GOOD TIMES IN OREGON

After two weeks back in Burundi, our Oregon visit already seems like such a LONG time ago! The slowness of days can do that to me here. And honestly, I haven't posted because I am again getting acclimated to the snail-speed of the internet here. Ah, Burundi! :)

But Seth arrives tonight (hurray!!!), and I remember our US visit fondly. Ah, the land of Starbucks, fashion (what's up with the bell-shaped tops? SO not flattering!), customer service, English, and people who, well, really know us and love us. Such a good feeling...

The visit was actually a bit of a shocker, but not quite the trauma that I thought it could have been. The initial landing in the US was the first and highest moment of cultural re-entry confusion (or whatever they call it). We walked through the Chicago airport (and granted, had already traveled 20+ hours and were operating on very little sleep), making really nerdy, African-missionary type comments like, "Wow, Seth, look! A water fountain!" and "A bagel shop! Unbelievable!" and then, "Look at this food court..." followed by a gaping, open mouth. There, Seth downed a big mac meal that he later regretted and, overwhelmed by choices and feeling less adventurous, I stuck to a fruit smoothie... something a bit more familiar to me from living here in Burundi.

Our time in the States was WONDERFUL. We had such an amazing time with our families and friends... I think my highlight was all the time I got to spend with my newborn niece, Milina (pictured as sleeping beauty here). I loved learning her little quirks... that she likes space to kick her legs and throw her arms around (active! like me, I'm thinkin'...), that she hates her car seat, and is already a good sleeper. I LOVED her smell and just holding her and only had to change ONE diaper (not a really helpful aunt, I know...). And I loved seeing my sister with her. Amazing! My little sister is a mom! (that was a bit weird, after missing the whole pregnancy thing... did that little girl REALLY come out of Christi?!!). And it was a bit weird, too, to see my sister in that role... but she is so natural. Relaxed. So incredibly patient. So loving. I was VERY impressed, and I loved hanging out with, going for walks and coffee, and spending that time with Christi and little Mili.

And there were so many things in our visit that I loved, so many highlights... the Oregon coast, the time in Bozeman, shopping with my Mom, hiking Angel's Rest with Dad, going out on the town and amazingly fitting right back in with my girlfriends, reminiscing with Sara (oh, how I still miss that girl!), running in Bozeman with Jaime, making dinners and eating together with both my family and Seth's family, meeting little Jane and seeing how big Ellie and Savvy are getting (our little nieces in Bozeman), tennis with Holzer, dinners with the Pietzolds and the Lundeens, short, nonfat, one-pump vanilla, extra-hot lattes with many gals that I got to know through the high school ministry at Good Shepherd and whom I still love so dearly, breakfast with Pat and Rakel, pizzas with the Broses, time with the MacEwan's and observing Robbie's animal obsession, an incredibly encouraging meeting with the Good Shepherd elders... wow! I could go on. So many people that we love. Our time stateside was really so rich.

So, I want to say THANK YOU TO ALL who took time to hang out with Seth and I and encourage us as you did. Thanks for the food, the drinks, the hospitality, the warmth... thanks for your continued friendships and support and for not forgetting us... really. We feel so incredibly loved and blessed to have such friends and family!!
THANK YOU.