Oh, The Places You'll Go...

I find myself back once again in a familiar place. My life has a cyclical quality to it - is it just me or does anyone else feel this way too? The place in which I find myself, while familiar, is not a place I enjoy being. It is a place full of unknowns. I am about to finish up my Masters degree and my time in Australia is quickly coming to an end, and yet, I do not feel any closer to knowing where I should go next or what I should do. I am back in the place of taking unsteady steps every which way, hoping all the while for some clear direction. I have been looking at jobs and trying to figure out if I feel particularly lead to one place or one job or one anything but I don't. I feel utterly confused. I know in my heart that God has a plan for me, one that is above and beyond what I could ever plan for myself. However, it is difficult right now for my head to accept this and not become prone to anxiety or stress about it. I am doing my best to take things one day at a time (like the 12 step program) and focus on the work at hand, rather than the unknowns of the future. I've been making some good progress in my school work this week and feel pretty good about where I am as far as being on task and getting things done. I guess that's all I can really ask for at this stage. I know that I will know what I am supposed to do and when and where all in God's timing...but I'm finding myself to be a little impatient and petulant and just wanting to know right now. I guess the reason I'm telling y'all this is to ask, once again, for prayers. I know that probably most of you have felt this at some point and can understand what I am feeling now. It just seems that the title of my blog is more accurate than I had initially planned. I truly do have a cyclical aspect of my life - even down to the timing. Every May, for the past three or four years, I have found myself in this exact situation. What am I missing? What is it that God is trying to teach me or show me that I am just still not getting? Why do I find myself here once again?

It is graduation time in the States and I know that what I am feeling now is probably what most graduates are feeling. However, I graduated 4 1/2 years ago and feel that I should be past this by now. I'm trying to give myself some leeway and not be too hard on myself, as I normally tend to be but I just can't believe I'm really here again. Now, please know that this is not a pity party or me fishing for sympathy/empathy. I just want y'all to know where I am and to ask you to be praying for me. I don't really know what to pray for myself at this point, simply that His will be done - whatever that is and whenever He sees fit.

I know I talked about this last time but I am so excited for brother to be here. Honestly, his coming has given me some much needed motivation to get things accomplished and stay on track with school work. Also, on top of brother being here in ONE WEEK, my Most Photographed Cousin Couple partner will be here in a little over two weeks. Thank you Lord for their coming. Your timing is perfect, as always, and I couldn't be more excited to have them both here. Just as a warning to them both: I may start crying when I see you (tears of extreme joy)- now I realize that neither of them read this but I also know my family and know that this message will be passed along to whom it concerns.

I hope that I didn't bring anyone down with my sharing but I truly feel much lighter just getting it all off my chest. I know that He is here, holding my hand and walking through every step with me. Sometimes it just becomes a bit overwhelming finding myself in a familiar, yet not a particularly welcoming, place. I love you all for the love and support that you continually shower upon me when I have done nothing to deserve it. I know, without a doubt, that I have the best family in the world, and I dare anyone to challenge me on that. I love y'all!

Heart-Sick, Homesick, Heavy-Hearted & Helpless

I know that all of you know about the devastating floods in Nashville and, as most of you are there now and lived through the flood, you would know more about it than I do. It is all a bit surreal being on the other side of the planet when something happens like this. I am so thankful, first and foremost, that all of my family and loved ones were kept safe and that minimal damage was done to their homes. Thank you Jesus!

However, having only been able to watch youtube clips, read news reports and see the horrible damage done to my hometown, I can't help but feel sad. I couldn't hold back the tears any longer and just had to have a good cry about it all. Although the people I love were kept from harm, places I love were not. It is hard to see neighborhoods that I know and roads that I have driven down oh so many times completely submerged in muddy flood water. Its hard knowing that the city I go back to in a few months will not be the same as it was when I left. With the millions of dollars in damage, there is just no way it can recover that quickly. I know it is a long road of recovery ahead.

I keep seeing people posting on facebook their pictures and links to media coverage and I can't tell you how proud I am to be a Nashvillian right now. Everything I have read has done nothing but talk about how much everyone has pitched in and helped each other and bent over backwards to help people they don't know throughout all of this. I love my hometown. I think we are pretty great. We may not be as famous as other cities but we are known worldwide - we are known for our hospitality and friendliness, in addition to that whole music thing. When I tell people, in any country I've been, that I am from Tennessee I get in this order: Elvis, Jack  Daniels & country music. While these are all great legacies in their own right, maybe now we will be recognised for our heart. This is one of those times when being in the middle of the Bible belt really pays off because I know that there are a lot of open doors and willing hands to help the people affected.

I know it seems a bit odd for me to be writing this as I was not directly affected by the flood and am not there now. However, since having heard about the flood and seeing the first pictures and news reports, I have felt that there was a cloud hanging over me and I wasn't sure why. I know now. It is a cloud of sadness and homesickness for my lovely hometown. I guess the closest thing I can relate what I am feeling to is the feeling of someone you love being sick, not horribly sick but just not well, and not being there to take care of them or do anything for them. You know they will recover but you wish you could do something because doing nothing makes you feel helpless. This is how I feel. Nashville is sick and I feel helpless but I know it will recover.

I don't want to ramble on, especially when most of you have been so inundated with flood coverage that you probably need a break from thinking about it. I just wanted y'all to know that I'm thinking about you and praying for you.

this is the Nashville flag -

Did y'all know we had a flag?

Am I the only one to whom this is new information?

In other news, brother gets here in a little less than 2 weeks and I couldn't be more excited! 13 days and counting! Woohoo! I've got a lot of work to get done before then but it will all be worth it to spend time with brother.

