I FINALLY washed my car!

That's right! I finally washed the bugs from Texas, the red dirt from New Mexico, and the pine needles from Vancouver off my car. It is cooling off down here and people are starting to show up outside. I have met a few more neighbors, but unfortunately the meeting with my upstairs neighbors, Famie and Benny, was due to a water leak. Yes, they had trouble with their AC or something and right after Labor Day weekend, I had a bucket full of water dripping from the entry to the laundry room and water "sweating" out of the walls and door frame. So what does that mean here, MOLD! Or so I am guessing. And I think that has been the smell I continue to deal with. My co-workers started an intervention group and keep bugging me about moving out. Oh how I want to get away from the smell! Oh how I don't want to move again this year! I have been moving physically and emotionally since January! AHHH to no avail, such is the theme for 2006 (of course with lots of exciting things in there too!). So, I talked with my landlord, condo management company, and handy-man about 3 weeks ago and nothing has happened. A letter has been written and will be mailed tomorrow giving them 7 days to fix the problem. I don't know what's going to happen. I told my mom I am just tired right now. I don't have the energy to deal with yet another "furniture-moving-apt" problem. Ok, I think I'm done complaining! :)

Tomorrow night a few of us are going to see Elizabeth in a S.T.A.G.E. performance, "Once upon a Mattress" based on the "Princess and the Pea" children's story. She works at Disney (remember I can't tell you what she does) and also does many shows and musicals. The play is at EPCOT. Though we will be bussed in and won't get to walk around the park, I will still get a glimpse of the park. During the next few months they have a food and wine festival going on. EPCOT is the park that has all of the restaurants from around the world inside. You can have dinner in Italy and eat dessert in France!

Things here continue to be super busy and I'm getting more and more comfortable with my job. I am still learning etc, but I at least have a bit of an idea how things work now!

Tomorrow is "Thursday Morning Prayer with Margaret." I don't know if I've told you about Margaret yet, but she is 82, lives about an hour west of Orlando, and a wonderful woman. When I came down for my interview in May, I met Margaret and spent a morning praying with her, Greg, and a few other pastors. When I was introduced to her she said, "So this is the face that I have been praying for!" It is a priveledge to meet with her weekly and pray.

I'm off to finish my chores tonight! Love and miss you all!

A day by the Pool

Well, ok, not a day but a good hour or so. Saturday morning was my 8 mile run (Whew, am glad to get that over with, but here come more!) and after I drank a gallon of water, I grabbed my towel and headed out to the pool. NOTE: I have never sweat so much in my life and have realized how easy it is to get dehydrated quickly down here! Leah and I had a phone date so I took my phone with me, snapped a silly picture, and figured out how to email it to myself! Today was my Grandpa's birthday and he is doing better. It is Sunday night, I'm all over the map here, and I need to head to bed...not sure if I'm ready for Monday, but when are we ever ready for a Monday. Maybe Starbucks will help! :) Good night my friends and loved ones!

New New New

A few new posts!!

Moving Right Along

These weeks seem like they are flying by. Soon mom will be here to visit, then Sara and Alisa to celebrate our 30th birthdays (though I am still 29 ladies;)!!!), then Billina right before I come home for Christmas! Whew! I'm looking forward to it. Some more new news...Greg returned from Brazil on Wednesday. He was speaking at the same conference as the one in Costa Rica only this time they all met in Brazil. It sounds like I may have opportunity to go to Brazil in January for a youth forum. I will keep you posted. Looking forward to a relaxing weekend, some more exploring, and hopefully giving my car a bath. It hasn't had one since arriving...it rains every afternoon and I don't want to be out in it! Have a great weekend!

New Faces

I am finally getting on the ball and getting my camera out for some new shots. Tonight we had a GraceRiver "cookout" (not BBQ down here!) and I informed them I would be snapping pictures so I could introduce all of you. After talking so much, here a few faces to put with the names! These are all folks that either live or have moved to Orlando to be a part of planting a church in SE Orlando where houses are going up like mad and people are moving in from everywhere. I learned from my flight buddy (chatty guy on the plane on my way home from Nashville) 800 some odd people are moving to FL every day! Any of you have plans I need to know about?!?!?

Carmen and Alejandro. I met Alejandro through involvement with Cuba while still in Vancouver. They moved their family from Tampa to Orlando about the same time I moved down here. Their oldest, Maggie, works at the Resource Center with us. Carmen is a fantastic cook...the best pico de gallo!

Greg and Mary Kay. Greg is the one who "interviewed" me in Costa Rica. They have been so gracious in my transition to Florida.

Mike and Kathi. They are some of the few that actually lived in Orlando previous to July of this year!

Bill (and Beth not pictured) with their daughter Katie. Bill and Beth helped me furnish the new place and Katie and I share a Napolean Dynamite bond!

This is Phil and Janann. They have three boys Caden, Gabe, and Blake. Phil is the life of the party and Janann keeps it under control! They moved to Orlando from Lakeland (between Tampa and Orlando).

Meet Ken and Sheila Love. Ken was the lead pastor of a church in Ohio and they moved to Orlando over Labor Day weekend. Ken drove a u-haul down...I'll know better next time!

Steve and Erin. Erin in the daughter of Greg and Mary Kay. They moved to Orlando over Labor Day as well and are former residents of Bradenton, the gulf side of Florida.

Ken, Phil, and Nate (wife Elizabeth not pictured). Elizabeth works for Disney and was at a rehearsal during the cookout. This picture is not posed!

Erin again and this time with Mike (wife Judy not pictured). Mike works at the Resource Center also. He is our finance guy.

Meet Bray. She works for Disney although she can't tell you what she does! ;) Those Disney folks keep it top-secret!

A Really Old Photo

I believe Uncle John took this a lllllllloooooooonnnnnnnnngggggggg time ago when we were camping/fishing/picnicing at the Rogue River. It makes me laugh and I thought it'd be fun to share some laughter with you! I'm lovin' the hair...I think that was actually a perm! Isn't it just beautiful behind me though...aaahhh nature.

A New Post

I have longed to write to update all of you on life here, but for some reason come up short. I don't have access at home which is limiting. I had a great time in Nashville last weekend with Lauren. She had free tickets for us to go to a concert all day Saturday and the rest of the weekend we buzzed around Nashville, Hillsboro Village, and Franklin. Downtown Nashville wasn't too impressive, but the other areas were nice and fun to see. We went to visit Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman as well as Tim and Faith, but neither were home!:) Strange to see their houses, beautiful, but nothing outrageous. I think I thought it would be some great experience, but it wasn't. I was glad to see Lauren and also got to visit with Chuck, Val, and their daughter Riley. (They were the youth pastor and family at Vancouver.) I was so thankful to get to stay with them while visiting.

I am still in much transition. No longer physical, but mental and emotional. I was just remembering again this morning on my drive to work, the way I've been feeling lately is so similar to alot of what I was feeling in my second month in Costa Rica. A lot of wondering and curiousity of what has happenend and is happening. I am watching the Lord build community around me even as I type this and opening new doors of opportunity. One exciting announcement and a request for prayer. Every year Florida holds a State Youth Convention where all the youth come together for 3 days of conferences, worship, and time together. This year they are in transition of leadership for the conference so it is currently being pieced together. Because of this they have open slots for speakers. I was just asked this week to speak at the high school girls general session. I'm really excited! The topic or question is "Are you a student of influence?" and our weekend theme is "Identity Crisis!" I'd love your prayers as I begin to think through.

Miss you all so much. Sending lots and lots of love!