I always hate to begin a letter, post, or email with an apology, but I am doing so here today. Sorry for not being in better touch over the past few weeks. I am on my way to Frankfurt, Germany tomorrow in the early a.m. for our big end of the season tournament for softball. We would equate it to a state tournament, I suppose. We call is ISST's, or International Schools Sports Tournament. Our hopes are high that we can come back with the title! : )

I will and can only be brief about the past couple of week's happenings... I can tell you that relationships with girls are deepening at a rate that only the Lord can explain. I am blessed to say that I have great friendships with several of the girls on the team, and I am having opportunity to be challenged, to be strengthened, and to become more and more reliant on the Lord's wisdom to show me next steps to take in certain situations. I feel overwhelmed at times and completely humbled to be placed into such life issues as those I have encountered as of late. If you think of it, would you pray for my continued boldness, wisdom, and follow through? Thank you. I assure you that the Lord is being faithful in circumstance and is using me to be his vessel. I am sure that He is doing the work, and I am only the vessel.

I am traveling to Nice, France to see my mom and two aunts almost immediately upon my return from Germany. I will be home in Londontown for the entire month of June, and I promise to work harder on giving you more detail and update. Thanks for being my friends, for being faithful to pray, and for your continued support in so many ways!! I cannot wait to see you this summer! I will be in the states in July. I will send an email update with dates soon!
Cheers!
kb

Munich equals beautiful. I know that I have spoken many times about visiting Munich, but up until this last trip I had only been to the airport in Munich and then promptly caught a train to Starnberg. I got a proper view of Munich this time around.

I have posted a few visuals of my few days in Germany last week. Liesl, me, and Adam in the English Garden standing in front of a very cold river; Taryn, me, Julie, Liz, Liesl, and Michael at the biergarten near the Chinese Tower; a maypole in on of the "platz"es; Liz, Liesl, Taryn, and me with the Glockenspeil in the distance; a German guy surfing, yes, surfing on a river in the English Garden.

Munich is pretty in a different way than England is pretty. The foliage in Munich reminds me of North Carolina or Arkansas...a bit more of a natural, unmanicured green beauty.

ASL Eagles in the huddle on Sunday at our all-day London rec league tournament...

We came in 2nd. I even got to play a little 3rd base. If you look close, you can see me in uniform with them. Just thought you might like to see the girls. They crack me up and delight my days as of late. More soon...

Off to Munich for the rest of the week for our last bit of training. Cheers until next week!

Ever felt like you have too much to do to pray? And then, "something" inside tells you, "You have too much to do NOT to pray!" Yeah. Life overwhelms me and I get tossed to and fro oftentimes, like I am trying to swim in an ocean. As I think about this imagery, which by the way, scares me even more since I don't have a love for the water, I feel beaten down, tired, helpless, and worried. The next thought tells me that the Lord calmed the storm "immediately" when the disciples asked for help (Mt. 8.23-27). I am thankful for that "something" that lives in me that quickly jerks me out of my desperation doggie-paddle. More often than not, I try to do what I can to fix a situation, brainstorm, make phone calls, make lists... My first inclination is to "do", to "problem-solve", to "work harder" to come up with an answer. I know these tendencies like the back of my hand. I carry them with me like luggage from one place to another. I functioned this way in Arkansas as much as I do now in London. A wise friend of mine who lives in Guatemala on YL staff told me months before I set off for Londi: "No matter where you go, you take yourself with you." Yep. Confirmed. I find a lot of comfort in that statement, actually. I also find a lot of frustration and aggravation. What comes after those negative thoughts and emotion about myself?...a thought of a passage in Romans 9 that I remember reading one day in college while sitting by Lake DeGray during a necessary afternoon getaway (I spent a lot of time there.), "But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? 'Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?' " I beat myself up for not being gifted in certain areas, for not being able to do certain things well that seem so easy for others. I struggle to ask for help, not wanting to burden or make presumption. I suppose I had figured out how not to struggle there would be no need for Jesus, yeah? Yeah.
I have learned that being alone for long stretches of time intensifies these predispostions to be so independent and self-sufficient. I will say that I feel good about having begun to take steps toward decreasing the alone time as of late. I am doing all I can at a measured pace to begin to build a bit more community. You can pray for that quest, if you think of it. You can also pray that I would not swim so rigourously, that I would wade out bit by bit, and that I would cry out for help when I need it "being fully persuaded that [had] power to do what he [has] promised".

Word/phrase of the week: "unlucky!" Clearly, we all know what this word means. However, it is a true testament to the politeness of the English in my opinion when you hear it on the "pitch" (field) of various sport competions. We (our ASL team, and even I got to play a little 3rd base) played in a London women's league sball tournament yesterday, and I heard it frequently when someone overthrew the ball or threw a poor pitch. I have heard it on the football pitch (soccer field), as well, when someone misses a goal kick..."Oh, unlucky!" Makes me smile.

I am at a complete loss about where to begin. My week in Bulgaria was, as I said in my email, mind-boggling. It was beyond belief to me that people live in such a place as this orphanage in which we spent the week working.

