It is like a snow globe, but just with leaves.There are incredible little leaves falling, floating and swirlng down everywhere and when the morning sun hits them, for a moment it is magic and i think time stops - because I do- and we all watch. It snowed last night a little bit, but not really enough to be proud of. My parents left this morning, but before they did, she made this that you see here.


Impressive aint she. The first snow man of the season.

Today I am moving out of the Anderson's place and into the doll house. That's not what they call it, but I deem it appropriate because if I said the girls' names you would have no clue. Plus, I'd have to get written consent from all the girls and I'm not interested in doing that. Then they'd know I had a blog and they'd want to read it and I couldn't give my honest first impressions. Just kidding. There will be no honesty on the internet.

Well my parents came down for the weekend. Quite enjoyable I say. This here is a picture of us talking with Matt, Leslie, and Sparrow on Skype. Which, might i say for those of you who are interested, Skype is a free phone on your computer. We talked for 1 hour and 20 minutes and it didn't cost anyone anything. We just sat around the computer and chatted. Matt even hooked us up to his stereo so his family could hear us loud and clear. Usually there is video footage too, but Matt didn't have a web cam, so we had to forego that aspect of the communication. But we are working on that. So I think everyone needs to download it so that I don't need to buy a cell phone.


Anyway, we insulated the room I'm going to live in so I will be warm. Wait until you see it. you go down these steeeeep stairs that I almost fall backwards on while walking up. So down these stairs, through a sketchy little sitting area, through a sort of laundry room, back into my room. The beauty of it will be that I'll be able to sing to my heart's content without offending anyone. As sad as I am to leave the Andersons, it will be good to get my stuff out of suitcases and into dressers, etc. You know. More on that later.

And now for my walks - of which I take many. Spokane is so beautiful in the fall. I go to RiverFront Park every day almost. Last night mom and dad and I went down there and the sun set over the river and made a sillouette of all the beautiful old buildings. So so so surreal. We walked by Gonzaga university (yes.. NCAA Div1 BBAll and I will have to be in attendance at some point). I tried to make a cool looking collage for you, but it didn't work, so now I have to figure something else out. Nonetheless. Here are some pictures of Spokane. There is a whole lot of construction down town. It's so old and beautiful and i believe people are trying to restore old junker places. By the way, did I tell you that this house is 100 years old? yeah.

Ok, and so how am I? Church has been good. People talk to me. Sermons are on target. I leave wondering how I can just go home and eat lunch and not radically change my life or go spend a week in prayer or at least make some small attempt at change. It's good. Being in a new place makes me realize how selfish I am and how all I care about is whether or not I'm comfortable when really, there are all these great people waiting to be met, (and people who would like to know Christ, but they've never met anyone yet who loves like him) but because "I'm the new girl" I just stand aside nervously and stare at them all. I have realized that I'm quite lazy relationally - which you all should find satisfying, because it's a result of having great friends and not feeling the need for more. But open hearts live large and live well - while closed ones live on the past. And we all know the past is pleasant and powerful -but it is also dead. Do you realize that there is so much more room than we realize in our lives to love people? Not be their best friends, but to love them. If you only do it sometimes, it's quite inconvenient and frustrating. But if it's a lifestyle, there's more flow and it's not such a large read on the richter scale. My parents and I have been staying at the Andersons. Not like they don't have enough people in their home, but somehow they absorbed us into it as well. And it didn't seem hard. Yesturday there were probaby 10 extra people eating out of the fridge, carving pumpkins, and then we had a worship time later. No big deal. Open arms are open arms. People can tell.

So here's to opening arms always, and not just when I feel like it.

Quote of the week: "Cookies are the number one evangelistic tool." - Jim Anderson

Comments

Anonymous said…
hey there sudes...hutchy here.....i would say helen here but you probably don't know who helen is.. :)
i have enjoyed reading through your blog....sounds like you have quite the adventure ahead...
was great seeing you this summer at the wedding!
our second little babe made it into the world so we are busy with that...
have fun in zag country! you should for sure try and catch a game in "the kennel"
9:53 PM
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