Road trip!

Just in case curiosity was getting the best of you...I thought I would post a picture or two of Chris and me. He will be leaving on Wednesday to go home to Tennessee for a month until he starts his new job here in Fayetteville. And actually...I probably won't see him for about two months, because I'll be gone when he gets back. Which....is what the rest of my blog will be about!


I don't think I've stopped thinking about the upcoming time with Willemijn/road trip/Kristina's wedding/potentially seeing EVERYONE I love and miss back in Texas, Oklahoma, and Missouri! I'm down to 5 weeks before Willemijn gets here. And I just found out that my freshman roommate, Kara, will be at the wedding! I'm so excited! So...with my excitement out in the open....here's my plan thus far...

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&ie=UTF8&ll=34.813803,-90.263672&spn=15.952883,29.619141&z=5&om=1&msid=111610438810755447929.00043f4b3a5e80f6bfc20

Willemijn and I will leave from Fayetteville and drive to Atlanta, GA on our first day. Our short-term goal is to spend New Year's Eve in New Orleans, and Atlanta seemed to be the "coolest" mid-way point to stop at on the way. From Atlanta, we'll drive to New Orleans and spend two nights there, ringing in the new year! After leaving New Orleans, we'll head to Dallas, and will spend 2 nights there (hopefully with some friends!). Willemijn will fly out of Dallas on January 4, and then I will head to Wichita Falls for Kristina's wedding! After the wedding, I'll drive to OKC to pick up all the belongings I left behind when I moved to Eindhoven, and spend a few days catching up with friends there. When I leave OKC, I'll more than likely head to Missouri to visit my long-lost friend, Teresa, for a night. The rest of the trip home is a bit shady, possibly including a visit to my brother and/or grandparents before getting back to Fayetteville. I'm extremely excited...and it'll be a LOT of driving...but I'm trying to chop it up a bit so it's not so bad! Am I crazy or what?

Chugging along

It didn't hit me until last night that there are only 2 weeks until Thanksgiving. And after that...Christmas is right around the corner! And then Willemijn comes! Hallelujah!

Well...both jobs are treating me fairly well. I can't say I'm getting used to the alarm going off at 6:30 every morning...but I CAN say that I haven't been late yet. And that's an achievement even I didn't think I could master! My boss and I get along great, and the other professors in the department seem to like having me around. Just an hour ago, Dr. Walker (who couldn't stand the secretary before me) brought me some homemade cookies, making sure I understand that "no cookies have ever been brought to this office before!". So things are going well! I like the job a lot! And Red Robin continues to keep me busy at night. I just look forward to the day when I don't have to rely on tips to get me through the month!

Chris is doing great, as well. He gets out of the army tomorrow and couldn't be more excited. He was planning on going to school in Tennessee to work on his master's degree in January, but the doctor told him he probably shouldn't consider going back to school until next fall. So Chris has accepted a job here in Fayetteville, until he can go back to school. He'll be leaving in two weeks to go stay with his parents for a month in Tennessee, then will be back to start work at the beginning of January. It sure will be weird not having him around for a month! But I'm sure *hope* I'll stay busy enough not to think about it too much!

Willemijn is coming!

In the midst of my crazy working schedule...I have a single/solitary thought that keeps me going. Willemijn bought a plane ticket to come see me!!! Yippee!!!! We've been talking about it for months, and now it's finally going to happen! She'll be flying in December 23, and will fly back on January 4. I am planning the most fun-filled 2 weeks she's ever had! We'll be taking a 4 day road trip from North Carolina to Texas, stopping in New Orleans for New Year's Eve. I'm so excited!! It will be so great to have a road trip better and even better to show her what my life is like in the states.

And by that point, I KNOW I'll be more than ready for some time off work!

Can't wait to see you, Willemijn!

Working Girl

Since I sit at a computer all day long now....I see no reason not to make more frequent updates!

The past 3 days of my new job have been...well...quite fun! I get to the office at 8am...which is approximately 1-2 hours before my boss gets in...and a good 15-30 minutes before the other secretaries arrive (from what I have observed). I usually take an hour lunch break...but on days that I have to work at Red Robin, I work through lunch, so I can get off in enough time to change clothes and head to my second job! I'm actually really happy to have my body on a regular sleeping/eating schedule again. Before...I just kind of slept and ate around my crazy waitressing shifts. But now I have more of a routine...it's nice!

Chris (the guy I'm dating) is doing surprisingly well. I picked him up from the hospital on Sunday night...went grocery shopping for him...and pretty much "made" him stay with a friend from church for a few nights. No way I was going to let him stay at his house alone!! Haha...I know I'm driving him crazy. If I see the slightest bit of pain in his expression, I quickly ask him what's wrong and what I need to do to make things more comfortable for him. He was given strict instructions from the doctor not to be around loud noises, stressful situations...needs to take his meds EXACTLY on time, and can't eat or drink anything cold. So despite his ability to get around quite well...I refuse to let him drive (I kind of took possession of his truck!)...won't let him stay by himself...and monitor the temperature of every drink he drinks! He even heated up orange juice in the microwave last night. Ewwwwwwwww!

I'm not a quitter!

A bit behind? I think so!!

Allow me to give the quick and most recent update of my life....as I'm sure the storybook length of the time passed since my last post is of little interest!

I was offered a "recruiting clerk" position at the US Census Bureau about a month ago...which I eagerly took, since I had not heard anything back about the position at Fayetteville State University I had applied for over 3 weeks earlier. I assumed they had found someone else to fulfill the position. I went in for training on a Friday...spent the morning meeting my new co-workers, getting the royal tour, and devouring tons of information. Our boss sent us to lunch at 12:30...and just as I was walking out the door...my phone rang. I didn't recognize the number, but answered it anyway. Low and behold...FSU was on the other end, officially offering me the position of Administrative Assistant in the Business and Economics Department. The coversation (on my end) went something like this:

"You've got to be kidding me! I just started a new job this morning! I can't believe this. I can't go back and quit after I've just begun! That's not the type of person I am! Wait...how much are you offering again? And that includes benefits? When can I start????"

