today i made it to lubbock to visit my brother, sister in law, mom, nephew and nieces. on the plane, i saw something that is definitely welcome to texas. a man used the overhead storage space to place his cowboy hat--it was his only carryon :D hehe.
connor, alyssa and greg greeted me at the airport and we headed back to the house where holly, mom, kylee and ashlynn waited. oh so good to get hugs from the family. i have missed them. the twins didn't take too long to warm up to this unknown person. they have heard my name and voice but they were really too young to remember me from a year ago.
holly and i went to see star trek and i will own this when it comes out. it was brilliant! and a great choice for my first movie being back in the u.s. i think greg and i will catch transformers 2 while i'm here as well.
no huge plans for the next few days so i won't do a daily post. just hanging out with the family as much as possible until i have to head back to the other side of the world.
27 June 2009
26 June 2009
coming attractions and word association
coming soon...posts about doctors bligoni and edoh, spicy ladies and sock golf
today was a quiet day. i ran some errands with dad and was treated to a pedicure by my stepmom. one of my cousins with husband and kids and two of my uncles and aunts came over and we just had an enjoyable time hanging out tonight. my dad and uncle ken were on a serious roll with memories of younger years. but, i do wonder what one might think if they could hear how this story sparked a completely seemingly unrelated story...it was quite random word association.
i am feeling a bit jetlagged tonight so i kept getting lost in the reminiscing (it takes energy to follow old stories) but it was good to just be sitting in my dad's house surrounded by family.
highlights of today (and last night)--i slept in a queen size bed (at least 2 1/2 times the size of my bunk) in a room all by myself. i took a shower with the water running for the full time and not on/off/on/off. family! blue bell vanilla ice cream and root beer floats. portobello mushroom ravioli. being spoiled by my family.
tomorrow i am headed to lubbock to see mom, greg, holly and the kids...yeah...more family!!!!!
today was a quiet day. i ran some errands with dad and was treated to a pedicure by my stepmom. one of my cousins with husband and kids and two of my uncles and aunts came over and we just had an enjoyable time hanging out tonight. my dad and uncle ken were on a serious roll with memories of younger years. but, i do wonder what one might think if they could hear how this story sparked a completely seemingly unrelated story...it was quite random word association.
i am feeling a bit jetlagged tonight so i kept getting lost in the reminiscing (it takes energy to follow old stories) but it was good to just be sitting in my dad's house surrounded by family.
highlights of today (and last night)--i slept in a queen size bed (at least 2 1/2 times the size of my bunk) in a room all by myself. i took a shower with the water running for the full time and not on/off/on/off. family! blue bell vanilla ice cream and root beer floats. portobello mushroom ravioli. being spoiled by my family.
tomorrow i am headed to lubbock to see mom, greg, holly and the kids...yeah...more family!!!!!
25 June 2009
vacation (or not)
so, i'm on holiday. i left benin at 2305 (that is 11pm for those who don't do military time)on wednesday 24 june. i arrived into dfw en route to lubbock at 2130 (9:30pm)on thursday 25 june after 20 hours on a plane and lots of hours in airports. but i am on u.s. soil.
i flew into paris from benin with 2 other mercy shippers but we weren't seated together and we quickly had to say goodbyes the next morning as we went off to claim luggage or make connections. after i made it back thru security and was seated in my terminal waiting area, i was quite surprised to get a tap on my shoulder and the question "did you think you would run into anyone you knew here?" and there was a mercy shipper who had departed a few days before but done a 3 day switzerland trip with his parents before heading home (and thanks to them i have some swiss francs in my pocket for the return trip). the funny thing is after having lived with mostly the same people for at least the last 6 months and some the last 11 months, i kept seeing my friends faces in the airport b/c this person had a hair style like jessie or this one had the same build as daniel or this one had the same profile as miriam. and then i would remember...they are in benin, you are in paris...it isn't them.
i met two interesting guys in the paris layover...they had been with the imb doing a short term mission trip in burkina fossa which is one of the countries that borders benin. i knew the verse on the back of their shirts was definitely an african dialect, i just didn't know which one. we had a lovely conversation for about 45 minutes and i've got some new people to pray for. they also just had a medical team head to the same village they just left to do some basic medical stuff so if you read this, pray for that team.
flight from paris to philly...pretty uneventful. apparently there was some pretty decent turbulence but i slept thru it. i was quite happy to see u.s. soil and everything in english so i didn't have to think in another language.
