teaching gig.

In other news, its raining here...a lot. I think Ernesto is sharing the showers with us.

Wish I could write more. Brain is mush. Tummy is rumbling.

Grace to you.

Today I had a cultural experience here in the South. There is a law that exists called the "Blue Law"...for instance, when you go to Walmart on Sunday, you can ONLY buy food or medical stuff...no clothes, frying pans, or other such things before 1:30pm. Now, I am all for this law and knew of its existence prior to my little trip out after church today...I left at approximately 12:13pm, thinking that by 1:00pm, I would still be wandering around the store and could buy the frying pan that Bekah and I desperately need. Do you see the problem I ran into? Yeah, I was thinking the Blue Law let up at 1pm, when actually it wasn't until 1:30pm. So brilliant me decided that I would go to Bed, Bath, and Beyond instead...unbeknownst to me...this Blue Law is in effect for ALL stores in the area. Needless to say on this warm Sunday, I didn't feel like hanging out for 30 minutes with my groceries and decided the frying pan will just have to wait.

In other news...and cultural experiences...I got a full time job. I am going to be teaching 3rd grade at a local public school here in the area. It all happened rather quickly and I'm still a little overwhelmed at this point. However, I will only be teaching Science and Social Studies due to the way the school is set up. Which is great...until I discovered that "Social Studies" in 3rd grade in SC means South Carolina history. Haha. Being a native of Iowa...this could prove to be a bit interesting...I have a feeling there are many more cultural experiences ahead...and a very steep learning curve! If you remember from my days in Dakar, I struggle with science...but hopefully I won't have to be doing any teaching of electricity or other such things. :)

Oh, and yes, I am still at CIU taking classes. Let the fun begin!

"...for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him."
Matthew 6:8

"If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in Heaven give good things tot hose who ask Him!"
Matthew 7:10

Been considering these two verses a great deal lately...its been a bit of a rough start to school as I am still waiting to hear about a job (but desperately need one) as well as discovering that one of my classes started about a week ago, so I am now nearly two weeks behind in the work. Add to this the stress of living off campus and being fairly disconnected from the community here at school along with most of my really close friends being gone this year...and it just makes for a bit of a rough time. But I am glad that Abba gives us a place of refuge in Him...that we can rest assured that He knows our needs just as intimately as He knows us...and that He is a good Father who will meet those needs in a way that will bring Him the most glory.

As a side note, I just want to say thanks to my friends around the globe who have emailed or called recently...whereas God is sufficient, I am sooo thankful that He encourages us through the people He has put in our lives. Your calls and emails have been the bright spots in my days that have kept me smiling and moving forward.

God is good. And the cost of following Him is worth it.

Well, I am back here at CIU...working on getting all the first day of school stuff in order (books, financial stuff, parking stickers!)...always an adventure. Its been fun to reconnect with some of my friends from here...don't have time to write much now...but I could really use your prayers...I am working on getting an application in for a teaching gig...obviously God's got it...but I know I would really like this job...and if not, just pray that something else would open up soon so I am able to pay my bills. :)

Thanks much...I'll update again when things slow down a bit. :)

Some highlights of my days here in Iowa:

• Watching Gilmore Girls and 7th Heaven with my mom every day
• Meeting my dad for lunch at the Chinese place in the town he works in
• Taking my niece to McDonalds for an afternoon snack
• Feeding the ducks with a friend of mine while talking about anything and everything
• Late night walks by myself and being able to see the stars
• Holding baby Kathryn and seeing her mom and dad
• Seeing my "other" mom and dad, Pat and Don
• Shooting with my brother and dad
• Being amazed at how tall the corn is
• Eating sweet corn
  
• Driving on the new road, much to my mother's chagrin (ok, it was a slight detour, but totally worth it!)
• Being in a familiar place.

All in all, it has been a lovely week. :) But the time has come to head back to SC.

