Seeing as how we both enjoy good/interesting food, I move that we institute the fifth day of every week as Food Friday.  We can then use this blog as our own cookbook of things we want to make together!

1. The playlist is so great, especially Swept Away! I’ve been listening to tons of the Brother Avett recently.  Very nostalgic for me, reminds me so much of my sophomore and junior years of college. Also, I Can See the Pines are dancing is such a sick track! Do you have that whole album? If not, I can send it to you!

2. I’ll definitely listen to Daniel’s sermon, especially since it’s about sexxx (scandalous!!!). When will it be put up?

3. We came in second place at the pub quiz last night! I actually answered some questions, all of which dealed with music. My favorite two were “Son of a Preacher Man” by Dusty Springfield and “Brown Sugar” by the Stones.

4. I cooked for Mihai, Vlad and his girlfriend, Dave and peggy, and another student of ours last night before we went to the quiz.  It was so fun.  They brought the wine and I made pasta with a tomato sauce with sauteed garlic, onions, and peppers.  On top I put cracker crumbs with an herb mix on thin strips of pork and made them crunchy in the pan.  It turned out really well.  I’m also cooking for that group of volunteers (the group that the girl who knows the Ebbers is with) Sunday night.  Looks to be a bunch of Germans, Canadians, Greek, and Danish people.  Crazy.

5. One of my American friends was at the pub quiz last night with another team and I was describing how my phone was stolen/lost and she said that one of my other friends is selling his iPhone for $150! That’s half the price of the one I was getting from the UK! Also, i’m getting it today, which is great.

6.  I’m so glad we got to Skype yesterday! Seriously, I really really enjoy talking to you.  You’re just awesome!

So, I feel fine today.  A little bit of sore throat, but nothing else.  Pretty strange, because after I laid down I felt like I was about to cross over the Jordan. 

Things I am Excited About:

1. Berlin

2. The older couple living here with me.

3. We are planning a “leadership retreat” for TCLD that is going to be run by our church leaders.  This is an attempt to lessen the distance between the church and the students.  It looks like it’s going to be a ton of fun. We’re renting a cabin up in the mountains and are going to be there Friday through Sunday.  We’ll have one discussion about teamwork, one about relationships with a Q&A for the older pastor guy later on in the afternoon, and then one discussion on Sunday about community.  There’s also going to be a big hike on Saturday.  I think this is going to be HUGE for connecting students with the church.

4. We’ve gathered a kind of “leadership team” for TCLD in an effort to make it more student driven.  Definitely a step forward.

5. SKYPING WITH YOU AGAIN!!!

6. You getting to hang out with the other interns at fall training!  Tiring I’m sure, but it’ll probably be a huge boost to morale.

7. Planning on a big grill-out with Mihai and Vlad in their city (30 minute train ride from here high up in the mountains).

8. There is talk of hiking the crest of Piatra Craiului (below) this semester.  It’s about a 12-15 hour hike. Should be AMAZING.

Ok, have to go meet a student for lunch.  When would be a good time to Skype sometime? Do you have any free mornings this week?

Taking a hot shower was definitely a help.  If nothing else, I feel more relaxed.  I’m now laying in bed underneath a couple of blankets and about to listen to an all songs considered podcast and try to pass out.

I’m really glad we got to talk! I’ll start working on that teleportation device tomorrow.

1. That grilled cheese/tomato soup combo looks so legit! That looks like it would instantly cure the common cold or homesickness.

2. The Office is on its 8th season…crazy.

3. I’m at Barnes and Noble using the internet until Bev makes it into town to help me run some errands. She’s definitely feeling it that I’m going to leave in two days so I’m trying to involve her in everything I do.  Not the most effecient, but it makes her feel better.  There is this kid from my home church who works here to put himself through junior college.  He’s really bright, a hard worker, and very thoughtful.  Will and I had him during some Diciple Now weekends while we were at Ole Miss and noticed that he is pretty serious about his faith.  This is awful, but I really want to…convert him…to reformed theology.  It’s really absurd, because it’s not anything that you can really “evangelize” someone with.  I mean, it’s not like he’s atheist or agnostic.  He’s a Christian.  Still, I want to just go up to him, tell him about the 5 points and say, “This helped me understand faith, life, and just about everything in between. Maybe it will do the same thing for you.”  My question: how do we tactfully tell other people about Calvinism? Is it even important to tell other Christians?

4. One thing you should know about me is that I’m pretty nostalgic…but in a weird way.  It’s not that I necessarily look back on periods of life with an inappropriate amount of longing, but it is that I anticipate  and expect that I will.  So, I always try to make things meaningful that shouldn’t necessarily be.  Case in point: this is the last time that I will be at a Barnes and Noble for 8 or so months.  This should, in no way, be special.  But, for some strange reason, I try to find hidden significance in everything.  The teenager working here has “Paper Planes” as a ringtone? HOLY CRAP! HOW DID THEY KNOW THAT I’M FLYING AWAY ON A PLANE?! I mean, it really is absurd.  Now, this has its upsides: I distinctly remember tons of little details about the breakfast we had at Elmo’s before I left.  I remember hugging you in the parking lot and touching the back of your neck and rubbing my fingers through your hair a little bit.  My ridiculous preemptive nostalgia has its pluses…but it is still a little strange.  In short: there is a lot of wierd little things about me that you’ll get to know.  I’m excited about exploring all of your minute excentricities as well.  They make life fun.