Sooooo....that was funny....and awkward! I spent my lunch break running over to FSU to sign my contract, and then got back to the US Census Bureau to quit. How embarassed I was doing that! They were really sweet about it...but I know they had to have put my name on a "DO NOT CALL" list. Haha...oh well.

The downside is that there were complications with figuring out which budget my position would come out of...and it took them about a month to get it worked out! So I just began working there this past Friday. The other downside is that I missed the last pay period by one day....and won't recieve my first check until December 15th. Ugh! So in order to maintain my bills....I'm staying on 5 nights a week at Red Robin....at least for the next 8 weeks. So now I have a "professional, career-oriented" job 8-5, Monday-Friday, and a job that requires you to only be 17 years of ago every night (except Wed. and Sundays!) from 5-11:30pm. And a life? Oh...you noticed I don't have time for that, too, right??!!

In other news...I have been dating a guy from church for the past 3 months. I have chosen not to mention him in my former posts...just in case you were wondering if you missed something! However...2 days ago he found out that he had to have emergency brain surgery today at Walter Reed hospital from an injury he sustained after jumping out of a plane (while in the army) a year a half ago. Given my new job and financial status, I was unable to travel there to be with him, and was a total wreck all day yesterday! He was flown by helicopter to the hospital this morning, where a doctor he had never met was going to perform a relatively new surgery over a nerve-wracking 5 hour time period. Allow me to reiterate how impatient I can be at times! And today was one of those days! I spent the entire time trying to keep myself busy (which wasn't too hard when I was scheduled at work)...but continuously checked my phone every 15 minutes. The doctor was given my phone number (along with his parents) to call if anything went wrong. So no news was good news! Around 8:40pm, I saw I had a voicemail and sprinted to the back of the restaurant to see who it was from. How could I have missed it?? I was shocked to see the call had come from his cell phone, and he left a message saying that he was doing fine and the doctor had said the surgery went well. Whew. I think I relaxed for the first time in 3 days when I heard that. I talked to his mother a few minutes later, and called to give my own parents the update. I was able to talk to him later in the night and find out a few more details of how things had gone. He sounds great, and I'm so relieved that everything went well. The doctor is actually releasing him sooner than we thought...and I'll have the pleasure of taking care of him in his home. So when I'm not at either job...I'm pretty sure I'll be playing doctor for the next couple weeks! Who needs sleep????

Okay...that's all for now, folks! Other than the fact that I've gone to the gym and worked out 5 times this week....yay me!

Vacation Time!

I am leaving to drive to Florida for a week-long vacation in about an hour...so I thought I would pass the remaining time by writing a quick update on my life!

Tonight at work, I had a table with 2 girls from the UK. Immediately, their accents took me back to Europe. I forgot everything else I was doing, and spent a good 10-15 minutes talking to them about what they were doing here, and where they were from. They are here with a group of 15 or so other students to teach. We found it funny that I had traveled over there to teach, and they had traveled over here to do the same! I can't tell you how exciting it was to hear those strong British accents again, and listen to them talk about the different cultural things of America that I once found so strange myself while living in the Netherlands. I didn't expect them to tip, though...as that's one of those "things" you aren't required to do in Europe (and they've been here less than a month). But they did...and I had a great time talking to them. Ultimately...I truly desire to go back. Not necessary to the Netherlands...but back overseas. I crave the adventure, the daily challenge of learning the culture and demands of picking up on the language. So if you hear of an opportunity...doing anything...let me know! I'm on the lookout!

So as far as the job situation here goes...a man from church called me one morning last week and said that a friend of his had a job position open up for Administrative Secretary in the Business and Economics department at Fayetteville State University, and he thought I would be perfect for the job. So an hour later, I found myself in his friend's office, applying for the job! Our personalities seemed to click right away, and she was anxious to get the paperwork done, so that I could start. The university told her, however, that she would have to officially announce that the position was available before she could hire me. So having turned in all the necessary paperwork....they told me it would take a few days to process everything, after the position had been declared "available". I'm going to wait until I get back from Florida, though...until I check on the status. But if that worked out...it would be fantastic! It kind of just seemed to fall in my lap!

Well...Charity and Eric finally got back to Germany. Her husband was awful glad to see them...but it's kind of quiet and lonely again here. No more babies to play with during the day. Kinda sad. However...we got his 7 month pictures taken....he's the most handsome baby I know!! I love these pictures!! I miss him terribly. I can't imagine how big he will be the next time I get to see him! :(

Welp....I better make sure I have all my things packed. I'll be gone for a week, and will be sure to post all about it when I get pack...pictures included! Love you guys!

God's Plan vs. Mine

My mother mentioned to me a week or so ago....that I tend to plan out my life to a fault. Where I expect certain things to happen in a certain way, without leaving too much room for God's plan for my life. And she's right. Time and time again...I have automatically assumed that certain things would go a certain way...and then been highly discouraged when they don't work out! You'd think I would learn!!

All this to say...I missed passing my teacher certification test by 3 points. While I had been planning on beginning my first year of teaching next month...I was suddenly faced with the reality that that wouldn't be happening. And I hadn't even considered making a "Plan B". I was so embarassed and discouraged by the results...I avoided making this post till now! :) However...I might FINALLY be learning! :) God has a way of making things work out for the best...even when I don't see it! In the past week alone...3 events/opportunities have come up that I would not have been able to participate in if I had signed a teaching contract! I feel so blessed by that! I have decided to substitute teach...and continue waitressing this next year...while seeing what else God has in store for me. I am totally open to any new adventure he throws my way. If teaching wasn't in the plan for me this year (and yes...I will retake the test again in January, so I still have the option of teaching in the future)...then there must be something better!