Maybe I'm the only one who lives in a cave...but I actually looked at the newspaper this morning and was rather distraught at what I found! Now, you must recognize that this comes from someone, who although I'm not right now, has been a teacher in the past and is hoping for a job this year.

They have named three new planets! Nope, no more of just nine planets...instead, we have to learn 12!! As a friend of Cori's wisely pointed out, they are not new planets...just newly named. :) Anyhow, so now we have to toss in Ceres, Charon, and Xena. And they aren't just tagged onto the end of the nine we know...nope, Ceres falls between Mars and Jupiter. Haha, fun times. I can see it now, new editions of science curriculum, posters, everything. :)

Anyhow, if you want to see it for yourself, check this out: NASA.

Today I went out shooting with my dad and brother at a local range. I think it was a fun time had by all...this shooting thing really can be a bit addicting. :)

My dad and brother are good teachers...but I still don't think I like the scope very much. Makes everything a little trickier in my eyes. :)

Haha, I don't think I would want to be on my brother's bad side. :) The Marine in him shines clearly through!

The bookcase I mentioned a couple of days ago that doesn't fit on my wall. Once you get used to it, it doesn't look too bad in the corner!

My East African stool that made it across the world. :)

Well, meet Kathryn. She's just two weeks old. This beautiful little girl is the daughter of our dear friends, Josh and Anna. I grew up with Josh...and I have to say that kids are just the most amazing thing ever...what a gift. And I may be biased, but I think this one is an absolute cutie. :)

Something that I found absolutely hilarious today...hilarious in a way that if I didn't laugh, I might be tempted to be upset...

I can fly half way around the world and my luggage makes it just fine. But on a flight home from SC, my luggage gets lost. It just figures. :)

So here I sit in some makeshift pj's at home here in the Midwest. I enjoyed some amazingly sweet sweet corn tonight and got to see a lovely Iowa sunset. It's nice being back home...even if it is for a very short time. Still struggling with a little jetlag, so good night for now!

So I just had to quickly share the adventures in the new house that Bekah and I had last night. As you may know, I moved in with my friend Bekah off campus...yesterday consisted of unpacking and attempting to get "settled in".

Last night when Bekah got home, we decided to move a bookshelf from the living room into my room because I didn't have one and if you know me at all, you know I have a fetish with books! So we emptied the bookshelf and managed to carry it all the way upstairs...only to find when we got it up the steps that indeed, it is too tall for my room!!! You see, I have slanted ceilings in my room...and the bookshelf wouldn't fit on ANY of the walls. Since it was past 11pm, I told her it was fine and we could take care of it later...but being the genius that she is, she suggested putting it in the corner...which worked out all right. Still looks a little goofy, but it grows on ya. :)

Then...much to my dismay, a cockroach had the nerve to find its way into my room! I was utterly distraght when I saw it...yelped and ran out of my room. Bekah again played the role of my hero and killed the detestable creature with my softball. She made mention that she sees them pretty regularly, and far more often in my room than hers. It could be a very long year. I think this will have to be yet another fear that I have to conquer!

Anyhow, just wanted to share. It's been fun thus far! :)

Well, I just thought I'd let y'all know I have made it back to SC safely. Praise God for safe travel and planes being on time and even all our luggage (including my cute little East African stool!) made it!

Now I'm just trying to get settled in to my new place with my awesome new roomie (or my "again roomie") Bekah. Getting organized in a new place is always a bit of a challenge for me. :)

Anyhow, on Saturday, I am heading back home to Iowa for a week. Just didn't feel right to come back to SC after time in Africa. And I just wanted some more time with my family. :) Anyhow, I have decided that SC is hot. I think definitely hotter than Africa. :)

Guess that's it.

Maybe I should just rename my site to "Leaving on a Jet Plane..." I think I have more posts named that than any other topic! It seems I'm always leaving to go somewhere! Well, tomorrow night, Randy and I are getting on a plane headed to the States via Amsterdam. Part of me is sad to leave Tanzania...another part of me is glad to be getting back. I think it really just will be that I will forever be torn between the two continents. Therefore, it will be a few days before I get back to this again.

