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Monday, July 26, 2010

I just booked plane tickets to Milan and Switzerland over Labor Day Weekend.

No big deal.


**GRIN***


A good friend from back home helps out with the Navigator's Military
Ministry at the Naval Academy, and will be heading to Kandersteg,
Switzerland over Labor Day for a Swiss Adventure weekend... and asked
if I wanted to come meet up with her!

A weekend of amazingness outdoors AND fellowship? Yes please.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Amazingness....

I get to live HERE.

Jealous??!?!!?!

Hope is here visiting from good 'ole Carolina, and as I mentioned in my last post, one of my goals was to do some of the things around my beautiful town of Samokov that I haven't gotten to do yet. On Saturday, we met up with some great friends to take the lift up the mountain towards Musala - the highest peak in the Balkans. By the time we got everyone in one place and got up the mountain in the gondola (from Borovets at 1300m to Yastrebets at 2369m!!!!!), we didn't have enough time to make the 4 hour hike to Musala (2369m). Now I know what to expect, and Krista and I are planning a camping trip to stay in one of the hijas up there in the fall. Can't wait! Also can't believe I hadn't gone up here sooner... it was incredible.

The ladies!
Krista is a good friend I met here in the PC. She's no longer a volunteer, but she's been living in Sofia as an English teacher. I'll be sad to see her go in November.. and then Hope and me.




Me and my new "little brother." This is a really long and impressive networking story, but Iordan is 16 and the son of a friend of a friend of my aunt and uncle in Florida. Got that? He was born in Bulgaria, moved to the US when he was three, and then came to join Svetlina for our summer camp last month. Iordan has been staying in Sofia with his grandparents, so the three of them came to explore the mountain with us. He also really hit it off with one of the older boys at camp, so he came back to Samokov to see Isus and we all spent the night hanging out. It's been fun getting to know him. Not to mention we hit sibling status really quickly... Christmas card?



Seriously... this is practically in my backyard! How amazing?? And how do you see something like this and NOT believe in God?
"The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands." (Ps 19:1 - thanks John!)


"Katie, you better not fall." - Iordan
"Katie, please don't break your leg again." - Krista
"Katie, if you fall and break your leg again, your mom is going to kill me!" - Hope

"Guys, what are you trying to say?????" - Me


Love it.

As much as I know I will be ready to move closer to family next April... my heart hurts already at the thought of leaving all this... especially my kids and colleagues. I can't express to you how great things have been lately! The Big Guy is doing big things here, people. Please be praying... :)
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Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Tomorrow an amazing friend from North Carolina is coming for the next
12 days! Instead of leaving the country, Hope and I plan to do all of
the exploring in and around my town of Samokov that I haven't had a
chance to do for one reason or another! Options will include but are
not limited to taking the lift up to Musala (the highest peak in all
of the Balkans), spending a day on Lake Iskar, taking the bus to
Belchin for the mineral baths, hiking the Samokov Rido/Ridge, and
finding some of the nature trails throughout Rila national park in the
surrounding villages. There is so much here to see and I can't wait to
have some company and catch up with Hope. I haven't gotten to spend
much time with her since I graduated from Elon, so it should be a
great trip! Next week we'll spend the weekend in Sozopol on the Black
Sea, so I'm really looking forward to a relaxed time with a great
friend. :)

At the beginning of August I have my Close of Service conference with
my beloved B-24s. This is the group I entered Bulgaria with 2 years
ago this month, and it will be bitter-sweet watching them all embark
on the next adventure in October while I get ready to tackle my last 6
months of service!

Then. A month from tomorrow. I will board a plane for two weeks back
in the motherland to watch one of the most amazing women I've ever met
marry her best friend in Chicago and spend some much needed time with
my family!

And look at that. Summer is over already. ;)

Monday, July 12, 2010

It's no secret to anyone who knows me that my poor brain matter has
probably been on constant overload/drive since the day I was born, but
its been a bit more ridiculous than usual lately.

So much going on... schedule wise and internally.

Crazy. When I have a chance to process I'll share it with you, my dear
blog world.

For now, enjoy what pretty much defines my camp experience from last month:

http://vbox7.com/play:72cbf0f2