Before I forget, let me explain the pictures you see above... One of the things that we discovered we could do without speaking the same language was make friendship bracelets. This is one of our girls making a bracelet with a boy that lives in our orphanage. This particular boy loves to say things like, "SUPER!", and the fave word of us all..."WOOOOOOW!" : ) The next two photos give you an idea of the work we got to do. The walls when we arrived were a deep green color like the gate you see in the last picture. The place quite honestly, looked like a dungeon, especially with such little electricity inside. We painted a mountain scene in light colors, which did a world of good to brighten up the place. We also made several picnic tables to put in their dining room in the basement and to place outside for them to sit on.

In the midst of all the work, we did take a bit of time to play with the kids. You see Jon here bouncing the basketball to four of the kiddos. The final picture is my friend, Desi, on the final day during our celebration. He adorned himself with streamers.

In the picture where the first picnic table has just been completed, you see the center room of the building. To the left of this room is the boys' corridor, and to the right is the girls' corridor. Up the stairs you see are rooms that house adults...why?...good question. (I can elaborate on that bit later.) Directly beneath the upper staircase is a staircase that leads down into the dining room and kitchen. In my email, you saw a picture of what that entryway to the dining room looked like...horrid. The dining room when we arrived had 2 inches of standing water sitting in it. The kids would have to walk through this water to get their meals and sit at tables in this room to eat. The drain in the middle of the room had been clogged for 2 years! No one had attempted to remedy that situation. Shocking. There are countless more details I can tell you about this facility...I will stop there for now. Let me just say...no human being should live in this environment. Our biggest feeling of accomplishment came when we unclogged that drain and saw the floor dry when we left! We put 6 picnic tables inside for them to eat on, as well.

Since my return on Saturday, I have been praying that I will not forget what I saw. I am praying that I will know what I am to do to continue to be a part of life at the orphanage in whatever way that is possible.

I found myself overcome by emotion throughout the week. My heart hurt for Bobby, who didn't have people to play football with him. I was moved by Desi, who went to sit and look out his window when we left after our week of work because he seemed overwhelmed by emotion knowing we would not return the next day. As I helped scrub the floor in the dining room that we bleached beyond imagination to remove as much filth as possible, tears surfaced as I thought about these kids not even knowing what "clean" smells like. I laughed with joy as I watched Desi speak broken English to my girls. He gradually showed us that he knew more than he initially let on. He giggled with delight when the girls called him out on how much he knew! I smiled from ear-to-ear as my friend (above making the bracelet) constantly affirmed my painting with a thumbs-up and a "Super!" every few minutes for an entire morning one day. He also helped me tear tape to protect a window. He would tear me a piece and then walk away. I would have to look for him between each piece I needed. (It makes me laugh right now just thinking about it!) I was touched when I saw Bulgaria and America unite and play a friendly game of football, helping each other up when they knocked each other down and encouraging great shots on goal.

So many other memories and stories float around inside me, and I am trying to journal them to avoid forgetting any moment I spent in Tran, Bulgaria. I will tell you that I heard the Gospel in a different way this past week. I heard the message of Hope with new perspective. I am filled with a new, clearer sense of thankgiving knowing that this world we live in is not the end of the story. I must believe in a loving God who did not intend for life to be lived as I have seen it in the past week. I must. The alternative, the hopelessness and utter depair is too painful to comprehend. I choose to believe.

Delaney, Lizzie, Avery, and Kristen showing off their fabulous wellies. A view of the town of Trun, Bulgaria from the football pitch above the orphanage. Colin and Kristen, two kids who go to TASIS (an international school where Brooke, Tate, and Kerry do YL), putting together a tabletop for one of the many picnic tables that was constructed for the kids. A view of the orphanage from the basketball court that sits out in front. Bobby, one of the kids who lives at the orphanage, and a friend hang out during the day. (Bobby obviously saw me taking this picture...: )

Sofia, Bulgaria...the capital of the country where will be working with kids in orphanages for the next week. I leave in a matter of hours. This trip will be my first proper work project trip, and I am excited to see what lies ahead. I am not a huge fan of the unknown, in general; however, through many experiences both here in England and stateside, I know that oftentimes the unknown many times holds the greatests lessons, perspective, and depth within its ill-lit existence. I will have pictures and stories to post upon my return to be certain.

On a much lighter, more superificial note, I got to spend an evening with my pal, Angelica, who runs in a crowd that brushes elbows often with all those famous and those who lurk outside restaurants and clubs with cameras, this week. She is a delight! Stories of our evening together are yet to be told as I could not do them justice at the moment. I need to take a bit of a rest before I am picked up to go to the airport in a couple of hours. I will tell you that I got an inside peek at Abbey Road Studios, which was uber cool. From what I understand, this kind of tour is not exactly an easy thing to swing.

Until I return next week, I will leave you with what I know to be a much anticipated word/phrase of the week... "gutted". As in..."My dad was completely gutted that he wasn't able to make it this evening for tea." or "We were gutted that we were unable to make the journey due to a prior commitment." An rather intense way of saying "heartbroken" or extremely upset.

Thanks in advance for all of your prayers and interest in our journey across Europe to Bulgaria. I so look forward to updating you when I return!

Cobblestones. Have I mentioned to you all my newfound affection for cobblestones? You can find them everywhere I have been thus far in Europe and the UK. I love them. I take pictures of them in each new place I venture. I believe these are near Trafalgar Square, though I cannot be sure.

