28 Before 29

Last year, I posted my handwritten list of 27 Before 28, which were 27 things I wanted to do before I turned 28 years old. I've made a list like this for most of my twenties, and while I usually don't accomplish everything, it's nice to have some goals for the year. I actually quite prefer this to any type of New Year's resolutions, but that's just me :)

Rather than sharing my handwritten list again this year, I'll share some of the things I accomplished from my 28 Before 29 list. I'm pretty sure I said something just like this last year, but turning twenty-nine isn't a time in my life I ever really thought about. However, so far, so good. I was spoiled on my birthday again this year in Romania. I have such a fabulous inner circle here and I am so insanely grateful for that. They sure know how to make a girl feel special on her birthday! Anyways, enjoy a look back into my 28th year of life...

Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist

Read some books (and keep a list). I go through major reading phases. Sometimes I read a ton of books in a week, and other times I read a handful of books in a year. This year, it was the latter...I didn't read as much as I would have liked, but that's that. A few of the books I read this year include Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis (second time reading this but soooo good), Cross and Crescent by Colin Chapman, Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist. I also partially read a handful of books, which include When Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett, Uninvited by Lysa TerKeurst, Looking for Lovely by Annie F. Downs, I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn't) by Brene Brown, etc. Maybe my goal for my 29th year should be to finish all of those books before starting new ones...we shall see.

Athens, Greece

Novi Sad, Serbia

Travel to another European country. I was actually able to travel to a number of European countries in this last year. Some were just driven through, but I did actually set foot in each one...and added the passport stamps to my passport! I traveled to Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Macedonia, and Bulgaria. Hoping to add at least two more this coming year...

the Soil & the Sun

Rooftop access at the secret show

Go to at least one concert. While I was in the States over the summer/fall, I was able to attend a secret show of the band the Soil & the Sun. A few members of this band attended Olivet and I've followed them a bit since graduating. The show was in this old warehouse with rooftop access and it was incredible. It didn't hurt that I was able to attend with two of my favorite pals!

Chocolate chip banana bread

Cook 10 new recipes. Although the banana bread is out of focus in the photo, I did make it and it was delicious. Checking this item off of my list was a bit of a stretch, but the main goal was to cook more, which I did...kind of. I think I just need to accept that cooking isn't for me. Can we all agree on that? Great. Thanks.

Blog planning while home in summer 2016

Blog at least once a month. I allllmost completed this one. I still need to work on being more consistent with the blog, which is why I'm copying this goal onto the 29 Before 30 list ;)

Serbia - March 2016

Get out of your comfort zone. Following the call to serve the refugees in Croatia and Serbia in March 2016 was waaaaay outside of my comfort zone. It's funny because it totally was out of my comfort zone at the time, but looking back it doesn't feel like it was that outside of my comfort zone. I'm not sure if that makes sense to anyone but me, but that's that. Insert a visual with "the magic happens outside of your comfort zone" here. 

It Takes Courage - June 2016

My three weirdos

Invest in at least one Romanian teen. Checking this one off of my list makes me smile...partially because I feel like I was able to exceed my goal and partially because I just love the teens that I was able to invest in. Co-leading It Takes Courage and ITC 2.0, helping lead the volunteers at the Veritas Kids' Club, English camp and other opportunities have allowed me to invest in multiple Romanian teens...and I love it! I hope (and know) that this will continue into the 29th year!

Celebrating Kids' Club birthdays - February 2017

Photos given to the kids before I left for the States in July 2016

Invest in at least one Romanian child. Don't even get me started on this one. I think I've made it fairly obvious how much I absolutely love my sweet Romanian kiddos. They bring so much joy to my life, and the more Romanian I learn, the more I can really communicate and understand them and it's just so lovely. Run-on sentence, but I'll sacrifice grammar for the sake of expressing my love for them :) There is one kiddo that I've been able to really build a relationship with and I just love every minute we get to spend together. God has already taught me so much through my investment in him, which I really should state as God's investment in him through me. Again, I hope (and know) that this will continue into the 29th year, and for that I am forever thankful. 

