Fall in the Pacific Northwest
Along with all the incredible, burning colors, the smells of hot cocco and fireplaces in use for the first time this season, Fall brings to Seattle visitors! Here are a few pictures of my joyous Fall thus far!
Back in October, Kris and I drove down to Portland one day. My aunt and uncle had flown out for the week to visit their daughter, my cousin Jamie. I sadly didn’t get any pictures of us together. Kris and I had a great time walking around downtown Portland. We found an incredible bookstore that was 5 stories high and took up two city blocks. So awesome. It was great to see family out here.
Jamie had a break from Seminary and came up to spend it in Seattle. I got to spend an evening with her and Will. It was SO good to catch up with good friends!! Jamie was our wedding photographer, and was in my mission class. Always love spending time with her. That makes two YAMs who have come to visit Seattle. Only 12 more to go! 
One day while I was at work, Kris got this great shot of the Olympic Mountains, overlooking the Ballard neighborhood. The Fall in the Pacific Northwest can bring some incredibly beautiful, clear days!
A shot of downtown Seattle, with Mt. Rainier in the background. Every time the mountains are out, it never ceases to catch me off guard. I feel so blessed to live in such a beautiful city!!
Kris and I took a walk around the Queen Anne neighborhood one unusually warm day. The colors were so beautiful!
My unexpected joy this month was getting to see my beautiful cousin Mary Grace. She and her husband Andrew had been up North visiting his brother, and were flying out of Seattle. I got to have dinner with them and their incredibly precious 6 month old Owen. Back at the hotel, I got to see his latest accomplishment – crawling! I haven’t seen Mary Grace or Andrew since last Christmas, and this was a great surprise!!
In a couple of weeks, good friends from Kentucky, Nate and Stacy, are coming for a long weekend. Then my mom and dad are coming out for Thanksgiving! Fall has been a fun time so far, and I expect it to only get better!
This is me, catching up
Using Stephanie’s seven-thought format, here I go:
1. Christmas was wonderful. I was able to take off nearly 2 weeks. I flew into Atlanta, where Kris picked me up, and we drove down to Florida, with a brief stop for a wonderful dinner and visit with the Gates family. Sitting around Brian and Stephanie’s table (that apparently exists no more) makes me miss living in the South. Or at least living near old friends. I miss being around people who just instantly make me feel at home. And I miss my super cute godson. I mean, look at this kid! Who wouldn’t miss that face?
2. This was the first Christmas Kris and I have spent together. We spent 5 days in Florida, celebrating with my family. On Christmas Eve, we went to Marianna to spend the evening with the Burkes (mom’s side). It was the first time in 5 years every single member of the Burke family was there! What an amazing gift. A lot has happened in five years: Kate and Derek have had two kids, MaryGrace has gotten married and is expecting her first child, Ellen moved to Africa, Bev and Austin moved to Albania, Alison got married, Philip started medschool, Robert started his own buisness, Ben got married, I got engaged. Needless to say, there was much to be celebrated! The two days after Christmas, most of the Hooks family got together. Even though we weren’t all there, it was still a great time, complete with a visit from Grandpa’s brother, Uncle Kenny, and cousins Ken and Louise. It was a special time for the Hooks side as well, as we were able to celebrate the engagement of Arthur and Liz mere hours after the special moment!
<——Burke cousins
<—– Just a few of the Hooks cousins celebrating Arthur and Liz’s engagement!
3. After Florida, Kris and I trekked it back up to Atlanta to spend a few days over New Year’s with his parents. It was a relaxing time, spent watching lots of football and playing with the dogs. I am so thankful that I am marrying into a family that I feel so comfortable with. I enjoy spending time with Kris’ family, and know what a blessing it is to have in-laws that I not only get along with, but love very much.
4. Now I’m back in Seattle. And Kris is here. After 2 1/2 years apart, we are FINALLY in the same city! There are days that I just can’t believe that the distance period of our relationship is finally over! While I wouldn’t change the last 3 years, they haven’t been easy. Yet, they have made us a stronger couple. And I will never take for granted having my man in the same city!
5. Work is going really well. Have I mentioned that I love my job? Because I really really do. And I am excited to be able to finally announce that I have been offered a position at Mary’s Place after my term as a Mission Intern is completed this summer!! I will be the Family Services and Volunteer Coordinator! It will be a nearly-fulltime position (32 hours) at a job that I already know and love. Seriously, how blessed am I?
6. Random fact for the day. In 2009 I read 31 books. Some were amazing. Some, not so much. My favorite of the year? The Help by Katheryn Stockett. I would highly recommend this book to anyone, but particularly to anyone who has roots in the South. It is hard to describe exactly how this book makes me feel except to say that I am glad I live in the time when I do. Least favorite book of the year? Love in the Time of Cholora. Seriously disappointed.
7. My dear friend and mission classmate Abby came to visit last week. I felt so bad because I had to work the entire time she was here, but Abby is a wondering soul who loves to explore, and Seattle is a great city for just wandering around. Though, it is a much better city to wander when it isn’t raining – like it was every day that she was here. I am thankful for the time she was here, and the time we had to share, laugh, eat and remember. I love my mission classmates, and am always thankful for time I get to spend with any one of them.
<—- Miss Huggins and I on a ferry with a very grey Seattle in the background
That’s all for now. Hopefully more updates to follow soon.
The difference in a year
December 10th.
Three years ago today, I was living in Kentucky. I was a bartending seminarian. We were all anxiously waiting for the miraculous arrival of Mr. Asher Paul. I was in the beginning of a relationship that would eventually become THE relationship. I was anticipating graduation, enjoying snow and had a house full of dogs.
Two years ago today I was in Indonesia. It was a three week whirl-wind trip full of spicy food, bad air and incredible learning experiences. I was able to attend a UN Conference on Climate Change. I marched with indigenous peoples from all over Indonesia. A few weeks earlier I had attended a traditional Indonesian wedding, and spent time with the families of migrant workers.
One year ago today I was in Hong Kong. It was my final day in Hong Kong. I cannot begin to express what all I gained from my time there. I spent 15 months trying to blog about it, only to feel that I failed miserably at accurately conveying how meaningful and impressive every moment and individual was.
