"Adjust, Adapt, and Overcome" or "Baking Cookies in Europe"

I have a friend who is one of those "in-right, out-right, up-right, downright happy all the time" people. He sees the good in every situation. And I do mean, every situation. Lose a hundred Euros? Someone else probably needed it more. Car breaks down? You needed the exercise. You get the idea (this is why I didn't tell him my ipod broke...he would probably say it's my opportunity to hum more). His favorite phrase is: adjust, adapt, and overcome. He says this phrase alot. If I had a nickle for every time I heard this phrase, I would have enough to buy a new ipod touch (but not here because you can't spend nickles here!). I put this phrase to use last week.
I wanted to make chocolate chip cookies. I have a friend here who has brought me apple cake twice recently, so I wanted to make her some traditional American chocolate chip cookies (I feel more patriotic just by typing that!). There are a few problems with making chocolate chip cookies in Europe. First, my recipe uses Fahrenheit temperature and my oven says Celsius. No problem, I will use the unit converter on my cell phone to figure it out. I will adjust. Problem two: there is no stick butter or shortening here. Okay, there is a butter-like substitute that comes in a 1 lb (or whatever kilo) block and my mom sent me a little stick of Crisco for rolls for my birthday. I will adapt. The butter-like substitute is alot tougher than butter, and my mixer is alot weaker than an American mixer...so it breaks. I mix by hand. I have overcome.

By some miracle of the Lord my cookies turned out delicious and my friend loved them. I'm reminded of a lady who also used cookies to befriend people in a foreign land. I'm hoping you know who I mean. If not, e-mail me and I'll fill you in on her story. The moral of my story is whether your problem is a strange language or a butter-like substitute, it will help to remember the little motto: adjust, adapt, and overcome.
My cookie dough and broken mixer


The finished product. Proof that miracles happen!

The Day the Music Died

Last night my ipod died. Big whoop, you might say; buy another one. It's not that simple, it's not just the loss of an ipod, it's the loss of music. Anyone that knows me knows that I love to sing. Ever since my first solo at 2 years old, I've never felt more at home than on a stage singing my heart out. Music means so much to me! I've taken lessons, been in bands, sang in ensembles, had solos, but not this year. I was told when I got here there would be places for me to sing, but this has not been the case. My life has been devoid of music and it's been rough. It's like loosing a part of myself, like I'm not whole. Singing has been such a big part of my life that now, I don't even feel like myself. Now fast forward back to the ipod. You see, the death of my ipod isn't just the loss of an mp3 player, to me it represents the loss of the last bit of music I have in my life. No more listening to Sinatra on the bus, no more Beatles when I go walking, no more Josh Groban while cooking, and no more Selah on Sunday mornings (yes, I have a really broad range of music I like!). I could buy another one if I wasn't afraid my computer was about to die. That's what happens when you are an adult: you have to make tough desicions. Oh well, this is going to be interesting. Well, I'd better go, I'm planning a healing service for the ipod...bring on the annointing oil!

Bethany the Adventurer

I don't know if you can tell by looking at me, but I consider myself an adventurer! If you read my New Year post, you may remember that my resolution this year was to truly live my life. To put this plan into effect I embark on at least one adventure per week. This adventure may be something as big as traveling to another country, as small as visiting the market on a particularly crazy day, or as strange as carrying a giant cardboard cutout of Megatron (the Decepticon leader from the Transformers franchise) down the street at 9 p.m. I am having so much fun on my adventures of the week. I would highly recommend this practice to everyone. You can have an adventure of the week no matter where you live and what you do for a living! I like to think that life is a choose-your-own-adventure book. Most people just don't turn the pages of their book, or even take it off the shelf! Life is short, don't waste it! This weekend my adventure was supposed to be skiing (something I've never done) but the above freezing temperatures have made this an impossibility (drats!). No worries, I will find a new adventure. I challenge you to take an adventure this week. Take a walk in the snow (don't forget your camera!), try a new food, visit an unfamiliar part of your city, I don't know, it's your book-choose your own adventure (and let me know what you tried!). Become an adventurer! You'll never know what you'll find and who you'll meet. Good luck and adventure on!

And here are some pictures from a few of my adventures. I won't tell you what the adventures were, you'll have to use your imagination!

Let's Go Fly a Kite!

I've always been a fan of kite flying. To me there's nothing better than a day out with your family enjoying the breeze and furiously trying to launch a bundle of plastic, sticks, and strings into the air. I had never seen a spiritual meaning behind kite flying, but there is here!

