I'm still alive

I don't think I really have any avid blog readers out there anymore since I'm no longer in a cool place like Uganda:) But in case I do and some of you are worried about me (which I'm sure you are from all those emails I've been getting ;). I'm still alive. Mostly what I do these days constits of going to work on the extremely understaffed crazy orthopedic unit in which some nights I work 15+hours because I have 7+ patients, going to class, and then the majority of my time is spent reading thousands and thousands of pages of books for class. You're all jealous I know. Seminary is ok, but I feel like I'm too busy to really enjoy it right now. I have found a church that I really like and look forward to hoping getting involved in ministry more there this summer. I know I never have posted pictures of my roommate or life here, but maybe some day. I'm excited though cause the semester will be over in 2 1/2 weeks and then I'm going to be taking a little vacation with a special friend who is coming to visit me! So stay tuned for some pictures hopefully in May.

A tour of my little apartment....

Our apartment is old (as you can tell from the outside picture below), but we've tried to make it feel sort of like 'home'. The best part about living here is the heating. The building is heated by steam and we are on the third floor so since there is no way to control the temperature it can get pretty toasty. We have to keep our windows open most of the time and even have a window air-conditioning unit we use sometimes. Anyways, I know you all have been dying to see what my apartment at seminary looks like so here it is...As you walk in the front door straight ahead is the living room
When you turn to your right is our kitchen and through that door as you can see is our bedroom.

Our bedroom. My bed is the one with the yellow pillow as you can probably tell with my African batiks hanging above the bed. My mom made the curtains which are a big help as I try to sleep during the day and work at night.

And of course our little bathroom...cute, huh :)

I know I need to put a picture of Katherine my roomate on here, but we never seem to have time to take pictures...our lives consist mostly of reading, working, and going to class right now as well as writing the occasional paper. But I will try to get a picture of her soon for you all to see

Snow at Southern...

I guess this past week was my first time to see snow in several years. It was really pretty, but man it's too cold!! I miss Uganda weather :)This is a picture from the ouside of my apartment on campus. I live on the third floor above the entrance. As you can see it's a really old buiding. We don't have central air conditioning, but we do have central heat so often it is so hot in the building we have to open the windows...even when it's 10 degrees outside! I'll try to post some pictures of the inside of my apartment sometime soon.
This is a view from the back of Southern's campus. All the buildings are kind of in a square shape with this big lawn in the middle. It's really a beautiful old campus.

Another view of the campus. The building on the right is the library and the big building on the far left is where most all the classes are.

A picture of the beautiful flowers I received last weekend all the way from Uganda for my birthday :)

For those of you who are still interested in what's going on in my life now (even though I don't have any cool pictures like I used to), I am in Louisville now and have started working as a nurse on an orthopedic floor. I actually begin my first day of real work tomorrow, and then I begin seminary classes on Tuesday! I could use your prayers as I try to adjust to school and working nights...it's a little harder than I expected and I'm nervous.

Christmas

A few Christmas pics from my first Christmas back in the States in 2 years....

Kaleb, Mom, Me and Dad on Christmas morning.

Kaleb and I with the gradpartents (Mom's side)

The cousins (mom's side)...man I look short! grandparents (dad's side)

Me and my bubby :)

Amy's wedding

On Sunday my good friend, Amy got married in Tampa. We went to nursing school together at Union. It was a lot of fun to catch up with old friends as people came in from all over to be in the wedding. The wedding was outside and the weather was beautiful...it was at least 80 degrees! It was one of the most beautiful God-centered weddings I've ever been ,and Amy was such a gorgeous bride.

Here I am with Lindsey. We are reenacting our 'fight for the bouquet'. There were four of us single gals. Lindsey scratched me with her fingernail and I started bleeding. She won in the end...well I let her have it :)

Here I am with Bethany a fellow Unionite and former journeyman friend to Tanzania. She will be getting married on December 30th!

Some of the bridesmaids: me, Annie (friend from Union), Emily (friend from Union), Lindsey (Amy's friend from FL).

The happy couple....Amy and Adam. Adam is studying graphic design in Orlando. He is such a great guy who loves the Lord...I am so happy for Amy!

A trip to the salon...

The day before the wedding Amy treated all of us bridesmaids (8 total) to pedicures. It was amazing...we got to sit in big massage chairs and soak our feet in hot water. We had fun relaxing and of course talking :)

Union Dearest Union

This past weekend I went back to Union Univeristy www.uu.edu to speak about my time in Uganda for World AIDS Day (Dec 1st). A lot has changed in the last 2 years. The building on the right is the new science hall and nursing will have the entire 2nd floor. We used to only have a couple nursing classrooms and labs. Union is such a great school....I am proud of my alma mater.