Ice skating in December 2016

Conquer a fear. Boy, oh boy, did I conquer a fear! I know it seems silly, but ice skating has always been a huge fear of mine. I'm so afraid that I'll fall and someone will skate over my hand, slicing my fingers off. Crazy and seemingly irrational, but also totally NOT irrational at the same time. Anyways, I did it. I ice skated. And I did not fall once. I was majorly encouraged by my ITC teens. I couldn't have (and wouldn't have) done it without them. 

Once a pretzel, always a pretzel.

Attend my 10 year high school reunion. I still can't believe that I'm old enough to have a 10 year high school reunion. Nor can I believe the fact that I attended my 10 year reunion. High school was definitely not an enjoyable time for me and therefore, I had no plans to attend my reunion. And seeing that I live kiiinda far away from home, I didn't think I'd even be in town (or in the country) for it. But I was...and it was alright. I went with two of my besties so being with them for the night was the best part. I was able to catch up with one classmate which was nice, and then made small talk with a handful of others. It wasn't as bad as I thought...but it also wasn't that exciting. 

My only proof of a photo book. Bottom left.

Make a photo book. I loooove photo books. I have a lot of plans for photo books, but not a lot of money to actually make them. The only photo book that I made this year ended up being filled with photos from my time in Croatia and Serbia in March 2016. It's one of my favorite things and sadly I ended up leaving it back home in the States. 

Bonus photos of a much younger me

Well, that's that! My 28th year in a blog post. It was a year full of unexpected adventures and opportunities. It was a year full of love, hope, courage, empathy, and so much more. I can only hope that my 29th year continues to be full of all of these things and maybe a few surprises along the way. Wait...who am I?! Anyways, here's to 29!

If we were having coffee...v2

I've found that it's much easier for me to blog when I have a bit of a guide. Hence, the Currently series and now the second version of "If we were having coffee..." Hope you don't mind, dear readers! So grab your favorite coffee mug and let's chat...

If we were having coffee...I'd tell you that life has been CRAZY over here for the last few weeks. I wish I could show you my schedule from the last month. I printed out a schedule for the new students who arrived in mid-January (more on this in my next point), but it has been overtaken by blue ink as I've crossed out, written in, circled, noted, etc. ALL OVER IT. It's actually quite pretty in a neurotic type of way.

This is NOT the calendar mentioned above. This is a calendar photographed on January 1st...before the madness began.

If we were having coffee...I'd tell you about the four American university students who are completing social work practicums under my supervision until mid-April. I'd tell you that it's been an enjoyable challenge from which I've already learned a lot. I've only supervised one student at a time (one in the fall of 2015 and the other in the summer of 2016), with the exception of a three-week group of 5 students in May 2015 Let's just say that there is a big difference between supervising one student and supervising four students, as if that's not fairly obvious. And like I said, it's been challenging, but I've come to this interesting place in my life where I've come to appreciate challenges. I understand now that being stretched and challenged isn't all bad. Yes, sometimes it feels like too much and I do get overwhelmed, but I've also learned (and continue to learn) how to keep going...

Who knew homework could be so cute?

If we were having coffee...I'd probably talk, for a good hour or so, about my kiddos at the Veritas Kids' Club. I haven't been able to be there nearly as much as I'd like to be since the students arrived and I MISS THEM SO MUCH. I've been able to go about once a week, but it's just not enough. I miss so much and they're getting so big and I just want to be with them all of the time. From the start, I knew that Kids' Club wouldn't always be the main focus (of my work in Romania), but transitioning out of it has been harder than expected. I don't know if a group of children has ever captured me like these children have. I cannot get enough of them and their darling little faces, hearts, souls, etc. Insert the heart eyes emoji here.