Easter and an update

Hello all! I apologize. I have been remiss in writing and updating the blog. I realize it has been a long time but I don't have too much to update y'all on. I will do my best to fill you in and summarize what has been happening here in the Merry Old Land of Oz. (insert song here). I will start with Easter and work backwards, just to make it both confusing and interesting. I decided the week before Easter that I wanted to make lunch for some friends (mostly it was an excuse to make corn suffle). I talked to Sara (from YWAM) about it and decided to invite about 10-12 people who otherwise wouldn't have anything to do on Easter - a motley crue of family-less people, if you will. Really it was more that they were away from their families, as am I, and I decided to host a southern lunch for everyone. I had every intention of making Paula's brisket because a) it is really good, b) no one here knows about it and therefore, have no idea what they are missing out on, and c) I knew that my family would be eating it too so it made me feel at home. However, the Thursday before Easter, I went to a butcher to see about getting brisket and was informed that they really only do corned beef, not brisket, and that I could have ordered it but that neither they nor anyone else they know of carries it in stock. Lovely. After having this confirmed by another butcher and told that it is more of a winter dish, I realized that I may have to alter my plans a bit. So, I quickly decided to make pulled pork barbeque because my housemates had recently brought home a decent sized crock-pot and I thought it would be easier than trying to roast some other kind of meat in the tiny oven when I was already going to need the oven to make the corn suffle and any other sidedish I came up with. The Saturday before Easter I went with Dale to get the ingredients for everything and tried a few more butchers for brisket before buying a gigantic pork striploin for the pulled pork. Of course, as it always happens, as we were going to the grocery store, there was a butcher and, just out of curiousity, Dale asked about the brisket one more time. Well, this guy had some. However, as we had just purchased a truly large quantity of meat, I decided to stick with the pulled pork idea. Good to know for later though. Don't worry, I got the butcher's card, and was informed that, since we have spoken, we are now officially mates. Yeah me. That night, before I went to bed, I did a dry rub on the pork, cut it in to three 6-8 inch long chunks, and put it in the crock-pot on low to cook for the next 8 hours or so. Sunday morning, I was awakened by hunger pangs due to the wafting scents of bacon invading my sleep. I prepped a few of the dishes and checked the meat: to my complete and utter joy, it was perfect. Tennessee Barbeque, here we come! I was able to get everything else finished (along with some help from both Dale and Sara) and was feeling good about the food. As per usual, the corn suffle took a little longer than I thought but other than that, everything came out on time. Here's the menu: pulled pork (I didn't even put the barbeque sauce on it because there was no need. It was truly phenomenal without it.), corn suffle, squash casserole (which I made with zucchini because they had no squash), asparagus wrapped in prosciutto, fruit salad and insalata caprese. One of the invitees, Maria, brought smoked salmon with cheese on crackers for an appetizer and another friend, Patricia brought dessert. The biggest hit of all was the corn suffle - it barely made it around the table and I thought a fight might break out over the last bit. It was gone in under 30 seconds, easily. I'm going to have to start charging for that one, I think. I could make a killing with a Southern Style restaurant. I'll have to think about that one...Here is a picture of the plate - I had to steal this one from Dale because I forgot to take a picture of the before and this was the only one in existence.

I thought it turned out really well and I think that everyone who came enjoyed the food, which is all I cared about. It was nice to have some of our traditional Easter foods being so far from home. And it was great spending the day with new friends. I had a great Easter - thanks mom for sending the Jiffy corn mix! It is like gold now that they know the wonders that it can create.

Other than Easter, I have been working (some) on school stuff and have had this entire week off because of school holidays - Fall break, I guess. I'm not going to go much into this because of the fact that it is a blog and not a private conversation, but just to further update, Dale was hurt about two 1/2 weeks ago and has been in and out of the hospital since then. He is okay but his leg was smashed between his trailer and his ute (like a pick-up, kind of) and it still has not healed. Like I said, not going into it here. I'm only telling you because he could use the extra prayers and most of you probably know by now anyways - I know how fast news travels in our family. You can email me or ask mom if you need more than this.

So, that about sums up what I have been up to. I am slowly making progress on my school work and am keeping up with where I should be. Oh yeah, I did purchase my flights to get to BTD and will come straight there from Australia - I get in the Tuesday evening before BTD. I know it's still a bit away but just thought I'd let y'all know so you can start fighting over who gets the privilege of picking me up from the airport! First one to volunteer gets a souvenir!

ps: there are a few more pictures from Easter on facebook - I think I am tagged in some so you should be able to find them, if you're looking. I just don't have any, sorry.

The Busy World of Richard Scarry

Okay, so it's been a long time between updates but I do actually have a few really good reasons for that: 1. the internet here has been REALLY slow and trying to do anything online takes at least 10 times longer than it should and I just don't have the patience to fight with it just to do a blog post about nothing, 2. nothing much of consequence has occured in the past month - I was finally able to get everything sorted and was able to enroll in courses so I have just been doing uni stuff these past few weeks, nothing exciting really. So now you know why I haven't been posting anything new, however, this morning the internet started working properly again and I thought I would take this unforeseen opportunity to post something new:

The other day I was thinking about the people I know here and their jobs. In doing so, the title to the blog arose: they don't have "normal" jobs or even office jobs. The people I have met are: a pilot, a surgeon, a radiographer, a sonographer, a carpenter, a firefighter, a dietician, a chef, a banker, a cosmotologist (is that right?), an professional athlete...I just picture the "Richard Scarry" version of each of these when I think about it, although, I'm not sure who would be that little green guy (a cricket, maybe) that you have to find in all of the pictures. I think I only know two people who actually have office jobs.

I want to be the art teacher in this scenario but I don't know how to go about doing that. I am trying to find out how the licensure/certification procedure works here (and at home) and am looking for a job - so if anyone out there knows of any art teaching positions, let me know - I'll consider relocating! I'm trying to be open to whatever and wherever God wants me to be. It is a bit hard to be, once again, in this position. My life is cyclical - am I the only one with this issue? Every year, about this time, I find my self in the same place - knowing what I want but seemingly unable to get it. I know this time around what I want to be doing and I truly feel that this is the path that God has called me to walk down but I just can't seem to see how it will work out. I know I could teach art but I have to find some school to hire me with next to no teaching experience. I am going to focus this next week on praying over my future and that God will continue to lead me and open doors and I am asking that you would join me. At the moment, I don't know where I want to be - about 50/50 split of staying somewhere in Oz vs home. I just want a teaching job - more of the "beggar's can't be choosers" mindset. However, I also want to be aware of what God's will is in all of this. I've not been diligent in offering it up to Him in prayer but I am making a point this week to do so - and am putting this out there so I have y'all to keep me accountable. As much as I would usually tend to toil away alone, I realize that I need help with this and am asking for your prayers.