One year ago today I was in transition. Leaving my apartment before dawn, (and subsequently breaking my toe!), and ending the day in Japan.
One day. Over the span of three years. From Kentucky, to Indonesia, to Hong Kong, to Japan, to Seattle.
Last night my dad called. He asked what I was doing, and I said eating dinner. “Anyone with you?” he asked. “Of course not,” I replied. “I lead a pretty boring life.”
I think I need to retract that statement. My how time flies when you’re having fun; traveling the world; discovering what it means (and what it doesn’t mean) to be a missionary; watching friends get married and expand their families; falling in love; meeting new friends; saying goodbye to new and old friends; learning about migrant rights and issues surrounding homelessness…..
How time flies
I met Mari not too long after I had started working at Mary’s Place in February. She came to services on Saturday, and dropped by occasionally during the week. While not currently homeless, she had been in the past and is still extremely low income. She’s a sweet lady, quiet, thoughtful. She is proud of her Native-roots and kind to everyone she meets. People who know Mari, love Mari.
Not long after I met her, Mari found out she was pregnant. She had a spirit of quiet excitement. “This is my last one. I knew how many children I always wanted, and this little one will finish me off.” Everyone was so excited for her. Maryanne, another church-goer, made her a baby blanket. Another lady brought a sweet little outfit and hoodie for the baby. There were gifts of diapers, hats and love. At the beginning of the summer, she informed us it was going to be a boy! Everyone had an opinion for naming the baby. Mari would just smile, “We have his name picked out.”
Three weeks ago, Mari came into church for the first time in a month. With her, little baby Sage. He was bundled up in one of the blankets that just a few months before had been a gift. Everyone ohhed and awwed at the sweet little baby. A tiny miracle. There is nothing like an itty bitty baby to reduce a room full of hardened, weary women into a cooing mess.
It is amazing to me that I have been here long enough to see a non-pregnant woman become a mother. These last ten months have just flown by. It is sad to think that there is only 6 months left in this program. It has truly been a life-changing experience. I have able to travel the world, work in grassroots organizations, learn about issues in migration and homelessness. I am a different person than I was 2 1/2 years ago. A better person, I think. These last ten months, I have become wholly invested in the work of Mary’s Place and the Church of Mary Magdalene. So much so that I am not leaving Seattle after my Mission Intern program is finished in the Spring. I am hoping to stay on with Mary’s Place, but even if that is not possible, I want to stay in this community. I feel at home here. I feel a sense of peace in staying that I haven’t felt in a long time. It feels good to be here, invested, learning, stretching.
A wedding update
Last weekend I flew out (yes, yet another trip) to Atlanta in search of a wedding dress.
Now before you find me guilty of dress-searching obsession or some other ridiculousness, let me explain. I had originally wanted my mother to come out here to Seattle to come dress shopping with me. But she managed to convince me (by helping to pay for my plane ticket) that Atlanta would be more fun because we could involve my sister, aunts and cousin. And she was right.
I don’t feel like I have to say this again, but I will. I am not a girly girl. I’m not frilly, and I don’t typically get excited about shopping. The one dress I own, I typically wear with pants underneath. (no joke – it’s super cute too, all hippie style!) It also probably does not need to be restated that my sister and I have very different tastes in….well, pretty much everything. The joke has always been that while she is “pinks and polka dots,” I’m “earth-tones.”
But for all of our stylistic differences, it was a wonderful weekend. I adore my family. We always have a good time together. My aunts are hilarious and just feed off each other. And it is always a comforting feeling to be at my Aunt Gayle’s house – it feels like home. They were all good sports, letting me search for what I needed, listening to what I envisioned (which mostly included, “No bedazzled, no butt bows and no lace!”). My sister only made me try on one frilly dress, though my mom pulled a couple frilled and beaded dresses. After 3 stores and about 40 dresses, I found a dress!! It is beautiful. And it is true, what they say. When you try it on, you just know. It’s very weird. I had tried on many many dresses over the course of two days, and though I liked a few of them more than others, there wasn’t one dress I was attached overly attached to. None of them made me cry. I thought that I had maybe actually broken my curse. But then, at the last shop, in the last dress, I walked out and stood in front of that mirror. I could see reflections of my female family members behind me. As I caught my own gaze in the mirror, tears sprung to my eyes. Dammit. Curse is still there. But that’s okay, because I got a dress.
In other wedding news, things are falling into place. We have a date (June 12th!); we have a location; we have a photographer; and now I have a dress! There are still a lot more checks to make on my list, but it’s getting there!!
Because I am too incoherent to make a full post, bullet points:
- Next weekend I am flying out to Atlanta to go wedding dress shopping with my mom, my sister and my aunts. While I am excited about going dress shopping with family, I am exhausted. You all probably have a vague I idea of how much I’ve been traveling recently. Pretty much flying somewhere (on the east coast) once a month. And I love that I am able to do all this traveling, I really am. But I’m tired. But yes, dress shopping. Very good.
- Tomorrow is our big fundraiser for Mary’s Place. Our 5th Annual Hats and Tea Fashion Show and Silent Auction. It is going to be a great event, and I am really excited. But again, tired. Down to my bones exhausted. We spent all day setting up, coordinating table clothes, setting tables – you know, all the fun stuff. I am ready for tomorrow. It will be a lot of fun, I’m sure, but it will also be nice to be on the back end of this one.
- I drank a coke today. It was a moment of desperation. I had not had coffee all day, and there was no prospect of coffee in the near future. I needed caffeine, otherwise I would be crashing hard with a blinding headache soon. So I had a coke. And it tasted like being 12 at my grandmother’s house; drinking coke-a-cola out of a real glass with ice. Ahhhh. Until tonight. When my kidneys starting hurting. Seriously. This is why I gave up sodas 6 years ago. No good.
- Speaking of coffee. I had a major coffee catastrophe yesterday. I have dubbed it the Great Coffee Mishap of 2009. I was making coffee in the office, not an unusual occurrence, when I noticed that the coffee was not going into the pot, but rather, alllll over the shelf and the floor. So, I turned the maker off and went to empty the filter. (you should also know that I just wrote “folder” instead of “filter” – like I said, incoherant.) At that point, the coffee/filter exploded. All over the wall. All over the fridge. Even more all over the floor. It took me 20 minutes to clean up. As I started to make a new pot, I stopped myself. “What the hell am I doing? I live in Seattle!!” So I went around the corner and got a lovely cup of coffee. One of the perks of living in the land o’coffee.
