Our New Flat

Here are some pics of our new flat so you can see how a typical Irish flat looks.

Snowy Dublin

It has snowed three times in Dublin since New Year's Eve.  And I don't mean flurries and flakes fluttering about, I mean real, accumulated, sticking around, snow.  Though temperatures in the 30's are normal here during the winter season, snow is not. These last 10 days have brought about 4-5 inches and temperatures well below freezing. The roads are a wreck and the sidewalks are even worse as there seems to be a limited supply of salt and grit.  This weather has arrived just upon the heals of the recent Copenhagen climate meeting where world leaders met to discuss how to save the world from global warming.  I imagine God on his throne in heaven above, laughing...

Sugar Loaf

A few weeks ago my Welsh friend Catrin asked me if I wanted to hike up Sugar Loaf with her and her boyfriend's mom. I am not much of a hiker but I figured I would go just to spend time with the crazy Welshcake. Sugar Loaf is not huge and is more of a large hill than a mountain but the hike was challenging and the resulting view was amazing! Here are some pics...

Making New International Friends

My church over here in Dublin runs a ministry called "English Corner." Every Friday afternoon the church opens up its doors to serve a free lunch and speak conversational English with foreigners who are here trying to learn or improve their English. I am one of the many native English speakers helping out. I have been so blessed by this ministry in the few short weeks I have been involved. I love meeting people from all over the world and although speaking English with foreigners can at times be frustrating, awkward, tiring, and even scary (for a shy person like me), it is really fun! Last week I made my first friends from South Korea, a girl and two guys. The girl's English name is Jenna (most Asians will adopt an English name so westerners can pronounce it) and she is the sweetest and most joyful girl. She has been here just a few months and is a Christian. We have started meeting together on a weekly basis to read the Bible. She shared with me that she struggles with understanding Romans so we are going to tackle it together. The two guys I met, Kim and Soo, came over today to watch the Manchester United soccer game with Matt while I made lunch. I wanted to make them something they had probably never had before so I made them big old taco salads. They didn't know what they were but they seemed to like them a lot (I had to keep from laughing when I saw them eating their tortilla chips with sour cream). I also made chocolate chip and M&M cookies and sent them home with a bag. It was really fun having them over and learning about South Korea. They told me they don't eat cats there but dogs are considered healthy, a delicacy, and good to eat when you are sick! It was also fun hearing their impressions of Ireland. They think it is very strange that we don't take our shoes off when we go into someone's house and they think carpeting is also very strange.

I also met some guys from Iran this week who go to my church. They were very interesting and a bit intimidating to talk to. Halfway through the conversation I was shocked to hear them say that they love George Bush and that they wanted McCain to win the election. I really thought they were joking with me at first but they were dead serious. They told me the Iranian people all love George Bush because of the way he looks at the Iranian people. My church has a handful of Iranian members and hosts an Iranian service in Farsi every month. I hope to go next time and get to know more of the Iranians who are fascinatingly different than any other nationality I have interacted with. Praise be to God for calling his church out of every tribe, tongue, and nation!!

On Living in Ireland

I find myself analyzing life in Europe and in Dublin more and more. There has been a turning point over the past several weeks in my feelings towards Dublin. I think this is the result of two things in particular. One is that we have finally made some friends here in Dublin and two is that, ironically enough, now that we have finally made some friends we may be moving in the next couple of months. Having said this I would now like to tell you what I like about living here.

• I love meeting and getting to know international peoples.
• I love being able to travel so easily and inexpensively.
• I love being a housewife- taking care of our little apartment and having all the time in the world to cook.
• I love the fact that Europeans value time off so that Matt's work schedule allows for us to be together and travel much more than we could if he was working in the U.S.
• I like the mild temperatures in Ireland.
• I like how it is almost always perfect weather for soup.
• I like walking to the store for groceries almost everyday and finding the best deals between the four stores in my neighborhood.
• I like having the time, energy, and resources to have people stay here with us (sometimes even complete strangers).
• I like being more physically active because we don't have a car.
• Life seems simpler here.

There are also a number of things I don't like:

• I HATE the frequent & ferocious winds of Dublin.
• I hate how expensive things are in Dublin-especially going out to eat.
• I don't like how there are no good Christian bookstores here.
• I don't like 4 seasons in one day and the general instability of the weather.
• I don't like not having a car when I want to go to a friend's house who lives far away.

So, these are just some minor thoughts on the matter. I like living in Europe on the whole. Ireland has slowly grown on me because of the great people I have met and the familiarity of it now as I face the unknown in a possible new city. I surely wouldn't stay in Ireland forever but I think I will miss it when I leave.

