Classes and Family

Basically I, Christy, read for my two graduate level classes all the time.  That's why I don't post very much. However, home life is also exciting as we have dear friends living with us!   Paul was in our wedding, and he brought his beautiful wife Wendi and their 5 boys to Dallas.  They have been with us for almost 2 weeks now, and it is such a blessing to have them here!  We've also connected with some dear friends.

Here are pictures of our big, happy family!

Dear Nigerian Friend,

If I had a good friend from Cameroon or Nigeria coming to visit, I might say this: 

Dear friend, 

• We are looking forward to you coming so very much. 
• I’ve learned some things I want to share with you before you come because I am still surprised by much of this!
•   The meat has lots of fat, so pour that off before you start cooking the rest of the food with the meat.
•   People will not visit you unless you invite them ahead of time.
•   On time is late...late is disrespectful.  Walking into church late is not as acceptable...they start on time. The music sometimes even starts early! 
•   You PAY for all that nice hot water you use to bath with. 
• Most people take showers, and they will be confused if you say, "I want to bath." 
•   Greeting as you go may bring you strange but surprisingly happy looks!
•   Getting an “Amen” out of a group is harder, but well worth it!
•  You can’t get the store without owning a car or having friends that tell you when they're going so you can go with them.
•   There are  RULES as to how many people can stay in your rented flat!
•   The veggies can stay fresh in the fridge for weeks!
•   Oranges are orange and eggs are white  
• You can’t bargain the price.
• 99.9% of your shopping will be indoors. 
• Everyone stops for you when you want to cross the street!  Sometimes it's embarassing. 
• People don't like to be called Mr. or Pastor or Sir or Mommy or Sir or Ma or Reverend so sometimes you just can't call them anything because it's too awkward to say their first name. 
• You pay for everything with a plastic card so you aren't always sure how much you spent.
• The aisles in a store are full of stuff and there are too many options so sometimes you leave without buying anything because you know you can't buy everything! 
• Contant power...you pay for that too...and you can't get around it! 

A trip to Austin

We went to Austin our first weekend here in Megabus!  We had the best seats in the bus, and a really interesting seat neighbor from Pakistan.

We visited dynamic, fun, creative, godly cousin Beth.  So good to see her new house, visit her church, and discover Austin with her! We went to the botanical gardens and ate at a yummy Thai restaurant!  Hopefully we can get down that way again soon.

Did you know they have food trailers in Austin?  They SELL FOOD out of a TRAILER and the trailers move all the time...like every week!  They are unique combinations of food like Texas Cuban!  Really yummy, by the way! 

A manicure

Do notice the artistic sparkly blue nails as I elegantly pour home brewed tea into this delicate hexagonal Chinese teacup.  

My brother got me a manicure and pedicure for Christmas.  This being my first experience with such fine care on my hands and feet I was delighted to see how clean and sparkly and fresh my hands and toes could look. I had a dream that it was chipping off, and upon sharing this with my husband, he said he'd do the dishes for me until the nails were looking old.  Good deal! 

However, this manicure experience reminding me of something else.  If you don't mind me stretching a metaphor a bit, I'd like to share this thought.  

Manicures are a telling analogy for spending time with my family over Christmas. 

I came home ragged looking and feeling. 

I was overwhelmed by the abundance of care I was given. 

I was buffed and scratched a bit by the closeness of living with others...old habits returning all too fast.

There was a little scraping and cutting away of those fleshly reactive tendencies as well. 

But soothing oils of sharing memories, home-cooked meals, and laughter washed over the rough spots. 

The choices came in a flood and my mind swirled at how many wonderful people I could spend time with.  They were the color of my days...my nieces and nephew, my parents, my siblings and their spouses, and dear life-long friends all ready to share and walk with us during our short time there. 

The choices I made while there left me sparkly...feeling refreshed. 

I have been battered and I have been renewed, and I'm so thankful for how all of this pleasure cost me very little...just being with them. 

Thank you, my family, for the manicure, for loving me, for taking such good care. 

A Home

We're finally in Dallas, TX, gearing up to start classes on January 10!  Praise God with us for a place to stay these next four months! 

With running hot water, a full stove that fits almost any baking sheet one would have on hand, washer and dryer, refrigerator, electricity, and internet our mobile home is most certainly a 5 star home for any young missionary couple. 

A star quilt on our bed reminds us that we are all part of a beautiful design that is allowing us to "shine like stars in the universe as we hold out the word of truth!"  All our blankets and sheets where here when we got here!   

We've put up our special pictures...the ones that we carried from our Nigerian home here.  They were both wedding gifts, and are very special to us.  The one of the left says, "Remain in me." Jn 15.  This was our wedding verse. 

Drinking tea from our Christmas mug given by my mother and made my Josh Mogck, a friend in Holland, MI.  We carry with us memories and homes from all over the country and world! 

I have to get my husband a more manly apron, but I sure am glad he's washing the dishes...that that he seems to be so happy about it!  Do you see the water running?  Maybe that's what he's excited about!