to my friends

One of the things I have struggled the most with in our past few years of wandering is friendship.  Constant moving have left friends few and far between and me, very ofttimes, feeling rather lonely.  As an introvert, I struggle to interact with people, especially other women, and share what is going on.  I know I need to, but I shy away.  This week, all of you have proved me wrong.  A post that was written for the sake of remembering a tender moment years from now stimulated many heartfelt messages from so many of you.  Calls came in, emails, messages, and invitations.  By the end of Monday, I had plans booked with new friends for most of the week.  

My friends, thank you for responding as you did, for letting me bare my soul and share a very intimate moment.  I cannot begin to express the comfort you brought to me, letting me know that I am not alone.  Good friends are always there in spirit, as you have shown me this week.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for teaching me how to be a better friend.

thankful

It's almost uncanny how often I forget about this little segment and how valuable it becomes to me just when I need it most.  This past week has been extremely emotionally trying for Mr. F and me.  I was wallowing in frustration when I started thinking about all of the things I have to be grateful for.  The clouds parted for a moment and things didn't look so bleak.

I am thankful for...

the kind retiree of a volunteer at the Catholic thrift shop who wished me a happy mother's day, not knowing if I was one or not.

a local friend who tells me every Friday that she's been praying for Mr. F.

new friends.

wildflower seed packet stamps, just waiting for me to use them.

sitting around a fire, roasting marshmallows with five wonderful people, wondering how three hours could pass so quickly.

a husband, who, even though things are very rough right now, keeps working hard at finding a job.

the promise of a new sister!!!

beautiful stationery.

a busy mom who took the time to answer a slew of questions for me, not realizing how much peace of mind those answers gave.

the insight of someone who has been in my shoes before, who lovingly sympathized.

a new pen that reminds me of my grandmother.

vitamin D.

the guy at the UPS store who waived charges for some scans when technology totally failed me at home.

finding a jar of lingonberries at Publix.

my brother's determination to be good.

Sister's smiles in the photos we see from her time in London.

thankful thursday: friends

While Mr. F and I were waiting at the Frankfurt airport, noshing on brotchen and delicious brie sandwiches, we started talking about what was happening.  Where we were going, where we had been, and we realized how quickly move of ours took place. From layoff to to take off was two weeks and two days.  Two weeks!  What had felt like an eternity to us as we were waiting for information to come in was really a blick of an eye.  A nanosecond in which, somehow, we packed up our whole lives in Cyprus and returned home.

The incredible success of our whirlwind move is due in large part to the help of our friends.  The packed boxes, fed us, gave us places to stay, listened to all of our concerns, and helped us sort out the nitty gritties.  A few nights before we left, we were able to say goodbye to a few of these wonderful people at an impromptu party.  With just a day's notice, a houseful of friends came by to wish us luck and exchange a few last hugs.  I was overwhelmed by how many people came, not realizing before the deep roots we had planted in Cyprus.

Friendship is an amazing thing as an expat.  It's not just friendship, it's family.  Your support system, playmates, confidantes, and allies, friends are what make your experience abroad into something more than pictures of ruins.  I have learned so much from these friendships and will carry them with me where ever life takes me next.

thankful thursday

I haven't been sleeping well this week.  The onset of a cold and lots of rambling thoughts have made me restless.  This has been my view as I wake up most mornings, the moon beaming in our bedroom window, trying to keep the sun at bay just a little bit longer.  Moments later, night yields to dawn and a new day begins.  When I'm feeling better, those are my favorite hours of the day.  The quiet when the rest of the world is still asleep and the soft, warm, diffused rays of morning trickle into existence.

That said, this week I am especially grateful for light.  Warm, balmy days followed by rainy, drizzly afternoons where the sun struggles to be seen between clouds.  But here in Cyprus, peak through it always does.  I am grateful for the warm, golden hues of dawn and the pink light of sunset in my living room.  I am grateful for candlelight, by which to cuddle to, and sunlight, which dries my laundry.  I'm grateful for the light in the oven, which lets me see how cakes are baking.  I am grateful for the gleam of a bedside lamp that tells me someone is reading with his arm around me.  And I am grateful for moonlight and the magical fairyland it creates for me in my groggy state early in the morning.

thankful thursday

This week I am deeply grateful for...

...Anne Shirley.

...walks in the winter sun.

...Coca-Cola.

...discovering beautiful fabric in my own closet.

...new pillows.

...bright red geraniums.

...lemon pound cake.

...deeply silly hypothetical conversations with my husband.

...daydreams.

...sketching.

...conversations.

...healthy friends.