Anyway...aside from that...life has been pretty uneventful and work-related! I DID get a new haircut today. This Fayetteville summer heat is just killing me! So I decided to go a bit shorter...but I kind of like it! It's new...and fun. And I'm all about change. So here's a photo for your viewing pleasure. :)

That's it for now. Oh yeah...except I wanted to tell all of my Oklahoma/Texas friends that I'll be making a visit in January. So make sure you're in town!

Ouch!

Yesterday morning I had prepared myself breakfast, and was taking it into the living room to join my mom and sister. However, I stopped mid-way, at the stair, to make faces across the room to my nephew, who was sitting on the floor and playing. Focusing more on making Eric laugh, than what I was doing myself....I completely missed the step and fell down. Hard. Thankfully, I saved my breakfast from falling on the floor. Haha! However, my body didn't appreciate me much for that. I was in a tremendous amount of pain. It felt as though I had twisted my left ankle, right knee, and bent all the toes on my right foot back!

A couple of hours and 2 Tylenol later, I realized that I had done more damage to my toes than anything else. Walking was not going so well. My sister looked at them, and concluded that I had broken at least one...if not two...of my toes. I wasn't really worried about the broken toes....as much as I was about the "oh no...I have to work tonight!". I've never called out of work before...I wasn't going to do it now! So Charity taped my toes together (saying she had done this many times before for her husband) and I kept my leg up. I put on my work shoes 3 hours before I was supposed to go into work, just to make sure I could wear them. It hurt. But I was sitll planning on going into work anyway. I could do it!

Haha...yeah right. God had other plans for me. 2 hours before I was supposed to go into work, I got a call from a co-worker needing hours, and wondering if he could take my shift for the night. How crazy is that?? I gladly gave him my shift...knowing I would never make it through the night if I went in....but happy I didn't have to call out! So I spent the rest of the night, with my foot propped up, watching movies. Rather boring...but probably necessary. Today they feel a bit better...I'm getting around okay, anyway!

And while I thought I would get my test results today....it seems the mailman forgot to put them in the mailbox. So hopefully they'll come tomorrow. I'll let you know as soon as I do!

Good Memories!

It's 4am, and I just got off the phone with Willemijn for the second time today. I felt inspired to write down some of my best/funniest memories from the past year in Eindhoven with some of my closest friends today.

*walking in the pouring rain with Willemijn one night...determined to get our pre-scheduled exercise in!

*requiring Willemijn's assistance in getting my beyonce jeans on for the first time ever!! :)

*teaching the "Hippopotamus" song at a girls' youth weekend, and falling down from laughing so hard at their enthusiastic participation

*teaching the church a song (251!) one Wednesday night, and regretting it every time they sang it after that (haha...Bozena knows what I'm talking about!)

*taking a 3 hour walk with Nadine in the mountains of Gemunden, capturing a picture at every turn in the road!

*Nita incorporating the hand signals from the "Mexican train" game into "Get Right Church"

*Paul stating one Sunday morning that he was going to pray in Dutch...then proceeding to pray in English

*stopping a random guy at a restaurant to tell him that he had beautiful eyes...embarassing Willemijn in the process

*constantly asking Willemijn/Nadine/Sheritha "Do you smell that...someone smells good!!?"

*spending hours thinking of/preparing my first vegetarian dinner for Willemijn...then retardly offering her chicken soup to start off the meal!

*receiving a phone call almost daily from Sheritha, asking me if I was watching a certain channel on the TV...and telling me which one I should turn to

*attempting to get to Willemijn's house for the first time, and taking the wrong bus, which put me out of the way for more than an hour

*Nadine attempting to help me out by saying "x-rated" when Hayo tried to kiss me one night!

*trying to decide between "cute-guy" Chinese place and "cheap" Chinese place on Wednesdays with Willemijn

*meeting Arnol...the guy in the wheelchair in the center...for the first time!

Okay....I think that's enough for now. These things just make me smile when I think about the past year. There are SOOOOOO many more.....it's unbelievable. Especially more with Bozena (who I hope is reading this, as well!) and random people (guy in the center who thought Willemijn and Nadine were Americans, while I was Dutch!). :)

If there's anything that is NOT on this list...that makes you smile when you think about it...let me know!

Guitar Hero Champ

Alright....so I just have to brag for a moment. Last night, I went out to dinner with a guy named Anthony, and two of his co-workers. They decided we should eat at a restaurant called "Champs". This particular restaurant is kind a sports bar, with TVs placed throughout the whole restaurant...some channels on baseball, others on soccer. Anyway...we sat down, and noticed gameboxes to play on. On several of the TVs, there was a trivia game you could play against each other. So we all got a gamebox and began playing. It didn't take long before I began feeling good about myself as I got triple the amount of points as Anthony did. He decided shortly thereafter that we should switch to playing "Texas Hold 'Em"....so that he could show off his skills. While I'm not the best at that game, either...I've played it a time or two. So the three of us (Brandon, Anthony, and I) begin playing poker together. I quietly chuckled as my bluffing skills scared these guys into folding their cards and handing over the money they had already placed in bets. Before I knew it, I had robbed them both. It was all I could do to keep from laughing at my luck! As if creaming them both at 2 games wasn't bad enough....

We noticed that there was an Xbox "Guitar Hero" competition scheduled for 9pm. There was a host looking for people to sign up. Never in my life have I played such a game! I got the host to sign Brandon and Anthony up (despite their strong desire NOT to)....laughing the whole time. I thought it was hilarious! Their manhood was in question after being horribly defeated by a GIRL on two other games....so I thought it would help make up for it, if they could show off their talent on a video game. However....the host noticed how much I was harassing both guys, and thought it would be a good idea to put my name on the list, as well. WHAT???!!! I can't do this...I don't play video games....nor have I ever played an instrument!!