You must be careful walking on these uneven surfaces. Heels are a nightmare, as I have learned by trial and error. Most of the time you must walk slowly and watch every step you take to avoid an ankle twist. My mind reels as I think of various analogies and stories to correlate to this visual...hmmm... Today, my thought? I am thankful that I can step. I am thankful that I am not asked to run, but step. I would love to be a runner, but I am not. I need time to think, to exercise caution, and to understand my surroundings. Sometimes, my head gets ahead of my feet due to internal pressure, the world around me, or various other factors. The beauty in the whole of it? Life is not a sprint.

With loads of time lately with my move, to be introspective, I am realizing much about myself. I thought I was fairly self-aware before...nope. I mentioned last post that I miss my friends who know me. Yep, tis true. I have learned a lot of important life lessons from you people. Now, I have started a new chapter of learning, one filled with more solitude. Not better, not worse...different. I feel my thoughts are rolling about in my head, so forgive if I make little sense.

One of the pices of advice I like to pass along to those I encounter is to keep a journal of your life. You will never regret it. I am convinced of this fact. Having words, phrases, paragraphs written down helps give perspective, deeper meaning, and prompts memories...priceless. My brow furrows as I think of how little I have chronicled since my moving across the Atlantic. So much swirling about in my head and heart, that I find it difficult to pen musings which, to be honest, is unlike any other time in my life. Thanks for caring enough to check in on my ramblings from time to time on this outlet for outpouring. : )

Sweet Ella Claire is a-ok! The last couple weeks have been quite tumultuous with many phone calls and emails back home to check on this little one's health. She has been given a clean bill of health after the removal of her spleen which contained the mass, which the doctors have now determined to have been a birthmark. Strange, yeah? Yeah. Regardless, all is well with her, and she is back to running around like the goofball full of joy that she is! She will need to take a daily dose of penicillin for the next several years to help her body with immunities that her spleen would have normally taken care of for her, but aside from that, she is completely healthy!*(See below)
Thanks be to God, who is good...ALL THE TIME!

Life in a different country is a funny thing. Interesting how often I have to sort of remind myself that I live in England. Obviously, the accents, the public transport, the Union Jack flying remind me on a regular basis. However, it is amazing how we as humans adapt to our environments. Though I realize that I no longer live in the United States, life does not look all that different in London than it does in Fayetteville at base level. I asked my pal, Alix, yesterday if she thinks she is a different person here than she is in Texas. She thoughtfully replied..."Yes, and no...No, and yes". I laughed and smiled knowingly. Indeed.
Life for me looks much like it would/did at home. I just happen to be able to pop down to Big Ben if I would like on any given afternoon. I can go soak up the sun at Regents Park rather than at Gulley Park. I can sit in Trafalgar Square instead of the square in Fayetteville.
A strange thing happened when I moved to a new country. Feelings of loss of day-to-day interaction with great friends, feelings of excitement of new adventures and new relationships, feelings of disjointedness and awkwardness in new surroundings, feelings of absolute peace being where I am, while feeling a bit lonely for my old life...though knowing full well that I should not be in said old life anymore, feelings that I will never be the same, and I would never wish to be... (the longest sentence ever? quite possibly. But sometimes, a contant stream of thought necessitates a run-on sentence. Especially when grading is not involved.)
I love London. I cannot believe most days that I live here and feel so at ease. I am overwhelmed with thanksgiving.
I miss all of you who read this on a regular basis. I miss the fact that most of you know what bits of this monologue lead me to make certain expressions on my face. I miss the shared knowledge, experience, and laughter that I have with so many of you.
I say all of this not to make you feel sad or sorry for me. I wish to only let you know that I think of you all so often and you are in my prayers. Though I miss my dear friends, my friendship with the Lord continues to grow deeper, and He is faithful to teach me how to more deeply trust Him. I pray this for each of you...

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
(Eph 3.18-20)

On a much less deep note... Please do me the favour of going to see the Diamond Hogs play some baseball this season! I truly believe there is nothing quite as lovely as a Sunday afternoon at Baum stadium watching some Razorback baseball! Soak it up for me! : )

Word/phrase of the week: "winge", to complain or moan. "I suppose I should stop my winging. What good is it doing?" Just another word that I enjoy.

*Dad's update on Ella...
The growth in her spleen was a hemangioma. A hemangioma is a BENIGN growth basically of confused capillaries. If you have seen a person with a large red birthmark, usually on the head or neck, that is a hemangioma. They are not that rare. The unusual (but not unheard of) thing about this one was that it was internal and in her spleen. Though they had a couple more slides to examine, the pathologists are 99% sure that this growth was BENIGN!!!

Growths like this are typically without symtoms and discovered while checking something else. This was pretty much the case with Ella Claire. With trauma, these growths are often susceptible to bleed. As you know, trauma to the mid-portion of the body often results in damage to the spleen. This could have caused serious internal bleeding. So, finding the hemangioma and removing the spleen was a blessing.

Kerry and I went to see "We Will Rock You" this past week at the Dominion Theatre. It is a musical based around and intertwining Queen's music. Very entertaining, and just great fun to be at the theatre!

