Hello from the other side of the world!  Hope you all have had a great day and are going to enjoy your evening.  I had a great flight over and was very blessed.  I was supposed to have a middle seat of a bulkhead row.  Yay for loads of leg room, boo for middle seat.  When I checked in at Chicago, the lady asked if I wanted an aisle seat.  I told her no thanks, but that I would love a window seat.  She made a phone call and voila!  Window seat was mine!  When I got on the plane, I realized I had the whole row…there were very few people on my flight.  I could stretch my legs out and *barely* touch the covering of the emergency slide.  If I slouched, I could prop my feet up on it, which is what I did.    THe bad thing about that row is that the armrests don’t move since that is where the TVs and lap trays are kept.  So, I turned sideways and hooked my legs over the armrest with my feet in the seat next to me so I could sleep and the stewardess came and got me and took me back to a totally empty row for me to sleep.  It was wonderful.  I got 3 solid hours of sleep there, then one more in my normal seat.  Arrival and customs was no problem–got through in 30 minutes.  I validated my Japan Rail Pass, bought a bus ticket and found my way to the bus stop with only asking people at the Information Desk 4 times.  I was happy.   

Phil and Kim and Christian picked me up last night and we came back to their place.  Kim made an awesome dinner of french toast, scrambled eggs, bacon (which has no fat at all here and looks a lot like thinly sliced ham) and sausage.  We also had blueberries (from Delware of all places!) and these super amazing champagne grapes.  With champagne grapes, you don’t eat the skin.  So, you pop the grape in your mouth, squeeze it to get the flesh out and then discard the skin.  They are probably the sweetest grapes I’ve ever tasted.  SO YUMMY.

My shower last night made me feel human again.  The airport was incredibly hot, as was the bus to the Tokorozawa station where Phil and Kim picked me up.  I was pretty gross by the time I got to their house.  I managed to stay awake until 9:45, which is 7:45am in Indianapolis, so I was pretty happy.  Slept really well, waking up only once.  I feel refreshed and not jet lagged at all.  We’ll see how long that lasts.  I head to the train station in just over half an hour.  I’ll be on a 4.5 hour train to Osaka where my good friend Elisabeth will pick me up.  I do have 3 transfers of trains, so please pray that I make those without any problems.  I’m leaving the suitcase here and just taking my big backpack and a duffel bag so hopefully it won’t be too difficult to manage.  See you from Osaka!

I leave in just 6 days! There’s so much to do before I can go. I’m trying hard to get things together on this end so that coworkers can pitch in easily and help with my job. I have a newsletter to write, finances to take care of, and bills to set up to be paid while I’m gone. A friend is staying in my condo while I’m gone, so I also need to give her the quick rundown on things Thursday night. I head to Indy Friday, then have my 10 year high school reunion on Saturday night. Sunday is church and spending time with friends in town for the reunion and getting to bed early. My plane leaves Indianapolis at 8:33am on Monday! That means that I need to leave for the airport at 6:15. If you know me at all, you know that I am not a morning person, so this is going to be a very early day for me.

Here’s how you can pray until I leave:
–For me to be diligent and efficient at work. I have more to do than I have time, so pray that I can prioritize and get everything accomplished.
–I’m very tired this week and think that my body is still recovering from the insane summer I had. Pray that I can rest very well at night and wake up refreshed.
–For me not to forget anything. I leave Friday and need to take with me everything for the trip to Asia, plus clothes for a week when I return to the States as I’m in a wedding the week I get back. I’ve made loads of lists, but I’m worried I’m going to forget something.

Please start praying now for the trip…good connections on flights, a chance to sleep on my flight to Tokyo, and my time with each of the missionaries. Thanks!

Man, it has been forever since I updated this thing!  Life is going really well.  It’s been a crazy year, but God’s been good.  In March, I sliced open my finger the day before we moved into our new campus.  Had to have surgery because I cut one tendon totally and another one half way.  The next time you see me, ask to see me cool scar!  I had a phenomenal surgeon and you can barely see the scar at all.  It’s right across my right index finger’s knuckle, so the wrinkly skin helps hide it, but when I bend it, it’s very visible. 

This summer has been really busy for me.  I was gone for 4 weeks….VBS in Seymour, IN, the North American Christian Convention here in Louisville, camp at Wolverine Christian Service Camp north of Detroit, MI, and camp at Wonder Valley Christian Camp in Salem, IN.  Add to that intern training, 2 weddings that I coordinated, Homecoming for our missionaries here in Louisville, intern debriefing, and Launch for new missionaries and it’s been a very full summer.  I also have started a great guy named Tony.  We met at camp in MI and are really enjoying getting to know each other and seeing how God is using us. 