Brandon went first....and got a score of over 24,000....with 76% accuracy on hitting the notes. Pretty good, we thought! First place winner would receive a $25 gift certificate to the restaurant...so at least our attempts weren't in vain! A couple other people played....not beating Brandon's score...before Anthony went. Anthony did worse than Brandon...but we were both supportive in cheering him on! LOL Soon enough, it was my turn. I had the game explained to me, and was given one practice round before playing for score. I about peed my pants when I saw that I was actually hitting the right notes. All I could hear was the bartender harassing Anthony behind me about how much better I was doing than him! It took everything I had not to lose concentration on the game to laugh! I ended up with a score of over 26,000, with a 90% accuracy on hitting the notes! I pulled in first place! Anthony and Brandon were not too happy with me...and I just couldn't stop laughing/smiling. It was too funny! It's not as though I planned or practiced this! Just happens to be that my hand/eye coordination is better than theirs! The host was giving everyone a second go-round to beat their first score...but Anthony made us leave before we got a second chance. He was too embarassed to go through it again! Neither of us really cared about the gift certificate....but now I'll never know if I would have won it or not!! I was content enough just knowing that I had schooled two men in 3 games that night. It couldn't have gone any better!! :)

Now I'm thinking of buying this game for home! Anyone want to challenge me??

Simplicity of Life

Princess Charming...you make me smile. :)

There's been many times I've thought about updating this thing...but I don't know what to say! I don't exactly get the chance to travel to France on the weekend....or fly to London for a few days anymore!! My life has been reduced to waitressing and church! I was, however, finally able to take the North Carolina teacher certification test on June 9. I sat next to a guy who had already failed it 5 times...and was on his sixth try!! That made me a bit nervous! The test took over 6 hours (2 parts) and was extremely difficult....so now I'm just hanging out until the results come in on July 11.

So while I'm waiting for my future to start....I've just been working as much as possible! I usually go in everyday, whether I'm scheduled or not. I get too bored sitting at home! I've met all kinds of interesting people at work. Tonight, my last table was a really nice couple. The girl was telling me what a "catch" her boyfriend was.....that he was "cute, funny, nice, sweet...just perfect!". I responded with...."You haven't been together very long, have you???". Hahaha...they laughed...thankfully....and invited me to sit down as they told me their whole love story. It was a nice break from work, and they were both fun to talk to. Work is pretty much my entire social life. Sad, isn't it?

However...there is a couple at church that wants to set me up on a blind date. I've agreed to doing it in a group setting...so the four of us are supposed to meet up for dinner in the next week or two. It'll be my first blind date!!! I'll definitely let you know how that one goes. I'm not getting my hopes up on finding the love of my life...but it should be a good time, nonetheless!

Kids!

I thought I'd post a few pictures to represent my past two weeks...but I don't have all that much to say! I've just been working a lot...nothing too new or exciting to update on! I wrote in my last post about the 3 kids I kept while their parents were in China. Well here they are to the right...Caitlyn, Hunter and Cody. We were at Hunter's baseball game...which they won! On the left is me and Caitlyn in the bleachers eating a blue icee and cheering for Hunter! We made a good team. :) But I'm glad that's over...they about wore me out!

Saturday, I'm on standby to take the North Carolina teacher certification test. I'm a bit nervous about it...but if I'm able to get in, I think it'll be okay. It sure would be nice to have that out of the way!

My sister got in safely yesterday morning, and I've been having a ball with Eric! He's so big! But I'm working on becoming his favorite aunt, so much quality time is being spent with him right now. :)

And randomly...I was driving one day and saw that there was actually a lane for bikes! I found this sooo amusing, so I took a picture for all my Dutch friends. I miss the bike lanes in the Netherlands! Now...although there WAS a bike lane in this particular area...there were no bikes!! Haha...go figure...

My life is pretty boring right now! Anyone want to come for a visit?

Mommy Dearest

I love these journals. And I love your comments! It's nice to reflect back on the things I've been through the past year, and continue to add to all the drama whenever possible. :)

This past and upcoming week are crazy hectic for me! I got asked by a lady at church (that I'd never met before) to keep her 3 kids for 5 days while her and her husband were in China. Well sure....no problem! An 8-year old and twin 5-year olds. They live in this unbelievably big house on the other side of town....in the midst of a golf course and lake. This was going to be fun! Well...most of it, anyway. It's definitely interesting playing "mom". I get the kids up and ready for school at 6:30am (whew...early!), making sure I get Kaitlyn's hair fixed, all the kids their vitamins, and snacks ready for school before they catch the bus at 7:10. Then I'm free again until the mass chaos begins at 3:00pm. Literally...mass chaos. The second they arrive home, I'm signing homework papers, changing Kaitlyn into her ballet outfit, Hunter into his baseball uniform, and trying to keep poor Cody from starving too death. Then we all jump in the suburban and head to Kaitlyn's ballet recital. The boys don't want to stay and watch her, but we don't have enough time to go to the library or park and head back. It's too far away. So instead we take a video to watch in the car while we wait for Kaitlyn. Minutes into ballet practice being over, clothes are flying in the car as Kaitlyn changes back into regular clothes as we drive to the OTHER side of town for Hunter's baseball game. What about dinner? No...I haven't forgotten! A few hotdogs and snowcones at the baseball field tide us over until we're able to make it home and have a real meal. Here I am...in the baseball stands...cheering for an 8-year old that I didn't know 2 days before....as though he's my own! Meanwhile, trying to keep two 5-year olds in eyesight, so they don't run off without me not noticing. Game is over, and everyone piles into the suburban again. The ride home is full of whining and arguing...as it's past their bedtime. But we still have baths to take. Yippee! Just when I think the night is winding down, an argument begins about who is going to sleep with who. In an attempt to be fair, I create a schedule for the following 5 nights I'm going to be there to appease everyone. Ahhh...quiet, at last. Hunter told me before he went to sleep "The first day went exactly like I thought it would. You did alright, but you'll learn as you go!" Hahaha! Thanks, Hunter!! (pictures of the little darlings to come)