I know I have been a bit absent here on the blog the last couple of weeks, and I am probably going to leave you wanting in this installment, as well. However, it cannot be helped. I spend the next few days in Hertford, a town 30 min north of my bit of London, at my third installment of training. I have many an assignment to fine tune in the next handful of hours before my departure in the morning. I shall be back with you next week with stories of kidsitting this past weekend, my spinning class that turned my legs to utter jello, and a guy called Archie who has spoken much truth into my life the past few weeks.

Tis a cloudy day in Londontown today. I would be lying if I said it didn't cause me to be a bit more tired when the sky appears gray. However, I am rejoicing that the 100 days of darkness are over! My colleague Michael in Hertford (an area 30 min north) has affectionately termed the beginning of daylight savings time until about a week ago as the "hundred days of darkness". It applies. This phrase may not have originated with him, but for me it did. So, I will give him the credit. The days have begun to get a bit longer. The other day during a meeting with these girls to the right, I could see blue skies at 5:30! Woo hoo! We are on the upswing and the light only increases from here on out!

So, yes, these are the girls I have been telling you about since I got here. From left to right: Alix, Mallory, Angelica, Lauren, and me. Alix and Mallory are YL leaders on my team. Lauren is from Colorado and has been here working. She was my first pal here. I am so thankful for the family of Young Life. Lauren (and all the others, too, actually, with the exception of Angelica) sent an email to the general inquiry section of YL in London, and we got connected. ("Technology! Name me one thing that we have gained from technology?" "Email and the internet", I add to Meg's reply of "Electricity!". Can you name that movie?)

We actually took this picture last week as it was our last time to meet with Lauren. She is off to see Switzerland, Italy, and then home to start grad school in Colorado. A bittersweet goodbye...sad to see her go and thrilled for her new adventure back home.

Angelica just moved from Arkansas to Londontown to live with her dad and do some studies here. I am so excited that she is here to hang out with us! She has blended right into our group, and she brings such life and stories to our times together. Her dad works at Abbey Road Studios, and she gets to work there in the afternoons. She is living the true London life...going to shows, meeting celebs by just bumping into them... : ) Very fun.

I thought it would be fun for you all to have faces to go with names, so there they are...my sweet college girls that highlight my week by coming to my flat to eat, pray, and laugh!

As you can see, Krispy Kreme is alive and well in Londontown, and of course, us European YL staffers from America have found the nearest shop. How many of you have seen "Just Married"? Tell me that this car should not have Ashton and Brittany inside it stuck in a snowbank. If you look close you can see my reflection in the background. Unintentional, and fairly cool. It was parked directly across from my flat tonight as I walked in.

They are predicting a major snow over the next couple days here in London. It is truly strange to see how they prep for a potential storm. In a way , it is a bit like snow in Arkansas. All the sidewalks have sand on them just incase. Though it gets cold here, it rarely snows to any great degree. Like in AR, a few centimeters of white stuff will shut down school and halt most normal life activities.

I started this blog last week sometime, so that is why the date is off a bit.

I must start by saying that last night when I came home, this tiny hi-top car was parked across the street once again, but this time its nose was against the curb rather than being parked parallel. Truly, that is a small vehicle!

I have been venturing on foot through my fantastic city of Londontown. My mom gave me a guide to walks around London for Christmas, and I have been making a concentrated effort to explore. I love it! Wandering about on foot, becoming more familiar helps me feel more at home here. Last weekend, I journeyed from Bond Street to Baker Street which is very near my flat in St John's Wood. The Bond Street station is one of the places you could get off the tube to be on Oxford Street and Regent Street...the area most think of when they think of central London with tons of shops and loads and loads and LOADS of people most all the time. The next day, I went Jude-watching in Primrose Hill, another area just a few blocks away. I will end your suspense now. I had no sightings, but I did walk to the top the the "hill" to see a spectacular view of central London, including the London Eye. Where are those pictures, some of you are saying. Sorry. I am working on my issue of not wanting to look like a tourist. I will get you a picture sometime of said view. : )

I spent this past weekend in Virginia Water (Surrey) where my staff family resides. We had a regional staff day in Guilford, another part of Surrey, which is by the way, the name of the county sort of like Fayetteville is in Washington County. In this bit of Surrey is where those gorgeous scenes were filmed from The Holiday, speaking of Jude. (Zsa informed of this bit of trivia on our drive in. It is about a 30 minute drive from Virginia Water.) On the way back from V.W. on Sunday, I found myself in the midst of 3 couples speaking French as their first language. From what I could gather, one of the guys was English who was fluent in French and obviously married a French lady who did not stop talking the entire 45 minute train ride. If I sound annoyed, I just the opposite. What a beautiful language. I had to try hard to hide my big grin as I listened to them dialogue..."Ah, oui..."is the extent of what I understood. So pretty. No wonder it is one of the romance languages. No wonder Kate fell for Luc.

