Blacklight Run!

Well I am following up with America's new years resolution... Getting in shape! I love to exercise. Call me crazy, but I also love sports. So far, we have done pretty good. We run 3-4 times a week and the other day do crunches or push-ups. It makes it so much more worth while when you do it with friends.
My friend Tony introduced me to M-100's. They kick my butt. (In a nut shell they are like up-downs, mountain climbers, and squats all in one 3-minute-full-body workout. I am I can't move after 2 sets.) My first time at an up-down I face planted on the concrete.  OUCH. But they work!

Christmas Eve, I talked my mom into doing a 5K with me. For a 8 year breast cancer survivor and a mom, I was incredible proud of her! A few other friends decided to run too!
Standing out in the freezing cold, I painted our neon colored nails..

 The gang!

 Glow sticks for everyone!

 Shelly even found paint...

 I love to run with these too. They challenge you and keep pace.

 Mom and me! She was so excited!

 13,000 strong!

 Through the Blacklight zones

 WE rounded the turn toward the finish line, and Aaron said, "Brindley, wanna to race?" I took off in a sprint, and all the people who finished before me lined the sides. They started cheering us on! Man, that adrenaline is addicting!

We were covered in glow dust, and we had a blast. Couldn't wait to get home and warm up though...
Mom said. "So when's the next 5K?" :)

2014?! ALREADY?!

It's already 2014? What the heck happened to 2013?
   
    2013 began with the anticipation of an adventure. Things changed, some of which will never be the same. I have more stories, I know a little bit more about the "other side of the world," and feel a little more aged. (Which is debatable to be a good thing or a bad thing...) I learn some incredible lessons, some of which I am still learning.
      The last six months have been hard, but great! Adjusting back into my own culture is tougher than I thought. There are so MANY things we take for granted here! Like fast food (otherwise spending hours cooking for one meal), driving everywhere we go (other than walking), everyone speaking ENGLISH (so you actually know when someone is talking about you).
       Things have gotten comfortable again, settling back into the old routine. Back to school, work, church, and spending fun day with friends. How is it that I still feel homesick? How can I be away and be homesick at the same time be here and homesick? WHY?!
       Call it an "AH-HA!" moment or a "Lightbulb!" moment when everything just seems to click. Like "Why didn't I think of this before?!" Yesterday was one of those moments. During my Devo time (My one-on-one time with Jesus in the mornings) God just somehow revealed to me:

                 Brindley, you're homesick because your missing me! Before you went to Africa, 

you were listening to me and watching for me. 

You were more aware of me and what I was doing. 

You did the same thing in Africa, because I was the only thing you were familiar with. 

You held on to my Word, and you came to me everyday, and you trusted me. 

You are only at home when you are with me. I made you that way. 

And I am always here. Where is your focus? 

That is what I have been missing! That's why sometimes my patience wears thin, why I give up trying to disciple people, why I just want to move back overseas. God is just as real here as he is there. It just depends where I look. 

So in 2014, where is your focus? Do something bigger than yourself.

"Bri, we are going to cook for you..."

Some of our friends from USIU said to me after a late night soccer game..."Bri, we are going to come over and cook you dinner before you leave." I said ok! So Jack, Khumbo, and Abdi cooked dinner while the rest of the soccer guys just hung out and watched some soccer games..

 Khumbo showing off his cutting skills...

 Soccer in the dark?

 Abdi with all his ladies. :)

 Yummy.. "Hey guys, can we eat now?! Malawian chicken, rice and salad!

 Melissa and Kesh

 Albert and Audrey

 Love this girl!

 Ester said she needed proof of them cooking...

 Abdi, Khumbo, Jack..

 They even cleaned my kitchen!

 Albo! (My baba -father)

 These guys are awesome!

 The great chefs!

 Jack!!!

Goodbyes

Right before we left Kenya, we had a decision to make. How are we going to say goodbye to all of our friends when we only had a week left? So we decided to have a party! We were going to have Bible study with our KU girls, then they would help us cook for the crowd that was coming later. We told everyone the party was to start at 6pm. (With specific instructions that is STARTED at that time.. Not that you should leave your house at 6.) 

Melissa and Audrey helped cut greens for sekuma wiki (fried greens)! It took us a good 2ish hours to cook everything. We had a feast!

We had about 20 friends show up to our party. It was crazy! 

My sweet friend Rhoda cooking the greens..

Mwajuma and Susan decided to join in the picture!

Carl, Rhoda, Joy, and Sorelle.

Chapatis (African Tortillas), Pilou, Cabbage, Beef stew, and sekuma wiki...

Party in the kitchen! 

Great fellowship.

Ted and Victor even came! :) (Our friends from Limitless)

Them "village boys" sitting on the floor. lol

They love making funny faces too..

We decided to eat outside... Except the mosquitoes liked us too much.

Since it was also Sonia's Birthday we decided to have a cake! :)

"Happy Birthday to you, Happy birthday to you!"

Cake fight!

Nic!!

Vincent! A great brother, Swahili teacher, translator, and friend.

All the girls!

She loves the model pose...

My girls!

I sure do love my sister, Joy. She hates goodbyes as much as I do, so we promised to see each other again.

The gang!

This whole photo shoot took about 2 hours.. lol

Nic, Amos, Sudi, Vincent, and Joy!

 Love these sweet girls! They taught us so many things and went with us to shop for Indian clothes. Thankfully we still get to keep up with each other!

 All these awesome people went with us on our mission trips. I learned so much from them!

 And our sweet girls... missing Kayla and Eve of course. They are an answer to prayer, an inspiration, and encouragement! I love hearing them share what God is doing in their lives!

 We all love to be goofy, hello!

 After the photo shoot, we sang a few worship songs, prayed, everyone gave us their SHORT blessings and well wishes, and we thank God for our friendship.

 About 20+ people showed up that day to say their goodbyes. By God's grace the day wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.

To our amazement everyone left by 10pm. We walked them all back to the gate, shed a few tears, said some "goodbyes" and "see-you-laters", and headed back to the house for clean up. We walked in and Amos is washing dishes, bless his heart! We cleaned both houses and it only took two hours! Some people showed up later so we went and visited with them for a while and then bedtime for these girls! :)