so, i’ve been in glasgow for a couple of days… and i still love this city. it’s incredible how normal it feels to be here, hanging out with my flatmates, seeing my old friends, having brilliant moustache parties (ok, actually, just one…) (darn bluetooth doesn’t want to let me send a photo… it was a great night… i had a great twirly moustache)

and yet… i am so excited to be back in camden on wednesday… i really really hope and pray that i’ll get through immigration.

ELF just came on channel 4. it is truly christmas time.

i’ve been hearing a lot about the expectation we have that christ is coming, especially now, in this third week of advent, and part of my expectation is that i will be doing what God has planned for me this next year. and yet this is a time when we’re waiting… (waiting really impatiently for news about visas…) for Jesus, for that tiny baby to come and be born and be the saviour of the world…

i was really really excited to be in church this morning, and to be reminded that this is a place where we are all accepted and we are all waiting for the culmination of this season…

i’m not really sure what my thoughts are at the moment, but there’s excitement for sure… and anticipation. a little fear. but trust that God will work this all out…

mum and i watched all 6 hours of the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice last night. i think that, alongside the huge amounts of vitamin C, echinacea and occasional paracetamol is what is finally helping me kick this cold…

typically, i came home, had less to do than in Camden, slept a bit more and got sick. I feel like this is becoming a habit- whenever i stop, i get sick. so either, i never stop (probably a bad plan) or i learn to be more balanced (difficult…) or i continue on as i am (probably not wise, but easiest..)

in other news, i got home safely, and my dad, being the generous father that he is, insisted that i come on holiday with them (back to america). so, he’s booked me flights for a short trip- which i am very grateful for, but the thought of which occasionally fills me with fear- what if the people at customs and immigration decide that i should not be allowed back in for a holiday just two weeks after i’ve left…. uh… crap. so i’m praying, and i hope you’ll be praying, for considerate, understanding border guards who can see that a) i’m not a terrorist threat, and b) i’m genuinely coming for a holiday this time. it sucks that i’ll be travelling on different flights than the rest of my family, but as long as i have you all backing me in prayer, i’m sure we’ll be fine…. (aargh)

so, i have a week left in this rainy country- a week to beat this cold and see some of my friends… i’m headed to glasgow on friday for a couple of days, one of the highlights of which will be a moustache party! (yaaas! though, i’m pretty sure my moustache will not be a patch on mikes… if only i could borrow it..)

looking forward to seeing lots of my scottish buddies, so, if you’re a GWV member, you better be there on sunday!

this is my new favourite habit. i’ve worn my pajamas (ok, so steelers ‘pants’ and a t-shirt) to restuarants, other houses, on road trips, and now, in terminal 5. it’s a good feeling.

a not so good feeling is having to leave a place that already in 3 months i have grown to love… a better feeling is knowing that i have left most of my stuff there, so, somehow, i have to go back.

had a lovely send off from my friends at philly airport, had about a 2 1/2 hour wait for my flight, got on the plane, drank my complimentary red wine and promptly started crying… it is so hard to leave this place…

so, like i told my kids yesterday, i want so badly to come back, but i need you all to be praying for me, and for my visa… i just can’t imagine this being it.

anyway. scotland home for a little while… i’ll miss you guys!

i’ve realised, this is a promise i’ve made to people in two different countries at the moment.

right now, i’m fulfilling that promise to the Scottish side, in that i leave Camden tomorrow night, which is where the second promise comes in- to my kids and the other interns… i keep promising that i will be back.

i will, i will, i will!

it feels like, if only i could will it hard enough, there’ll be no problems… i’m not sure it works quite like that, but maybe, i pray, i pray, i pray i’ll be back.

for myself, for my new friendships, and mostly, for my kids…

well, St louis was a LOT of fun… saw the Arch, went  to the City Museum (GO! it’s amazing!) hung out with
Jordan and Mark and Beth, and Chad, and some of Jordans friends, got a free pair of sunglasses, drove a couple hundred miles without killing anyone, had thanksgiving day on the road, ate at a waffle House, got some interesting insights from truck drivers, made some new friends… it was a really good trip.

and then we came home. and i got to sleep in my own bed. and we made curry. and i helped clean a basement floor. and we watched some office. and then i slept. and it was good. and that’s pretty much all i have to say for now..

three days of camp left, four til i get on a plane… and it’s kinda sad, really scary… and i’m not sure what to do with myself….

