Europe 2014: Near and Far

What I will miss about Europe:

• Fresh pastries.....especially chocolate pastries
• Relaxed way of life
• New languages (many Europeans are atleast bilingual...most speak fluently more than 3)
• True Greek salads
• Amazing cappuccinos
• Meeting new people on a daily basis
• Mediterranean climate
• Truly old history and architecture
• Blended cultures
• Date nights on the Santorini caldera and other outstanding locations

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What I appreciate about America:

• Washer and dryer (we've washed our clothes by hand in a sink with shampoo for 2 months)
• Drinkable tap water
• Flushing toilet paper
• Logical shower head placement
• Sitting, not standing to go to the bathroom (many places we experienced, especially public bathrooms, were stand/squat only)
• Ice....the only time they serve ice is with white wine.....think about that one!?
• Talking to family and friends without technological glitches
• Speaking to people who fully know what I am saying (we've experienced 5 different national languages and countless others with our interactions......I think we were on our way to 20 different languages heard..last we counted)
• Being able to read and understand the road signs (we experienced 2 major alphabets: Greek and cryllic) along with countless differences in the romantic alphabet.
• Making a difference rather than experiencing for myself
• Comfortable beds (I think I can count on 1 hand the number of mornings I woke up without back pain) - I am spoiled with a super comfortable mattress at home
• Playing music
• Going to church (we often travelled on Sundays)
• Meeting with friends for bible study
• The Ozarks and the farm
• Date nights in our usual places!

 

Almost home.......

Kristin

 

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Europe 2014: First Night in America

My 1st night in America will be spent on a cot with over a hundred other travelers in the O'Hare airport. After multiple delays to many flights destined for the Midwest, our flight was delayed 2 hours and then cancelled because our flight attendants were stuck in Milwaukee.

* I offered to volunteer as a flight attendant sub. I think I've seen the gig enough to get atleast 85% of the motions correct! I wouldn't even mind handing out beverages. But......they passed on my offer and cancelled the flight instead. I'm trying not to take it personally.

So, after an extremely rewarding call to AA and a truly kind woman (I'm being serious, not sarcastic), I rebooked a flight to Peoria tomorrow (June 19th). And my bag........well, it is headed to St. Louis....whenever the next flight goes. I tried to find a place to stay, but turns out with all the cancellations, they are all booked. I mean everything! So....here I sit, in the airport, on a cot. I'm going to call this humility practice.

Outside all the hassle and frustration that I don't get to sleep with my husband in my own bed, I don't get to see my family tonight, and the fact that my body and mind are so fatigued from being up for over 24 hours that I can't even sleep.......I am thankful.

Thankful for kind people, thankful for random friends on cots, and thankful for a God that knows better than I. A God who kept us all safe and provided for. Our cots may look ridiculous and out of the ordinary, but it is all part of life and part of the experience.

The phrase "traveling is an adventure" has never been more true than at this very moment! And I choose to relish this moment, take it in, and remember the anxiety, fear, and uncertainty I feel right now. I also choose to release those feelings and fears to God. For He is all powerful, all wonderful, and can take my burdens and replace them with peace.

Yes......I think I'll take peace as my main course this evening. Thanks!

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Side note/health awareness: Never....I mean NEVER drink a grande "Awake" tea at 10pm. Right before our flight was cancelled and I thought we were about to board, my fatigue was growing and hot tea sounded perfect to get me through the next and final flight. The lady at the counter asked "do you want Awake or Earl Grey?" I thought.....o "awake" that sounds perfect.....it's tea how powerful can it be...right? Turns out....extremely powerful. Add a heavy dose of anxiety and adrenaline from the cancelled flight, rebooking, and cot snatching......I am WIDE awake......heart racing......mind racing.........AWAKE!

"Always choose Earl Grey!"

 

That's all for now.......welcome home!

Kristin Noel

 

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Europe 2014: Life Lessons

The question I get frequently is "Are you ready to come home?" Well, that is a loaded question as Adam and I are in between "homes/houses" and frankly in between our life up till now and whatever comes next.