I went immediately from keeping the 3 little munchkins, to house-sitting/teen-sitting for another family at church. The parents went to look for a house in Georgia, and I spent the weekend with their two teenage daughters, 5 pets, and quiet house. Just for the record...all this doesn't mean I took time off of work. I worked every day this weekend, as a matter of fact! But this morning at church was a nice break, and we took some pictures together before heading to service. I've been promising to post pictures of my car....so here you have it! I've been driving it for almost 3 weeks now....it's quite nice. I let the girls have a friend stay the night last night....so here is the 4 of us wasting some time in my car before church (we were a surprising 25 minutes early!). At church, I got asked to teach the 2-4 year old bible class on Wednesday nights for the summer. I gladly accepted...but now hope I'm not taking on too much!!

I work a double tomorrow (11am-10pm), then get the 3 kids again for 3 more days (their grandmother had them over the weekend). Then...HOPEFULLY....my sister will be here on Friday! She's supposed to fly in from Germany with Eric. It sure will be nice to take a break and enjoy their company!

Answered Prayers!

Hahha....alright....so who was it? SOMEONE must have prayed for me after reading my last post...because I definitely haven't had time to be lonely since then! :)

I wrote that post last Wednesday, I believe...only to go to church and be given two dinner invitations for the following two nights. Unfortunately, I had to turn them down because I was working the next 5 nights! Work has been going really well, though! I'm truly enjoying the customers, and have met some awesome people! Monday night, after work, I went out with a co-worker just to hang out. And then last night...one of my other co-workers asked me over for dinner. After dinner, we went out for the most amazing (and expensive!) ice cream ever (Cold Stone Creamery....the "cookie mintster"....AMAZING!)! To top the week off...I got to talk on the phone with Willemijn for over an hour yesterday! What a fantastic week it's been! Yesterday, I also got a call from a lady at church (whom I met once), who wants me to take care of her 3 kids for 5 days while her and her husband are in China. I'm sure after a few "parent/child" arguments, a couple baseball games, and bedtime stories...I'll be wanting my alone time again. :D So the loneliness part is getting much better....slowly, but surely!

I still crave European moments...and still haven't found anyone I can really talk to about my overseas adventures...but God seems to be working everything else out...I might as well let Him work on that one, too. :)

My brother is coming home next week (with his girlfriend)...and I haven't seen him since Christmas! Then...to add to the family excitement...my sister will be coming with my darling nephew Eric in a few weeks! Around the first of June, I believe! He's a chunky thing...only 5 months old...but so precious! I love him more than I ever thought possible! My sister and brother-in-law took him swimming for the first time last week, and he loved it! I can't wait to see him again!! It seems everyone around me is having babies, too! My college freshman roommate had a baby girl a little over a week ago....my co-hall director at OC is having a girl in about a month...and some friends from high school are coming up on their second child! I'm still working on getting my baby fat off....I can't imagine wanting to add it on at this point! :)

Okay...just wanted you all to know that I'm doing better. Thanks for all your comments, thoughts, and prayers! Love you all!

Re-entry Shock

Okay...so I haven't been 100% honest with you all. Despite the amazing car....new apartment....new job....new haircut....and new, well...life, actually....I haven't been happy. Nor have I been unhappy. I've simply been lonely, and deeply critical of everything around me. I began noticing how much I compare American culture to western European culture...and how much I feel that nobody understands me here. I realized that I would be going through a period of time in which I would experience "re-entry shock" (the adjustment of returning to your native country after living abroad), but I didn't know how long it would last, or how it would effect the people around me.

Yesterday, I recieved a book in the mail from my friend in Australia, called "Cross-Cultural Reentry". Immediately, I sat down...made a cup of Rooibos tea (my ultimate reminder of Holland)...and began reading it. It seemed to come at the perfect time. I spent the following 3 hours reading this book...crying at seeing the written form of my exact feelings, and laughing out of relief that SOMEONE finally "understood" me. Given...it's a book....but it's the first "connection" I've had with "other people" since being home. I didn't feel so lonely in my thoughts and feelings anymore. Here are a few examples of what other people have written about their experience, that parallels my own...

"In *Holland*, there was a touch of something different. There is one pub to every fifty hamburger joints in the United States, but that one pub is better than the fifty put together. Something about living there gives a special flavor to things. You make an occasion of even just walking down to the *centrum*. Yet, though we have so much available in America, it just doesn't seem worth the effort to get away from the tv to see it."

"You simply can't describe the feel of the hot wind on your skin in Sicily or the noise and commotion of traffic in Rome. It just can't be reproduced in conversation. When I try to tell people what it was like, it probably sounds like I just want them to envy me. But it's not that. I just want them to know what I felt, who I am."

There was a day last week...that all I wanted to do was sit on the terrace with Harro again, and talk about our day over a glass of wine. What I wouldn't have given to do that! But here....I can't do that. Aside from wine automatically being associated with drunkenness or other negative results....I have no terrace!! And frankly...Americans are in too much of a hurry to sit down and take time for a friendly recollection of the day's events! I laughed as I read the following in the book...

"I anticipated my adjustment to America to be a snap. After all, I was coming home, right? But America hit me like a tidal wave. As soon as I got off the jetliner at JFK airport, I felt as though I were seeing technicolor for the first time. Someone had also turned up the volume and speeded up the film. America was in a hurry. Whoosh!! Everybody talked, walked, ate as if they were in the prize for the f-a-s-t-e-s-t."

