finally worked up the courage.

i created this blog months before i came to london. i was so excited and ready to write about every little thing that i'd be doing, and then i got here and was struck by this weird fear of writing for all to see.

it might stem from the last blog that i wrote in...which would take us back to my xanga days in college. when i go back and read that now, i get incredibly embarrassed that i would dare to write some of the things i did for anyone to read. *sigh* (note: i was considering putting in a link to my old xanga site, but deemed it far too embarrassing still. if you are lucky enough to not have read it, you are lucky enough. to those who did back then: i'm sorry.)

also, the more i think about it, the more convinced i am that i'm being super conceited in thinking that anyone would even bother to read what i have to say. i am not an eloquent writer such as other bloggers whose sites i read.

but everyone has a story, right? i mean, this is a pretty big adventure for me...i'm in london for a year. i left my supportive family, my amazing friends, my steady job (and 120-ish cute fourth graders), my spirit-refreshing church, my favorite foods, my sporty car, and a lot of freedoms to jet-set 4,000 miles away. it's been six-and-a-half weeks.

i'm surviving.

i'm learning.

i'm enjoying myself.

i know there is no where else in the world that i'm supposed to be.

there's a big part of my heart that constantly aches for home, for family, for friends, for familiarity. but i've been able to differentiate that longing from moping and wallowing. (that's a big step, compared to the "me" from a few years ago.)

so, surely i've got some things worth saying, right?

(yes, and don't call me shirley.)

(sorry, i couldn't help it.)

stay tuned, if you will, for some updates on what the heck i'm doing here in london; the crazy-awesome things that the Lord reveals to me; who/what i'm missing from home; what i'm loving here in londontown; and any other random thing i may choose to write about.