- Have you seen the commercial for the classic, “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”? They have Charlie Brown rapping. This leaves me slightly confused and sad. Charlie Brown should not rap.
That’s all for tonight folks. Goodnight.
On the road again…
Well, the road, the plane…you know. I am a traveling fool these days. But this should hopefully be my last trip for awhile. And actually, this may be my last trip to Kentucky for a really long time. We have high hopes (fingers crossed, Lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise) that Kris will be moving out to Seattle by the end of the year. That will put my traveling to a snail’s crawl! Woot!
I am a little sad that this may be my last trip to Kentucky for the foreseeable future though. Kentucky was home. I had good friends there. Really good friends. I enjoyed my job, I loved my little house. Kentucky was good to me. And it will be sad to fully close the book on that chapter of my life.
One of the reasons I’m traveling to Kentucky this weekend (other than to see my fabulous fiance!) is so that Kris and I can hop on over to Asheville to check out our wedding site! I am SO incredibly pumped! We have an appointment on Monday with the venue. I am nearly giddy with excitement. Not to mention that I get to be in Asheville for two whole days!! It has been nearly 4 years since I’ve been in North Carolina…and that is WAY too long! It is just one of those cities that I absolutely adore. So I’m really excited to show off all my favorite parts of the city to my favorite guy.
That’s all for now folks! Traveling, wedding planning…..
Family
It was a quick turnaround trip. 12 hours on a plane. 12 hours in the car. For less than 48 hours in Virginia. But it was all worth it. Getting to be there. Meeting much of my soon-to-be new family. Holding Kris’ hand as we walked into the abby. Listening as the family told stories about their Mawmaw.
I heard about how Mawmaw didn’t want to miss out on anything. How she would wait up until everyone else had gone to bed, and would always be the first one up, cooking breakfast. They all remembered her best on the porch, waving goodbye until the car was out of sight, and how they would always honk and wave goodbye. The most common word used to describe her was “kind.” She was the embodiment of kindness, spreading it to all she knew. Every time her name was mentioned, it was mentioned with great love and admiration. I listened to Kris express how he is a better person because of the love that his grandmother taught him. That when he makes his delicious mac-n-cheese or carrots he is making her recipes. And I am thankful to be marrying a man who is proud to carry on the qualities of love and kindness from his grandmother.
They said goodbye. They prayed together. They released a dove. And laughed when the dove perched herself on the roof of the abby, watching over everyone. “That’s Mawmaw, waiting till everyone else leaves before she goes.” Kris’ dad honked the horn as we drove away from the cemetery and everyone waved.
I was humbled to get to be a part of these sacred moments. I was welcomed in as a part of the family, even though I had never had the privileged to meet Mawmaw. Over the two days together, we ate a lot and we laughed nearly as much as we ate. Being in back in the South for less than 48 hours, I’m pretty sure that I ate more fried food in those two days than I have in the last 8 months combined. But man it was so good. And made better by the family it was shared with.
There is something beautiful about the time that is shared together at funerals. There are sad moments to be sure. But this was a celebration of a woman who lived a full life. She was 93 when she passed, and surrounded by family. She is remembered well, and her legacy carries on in her children, her grandchildren, her great-granchildren, and in her great-great-grandchildren. There is something beautiful about the way that family will come from all corners of the country to celebrate and remember. There are few moments in life that have that kind of gathering power.
Let me tell you a story
Once upon a time there was a boy and a girl. And they were friends for many years. Then one day, suddenly they weren’t just friend anymore, but much much more. As the years progressed, the boy and the girl watched as their relationship grew deeper and stronger. There were hard times, months of separation, joyful reunions and much laughter. There was a time that the boy and the girl lived across the world from each other, and it was a sad time. But then the girl moved closer, so that they were only across the country from each other. And while that time was hard, it was better.
One day, the boy decided to fly across the country to see the girl. It was a happy day. The girl even had a special present for the boy.
Girl: “Boy, I have a present for you, but you have to close your eyes.” And in his lap she placed a book. It was a small book, but one filled with love. It was a book the girl had written when she lived on the other side of the world. It was a book full of sweet notes, saying how much she missed the boy and wished he were there. The boy loved the book. It made both the girl and the boy emotional to read it together and remember that hard time apart.
Then the boy said: “Girl, I have a small gift for you to, but you have to close your eyes.” So the girl closed her eyes. And then the boy said, “Thank you for the book. I really missed you during that time. It means so much to me that you made that for me. I want you to know that I am never as connected to a moment as I am when I’m with you. And I don’t want to miss any more moments with you. Open your eyes.”
And when the girl opened her eyes, this is what she saw:
And she said yes. And the boy and the girl, they lived happily ever after.
Better late than never: A post about my time in Alabama
It has honestly not been that long since I have been out of the South. I guess it really depends on if you count Kentucky as the South. They don’t serve sweet tea in about half the restaurants, but have you heard their accents? So, not counting Kentucky (which, despite the lack of sweet tea, I do count as the South), I’ve been out of the South for exactly two years. And yet, even with such a short time away, it never ceases to take me off guard when I go back. The accents are what get me the most. They kind of make me giggle, sometimes they make me roll my eyes, but they always make me feel at home.
I pride myself on getting out of the Deep South without much of an accent. It comes out on occasion, but it is certainly not the first thing people notice about me. I do say very Southern quips like “y’all,” and “darlin’” A LOT, and I get teased for that. And more often than I’d like, my “I”s come out a little longer than I meant. (which always makes me think of Valerie making Alabama boys counting to niiiine. But back in the Deep South, places like Alabama and North Florida, it isn’t so much the accent, as the long drawl that is so defined, so unavoidable.
I first heard it on my layover in Memphis. To an outsider, I’m sure that all Southern drawls sound the same, but I can still classify Memphis from Montgomery; Louisville from Laurel; Decatur from Destin. There are subtle differences that remind me of the many areas around the South that I’ve lived in, or have family.
