Thankfully Starbucks greeted me once I was through security and all was well.

I’m not sure if anyone reads this or subscribes to this. I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t… But you should for the next couple weeks. Why? I have the privilege of going back to West Africa! I hope to occasionally post pictures or stories of adventures.

I will be in Dakar, Senegal, from March 18-31. I’ll be staying with friends, spending time at the beach, enjoying some vacation, and visiting folks sent from BBC.

20 days and counting… I can’t wait!

I can think of 3 ways to take this:
1. at face value. My hair is getting long.
2. as an indirect speech act. I need a haircut
3. as a response to the fact that 95% off the time my hair is up in a knot on the back of my head and the change is not something they are “used” to, therefore it is down and “long”.

Yes. there it is. What my brain power was pondering yesterday.

My parents were recently out of town for a few days, so I stayed at home with my siblings. While driving Anders to school we had a conversation that went down like this:

Anders: My friend Emily goes to all day Kindergarten.
Anie: Do you wish you went to all day Kindergarten?
Anders: *thoughtful pause* No. Then I wouldn’t get to eat lunch.

Consider this: 66% of our 86 missionary units are working directly among or directly supporting work (i.e. training national pastors to reach the unreached in their countries) among unreached/least-reached people groups! 66%!

This doesn’t take into account those hoping to leave within the next year.

Praise the Lord for moving in the hearts of our missionaries to serve in hard places… for the joy of all peoples!

if you have any interest in design, typography, or communication in the world around us, you might want to check out this film!

Here is a list of 10 additional things I couldn’t live without. Ok, I could live without these things… 10 things I appreciate on a daily basis and would rather not live without:

1. iPod filled with good music, vodcasts, podcasts, sermons, etc.
   
2. Post-it-notes
3. Rice cooker
   
4. Coffee, Coffee Shops
   
5. Burts Bees Chapstick
6. Chaco Sandals (spring/summer/fall) and/or Slippers (fall/winter/spring)
   
7. Bobby Pins
8. Pilot G-2 Pens
9. Windows (in an ideal world they would be open, breezy and letting a faint sunlight in)
   
10. Random or Intentional Conversations with Coworkers/Friends that Make Life So Rich

What are yours?

my local library is brilliant. they have a coffee shop right within the library building! and the coffee shop is just the right size and filled with comfy chairs and couches. they even provide free wi-fi.

there is nothing better than a saturday afternoon spent wandering between the racks to find a hidden treasure followed by a good americano and a cozy seat in a coffee shop.

you may ask why i am sharing this with you? well, i’ve just been informed that my library is closing for awhile. this is the worst idea ever. i know that in the long run a remodel will be beneficial, however right now i’m feeling the pain!

We had craft night… a fun way to hang out, be creative, and produce some cool and inexpensive decorations and gifts! I love finding ways to be artistic but am ever intimidated by the sheer immensity of the world known as arts and crafts. Let’s not talk about the potential meltdowns that Michael’s could produce! However, Cristina is a guru and my inspiration.

We had a lovely time and came away with some cute stuff.

Cristina and I worked together in FDD until she had a baby and I moved to Missions; I’m so glad we’ve remained friends!

And I lied… there were 15 reasons why I had a great Monday:
11. No socks
12. Driving with the window down
13. Watching 24 with friends
14. Fun conversation after 24… with the same friends
15. Being reminded again and again that all of this is grace. This day was a gift! The seasons will change, but our God never changes!