...glorious, trickling afternoon sunlight.

...hot chocolate.

...Les Miserables.

...music.

...answers to prayer.

...books as dear as friends.

...creative enlightenment.

...inspiration.

...chicken fajitas.

...hulu.

...a clean(er) patio.

...the promise of good things to come.

...the comfort of kindred spirits.

it's beginning to look a bit like christmas

Is it okay for Thankful Thursday to be entirely devoted to the holiday season?  I hope so, because that's what we're doing today.

This week I am grateful for...
THIS TIME OF YEAR!

The last week has been stuffed to capacity with holiday awesomeness.  First we had Thanksgiving, which was just wonderful.  I don't think I've told you about it yet, but really, it was great.  Mr. F was home with me all day.  The house smelled divine as we cooked, baked, and then subsequently barely ate anything because all we wanted to do was sleep.  Having my husband around for the whole day was amazing.  I just really, really like him.

Friday we had another Thanksgiving at church.  Our friends did the bulk of the cooking for this meal and I supplemented where I could.  (I finally learned how to make rolls...and they were glorious!)  Saturday was Christmas Craft Day with friends.  You just can't go wrong with something like that especially with this group of women.  Sunday we had a regional conference for church.  People from all over the island came together to worship and learn together for one day.  I really treasure these meetings because I get to see so many people whose faith and testimonies in our Savior strengthen me beyond measure.

Monday was Go Get As Many Pinecones As Possible and Turn Them Into Garland day.  My friends picked me up around eight in the morning and we went straight to a local park where we each stuffed bags full of freshly fallen pinecones.  My husband thinks I'm a crazy cat lady when it comes to pinecones.  I just think they're beautiful!  Then I came home and put those pinecones to good use, filling out inexpensive garlands and truly decking the halls. (Details of this coming soon!)

Christmas Errand Day (part 1 of who knows how many...) came on Tuesday.  It was long, it was stressful, but it was wonderful.  Picking up a few gifts and odds and ends for the season.  Plus a Coke..in a Santa can!!  I'll admit, the decorations available here are not my cup of tea, but I'm loving the new confidence I have with people.  I'm no longer as afraid of not being able to speak Greek and just talk to people in English.  I have met some really lovely Cypriots and even found a few more expats along the way.

Wednesday.  Wednesday may have been my favorite.  It's the day I really felt like Christmas came to our home.  It's everywhere and even better, it's what I had imagined.  And it's beautiful.  Mr. F came home from work and just smiled at the lights, garlands, and general ambience.  We curled up on the sofa together and just watched our Christmas tree twinkle. Such a quiet, wonderful moment.

I love Christmas.  I love how it warms up the home and brings people together.  I love how it celebrates the birth of the Savior of the World.  I love the window shopping, the parties, sending and receiving parcels and cards.  I love the food, the traditions, the willingness of others to bring joy to someone they barely know.

I love this season. And am so grateful for the joy it brings to my heart and the way it sustains me the whole year through.

thankful thursday

How is it Thursday already?  It's hard to believe I've been back from the States nearly two months already and that Thanksgiving is just a couple of weeks away!  Time is just rushing along!  Before it spirals forward any faster and I miss the opportunity, here's a few of the things I am thankful for this week.

This week I am thankful for...

...being able to surf Pinterest transatlantically with my mom.

...my right to vote in a free and fair election.

...brownies.

...unexpected evenings with Mr. F full of homemade soup and lots of laughing.

...homemade applesauce.

...mums.

...moms.

...the Gospel.

...early mornings where the silence is broken only by church bells and songbirds.

...the approaching Holiday season and the excuse it offers to spend time with friends and family.

...employment.

...the opportunity to teach.

...monkey bread!

...a brother who is on the mend.

...the sweet sound of little ones from the neighborhood as they scoot off to school in the mornings.

...the rich history of Cyprus and the fleeting opportunities we have to go experience it.

...milkshakes.

...planning for the future.

...the ability to add to our food storage and be prepared for emergencies.

thankful...friday?

Mr. F and I both had hard days yesterday, for very different reasons.  I picked him up from work and we went to dinner to try to change our pace a little bit.  It was extremely therapeutic to sit somewhere different from our home and talk together.  As we finished our meal, the topic morphed from our days to things we miss about the States, our favorite subject when things here feel more challenging than usual.  Our list went on and on.  By the time we got home, we both felt better and very content.  An exercise that on the surface may have made bitter towards our foreign home rather made us grateful for this time we have and the country we call home.    So, please indulge me this week.  Not only is Thankful Thursday happening on Friday, but the list today is devoted entirely to things these two pathetic expats miss and took for granted.