Job wise, things are going really well.  I’m staying incredibly busy with doing phone interview for people who are interested in joining Team Expansion.  It’s great to talk with people who are excited to serve God and passionate about his people.  This month, I’ve done 19 phone interviews! 

The other big news is that I leave in 9 days for Japan and Thailand to see our missionaries there!  I’m really excited to go to Asia as I’ve never been there.  I’ll be in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan and Bangkok and Bang Saen, Thailand.  I leave September 7 and return September 28.  I’ll be updating this a lot in the next month while I’m overseas, so check back often for pictures and news!

I am so incredibly blessed by Sarasota Christian Church.  Being here is just wonderful.  They love me and remember me (even though it’s been 2 years since I was here) and bless me in so many ways!  On Sunday, I spoke in both services.  I got to do the communion meditation in second service, which was a real treat for me.  My Grandpa said he can’t remember a woman ever doing the communion meditation before, so it was very special.  I also used my inspiration from my favorite communion meditation of all time.  Yep, I have a favorite communion meditation.  How many of them do you remember?  Anyhow, this is one I heard about 12 years ago, at my home church in Indianapolis.  Charlie Coon did it and he talked about the TV show Cheers and how when someone you knew walked it, you raised your glass to him or her.  It showed the joy you had.  We all held the cup and raised our glasses to Jesus before drinking together.  So, I have been waiting for 12 years to use this same idea in a communion meditation.  I never watched Cheers to know enough about it to speak, so I insted used the imagery of a toast at a party.  You do it to honor, celebrate and brag on the guest of honor.  Jesus is our guest of honor, not only in our church services, but also in our lives.  Typically at SCC, they drink as the cup is passed, so this required some special instruction.  I think it went well.  I know people were commenting on how different it was.  I just love the idea of toasting Jesus and thanking him for giving us so much.  And, I really like to drink the cup in unison because it just means more to me to do that together with my fellow believers. 

So, back to how SCC blesses me.  At the end of 2nd service on Sunday, I had already headed out to the lobby so I’d be there at my little display when people came out.  What I didn’t know is that they needed me up front!  I came up and they gave me a special gift of $500!!!  I was so incredibly surprised.  This is such a great church and I’m so blessed to have them as my supporters. 

Monday night, I spoke to the Young at Heart pitch-in (and Lee’s Bible study) and that was a treat.  Those women can COOK.  YUMMY food, time with friends, making contacts with people who live in Lexington, and a great time of laughing.  They also blessed me with a gift of $50.  I love that group and it’s so good to be a part of them every time I’m there. 

Today, my parents came back up to Sarasota and retrieved me.  We stopped at Siesta Key Beach before the rain hit.  It was cloudy and windy, but still great to walk on the sand and get some shells.  Here’s a few pics to make you jealous. 

It was a cool, cloudy and windy day, but still beautiful.

Pretty toes!  I especially like how you can see my flip flop line.  I got that on Sunday!

My hair is going crazy, but I love this picture.  Yay for the beach! 

I am so incredibly blessed by Sarasota Christian Church.  Being here is just wonderful.  They love me and remember me (even though it’s been 2 years since I was here) and bless me in so many ways!  On Sunday, I spoke in both services.  I got to do the communion meditation in second service, which was a real treat for me.  My Grandpa said he can’t remember a woman ever doing the communion meditation before, so it was very special.  I also used my inspiration from my favorite communion meditation of all time.  Yep, I have a favorite communion meditation.  How many of them do you remember?  Anyhow, this is one I heard about 12 years ago, at my home church in Indianapolis.  Charlie Coon did it and he talked about the TV show Cheers and how when someone you knew walked it, you raised your glass to him or her.  It showed the joy you had.  We all held the cup and raised our glasses to Jesus before drinking together.  So, I have been waiting for 12 years to use this same idea in a communion meditation.  I never watched Cheers to know enough about it to speak, so I insted used the imagery of a toast at a party.  You do it to honor, celebrate and brag on the guest of honor.  Jesus is our guest of honor, not only in our church services, but also in our lives.  Typically at SCC, they drink as the cup is passed, so this required some special instruction.  I think it went well.  I know people were commenting on how different it was.  I just love the idea of toasting Jesus and thanking him for giving us so much.  And, I really like to drink the cup in unison because it just means more to me to do that together with my fellow believers. 