New USA Booty

McMom is here visiting again and she brought a suticase full of goodies (catfood, peanutbutter, flavored coffees, spices, pudding mixes, chocoloate chips, M&Ms, books, etc.). USA booty is so nice to get but what is even better is a VISITOR!!!

One Year in Dublin

One year ago today we stepped off the plane into an overcast Dublin. Looking back on it I can hardly believe I moved over here, just like that. I mean I hadn't even been here before! It was a big move and I can clearly remember God's grace to me every step of the way. He is so faithful.

So, what can I say afer a year of life outside the United Sates, of life in Europe, of life in Dublin? Again God's faithfulness comes to mind. We have been many places and seen many wonderful things. Some of these travels have even been shared with loved ones. God has given us health and kept us safe and has kept our loved ones at home safe and healthy. I am very thankful for all of this. I am also very thankful for God's provision for Matt and I in our relationship as we experience all of this together. It has been a joy to share this adventure with my loving husband!

Dublin is not home but it is an ok place to live for a while and I do not regret moving here though I miss Tucson. I thank God neither one of us is miserable and that we are of the same mind in regards to being here. The weather is starting to ware on us but we have many adventures left to share over on this side of the world so we will stick it out for a while longer.

God has been gracious to bring people into our lives to brighten it up when it gets gloomy. I think of my Welsh friend Catrin who is so much fun to be with and other international friends that I have met while here (Anna from Australia, Sandra from France, Anna from Italy, Marianne from Germany, Camila from Brazil, Jane from the Phillipines, Jael from Israel, and Tania from Australia to name a few). There have also been a number of Irish who have been a blessing to us (Matt's boss Annette, Adam and Deb, Kathleen and Mickey, Dorothy, David and Honour, and Pastor John) I am thankful for God bringing us to Immanuel Church Dublin where we are making friends and hearing the word faithfully proclaimed in this city.

So one year later I am glad we moved here and even glad we are not done yet with being here. This has been an adventure and an eye opening experience. I love seeing God's world, the different cultures and peoples. I love traveling, seeing historic sites, eating authentic foods, talking to natives, and looking at everything through a biblical worldview. This past year has been a year of blessing and I am glad to be sharing it with Matt.

Dublin Horse Show

My husband, good man that he is, took me to the Dublin Horse Show last weekend. I grew up riding horses and continue to love them. I started taking lessons when I was 4 and competed in horse shows until I moved up north around age 12. I competed in English and western pleasure, jumping, western games and I even started learning a little bit of dressage on my mom's old dressage horse just before I stopped riding. I use to go to horse shows with my mom at the Washington County Fair Grounds and the in the Colosseum at the Minnesota State Fair. I particularly remember watching the dressage shows at the Washington County Fair Grounds as a little girl with the most beautiful horses. I still love watching dressage and went to the Dublin Horse Show to see some dressage. The show was mostly show jumping, judging of different horses, and a very small bit of dressage. It was not even in a dressage ring but was rather a short demonstration to show how dressage is related to show jumping. The announcer described dressage as "the bit between the fences" and showed how show jumping riders use dressage- the collected canter and counting of strides- between jumps. It was interesting enough but I wanted to see some flying lead changes for crying out loud! (I did at least get to see some extended trots where the horses look like they are dancing on clouds). The Highlight of the Dublin Horse Show has to be the Puissance Wall which is a jump that gets built higher and higher as the competition goes on. Ten horses were involved when the competition begun. The wall went from 5 and half feet in the first round to 6 foot 3in the second round to 6 foot 11 in the third round and to 7 foot 2 in the fourth round. By the end of the fourth round there were only 2 horses left, one from Belgium and one from Ireland. The fifth round the wall was raised to 7 foot 4 and was bested by the Irish horse and rider. It was quite exciting and nerve racking to watch! An American horse and rider took third in the wall so we were proud. Here are some pictures from the regular jumping, the dressage demonstration and the Puissance Wall.

To see some real dressage check out this youtube video. It is absolutley amazing what horse and rider are able to do- I MEAN GLORY TO GOD, PEOPLE!

Rainbow Nights

The other night I saw this beautiful rainbow over the mountain from my patio. There is something funny about seeing a rainbow in Ireland. I actually think it may lead to a pot of gold and a leprechaun. Anyway, I took these pictures at 9:30. It is light out here now until almost 11:00 P.M. It is really hard to get used to and even though I tell myself its late and time to go to bed I don't believe it! Tomorrow morning the Policans arrive from Tucson and we are so excited to see them. The four of us leave for Turkey tomorrow night. Turkish delight, here I come!

