Whew! At the airport

It takes an inordinate amount of time to leave the country for 6+ months, at least to attempt it well. I wonder how I did! Time will tell, as I find out when I unpack gear trying to anticipate a life I don’t know see if all my bills will be paid in a timely fashion. This year my taxes were prepared prior to receiving all the mailed forms, so it is an estimate with an extension in process. It is wonderful to have a reason to clean out closets and get a bit of the clutter out of the way. What did I miss? I wonder!

JaLynn, Annaliese, Peter, and Kristi came over last night to say farewell with warm snickerdoodles. My check list was fairly well accomplished, allowing me to enjoy this gift of friendship. My pages of notes for Janet are posted. While some were admiring my preparation of these details (i.e., where the fire extinguishers are located), I think a couple saw a side of me that many of my work colleagues are aware of–the detail-oriented me.

So, we are in the airport, in the lull before the flight. The saved Starbucks gift card goes unused, for while it could be used in another part of the airport, here in the south terminal, Seattle’s Best Coffee rules.

We are blessed. Not only did we have 3 offers for airport pickup, it ends up that we will be guests for two meals on the first day. Then because grocery stores are closed, my PhD student colleague, Tina, offered to pick us up some groceries to tide us over. Wow!

We have much to learn about a new culture and new systems (bus, phone, school, online student interfaces, libraries, grocery stores, etc.), but fortunately, we have a loving God who goes ahead of us and friends and colleagues to walk with us whithersoever we go.

With blessings,

Beth

Less than 43 hours to go

Dear friends and family,

My To-do-before-we-go list is getting smaller, but it still is substantial! I’ve realized that it takes a village to send me off. (Note: this list is not inclusive, but I don’t have the time to make sure I mention everyone.) John helped me get my car ready for long-term storage. Mark J. and Sue H. are colleagues sharing wisdom from their sabbaticals, encouraging me to really get away and make the most of this sabbatical opportunity. Janet is house-sitting, reading through my long list of notes. Beth H. and Mark J. prepared thoughtful cards with something special for Anya. Karen and Ed prepared a beautiful card. Carol sent a card with 3 Bible verse promises for this sabbatical journey. There has been friends gathering before we leave, Scott, Ruth, the Boysens, the Middleton-Youngs, Ann. Matt is helping me get my research laptop tuned up.

It’s a good thing I have a research laptop, because my laptop for work shut down out of the blue. Fortunately, Mark B. at Trinity was able to diagnose a battery problem, but I can still use my laptop with out the battery. Now I had backed up just recently, so I didn’t freak out, but it was one more thing on the home stretch.

My unplanned trip to Trinity today for the laptop gave me time to practice Pimsler’s Norwegian language learning. I can tell you in Norwegian, “Yes, I would like to have something to eat and also drink later,” (but it will take me some time to get the words out!)

With our preparations, I also had numerous offers to take us to the airport! And, I had 3 offers to pick us up in Norway! Wow! I even have lunch and dinner offers on the day we arrive. My adviser, Knut, and his wife Berly, will host us for lunch. My PhD student-colleague, Tina, will host us for dinner. This is good because grocery stores are closed on Sunday. We are so blessed!

In my preparations, I emailed Knut, asking if I should bring a Maasai dress. He said that he was not a good source for clothing advice, but when I clarified that it would be a “costume” for either an international student event or to highlight his Maasai research project, he thought that would be good. So, space and weight available, its going to Norway. (I have to tell you about Knut’s research project someday. It is another amazing connection!)

Anya decided not to leave the journey to my viewpoint alone, so she has started her own blog. Check it out at” http://recentlyrelocatedtonorway.blogspot.com/

With blessings,

Beth

Welcome to our journey journal!

Dear family and friends,

In six days, Anya and I will fly to Stavanger, Norway. I have been graciously been given a sabbatical from spring semester from Trinity Lutheran College to set aside time to work toward completing the writing phase of my PhD dissertation.

Anya will be finishing her 9th grade first semester exams this week and will start into a Norwegian school next week, immersed in Norwegian! She is eager and excited!

Janet and Jenn will hold down the fort back in Bellevue. So, I’m sorting, cleaning, packing up a couple rooms, and doing some deferred maintenance to get ready for Janet to live in our area of the house.

There are so many questions that I have right now. Perhaps you have questions too of me. What’s your dissertation? How long will you be gone? Where will you live? How’s your Norwegian? And more! These will unfold, hopefully with Anya’s help.

But to start: Why “Whithersoever thou goest?” This year, I chose Joshua 1:9 for our theme verse in expectations of our giant journey (in the King James Version, which was the sung version at Bible college).

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

While my nature makes me prone to worry with all the unknowns, I try to remember that “worry is prayer to the wrong God.” And wow, has the Hand of Providence been so gracious in this PhD journey. I hope to give you glimpses of past and present blessings through our goings.

(As a Bible teacher, I’ll have to put Joshua 1:9 back in context too.)

As my dad will be praying for us daily (others too), I’ll add some prayer requests on occasion.

  • Good wrap up of all my work for Trinity.
  • That all my “must do” tick list items get done.
  • Thanks for the provision of the sabbatical by Trinity and the friends/mentors who encourage me along.