Sunday, January 3, 2010

Here we go....

The alarm for tomorrow is set for 7:00 A.M. Haven't seen seven in the morning for a long time, yet, not quite long enough.

Lectures start bright and early tomorrow morning at 9:00. No, it doesn't not take me two hours to get ready. We leave the house, as a house, at eight in the morning. From 30 Pinnocks way to the KBC entrance is about a 45 minute walk. .........yay...... (That was my sarcastic way of saying "yay" :P)

Tomorrow we have Michael Newman lecturing. I mentioned him in another post. He is hailing all the way from South Africa. He spoke a little bit at church this morning, and by a little bit I mean seriously five minutes.

This morning I went to OCC for Church. Oxford Community Church. This is the same building where we have classes everyday, but luckily we didn't have to walk to church this morning. We got a ride. Which means I got to wear high heels today! Whoop whoop! :)

Church was pretty different/cool. We worshipped the same way I'm used to worshipping, but the songs were just a bit different. We sang a song about "Jesus is abubbling over". Yeah......
Then the children church kids came up and showed the church a little bit about what they had been learning. Then Simon Shaw, the principle of KBC and an elder at OCC, pulled on about 10 different people to pray for different things concerning the new year. Then Michael Newman came up and have a short sermonette about the story of building your house upon the rock.
We worshiped a bit more, then dismissed. After every service they offer teas and coffees. I met yet again a few more students who had come back from Holiday and headed to the Clark's house for lunch.

All together it was the Clarks (couple who picked me up from the airport), the Lawtons (I met up with her in downtown a couple days ago to have lunch), and a few of the boys from the boys house down the street. We had an amazing lunch cooked by the two married gents. They cooked Andy's "Special" chili, rice, chicken and cheese enchiladas, and fajitas. I felt at home. ;) We ate, had tea, had pudding, cleaned up, and talked all the while. James and Bex Lawton left to pick up one of the guys who was coming back from France and Andy Clark took the Pinnocks Way gang home.

When I got home, I remembered that Lou and Lydia were coming home today. I saw Steven in the kitchen, talked to him for a bit asking about his afternoon and vice versa, then headed upstairs to say hi to the girls. Only Lou was home at the moment, so I popped into her room for a few hellos and a chat about the Holiday break. I went into my room to change from my Sunday clothes and to check on the world (via facebook ;) ). Steven decided to treat us all to Indian take-out which is now my new favorite! Lou and I headed downstairs when we heard Steven return with the food.

After the table was set and drinks were poured, we all sat down to enjoy some Chicken Korma, Peas and Cheese, Chicken Masala, Buttered Chicken, and a few other things I can't pronounce let alone spell correctly. While we were enjoying dinner, Lydia finally joined us! It was our first dinner all together! We talked about our breaks and our expectations for the new term. Dinner being over, we cleaned up. Lou ran upstairs to show us some super uber cute shoes she has gotten for Christmas. I asked what size shoe she wears and she wears a 36, same as me! (wink wink)

We gathered in the living room with some cafe mochas and loosely planned the week. We chatted for awhile, but a few of us were quickly fading and Lydia still needed to unpack. We decided to pray before going our separate ways. We prayed for grace, strength, wisdom, and all the things we thought we might need to get adjusted to all living together and starting a new KBC term. Lydia got a word about giving permission for each of us to speak into each other's lives and being accountable to each other. I think it will definitely be a new experience for me living in this house, but I think it will be a positive experience.

We said our good-nights and the girls headed upstairs. I stayed behind a bit to share with Steven and Loralie a few fears I had about adjusting to this next phase. And I'm sorry if this next bit is really selfish of me, but it was a sincere fear of mine. Lou and Lydia are very close and with good reason. They were the only two who lived here for a few months before Steven and Loralie moved here. When Steven and Loralie moved in, it took some adjusting on everyone's part. When I moved in, the girls were gone, so i had some really good one on one time with SnL. I have really enjoyed getting to know them and being able to settle in and explore Oxford together with them. Tonight I saw how easily Lydia and Lou related to each other and how close knit they were, and I'm a bit worried about me coming in. I'm not sure if it will be easy for me to connect with them being so close to each other. I shared this concern with Steven. I was sure he was just going to say, "Aeriole, you're just being selfish. Get over yourself and stop worrying. You'll be fine." But he didnt. He simply told me that my relationship with each of the girls wasn't going to look like the relationship they have together. And although that might be really simple, it helped me. I'm excited about living with the girls, learning more about them, and becoming friends. I'm not as worried anymore. You have to become friends if you're living with someone right? There's no way around that one. Well actually, I'm sure there is, but that most likely won't happen in this case.

After that conversation, I headed up stairs. Lou had her music playing loud enough for Lydia and I to enjoy. It was good music. The kind of music Stephanie and I used to play really loud in the car and dance to. I felt a little bit at home. Lou was unpacking. Lydia was unpacking. And I was cleaning up the room and getting prepared for tomorrow.

I'm going to be the "new kid" tomorrow and I don't really like that feeling. I wish I could've been the "new kid" when everyone else was too, but alas, such is life. Anyway, I'm sure it will go fine. My nerves are just getting the better of me.

Thank you for reading..

Love you! (whoever you are :P )

7 comments:

  1. I love the details...feels like I'm taking an adventure with you! I know you will fit in really well with everyone, and you are so easy to like and be friends with...no worries! Good luck tomorrow, and I will be thinking of you! Love you!

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  2. Everything is going to be great! Yer a likable person:) I'm glad you have people around you that you can share your hopes and fears with. God is faithful! Love ya, Sarah

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  3. I love your blogs, Aeriole. You are sure to give so many details, and it makes it even more enjoyable to read them. I hope you are able to still blog as faithfully once your classes start...
    It already sounds as though you are fitting in quite well there, love, so I am sure you don't have anything to worry about. As said before, you are very likeable and an easy person with whom to be friends.
    You are very much loved and missed. Good luck with classes! I will be praying for you.

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  4. You'll be a twig when you come home with two 45 minute walks daily. That's great that people walk more there. You'll have no troubles - you're very approachable and personable. Love you!

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  5. I wonder if God is putting you in the position to be the newcomer to relationships to give you a different perspective. You have always been in the "inner circle" with your childhood friends in Pburg. Now you can experience the other side of that. Good to hear how God is growing & stretching you.

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  6. That's really good Rana, because God was actually bringing that thought up into my mind today. It is good..

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  7. Thanks for sharing. Like so many ahve already said, you are EASY to get to know and like, and if you are seeking God to show you what you re to learn in each of the situations you encounter, you will not only have an amazin gyear of experiences, you will have an amazing year of growth! You are outside your element, but really, that's a great thing! Change, growth , the ability to see things from a new pwrspective are easier it seems when you aren't in the same ole same ole reoutine where that kind of stuff is easier to overlook. Love you!

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