Routine

Not a lot has gone on since I returned from my holiday, just the normal routine of school and extra-curricular activities. We have our good days and our rough ones, but all-in-all life is going along smoothly. I'm starting to look toward the future, which is scary.

The sky here continues to amaze me. A lot of days I feel like there are massive, silent, eco-friendly airships filling the sky above me. I'm still trying to figure out how to do a good panorama with my camera and basic photo-shop tools. Here's my latest effort:

Exercise and Veggiemite

Do you ever meet those people you wish you could carry with you for the rest of your life, pulling them out whenever you feel the need for just a certain type of conversation? I met quite a few people on my vacation last week. My expectation going in was of solitude and relaxation, but the reality was almost the exact opposite. Where I had expected a few solitary travelers, there turned out to be busloads of loud, obnoxious, fun, dear Australians, New Zealanders, a Norwegian, and a Spaniard. Where I had expected little to no conversation, I got deep conversations of future plans, religion, philosophy, service, geography, astronomy, Norse mythology, and politics. I came back probably more tired than I left, but it was a peaceful, happy tired, rather than frazzled and stressed.

For a first lone adventure it was a huge success. I started out my journey feeling incredibly nervous about language barriers and whether or not I would be able to find my trains along the way. By the end I knew that every train connection would work out somehow, and if it didn’t there was nearly always another way. I also knew that a humble attitude and a pleasant smile is the best way to communicate with anybody, no matter where they come from. Before I left on my trip I had a conversation with one of my sisters in which we decided that the best motto for international travel is “No arrogance and no fear.” I think it worked out for me and now I’m excited to plan my next adventure, hopefully a weekend trip to the UK.

                                          I climbed to the top of a Mountain!

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Holiday Planning

This week I am home alone, with the family off on holiday in warmer climes. I've been doing housework and completely vegging out, since I have no energy to do anything else. I've also been planning MY holiday trip! I'm quite nervous about getting on the right train, making the right switch, and getting to my hostel. Traveling by train across two borders will be an interesting experience. I've also learned that apparently it's not usual for Austrians to know much English, so here's hoping I ask the right people for directions!

I have this strange idea that I want to keep my itinerary and destination a secret from the internet so that They won't know where I've been until I get back ("They" being the elusive and sometimes antagonistic government agents that track people down). This is completely irrational, especially since anyone who looks at my browsing history for the past week will know exactly where I'm going and probably which train I'm taking there. I'll give a more full update when I get back, of course, as well as what I hope will be spectacular photos. Four days to go!

PS

I would just like to pat myself on the back a little and point out that I've posted at least once a month for the past 13 months (barring last October). Yay, me.

Just Another Wednesday

I noticed it's been a while since I've posted a picture, which is a shame because I live in such a picturesque place! I suppose I haven't taken any good pictures recently because pictures of rainy days don't usually turn out very well for me. Anywho, here's some from the past few weeks:

Beautiful Sunset

The Rain Rolls In

 
Neighbor Rabbit (who has since been relocated due to yard-damage)

Spent a Rainy Day in Antwerp (Belgium)...

...Came Home Tired

Survived the first two weeks of vacation! Thank goodness for cousins, cleaning projects, shopping trips, and sick days. :-)

Vacation

Right now the girls are ending the first week of their six-week vacation. So far the vacation has been more stressful than when the girls are in school, due to altered sleeping patterns and the inability to think of anything to do that doesn't involve a plug. The plus side is that the Little One is loving having her sisters with her all the time.

I have planned my holiday getaway on the premise of getting as far away from people as I can, therefore I have booked a bed in a hostel in a remote village in Austria. I plan on sitting around reading all day, and mayhap hiking a few times. Maybe I'll talk to people. Maybe I won't. I'm starting to get excited about it, especially getting to ride a train across two borders! Should be fun. I'll probably have some stunning pictures when I get back, so get ready. Only 32 days to wait!

Cheers,
Abby:-)

A Letter

Dear One,

You say you love me. I look at you sadly and want to say “No, you don’t.” “Yes, I do!” you would insist, fully believing what you say. “No,” I would return, “I know you don’t really love me because you only say it when I give you what you want. When I punish you and you can look at me and say ‘I love you,’ then you will truly love me.”

I love you. I love you when you are sweet, I love you when you are bitter, I love you when you are happy, I love you when you are angry. When you say “I hate you,” I love you then, too. I pray for you every day that God would grow you into a young woman who longs to glorify Him in everything she does. I see how you care for people and I pray that you would care for them like that all the time, not just when it suits you. You say “That’s not fun, I’m not going to do that,” and I pray that God would give you the strength to do hard, hard things in order to be holy, not just “happy.” Life is so much more than doing what you want and getting what you want. I cannot wait for the day you realize this, for it will change your life.

Love,

Abby