Fresh baby Maveric

If we were having coffee...I'd definitely tell you about my NEW NEPHEW!!! Is he not the cutest little thing?! So dang sweet. I cannot wait to snuggle him! My sister and I FaceTime A LOT these days just so I can "be there". He's sleeping the majority of the time when we FaceTime, but no complaints here. He's a cute sleeper. I'm working on arranging a short trip back to the States in the near future to see him...and the rest of my family :)

If we were having coffee...I'd tell you about my 2017 project. There's an app out there called 1 Second Everyday, which is a simple and fun app for documenting life. As you can gather from the name, it serves as a video diary of 1 second videos, which "stitches videos (and photos, if you prefer) together to document your life's journey". I stole that line from their website. Anyways, I tried to use this app last year, but I wasn't consistent and then kind of gave up. I decided to try again this year and I am LOVING it. I've only had one week where I was so busy that I forgot to record videos, but other than that, I've enjoyed finding little moments in my day to capture for this project. The video above is the complication of my videos from January. My goal is to share my monthly videos on the blog, but we shall see if I can blog often enough to do that ;)

Like last time, I've enjoyed our coffee date. Until next time...

Another Romanian Christmas

Christmas decor around the house

Another Christmas in Romania. I think I might have said this in another blog post, but it's so interesting to celebrate holidays for a second time in Romania. I knew that coming here wasn't going to be a short-term thing for me, but I never thought about how long I'd actually be here. And I didn't think about the fact that I'd be celebrating holidays over and over again. While it doesn't get any easier being away from home, I do have FaceTime to thank for allowing me to be with my family and friends during these holidays.

Ecumenical Concert - Nativity story at Kids' Club - Veritas Christmas Staff Day

December is a very busy time for Veritas, and for the community of Sighisoara in general. For the last 16 years (I think), Veritas has hosted an Ecumenical Concert where local choirs all gather together to sing songs related to celebrating Jesus' birth at Christmas. I didn't get to attend last year for some reason, but I really enjoyed it this year. There were also other concerts, high school Christmas shows and lots of coffee this Christmas season.

Concert - Coffee - Local high school Christmas show

Veritas also hosts the Candlewalk, which is another lovely community event. It takes place in the citadel with stops at the Monastery Church, town hall, one of the high schools and the Church on the Hill. At each stop, we pray and sing a Christmas song, and we end the evening at the House on the Rock for tea and cookies. My favorite part takes place at the very beginning, the opening per se, when Matthew 5:14-16 is read in Romanian, Hungarian, Țiganește (the gypsy language), German and English by various community members. It's so simple. Just five people reading three verses, and yet I find it so incredibly powerful. I love that the event begins this way to encourage each person who attends to be a light in our community of Sighisoara.

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16

Kids' Club Christmas program - Shoebox gifts - It Takes Courage party

And of course, the various Veritas programs have Christmas celebrations. We had our Kids' Club Christmas program on the 15th, and it was so lovely. For as long as I can remember, children's Christmas programs have always turned me into such a sap. I'm not exactly sure why, but good grief, I cannot handle it. Anyways, my kids put on a fabulous Christmas program with memorized lines, songs, and Christmas cheer for their families and friends. The children, families and Veritas staff also enjoyed viewing a slideshow of photos that I put together of Kids' Club activities from September to December. I loved how much they loved looking at all of the photos. These simple things make my heart happy. 

I also had the privilege of sharing the Nativity story with my kiddos at Kids' Club. I asked one of the boys, who is an excellent reader, to read the story out of a children's Bible while I showed some photos as the visual. He did a fabulous job and I was so proud of him. The kids applauded him when he was done and I only wish I had a photo of his face in that moment. I also celebrated Christmas with Adela and our new It Takes Courage group. Our Christmas party fell during a very, very busy week for the teens so only a few showed up, but we still had a good time. 

It Takes Courage 2.0 - Sibiu Christmas Market - Ice skating aka facing fears

We also took our other It Takes Courage group, now called 2.0, to Sibiu. We went ice skating, which is/was one of my biggest fears. I've always had an irrational fear that I'm going to fall and someone is going to skate over my fingers and slice them off ... not so irrational, but I've obsessed over that thought for years! Anyways, I ice skated and DIDN'T FALL ONCE! It was a Christmas miracle. After ice skating, we went to the Sibiu Christmas market, which was so beautiful. We walked around, looking at all of the little booths, and enjoying the Christmas atmosphere.