So, back to how SCC blesses me.  At the end of 2nd service on Sunday, I had already headed out to the lobby so I’d be there at my little display when people came out.  What I didn’t know is that they needed me up front!  I came up and they gave me a special gift of $500!!!  I was so incredibly surprised.  This is such a great church and I’m so blessed to have them as my supporters. 

Monday night, I spoke to the Young at Heart pitch-in (and Lee’s Bible study) and that was a treat.  Those women can COOK.  YUMMY food, time with friends, making contacts with people who live in Lexington, and a great time of laughing.  They also blessed me with a gift of $50.  I love that group and it’s so good to be a part of them every time I’m there. 

Today, my parents came back up to Sarasota and retrieved me.  We stopped at Siesta Key Beach before the rain hit.  It was cloudy and windy, but still great to walk on the sand and get some shells.  Here’s a few pics to make you jealous. 

Yeah, I know, I’ve been a slacker and haven’t updated my blog in a long time.  But, it’s a new year and I’m going to be better at all of this.  Promise. 

I have to say that I’m super excited about 2009.  2008 was, well, pretty much all over the place.  It was great, it was wretched, it was okay, and it finished on a high note.  I’m just thankful that I survived 2008.  And not just survived, but I think I learned to thrive again.  I’m happy, I find myself singing or humming in doing every day things, I smile and laugh a lot, and I am just really enjoying life.  It’s good to be at a place where I can do that. 

Looking ahead to 2009, I think it will be a great year.  January is a packed month:  Launch training for new missionaries next week, then I head to Florida to see my supporting church next Saturday, I get back and go to a specialized interpersonal skills workshop the next day (along with like 8 other people from my office), and then finally come home on Friday the 23rd.  Whew!  February will be anothre busy, but good month.  I have a friend’s wedding, my 28th birthday, and I’m heading to Knoxville for Homecoming at Johnson.  Should be a lot of fun!  My friend Heather and I are staying in the boys’ dorm where they have guest housing, so that will be great. 

Sometime this year, we’ll finally get to move to Emerald Hills, too.  Stupid LG&E is being ridiculous about getting our power hooked up.  This time, it was that they didn’t have the right tool.  Seriously?  Come on, you’re an electric company and you do these things all the time!  Argh.  They’ve delayed us for the last 6 weeks on this and we’re all pretty frustrated.  We can’t do anything else until we get power and heat.  Painting, clearcoating, staining, installing carpet and tile…we need heat to do all of that.  Lord willing, we’ll be moving in the first of March.  Please Jesus!  Let that happen!

Hope you all enjoyed the holiday season! 

Betsy did this and then tagged everyone who read it.  Thought it would be a fun addition to my blog.  Anything that I’ve done is in bold, with any comments in red underneath.  Enjoy!

3. Played in a band
I’m totally counting middle school band for this. 

I love Thanksgiving.  It’s probably my favorite holiday.  My family does some major get togethers during this holiday and I LOVE it.  It’s so good to spend time with family and just enjoy the days with them.  On Thanksgiving day, we always do my dad’s side of the family.  It used to be my grandma and her siblings and all of their respective descendants.  Now, all but one of my grandma’s generation are gone (and she is unable to come due to very poor health), so it’s my dad’s generation.  We all bring one or two dishes and enjoy a meal and time that afternoon/evening together.  This year, we had 34 people there.  I got to meet my new baby cousin Mia, who was born November 1.  And, I got to eat Kim’s sweet potatoes, JeanAnn’s noodles, Karen’s mashed potatoes and Donna’s marzipan.  They’re my favorite foods.  Kim’s sweet potatoes are almost like a dessert.  So yummy. 