Ha! Amen! My feelings exactly! Why can't we meet somewhere for a glass of iced tea, instead of running through the drive-thru and using our new hi-tech hands-free cell-phone device minutes to catch-up on the day? *sigh*

So...all this to say...my daily comfort comes in the form of a book now, instead of human form. I'm still "me"....just much lonelier and uncertain of my own culture than before. Does any of this make sense?

Traitor

I must confess something. In only a matter of 3 weeks, I have turned against my newly adapted Dutch ways, and chosen to follow a sacred American eating ritual. The temptation of working at Red Robin became too much for me to bear! Serving basket after basket of french fries....with a side of ranch...filled my tastebuds with curiousity! I thought I'd never turn from the wonderful Dutch way of eating fries with mayonnaise. But having been reminded of the rich goodness of fries with American ranch dressing...there's no turning back.

In updates...Friday night's ladies' devotional went really well! I got a lot of comments about my lesson...and we had great discussion and fabulous fellowship together! I really enjoyed myself! I was nervous, at first...because I realized that I was, in fact, the youngest, and only single woman there...and I wasn't 100% comfortable "teaching" woman who knew more about the subject than I did! But their attitude, comments, and non-verbal support made me feel comfortable within the first 2 minutes of my "talk". I couldn't have asked for a better turn-out!

So I get my certification as a waitress at Red Robin on Monday night! This week of traning has been INSANE!! I had no idea what went into becoming a waitress. I hope you all appreciate your waitresses when you go out to eat. They work hard! But I'm excited...I think I'm going to really enjoy this job! Not to mention...I've been able to meet a lot of people through work. So now my social network is growing. :) And you all know how much I love meeting people! AND...haha...my favorite part of working there are the birthdays! When a customer comes in, and has a birthday...we make them a free birthday sundae, and sing them a song! I absolutely LOVE singing (also known as embarassing!) to the customers! It's so fun to see their reactions! :)

I get my Benz tomorrow or Tuesday...finally! Pictures WILL be posted as soon as that transaction is complete! Got my hair cut and highlighted...which it was needing desperately! I think it helps me look a BIT more mature, anyway! LOL ...I say that, only because I had 3 people at church tell me I looked 19. A compliment? I'm not sure! But I'm attempting to at least look old/mature enough to get hired as a teacher in the fall! This picture was taken the day I got it cut...but actually...you can't really tell at all from the picture! But when I blow-dry it straight, and I'm not standing in the sunlight like that....it looks completely different. :) Take my word for it!


Tonight is small group...and I've gotta get the house in order before everyone shows up! Update more later!

Nooo....I'm STILL not married!!

I'm beginning to rethink my future teaching career.

I had the pleasure of filling in this morning as the K-1 bible class teacher. Me against nine 5 and 6 year olds. Not too bad...considering I will be having at least double that amount in my class in a few months...right?? Most of these kids don't know me....as I'm only in my third week at church....so they were curious about my life. Here's how the conversation went:

1st kid: Miss Amber, are you married?

Me: No, I'm not married.

2nd kid: How old are you?

Me: 24 years old

ALL 9 kids in UNISON: WHOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAA

Me: *Laughs in surprise*

3rd kid: And you're STILL NOT MARRIED??? My momma's 28, and been married a LONG time!

Me: *Laughs due to my speechlessness*

I never considered myself to be "old". And DEFINITELY not past my marriage peak. LOL Kids have a funny way of looking at things. It made me laugh a lot....but then made me realize I should make sure my self-esteem is in tact before I begin a full-time teaching career. :)

Anyway....I've realized how much I'm still in the Nederlands mindset lately. Last night, I went to the movies with 4 girls from the youth group, and was 1)surprised to find no subtitles on the movie screen, and 2)shocked I could understand what people were saying about the movie around us! Then today...I needed to run by Wal-mart for something, and thought to myself "Wait...I can't! It's Sunday...the stores will be closed!" Haha....wow. Wal-mart NEVER closes. Nice one, Amber.

So I begin my training for Red Robin tomorrow...should be a professional waitress in about 2. :) I'm starting to help out with activities with the youth group at church...going to Carowinds on Saturday as a chaperone...and have been asked to lead a devotional at "Ladies, Faith, and Stuff" this Friday. At the last one they had...there were 41 women in attendance. Yikes! Nerve-wracking! I hope I do okay! I've never led a devotional in front of women older than me. Am I really an adult now??? I'm having a hard time coming to terms with that idea! Where has time gone???

It's raining blessings!

I'm telling you...Helen Street Church of Christ members are pieces of gold. I don't know if it has to do with the fact that my father is the preacher...but God has blessed my life so abundantly through these people....and I don't even know most of their names!!!

In the past WEEK alone....someone has helped me find out that I can begin teaching in a public school this next school year (YAY!!)....someone literally handed me the keys to one of their cars for me to use until my Mercedes is ready (and I didn't even know their name!)....3 other families have asked me to house-sit for them....at LEAST 3 people have handed me information on available job opportunities....another family has asked me to tutor their 7 year old son....an elder's wife has asked me to contact a non-Christian to encourage them to come to church....another elder's wife brought me a Starbuck's coffee on Sunday morning....and ANOTHER church member has recruited 2 of his employees at work (as well as himself) to help me and my roommate move into our new apartment on Thursday. U-N-BELIEVABLE! I did nothing to deserve all this trust...all this love. I am dumb-founded. Literally. What an amazing group of servants. They have not ceased to impress me since I've gotten here!

With that said...I think I've applied to at least 20 jobs! Anywhere from an Administrative Assistant to Barnes and Noble and everything in-between. It became complicated when I realized that I will be quitting whatever job I get in 3 months to become a teacher! Not every employer wants to hear that. :( I am actually hoping to get on at Red Robin. It may sound silly...but I've always wanted to be a waitress...and they sure can make a lot of money! I went in today for an interview...was asked to come back on Friday for an hour of "trial"...and will find out by Saturday if I'm hired or not. The people there are fabulous...it's a 3-minute drive from my new apartment...and is something I'll actually enjoy doing! I also have an interview tomorrow at noon for another nanny position. It's something I would also enjoy doing...but the hours are awkward...and it would be much more difficult for me to quit in 3 months. But I'm keeping my options open. I know God will put me where he needs me!