My stocking was laying under the tree because it was SO heavy ;) - Christmas morning with kids

I spent Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the day after Christmas with my friends, Tim, Caroline and their kids (the same family I spent Christmas with last year). There's nothing better than being in a cozy home full of kids on Christmas. AND they just had a sweet baby boy at the beginning of December to add to their growing bunch, which meant lots of baby cuddles in cute Christmas pajamas! We had lots of fun and unforgettable moments, some of which made it on to the video camera's recording to be preserved for years to come. Or to be used as blackmail later in life...either way!

On Saturday, I snuck out to attend our Christmas Eve service at church, which was quite lovely. I invited one of the boys from Kids' Club to come along, and he did. It was so special to be able to sit with him and listen to the true Christmas story being told, with lots of Christmas songs in between. After taking the boy home, I returned to the family's house for our Christmas dinner and a viewing of The Nativity Story. Once the kids went to bed, I helped Tim and Caroline wrap the remaining Christmas gifts, which is always exciting. We had an enjoyable, and surprisingly not too chaotic, Christmas morning full of special gifts for all.

I received a number of practical and fun items, but there was one gift that topped them all. I opened a card that said a donation was made to European Refugee Relief in my honor, along with a sweet, sweet message from this family. Of course, there were tears, and they came for multiple reasons. In short, I think the tears came because I am so grateful to have met such caring friends in Romania who know me well enough to even think of giving a gift such as this. A gift to me, but also a gift to a people group that is so near and dear to my heart ... a people group that I cannot be with at this time in my life because of my work in Romania. And now I'm crying again, but that's okay :)

Anyways, back to the Christmas Day activities. After our Christmas morning, we ate cinnamon rolls and sausage for breakfast, followed by their tradition of cinnamon rolls IN chili for lunch. Yes, you read that right ... and it is DELICIOUS. Just drop a cinnamon roll in your bowl of chili and you're good to go! This family attends another church in town, where a few of my other friends go as well, so I tagged along for the Christmas day service at 5pm. After church, we went back home and celebrated Tim's birthday, as he is a Christmas baby. And then, the day after Christmas was spent relaxing, playing with new toys and games, and just spending time together.

Even though it was a busy December, I enjoyed participating in all of it. From buying small gifts for my Secret Angel at Veritas, to eating cozonac and lots of clementines, to walking around in a beautiful and snowy Sighisoara ... this Romanian Christmas was one for the books. Or should I say, "one for the blogs" now?

If we were having coffee...

Photo by me. Coffee by Adela.

I haven't been as much of an avid blog follower since moving to Romania, but I still read a few of my favorites from time to time. I came across this blog post idea over at My Life as a Teacup and thought it'd be kind of perfect for my blog...and my current situation. I'd love to be able to have coffee with so many of you, my beloved readers, but distance kind of prevents that. So here's an attempt at a long-distance coffee date with all of you! Grab your favorite coffee mug and let's chat...

If we were having coffee...I'd tell you that I haven't been feeling well since Thursday. It started with a sore throat, but it has since turned into a sinus issue. I accidentally took a four hour nap the other day, which apparently my body needed. I barely slept the other night because I couldn't breathe. And I've been looking pretty dang cool walking around my apartment with tissues stuffed up my nose. Yes, it was necessary to share that with you. I finally left the house today (Tuesday) after not going anywhere since Friday. And I was able to walk out in the SNOW! I woke up to snow on Sunday and literally gasped with joy. It was a very Lorelai Gilmore moment, if I do say so myself!

If we were having coffee...I'd tell you how absolutely, insanely, immensely excited I am for the return of Gilmore Girls on November 25th. TEN DAYS, PEOPLE, TEN DAYS. I will cry. I will laugh. I will hide in my house for the weekend and watch it over and over again. It will be a momentous occasion. I am only sad that I won't be able to snack on pop tarts, mini powdered donuts or Sookie's famous dessert sushi while watching.

@jessaconnolly, "Colossians 3: it starts with me. I have the keys to compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, UNITY. And so do you."

If we were having coffee...I'm sure the topic of the election would come up. I would sigh, get overwhelmed, and not want to talk about it, but there's actually something I would end up saying about it. I would share the encouraging words that I've seen floating around the Internet since election day. Words like, "Peace is not something you wish for; it's something you make, something you do, something you are, and something you give away." from John Lennon. Words like, "I aspire to be a giver. A giver of love, a giver of good vibes and a giver of strength." Words like, "I believe we can all come together because if you take away the labels, you realize we're far more alike than we are different." from Ellen DeGeneres. And finally, words like, "Ah, kindness. What a simple way to tell another struggling soul that there is love to be found in this world." That's what it's all about. Kindness and love. 