I am beginning to get a bit homesick (a recent development) but I think it is just due to the amount of time I've been gone. I was expecting to feel homesick at this point on my journey so it's not really come as a surprise but it doesn't make it any easier. For those of you who may not know, Christopher is trying to come over for the summer break (which is winter here) and I am counting down the days - not literally, but I am very excited at the prospect of brother being here. AND Carter is trying to plan a visit as well. I have always wanted to go on a trip with just me, Christopher and Carter and it looks like it could happen here in Oz. I can't wait! If y'all could pray for that as well, just that everything would work out.

I just wanted to take a minute to say thanks to everyone who reads this and those who leave comments - to everyone, thanks for your support. It makes it easy(er) to be 10000 miles from home knowing that I have a network of support and love and prayer. I couldn't do it without you! I love you all and I am planning to come back in time for BTD - is that still the planned time to get together? I need to be up on this so I can change my flight - I'll just fly straight from here to LA and then to Dallas or Lubbock - probably on that Thursday or Friday. (and, Lord willing, brother will be flying back with me!) 

my first visitors: a summary of our time

As you may know, mom and dad came to visit me this past week (10 days to be precise). I will try to recap everything that we did and illustrate it with a few pictures. I will attempt to keep it brief so as to not bore everyone to tears. Here goes:

Thursday Feb 18: mom and dad arrived in Brisbane around 8:30 ish in the morning. Dad had rented a car (have I mentioned that they drive on the other side of the road here?) and we prepared to drive to Gold Coast to their hotel, which is a little over an hour drive. Also different is that they don't do stop signs so much - they do roundabouts. And some of these roundabouts are two lanes. And you have to use your turn signal on them (are we supposed to do this too? I never have...). So, after entering the address of the hotel into the GPS (the GPS woman and I did not see eye to eye but that's another story) we headed out of the airport. And then back in to the airport. And then we made it out. And then we took a wrong turn off of the roundabout. And then the GPS and I had a disagreement. And then there was some mild to moderate language, some driving on the wrong side of the road, a little honking, and then we were back on track. We made it to the hotel in one piece and went to eat lunch while the hotel got the room ready. We ate lunch in Surfer's Paradise - the Panama City of the Gold Coast - and then went back to the hotel and were told that they could get into their room now. After getting to the room, mom and dad decided to take a little nap...that turned into a two and a half hour long nap. When they woke up it was just about dinner time so we went to eat dinner in Broadbeach - after first taking a quick walk out to the Spit to see a view of the Gold Coast before the rains came. This is the view:

We barely made it to the car before the rain started. It was just a short summer storm and had stopped by the time we got to Broadbeach for dinner.We ate at a restaurant that I had heard was really good and, by far, it wins the award for best meal yet. I thought it was fantastic. I had coconut prawns with a peanut chili lime dipping sauce that I could eat everyday. After a truly delicious dinner, mom and dad dropped me off at my house and then headed back to the hotel to get some sleep before our big day...

Friday, Feb 19: It's Australia Zoo day!!! Woohoo! Steve Irwin's zoo!!! We got a bit of a late start because dad was having phone issues and had to get a new charger or something so we didn't end up leaving my house until about 11:45 or so. It was about an hour and a half or more to the zoo back up towards Brisbane. We got to the zoo and were told that there was a koala show going on and that there would be a croc show in an hour. Woohoo! We made our way over to the koala show and mom and I pet a koala. Yes that's right, mom did this. And this was not to be the only animal that mom would willingly touch over the next few days. Just wait to you hear/see what she held...Anyways, after petting the koala we grabbed some lunch and headed over to the croc show. It was really good. Dad videoed most of it so you'll have to ask to see it - I don't have any videos. We then just walked through the zoo: through the kangaroo and wallaby area where they just walk around and you can pet them - yup, mom pet a kangaroo too. Again, it was a video. I didn't count, but I'd say it would be accurate to say that I got upwards of 20 mosquito bites while there. Never in my life have I been bitten that much. We also walked through the koala area, the red kangaroo area, saw the elephants, tigers, came close to some dingos and more. It is a really great zoo. And very clean feeling, which most zoos are not. It's obvious that there is some money going into that zoo. After a few hours among the animals, we were ready to head back to civilization. We drove through Brisbane a bit before we went back to Gold Coast for dinner and then back to the hotel for some sleep.
Saturday, Feb 20: We got off to a bit of an earlier start this day – we were off by 10:00. We went up to Mt Tamborine to see what there was to see. This was another interesting adventure with the GPS because she took us a completely different way than I had been before and I did not agree with her. Like I said, we didn't get along. Regardless, we made it up the mountain and ate a light lunch of wine, bread and locally made cheeses before walking through some of the shops in the town. We drove over to get some pictures of both sides of the view and then went to do a tree-top rainforest walk. It was really pretty and being in the rainforest, the temperature was cooler. They told us as we bought tickets that there was a carpet python that had eaten something and was sitting curled up next to one of the trees. (we were on a walkway WAY off of the ground, so no worries about being near us). Dad took a picture that I will now share with you: (note the large lump in the middle – his dinner).

We were all pretty beat after the skywalk and it was late afternoon when we went back to my house. We had to make a pit stop at my house on the way back so I could pack my bags...for Sydney and Melbourne!!! (and so mom and dad could drop off a few things they wouldn't need – have to keep those bags light!) We then just went to eat dinner at a restaurant on the water and then back to the hotel for some Olympics viewing and bed.

Sunday, Feb 21: We left for the airport to head to Sydney (yet another adventure – this time the GPS wouldn't work, luckily, I knew which direction to go). We arrived in Sydney around noon and dropped off our bags at the hotel and went off in search of adventure. On the way in, our taxi driver mentioned that there was a market nearby and mom and I were immediately intrigued and wanted to go that direction. Dad wanted to grab some lunch on the way. This, as it turned out, would be more difficult than expected. We went into one place and were told that it would be a 15 minute wait so we moved along. We found a little place on a balcony on a side street that looked promising. We sat down, ordered and then waited. And waited. And waited – about 45 minutes and then the waiter came by and apologized and said it would be another 10-15 minutes. Our “quick lunch” had morphed into a two hour long affair. After our lengthy lunch, we wandered down to the markets for a browse. We then decided to do the hop-on hop-off bus tour around the city, as suggested by the hotel's concierge. While we were on the bus, mom and dad started talking with a few other people and they said that there was going to be a parade for Chinese New Year that night. That sounded interesting so we decided to go down there to see what it was all about. This, too, proved to be an “easier said than done” sort of experience. We found the parade line easily and got there just before it was to begin. And then we waited. We could see that the beginning of the parade was about a block or so away from us and we could hear music but they didn't seem to be moving. After about an hour of waiting (maybe an hour and a half) they finally made it down to us. It was by far the slowest parade I've ever witnessed. By the time it finally reached us, we had lost interest. We walked down to Darling Harbour for something to eat. When we got down there, we heard an announcement that they would have fireworks at 10 – a little over an hour away at this point. So, we waited. By the time the fireworks started, there were tons of people around and it was getting a bit crowded and slightly sweltering. The fireworks were quite good, when they finally got underway. Afterward, we went back to sleep and rest up for a big day of sight-seeing.

