Oh no. I've slacked off again.

It's official. I'm a slacker when it comes to blogging. Some months I'm on a roll and write faithfully throughout the month. Other months I don't write at all. Like the past three months.

Oops.

I've been trying to figure out how to update my blog without boring you all with a rundown of my life for the past three months. And instead of writing, I've been avoiding writing at all cost, which has led to more time passing and a longer update on the horizon.

But, no need to worry. Though I haven't written in three months, I will not attempt to write down a play by play of my life throughout that time. In all honesty, nothing much has happened. Instead I'll write down a brief (hopefully) update and then get back into the rhythm of blogging more frequently.

I think the most significant event to take place is that Damarise and I moved into our 17th home. Being a missionary kid has led to having many homes. And each home has been filled to the brim with wonderful memories. This home has already begun to have its fair share of good memories.

It's a little one bedroom apartment in the heart of our city and we absolutely love it. It's the perfect size for us and placed in a cute and cozy neighbourhood. God blessed us with it in the nick of time too. We are thankful! We got to house Janessa for a few months in it too while she was job and house searching. It was fun to have her stay with us, though I'm sure she is thankful to not sleep on a couch anymore.

Us on the day we signed the lease (sorry for the poor quality... it's an Instagram picture).

I have begun subbing, though not as often as I'd like. However, it has been so fun and such a blessing of a job. I have gotten to sub in Middle School math and English as well as at one of my Student Teaching placements. It has been a joy to put my education to use and realize that I did actually learn something throughout my four years at school (I knew I had, but it's nice to put it to use).

Sarah has started at Covenant College and it has been so fun having her in town. She's loving being at Covenant and I'm so thankful she gets to have the same wonderful education Damarise and I had.

Damarise got officially accepted into the Police Academy and I couldn't be more proud. She has put in so much work into applying and has persevered like no one else I know. I can't wait to see all that God has in store for her through that.

Well, I think that's the main points. Hopefully this will get me back on track for updating more... hopefully being the key word.

Until next time.

A Month of Thanksgiving: Days 19, 20, & 21

Again, I'm falling behind, so without further ado – days 19, 20, and 21.

I am thankful for rest. It has been a busy few days, but sometimes being busy with things other than school feels relieving.

I'm thankful for the break and the chance to get away from home. I'm thankful that for the first time in my life, I actually miss home. Usually, I'd miss certain things or people from places I'd lived, but never specifically the place. For some reason, I feel a little homesick for Chattanooga, and I like it. It makes Chattanooga feel more like home than any place ever has before. I miss the people, things, and place, and it makes me so much more thankful for Chattanooga.

I'm thankful for seeing most of Dad's side of the family today! I love family and reunions. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving day and I cannot wait! Food and family! So much to be thankful for! 

Home Sweet Home

Two Saturdays ago, Damarise and I moved into our first home! After figuring out that money would be saved by us moving off campus, and after not wanting to be in the dorm for another year, God blessed us with a cozy little one room house behind a wonderful Covenant staff family. We couldn't be happier!

Here are a few views of the house:

This is the kitchen. I love the long counter and the two windows. They are wonderful for my plants. (Also, Davey and I were making a Calzone... which is also something I am SO thankful for – finally being able to cook again!)

This is a rug that Mrs. Hoffman made for us. We love how it fits snuggly under our bathroom sink.

We bought a coffee table from Ikea. Damarise put both a coffee table and a nightstand together in the time it took me to put together a lamp. Damarise is a pro! 

This is our dining room/kitchen area. We could not be more thankful with how open it is. It is perfect for having guests over and we have enjoyed opening our home to several fellow classmates throughout the past week, whether it be for meals or just letting them relax on our couch and get away from campus for a bit.

This is the living room view from the kitchen. The door leads to our bedroom. The couch came with the apartment and it is one of the most comfortable things I have ever sat on!

This is the other side of the living room.

And last, but certainly not least– the bedroom. This is my bed and I love it! 

There you have it. A glimpse into our home. We love it and are so thankful for it! It has been fun to start a lot of firsts – like buying toilet paper for the first time in our lives! It is exciting and I can't wait to see all that is in store for us. 

Like Riding Giraffes to School

The other day it struck me, my life isn't quite normal, at least not to most people.

Damarise and I tend to tell some over exaggerated stories. Don't worry, we always correct them. But sometimes it is fun to pull someone's leg. Like when people ask us if we saw giraffes in our backyard while living in Africa. "Oh!", we reply, "Giraffes! Of course! We rode them to school unless we wanted to go nice and slow, then we just lassoed the nearest tortoise we could find." False and false. But you see how easy it is to just go along with their question. And it definitely makes our life sound anything but boring.