So, I did not see Jude, but...I did find out through my pal, Mallory, that the BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) awards were going on last night. The comparison that was made was to The Golden Globes. She and her friend Beth were queuing (lining up) at 8 a.m. to get wristbands to stand on the red carpet as the stars walked down. Alix and I decided to take our chances around 3:30 p.m. to see if we could get close enough to see anyone. I have never been so smashed between people in my life! My calves ache today from standing on my tip-toes. Why is is that the tallest guys always stand on the front row as if they need to be close. This was the case as it always is at a "must see moment" at a concert of potential star sighting. At least 3 people behind me and on either side were using my shoulders as tripods for their cameras. I guess, the English personal space rule goes out the window when it comes to seeing celebs. Well, actually most of the people nearby were Americans, so I still think the English are more respectful of their fellow man. I mean, who is NOT taller than me? Why can't us short peeps get a break? Anyway, we were squeezed into a mass of people at the very end of the red carpet and saw the nominees getting out of their sedans and limosines. Ok, ok, who did I see? Dame Judi Dench, Sir Ian McKellen (who waved at me!), Jake Gyllenhaal, Helen Miren... I could have waited around to catch a glimpse of more maybe, but I was literally smashed. We exited carefully and went out to Covent Garden to watch the rest of the arrivals on a big screen set up there. We met up with Mallory and Beth after at a pub nearby and heard their stories and saw pictures which I will try to post next time once Mal sends them to me. It was thrilling! Not as thrilling as it will be when I bump into Jude of Sir Paul on my street, but very cool.

Being proper as I am, I ate my first fish n' chips, served with green peas, since my arrival last October in this afore mentioned pub, called The Essex and something or other. The girls all sort of mocked me, but I felt it appropriate. In the words of Ella, "Hmm...tasty!"

Oh! One more thing, in the spirit of my trying to explore Londi on foot, I walked from my flat to Covent Garden yesterday which I must say I felt extremely proud for doing so. It was easily navigated, but it took about an hour...perhaps a bit more. I would like to write a big Thank You note to the person or people who put together this amazing book called the "A to Z(ed)".

Word/phrase of the week: "all swings and roundabouts" Let's see...how do I explain this one? Mark, our student staffer Englishman, said this phrase in staff meeting this past week. Ok, if you know what a roundabout is..."Look kids, Big Ben, Parliament!", you know you could just keep going and going around and around if you so chose. I would say, it is the equivalent of a conversation "going around in circles getting nowhere close to resolution". I liked it.

Is it just me or do the seats on the tube look like they belong in a Dodge Neon? I don't recall why or when, but at some point we had to rent a car years and days ago when I was a teenager. It was a Neon. I remember thinking then how strange it was to put such colorful seats in a car as upholstery. But, then again it is called a Neon. So, I suppose it is appropriate. Perhaps the engineers decided that since most journeys via the underground can be somewhat crowded, too warm, and prone to delay that the passengers needed a bit of brightness upon which to rest themselves during their commute. I had to sneak this photo, by the way, so people didn't think me mad (a.k.a. crazy).

I suppose I should be taking pictures outside today what with the weather being rather mild and the sun shining beautifully. The blustery winds have calmed, and the sun has emerged much to my delight. I am sitting in my flat listening to some Lionel Richie and trying to be inspired to formulate a talk and a Bible study I am presenting at the end of this month. I am looking forward to creating said assignments, to be honest. It has been awhile, and I have missed writing/presenting. Who would have thought I would miss speaking in front of people? Not me, I assure you. Not a few years ago. It is truly amazing how the Lord works.

I have been a fair bit nesty this past week. I know you are thinking, "Is 'nesty' a British-speak word?". Could be. It is Kym-speak, that is for sure. I have been working a bit more on my flat, making it warm and welcoming. I spend a good bit of time in this space, so I feel an extra need to make it "homely". : )

I had coffee yesterday with one of my new high school friends. She is going with us on the Service Project to Bulgaria in April! She is super sweet, and I so look forward to getting to know her. I also got set up to kid-sit (all teenagers, so not "babysitting") a couple times in the next month for another family! It looks like as of right now, all is going to go smooth with my helping coach the varsity girls softball team, as well. My thankfulness abounds as the Lord works on His own timetable and teaches me to TRUST. Isn't that what it is all about, anyway? I believe it is, don't you, Pop? Everyday I believe and embrace that truth more. TRUST, full stop. (In England, instead of saying "period" for emphasis at the end of a sentence, they say "full stop".)

Hope your are all well this week!

Word/phrase of the week: "mac" , raincoat. Go listen to "Penny Lane" by The Beatles. I learned this one while comparing words with Zsa one day. "And the banker never wears a mac in the pouring rain...very strange." Zsa and I were talking about definitions of words, and this one came up. The next time I heard "Penny Lane", I almost yelled out loud, "Hey! I get it!". I refrained, but I grinned big with new found understanding.

"Would you mind waiting until next week for another word or phrase?" A bonus...every little thing here is completely polite. In church, instead of saying, "Be seated." or "You may be seated.", they say, "Would you mind taking a seat?". I love it!

Back from Munchen.

We had a great time in Starnberg, a town about an hour away from Munich. All of the international staff in Europe and beyond gathered for the YL European Winter Staff Conference. Our week was full of fellowship, learning, encouragement, and much laughter. I got to see old friends and make many new ones. I truly now can say that I have friends all over the world...from Japan to Madrid, from Munich to The Netherlands. It truly is encouraging and amazing to see how these friends are building relationships all over the world with kids. We went to eat a couple of nights at true Bavarian restaurants where the waitstaff donned true German dress from head to toe, did traditional dances, and played accordians and autoharps. This guy pictured with the accordian was a bit of a flirt, winking at any girl who would hold glance with him for longer than 5 seconds.