Monday, Feb 22: The concierge had told us about a hop-on hop-off harbour tour that went to several different places around Sydney. We went down the the docks and bought our tickets and then went to grab lunch to take on the boat while we waited for it to get there. When the boat arrived, everyone lined up and somehow, mom and dad got to talking to this British man who was with his son and another man. They said they were celebrating and asked if we knew if there was alcohol on the boat. Mom asked what they were celebrating and they said that the son was a UFC fighter and had a fight last night – he lost (not sure how this led to celebration but whatever). The dad said that the son fought all over the world and that after a fight, he would be up for 36 or more hours before going to sleep. The son, however, was completely incoherent and could barely stand up as he was completely and utterly drunk. Why they chose to get on a boat drunk was beyond all of us. Are goal was to get on the boat and quickly get as far away from them as possible. The first stop the boat made was Fort Denison, an old fort on a small island just out from the harbour. When the boat stopped, the captain (?) went over to the drunkards and seemed to be telling them that they would have to get off or something. The dad had to hold the son back as he tried to go after the captain. They didn't get off at the fort so we took the opportunity to put some distance between us and hopped off. We did a tour of the fort and then got back on the next boat and went to Watson Bay where we had a great view of the city as well as the ocean. We ate some lunch and then back on the boat to go back to Circular Quay (pronounced key), close to our hotel. We went back to the hotel for a bit of a rest and then went out just before sunset to walk along the bridge and take some pictures (Dad's request). Then we went down to get up close and personal with the opera house (my request). It ended up being perfect timing for pictures and the lighting was great. I got several that I really love. We ate dinner on the harbour with a view of the bridge, the opera house, and the city – you don't get much more of a better view than that.

Tuesday, Feb 23: We had booked a tour of the Blue Mountains for the day. The tour left at 7:30 in the morning and wouldn't return until 6:00 that night. There were 20 people total on the tour, including the tour guide who acted like Andy Bernard and looked like Andy Kaufman. He was a character, and as we came to find out, it was his first tour to lead on his own. There were some delays with picking everyone up at their hotels and we got off to a late start. This would be the theme for the day. Our first stop out was at Featherdale Wildlife Center. It was a fairly small park but the majority of the animals are just wandering around all together. Kangaroos, wallabies, emus and various birds just wander around the other animals' enclosures. We were hoping to see Tasmanian devils but they were not to be seen – they are nocturnal. Mom did have another animal encounter, however, and this one is by far the most shocking. This time, she actually held a python – yes, she actually asked to hold it and the man put it around her shoulders. Don't believe me? Here's proof:

After Featherdale, we went to our next stop where we learned how to throw a boomerang. None of us quite got it to come all the way back but, then again, neither did the guide – he blamed the wind, so we will too. Then we went to a lookout spot and saw the Blue Mountains (which, by the way, are blueish because of the eucalyptus trees there that emit an oil that when mixed with the air and mist, gives off a blueish hue – just in case you were wondering). We had lunch at the local golf club and then went on to see the Three Sisters and do a cable car down into the rainforest. We did a short walk and then back on the bus. We were supposed to have some time to look around one of the small towns nearby but because of the time, we only had 15 minutes. Then we were on the way back to Sydney. We ended up getting stuck in traffic – this was a problem because we were supposed to be catching a ferry back to Sydney. There was another tour bus and we followed them to another dock where a later ferry would pick us up and take us back. We ended up getting back to Circular Quay at 6:45 and then hauled off to the hotel to change close and freshen up as quickly as possible because...we had tickets to see Wicked! We went to see a play about Oz while in Oz (they call Australia Oz). It was a really neat theater and the show was great. Mom and I really enjoyed it – it wasn't really Dad's show but he suffered through it without whinging (whining).

Wednesday, Feb 24: Our flight left for Melbourne mid morning and we arrived around lunchtime. We did what had now become standard; head to the hotel, drop off the bags, go get lunch. We also had a quick chat with the receptionist and decided to go up to the Eureka Tower, which is, I believe, 88 stories tall with a view of the city. There is also the Cube which is a cube of glass that is on a track that you get into and it then moves and juts out from the building. When you get in the cube, the glass is opaque but when it is out over the city, it suddenly becomes transparent. The entire thing is glass so you are essentially standing on a window 88 stories above the city. It was a great view. After that experience, mom and dad wanted to do the tram that loops around the city in order to get a feel for the place. I, however, was not keen on sitting and opted to strike out on my own and wander the city for shopping. I had a good few hours of wandering and exploring and managed to come across some restaurants that would be featured later on. When it was time for us to meet back at the hotel, we all had a bit of a rest and then went out for dinner. We ended up eating at an Italian place fairly close to our hotel. It was very authentic – our waitress had just moved to Melbourne from Italy a few months before. After dinner, it was back to the hotel. Did I mention how great the weather was? It was fantastic. It felt like it was in the low 70's and there was a nice, cool breeze. It had been pretty hot in Sydney so it was a welcome relief from the heat.