The other day Damarise and I were sharing some stories and I realized that some of our stories do sound over the top. I mean who's lived in Canada with no running water (showering in a bath house and then walking up in -40º weather and having your hair turn to icicles), lived in a house built out of duct tape and plastic, seen many african animals, lived in Europe, had hook worm, eaten cow tongue, took their SAT with 2 other people, and can't drive at 19? It sounds absurd, and yet, that is my life.

As I was talking with Mom on the phone the other day she was telling me all about their life right now. "Well, we're trying to figure out how long it'll take to get renewed passports, visas, our stuff from Mozambique to South Africa, plane tickets, and pack our stuff up to move." She went on to say where they would be the next week. It involved staying in two different states and three different houses. I just laughed. This is our life.

It never seems unusual to me until I tell someone else about my life. Like the people who talk about going home for break and how they can't wait to sleep in their own room with their own bed. Damarise and I just look at each other and smile. (Christmas break involved two houses and four different bedrooms for us. Yet it was SO fun!) When they turn to us and ask if we're going home for break we simply reply, "Nope, we don't have a home. Our family will be living in Africa." Their expression is usually the same, a mix of shock and confusion. But this, this is normal. This is life.

Maybe to everyone else this life seems weird. A life where I know that at the end of this month of February I will head back to Missouri to say goodbye to my family as they leave for Africa. Not very many people have that scheduled in their planner for part of their life. But, this is where God has our family.

My life isn't abnormal, my life is just the way God planned it. And that is comforting. It's comforting to know that even though my life may seem anything but normal to some people, God knows everything and He knows just how my life will be, crazy over-the-top stories and all.

Home again?

Sunday morning Damarise and I woke to my alarm loudly ringing. 5:11am is just too early. But our flight was leaving at 7:ooam and time was of the essence. We got dressed, said our goodbyes, and unloaded at the airport. Our flight ended up leaving at 7:30am due to snow falling and our plane needing to be de-iced. But, after 5 hours, 2 planes, and some turbulence, we made it safely to Chattanooga.

We were "home". Only this time it didn't really feel like home. Even though when we head "home" for break and end up at our Grandma's house because that's where the family is living, and even though we switch beds, bedrooms, and even houses multiple times throughout the break, that's home because that is where the family is. Home really isn't a place, it's really more the people.

I'm so thankful for my family. I'm thankful for the time we spent together over the Christmas break (seeing as that may not happen again for a few years). I'm thankful that God has given me so many places to call home. And I'm thankful that one day we will all be together in our true Home worshipping and praising God together, forever.

Room 414 or Home Sweet Home

Welcome to our home :) Damarise and I have gotten settled back down into our home, or dorm room, and I figured I should post some pictures of what our home looks like this year :) So, would you like a tour?

This is our door. Our RA, Virginia, made these (and took the pictures of the letters). So cute!

This is what you would see if you were to open up the door :)

To your left is the sink.

And the bathroom door.

Up close shot of the pocket marker holder :) We made these at one of our birthday party's a long time ago. :) Thanks to Mom's wonderful creative idea back then, we now have a marker holder :)

Over to the right of the door is our closets and my mug hanging collection.

All the mugs. The top notch, as you may see, doesn't have a mug. It did when we first moved in, but there's a story behind that :) About a week ago Damarise and I were fast asleep in our beds when suddenly at 12:08am both of us were awakened by some crashing sound. We groggily asked each other if we knew what had happened and both of us sleepily decided it was nothing. Well, when my alarm beeped in the morning I laid in bed a while just thinking when suddenly I remembered waking up to a crashing sound in the night. Well, it immediately clicked in my mind that that must've been one of our mugs. Sure enough, there was a cracked mug on the floor with another mug (still whole!) right next to it. Whoops. Guess our rack wasn't quite as secure as we thought. :P Anyways, it is now secure, and so far no more mugs have decided to take the mighty plunge to the floor :)

Our mini tea/hot drink stash thanks to Mom. The tea has come in handy this week with so many people coming down with colds :)

If you continue straight into the room and look left, there are our beds :) Mine is on the right and Damarise's is the left.

To the left (across from the beds) are our desks. Mine is in this picture.

And there is Damarise's desk. :)

Little decor: This paper crane (and nine others) are hanging above the window (see second picture :) ).

Anyways, that is our room/home :) This is where we study, hang out, and get lots of or not enough sleep :) Hope you enjoyed the mini tour :)