I am pleased to be home in England. I have no trips planned of any substantial length until April, so I look forward to staying close to home for a few months. As I had suspected, my arrival back to Londontown has brought me much more clarity and presence of mind...a more centered feeling. The staff conference brought great encouragement and provided a spring board into ministry for the semester. I look forward to doing a bit more exploration of this fair city so that I am more versed of its charms for when the guests start arriving which I hear will be soon.

Exciting news! I have mentioned our Service Project that we are taking in April with kids from all over Europe? I got my first sign-up yesterday! I am thrilled, and we are praying for nine more to decide to journey off to Sofia, Bulgaria with us. My brain is feeling dry of bits and pieces to report this day, so I will get back to you soon. I am out the door shortly to have my "induction" (walk around the facility to get acquainted with what it has to offer) to the leisure center I joined yesterday. Perhaps getting some treamill time will stimulate my thoughts, and I will report more this week. I have added a "subscribe" option to the top of my page for those of you that want a reminder or just a personal update of when I update. : )

Cheers for now,

kb

Word/phrase of the week: "homely", or what we would call "homey". I know. These two words appear to mean the exact opposite of each other, but this is why I felt obliged to share with you this definition. I was sharing with a friend how much "homier" my flat seems now that I have put up more pictures and decor when this word came up. She told me that someone here had come into her home and described its furnishings as "quite homely" in a kind, complimentary tone. She checked her immediate reaction of being offended and realized the meaning is different in England. : ) Funny. Oh, the Brits! I love the constant learning.

Back home. As I heaved my enormous suitcase into my flat yesterday, I had an overwhelming sense of being glad to be home.

What a great time I had back in the U. S. of A. over the last few weeks seeing family and friends! I got to see loads of friends, and my heart warmed as I walked through their kitchens and saw a magnet of me on their refridgerators. I was blessed to be reminded that though at times I feel by myself in this move and ministry, the fact is that many, many people are a vital part of what the Lord is doing in my life. I am quite visual, so that image of so many fridges will not soon leave me. Thank you!

I wanted to post a bit so you knew I arrived safe and sound. I am leaving today for Germany for a week to go to a winter staff conference. I am just about over jet lag, I think, but it has been a tad difficult for my body to figure out where in the world I am over the past week. When I get back from Germany, I will get back in the groove of Thursdays.

Waiting to hear back from the authorities that be, the visa folks, concerning approval to be able to coach in the spring. You can pray for that approval to come along speedily!

Word/phrase of the week: "fancy". "Do you fancy him/her?" "Would you fancy a cup of tea?" As you can tell from these examples, it is another word in place of "like". As ever, it sounds more pleasing to the ear, does it not? I suppose this word might be used in the way we would think as Americans here, but I have yet to hear it. Monica would use it to name several categories of towels, for example. : )

kb

A view of London celebration for you! One of these coming years, I am going to make sure I am back for a personal look at this amazing display!















A few recommedations for the new year? This album was introduced to me by my precious pal, Kristen several years ago, but I recently happened upon it again. I love it just as much as the first time I heard it! I think you might dig it. It brings joy to my spirit and makes me groove! What could be better than that?










I am rereading this book this month. What a fantastic reminder of the definition of GRACE! Truly sufficent and amazing.

Happy New Year!

Have you made any resolutions? I just looked up "resolve" in Mr. Webster. Basically, he says resolving to do something requires determination and decision. A decision to be determined about doing something or not doing something.

My resolutions always seem daunting at the beginning of new year filled with pressure and potential for failure if I miss a day of being "determined". I would like to resolve this year to have more grace with myself in these lofty goals. Be honest, aren't your resolutions lofty? I mean, if they were easy and took little work, we would just do them and not have to write them down, making a point to remember and reach. Fantastic! Make your resolutions large, vast, and great! Reach beyond yourself and believe you can achieve your greatest desires! My word of encouragement? Take each day as its own entity. We are human, and we will drop the ball, our resolve waning, from time to time. Have grace with yourself. Expect some lapses. But, don't throw in the towel or beat yourself up. Start again tomorrow. Baby steps and process teach the greatest lessons, ones that we will remember. A challenge? Grow this year. Whatever that means to you...just strive to grow.

Ok, I will now update you a bit on me. I write that paragraph of admonition above to myself just as much as to anyone else. I constantly need reminders of perspective and healthy expectation.

As you can see above, I had some good quality time with my nieces, Ella Claire (the eldest) and Isabel (Izzy), over the holiday here in Little Rock. We made my favourite Christmas treat with our hands, laughed a lot, and did a bit of work cleaning the floor. : )

I have a handful of days left here in LR before going back the ville to jet back home to London. As with any trip home (where the fam is) since leaving for university, my heart always looks forward to returning to "my" world I call home. Strange that this time around I call England home. Still surreal, but oh so lovely! As I have mentioned several times to many of you, I feel the haze has lifted a touch, and I look forward to feeling more like "Kym" in London over the next several months. I am making lists like mad, preparing for projects, and getting excited about formulating talks and reading books.

Happy New Year, friends!