If we were having coffee...I'd tell you how at home I still feel in Romania. I'd tell you that it's still such a surreal feeling to be here, and to know that this is where I'm truly meant to be. I continue to have these moments when another piece of the puzzle comes together...where something from my past connects with something in my present and reaffirms that this is where I'm supposed to be. I spent many, many years being so unsure about various things, specifically about my "place" in the world, and now, I feel soooo in my "place". And I am so grateful for this place.  

If we were having coffee...I'd tell you that I haven't been taking as many photos lately, and that needs to change. I'd tell you this in an effort to motivate me to take more photos. I'm constantly thinking "oh, that'd be a good photo", but then I don't take the photo. Sometimes it's due to the fact that I don't want to look like a tourist or draw attention to myself, but other times it's just because I don't "have time"...which really means I should stop and take the photo. Note to self...make time and take the photo. Anyways, feel free to keep me accountable with this one.

Romanian homework and The Voice

If we were having coffee...I'd tell you that I'm really trying to improve my Romanian language skills. I've been trying to watch more videos, listen to music, text friends in Romanian, etc. I practice conversations in my head and I do pretty well...but there's a disconnect. When I try to actually say things in Romanian, even after practicing in my head, I get blocked. I can't get the message to go from my brain to my mouth. And it's so frustrating. I will say that I'm pretty darn good at understanding, writing and even translating from Romanian to English, but speaking is just such a struggle for me. I'm pretty comfortable speaking in Kids' Club because that's been one of the most consistent areas as far as vocab and interactions...and the kids are so kind and cute when they correct me. Usually, they giggle about how I said something wrong and then gently correct me. It's quite sweet. I'll just keep plugging away in Romanian class...and keep trying very hard to have the courage to speak in Romanian at every opportunity (and obviously, there are lots of opportunities).

Well, time for bed over here in Romania. Hope you enjoyed our coffee date and my random rambling. I know I did. Until next time...

Currently: Romanian Edition Part VI

Hello all! I'm writing this to you after an unusually low-key Friday. These Currently posts are my favorite because I like to think that they help give you a sneak peek into my "normal", every day life. Enjoy!

Reading: Sadly, I have not been reading as much as I would like to be these days. However, the book that I'm slowly working my way through is Uninvited by Lysa TerKeurst. I'm really enjoying the way that Lysa takes her personal stories (specifically, her personal rejections) and turns them into something her readers can learn from. It's quite lovely, and a good example of how powerful our personal stories can be.

I'm also trying to read more in Romanian, which is how I justified buying myself a magazine the other day. It's kind of fun because 1. I love magazines and 2. I'm learning all kinds of new vocabulary that I'll probably rarely use. Either way, it's a fun way to change things up in Romanian!

Eating: Sunflower seeds!!! Even before coming to Romania, I LOVED sunflower seeds. The David seeds are my favorite, in case you were wondering. I tend to eat sunflower seeds until my mouth is raw from all of the salt. THAT'S how much I love sunflower seeds. Upon arriving in Romania, I quickly learned that they also love sunflower seeds. Romania is one of the world's largest sunflower seed exporters, and sunflower seed oil is used a lot in cooking here. Two fun facts for you. Anyways, after a few failed attempts at finding good seeds, a friend told me which brand to buy (Nutline) and I've never looked back! I thought about posting a photo of the bowl of shells sitting next to me, but I figured that's taking things a bit too far. You're welcome.

Thinking about: I've been thinking a lot about the fact that in March, I will have been living in Romania for 2 years, which completely blows my mind. I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but I can't help it. When I first came to Romania, I had no idea how long #CBtakesRomania would last. I always felt that it was not a short term thing, but obviously I didn't know how it would all work out. I also didn't know how it could possibly be a long-term thing, mostly related to the financial side of things. But here I am, marveling at the fact that God has provided for me for 598 days...and counting. Now, let me be real for a second too though. I have difficult days and weeks, and sometimes I wonder how He can possibly continue to provide for me (again, financially), but I have to trust that since I continue to feel called, He will continue to provide. 