And the heat! Whew! Actually, not so much the heat as the humidity. It is amazing how quickly I have become acclimated to Seattle summer. I could use all the tired-old expressions about the Southern heat and humidity. How it “literally sucks your breath away,” or how walking outside is like “walking into a brick wall of humidity.” All true. It doesn’t matter how you try to prepare yourself for that kind of heat, it always takes you off guard.
Yet, these things, odd as it may seem, feel like home. Hard to decipher accents and overwhelming heat are what feel most like home. I love Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. I can see myself living here for a long time. But I guess it is true what they say, “You can take the girl out of the South, but you can’t take the South outta the girl.”
Whether I end up back there or not, the South will always be home. I may joke or even complain about it, but it is who I am. It is not the whole of who I am, but it is a part of me. Stephanie asked while I was there, “After all of your moving, where do you feel most at home?” It is a hard question to answer. I definitely feel at home in the South, but I think that has to do more with the feeling of familiarity, friends and family than anything else. Because I also feel at home in Seattle, a city that I am growing to love more and more every day. Parts of me also really miss Hong Kong. I felt at home in the work that I was doing there, in the church community that I found. I think that, for me, there will never be just one place that I feel most at home. It just isn’t possible. But how lucky am I to have such a variety of places in which I feel comfortable?
I use the same joke everytime that I stay with Brian and Stephanie, that no matter where I live, I feel most at home on their old worn out couch (which is no longer with them). I have spent more nights on their couch, in 3 different cities and twice as many houses. And it is true, the feeling of home for me can indeed come from familiar surroundings and thick accents, but more often than not, comes from the people I am around.
And so that is what my time in Alabama was. A weekend where I really nearly melted from the heat, yet was energized by the people I was around. It was a time of playing with my sweet godson, and walking with old friends. It was 4 days in which I felt at home. That is a hard feeling to leave.
All week long I have wanted to sit down and write a post or two. I’ve had ideas and updates swirling in my head, beginnings of posts jotted down in bus-jumbly scrawl in my notebook. And here I sit on Sunday night, with nothing to say. Seriously, I do have things to say. But for some reason, my mind is just drawing a blank tonight.
So instead, how about a few pictures?
I feel like this picture pretty much sums up the weekend. Asher wanting to know “how does it work?”, Silas flirting with whoever isn’t holding him. Love it!
All weekend long, Silas was working hard on standing up. It would take him a good minute or two, but when he was up, he was so proud of himself! Hooray!
I just absolutely adore this family. Seriously.
What a grand pair of godmothers! I don’t know that we could ask for cuter, sweeter godsons!
This weekend is my 10 year high school reunion. I am not going. I didn’t much care for high school when I was there. The people pretty much annoyed and/or bored me, and I was basically ready to high-tail it out of PC as soon as I threw my cap. I had a few really good friends from high school, all 3 of who I still keep in touch with fairly regularly. But the roughly 500 other people I graduated with? I honestly have little desire to spend $65 just to crowd into a room, trying to place nice and act like they really cared who I was 10 years ago. (or for that matter, that they care who I am today) Wait, did I say $65? That’s just the entrance fee. That doesn’t include the plane ticket home. If we weren’t friends in high school, if I don’t talk to you now, no way I’m going to PAY to talk to you now. Just silly.
But still. It is my 10 year high school reunion this weekend. And that makes me feel a little old. I can remember being in high school, hearing other people talk about their 10 year reunion and thinking they were so old. I feel like they definitely had to have been older than I am now. No way 27 is old enough to have a 10 year reunion. But then, I guess it really is.
I may sound a little harsh here. It isn’t that I hated high school, per say. It is just that I didn’t enjoy it that much. I liked my classes and the majority of my teachers. And I was involved in various activities, I went to all the football games and prom. I made the most of it while I was there. But there was never a moment of my entire high school career that I didn’t see my time in high school for what it was – a stepping stone to get somewhere else. I knew that the best way to get out of PC (which is a lovely city – I don’t mean to be knocking it, it just isn’t the place for me), was to graduate well and get into a good college. Besides, most of my friends were not from school. The people I most often hung out with were from church, and they were all a couple of years older than me. High school was fine, but nothing worth reunioning about. (yes, I totally just made that word up)
Not to mention that I have a much more important, and much cuter engagement this weekend. I’ll be seeing my beautiful godson dedicated, and celebrating his first birthday. Now THAT is worth its weight in plane tickets!
Exciting things about my life right now:
1. I am going to see RENT on June 16th. I’m in the nosebleed section, because that is all that I can afford, but I am so incredibly pumped. Seeing RENT will be a check off my list of things to do in life. Yay!
2. I am going to see sweet baby Silas and Co. Father’s Day weekend!! Last time I saw the Co., Silas was almost-but-not-quite crawling. Apparently, he has grown from a baby to an engaging little boy, and I can’t wait to see him!! Not to mention getting to see his incredibly awesome momma!!
3. While I’m in Alabama, I might also have the chance to see a friend of mine from high school. We haven’t seen each other since the summer I left for Hong Kong. She is living in New York City now, working as an actress. She and her boyfriend are going to be in PC for our 10 year high school reunion (to which I am not attending, thankyouverymuch), and we are planning to meet hopefully in Dothan for lunch one day!! I can’t wait to see her.
4. Seattle Seafair starts June 27th. What is Seattle Seafair?, you ask? Well, apparently it is THE summer festival, lasting a whole month, and including such fun activities as: a marathon, a derby, Blue Angels demos, sea plane demos, parades and more! One of my co-workers invited a few of us to her incredibly awesome deck overlooking Lake Washington, to view the planes on whatever day is all about the planes.
5. The weather. It is starting to balance out nicely. We went from 40* to 90*, and seemed to have settled at a lovely 70*. They say this is what most of summer is like, cool/warm, some sunny days, and lots of outdoor activities. Yay! recently added: Seattle is now on day 21 of no rain. I don’t know if this is a record or not, but people here sure are acting like it!
That’s all in the life of Liz (at least for the month of June).
Not much to say
I feel like I need to update, but I really don’t have much to say. Life has settled into a bit of a routine here, which is nice.