I wanted to let you know a couple of things...

1) Check out the last of our pics from this Tanzania trip HERE
And on that site is a link to the blogs from the trip if you have missed out. (The link is on the right and says "Tanzania Team")

2) I shared it on my post for the team tonight, but just incase, I learned a GREAT new word yesterday..."shagalabagala". Its just fun to say and WONDERFUL to use. It's meaning? Just as it sounds....chaos!

3) Please be praying for me as I get back to SC on the 8th. I desperately need to find a job and I have little time to do so as I am going to head back to Iowa for a week before school starts to see my family and also to share my experience with a team from my home church that is coming here to Dar next month.

Thanks much...and I'll catch you when I get back Stateside!

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
When you walk though fire you shall not be burned,
And the flame shall not consume you."
Isaiah 43:1-2

Yesterday we accidentally got caught up in an anti-American/anti-Israel protest when we were heading out to go shopping. It was a peaceful protest, but there were literally thousands of people walking the streets with huge signs protesting the issues in the middle east. I have to confess that I was a little nervous as I sat in the car with 7 other Americans...thankfully I was in the back with the boys, so I felt a little more safe. As I sat there trying to avoid eye contact, I was silently praying...and this passage came to my mind and really put me at ease.

Tonight I sat in my room and was considering the various struggles I have had since being here in Dar...and again, this passage came to my mind. I just got to thinking, no matter how many times we fail or succeed, laugh or cry, preach or keep quiet...no matter what, we who trust in Jesus' name are His. And whereas He does not promise to perserve our lives or that we will always be happy or that we will never go through hard times...He does promise that He will be with us. And I don't know about you, but for me, that makes everything far more bearable. Through the waters or through the fire...He's with us.

He has called us by name...we are His. His children.

Now, if I could just always remember that...life would be so much sweeter.

Tonight on our way home, I sat in the back of the car with one of my teammates and we had an interesting conversation. I won't bore you with details here, but what I will say is that my friend was trying to encourage me and at one point, he asked me, "What was the best gift your father has gotten for you lately?" I thought about it a minute and then a huge smile crept across my face as I replied, "He gave me quality time with him...he bought a canoe so that he and I could go fishing together when I am home." I knew the point my friend was trying to make, so I filled in the blanks. My earthly father gives me amazing gifts...so what of our Heavenly Daddy? Honestly, I guess I sometimes feel like He's holding out on me. But when I consider the prayers He didn't answer, I am thankful in many cases that He did not answer them. If my earthly dad can give me gifts that bring a smile of utter delight to my face...how much more my Heavenly Daddy? Infinitely more. So, I guess what I have concluded for the umteenth time is that I just need to TRUST. Trust that He will be sufficient. Trust that He acts in love. Trust that He knows best. Trust that He's got it...so I need not fret about Him holding out on me...because in fact, He's not...His plan is good and He gives good gifts every day...gifts that I often overlook in my selfishness...but He continues to give them regardless. Amazing. Often I am unthankful for the gifts that He pours out on me....and yet He continues to give. How could I not love a Heavenly Daddy who knows His daughter so well...the way to grow her...the way to discipline her...the way to love her? Yet, I fall so short so often. Thank God for His grace.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my good buddy, BRIAN. :) I looked and looked through my files for a picture of him...but I discovered that I do not have one saved on my computer!! Regardless...Brian, I hope you are having a GREAT birthday in NM...28 is a pretty good age to be. :)

So I am reading through the Proverbs right now and have hit so much good stuff within them...so much about wisdom and folly. Thought provoking. But every now and then I run across one where the analogy, though a vivid picture of truth, makes me chuckle. This following Proverb is one of the favorites of one my fellow teammates...just wanted to share...Proverbs is a great book. :) If you haven't read it, I highly suggest it.

"Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion."
Proverbs 11:22