May the Lord bless your days, one day at a time!

kb

Arkansas. I have returned to "the states", and I am pleased to be here. In the words of a great friend from years past, I will give you a few "snapshots" of my time thus far. While finding a table outside at the neighbourhood Starbucks with my slice of lemon cake, I look up to see a dear friend sitting at the drive-thru window. Correction...I hear her before I see her. I hear: "OH MY GOSH! IT IS KYM BRINKLEY!!!!" Now that is a greeting that I have definitely not heard in 3 months on the other side of the ocean. Wow! Some the best hours have been spent with a boy named Drew, who one afternoon while we were hanging out told me, "Kymmy, you are best girl I know." (Yes, Drew is 4 1/2 years old.) Drew and I made my favourite Christmas candy and took a walk around his neighbourhood picking up sticks. His reaction to the gift of a toy London taxi and double decker bus..."Mommy, this is amazing!" I mean, come on. Wow. Multiple meals have commenced that have included tacos, Rotel, and salsa, and though my stomach is trying to remember spice after having being immersed in such bland English food for a while, I have thoroughly enjoyed some Mexicano flavor back in my diet. Friends gathered around a table eager to hear stories, to listen for words that I have added to my vocab since moving abroad, and to make me laugh delighted my spirit beyond my ability for description. Christmas classics watched with my extended family while eating tasty treats and singing at the top of our lungs to R&B favourites. Nice. Time with the family has begun, and I appreciate it deeply. Time to rest, to read, to sleep, to turn off my brain for a bit. Time to chat, laugh, play, and be in the land of familiar.

Christmas will come in a few days. Presents will be unwrapped. French toast will be eaten. : ) After the festivities, my precious friend, Sarah, is visiting from Texas for a few days whom I have not seen in way too long who makes me laugh, reminds me of the definition of "real", strengthens my faith, and challenges me to be a deeper person. I could not be more excited!!

I do miss this hallway that you see above these words. Or as my vicar in London would describe it, my "corridor". I do love that word. It rolls out of the mouth a bit sweeter, does it not? When you walk into my door off the high street you walk down this corridor to reach the door to my flat. I miss London, which I think is a good sign. I am convinced my place of residence is at the end of that corridor at this time of my life. Surreal. True. I look forward to going back without doubt.

At the same time, I love being here with my friends and family. I know I write about it often, but I am so beyond thankful for them. This appreciation grows and intensifies inside me more than ever with an ocean between us. What a blessing to be able to come back and spend time with so many people who long to know how I am and how the Lord is working. They(you) humour me with my endless references about "in England, they do this" or "in London, it is like this..." I appreciate that love and know that you genuinely enjoy hearing me go on and on as you continue to ask questions. Thank you. I am humbled to have difficulty seeing all the people that would like to see me and hear stories. Thank you. I am overwhelmed by blessing and thanks.

Christmas is my favourite. Ok, birthdays are my favourite, too. Well, truly I like to celebrate, in general, let's be honest. But, I love Christmas. I love watching White Christmas with my pop, singing along with Bing and Danny. I love listening to Harry Connick, Jr. sing "Ave Maria" and "I Pray On Christmas". I love watching my family open gifts and holding up said gifts making the same goofy expression we always make. I love laughing my head off with my brother as he...well, just as he is himself. : )

This year, I especially love that I get to be here with my family for Christmas. What a gift! Truly, as I am continuing to discover, the gift of relationship with people...people whom you love and people who love you back...is the greatest gift of all.

Thanks be to God. kb

(I will ask for a reprieve from my normal "word/phrase of the week" segment, as I am not within country for the next few weeks. I will pick it back up when I touch back down onto English soil.)

Oh, and I just realized that the option to comment was not possible on my page. I think I fixed it, so if you want to try to comment, feel free! : )

A bit of Christmas-lit London for you. The giant light bulbs hang all along Carnaby Street, a cute little shopping area off Regent Street. The "grotto" sits in Covent Garden. I love that it is called a "grotto". Zsa was with me when I took this picture. "You don't say 'grotto'?", she asked. Nope, we say "workshop" or "village". Most of the time, it is the little things here that make me glad and tweak my norm. I love it!

Speaking of little things...I am unsure if I believe in them. Little things are BIG for me most of the time. A package received from a precious friend filled with songs that delight my spirit, new friends who have so much in common with me and make me LAUGH!, figuring out a way to disassemble a piece of furniture in my flat that has been cramping my space, finding the last switch to turn on my towel warmer (I don't know if I have shared that fact with you, but all the outlets here have switches to turn them on. It took me a week of looking to find the switch for my heater. The last mystery has been this one of turning on my towel warmer!), a tea kettle that boils water in seconds, and having clean dishes...

I spent the past week at some Young Life training in Hertford. I think I mentioned it. I was blessed by knowing eyes. To be with people who you can see and sense understand your inability to articulate exactly how you feel or need to be prayed for in the situation you are in, is huge. Prayer from people who love the Lord and love you...huge. I cannot say enough about how I enjoyed this time last week and feel that I know the Lord deeper after having spent this time.
Do you have people who know you? I mean, people who truly just "get you"? I am blessed to have these people in the states and now abroad. I pray that you take the time to tell these precious friends how much you love them and appreciate how they love you during this holiday season. The Lord knew what he was doing when he told us to "not give up meeting together" (Heb. 10.24) and"for where two or three come together in My name, there am I with them" (Matt. 18.20). We are made to live in community.