The weather has been beautiful for the last week and a half, and is supposed to be warm and sunny through the weekend. People keep saying that this is unusual weather – that it typically doesn’t get this warm or this sunny until after 4th of July. Well, I don’t know what typical weather patterns are or aren’t, but I’m loving this weather! It cracks me up everytime I hear someone complaining about it being “too hot” here. 78* is NOT too hot!
My summer is booking up rather quickly. I’ll be traveling to Alabama in a few weeks for my sweet godson’s birthday/dedication. I am REALLY excited about seeing him again (and of course, all the other Alabama folk) In July I’ll be traveling to Madison, WI for a wedding, where I’ll be the co-photographer! Bless her heart, Jamie has a lot of faith in me! I’m so excited to see Katie (the bride), and a couple of other YAMs as well! Katie is getting married in the Madison Botanical Gardens, which is going to be just beautiful!!
Later in July, Alice and Jan are coming to visit! They came to see me in Hong Kong around the same time of year. Its turning into a tradition. I love it! We’ll get to celebrate Jan’s birthday together, which will be a lot of fun. Jan and I have spent everyone one of her birthdays together, except for one, since we met back in 2002! Crazy, huh?
And somewhere in the midst of all the traveling and visitors, Kris is coming out for a visit (hopefully the end of June!) So yeah, it is going to be a crazy busy summer. But one that I am really looking forward to!
~Want to hear something funny? I spent 4 days in Florida and never saw the sun. It was rainy and windy the whole time I was there. Today, in Seattle? Sunny and 70 degrees. Perfect. Kinda makes me feel bad that my family is spending Memorial Day Weekend at the lake….in the rain. Nah, its just funny.
~Home was good. It was wonderful to be there and to be relaxed, instead of busy busy busy. I got to meet my brother’s girlfriend for the first time. Apparently, long distance relationships run in the family. She lives in Texas. They’ve been together for 10 months. Yeah, we’re a crazy lot.
~My brother graduated. I am so proud of him. I just can’t believe how grown up he is! He actually graduated this past December, a whole semester early! That’s how cool he is. The ceremony was fine, nothing spectacular. Two hours of sitting in Tommy Oliver Stadium as gale force winds moved through. The girlfriend and I made a game out of guessing how many graduated would lose their caps to the wind. The answer: quite a few.
~My brother is the graduating class of A.C. Mosley High School, 2009. When they made that declaration at the ceremony, I realized – I’m old. I was the graduating class of A.C. Mosley High School, 1999. My ten year high school reunion is next month. I’m not going, but that doesn’t mean I’m not old. Geez, when did that happen?
~And just for kicks, a picture of me and the graduate.
Making an appearance
First, go here. I may link to David’s blog more than any other. He’s posts are so witty, informative and well, yeah, just go read it.
Second, go here. Tell me if you don’t laugh. (Christy, I thought of you when I first read this, and about how hard you would be laughing.)
Does linking to other blogs count as an appearance for me? No? Okay. Well then, in keeping with my title, I’ll talk about other places I’ve made or will be making an appearance:
*All day Friday and Saturday, I spent at the Northwest Catholic Women’s Convocation. No, I haven’t converted to Catholicism. Our organization had a table as one of the exhibits. But I did get a chance to attend some of the speeches and workshops, which were pretty incredible. I got to hear Cokie Roberts and Naomi Tutu. Wow. I have a blog in the works about their speeches.
*Today, I’ll be making an appearance outside. Because it is beautiful! But I just wanted to let Nick know that yes, I’m still here. Part of my issue in my lack of blogging is that I don’t have internet at home. I’ll try and get better. Promise.
*In two weeks I’ll be making an appearance in Florida. My little brother is graduating from high school! So hard to believe. I should clarify though, that he actually graduated in December, because he is just that cool. But he is walking the stage for our family’s benefit. I’m excited to get to go home again and have it be a little more relaxed this time around. I’ll get to meet Michael’s girlfriend for the first time (they’ve been dating about a year), so I’m excited to get to tease him about that. And I’ll be staying a night with my sister and brother-in-law in their new house. Fun!
*Finally, just a little advanced notice. I’ll be heading down in June to Montgomery for a weekend to see my beautiful godson Silas on his birthday/dedication. I am SO excited!!
*And on one final note, someone is playing the bagpipes outside. Random, but true. So I’m heading out there to find out who.
Happy Anniversary
Let me just start this post off by apologizing. If you live in the KY area (and I know that there are a few of you that read here) and I did not call you to let you know I was coming, I’m sorry. I didn’t call anyone. It was a whirlwind trip to celebrate my anniversary with Kris. But don’t worry, I’ll be back, and we’ll get together then, promise!
So, I went to Kentucky this week! It was Kris and I’s three year anniversary. Three years!? Can you believe it? I know that I hardly can. The trip, though short, was absolutly wonderful. He took me to his hometown in Virgina to meet his grandparents and show me where he grew up. For as metal as Kris is, he sure grew up in a small Southern town. Kinda makes me laugh.
The grandparents were cute beyond belief. His grandfather talked my ear off, regaling me with stories from the war. My grandfather never talked much of his war stories, I just always assumed they were too painful for him to speak of. But Kris’ Daddy Bob shared many stories of being on a naval ship for 2 years, over in Asia. He shared one story in particular, of the ship holding a Japanese kamikaze pilot. He was able to speak to the man, and learned that he had been educated in the States. Something about hearing the Japanese man speaking of his time studying in Pennsylvania really struck Daddy Bob. The way he told the story, the compassion that entered his voice when he spoke of this hostage, showed me the humanness that is often forgotten in times of war. I also learned that he was trained at Bremerton, which is just outside of Seattle.
After just two short days in VA, Kris and I drove back to Kentucky. Wednesday was our actual anniversary. We spent most of the day at Keeneland, where we had also spent our first anniversary. A tradition of sorts. *smile* Even though the day was cold, it was absolutely beautiful. We only bet on two races, and lost both times. Kris wanted to bet $3 on the 3 horse (for our three years together). Slightly cheesy, totally sweet, but absolutely not a winning horse. haha! That night we had a wonderful dinner at this great Italian restaurant that is practically a hidden gem in Lexington. Our waitress was just fantastic, and when she learned it was our anniversary, she brought us two desserts…on the house!! Yay for free tiramisu and cannoli!!