Listening: I almost said nothing because I was thinking specifically about music. I've been in a bit of a music funk lately, as I've gotten a bit bored with everything...so I'm open to any and all suggestions. 

However, I have to sneak Gilmore Girls into this post somehow so here it is. I tend to have GG playing in the background when I'm at home working on various tasks on my computer. Whether I'm sending emails to social work students who are coming in January through the Romanian Studies Program or looking up ideas for Kids' Club or blogging, GG is always on in the background. Half of the time, I catch myself with the Netflix tab open...sitting and staring at the screen, quoting every word. Even though I've seen each episode over and over (and over) again, I can't help but get sucked into the lives of "those adorable Gilmore girls"!

Watching: I thought I was going to have to give the same answer that I always give, but I am actually (and currently) watching the 2016 Chicago Cubs World Series Parade live feed in Chicago!!!! I am so thankful for the internet during weeks like this one. The day after Game 7, I woke up to post after post after post on Facebook, which I usually HATE! I constantly say that I wish there was a way to hide all sports related posts, BUT on that particular morning, I could not have enjoyed those posts more. 

I love how this win means so much for every Cubs fan. Growing up, I watched games with my dad and/or listened to him hoot and holler at the TV while playing in another room. As I got older, we started going to games at Wrigley each summer. Sappy moment alert...I'm not the biggest sports fan, but I love how sports can bring people together. Whenever I'm at a game, or watching one on TV, I always think about the fact that some of the people would probably not get along under normal circumstances. But there we are, together, putting aside our differences, gathering for one cause, and Hi-5ing each other along the way. It's so lovely.

Loving: Tuesdays and Wednesdays. These are the two days of my week that I still reserve for Kids' Club. I don't lead as many activities as I did in the past, but I'm still very much apart of the program. And while I love the program and being with the staff and ALL of the kids, there is one extra special part of my Tuesdays and Wednesdays. After the lesson/activity of the day, I spend some time with one of the boys in the program. He is 11 years old, and just the sweetest thing ever. For whatever reason, God placed him on my heart very early on and for that, I am so thankful. We do homework together, he teases me when I mispronounce Romanian words, we play games, I show him pictures of my family and friends, we talk about school, etc. I could go on and on about how special this boy is and the fun that we have, but I think you get the point. 

About to get real honest again for a moment, which seems to be my new thing lately. Also, about to cry, which is not a new thing :) Sometimes, I have moments when I feel like I'm not doing enough here in Romania. I feel like you all continue to support and encourage me, and I'm not doing as much as I should be. It's very easy for me to get caught in the comparison trap sometimes. I hear about things that other volunteers or missionary-types are doing, both here in Romania and around the world, and I feel like a failure. 

BUT, then an amazing friend texts me (in a conversation about the 11 year old boy I just mentioned) and says, "You're making such a positive impact on his life...all of the little things add up", which brings me back to reality. She's right! All of the little things do add up, which is something that I've always been a firm believer in, but sometimes forget. The "big things" aren't bad, but they're just not really my style. As an introvert, I've always been more of a behind the scenes kind of person, and I have to remind myself that those people are needed just as much as the front, center stage type of people. 

So while I may not have these riveting, emotion invoking stories to tell you about what I'm doing in Romania, I can tell you about the little things that I am doing and how I've seen positive change because of those little things. Whether it's teaching a lesson on empathy that teenagers continue to talk about almost a year later PLUS seeing a few of them truly implementing empathy in their every day lives...or watching that 11 year old boy develop friendships, which were very rare last year...or seeing a coworker feel and act more empowered after an encouraging conversation...I know that I am making a difference. Even more than that, in those moments, I am humbled by the fact that I'm not really doing anything, but rather, God is doing these things through me. Maybe that was just a little pep talk that I needed to give myself after a challenging week, but I hope you can appreciate it as well. 

All of that to say...Do the little things. They add up.