On Friday, my mom’s family begins to gather.  I drove out to Lincoln, IL by myself to go to my aunt and uncle’s house.  My brother had to work and mom’s knee is just not up to spending 4 hours in a car, so it was just me.  My other aunt and uncle and their 4 kids came too, so there were 11 of us.  I’m really close to my cousins and it was so good to just hang out with them and then have a girls’ sleepover in the basement Friday night.  Hannah and Bethany are on the poms squad, so we went and watched them perform during the basketball tournament that was going on.  Friday night’s game was pretty boring.  Lincoln won by a lot and there wasn’t really any question that they would.  Saturday night’s game was MUCH more exciting.  Lincoln got beat, but the refs were horrible.  I don’t watch basketball, but even I would have called things differently and noticed it.  It was an on-the-edge-of-your-seat type of game.  If you know me, you know that I love sports and can really get into games.  Let’s just say that I was yelling and screaming right along with everyone else.  It was fun.  I never went to a single high school basketball game at my school, which is quite rare for Indiana.  I just greatly prefer football!  So, now I have been to 3 of them at Hannah and Bethany’s school.  It’s good times.  Hannah’s a senior this year and Bethany is a junior and it’s just strange.  I love them loads. 

We woke up Sunday morning in Lincoln to big huge fat puffy snowflakes.  I.Love.Snow.  It’s my favorite thing about Christmastime.  It made for a beautiful drive back, too.  The roads were totally clear, so I had no problems getting back home last night.  Sadly, the snow ended at Crawfordsville, IN and the last 3 hours of my drive were snowless.  But, I woke up to snow here in Louisville this morning!  Yay!  It should be a good week here…putting up the Christmas decoration, Andrew Peterson concert Thursday night and then my little brother and a friend are coming down on Saturday to go to the U of L – Indiana State basketball game.  Enjoy your first week of December everyone!

This past week, I was in Tulsa, OK for the National Missionary Convention.  It was my 10th NMC and my 6th as an exhibitor.  They’ve become old hat to me…talking with people, connecting them with what God is dong around the world, giving updates to supporters about our field missionaries.  But what never fails to excite me is talking with a college student who is so excited asbout going someplace to serve.  It’s awesome to see their passion, their drive, their love for the lost.  It’s why I love my job.  I don’t often get to do the recruitment side of things nowadays, but I do love it. 

I also got to spend a significant amount of time this convention with a couple who is coming here to the office to work.  I’m very much looking forward to having them here.  The husband will be our creative arts director and his leadership and skill is much in need here.  The wife is a massage therapist and is very talented at what she does.  I’m looking forward to having her here so that I can get regular massages at a discount.  Some of you may know that I have a knot that is roughly the size of a grapefruit in my back at all times.  It sits on my left shoulder blade, or under it, and causes me pretty serious issues.  Sometimes it gets to be the size of a watermelon or cantaloupe.  Other times, it’s a tangerine.  Typically, it’s a grapefruit size.  In order to get rid of it, I need routine massage therapy, like every other week.  That’s pretty pricey and is definitely not in this missionary’s budget!  So, having Julie here will allow me to get it taken care of at a fraction of the cost.  What a blessing she will be! 

We flwe in last night and I got home around 10:45 or 11.  It was so nice to walk into my house and crawl into my bed.  I love my bed.  With flannel sheets and my extra thick comforter, it’s super cozy.  I slept very soundly last night and that was much needed after a long week last week.  I’m so thankful for a home that is a haven.  I’ve got 2 more nights here before I head to Indy for Thanksgiving Day, then out to Lincoln, IL for Friday-Sunday.  Enjoy your Monday!

 This weekend, I did a wedding.  Yep, that’s right…I am now a wedding planner.  My business is registered with the state of Kentucky, I’m in process on a website, and I’ve done two weddings under the business name of Sunny Sky.  I do full on wedding planning or day of coordination.  Saturday’s wedding was for Erin and Scott and it was a beautiful day.  The ceremony was outside at Cherokee Park on Dog Hill, overlooking a beautiful vista of trees and the steeple from the Presbyterian Seminary.  It was crisp on Saturday here, mid 50s, but gorgeous blue skies.  Really, it was the perfect November weather. 

So, I’m available for booking and can provide references.    If you’re getting married and don’t have a coordinator, I highly recommend one.  Especially me.  Ha!  Honestly, having someone who can take responsibility for all of the details on the day of your wedding and be there to make sure that things are set up and also solve any crises (I made all of the boutenniers that morning!) that come up is a huge relief.  A wedding planner also acts as a liaison between the reception hall, the cake people, and musicians.  With the wedding outside, it was hard to hear the ceremony going on and the brass quintet didn’t really know when to start playing, so my job was to cue them for the unity candle and the recessional.  I also ended up cutting the cake on Saturday.  Just those little things that need done, get done.  Let me know if you’re getting married and need someone.  I also am willing to travel as long as my costs to do so are covered.  I can’t wait to see how Sunny Sky Events grows and develops over the years to come.