Wow. So I almost forgot that xanga existed and that I actually "have one." Who knows if I will actually update this again in the next 6 months...but I guess if I get lots of comments and this proves to be a good way to keep in touch with a few of you, then it will be worth it.
I am back at Taylor University now, three weeks into my senior year. I'm living in a house, off-campus, with two other fine ladies that I am really enjoying sharing life with.

About Uganda - it was amazing, challenging, wonderful, stressfull, enlightening, discouraging, inspiring...and the list goes on. The four months were probably the best experience I've had in my short life. Though those four months also brought me to my knees and ripped at many of the things I thought I knew.  I really miss the students I went with - we are all now spread out across in the United States. I really miss my Ugandan family there. For once in my life I had little brothers and sisters (lots of them) and brothers and sisters my own age who I adored. And a Mama who liked to feed me every chance she got. :) I also miss the weather. It was so warm there, making this fall/winter even colder for me! I also miss the rain storms. They were so intense- blowing trees, knocking over chairs, flipping umbrellas, flooding sidewalks and ditches, soaking any clothes you had on the line to dry. But they usually only lasted about 20 minutes and then the sun would come back out and dry everything up. Also, life stopped during these rainstorms. If you weren't in class, you didnt go to class until it was over... It was like a small moment, frozen in time, where God was like, "I am here!! Don't underestimate me!" And then all the Ugandans would subconsciously reply "And to bring You glory and because of who You are, we trust You with our everything." Of course, no one ever actually said that to me, but it was evident in the way they lived their lives. What a breath of fresh air...

So anyway, if you ever want to see pictures or hear stories, or be challenged in your thinking, invite me over for an afternoon and we'll talk about Uganda. Or just invite me over and catch  me up on your lives.

My friends who read this, I hope you are well!

• I received all of the paperwork I have to fill out before I go to Uganda in January. This includes graduation application, registrations for classes next fall, student IDs, flights, and all the like...
• My dear boyfriend Seth found my bike which has been missing for about a month. It was parked outside one of the campus buildings (KSAC). Which is kind of funny because that building is far away from everything else, so whoever has been "borrowing" my bike probably had to walk pretty far to get back to where they came from.
• My future roommates (for my senior year) and I found a house, visited it a couple times, and talked to the owner. He's giving us first priority to it...so its basically ours.
• That house has only one bathroom...and the owner promised to put in another one upstairs...and he said he'd put it in our contract...so it will happen!
• I have made several connections with people in Uganda...including a Taylor student from Uganda who offered me a drive to the airport, a place to stay, a good meal, or a church. And also a missionary rep and a missionary who are both going to be over there in February and who will probably look me up.
• I feel like my and Seth's relationship has really been put through the wringer the past few weeks...and well the other night was pivotal...in a very good way. Something much bigger than us binds us together...thats all I have to say...
• I really dont like tanning beds...but since in 2 weeks my fair skin will have to adjust immediately from Indiana winter sun-that-comes-every-3-days to Carribean sun...and I dont want to get burned to the point that I cant even enjoy the vacation...I have been making a few trips to the tanning bed.