2 Bedrooms YIPPEE!

Here are the long awaited pics of our new place.
Our guest bedroom is waiting for you!

Movin' On Up

Matt and I learned recently that our landlord had sold our building and that we had 28 days to get out. I scoured the lettings and within 2 days I had viewed 12 apartments in the area we hoped to stay in. The second to the last apartment was the winner- a two bedroom "penthouse" in the Rathmines area. This apartment is about ten minutes walk from our first place here and is in a nice neighborhood. The apartment was filthy but the sheer size of it (big for Dublin) excited us. It is older and has very ugly worn green carpet and not a piece of furniture in the place matches but with 2 bedrooms, a fireplace, and a patio looking to the Dublin mountains how could we resist? We took it and moved in over the weekend. We didn't realize how extremely dirty it was until we started cleaning it. We have been working hard on it since we moved in (cleaning, rearranging, furnishing, throwing many things away) and it is starting to really come together. I wish we would have taken before and after pictures!

Our new place is a bit closer to the grocery stores but now further from the gym so yesterday we bought a couple of used bikes. The guy I bought my bike from lived on the north side of Dublin so he agreed to meet me in the city center to show me the bike. Getting the bike home was quite an adventure. The city center is only about three miles away but those three miles are filled with oodles and oodles of cars, bikes, scooters, pedestrians and the most dangerous- double decker buses. Since bikes generally ride in the bus lane I had my work cut out for me- make it home without getting squished by the buses. Transport by bike is normal for many people in Europe but for me bikes have only ever been for working out. I have never ridden a bike in such chaos as the city center. I am glad I made it home but I think I will limit my bike riding to the gym and perhaps the grocery store (my bike has a cute little basket that I could stick a couple liters of milk in). Sometimes I can't believe I used to own a new 4 bedroom house and 2 vehicles when these days I am excited and so thankful to have moved up to a 2 bedroom apartment and a bike!

Serious USA Booty!

When my sister came to visit last week she brought me a whole suticase of American treats from my family and Cbass. It was like Christmas in February! Peanutbutter, salsa, chai tea, rasinets, reeces pieces, m&m's, lemonade, brownies, choc chips, flavored coffee, velveeta cheese, fritos, Modern Reformation mags, a new book, scarves knit by my mom, a new hat, Bath & Body perfume and lotions, and- drumroll please- BRUEGGERS WHOLE WHEAT BAGELS!

Thanks family and Cbass! Praise the Lord who is wildly generous!

Christmas Season Ramblings...

I love the Christmas season with all the Christmas music, lights, and goodies! A few nights ago I attended the Carols by Candlelight service at my church. Our choir is quite good and they did a beautiful rendition of one of my favorite Christmas songs, O Holy Night. I love Christmas music that is about Christ. My favorite song is probably O Come, O Come Emanuel. Yesterday God blessed me with a truly sunny day here. I am talking blue, blue sky and not a cloud to be seen! It was a treat as the weather is getting continually more dismal with more rain, wind and clouds. Tonight Matt and I made some Christmas cookies- Mexican wedding cookies, blooming peanut butter cookies, and snickerdoodles. I'm not sure if any of those really count as Christmas cookies but I never make them any other time of year. The only thing that could make them better is some eggnog!

Things I Miss in Ireland

As I attempted to make one of my favorite bread recipes today and realized I did not have the key ingredient I began to think of all the things I miss in Ireland besides the given (family, friends, and cats) and thought I should get it off my chest in a blog. So, in no particular order...

