out of the country...

Sorry I am so far behind on updating the blog.  I am currently in the US for the holidays.  I'll be back in Lithuania Jaunary 5, so look for some new posts after that.

PS- Hi Krisi!  :)

Thanksgiving Day

Some of the American expats have a tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving at McDonald's each year.  We choose McDonald's not because of its amazing food, but because, other than us, it is the most American thing in Klaiepda!  :)

me, Christine, the Staves, Steve, Dennis, and Vern

After dinner we went back to the Dintaman's place for pumpkin pie.  The kids were playing with this silly stretchy ball thing and put it on Greta's head...she looked so funny!  :)

The Help

We have been waiting for MONTHS for the movie "The Help" to come to our theater here in Klaipeda.  I devoured the book in one weekend early in the school year in anticipation fo the movie coming to town.  It finally arrived in mid November.  After a particualry sucky day at work two of my best friends here at LCC and I went to see the movie - the 9:30 showing (the only time it was shown btw).  There were only two other people in the theater with us.  It was great movie, a great spirit lifter after my horrible day, and just plain wonderful!  :)

Kim, me, & Rachel

Time to fluff the trees!

Student Life began a tradition last year of "fluffing" the Christmas trees in preparation for the decorating day that happens at the end of November.  We combine our Student Life meeting for the week with our social gathering for the month and have a "Fluffing Party!"  We bring treats and spend a couple hours getting all the artificial trees ready to go...lights working, limbs fluffed out, etc.  We have about 20 trees on campus, so it takes a bit of time.

Yummy treats!

Olena & Amanda

Margarita and Andrew

Amanda fluffing!

Bethany fluffs the top branches!

Vaida fluffs away!

Res Life Thanksgiving

The RDs and I made a Thanksgiving meal for the Res Life staff the Sunday before Thanksgiving.  We had a lot of fun making and then sharing this delicious meal with the students.  Alex started us off by telling why we celebrate Thanksgiving and then we shared what we were thankful for while enjoying our dinner.  After dinner we watched "It's a Wonderful Life" with the RAs in the Res Life resource room...a great evening!

A plate of deliciousness!

Roma on the laptop...looking for music?

Chatting after dinner and before dessert!

Zhenya and Ira talk while playing with Alex's cat

Alex showing off the gorgeous pumpkin pies!

Pure bliss!

Turkey Night

Sometimes I take too many photos of an event and sometimes I don't take nearly enough.  My "Turkey Night" was a case of not taking enough photos!  I hosted a gathering of friends a couple weeks after fall break to try some Turkish food.  I made the menu that we made in our Turkish cookign class while on fall break.  It was a fun evening of Turkish food and music.  I only have one photo from the evening to share!

Marlene, me, & Kim - the Scarf Sisters.

When some of us went to Milan for my birthday last March we bought all bought Italian scarves and called ourselves the "Scarf Sisters."  In keeping with that tradition I bought them scarves on this trip as well. 

Mug n Muffin

We do a program a couple times a year called "Mug n Muffin."  Faculty/staff women bake loads of muffins and the RDs make hot drinks.  All of the female students are invited to come on a Satuday morning to hear several campus women talk about a topic.  This semester the topic was "Contentment" and I was asked to speak.  There were 3 other women speaking with me.  We each took a bit of a different foucus in our sharing.  I focused my sharing on my experience in coming to terms with being still being single at this point in my life and the contentment that has brought (also the wonderful opportunities it has brought as well!)  It enjoyed sharing this bit of my journey with the students.  I think they appreciated my sharing and one even asked to have tea with me at a later date to talk more.  I enjoy the opportunity to share about how God has worked in my life and was very pleased to have been a part of this event.

Gals came early and saved their seat with mugs of coffee.

The women who spoke that day - Ksenja, Rachel, me, and Grazina

Using my scarf as a visual aid

Listening to Rachel share some of her story

Rachel & me