Bright Light

It's really bright here. It's like walking around looking at an overly-exposed picture. Squinting all the time, trying not to look into anything directly white--that's normal. The sky is blue, the buildings are brown, men's jalabia's are white and women's dresses are all colors. But none of it do I see with the sunlight I'm used to. I have this theory that you can recognize any region of the world just based on how the sun falls on it.

Weather affects us and our cultures so much. I don't think we realize how much it shapes our societies.

I can't believe I'm leaving so soon. I'm sad, excited and everything else. It's been a hard month and a half. I've been coaching the debate team and that has consumed my time. The girls are fantastic for sure, really hard workers who deserve their successes. But, I'm exhausted.

I confess that I'm terrible at staying in touch. I'm bad at maintaining relationships from far away, and so many of mine are.

Moments

You know those moments just after you wake up, especially just after you wake up from having been exhausted? Those moments when you aren't sure of where you are, what you are doing, what day it is? I love those moments.

HOT

I'd like to give you a glimpse of how hot it is here, and particularly, how batcrazy hot my aparment is. The other day we had some friends over for dinner. We served cake for desert. The guests nicely commented on how the cake was still warm from the oven. The cake had been made the day before.

In Memory of my Beloved Aunt Shirley

Friday I heard of my Aunt Shirley's passing. I still am processing the departure of this amazing woman of God. She wasn't even related to me by blood, she was my mother's best friend of about 40 years. I've known her my whole life. I didn't even know that we weren't related by blood until I was about 10. Aunt Shirley was one of the kindest, most generous, joyful, gentle, modest and accepting woman I've ever known. Maybe that's why she became a nurse. She was always that nurse who stayed late and worked extra hours. She truly cared about her patients. Even after she retired, she looked in on her housebound neighbor every day. We didn't know that the cancer had returned, and we are only now making the assumption that that was what happened. I guess she didn't want to bother people with the news. But, the disease bothers her no longer. She is rejoicing with our Lord. And, though we miss her very much, we know she is not only in a better place, but in THE better place, and I cannot wait to see her again.