flight from philly to dallas i heard something i've always dreaded and what is for me the second worst thing i could hear on a flight..."are there any medical personnel aboard?" i hoped never to hear it. i did tonight. it was awkward trying to care for someone while standing in the aisle and they are in their seat. but i was pleasantly surprised at what was available in the emergency kit they flight attendants gave us. the gentleman recovered fairly quickly and we were able to just continue the flight and not have to reroute.
and then, i was at the airport hugging my dad and riding along familiar roads and coming into one of the two houses that are "home" to me. and i get to sleep by myself in a room in a queen size bed and take a long hot shower in the morning. happy, happy, happy!!!
and now to bed.
i flew into paris from benin with 2 other mercy shippers but we weren't seated together and we quickly had to say goodbyes the next morning as we went off to claim luggage or make connections. after i made it back thru security and was seated in my terminal waiting area, i was quite surprised to get a tap on my shoulder and the question "did you think you would run into anyone you knew here?" and there was a mercy shipper who had departed a few days before but done a 3 day switzerland trip with his parents before heading home (and thanks to them i have some swiss francs in my pocket for the return trip). the funny thing is after having lived with mostly the same people for at least the last 6 months and some the last 11 months, i kept seeing my friends faces in the airport b/c this person had a hair style like jessie or this one had the same build as daniel or this one had the same profile as miriam. and then i would remember...they are in benin, you are in paris...it isn't them.
i met two interesting guys in the paris layover...they had been with the imb doing a short term mission trip in burkina fossa which is one of the countries that borders benin. i knew the verse on the back of their shirts was definitely an african dialect, i just didn't know which one. we had a lovely conversation for about 45 minutes and i've got some new people to pray for. they also just had a medical team head to the same village they just left to do some basic medical stuff so if you read this, pray for that team.
flight from paris to philly...pretty uneventful. apparently there was some pretty decent turbulence but i slept thru it. i was quite happy to see u.s. soil and everything in english so i didn't have to think in another language.
flight from philly to dallas i heard something i've always dreaded and what is for me the second worst thing i could hear on a flight..."are there any medical personnel aboard?" i hoped never to hear it. i did tonight. it was awkward trying to care for someone while standing in the aisle and they are in their seat. but i was pleasantly surprised at what was available in the emergency kit they flight attendants gave us. the gentleman recovered fairly quickly and we were able to just continue the flight and not have to reroute.
and then, i was at the airport hugging my dad and riding along familiar roads and coming into one of the two houses that are "home" to me. and i get to sleep by myself in a room in a queen size bed and take a long hot shower in the morning. happy, happy, happy!!!
and now to bed.
17 June 2009
34
no, i didn't mis-type...not 24 but 34 aka the 5th anniversary of my 29th birthday!!! hehehe
my birthday celebrations began on sunday evening when a handful of friends and i went out to eat at one of the local thai restaurants. as it is one of my favorite foods and i haven't had it in about a year it was a well appreciated dinner. lots of food and laughter...a good time all around. i always feel a bit schizophrenic during larger groups because i want to be part of all that is going on so i catch bits and pieces of all the conversations.
on monday afternoon after work, i spent a couple of hours baking for my own birthday. i decided if i was going to have to work on my birthday that i would have everyone celebrate with me. so i baked enough for the nurses, translators and patients who were allowed to eat so that everyone was part of my day.
the big day on tuesday. i took the brownies to work and handed them out...fun for me, a surprise for everyone else that i was giving THEM food on MY birthday. i had happy birthday sung in english and french and/or fon. nice! and olivia told me a couple of lines out of the chinese birthday wish. a very international birthday. because i had every intention of avoiding the dining room during the day (they ring a bell on your birthday and the 400-ish crew all sing happy birthday) i had dinner outside on deck 7 with the "family" as my closest friends here are known. and then games to finish off the evening. it was a good day.
i'll try to put up some pics later on
12 June 2009
praying with one eye open
this is a conversation had at some point on a mercy ship by a nurse and a patient...i read about it the other day and couldn't keep from laughing.
patient: are you married?
nurse: no
patient: how old are you?
nurse: 26
patient: do you pray about it?
nurse: yes
patient: do you pray with your eyes closed?
nurse: yes
patient: maybe you should pray with one eye open so you won't miss him when he walks by!
great perspective =) hehehe
patient: are you married?
nurse: no
patient: how old are you?
nurse: 26
patient: do you pray about it?
nurse: yes
patient: do you pray with your eyes closed?
nurse: yes
patient: maybe you should pray with one eye open so you won't miss him when he walks by!
great perspective =) hehehe
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