Thursday, Feb 25: We all slept in really late and didn't wake up until after 9:30. Dad was going out for a run and to workout and mom and I decided to hit up some breakfast. When we were walking out of the hotel, we stopped to ask the receptionist a question and were told about the Queen Victoria Market that was going on and were told it was not to be missed. Luckily, it was the same direction we were headed for breakfast. I led us back to one of the places I had found during my explorations and we had a nice breakfast before going to the markets. Little did we know what was awaiting us at the market. They have everything you can imagine there. From gourmet meats and cheeses, fresh fruits and veggies to t-shirts, souvenirs and the like. We were hoping to find some art and just happened upon an amazing artist. His paintings are true works of art. Mom and I were immediately in love with several of the paintings – we fell more in love when we heard that they were actually affordable – not cheap, but a good price nonetheless. While we were deliberating, more and more people were coming over to his area and trying to butt into our territory. It was a now or never moment. We struck. We told him which ones we wanted and left for an hour to give him time to un-stretch them and roll them up for us. We were meeting dad shortly and were planning to wait for him to get there before committing to anything but those other people were picking up the ones we wanted and we knew they would be gone if we didn't jump on in. I ended up getting two. Mom bought one. They are pretty large. I haven't gotten them stretched but as soon as I get them on the wall, I will take pictures and post them. I love them – good thing, too, since I parted with a chunk of money to get them. After our market experience we went to the Old Melbourne Gaol (yes I spelled that correctly). It is the jail where Ned Kelly spent his last days and was eventually hung in. It was a bit eery because they made “death masks” of all of the convicts after they were hung so you could actually see a plaster mold of each convicts face. I'd never seen that before. Then we went next door to the watch house where we experienced what it is/was like to be a prisoner. All in all a very enlightening endeavor. It was very interesting. We then walked back to the hotel to put up our purchases and lighten the load a bit. We had some time at the hotel before going to dinner at a place I had discovered on my walk. It was a restaurant called The Mill and it was a bit like Wild Iris and the Red Pony. I thought it was great. We opted out of dessert at the restaurant, preferring to get some ice cream at the place just below our hotel and sit out on the river and people watch.

Friday, Feb 26: This was an interesting day. I had gotten onto a few websites and read about this breakfast place that was not only supposed to be really good, but also inexpensive (a huge plus as it is quite expensive to eat out here – all over, not just Melbourne). It didn't look too far on the map and it was near the Royal Botanic Gardens so the plan was that mom and I would walk through the gardens on the way. The best laid plans... We walked for about an hour and still had not reached the place. On the map, it was on the third block in from the gardens. In reality, we had walked at least five blocks, none of which were on the map. Maps suck. They don't give you all of the information you need and they don't give you an adequate scale. This is why I usually eschew the use of maps altogether. (That and the fact that I'm not good with reading them – just ask Jenny). They also don't give you landmarks, which is how I give and follow directions. Okay, small tirade about hating maps over, now to continue with the story. At this point, we were both frustrated, tired and hungry and, not knowing how much further we had to go, we just quit and ate at another cafe instead. Of course, it turned out to be twice the price. It was also all locals and regulars at that. It was a cute little shop but nothing to write home about (ironic, since that is essentially what I am doing). Now that we had some sustenance, we were prepared to begin the long walk back. We were in a ritzier area of town and the houses were beautiful as we walked passed them. It reminded me of Kensington in London. Nice. We walked back through the gardens which were really beautiful as well and then met up with dad back at the hotel – he had gone for a run and workout again. Then we went to ride the tram around the city and got off at the stadium to buy tickets for the Australian Rules Football game that was on that night. We had been encouraged to go and thought, why not? When will you have another chance to see an AFL game? (Well, mom and dad might not, I probably will since the season is just starting and I'm sure it will be on TV a lot). Mom and I shopped around a bit and dad went back to the room. We had a little time before the game to rest and then we went out for dinner. The game was fun but it was hard not knowing what was going on. I think it would have been better to have someone there who knows the game and can explain things or to be able to hear the commentators. I had no idea what fouls were being made or bad calls or anything like that. It is a very fast paced game so that makes it more enjoyable to watch. They didn't stop play at all – even when a player was injured, the play just continued around him while the medics went out to help him. We left a little early to beat the crowd, and because one team was slaughtering the other. Oh, of course, mom and I both somehow managed to dress in team colors – for opposite teams. One team was brown and gold – mom had on a mustard skirt and black top, and the other was red, white and blue – I had on a red tank top with a white one layered on top, jeans, and a navy and white scarf. (In case you're wondering, the team I was dressed for won; 111 to 57. )

Saturday, Feb 27: Our flight left around noon and we were back on the Gold Coast in a few hours. We had thought there might be trouble getting the paintings back on the flight but it was not an issue. Dad had a rental again and we barely got in the car before it started raining. We stopped off at Robina (a shopping center) for lunch and then were on the road to my house. Mom and dad quickly repacked their things that they had left here and after unrolling my paintings and wrapping mom's back up, they were ready to head off. Their flight left this morning (Sunday) from Brisbane and they were spending the night there. We had a family prayer and then they were on the road to Brisbane and then off to New Zealand for 10 days. I actually just received a text that they got there safely so, thank you Jesus for that answer to prayer.

Well, that is about all. I tried to be brief, but obviously it is hard to condense 10 days of traveling and sight-seeing into a short summary. Now I have to figure out all of my schooling issues. Yes, there are issues. I won't go into it now, but please be praying that it will all work out. I know that He has a plan and I am trying to rest in His Will but am having a hard time relinquishing control – something I always have trouble with. I am seeing that He is trying to teach me to give up control and trust and rely on Him. It is not a fun lesson for me to learn. Please pray that I will learn and that His Will would be done in the situation. I'll explain more later but it's just dealing with the university and trying to figure out if I can enroll in classes for the semester that begins tomorrow. If not, I will have to figure out how that affects my visa and if I can find a job so I can stay. Please Lord, let me stay. I'm not ready to leave yet...

Just for Meagan...because she said I wouldn't and I take offense at that

So I saw just five minutes ago that Meagan filled out this survey and at the end of it, calls me out for not being likely to respond in kind. Okay, Meagy...I'll see your survey, and raise you an actual legitimate blog post. Two can play this game. (actually I'm not sure what, if any, limit there is to the amount of people playing poker, but as this is virtual blog-off poker, I'm setting the cap at two). Our wrists are now tied together and we are facing off a la the gang members in the Thriller video...or Jets vs Sharks...or Pontipee men vs townsfolk (by the way, I did actually look up the name on imdb - who knew?)

Survey says...
Hola como estas?
Asi-asi.

What are you obsessed with?
I'm not entirely sure how to answer this...

What do you dip your chicken nuggets in?
In order to dip chicken nuggets in something, one must first have chicken nuggets. I do not partake of such things.

What was the last road trip you went on?
Today – from Coolangatta airport to my house. If that doesn't count then it was Tuesday from Sydney to the Blue Mountains

When's the last time you danced with someone?
Subtract today's date from the date of the last family wedding that I attended and you have your answer.