America, today I am very thankful for you.

This week we are missing....  (in no particular order)

...everyone speaking English.

...cheesy 80s music radio stations.

...the ability to flush toilet paper down the drain rather than using a bin next to the toilet.

...family.

...good drivers.

...free water at restaurants.

...free refills.

...Wal-mart.

...stores that are easy to navigate and making shopping enjoyable, rather than feeling like you're running an obstacle course.

...bags of frozen chicken breasts for $10.

...baseball.

...college football.

...being able to vote in person..

...Hulu.

...Pandora radio.

...secondhand shops. (Salvation Army, Goodwill, even Craigslist!)

...well made products.

...road trips.  (You can only go so far on an island..)

...pumpkin patches.

...apple orchards.

...apple cider!

...amazon.com.

...inexpensive gas.  (Yes, $4.50 a gallon sounds mighty good right now...)

...bookstores.

...parking lots/spaces.

...logical on and off ramps from the freeway.

...Slurpees.

...Jeni's ice cream.

...Mo's clam chowder.

To clarify, we really love this island.  We love the family-based nature of it, how close everything is.  We love the diversity of the topography, the rich cultural history, and the tzatziki. We love it here.  But sometimes, we're just especially grateful of who we are and where we come from, and yesterday was one of those days.

thankful thursday

It's been ages since I've done a Thankful Thursday, but I'm feeling so happy that I just think it's high time to reinstate the weekly segment.

This week I am grateful for...

...longer than usual conversations with my grandpa.  Makes my day to hear how happy he is when I call.
...homemade applesauce.  Never get sick of this stuff.  Ever.
...thunderstorms.
...lightning over the mountains.
...boxes in the storage unit!
...charming sewing baskets that make mending more enjoyable.
...cuddly quilts.
...cooler weather, perfect for getting back in the kitchen.
...Martha Stewart recipes.  Don't judge me, but I keep trying her recipes lately and have yet to be disappointed.  So good and so easy!
...artwork on the walls.
...Christmas stuff coming to Ikea.  It's coming people, it's coming!!!! AHHH!!!
...Mr. F.
...classical music radio stations.
...my little ironing nook.  It's the little things, people, and this is one of the best.
...a friend who shared her talents and her company with me for an entire afternoon.  I really needed those couple of hours...
...candles.

thankful thursday: mountains

Dear Troodos,

Thank you for being cooler than Nicosia.  By a lot.  Thanks for fields full of Queen Anne's Lace and villages full of actual lace.  Thank you for clouds, which we don't see in the valley very often anymore.  For a place to run into dear friends, crisp breezes, and for cliffside drinking fountains.  Thank you for trees!  Glorious things that they are!  And thank you, most of all, for a really fun day.  Sister Bear and I had the time of our lives!  I'm longing to see you again already and I think Sister might just move to Cyprus to bond with you more often.

Lots of love, 

engquist

thankful thursday: friends

Mr. F and I got some pretty major news this week that will be changing a great many things in our lives.  (No, I'm not pregnant.)  I can't yet share what that news is yet, but trust me, it's major.  One of the elements of this new change is that Mr. F will probably be taken from home even more than he already is.  While grateful for the opportunity this is going to be for our little family, I was overwhelmed by a fear of loneliness that I already struggle with regularly while I am so far away from everything I used to know.  How would I possibly be able to handle such isolation?

Well, that fear lasted about five seconds as my Father in Heaven whispered sweet remindings of the dear friends I have made on this little island.  Those whispers turned into hugs, kisses, smiles, phone calls, and gatherings today as I spent a rather lovely day with these kindreds of mine.  I was able to share the news with some of them and others I just listened to their stories and the feeling of comfort and camaraderie blossomed and swelled at the rate of the Cyprus summer heat.   

I got home much later in the day than I had anticipated.  My basket that had carried a cake in the morning was stuffed to capacity with gifts and helpmeets from these women.  But my heart was even more full.  When I picked Mr. F up from work I could not stop sharing stories of my day and of the love these women had shared with our little family.  Not only did I not feel alone, I felt like my husband was not alone either.  And trust me when I say that is a big, big deal right now.

To my friends, both far and near, please know how dearly I love you.  To those of you whom I have begun emailing via our blogs, to lifelong friends who call on a whim, to my parents and siblings.  To all of you, you have filled my heart so much more than I thought it could be.  Thank you for loving me and caring for my family.  Mr. F and I are so much stronger and capable because of you.  To you, my friends, I offer my sincerest thanks.

thankful thursday: librivox

I have been known to watch the BBC production of Pride and Prejudice more often than should be admitted to.  What is less known is how many times I have similarly watched their productions of North and South, Persuasion, Emma, and Sense and Sensibility.  While I am an Austen junkie, my addiction to these films is due to a far more practical reason; they are easy to work to.  