On another note....my friend, and new roommate, Rachel is totally awesome! Not only does she have a rather wide collection of movies (I LOVE movies!)...but she created this surprisingly accurate 3-D floor plan of our new apartment on the SIMM's game! How cool is that?? And yes...we got the apartment shown in my former post. An 1188 sq. ft....2 bedroom, 2 bath...full kitchen...patio....all brand new appliances (including washer and dryer!)....tennis courts...swimming pool....24-hour access gym....gated community....what else could you need?? We were so impressed with the place....and the staff! Higher priced apartment, for sure....but if I get on at Red Robin...finances shouldn't be a problem at all! The layout on the right is exactly how our apartment is set up....although the carpet isn't green!! You can click on the pic to see it better for yourself! You are all invited, any time you want....just come on over! I will take more pictures on Thursday, to give you a better idea! I'm so excited!!

Okay...I think that's it for now. Hopefully, the next time I write...will be with a new apartment and new job!! Keep your fingers crossed!!

I don't wanna grow up!

This past week has brought exciting news and some fun times!

On Wednesday, I got a call from one of my high school friends, letting me know that she was going to be transferred for her work to my city! Exciting! I haven't seen her in at least 5 years...and she asked if I wanted to live with her. Now before you jump to assumptions...living with my parents has been going surprisingly well! But there is just this side of me that desires to be truly independent and be able to take care of everything on my own. Is it realistic? No. Is it smart? Probably not. Is that going to keep me from doing it? Not a chance! :) So she (Rachel is the one on the right...in Times Square, too!) is going to be coming down this week, and we're going to look at an apartment together. We've already got one picked out...as shown to the right...is ready for immediate move-in...and is in a great location! She will be transferring here on May 1...so things are moving fast! I'm not 100% sure I'll be able to live with her until August (due to my outstanding financial status!)...but we're just going to have to see what happens. Either way...May or August...she's leaving the spot open for me!

Anyway....aside from that fun surprise...I turned 24! Today, in fact...for those of you that were kind enough to remember. :) Friday, one of the girls from church that I have only known a week picked me up, took me out to lunch, and took me shopping for my birthday! It was fantastic! I barely know this girl, and she was determined to make my birthday a joyous one. And she did good! :) Then yesterday at church, they all sang to me, and today was more of a family day. Dad grilled HUMONGOUS steaks...which we had with baked potatoes, salad, and carrot cake (do they have that in Holland?). It was amazing. And I'm sure I'll pay for it tomorrow....lol...but right now I feel pretty good.

I got an email from one of my students, asking me to put more pictures from America up on my blog. Lol...funny thing is...I don't even think about it! But he's right...I should! So I'm going to attempt to be more mindful of taking pictures when I'm out doing something....even if I don't personally think it's that interesting. For starters, though...I was going through Rachel's pictures and found this! The Nederlander Theatre...in New York! Anybody else know about it?? Not me! She saw the musical "Rent" there...and loved it. So I'm assuming it's a pretty good place. :) If you look closely...or click on the picture to make it better...you can actually see the words. I thought it was cool! Guess it's about time I take a trip to New York!!

And a quick update on the job status and car....

It seems I will definitely begin teaching in the fall...now I'm just looking for that filler-in job until then. The nanny job is still a possibility...but I'm continuing to look around for something else. Getting the car has been delayed...which has delayed my job search possibilities. As soon as I get those keys...I'm gonna be applying like crazy! Right now I'm just online everyday, looking for possibilities...and talking to as many people as I can! I just have to continue looking...and be patient!!

References please?

Before I go into the mesh of jobs I've been applying for...I had the most fabulous day yesterday!

As most of you know...my father is a preacher. But not JUST a preacher. He's great. His lessons are energetic, passionate, realistic...and in English! Ha! Unbelievable that I took that one for granted for 23 years! :) And I'm not just biased, either. I've lived in Oklahoma for 5 years....Eindhoven for 1...and been to many different churches. Never have I listened to another preacher that has been able to make each lesson applicable to my own life like my dad does. I say this because I was at church for 4 1/2 hours yesterday morning...and enjoyed it! At our church, they have two worship services in the morning. One at 8:30, bible class at 9:45, and second service at 10:45. I was ready for church at 7:50.....7:50!! Haha...I don't think I've ever been ready that early in the morning for anything. :) But considering I don't have my car yet...I had to ride to church with my parents. They told me....and continue to let me know....that they don't expect me to attend both services. But surprisingly enough....I want to! Aside from the fact that I think a preacher's family should be visibly supportive of him while he's preaching....I get to meet everyone in the church and go through it all twice! Same songs, same sermon....Lord Supper two times. So if I missed anything the first time through...I'm bound to catch it by the second time! ;) And 4 hours after we got home, we had about 20 church members in our home for a small group bible study. I'm loving it! It's encouraging, it's personable...it's just what I needed!