I didn’t want to leave on Thursday, but had to be back for work this weekend. I managed to squeeze a visit with a couple of people that I didn’t get to see when I was in Kentucky over the holidays. One I literally saw for 3 minutes, but it was worth it to hug her neck! I also got to meet sweet baby Henry, Beau and Amanda’s baby. I just only wish I could of had more time to see everyone!! There are still people I haven’t seen at all since returning to the States!!!
Leaving Thursday was hard. Saying goodbye gets harder every time we have to say it. I am just ready for the day when we will finally be in the same city again!!!
Happy 3 Year Annivesary Kris!! It was wonderful to get to spend our special day together!! I love you!
Home sweet home
Well, after an unexpected extension to my travel time, I’ve decided that I despise Delta. Boo Delta. My flight was delayed take off for an hour. I had a 45 minute layover in Atlanta, and the delay meant I was going to miss my connection. Before we left though, they made the announcement that due to weather all of our connections were also delayed an hour, so everyone should be fine. Before I boarded, I went to the counter and gave them the flight number of my connection, and they confirmed that flight was delayed one hour and wouldn’t leave until 11:45pm. Right as we were taking off, the head flight attendant announced that there was no running water on the plane, which meant we couldn’t wash our hands in the bathrooms, and more importantly, that there would be no coffee or tea during flight service! Seriously?! We were taking off from the city where there are more coffee shops than people, and someone on staff couldn’t think to run down to Starbucks for a jug of coffee to go? Geez. I hadn’t had my coffee that day yet because I had been rushing to the airport and standing in lines trying to figure the delay and connection deals. The headache that was creeping up on me hit full force about halfway through our flight.
You know you have to buy your meals on planes now? I knew that before, but it never ceases to tick me off. I think that any flight over four hours should warrent a free meal. Good grief. I paid $8 for a salad that I wouldn’t have paid $2 for in a deli! It was not good. The little flight attendant man that was working my section kept ignoring me/forgetting me. When they would offer drinks he wouldn’t wait for me to answer before he was already moving back! Twice I had to stand up to get his attention. I was so frustrated.
I finally land in Atlanta, after the flight attendants promised everyone they would make their connections (yes, she actually used the word promise!), and was told that my connection was gate D28. I was at B17. And to make matters worse, my flight was leaving in 10 minutes. Turns out, my connection WAS NOT an hour late, as I had twice been told previously! So I ran two concourses in three minutes flat, only to arrive at my gate 4 minutes too late! Four stinkin’ minutes! The plane was still there, but the doors were already shut, and even though I begged the lady at the desk, they wouldn’t open them again. Seeing as how that was the last flight out to Ft. Walton for the night, I was stuck in Atlanta! I stood in line for over an hour to rebook my flight, expecting a hotel for the night. They were more than willing to offer me a hotel…if I paid for it!! I couldn’t believe it! Here I was, stuck because of Delta, and they were making me pay for a hotel room!! I was so ticked at this point, I may have let a few choice words slip.
So, I stayed the night in a poor excuse for a hotel right under the incoming flights, so all night I heard planes and rattling windows. The flight the next morning got off fine. Though it was bumpy the entire flight (so bumpy that the lone flight attendant never got out of his seat!), we made it to Florida fine.
But it doesn’t end there. When I got home and opened my luggage I found that menacing little paper that indicates the TSA had searched my bags. I had put my sister’s wedding present in my suitcase, because I didn’t have room in my carry on. It was this really cool candle that was actually two candles woven together, and when they met at the top they formed a heart. I met this really neat local artist at Pike Place Market the day before I left, and he made all these candles. I thought they were just beautiful, and that the heart would make a unique gift for my sister. So I double wrapped it in bubble wrap, then wrapped it in a bag, rolled a shirt around it, then a sweater around that, and placed it in the middle of my suitcase. Well, while the TSA was rooting through my bag, they took apart my packing, down to the bubble wrap, and didn’t put it back together. So when I opened my bag, the candle was snapped in two. I’m so sad because it was such a good idea, and now I’m stuck for a gift! Stupid Delta and Stupid TSA. Grrr.
But, on the bright side, I’m in Florida! And it is BEAUTIFUL!! I mean seriously, weather like today is why people move to Florida. Blue and sunny, a slight breeze, a perfect 72 degrees. All the dogwoods and azaleas are in bloom, and it is just so darn beautiful! I’m enjoying being back with my family. Today was my mom’s birthday (YAY!) and we had a great time together today, going to lunch, shopping, and then grilling out tonight. Alison is in Princess mode, and just loving all the attention. My mom’s dinning room is literally overflowing with wedding gifts. Tomorrow I’m going to pick up Kris from the airport (YAY!) and family starts coming in tomorrow night. Mom, Dad and Alison will be peeling 50 pounds of shrimp while I’m picking up Kris (gotta love the boy’s timing It is going to be a fun but busy weekend!
Little bits of this and that
~I’ve discovered Pandora. I know I’m way behind on the times here, but better late than never? I love this program – free music, categorized for me. All I have to do is type in an artist and it generates a station of similar artists. I’m discovering new musicians that I really like. Jan sent me a CD of Jesca Hoops, and when I typed her in I found Missy Higgins, Chris Pureka, and Mieko (who I knew of before, but just didn’t have any of her stuff). I’m a big fan so far!!
~I’m starting to recognize people on the bus. But the odd thing about it is, I recognize them by what they are reading. Isn’t that funny? If I were to look at their face, I probably wouldn’t remember them, but to see the book more than once I know who they are. The woman reading The Audacity of Hope gets off at 46th St., and the man that always has the most recent Economist gets off at my stop. I don’t read on the bus because I get motion sick, so that must mean that no one remembers me. Maybe I’ll carry a book just so people will remember me. 
~Speaking of books, I saw a guy today with the Kindle. When they first came out I was really fascinated by the idea. I still think its a great idea and would love to own one some day. The only problem I would have is that I often don’t buy my own books – I inherit them through book exchanges, borrow from the library or if I do buy a book, I buy it at a used book store. The Kindle would force me to pay full price for books, which means I would probably never read!