I got to visit with several old friends while in Jackson. Cayce and I became friends our Junior year at Union. She is a special education teacher now. It was fun catching up and hanging out.

Thanksgiving

Every year we go to Aunt Julie's for Thanksgiving. The 'Adult Table'...this year they had to clarify as to who qualifies as an adult since there are three of us cousins who are over 18 and two over 21. So the qualification is now 'married adults' sit at the adult table and of course none of the cousins are married.....at least not yet ;) It was nice to be back with family this Thanksgiving. We have a lot to be greatful for!

The Cousins....there are 9 first cousins on my mom's side and we all live in Henderson. As you can see the boys out number the girls. I'm the oldest and Addie is the youngest with all the guys inbetween.

Every Thanksgiving all the cousins are measured to see how much they've grown (excluding me since I haven't grown now in like 12 years). My brother and oldest 3 boy cousins are all over 6 ft so it's a competetion each year to see who's taller. Andy here is the tallest this year at around 6'4''...he's almost 17.

Playing Rook (the best card game ever) with my great aunts and grandmommy. Unfortunately Aunt Katherine and I couldn't get any bids and lost.

My first time to contribute to the Thanksgiving meal...I made a pumkin roll.

Happy Birthday Kaleb

My bubby turned 16 on November 16th! Can it be possible?

Debriefing...

Well my two year term as a journeyman in Uganda is officially over now I guess. Last week I went back to Richmond, VA to the learning center where it all began. It was great to get to hang out with friends from orientation who were my age and could so easily relate to what I was feeling in coming back to the States. It was so neat to hear stories and see how God had worked in their lives during the last 2 years. It was a bitter sweet expereince. I was happy to be back at the learning center and see old friends, but I was also sad that this part of my life is over. I know I'll be overseas again one day most likely, but that place just gets you so excited about going overseas that it's hard to remain at 'home'. I look forward to hopefully going back there again one day for training.

Cheesecake Factory and Bowling

Good food with good friends. These were some of the people at debreifing who I went to orientation with back in the day. It was great catching up. We weren't outside but it was so cold in Cheesecake Factory we're all bundled up!
I hadn't bowled in forever! Didn't do too great either, but we had fun. We bowled under our national names that we used overseas (Kenyangi is mine). I think the guy at the check-out thought we were kind of strange...which we can't argue with. Ryan was the only real competetive one and thankfully he won if you couldn't tell :)
Me and Kim, my friend who served in East Asia and is also a nurse....yea for nurses!

The best time of the year...

Fall....my favorite time of year in one of my favorite places, the learning center in Virginia where I did my training before going to Uganda. These pictures don't do it justice....it was beautiful! I haven't seen leaves changing for 2 years! It was very strange to be in a place without any changing of seasons...it was almost like time wasn't passing. Time is greatly associated with seasons in our America culutre, but for a lot of places in the world they have never seen the beauty of autumn or snow or tulips in the spring.

Isn't it interesting that God made this process of dying for leaves so beautiful so that we not only can see His glory, but also enjoy it.

First attempt to make Indian food....not so good

I've definitely been missing my weekly Indian food fix that I got when I was in Uganda and visited our local Indian restaurant, "City Top". So I decided I would try to make some of my own for my mom, dad, and brother who have never had Indian food. This is my attempt to make chicken masala and garlic naan (a type of indian bread)...Unfortunately it was really bland :( I like spicy things so I was pretty disappointed. I followed the recipe exactly, but just didn't turn out right. It was an internet recipe though, so next time I'm going to try curry from a recipe that I trust more. Hopefully better luck next time.

Nicole's Wedding...

My good friend from college, Nicole, got married this past weekend in Nashville. Isn't she beautiful! This was my first wedding to be a bridesmaid in since I missed several friends' weddings while in Africa. It was nice to get to share in this special day with her. We made our own bouquets...aren't they beautiful! I definitely learned some new things. Nicole and her husband Trey will be living in Alabama now. My friends are spread out everywhere...kind of sad. But definitely exciting for Nicole as she begins this new adventure.

Enjoying American Food!

Finally after 2 years....Chick-fil-A!!! :)

Homecoming....

About 30 people including family, old friends, and church members came to welcome me back from Uganda....what a fun surprise! 

Me and dad