Word/phrase of the week: "sorry" "Sorry?", meaning "I didn't hear you". "Sorry", meaning I bumped into you, and I am sorry. "Sorry.", meaning I got close to bumping into you. Whereas we would say "Excuse me", the common way of expressing this is "Sorry".
Honestly, I have said "Excuse me" multiple times, and people have ignored me. I said, "Sorry", and people move immediately and respond with an affirming nod.

So, I am reading this book at present on the recommendation of some American friends here in London. If any of you have any interest in behaviour of the English, you would truly enjoy this read, I think. It is quite interestingly done. Kate Fox is English, so it is the real deal. I have found that as I co-exist with natives here that many of these observations are quite true and add humour to my world.

I left some of you wanting if you checked on Thursday for a posting, but since it fell on a holiday, I thought you might be otherwise engaged. I spent the day celebrating, as well, though it looked different than any day o' turkey I have spent previously. I attended a church service at St Paul's Cathedral with quite a few Americans, sang God Bless America, and got to hear the American Ambassador speak. I enjoyed it, and the aesthetics of St Paul's could only be topped by some of the churches in Rome that I saw a month ago, though I believe I prefer the more understated "Paul" to the extravagantly ornate "Peter". I finished my day with Brooke, Tate, Kerry, and their friends who visit every year at Thanksgiving. We feasted as is appropriate on this American holiday that seems to focus on good eats! : ) We even watched a bit of NFL to truly remind us we are Americans.

I am on my way out the door to have feast, the sequel, with my friends who live around the corner. What a blessing to have multiple people to celebrate with, especially when I couldn't be home with my own fam on this weekend.

Sad to read about the Hogs getting beat by LSU, but hey, on to the title game, yeah?

GO HOGS GO!!!!!

I started this post the day after Thanksgiving, so clearly our Hogs did not pull out the SEC title. Sad again. But, I left that little bit in because, I mean, no matter what... GO HOGS! : )

I have spent the last week in a little town called Hertford (pronounced "Hart"ford), which is about an hour commute for me from my flat in central London. Young Life goes there as well but differs a bit as ministry is done with nationals, a.k.a. English kids. For three days, I attended some YL training, the second installment of the year. (The first was in Munich when I first arrived.) Wow. What an amazing time of rejuvination and uplift for me. Being with people who are experiencing the same struggles, joys, are of the same heart and mission...priceless. Truly. To be prayed over, to laugh LOUD, to be moved by wisdom and insight that Scripture and years of life and experience of others...priceless. I hadn't even realized that I was in need of some of those things mentioned prior until I received them. It is truly a great gift that the Lord is omniscient and knows my thoughts, needs, and desires even before I do. I continue to stand amazed.
I deepened some friendships with some people and began new connection with some fantastic new folk. : ) I am so energized by other people who love the Lord. We talked a bit this weekend about how truly awe-inspiring friendships are that begin so quickly, grow so deeply, and bond us so closely when we have the common denominator of a relationship with Jesus. I hope and am assured that many of you have experienced this phenomenon in your own lives. I was reminded again this week.
After training, some of my pals came back into the city with me, dropped off their luggage at my flat, and we ventured off to see the lights of London. I loved it! We laughed hard. We shopped, looking longingly at shoes, clothes, etc. that exceeded our income. We walked by the Thames, looking at the city lit up in beauty. I had a couple girls stay with me in my flat on my snazzy Ikea sofa bed. I loved having people stay with me even though we realized quickly why I am the only one who lives in those small quarters. So fun! We went back into the city and met up with the boys and a friend of theirs (who is now friends with us) to do a bit more sightseeing. Such a delight to play with friends. Fun for friends to come into my flat and compliment it. Fantastic to navigate the tubes with me and be silly. A stake digs in this past week as a time of ease, a time when I have truly begun to feel like myself here. A burden of...something has fallen off my shoulders, and I have busted through a wall of realization of my home being in England. I struggle to find the words to express all because I cannot really explain it. I just feel good, refreshed, full of joy, and encouraged to love the Lord more deeply.
I went back to Hertford after my day of play with friends in the city to attend the European Women's Conference. Also amazingly refreshing and uplifting to see and relate to women in the same situation as myself. I am thankful. Closer connection with my fellow staff women that I work with here in London is a blessing. I love my England family.

So, I come back to Arkansas in a week and a half. Wow! I am baffled a bit about that fact. I am excited! Though I love it here and am assured I am in the exact spot where I belong, I miss you guys! I am pumped that my annual Christmas gathering where we watch Christmas classics such as "Charlie Brown Christmas" and "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" is planned and on my calendar! I cannot wait to see my family and sweet nieces! I am excited to see many of you!

Oh, can I just say that my internet is not only working at my flat, but it is crazy fast! It takes me less than 15 minutes to download my weekly "Grey's Anatomy". Woo hoo! : )

Word/quote of the week: "loads"(in honour of stef), meaning "a bunch"
or "lots". As in...I love you loads. I have loads of friends and family to see when I get home. I have loads of things on my to-do list to accomplish before leaving England.