~I’m flying out on Sunday for Florida. My sister is getting married next weekend! Even though I was just home, I’m excited to go back. The weather here has been incredibly cold, and I’m ready for some warm Florida sun! Kris is also flying down for most of the week, so I am DOUBLY excited to see him as well!
~And speaking of weddings, the rumor has somehow gotten out that I’m getting married. I know how it happened, and I blame Facebook. My sister posted her wedding invitation as an event on Facebook, which I said I was attending. Apparently, for a couple of days my news feed said “Liz Hooks is attending I’m getting married!” I got more than one response to that, asking if I’m getting married. Five to be exact. Five separate people in four days asked me if I was getting married. I got asked so often I was beginning to wonder if I had missed out on something and really was getting married. But don’t worry, I’m not. When I do, I promise, I’ll let you know before Facebook does.
~My cooking adventures are going well. I really love cooking. I made a shrimp dish last week that turned out perfectly! I had never cooked with shrimp before and was really nervous about screwing it up, but I didn’t! I was so excited that I was actually dancing around my apartment. *grin* Last night I made a very yummy stir fry with tons of fresh veggies. My two favorite foods of the moment? Bell peppers and feta cheese. I probably buy 4 peppers a week and at least a tub of cheese a week. I just can’t get enough of them!
Commitment
I just have to say that life without a car is a serious commitment. Using public transportation, for all its wonderful perks, can be hard work. It is a commitment to ride the bus to work in the rain, sleet or snow (all of which we had over the weekend). It is a commitment to stand outside waiting for the bus, while the wind gusts are so hard you lose your cap and your scarf threatens to strangle you.
Life without a car makes you more paranoid about the time as well. Let’s say you wake up 5 minutes late. It sets your whole morning routine off by 5 minutes. Five measly minutes. If you had a car, no prob, you are just five minutes late to work (or you speed – which I, of course, would never do – haha!) But, if you ride the bus, and your whole morning routine is off by 5 measly minutes, it means, you guessed it, you miss your bus. And the next one doesn’t come around for another 15 minutes. Making you now 20 minutes late to work.
Most days, I love the life of a non-car owner. I love being environmentally responsible and doing my small part. I love not having to pay for or worry about the maintenance of a car. I really enjoy the interesting people you meet at bus stops. Most days, I really like public transportation.
Today, was not one of those days.
Missing Hong Kong
Friday night I was trying to make my way out to a co-worker’s house. I had to take a bus route that I had not yet taken, and was diligently paying attention to the road signs and passing stores, watching for my landmark. Across the aisle from me, two women sat chatting away in another language. I strained my ear toward them, to see if I could catch what language they were speaking. To my great surprise, I heard them speaking Tagalog – the Philippine language. Excited that I could recognize what language they were speaking, I started paying more attention to the two women than to my approaching landmark. I could pick out parts of their conversation. The older woman’s concern for her son. The second woman complaining about her long work hours. I wanted to talk to these women. To greet them in Tagalog. But I was scared, and I let my fear keep me from speaking to these strangers with the familiar language. As they got off the bus, I found myself a little sad and disappointed in myself for not speaking to them. I also found myself a little lost.
In paying attention to the women rather than the road, I had missed my stop by a good ten minutes. I moved towards the front and the bus driver confirmed that I had indeed missed my stop. “Not to worry though. We are about to loop around, and you will be back again in about 20 minutes.” I called Rachel to let her know what happened, and settled in for the rest of the journey. There were only three people remaining on the bus at this time, the bus driver and myself up front, and an older gentleman towards the back, sound asleep. Earlier, when the Filipino women had gotten off the bus, I had heard them speaking to the bus driving in Tagalog as well. So I pushed myself to ask the bus driver, “Are you Filipino?” She was. I was so excited. I began sharing with her about how I had been to the Philippines, and had worked in Hong Kong with Filipino domestic workers. I asked about her, where she from in the Philippines, what brought her to America.
She came from Pangasinan, and was impressed that I knew where that even was. The youngest of 11 children, she has been in the States for 30 years. She has 2 sisters working as domestic workers in Saudi Arabia, 3 in Hong Kong, and one in Canada. Her parents were farmers who left their land looking for work in Manila. The story of so many in the Philippines. When her father couldn’t find work, the family moved back to the farm, where her parents still remain. It has been over 10 years since she has been home.
When we had reached my stop (again), I got off the bus, thanking my new friend in Tagalog. “Salamat!” And felt a twinge of homesickness for Hong Kong.
Sunday afternoon, my landlord Barbara and I spent most of the day volunteering at the set up of a new apartment building for homeless and mentally ill men and women. We took a break for lunch and walked across the street to a small local diner. When we walked inside, I noticed everywhere signs of the Philippines. Straw mats, Philippine Idol playing on the T.V., a bamboo flute with Baguio City painted on it. A Philippine restaurant in South Seattle! I was so excited. As our young waiter handed us our menus, I went over all the best items with Barbara, recommending my favorites. She ended up going with Pansit – egg noodles with soy sauce and chopped veggies. I got one of my all time favorite Philippine dishes, Chicken Adobo with a glass of fresh calamansi juice. I was in heaven.
There were times working with nearly all Filipinios, and after spending a full month of eating nothing but Filipino food while visiting the Philippines, that I did get tired of their national dishes. (as one would with anything they eat too much of) But after nearly 3 months of being away, I had never been so excited to have Filipino food for lunch!!
I love being here in Seattle. And I am so thankful to be in a place that is closer to home and my loved ones. But I miss Hong Kong (well, the people there, not the city itself.) I miss working at the Mission and the Bethune House. I miss my wonderful Filipino and Indonesian co-workers. I miss their beautiful culture lived out in music, dance, language and food.
This weekend, I had two chance encounters with a culture I adore. It made me realized how incredibly lucky I am to have had the experiences I did in Hong Kong. Now if only I can find a place that serves dunaguan.