I'm home by myself a good chunk of the time, which as an introvert, I'm perfectly content with.  But I like having noise of some kind to keep me company.  I have learned through much trial and error that no matter how much I may love music, I don't work well to it.  My mind gets distracted by any melody and collection of lyrics.  Give me talk radio or an audiobook and I work much more fluidly with great inspiration, focus, and determination.  Thus my love of Pride and Prejudice.  It is long enough that I don't have to worry about switching out the disk and has a steady enough flow of dialogue that I am not tempted to look at the screen.

But every so often, a girl needs a bit of variety.

A little while ago, my friend shared the podcast CraftLit with me.  It is a blend of craft talk with chapters from the book du jour being read to you.  I opted for their other broadcast Just the Books.  As its name implies, on this podcast I could listen to the books without the interruption of a debate on knitting needles.  I listened to their offering of Pride and Prejudice and revelled in Austen's words as I worked.  Once I was through the book, I craved more, but the podcast had little offering at the ready.

Enter Librivox, a podcast audiolibrary of classic literature at the ready.  The books are all public domain and are read by volunteers.  Honestly, it was a dream come true to find this!  Books I have been dreaming of reading but don't have the time to devote to sitting down with the paper in hand are now available to me.  From The Phantom of the Opera to The Iliad, this podcast has it all!  Best yet?  A healthy collection of Austen as well as my favorites, the Anne books by Lucy Maud Montgomery.  I now have ample material to keep me working for days and months on end.  Thank you, Librivox, for making all of these wonderful books available to so many!

thankful thursday

This week has been hard for some reason as Mr. F and I both struggle through the challenges of day to day life.  I have been fighting bouts of loneliness, self doubt, and sensations of failure.  Nothing horrible has happened, not at all.  But it's definitely been one of those weeks where things are a bit harder to handle than usual.  Midday today it struck me that it was Thursday and I had not yet prepared by weekly exclamations of gratitude.  Not once during the past week have I taken the time to check my perspective and just be grateful.  Ya know what?  I think it's time.

This week I am grateful for...

-teacups.  dainty, delicate, Coke filled teacups that make me feel wonderfully feminine.
-my yellow sundress and the way it just screams "BE HAPPY NOW!"
-a package of old magazines from a cousin I scarcely know because she knew I can't get them in Cyprus.
-a really, really helpful post office worker.
-this bush that is the most vibrant shade of fuschia I have ever seen created naturally.  (still working on taking a picture of it.)
-this post that reminded me that life is always changing and sometimes you just have to go with the flow.
-my new business cards.  I worked so hard on them and they are just beautiful!
-a guy I barely knew for a summer who is crazy, crazy talented who took the time to answer a few questions about the business side of the art world.  (in case you haven't noticed, I'm still learning!!)
-my dad.  my dad who has let me cry on the phone to him twice this week.  once because I called him at 2am my time because I had the kind of nightmare nightmares are made of and had to make sure he was still alive.  (he was and is, thank goodness!)  the second, just today.  when I felt silly for feeling weak and not being able to handle a pretty average string of days.  he just listened to me weep and reminded me that I can tell him anything.  and I know I can.
-my friends here on the island.  I got to see them last night after a crazy long (for me anyway) hiatus.  their smiles and stories just filled my soul and reminded me that I'm really not as far away as I think from everything I love.
-being a newlywed.  Mr. F and I are still figuring out a lot about how to be married.  this week it seems like we're figuring out more than usual, but I'm really grateful for that.  I'm grateful that we both are putting in the work so that our marriage will last forever and not be another Kardashian fiasco.
-my north-facing apartment now that the weather is getting warmer.  I can still wear a light sweater indoors as I work away.
-spontaneously created Mother's Day cards with pretty blush pink envelopes.
-sincere praise for my cards from the ladies at my favorite art supply shop.
-midday conversations with my mom and brother as they enjoy their visit together.  lots of laughter, sarcasm, and discussions on the closest Coke vendor.
-tomorrow.  because, as Anne Shirley once said, "tomorrow is always fresh, with no mistakes in it."

happy things

days at the beach

birth announcements

a letter from a friend

new ironing board cover in the loveliest, feminine print

free cheeseburgers

finding a huge, rambling, lush park near our home

finding an English bookshop even closer to our home!!

fresh flowers, picked from obliging trees on the side of the road and from meadows in the mountains

strawberry lemon yogurt cake (it really was that good...)

raspberry vinaigrette made from jam

spending hours on end with my husband for FOUR days in a row!

