Yes, I am alive!

I live! Sorry it's been sooooo long since I've last updated this thing! A lot has changed since I last posted and I have lots of great posts that I've written in my mind, but just never got around to moving them from my mind to my computer. So, here's a brief list:
*went to a wedding in Michigan with my friend Brandi...good times
*had a surprise going away party given for me by my friends from church, Brandi and Teresa---I was TOTALLY surprised with my friends from town...then five of my best girlfriends from college came running out!!!!!!!!!!! I couldn't believe it. We ate (kielbasa and cabbage, of course!) and DANCED, DANCED, DANCED!!!! It was just a perfect night. I was truly honored and humbled by their love for me. It was just amazing.
*I celebrated my grandma's 90th birthday with my family. It was a precious time. My grandma is an amazing woman and she seemed to really enjoy her day.

So, there's the last month in a nutshell! I am now in Virginia at the International Learning Center in training to leave for Poland on January 3. It's really been great so far. Incredibly busy, but great. We're filling out form after form and going to classes, and eating in a cafeteria (including eating Moraccan food today without utensils!), and living in dorm-type rooms, and way busy...sounds, wonderful, doesn't it?

Today was the first of the immunization clinics. After teasing all of the people going to jungle-type places, I looked at my form for Poland and realized I'm getting 9 stinking shots!!!! Most of them are hepatitis series, and today I had a Hep A (I think), rabies, and polio vaccine. Don't worry, it was well worth it, because I got My Little Pony, Dora, and psychodelic band-aids--it was well worth it.

Here are a few photos of my band aids and my room. (ok, so I was just kidding about the photos---apparently they're not loading on my computer. I'll work on that another time.) Please pray for me that I'd get done what gets done here and learn what I need to learn to be ready for Poland! Thank you =)

Deep Thoughts...

Ok, so I have a confession to make. I love watching DOG the Bounty Hunter. I hardly ever get to watch it, but I love it. No excuses, no deep meaning to it. I just do. Do you think they have DOG in Poland????

By the way, I'm kind of over the Lost thing. It's getting too weird. I mean, come one, we need some closure, or at least some hope of closure soon!!!

Red Hat Society, Here I Come!

Through some different circumstances going on right now, I've really been thinking a lot about growing old. To be honest, it's easy to think "it won't happen to me!". It seems like I'll be "young" forever and I sometimes forget that people who have grown "old" were once young and probably thinking "I'll never grow old!". I see some elderly people and see the ways their bodies and minds are failing them and it's a reality check that I'm not invincible; I won't be here forever. I have no guarantee that my body won't fail me or that my mind will always be sharp (of course, I have to add, that's really open for discussion right now!). My days in this body, on this earth are limited and numbered and will quickly pass, and there's absolutely nothing I can do about it. It's a reminder of the Lord's control and reign and my dependence on Him. I must trust Him for my future, that He'll be faithful and His grace will be sufficient to carry me through whatever comes; that His love and care and presence will never fail, and eventually I, along with all those throughout all the ages who have trusted Christ, will be clothed with a perfect body that will never die. This life is temporary.
All this thinking about growing old also reminds me to care for those around me who are in their "golden years". I see that I, too, will most likely one day have to depend on other people to care for me and will long for the company of people coming to visit. It makes me want to care for them right now, knowing that I'll be grateful to anyone who would do the same for me in 50 years. There's also so much to learn! The older generation are living history books! I recently spent some time with an elderly couple from my church and found out that he drove a jeep off of the boat and onto the beach of Normandy on D-Day! How amazing! He is a living part of history.
Of course, my Grandma Davis' approaching 90th birthday has gotten me thinking quite a bit. I'm excited to go celebrate with her, and VERY excited to honor her with the scrapbook of 90 memories of her (thanks to my super-talented cousin, Amy, who is going to put it together!!!). It also makes me think of what my life will be like if I make it to 90 years old. I do not know, but I will cling to this promise:

"My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; He is mine forever." Psalm 73:26