I first saw the "Currently" feature on Sometimes Sweet, which is one my absolute favorite blogs. Just giving credit where credit is due. 

Pack. Fly. Romania. Unpack...Pack. Move. Unpack. Breathe.

Do you know how incredibly difficult it is to title these blog posts? It's SO difficult! I've already changed the title three times. Anyways...Guess who's back, back again, Casey's back, tell a friend...! If you know where that's from, you're my best friend.

So yes, I'm back in Romania, for the third time, and I'm happy to report that it still feels like home. It's such an unexplainable feeling, but one that I am thankful for. You may or may not know this, but I kind of had a hard time while I was home in the States. Take out the "kind of". I had a hard time while I was home in the States. Honestly, I can't even pinpoint why it was so hard, but I just know that it was. I wrote a few words about it in my last blog post. I feel a little better now, but I know that I need to work on/through some personal things. I have an unfinished blog post in my drafts that goes into more detail on this, but I'm not quite ready to post it yet.

I wasn't really planning to say all of that, but this is usually what happens when my fingers hit the keyboard. And this is why all of my blog posts are so insanely long.

I just did it again. Back to the topic. The day before I flew to Romania, I received an email from Roberta. She has lived in Romania for just over 20 years working with the Church of the Nazarene, and she is just delightful. She lives in a gorgeous home in the citadel (the old part of town located above the rest of the city) with Dorothy, another woman who has lived in Romania for over 20 years. Both of these women have made such an incredible impact on Sighisoara, and Dorothy is continuing her impact in Greece with the Central European Field's NCM Refugee Response.

All of that to say, Dorothy and Roberta offered to let me live in their house, if I wanted to move. Now, here's the tricky part. I LOVED my old apartment. I lived on the second floor of another gorgeous house, referred to by some as a museum. The house is full of beautiful antique furniture, books and more. My land lady was so unique and interesting, and I hated to leave her. I really loved it there, and I could have been selfish and stayed there. But, I think God had another plan, a better plan.

Side story: I struggled a bit to fundraise while I was home in the States. Now, let me follow that sentence up by saying a humongous THANK YOU to everyone who has continued to support me. I continue to be so insanely humbled by the continuous flow of support that come in, financial gifts, prayers, etc. I would not be able to do any of this without all of you.

With that said, I also have to be honest and say that I have not yet reached my support goal, which causes me, and my human self, some anxiety. If you know me, which I'm assuming you do because you are reading this blog, then you know that I am an introvert. Like a major introvert. So when my life's circumstances require me to reach OUT to people...and ask them for support...I really just want to curl into a ball and cry. But because I know that this is what I'm supposed to be doing and where God wants me, I walk up in front of large groups of people...and still cry! This makes me giggle because, as many of you have witnessed, I cry a lot when I talk about my life's circumstances. It's all so ironic. Good one, God ;)

Back to the moving story...so God had a plan. That offer to move was an answer to prayer, mine and yours. This move saves me some money each month...which means my mission funds last a little bit longer. And I get to live in an absolutely adorable apartment within an insanely gorgeous house. I feel a bit spoiled.

Hopefully now you understand the title of this blog post. I packed to leave America, flew to Romania and unpacked at my old apartment. I knew I would be moving as soon as I read the email with the offer, but I wasn't sure when I'd be moving. And with so many other transitions in my life, I needed to unpack for my own sanity, so I unpacked everything. About a week later, I found myself packing again.

After talking with my land lady (last Saturday) and giving her the customary 30 day notice, I had planned to stay until the end of the month, but plans change. Long story short, we agreed that I would be moving out on Saturday (yesterday), which worked out better for both of us for a number of reasons. So I packed my suitcases again, plus everything I didn't bring back to the States with me, and moved yesterday. And then, of course, I unpacked again. I'm not quite finished, but I'm getting there.

I have a cute little desk with an incredible view, which I was excited to set up. I lined the window sill with all kinds of cute stuff including pictures, art, Romanian pottery, etc. It's my favorite little spot. Potential photo to come.

One issue that I'm having is that I have A LOT of papers, which is kind of annoying. Papers for RSP, papers for Kids' Club, papers for the Nazarene mission world, papers for Romanian class, papers, papers and more papers. I don't really know what to do with them so they are currently in piles on a table...and that's where they'll remain until I find a creative way to house them. I'm open to suggestions.