Monday was "Clean Monday." Clean Monday is the beginning of Lent, when the locals stop eating meat until Easter, they also fly kites...and dance. The kite flying high in the sky is supposed to represent the soul drawing closer to God. Hmm, I've never thought of it that way, but I like it! Last year I was not able to fly kites because it was raining. I had been waiting all year for this day to experience this amazing tradition. On Monday we finished school early and walked the mile and a half to the festival. There was traditional music and dancing going on (I have been told there was food, but it was long gone by the time we got there!). My friend said we could use one of her kites instead of buying one of the ridiculously overpriced cheapo kites on the corner. Excitedly I watched them unfurl the beautiful kite with it's long tail and...no string. That's right! After a year of waiting and a mile and a half of walking I would not be flying a kite. Oh well, to quote the philosophers Richards and Jagger: "You can't always get what you want." Maybe I'll continue this tradition back home.
Flying high

Kite flying on Clean Monday

As if we needed another reason to sing and dance!

Happy Anniversary!

Yesterday was my one year anniversary of arriving in Europe. I remember stepping off the plane and realizing I definitely wasn't in America any more. I was hearing a strange language and crowded onto a bus with people that didn't look like me. When I arrived I had no idea where I would be staying, this had not been revealed to me. I was very blessed to stay with a couple who I had met once in the US because I was their daughter's RA in college. It was a good first apartment, then I moved...and moved again, and again, and again, and again, and again! 7 moves in one year. Even for me, that was alot!

This has been a surreal year and I have changed so much! When I left home, I had only visited one country outside of the US, and now I've been to 8! When I first arrived I was terrified to ride the bus by myself, and now I am confidently hopping on and off buses, trains, and plains alone and going downtown or to a different country. I have my own apartment, I'm learning to cook (for less than 200), I am teaching teenagers, I've taught ESL, worked with refugees, and generally grown up!

While it's hard living in a foreign country, the hardest thing about this past year was being away from my family. There have been changes there as well! My oldest brother graduated college and moved, the younger brother moved and has his first girlfriend, the youngest got a good job and is not the youngest anymore! Baby Philip came into our family, and changed everything. I have missed so much! I know I'm where I am supposed to be, but that doesn't make it any easier. I still miss holidays, major events, and birthdays. My birthday is in 2 weeks, and I know no one will remember it or make a big deal about it like my mom always does. I won't get my "special day" or eat lasagna and cookie cake and drink Dr. Pepper. *sigh*

Yes, it has been quite a year. Next year will hold just as many changes and I can't wait to see the adventures life has in store. So buckle in, here we go for year number 2!

Who Dat!

WHO DAT! GEAUX SAINTS!

If you haven't already figured it out, I am a huge New Orleans Saints fan! Sadly, I wasn't able to watch any games this year (for some reason, they don't show them on tv here!). I kept up with the scores and watched the play by play online, but didn't see a game. I've always knew the Saints would make it to the Superbowl, I just didn't know when (and that my friends is called "faith"). I found out my beloved Saints would play in the Superbowl while at a conference in Germany. I know all my friends could see the joy when I heard the news! I knew I had to watch this historic occasion on tv! Lucky for me, some of my friends have British satellite tv, and they were broadcasting the Superbowl live! Sunday night at midnight (the game started at 1:30 a.m.) I suited up (complete with Saints t-shirt, fleur-de-lis earrings, mini Saints helmet, Saints fingernails, and a gold headband) and headed out to watch the game. It's about a mile walk to my friends' house and it was raining...but I didn't care! I had my umbrella and I danced down the street (listening to "We Will Rock You" and "Eye of the Tiger") like I was back in Nawlins.
If you didn't see it, the game was a nervewracking one! I was so nervous the whole time, but I knew they could do it, and they did! I must admit, I shed a tear or two when we won! When I left the party (at 5:00 a.m.) it was snowing and I ran back home and called my family. What a great feeling! I think I updated my facebook status 5 times or so! I just wanted to tell everyone! Then I blasted (well, as loud as you can at 5 a.m.) "We Are the Champions".

Why don't we have this kind of excitement about other things in life? Why don't we get excited about our faith in God as we do our faith in football? I want to get excited! I want to have the desire to tell everyone I know about the power of my God! This is my goal: to have a "super" excitement about my faith!My game day fingernail art!

Lunch on game day: gumbo!

Ready for the game!



Saints fandom runs in the family: my little brother Philip shows his pride!

Fun in the snow!

This week I went to Germany for a work conference. By the time I got off the plane I thought I was in Narnia. I grew up reading the epic C.S. Lewis books with my family and have always imagined what it would be like to walk through the magical land. Well, now I know! As soon as I had checked in I grabbed my trusty Nikon and headed outside to explore. I wish I could explain how magical it was! I so impressed by how deep and pure the snow was! It was phenomenal. I went sledding, hiking through the snow, and just let my imagination run wild. Before I knew it I was walking with Mr. Tumnus, hiding from the White Witch, and riding along with Aslan. I am so thankful for the chance to be a kid again. Sometimes we need to take a step back from reality to remember the wonder that life used to hold. I hope I never forget my trip to Narnia! Here are a few pictures for you to enjoy! Love to you all!Where's Mr. Tumnus?

Fun in the snow!