What's your favorite show?
Arrested Development/30 Rock tie

What's your ringtone?
I'll choose to answer this question in regards to the ringtone I've had for the past three years rather than the one I have on my Australian phone which is nothing – I'd Rather Dance With You by Kings of Convenience

What's the wallpaper on your cell phone?
Cell phones have wallpaper? I don't know about this...

Who is the 6th text message in your inbox from?
My brother-in-law (you know, Jared). On a side note, aren't all of these questions about cell phones a bit polarizing to those who have no cell phone? What about those people? How are they going to answer these questions? I'm officially offended for them.

Go to your pictures...what is the 33rd pic of?
It is from a Chinese New Year parade in Sydney – not as exciting as it sounds. It wins the award for slowest parade ever – we lost interest an hour into the parade when it still had not reached us...and it started maybe half a block away and we could see them the entire time. Yes, it took an hour + for it to go half a block – slower than molasses – apparently the Tiger is not the speediest animal around

Whose your 78th contact in your phone?
I'm more of a quality over quantity person. Why do I need 78 contacts? I'm not much for talking on the phone and I certainly don't have 78 people I want to talk to on the phone

Whose your favorite character from The Office?
Nard-dog. I appreciate a man with a falsetto and a penchant for sweater vests.

Have you seen every episode starting from Season 1?
Are we still talking about the Office? If so, no: I currently live in a country that is a season or more behind in viewing – don't tell me anything about this season, okay?

What color is your hair?
Naturally blonde, thank you very much.

What kind of car do you have?
Tricky question: at the moment, I have no car – wish I did daily. In the US, I have Quinton Xavier IV, who I envision to be an elderly British chauffeur/butler in a bowler hat and suit

What makes you laugh?
On a regular basis or a one-off sort of thing? I generally celebrate a quick wit – although I will say that I did just laugh aloud because “Take My Breath Away” just came on my playlist shuffle and it made me think of when this was Christopher's ringtone...I laugh a lot when I remember things that I saw/heard/experienced

Whats the last movie you saw in theatres?
Valentine's Day – it was okay as far as rom-coms go – predictable, as they tend to be

Whats your favorite article of clothing?
Can I choose shoes? I say I can and I choose my Stuart Weitzman heels – I really love those shoes

What were you doing on New Years?
Getting rained on and generally being soaking wet

GASP! LOOK! WHAT'S BEHIND YOU?!
My bedroom door, closed.

What are you looking forward too?
Heaven – where there are no complications

Are you the life of the party?
I hope not for your sake.

If you could meet Barack Obama, what would you ask him?
I don't anticipate this happening so I will defer answering until it does.

Truth or Dare?
I don't play this game – and how do you know that when someone chooses Truth that they are actually telling the truth?

Do you kiss your mom with that mouth?
Is there a question missing here? Is it just me or does this seem to be coming from left field?

Your getting chased by the Easter Bunny! What do you do?!
Well, last time I thought I was being followed, I did a quick wardrobe change and ducked into a large crowd of people - that seemed to work well. That is, of course, assuming I was actually being followed and not just being paranoid. I don't know though, bunnies have pretty good noses. He'd probably be able to sniff me out. I think I would try to steal his eggs and hold them hostage – wait, is that why he is chasing me?

Whats in your junk drawer?
I have no drawer to fill with junk.

Whats the wallpaper on your computer?
A motion picture that I took in Oxford of two people walking and a man riding a bike

Do you dance when nobody's watching?
Yes and, let me just say, you don't know what your missing.

Whose your loudest friend?
I tend to stay away from loud people – they stress me out

Whats the best food combo?
There are so many great duos out there: chips and salsa/guacamole, chili (or some other thick soup) and cornbread, peanut butter and honey, chocolate and orange, GG's homemade ice cream and chocolate sauce...

What song do you want played at your funeral?
I would like it to be a medley of Michael: start out with “Ain't No Sunshine”, then segue into “Never Can Say Goodbye” and end with all of the Mayfield cousins coming walking down the aisle (in black choir robes) singing “Will You Be There” as a choir (in white robes) does back up from on stage – Meagan can do the speaking bit at the end of the song. And last but not least, a solo by Carter of “When Jesus Washed” to end it all. I wish I could be around to hear/see it all. It will be a great event – make sure you're there!


***Tag the top 5 people that are most likely to respond to this & all your dreams will come true***

1.Meagan – the virtual gauntlet has been thrown down.

2.Chelsea – she's always up for a survey

3.Erin – ditto

4.Boothe – potential survey do-er

5.I'm not sure who else reads this who would do it : maybe Teresa?

Benny, man, this pop ain't workin...

If I know my family, which I do, I expect that all of you just finished that quote (or at least know what it is from). Needless to say, today has been quite warm. I've spent the day in my room working on papers (for the most part). I just wanted to show you what I did yesterday morning:
I rearranged all of my furniture! Now I feel like my room is more "home-y" and less "dorm-y"

I realize these aren't the best pictures but as I do not have a fish-eye lens, they will have to do. (Find yourself in the pictures like Where's Waldo- if you don't see yourself its your fault for not sending me a Christmas card!)

I inherited this bookshelf and had no wall space for with my room set up as it was. Also, I had no bedside table and was really wanting something to set my clock, Bible and whatnot on - enter bookshelf. In true former Interior Design student fashion, I sketched out several different options before choosing this one. That was the easy bit. Then I had to move everything by myself. I'm happy to report no injuries, and even more impressive, no broken furniture. Well, just thought I'd show you so you know where I am now when I write (sitting at my desk, of course). So long, fare well... 

i cheated...(i mean tried hard)

I've just finished reading ALL of the notes that all of you sent in or wrote in the precious journal that Chels put together. I can't tell you how much it means to me to have your love and support. I willingly admit to weeping while reading it - tears of love, not sadness. I know I'm exactly where I'm meant to be. Even though it is hard not being there especially when I know you are all having fun with Dale. I hate not being there to do everything with you but I'm not at all sad about being here - I want you to know that. I'm not homesick in the "get me home right now"sense but the "I miss that but I'm glad I am where I am" sense. It is a new kind of homesickness for me. In Abilene I experienced the former - despite being surrounded by family. I guess it really does make a difference when you KNOW you're where God wants you to be. I just wanted to say a quick "Thank You" to everyone for writing those messages. I literally read every. single. one. I know I will forget and re-read and be touched by all of them again as I come across them while writing. You are the truly the best. I am so thankful for each and everyone one of you (even the ones who don't/won't read this!) I don't think I could do this without you. You are a part of why I am here. You are my support system that is built on His foundation. Without Him, there would be nothing. Without you, there would be no home built on that foundation. I love you all dearly and hope that one day, I will be able to give you each a fraction of the support you have freely given to me. Okay, the tears are threatenig to come again so I'm going to sign off. The Lord bless you and keep you...(sing with me) 

