A little bit of everything

Today has been absolutely beautiful! Having the sun shining and the birds singing, plus the warmer temperatures, made walking to church this morning quite enjoyable. It was the perfect way to start my day. It is always a struggle to make myself get up, but when I do I am always so blessed by going to church and getting to fellowship with such amazing people. I've also been realizing more and more recently how much going to church isn't simply about what I can get out of it, but also about what I have to offer to others and to the Lord. That reminder makes it a delight and a privilege to gather together with other believers.

God has such a heart for this city and for this country, I am so excited to be apart of what He is doing here and I hope to be a part of the even big things that are to come. This week is Rag Week for NUIG and while eveyone else is partying and staying up till all hours of the night, I will be joining together with other Christians on campus to pray for our city and our campus. We will be doing some outreach in the city and hosting alternative events for students to come to. I'm excited for this week because it means I will get to see everyone every night this week!!! That's always good.

Tonight for dinner I made Chicken Tetrazzini with my roommates and we had a little family dinner. It was so nice to share a meal together just the four of us. It was also nice to stay in and not have to worry about going anywhere tonight. And while I should probably try to get stuff done tonight, I'm not even going to worry about it. I'm going to finish off this almost perfect day with my cup of tea and a movie all cozy in my bed. Yep, it's the perfect day.

Crazy side notes:
Tomorrow will mark two whole months of me being in Ireland. Crazy!

The Irish are so superstitious and it makes me laugh. They think I'm crazy, but that's ok.
They celebrate and remember the date of someone's death the way we would remember a birthday. They call them anniversaries (and no they don't also call wedding dates this, those hardly get mentioned). So the way we remember Martin Luther King Jr. on his birthday or Washington and Lincoln on theirs, the Irish would remember them on the date of their death. It's sort of a celebration though, nothing sad or solemn about it.


A few pictures from our weekend out at An Cheathru Rua:

                                                      The view from where we were staying

                                                                 Pretty country road

                              Group of students who sang, danced, and played their instruments for us!!!
                                                                 Highlight of the weekend!

Can I come home now?

How sad is it that all this traveling around Europe only makes me want to see the US all that much more? I love it here and am glad that I get to see all these amazing places, but I really can't wait to get back home and explore the States more thoroughly. I've seen a decent amount of the East Coast, but there is still so much I want to see of America. I have been compiling my list and hope to get started on it this summer. They make traveling so easy here, I wonder how we have gone so long without doing the same. High speed trains (and at good prices), hostels and round the clock bus service make all the difference for us students. I wish seeing America was this easy.

Some things I have to see in the States (in no particular order):
Maine
Philadelphia, PA
Niagara Falls
Savannah, GA
Memphis and Nashville, TN
Smokey Mountains
Kentucky
Kansas
Texas
Chicago
Rocky Mountains
Montana
Grand Canyon
Napa Valley, CA
LA

Ideally I would love to be able to say I've been to all 50 states, but that's not as important.

So, what do you think? Are there any other things I should add to my States bucket list? Let me know what your favorite parts of the US are and what you think are the top places to see.

Beautiful day

Today was simply lovely outside. The sky was clear, the grass was green, the water was a magical shade of blue, it was grand. I wish I could take a picture and save it for a rainy day, but honestly pictures can't do it justice. It was a nice reminder today, as I hurried back and forth between campus and home, that He still delights in the small stuff and that there is beauty all around us. We just have to be willing to look. Amidst homework assignments and my crazy schedule it was nice to pause and soak in His creation.

Another highlight from today, I learned how to say things about the weather in Irish!

Bhi se go halainn inniu, buiochas le Dia!