more on the "horriblest" hike ever - june 07

Sold

It's gone.
I went home at lunch to meet a couple who wanted to look at my couch, and they bought it.
I said "you're taking it now?"
They said "yes."
"oh...I guess I didn't think it would be right away..."
They picked it up and carried it out and it's gone.
When they left, I sat down to listen to a message from Mary who had called when the couple was looking at the couch. I called her back and when I began to talk, my voice echoed in the empty room.
And I started to cry. I couldn't talk...it's sentimental, I didn't get to sit on it one last time...and it's gone. And, it's only a couch. But it represents so much.

Then, I read this on my friend Kristin's blog:
Gary Haugen of International Justice Mission, in his recent book wrote, "and charged his readers to be able to look the next generation in the eyes and tell them confidently, that we did not sit idly by, we gave up convenience and comfort to follow our loving God of justice into a world where suffering and oppression abounds, and did something."

And I cried some more. I cried because I'm a rich white American who cries when she sells her couch. I cried because I sold my couch and would never relax in its plush, deep loveliness again. I cried because everything is changing. I cried because I hope that I can look those I love in the eyes and say that I gave this up because I love Jesus, I believe in His Kingdom more than I believe in anything else in this world. I do it for those I love...I do it for those I have not yet met. I lay it all out...and down...in my empty echo of an apartment.

moving on...

Last night Suzanne and Sarah came to look at my stuff to see if they wanted any of it. They did...my table and chairs, side table, rug, curtains, glasses, and TV stand. For which I am so grateful. And then I woke up early this morning (not sure what time because I refused to let myself actually look at the time for fear I wouldn't be able to fall back to sleep...which was slightly ridiculous because I couldn't fall back to sleep anyway, but I never looked at the clock!...) with my heart beating soo fast. Letting go can be hard to do.

I told the ladies in accounting that I woke this morning with a speeding heart and the little Polish lady said, "You are too young for this! If it continues I will call the doctor and ask for prozac!" I thought a bottle of wine might do just as nicely. She agreed...they are going to take me to lunch before I finish working here on Aug. 30.

At Geraldine's this weekend(Geraldine's is a cafe in Seattle, not anyone I know), I cried with my friends Amanda, Susan, and Jenny...anticipating the leaving, the saying good-bye, the letting go and moving on that is all wrapped up in going to Romania. I'm sure I'll have more on this later.

But for now, here are a few of the items I still have to sell...along with the greatest yogurt ever made (I've totally been craving it and cheese and crackers). If you can get Brown Cow cream top yougurt where you live, do so. You will thank me.

And these lovely little pictures of Brynne who is getting so big so fast. When she smiles at you it does something to your heart...

Wise Sayings of Ava-LouRellie

I was getting in my car the other night with my niece Ava(she's 4), when out of the blue she declared: I hate Starbucks! They are taking over the world! It was quite random because at the moment we were in her isolated yard not even talking about Starbucks. I laughed and asked her why she disliked the corporate giant so much. She said: Because they are taking over the world. How do you know this, I inquired? She said: I just KNOWED it...and for the next 5 minutes went into length about losing all the Coffee Peoples which are being replaced by Starbucks...

Ava is also famous for coining the term 'figurized,' a combo of realized and figured...she really uses it as an actual word. She belives it is a word. We figurize that it works well and are adapting in into our everyday vernacular.

Finally, on the same night she monologued regarding Starbucks, I bought her some Reeses Pieces...which we call yumminess (I coined that term...wonder where Ava gets it...) We were all indulging in my sister's family basement, when Jonah decided to hit Ava over the head with a light saber (he was just super excited...no malice inteded). Still, it hurt and she cried. With parental units otherwise occupied, I scooped her into my lap and rubbed her head. I said: Would some yumminess make you feel better? Yes, she said. So, I gave her a few. After eating them she said: I think a few more yumminess would make me feel all better, maybe 1 or 3 or 2 or 5... I gave her a few more, she sighed, leaned back and said: yumminess feels everything better.

Yes it does...it certainly does. Yumminess anyone?