A Busy Weekend:

I had quite a weekend. I was gone all day both Friday and Saturday and then made myself get some work done on Sunday (at least until church). On Friday, I met a few friends from church at a Food and Wine Festival around 10:30 in the morning. Amy, from church, had gotten half price tickets so four of us went and tasted wines, coffees and food. It was really fun and nice hanging out with people from church. We ended up staying at the festival (I guess it was really a convention, since it was at the convention center, but who cares. Right?) until after 5:00. We left and headed back to Amy's house where they had met to ride together. We went in to get something to drink (water) and relax for a bit. After about 10 minutes of our being there, Amy's brother came in from work and said that he and a friend were going up to Hillsong Brisbane for the Friday service if anyone wanted to go. I didn't have any plans, nor did Des, so we both decided to join them. We all rode together and went to the service. Afterwards, we went to eat at the Vietnamese restaurant where we had eaten last time I went to Hillsong. (Did I talk about that? I can't remember.) Anyways, Dan (Amy's brother) was in the group that went last time and suggested eating at the same place because it was really good and inexpensive. And you can pretend that you are actually in Vietnam because everyone else around is Vietnamese. So that was my Friday - a fairly full day if you ask me.

Saturday morning I was picked up at 8:30 to meet some of the church group to go down to Byron Bay for the day. I think around 15 people ended up coming (I'm not entirely sure of the number). It rained on us on the way down and a bit once we got there but then it cleared (with some scattered showers later on). We ate lunch as soon as we got there and then the guys and the youth group people went down for a swim and to play beach cricket. Amy and I, along with two other girls, opted to walk around the town instead. I knew Amy and I had friendship potential but the fact that she didn't even bring a bathing suit (or a cozzie, bathers or togs, depending on who you ask and where they're from) to a beach day really sealed the deal. So the four of us spent a few hours looking in stores and then sat at a coffee shop and talked for a while. After a while, the guys were ready to leave the beach so we all headed up to a lighthouse in Byron that is the easternmost point in Australia. It had been raining off and on all day but had cleared at that point and it was just stunningly beautiful. See for yourselves:

the view from one side of the lookout point

the lighthouse (and a bit of the lighthouse-keeper's house)

with Amy (and the lighthouse) - by the way, is it just me or does she look like Meredith? Just a bit?

they are a bit far away but there are a few people fishing and at least one guy surfing

the smallish dot in the center is a hang-glider who had just taken off from the platform on the right side of the photo about 1/4 way up

After walking out to the easternmost point, we all headed back. Once we were back at the meeting point (McDonald's), we decided to get Thai take-away and rent a movie and head to Amy and Dan's house for dinner and a movie.While we were waiting for our food, a couple of the guys who had been to Byron with us came in and decided to join us for dinner/movie night. There were seven of us total. We had dinner outside at the table on the porch and visited for a while before settling in for the movie (The Proposal). Another great day and night of fellowship.

Sunday I worked on my assignments and decided last minute to completely change one of them - yeah...way to go Bailey, just give yourself more work. I just wasn't feeling completely confident in my first choice and I think it ended up being better but only time (and the grade) will tell. After church (where we watched the movie "Faith Like Potatoes") I went to coffee and dinner with the church group.

Monday I spent the morning finishing up my assignment and then had a bit of a time trying to get it printed off and turned in. What should have taken 15-20 minutes ended up taking well over an hour. I went up to campus and knew that I needed to buy a stapler to staple my assignment together. I got to the counter to pay and my card was declined. Twice. Interesting because it is a debit card and I have plenty of money. I didn't have quite enough cash but the woman let me take it anyways. So after that fun beginning, I went to the lab to print everything off. However, I got there and didn't have enough money on my print account. So, I tried to add money but, again, my card was declined. At this point, frusteration was really setting in and annoyance was running high. I walked back across campus to see if I could get cash out of the ATM. Thankfully, and oddly enough, that worked. Then I was able to go to the library and add money to my account and print everything off and take it to turn it in. There was yet another issue when turning it in because the mailbox I was supposed to put it in was no longer there. Thankfully, the secretary was there and took it. And that is why you don't wait to the last minute. That night we were having dinner together as a house for Dale's last night living here. It was my task to plan and make dinner. I couldn't decide what to make but, after making sure that he was feeling adventurous, I decided to make fish tacos. Yup. I'm determined to bring Mexican food to Australia. I made them with shark fillet (some sort of white fish) and made mango salsa, guac, salsa, cabbage lime slaw and refried black beans (a wonderful discovery that costs over $4 a can). It turned out really well and there were literally no left overs. For dinner it was Bella (just moved in about two weeks ago), Sue, Dale, Mark (Dale's friend) and myself. After dinner a couple more of Dale's friends (Carl and Sequoia) came by just in time for dessert. I had used a cake mix that Dale had and made chocolate cake-brownies (with orange juice and rum for good measure). However, I was a bit unsure of how they would turn out so I asked Sue to get some bananas and ice cream just in case. Well, I ended up making bananas foster (now my signature dish - I'm considering opening a banana stand) and put a piece of the cake in the bowl along with ice cream. I would call it a success since the guys were licking the bowls, as well as the pan I made it in. Afterwards we played a game that Dale made. We all had a great time.

sorry to cut it off but my computer is being ridiculous

Aussie Aussie Aussie...

As I write this, I am sitting in my room with the window open and the fan on - it's hot here today (not to rub it in for those of you who are freezing). Yesterday (January 26) was Australia Day here - my first national holiday. It's like 4th of July except no fireworks - well, they had fireworks in Sydney and Perth and maybe other major cities but not here. Everyone had the day off and there was a BBQ with the church in the afternoon/evening. Everyone brought their own food and just set up chairs and stuff in a park and visited. There are a few traditional Australia Day foods like lamingtons (sponge cake squares dipped in chocolate and covered in coconut) and damper (apparenty a bush "bread" thing made of just flour and water and cooked over an open fire - I never saw any, though). I took my camera but forgot to take any pictures. I'll try harder to remember next time. I'm really enjoying getting to know the people at the church -I've met some great people. This Saturday there is a group from church going to Byron Bay, which is about an hour and 1/2 drive away. I'm not completely sure what is there but I plan on finding out.