Anyway...on to my future career! It's been a crazy day today. On Saturday, I called to inquire about a nanny position, but had to leave a message. Last night, I spent about an hour filling out an application to be a substitute teacher. This morning, I went to take a skills test for a Census Bureau job (and scored one of the highest in the group), and then spent the afternoon at Coastal Carpets being trained and getting a feel for the place. Before I left, I was offered a job there. Then about 15 minutes after I arrived home, I got a call from the family seeking a nanny. After talking to the mother...Tara...for 30 minutes...she told me that she wants to hire me....and that she felt at peace talking to me. Believe it or not....she wants ME to decide how much I want to be paid. Ha! She prefers to have a live-in nanny...but will still hire me if I decide to continue to live at home. We're meeting for lunch tomorrow to talk some more and discuss details. She has 3 boys...one 3-year old and 18 month old twins. Aren't they adorable?? I haven't actually accepted any job yet....as I wasn't expecting either of these opportunities to come up so quickly. If I take the Coastal Carpet job...I can start immediately...but a lot of my pay will be based on commission. If I take the nanny job, I won't start until May 1. And it's still very possible that the Census Bureau will call me with an offer after my background check is complete. I've pretty much chucked the substitute teaching application, though. I need a more reliable job to keep that Benz! :)

Life never gives you what you expect....why did I think mine would be any different?? :0)

Un-benz-lievable!

So I'm two days in...still working on unpacking my things, already teaching the K-2nd grade bible class next Wednesday night...and I have a car! Technically, my dad and I have a car together. I don't want to get too excited until the car is actually in our driveway, with keys in hand...but it seems like a pretty solid deal.

We were having difficulty finding any decent cars to check out when dad calls from his office and says that a member of the church has a car that he has been trying to sell for a while. While the asking price is higher than we were originally looking at...the guy agreed to allow me to make payments to him for a year on it. I laughed when I found out what the car was. Not quite what I had imagined for myself. It still hasn't exactly sunk in that I'll be driving it next week, either. The thing is...I haven't actually gotten to see the car yet. So why all the excitement, you may ask? Well...coming from ground zero (financially speaking) after a year in the Netherlands...I had a mental picture of my "ride" for the next year or so. Thought I would add a picture to better explain my former expectations (no..this isn't the car we're buying!!).

But in order to get this other car, my dad had to make a down payment (50% of the asking price)...to which I will then take over monthly payments for a year (totally the other 50%). At the end of the year....as my dad explained to me...the party who decides to keep the car (me or him) will pay the other person the other 50% for the car. So I guess that means we will share joint-custody for a year! :) We should have the car by Monday...as the owner is getting all new tires put on, and an oil-change done this week.

So by Monday...if all goes well...instead of the impressionable car shown up above, I should be driving something similar to this! A 4-door '98 Black Mercedes-Benz...automatic transmission...sunroof...all leather interior....brand new tires...98,000 miles...great gas mileage...fantastic body shape....AM/FM stereo...CD player...power lock/seats/windows....just about everything I didn't imagine having! You can now see why my dad is just as interested in it as I am. :) I will make sure to post pictures of it next week...more than likely with me next to it and keys in hand! Can you believe it? Now it's time to find a job to pay for it!!! Ha!

...and the fun begins!

I'm "home"!!

Alright...so some of you know that I had intended to keep up with this online blog during my year-long stay in the Netherlands. And as you can tell...I came up a bit short at the end. :)

So here is my renewed attempt to keep both my old and new friends up-to-date with my latest...and exciting!....happenings in life.

Packing went much better than I had ever expected it would...I only had to leave behind one thing! I got my long-awaited hug from Sheritha before leaving....said goodbye to my wonderful neighbors....and turned my keys in. Getting the airport was a bit stressful, and delayed...but having Willemijn with me helped keep me calm. Not to mention the 5 SMSs and call I received while en route! I arrived in North Carolina, safe and sound, with two new friends (that I met while flying, of course!), a white chocolate mocha from Starbuck's settling in my stomach, 27 degree Celsius weather, and a continued amazement at myself for not having cried! My parents were eagerly waiting for me when I got there. I had met a guy named David on the last flight, and he was helping carrying my bags when I saw my dad down the hall. I looked at David and said "You know...my parents might be wondering if I brought a boyfriend home that I didn't tell them about.". He said "Well I'd be more than happy to pull off a Dutch accent for them, if you want me to!" We laughed as we approached my dad, and I introduced the two of them. Not that I knew David too well myself!! He's actually an American living in Switzerland right now, back in the states for work for a few days. I love meeting people on flights!!

My parents then took me to this crazy/fun restaurant called "Buffalo Wings Grill and Bar". Tuesday night is their special wings night...and they have 15-17 different sauces you can choose to have your wings marinated in. My dad chose 8!!!! So with 40 buffalo wings in front of us, my parents continued to explain the theme of the restaurant. There must have been 20-30 TV screens surrounding the interior of that place. My dad asked the waiter for 3 "game boards", and continued to explain to me that you choose a game to play (that's on one of the TV screens), log in, and compete against everyone else in the restaurant that's playing. There were about 10 people, somewhere in the restaurant, playing a quiz game...my mom, dad, and I included. The faster you answered each question correctly, the more points you earned. I think I did pretty good!! At one point, I was in 2nd place...so I couldn't complain too much! But it was great fun playing a game while waiting for the food. Time went by so quickly!! And I was continually amazed by watching my culture, once again. From flip-flops to the noise level, free drink refills and hearty hellos to strangers...I felt like a foreigner! I think it's going to take me a while to readjust. :)

By the time we got home, it was 4am Netherlands time, and I was wiped! Luckily...I had an amazing king size bed waiting just for me. :) So leaving my suitcases untouched and barely caring to change clothes....I grabbed Prince Googgala and passed out! 11 hours of sleep later...I'm feeling pretty good. :) It's a beautiful day outside and I have a lot to do. I haven't exactly realized that I'm living here now. The idea of unpacking my clothes and hanging them in a closet seems strange. I always live out of my suitcases when I come to stay with my parents. Guess it'll just take me a while to adjust!

Well..tonight I get to see all the church members here again...and I'm completely stoked about that! They are an amazing bunch of people. So many have already sent me their greetings and excitement in my homecoming. Tomorrow my dad and I will probably begin the search for a car...and then it's on to starting my career! Crazy, huh????

Keep checking back for updates and funny stories...which I know I will have!! And pictures to comes! Love you all...wherever you may be!