wheat bread
wheat flour to make wheat bread
non-stick pan spray that works
marshmallows incase I want to make rice crispy bars
Honey Bunches of Oats with almonds
refried beans
black beans
tortillas that are good
tortillas chips that are good
salsa that is good
ice cream that is good
fritos & doritos
chips that are good
lemonade
peanutbutter chips and chocolate chips for cookies
creamy peanutbutter
Folgers french vanilla coffee
Bruggers hazelnut coffee
any good coffee
Bruggers whole wheat bagels
American bacon
American sausage
Brueggers breakfast bagel with sausage, egg, and cheese on whole wheat bagel
Little Caesars $5 hot and ready large pepperoni pizza
Macayos Mexican food
Jason's Deli meatball po'boy on whole wheat french bread roll with strawberries and fruit dip
Petes Wicked Ale Strawberry Blond Beer
chai tea powder from Trader Joes
the smell of rain
warm breezes
mountain sunsets
driving in the car while rocking out to my ipod
Fry's Grocery Store
Fry's Grocery Store Prices
Ross & Old Navy
being able to buy books without worrying about how I was going to take them home (on plane)
watching the local news
watching Fox News
watching Samantha Brown's Passport to Europe
watching Chief Chuck forecast the weather
listening to Christian radio
peanutbutter chocolate ice cream
Baskin Robins 32 flavors
ice cream that is good
cheap fruit for making delicious desserts
graham crackers
pudding in a box
whole wheat pasta
grilling
multiple flavors of cheese blocks
velveeta cheese for grilled cheese
ranch dressing
cool whip
premade pie crusts
fridge biscuits for monkey bread
galons of milk
a two sided sink deeper tha 6 inches
dish soap that actually cuts grease
immediate hot water
businesses that run with common sense
ice cream that is good

Ok, that is enough for now. I'd better stop before I get homesick!

Changing Weather

While talking with my European friends one day they told me they can spot Americans right away because they all wear New Balance shoes and carry backpacks with their names embroidered on them. Well, I am proud to say that my name is not embroidered on my bag but as far as the rest goes- guilty as charged. In an attempt to not stick out like a sore thumb I got some sweet boots today (thanks honey!). Everyone here wears boots with fashion tights and it is very cute. My friend Yunuen had asked me if I noticed people dress differently over here and at first I said no but I think I am beginning to see the difference now. I never thought my jeans were baggy until I lived in Europe.
On a different note, the weather is starting to change here. Not as much sun with more gray setting in and crisper air. The leaves are half gone off the trees and the days are much shorter. Matt and I stayed out all day shopping just because the sun was out and we wanted to soak it up before it goes into hibernation.
We are looking forward to the weekend as those crazy Policans get here Sunday for their 12 day Irish extravaganza. Yippee!

First Visitors and Trips

We are so excited to be joined by our first visitors next month, the Policans- Ryan and Yunuen! Why do we lovingly refer to them as the Policans you ask? Because Ryan is Polish (and ridiculously proud of it) and Yunuen is mi amiga Mexicana. They are leaving the desert to join us in the Emerald Isle for 12 days. We will be taking our first trip with them while the are here. We will be spending three nights in the enchanting city of Edinburgh, Scotland. We are terribly excited to see them and to go to Scotland since it is Matt's people and all!

We have also recently planned a trip for New Years Eve. Matt's dad will be joining us in Dublin for a few days and then it is off to the city I have wanted to see most- Rome! I can hardly wait to see the Colosseum and all the sweet ruins. On all of Samantha Brown's Passport to Europe shows Italy always seems to have the coolest architecture. I can't wait to see it.

Aside from looking for hotels endlessly I have just been doing my homework. I am in the middle of my first class, Survey of the Old Testament, and it is OUTSTANDING!!!

Our Hood

The long awaited pictures of our flat and neighborhood. Sorry it took so long. Hope to see you soon for a visit!

BOOTY from the USA!

Yippee for the gifts sent to me by my wonderful family! Spices, chai tea, Hershey's syrup, chips of all flavors and PINTO BEANS!!!! Well, I'm off to make cookies. THANKS, FAMILY!

In Our New Place

Well, we are starting to get settled in at our new place. I have spent the week clean and shopping. Who would have guessed shopping would be so much work? It's hard when you don't know what stores have what and who has the best prices. I was invited over to the house of the girls I met for tea this week. While there I met the other roommates, a Welsh girl, and two French girls. All were very nice and it was neat to see how much we already had in common because of Christ. Today I went to the women's Bible study at my new church. They have tea, coffee, and treats beforehand and then split up into groups to discuss the study and pray. All the women I met were very nice and I was glad to see the study was a time of study where the word was the focus. It's so amazing to worship with other Christians on the other side of the globe.

We'll be posting pics of our new place this weekend so stay tuned!

Matt spotted these little beauties...

God is so good. Yesterday we were at the shopping center near our new place when Matt spotted these pinto beans. Of all places to be they were in a herbal health food store! It is a small package- just 500 grams- but I was so glad to find them. I exercised extreme self-control when I only bought one package. They were $1.44 (euros). Tonight we are having our first meal in our new place- roast beef, mashed potatoes and popovers. Tomorrow we will be having what is left of the roast beef with these little beauties wrapped up in tortillas. I can hardly wait. YIPPEE!