I finished my last course on Sunday so I don't have to go on campus anymore and I have more control over my time. However, I still have to do all of my assessments and because I have no set schedule, it is far too easy for me to procrastinate. Please pray that I will have the focus to get everything done before mom and dad get here - that is my goal. I have to do 5 assessments before that point and at least 3 of them are 2000-3000 words. I'm going to have to learn to manage my time well. I guess it's not that much different than doing the online classes, in terms of actually making myself work. You'll be able to tell if I am procrastinating by how often I update the blog. If I am on here a lot in the next few weeks, I'll need you all to keep me accountable and tell me to get my stuff done. I'm actually putting off work at the moment...I should probably get back to it.

*By the way, the title of this one is actually a chant that they do and when you say "Aussie Aussie Aussie" other people respond with "Oi Oi Oi". Just a fun bit of Aussie-ness in honor of the holiday.

i am...a work in progress

Isn't it great to see the subtleties and intricacies of God's plan that He has been working on? I have been thinking about this today. As you know (well, you may not), I have been taking Teaching English as a Second Language courses over the past few weeks (not including the previous month of online classes). I knew when I went to Italy that it was something I was supposed to do. I had a great peace about it. However, I didn't know how or when it would play a greater role in the overarching story that is my life (other than the living overseas experience itself and the great friendship that came out of it). This week, I have received confirmation again, which I guess would be reaffirmation, that it's all part of God's plan for me. In these courses, I have been able to draw on that experience of learning another language in an intensive setting, in the "target language" country and culture. I have used my experiences to reflect on what the English learner will be feeling in my class (assuming that I get a job teaching English as a Second Language). It didn't hit me until today how, without that experience, I would be completely lost. However, because I've had that experience, I am able to not only empathize with the learner but also to come up with positive and negative aspects of my language learning and either change them or implement them in my own class. It is like watching that man with the beard on PBS (you know, old what's-his-name) painting a picture and adding "happy colors" where you don't think they should be - you focus on every one of the brushstrokes, thinking "that is not going to look right" but when you step back, you can see the painting as a whole and understand why everything went where it did. Such is life. (I know, I know, I've become so philosophical - or at least pseudo-philosophical). I was just struck by the awesomeness of His plan today that I thought I would share it with you. God doesn't use a plan B, He doesn't need one. There is only one plan, plan A. For all the times I've wondered why I am doing something or where I am being lead, this is a great affirmation of being on the right path. I feel really at peace with where I am at the moment and it's just a great feeling. I realize that this feeling won't last forever, so I am trying to soak it up and store it for when I am feeling not-so-at-peace or anxious, which is bound to happen at some point - such is life. Anyways, just wanted to share that with ya'll (isn't that just a great word: ya'll - I love it. I think it's fantastic).

In other news: I don't think that I have mentioned this before but Dale is moving out in February and a young married couple is moving in. Last night we had dinner with them to get to know them a bit before they move in. It was supposed to have been everyone but Vivian has already left on holiday to China and Emma had to work late and couldn't make it either. It ended up being just Sue, Dale, Jono & Sarah, and me. It was good though - got to meet them and know them a little bit. They are both around 22 and he is getting his Bachelor's degree in Primary Education and she is a hairdresser. I think we'll have fun with them being here. Also, another Chinese girl, Bella, is moving in to the last spare bedroom this weekend. Once everyone is all moved in there will be 7 people living here. I think it will be good though...at least I hope so.

Not much else has been happening other than my courses and other school based things. I have one more weekend of classes and then I am finished with the on-campus bit of the courses. Then I will just have to do all of the assignments (ie: papers, lesson plans, etc). It will still be busy for a little while longer but at least I will have more control over my time and can do things on my own schedule, which will be nice. I am looking forward to that. It doesn't feel like it has been three weeks of straight classes but it has been a complete blur. I can't seem to remember what we talked about in which class and which assignment is for which class.

There isn't much else to talk about or update ya'll on so I will leave you with a picture, because a picture is worth a thousand words. I think this one speaks volumes:

  

Happy First 11 Days of 2010!

I know its been 11 days since I last wrote but the past week (+) has been a bit busier but not really with anything super exciting. I had my first on-campus class last Monday (the 4th) and since then have been in class most of the time. I kept meaning to post that you probably wouldn't hear from me much during January and February but never did remember/have time to until now. My class schedule is pretty intense and I only have one day off after each course. My first course was from 9:30-4:30 Monday thru Thursday and my second course was the same on Sat-Sun. I had Friday off and today, which is Monday (just in case you weren't following along). I have another course that begins tomorrow and goes through Saturday, Sunday is my day off, and then I have Monday-Wednesday, two days off (woohoo!), and then Sat-Sun again. And then I get to do all of my assignments/papers. So, needless to say, you won't hear much from me for a little while. Not that there is much to tell when I am either in class or working on class or relaxing because I've just come from class.
I have added a few pictures from New Year's Eve but they are not really the best. I just had a little digital camera and they don't usually take the best night shots but here they are anyways:

 

My First 11 Days of 2010: (if you want, you can sing it in your head (or aloud) with the tune to The 12 Days of Christmas)

On the first day of 2010 this is what I did: bought a local phone
On the second day of 2010 this is what I did: went window shopping
On the third day of 2010 this is what I did: church at Hillsong Brisbane
On the fourth day of 2010 this is what I did: started class on campus
On the fifth day of 2010 this is what I did: had a housemate dinner
On the sixth day of 2010 this is what I did: got out of class early
On the seventh day of 2010 this is what I did: took a test and passed it (hopefully!)
On the eighth day of 2010 this is what I did: skyped with the family
On the ninth day of 2010 this is what I did: started my second course
On the tenth day of 2010 this is what I did: went out after church
On the eleventh day of 2010 this is what I'll do: shopping with new friends!
(If you must have it even, I can tell you what tomorrow looks like: On the twelfth day of 2010 this is what I'll do: start 3rd course)

So as you can see, not too much has transpired over the past 11 days but in case you were interested, now you know.