Happy Leap Year!

So this morning I realized it was February 29. I was so excited that I sent "Happy Leap Year" text messages to a bunch of my friends, including some "local" friends (you've got to love those spontaneous, non-sensical messages). From the Americans, I got "Thanks! Happy Leap Year to you too!" in response. From the others I got, "Thanks...but what is it?" So it was an interesting opportunity to educate.

So naturally, I started thinking about past February 29ths. Where was I last Leap Year? It was 2004, I was a senior at Bethany. I was probably in class. Then I remembered the group of classmates who'd been meeting regularly and pr.ying together about forming a team to move to Asia. February 29 was the date we'd given as the deadline for committing to the team (giving people an "easy out" if they didn't feel like it was where He was leading them. Well, prior to that meeting, a group of 4 of us got together and talked about how He had put the same things on our hearts and we were heading in the same direction. So, on this day, 4 years ago, I committed to moving to Asia and working with those 4 people. Later that night, a team of 5 was formed to go to the same country, but in the north.

My pstr here told me this morning that maybe this is the day that I'm to commit to going to Africa with a group of people from my ch here. It wouldn't be to live, just to love on children. He said maybe February 29 is like my day to make commitments...like a new year's resolution, except it only comes every 4 years.

So, maybe today is the day...

Good to be back!

Ok, don't get me wrong. It was great to be home and to see family and friends again. I'm happy that I was able to see most of my extended family and to at least talk to a lot of my friends. Visiting Bethany again was great-being in a place where people understand what it's like to come back from being overseas for a couple years is always refreshing! But I think I'm developing that "3rd culture" that's usually talked about in reference to MKs. I'm becoming a 3rd culture kid.

I've been back for just about 30 hours. But I've already experienced a bunch of familiar things that were subtle "welcome back" points (you could also call this "you know you've been overseas too long when these things make you feel at home...").

-the not-so-refreshing smell of the polluted air.
-the trickle (if you can call it that) of water that you're expected to shower under.
-having to leave the bathroom sink running during your "shower" so that there's enough water pressure to kick the hot water heater on.
-a "hot" shower that's really only lukewarm, at best.
-the loss of my "personal bubble" of space
-squatty potties (need I say more?)
-the LANGUAGE- man, it's nice to hear it again (and speak it!)
-packed-beyond-capacity buses. And elevators. And, well, everything.
-the food!
-the poor english on signs.

I'm sure there's more. So far, these are things that have made me smile. They're not always things that make me smile, but they're things that are "welcome home" indicators...kind of like cheese and snow and christmas decorations when I went back for the holidays.