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so, that’s where i’m going tomorrow night/sunday morning… we’re planning to leave around midnight, hopefully swing by through ohio (Cincinnati, though i didn’t add that in) to see an old friend of Jordans, before heading on through to the St Louis area… i’m really excited for the trip, for time to talk and see more of America, listen to some good music, see some of St Louis… all those good things… and we’ll be back in time for Thanksgiving….

i got a brilliant package today.

i also got pelted with acorns.

i also need to try and think of somrthing to do about the bible with my 6th grade class.

and tonight is intern class- yay for all the interns being together!

and this time next week, i’ll probably be in St Louis (if you want to contribute to gas costs.. please give me a shout…)

and this time in two weeks, i’ll be back in Scotland.

eeeeshk, that’s kinda weird and a bit scary, because…. i have no idea whats going on…

but also awesome, cos i am looking forward to seeing friends and family in Scotland again… but i  will be very sad to leave these kids, even for a little while, even into the capable hands of the other interns… but i am wearing my Scotland hat today… yay.

i think thats all for now… :)

What’s got into me? Can’t believe myself!
Must be someone else. Must be someone else. Must be,

Any day now hows about getting out of this place. Any ways.
Got a lot of spare time. Some of my youth and all of my senses on overdrive.

What’s got into me? Can’t believe myself!
Must be,

Any day now hows about getting out of this place. Any ways.
Got a lot of spare time. Some of my youth and all of my senses on overdrive.

Any day now hows about getting out of this place. Any ways.
Got a lot of spare time. Some of my youth and all of my senses on overdrive.

Any day now hows about getting out of this place. Any ways.
Got a lot of spare time. Some of my youth and all of my senses on overdrive.

Any day now hows about getting out of this place. Any ways.
Got a lot of spare time. Some of my youth and all of my senses on overdrive.

Any day now hows about getting out of this place. Any ways.
Got a lot of spare time. Some of my youth and all of my senses on overdrive.

Any day now hows about getting out of this place. Any ways.
Got a lot of spare time. Some of my youth and all of my senses on overdrive.

Don’t play Coltrane you will sleep at the wheel
Eyes on-horizon. Don’t sleep at the wheel.

i love this song.. :)

so, fundraisers at Chick-fil-A yesterday and all day today…

which means we took kids yesterday (mayhem) and will again today (more mayhem).

and they wonder why we’re broke? :)

reading crime and punishment. it’s really interesting.

did something of an art class with my kids… went as well as could be expected… i am actually sort of looking forward to being home for a while so i can really plan some great activities for my class…

hmmm… should really head to camp now.

i finally got my other film back from Wal-Mart, but they forgot to do a cd, so until i can get to a scanner, there are no photos…. sorry guys.

however, i have had a couple really good days.. yesterday we had cell groups in class, and my kids were hyper as usual, but i showed them a short film that we talked about a little… then Garianna was hanging out with me and Winnie after program, before she went to another program. I was asking her about her life and she was drawing us pictures. she told us about her family, how they’d been away from Camden for the last 6 or 7 years, and just what she’s going through atthe moment. then I asked her what this other program was she had, and she said, ‘we just talk about God, me and Nasir and some other kids, but we don’ know them, we just talk about God and pray and stuff, that’s why i’ve got my Bible today…’ It’s just so good to know that she’s actually excited about this stuff… she’s even trying to get the other girls in the class to go too, but they’re not really interested…

Today, a bunch of my kids were around for a special camp night. we ate some pizza, played mafia, played empires, and got photographed for the Courier Post, our local newspaper, so hopefully, w’ll be in the paper tomorrow or sunday.. if there’s a link, i’ll post it after it goes online.. :) they were ridiculously well behaved for the photographer… it was kinda funny…

All in all, a good week, highs, lows…

This week is the start of the thanksgiving dinners- Chad’s Mum is in town from tuesday, and we head out to take Jordan to St Louis next saturday… man, is life ever moving fast!!!

tonight may be the night for chipotle… :)

‘peace out, yo.’