Before I end this post, I'll briefly attempt to answer the popular question of "what are you doing this time around?", which is a totally legit question to ask. And my answer right now is "Umm...good question". I'm kidding, well, kind of. Long story short...I'm basically doing what I've been doing, which includes working with Kids' Club at Veritas, co-leading It Takes Courage (character development program for teens) with Adela, working A LOT with the Romanian Studies Program (specifically in following up from visits/contacts while I was home PLUS preparing for 4 students coming in January for the spring semester), and other various activities that come my way. Basically, I'm staying busy!

So, to summarize, I'm back, I moved, I'm getting settled. Prayers appreciated as I continue to settle back into life here. And if you feel led to support me financially, contact me :) Right now, I'll be honest and tell you that my greatest financial need would be my student loan payments. I'm (slowly) working on contacting the various loan folks to see what my options are, but until then, I need to keep plugging away. PayPal is the best way to give towards my personal fund, again, if you feel led to do so.

Thank you to those of you who read allll the way to the end. You're the best. As a gift to you, here's a photos of me and Raegan enjoying our horchata at my unofficial going-away dinner. I miss her...and Mexican food.

#CBtakesRomania: Round THREE

Background art: Annie Shaughnessy; Design: Me

I feel like I start every blog post by saying something like "Hey...it's been awhile" followed by "I'm going to try to blog more". I don't know why I pretend like that'll happen. I want to (I always say that too.), but then life happens.

As most of you know, I've been home (in America) since July 10th...and it's been a wild ride, to say the least. I came home a little earlier than planned for a conference. I briefly mentioned this in my last post and I still haven't processed through all of the information that I gained there. Someday.

During this time at home, I feel like I have taken in A LOT of information. Good information, but overwhelming information. Conference workshops, books (like this one, that totally wrecked me), sermons, podcasts, conversations with friends, etc. It's been h a r d...and I haven't necessarily been coping very well with all of it. Information related to effective service and how we can truly help people without hurting them, following one's call in life, being present (rather than perfect), etc. Not to mention the fact that I'm still dealing with all of my thoughts and feelings related to my time in Serbia, Croatia and Greece with the refugees. PLUS missing Romania. As I've said before, there's a lot that goes on in this mind of mine.

All of that to say, if I haven't connected with you or texted you as much as I usually do or seemed super excited about things...that's why. I don't want that to seem like an excuse, but it's the reality. I feel like I'm at a very messy point in my life, and that's not a bad thing. I think it's good to examine things in one's life and ask the hard questions, but again, it's h a r d.

Are you still with me? I got a little deeper than I had intended to with all of that honesty and messiness talk, but I think it's important to be real.

I'm assuming you know this, but I am returning to Romania. On October 4th, to be exact...assuming I can raise enough support. The funds are coming in...sloooowly. Honestly, it's been very difficult to feel like this is going to happen. I'm conflicted because I still feel very called to serve in Romania, but obviously it's hard to feel affirmed when the funds aren't coming in. Hence, the quote at the top.

A few people have been asking about the best ways to support me. I wanted to try to simplify the ways you can support me. So here you go...

1. Global Mission fund: Go to THIS WEBSITE. Opt for a recurring gift, if you'd like (this option helps me out a lot). Tax-deductible. Done and done! These funds cover my living and ministry expenses.

Side note: If you attend my/a Nazarene church, you can write a check to the church with "Bloom Deputation" in the memo field. The treasurer will submit it through the appropriate system.

2. My Personal fund: Go to my PAYPAL link and support me :) These funds cover my monthly student loan payments, toiletries, food, etc. You can also write me a personal check, but I won't put my home address on here so just email me (cjbloom2@gmail.com) if you'd like to mail me something.

3. Saving the biggest and best way for last...Pray. Pray that I can raise the support I need since I still feel very called to Romania. Pray for peace, ministry effectiveness, relationship building, etc. Pray for me as I work through this messy time in my life.

Questions? Email me. Text me. Call me. Stop me when you see me. Oh, and thank you.