Seattleite
Today is the first day it has rained since I’ve been here. And it really only rained for a couple of hours, just drizzle, nothing too serious. I take that to be a good sign. This week, other than being cold, was absolutely beautiful! We had quite a few sunny and clear days. Even in the winter, this city is beautiful. I live on a ridge, right smack in between the Cascade Mountains and the Olympic Mountains. On the clear days, when I’m walking the couple of blocks to my bus stop, I have a grand view of the snow capped mountains that surround me, and it is beyond breath taking. I keep thinking to myself, “How is this my life? How am I this lucky?”
After only two weeks in, I am already falling in love with this city. I have to admit that while I have loved every place I have lived, I have never loved a city. In the past, it has always been about the relationships formed, the experiences I’ve had in the various Southern states I’ve lived in. But here, before relationships have yet formed, I have already connected to this city. I can’t explain it properly. There is just a…spirit to this city that I’ve connected with. I don’t know any other way to describe it. I can’t lay my finger on what it is that make Seattle so wonderful.
Seattle is so many things that Hong Kong is not – in a good way. While I adored my time in Hong Kong, I DID NOT like the city itself. It was smelly, crowded, polluted, hot. Seattle smells like coffee and lavender. I don’t know yet what the population is here, but I have not once been pushed of the sidewalk or run into someone’s back because of the crowds. I can walk down the sidewalk and look around and breathe.
It would seem that everyone here has a dog! The majority of the people I see walking around my neighborhood are walking their dog(s). And every one smiles at each other, whether they know each other or not, as they pass by. When people get off the bus they thank the bus driver. And are sincere about it! It is Southern hospitality at it’s best! It is said that Seattle has the cleanest air in the country, and I believe it. I have not once blown my nose and it come out black (as it did nearly EVERY day in Hong Kong). It makes walking so much more enjoyable.
One thing that is similar between Hong Kong and Seattle though, which I am thankful for, is diversity. The women who come to the center range all ages, economic statuses, sexualities, races and religions. I can walk down two blocks and pass 5 restaurants from various ethnicities. And it isn’t just Chinese food here, they have Schezwan. It isn’t just Indian. It is Pakistani and Bangladesh. There is Santa Fe and then there is Mexican. And there is no lack of Greek restaurants. Where do I start?
I could go on and on (not just about the food, because I haven’t even started on the local foods!), but I just wanted to say that I’m comfortable here. I feel like I fit in. I honestly cannot say that I have ever felt this way about a location before. It makes me excited for the relationships that will surely come as I continue to settle in.
Arrival
Re-immersion
I’ve been back for almost two months now. It is so hard to believe that much time has gone by since I was last in Asia. I don’t need to tell you in 2 or 3 succinct sentences about how my time in Hong Kong really was wonderful and challenging and growing and scary and all of those other things. You’ve been reading (hopefully), and so I don’t have to express to you that of course I am going to miss many aspects of living overseas. It really was an incredible, life-changing experience that I would not trade for anything. At the same time, I am glad to be home. Whatever and wherever home is. Before leaving Hong Kong, I had prepared myself for the inevitable reverse culture shock that would certainly befall me upon landing back in America. I had been through it before, and I know how incredibly difficult that can be.
When I was 16, I took my first major overseas trip, the first without either of my parents. I spent 3 weeks in Uganda, Africa on a mission trip. I absolutely fell in love with everything about my time there. The culture, the food, the people, the land, the music. I didn’t want to leave. In my heart, that was home. In a concrete room without running water or electricity; where we were threatened once by an elephant stampede and drank warm milk directly from the goat – I was home. Coming back to America everything seemed so….grand. Overdone. Trite. To top it off, our church was in the midst of a very serious leadership change that was devastating to many people, and the man who had been our leader in Africa suddenly left without even saying goodbye. That left our little rag-tag Africa group confused and without any leadership for dealing with reverse culture shock. So we each learned to manage on our own. I went through a period where I was angry. I found so many things about my home culture to hate, having seen such immense poverty. The wastefulness I found common in my own life shocked me, remembering how everything was a well-used resource in Uganda. For a long time, it was painful to be in America, and it was hard to call it home. But eventually, I re-immersed myself, and found things to love again. I became a part of my own culture once again. Changed. Redefined.
So, I expected a bit of this same kind of shock upon returning from Hong Kong. After all, I had only be in Uganda for 3 weeks, how much worse would it be after 15 months abroad!? Imagine my confusion when that reverse culture shock never hit. I kept waiting, expecting it to happen. Almost willing it to come, so I could just get it over with and move on with my life. I was waiting in limbo for a transition that just wouldn’t come. I started to become a little worried, and almost disappointed, that it never came. In Atlanta, I listened to my fellow Minterns talk about the difficulties of being home, of the frustrations of not being understood by their families. I empathetically watched them shed tears over feeling displaced in their own culture, of being torn between two homes. I had been there. And though it didn’t happen this time, it doesn’t mean I don’t know that pain. As I began to realize that perhaps RCS wasn’t going to hit, I started to be thankful. A smooth transition (if there is such a thing) is a blessing. Who knows why I didn’t experience many of the same emotions as before. One can only speculate.
I did however, learn something very important. I can be in more than one place at once. In Hong Kong, I was in my element – work wise. With all the traveling, rallying, photography and relationships built. That job was one that will be the measuring stick for all other jobs I ever have. But at the same time, I was out of my element in that I was away from those I loved most. While I created new and beautiful relationships in Hong Kong and other parts of Asia, my heart was back here. And for that reason, I couldn’t wait to get home. Now that I am here, surrounded by family and friends who mean the world to me, I do find myself missing the work environment I left in Hong Kong. I yearn to be productive and active, to be working for an organization that is making a difference. A part of my heart is still there. And that is okay, I left it there on purpose.
My dear friend Abby talked about being afraid of losing “the voices in my head.” The beautiful voices that belonged to the beautiful people she connected with so strongly in Grenada. And Alycia reminded us that “the voices don’t leave us, they just become a part of a bigger and louder chorus.”
So to the voices in Uganda, in Hong Kong, in Kentucky, in Florida and for those I will begin to connect with in Seattle, begin your beautiful harmonies. Sing loud, so I may not forget. Sing strong, so as to be heard. Sing together, so that the strands of my life may continue to become an ever changing sound of pure beauty.