Sista Bear gettin' one rockin' awesome internship that I am CRAZY jealous of!

books. (nuff said)

swimming in the sea in mid-April

mosquito net curtains that make sleeping a lot more pleasant

cool nights

thankful thursday

this week I am grateful for...

Mr. F taking care of me for days on end while my body takes its sweet time to heal.

orange blossoms.

hot chocolate.

clean sheets.

clear nasal passages.

fairy tales.

my body deciding naps aren't such bad things after all.

fun little kitchen notions that brighten my imagination from Anthropologie.

friends being willing to help.

sugar cookie dough.

inspiration.

fun new recipes.

Castle (put me to sleep more times than I can count this week...)

the chance to disconnect for a few days.

rain.

Neil deGrasse Tyson.

cooler weather, perfect for baking.

four day weekend with Mr. F!!

lemon strawberry yogurt bundt cake.

being pretty much done with errands and prep for the church social this weekend, despite five days of narcoleptic sniffles.

HAAAAAMMM!!!

Easter.

my Savior.

thankful thursday

this week I am grateful for...

whole days with friends that seem like moments.

car boots!

curling up in bed with Mr. F and a stack of good books.

dreams.

a clean(ish) house.

my calling(s).

general conference!

a week full of time with friends.

selling a few more cards.

Cypriot sunsets.

phone calls.

air dried and freshly pressed sheets.

an anniversary package from my mom.

positive feedback about my work.

service, from others for Mr. F and myself, and the ability and opportunity to return that service.

inspiration for more pieces.

a very hard working husband.

electricity.

Jeffrey R. Holland.

thankful thursday

This week, I feel kind of overwhelmed with gratitude.  Things seem to be stacking up nicely right now.  Nothing epic, just small, tender mercies that are making life even more enjoyable. I feel like this week's list could go on and on and I still wouldn't touch on everything.  So here are just a few of them.

 I am deeply, deeply grateful for my husband.  He's been smiling a lot these past few days, which makes everything more enjoyable.  His eyes dance with mirth and the purest joy.  It's infectiously glorious. And to have just celebrated our first year of marriage together is even more wonderful.  He really is my best friend and every day I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

I am grateful for kindred spirits, who I have at long last found on this island.  Two wonderful women who have befriended me and allow me to share in their lives.  They are absolutely delightful and it seems unfathomable already that I only met them a few weeks ago.

I am grateful for the written word, and in particular, the works of Lucy Maud Montgomery.  I have been devouring the Anne books at an alarming rate and feel more light-hearted with every page turn.

I am in love with nature.  The sea, the sun.  Poppies blooming.  Yellow wildflowers.  Fresh strawberries. All of it is beautiful and refreshing.

I am thankful to laugh daily.  Not just little chuckles, but make-my-face-hurt-from-smiling rolls of laughter.

Lastly, I am grateful for family.  Mr. F and I have been deeply blessed with amazing parents and the coolest siblings anyone could ask for.  We wish we were closer to them, but technology makes the distance so much more bearable.

thankful thursday

This week I am grateful for...

favorite books

canned mango

Diet Cherry Coke

the promise of a weekend away with Mr. F!

new friends

hot chocolate

clean sheets

random visits

lunch dates

brownies

friends getting married on Saturday!!!!

Anne Shirley

fresh flowers

open windows

thankful thursday

This week I am thankful for...

PEGASUS!  Our "new" car that we own, not rent, OWN!  We call her Peggy for short.  (And yes, we know that Pegasus was a dude..get over it.)

yellow wildflowers picked from the side of the road

strawberries!!

Mr. F's willingness to take on his new calling (2nd counselor in the branch presidency...crazy!!)

rambling jaunts along the sea
daily conversations with the Stud on his drive to work
grilled pineapple
supportive friends
busy schedules
quiet moments
paper chains
long talks with Kitty
Coke
kisses

thankful thursday

This week I am grateful for...

an abundance of packages

sweet, sweet compliments from strangers

friendly people

a good hair day when I was actually around other people

talented artists who have been helping me figure out e-commerce and printing.  (thanks Rebekka and Emily!)

American Days at Lidl!!!!!

bathrooms at IKEA
new calendars

the patience of others

an incredibly hard working husband

inspiration striking

aprons
others finding our home comfortable and inviting
a happy husband
running water
potentially owning a car by this weekend!!! (this is three months in the making...)
conversations
ten minutes in the sun before the rain came again