Grill Dog

Rarely do I crave food (although I am quite partial to lentils - I think it's my missionary blood)... but all week, all I've wanted was a hotdog on the grill! Kind of sad, I know. I think I was craving it mostly because of the summer ambiance it carries.

This afternoon while walking though the city on my way home...... the ship was in the harbor picking up it's passengers on their way to Denmark... families were riding bikes through the streets... every yard and balcony smelled of some wonderful smokey marinade... each lawn chair and picnic bench was filled with party guests, all of them relaxing in the early hours of a new weekend ... and the hint of freshly cut grass was still hanging in the air from it's latest trim...

When I reached my own balcony, I found Samuel mastering his new grill(which he built today!) and cooking up - yes - hot dogs :) I'm a happy wife.

American readers: we need some beef franks around here...

(I'm not really sure what was in these ones) :)

Tack Älskling!

Center

It Is Finished

Here it is folks. This little piece of plastic is one of the most valuable things I have! It arrived in the mail today :)

Permanent Resident of SWEDEN!

Home

I've been visiting Sweden for the last 3 summers and a few times in-between... but for the first time ever... I don't have a plane ticket telling me when I must leave again. I love the life of a God adventurer to the unreached people groups. That's all I know to do with myself. For me it's a wild, sometimes lonesome, stretching, messy, wonderful, Holy-Spirit-filled adventure. Being a God-adventurer many times also means being a nomad - and I love that! So even though Varberg has become my home town -- my blood is dancing around inside about the things that are to come! Here and beyond!

One thing that's very important to me, no matter where I'm staying, is to make it HOME. Since I was married in 2009 I've had 6 different homes in 3 different countries and a lot of hotels and guest bedrooms in between! In each place, we shoved the suitcases under the bed, cracked open a can of paint(or hung cloth on the wall if we weren't allowed to paint), taped a few photos on the walls, lit some candles... Wha-lah! Home. I guess it's all about the ambiance for me. But here we are making our home again... for now...

Our apartment is on the second floor. Behind that tree :)

Our first couch! From Second Chance(second-hand)!

Breakfast on the balcony this morning :) Sweet sunbeams.

City Market in the Center on Wednesdays and Saturdays...

Two cuties down the street who were selling hairclips and crafts...

Somalia

Waterproof

I had a wonderful weekend home in Sweden! Samuel was free from work for a few days so we spent a lot of time taking walks, doing a little shopping, visiting the ocean, playing and singing worship on my guitar I brought all the way from Youngstown(!) and fikas with friends and family! Samuel preached about Holy Spirit fire on Sunday at church as well. My favorite preacher.

My Swedish has become a bit rusty over the last 4 months spent in the States, but I feel my mind is slowly making a shift again. It's always a good sign when you start to think in another language. At times, in my search for words, I blurt out Amerinja (the official language of Ethiopia) and other times I feel like speaking in tongues would just be easier. But here I am, an immigrant to Scandinavia... so Swedish is my only focus now!

The sky looks like it's about to downpour at any moment.... and we do everything on foot here. When I was leaving the states, everyone was asking, "Isn't it always cold in Sweden?" and my answer was, "Not now! It's sunny and hot and the sun stays up extra late!" but.... that hasn't been true! Since I arrived last Thursday, we've had grey skies, wind, rain, gloom. I should really go shopping for a jacket and umbrella. Good thing I got that waterproof camera in Hawaii!

Samuel and I are leaving for the Embassy soon. I've received my resident permit but still don't have any proof of it, so they're fixing my card today! Wohoo! I'll be officially finished with this whole thing in just a few hours :)

Pacific to Atlantic

I'm home. Samuel met me in the airport with a bouquet of roses on Thursday. I felt like a little kid with butterflies in the pit of my stomach during all of my flights! Took a walk down to the ocean with a thermos of coffee last night. There really aren't any waves here. I had to keep reminding myself that it's the sea. Not like Hawaii :)

Praying for our neighbors in Norway today. What a terrible tragedy they are facing. Tomorrow Samuel will be preaching in Pingstkrykan! Come if you're in Varberg!!

Busy Bee

Busy in Youngstown. One week in Ohio makes for little sleep, lots of coffee, and hours of talking and catching up with the people I love. Friday in Pittsburgh. Saturday Alumni party with YMC and family dinner afterward. Sunday at my home church - Victory Christian Center - and a date-day with Sarah Graefe... one of our former team members from our base in Ethiopia! O and of course, lots of Izzy time!

Sarah and I at Mill Creek in Youngstown!

Lauren, Joelle and I

One and a half days left.. then I'm finally going home to my Samuel in Sweden!!! I'm so anxious and excited and happy and longing and...

Izabella Mae

Had the honor of hosting Izzy's first photo shoot this weekend! She's a pro...

Youngstown

I stepped on my plane in Kona, Hawaii... out of the thick flower-scented-humidity and then, two planes later, stepped out into the breezy midwest of USA! Ohio to be specific. The Y-town! City of my roots. Feels good and strangely surreal to be here.

May I introduce you to Izabella Mae?! My 2 month old niece :)

With her great-great-grandma Juanita!

With her daddy - my little brother, Jeffrey!

Love the opportunity I get to be here spending time with my incredible family. Love love love them.

Hapuna Beach

Well, here it is... my last weekend in Hawaii. Although I'm desperate and ecstatic to see my Samuel, it's always sad leaving mama and dad. We've been doing this for years yet that never changes! The next time I see them, hope they're finally coming to my side of the globe.

Tomorrow (mama's birthday!) night I'll fly from the islands and make my way to the mid-west where my little brother (!!!) will pick me up at the airport in Cleveland. Jeffrey's a new dad and I can't wait to see his little 2 month old baby Izabella Mae! I'm going to smother her with my auntie kisses!!! So happy to be able to spend one week in my home town - Youngstown - before flying back to Sweden. My plans are to drink lots of coffee with family at my grandma and great grandma's kitchen table, chat it up with my covies(best friends Joelle and Lauren) late into the nights, visit the greatest church and people in America at Victory Christian Center, eat at my favorite little middle-eastern restaurant called "Aladdin's", see my missionary-hero Sarah Graefe, and soak-up-my-incredible-family! Then on the 20th I'll jump the Atlantic and f i n a l l y run into the arms of my husband!

Hapuna Beach... July 9...

The cave - where we camped out for the day...

-over and out

After...

After...

More than 100 days. 16 weeks. 4 months. 1/3 of the year of 2011.

Relocating my life from Africa to Europe and then being told I must return to my home country of USA in the state in Hawaii.

Hours and days and weeks of paper work.

Interviews and applications.

Countless phone calls with embassies, airlines and consulates.

3 months apart from my hub.

A decision has been made...........

I am a "permanent resident of Sweden"!

Happy 235th America!

Some photos from our 4th celebrations with friends on the beach...

Waterproof fun

Yes! A waterproof-digital camera!! It's revolutionary!! This was our practice round in the pool..... just wait for more snorkeling and cliff jumping! It has panorama and video settings.... gah!