In Amsterdam

It's 2009!! Incredible. I don't think I've accomplished one thing in the past few days though...and love it! I've spent several hours a day reading/praying/reflecting/crossword puzzling/La Blogotheque-ing/movie-ing/etc. A dream, huh? I'm forcing myself to begin working tomorrow though, as the countdown for one paper's deadline is offically 2 weeks come Monday...shoot.

With all the reflecting I've been doing, I'm overwhelmed with the way I'm loved. I feel so thankful for the way the Lord's intertwined my life with unexpected people this past year. And the majority of them being some of the most selfless, warm people I've ever met...on both sides of the Atlantic! I am being wonderfully supported and cared for by friends in Ohio (receiving packages, emails, big hugs in columbus) and have been amazingly welcomed by friends in the Netherlands (dinners, sharing holiday traditions, providing day-to-day sanity). I'm just beaming with thankfulness.  

We celebrated the New Year well over here. Friends, lots of kids, even more food, mafia, the Dam on tv, and fireworks! It was such a treat. New Years' Eve fireworks cause quite the frenzy over here. Supposedly they're only legal for one day (and only a few hours at that). During New Years' Eve day I was convinced that this was one of the major downfalls of Dutch culture, as it sounded like we were being bombed from 9am on. I should also mention that on my way to the grocery store I was almost hit with a firework, seeing my life flash before my eyes...and later on almost hit with Brooke after someone threw a lit one out a window. Now, I'm a girl that loves fireworks. But I also happen to be terrified if they're being ignited nearby or coming from unexpected directions. HOWEVER, this tradition of fireworks on New Years' Eve was completely redeemed at midnight. We went to the Pickerill's roof to check out the firework display just a few minutes after 12, and it was absolutely amazing. The whole city lit up! And it lasted for almost an hour. Shivering in the cold with friends on a roof at the beginning of 2009 watching Amsterdam be lit by thousands of fireworks...something to cherish.

We had a sleepover at Eric and Julia's, and rounded out the celebration with crepes, coffee, a devotion, and confessing our answers to the question "what is the crisis?". It was special to begin the new year sitting at a table with good friends, confessing our pain and hoping together. Again, beaming with thankfulness.