Blessed blessed blessed

We leave tomorrow. After over two weeks of fun, food, and fellowship (to quote the overused Christian phrase), we head back to our respective schools (Matthew, my friend Heidi, and myself).
But oh, what a couple of weeks it has been. I’m surprisingly overflowing with gratitude (quite the departure from my usual cynical self), for the ache we’re all feeling upon leaving means that this break was truly something special.
A few of the more memorable moments:
A) Throwing a get-together at my house. The guests were coming at 4, at which point I was planning to go bowling with them. At 3 o’clock, I asked Mom, “Hey. . .when were you planning on starting dinner?” Her response (“I thought YOU were making dinner!”) sent us into a flurry of crazed activity. (In my defense, I don’t just expect my mom to help me host things. Something she has said the day before, and the fact that she began making rolls the day before and declined my help indicated to me that she was wanted to cook. ) I’ve never chopped potatoes so quickly in my life!

12 of us went bowling (I haven’t bowled so poorly since I was about 11 years old), and when we arrived home, Mom had saved the day. It was a lovely time to sit and talk and just be. I love the people I grew up with in a way I don’t think I’ll ever love anyone else. They’re special that way.
B) Last Sunday night, one of the ladies from church invited me and two friends over to spend the night. We got horrifically lost on the way there (the half hour max drive turned out to be 2 and a half hours total), which was hilarious for those of us who were not driving, and mainly stressful for the girl who was. That evening a group of us sat and chatted. . .then laid down for bed and talked for another two hours. The following day we all converged at another friend’s house for brunch and ended up hanging out until about 4 o’clock. It was so good. Good to be understood. Good to chat over Turkish tea. Good to feel safe and comfortable. It was truly a soul-nourishing time.
C) New Year’s Eve was spent with some good friends and their families. Every year, my friend Joanie’s family throws a party and plays a four-hour-long movie that was shot of a musical telling the stories of the book of Acts. That sounds weird, but at this point, I’ve done it so much that my New Year’s Eve feels a little odd without “Upside Down.”
D) Making a tunic. I didn’t finish.  But I started, and found out I know more about sewing than I thought.
E) I was able to meet a lot of interesting people here, from a WNBA basketball player (we went to one of her games, and it was so much fun! I miss watching sports) to a couple who are interning here from Moody. I just really enjoy meeting people, especially when I’m immersed in a comfortable social network.
F) The sights, the sounds. . .everything about this place, from the public transportation to the people staring at me on the street, to being surprised into leading worship one Sunday. . .this country is one after my own heart. There are many places I call home, but this one always feels more like home than any other.

In short, it was so good to have a break from the tension of transition. So good to see a lot of my friends (in fact, a sizeable majority of us were back this year!), so good to have good conversations, so good to sleep in my room, and wake up to my dad’s breakfasts, and to be able to cuddle with my little brother whenever my heart desired it. Good to be hugged by my mom and chat with my friends.
Thank You, Lord, for blessing me with this break.