i miss texas...

i came home this evening and as usual i check emails, google reader, facebook, twitter, and occasionally i check out some flickr sites that i like. tonight it was the david crowder band's flickr site. they have lots of cool pics of random stuff, pics from their lives, tours, gigs, and shots of cool things i miss about texas. i went through all 26 pages of their images this evening and i realized that i miss texas. i miss the huge expanse that i call home. the place where i am from and is a part of who i am. tonight i am also making treats for the elementary school staff. leslie and i have done it together this year and we always seem to go with a "texas" theme. here i am making my mom's banana bread and thinking about that massive state that is on the othe side of the globe.

as i write this blog...she is just waking up and warming herself in the texas sunshine (or being drizzled with rain from the latest weather reports). either way she is just starting her day. all over the state folks are being woken up by that great blue sky (or cloudy one) but it doesn't matter.

• i miss the crazy awesome sunsets we have.
• i miss small towns that are quaint and friendly.
• i miss texas cooking---nothing like a good country style breakfast.
• i miss the fresh clean air.
• i miss kolaches (the little hole in the wall place near bingle and long point is the best!)
• i miss the green that is texas (even though there is not much in houston proper).
• i miss the incredible diversity that the state brings---people, opinions, lifestyles, music, arts....it is a crazy mix!
• i miss friends and family that are warm and welcoming.
• i miss chatting about the weather with random folks (especially if they are over 70 and live in the country).
• i miss the landscape (modern and not so).
• i miss the feeling of just being in texas...you know you are in texas when you cross the border....it just "feels" like texas with or without a sign to inform you of location.
• i miss green signs with city names and populations on them.
• i miss wandering through antique and junk shops with my mom.
• i miss drinking coffee at all the cool shops inside the loop.
• i miss freebirds!

TEXAS....I MISS YOU!!!

fun times on sundays...

about two months ago i met a girl who went to a knitting group and started going to crochet. i love it and the community of ladies is awesome! last sunday, a reporter from the paper came to find out more about us, and i made it in the article.....
check it out....
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2902304
WOO HOO!!!

crocheting and knitting is cool!!!

joys and struggles....

joys:

• paul and i have found a church community that meets on campus. paul has been leading worship for the last four weeks and the pastor is from the baptist church in town. so far, so good. an answered prayer for us!
• sam is doing ok. his kidney function has lowered (he is 80 in human years, so goodness he is old), but he is doing ok. we are just making sure he is happy and well loved.
• i have made some great friends at knitting club every other week. so fun to meet up with ladies who are here in seoul and have so many talents and loves.
• i am still going to ceramics which has been fun and exciting. quite the creative outlet for myself.
• i am healthy and not major sick.
• i did get to 10 pounds down, but i am probably up now from the crazy last two weeks or so. i did make myself a ten pound star reward which was fun! i also treated myself with a haagen dazs bar.
• we got an espresso machine which is super fun....nespress le cube. love it!!!
• we are going to hong kong for spring break!
• we both have jobs and are secure in them....praying for all our friends who are struggling at the moment.
• i have some great friends at school that i have been spending time with!!! :)
• i have been more creative lately.....YEAH!

struggles:

• did not get the art job....i know that it is all in God's timing and i need to trust Him with the plan. hard to do though. we are staying in seoul another year and then plan to potentially try to move to another country.
• eating better and trying to lose weight...the last few weeks have been a roller coaster for me.....all this "not knowing" and feeling totally disappointed has made it hard to stay on track with eating and getting shape.
• being a better communicator at school.
• trusting God and not being cynical....heard a great message at church last week about cynicism....psalm 37....gosh, it was so good for me to hear!