• Am I ready to see my family? YES!
• Am I ready to see my friends? YES!
• Am I ready to drink tap water? Yes
• Am I ready to use a washer and dryer? Yes
• Am I ready to get back to work? YES!
• Am I ready to cook and bake? Yes
• Am I ready to leave Europe? Yes and no

I was afraid that after a relaxing time away I wouldn't want to go back to work and the mess of life....but what I realized is that...life in America and life in Europe are still life. There are messy parts and amazing, mind blowing parts in both. One of my favorite lines in a movie is in "Letters to Juliet" where Claire iconically says: "life is the messy bits." I have always loved that line, because it is! Life is messy and that's what makes it so good! I'm reading The In-Between by Jeff Goins and it is all about living in the "in-between

" moments of life. The essence of life is not in the major moments like weddings, graduations, and births, but the moments of waiting between these moments.

I can honestly say since we said "I do," Adam and I have been in a series of waiting. Waiting for grad school to end.....waiting for thesis revisions......waiting for test scores......waiting for school acceptance......waiting for rental options to open up......waiting for jobs......waiting, waiting, waiting. At times I have been so tired of waiting and just when we get to our point of exhaustion with waiting.....God calls us to wait longer. At times we have wanted to hurry this system and others thankful for the time, but I look at those waiting moments differently now. We live in a culture where we are always planning for what is next and often miss what is happening now. My time in Europe taught me to stop, wait, and take in the moment. Many of the places and memories we've experienced we will never have again and they are too good to quickly pass by. Life is too good to pass it by and not take in every second.

At the beginning of this trip I was hoping for a revelation, a change, and finally no more waiting......but that's not what happened...not yet anyway. I wish I could say I have everything figured out about where my business is going, when to have kids, or where we will live, whether to rent or to buy.....but the truth is we don't. God is still working in us and through us with each of these major areas.

What we do have figured out is that we are thankful for our life. Thankful that we get to wake up everyday next to each other. Thankful that I get to work with amazing clients and families using music. Thankful that we can pay our bills and work on our debt. Thankful that we have family that miss us and worry about us when we aren't around.

Thankful that we have a God who through the moments of waiting loves us and has provided for us at every turn. What more could we ask for? Nothing....the answer is nothing! This is life, it is messy, and it is exactly where I want to be!

Kristin Noel

 

 

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Europe 2014: Sofia to the end.......

Well, our 2 month trip is coming to a close.

We have visited 6 countries and 2 continents in 2 months. If you count the U.S it jumps to 7 countries and 3 continents. I started in the U.S.A travelled through England to Romania, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, and fly through Germany back to the U.S.A in 2 months and 2 days. What an adventure!

Nevski Cathedral

A trip of a lifetime, one I am truly thankful for. This adventure has changed me in more ways than I see now and change that will continue to grow in the inner places of my soul for years to come. I will never be the same...we will never be the same. But enough for the revelations for now....what did we do our last few days in Europe?

Saint Sofia

Well, we did a lot of walking. I went on numerous runs through the streets of Sofia, in and out of beautiful gardens that encompassed every intersection. The vegetation is beautifully green. In June, Bulgaria gets an estimated 2 weeks of rain....so it rained ever day we were here. The trees and grass LOVED it and were vibrant green! We spent time at iconic churches such as the Nevski Cathedral and the Sveta Sofia (Saint Sofia). Saint Sofia was built in the 500s and houses remnants of an even earlier church from the 300s. Can you even imagine back to that period in time? I can't. It truly boggles my mind to imagine that I am looking at something built and used over 2,000 years ago. Truly amazing!

We walked through local craft stands and had wonderful interactions with local Sofians and dearly came to love this city. It's beautiful gardens, counting more than 20 within walking distance of our apartment, were delightful and always full of families. We sat one afternoon and watched no less than 5 weddings come in and out of a church within a 2 hour period. Each one unique, but strangely similar to weddings in America. Bride in a white dress, groom in a tux, and friends and family everywhere. Brides in Europe have the same problems with veils and hair flying in the wind and children falling down and crying during pictures.

We came to realize.......these people are not different than us. Even the women in Turkey completely covered from head to toe wearing a burka wore tennis shoes and walked the streets as you and I do. Life is life! No matter where you go the same things are present: couples, children, families, parks, streets, music, photos, work, and food........it is life and even though it may look a bit different, it is all strangely similar.

So......what did we do in Sofia? We lived in Sofia. We didn't travel, we lived. We woke up, went on walks, enjoyed wonderful local food, and enjoyed our last few days living in another country. We spent time watching kids play, families interacting in the parks, and dogs running and jumping. It was a truly freeing experience to not have something we "had" to see, but simply free to sit and watch......to take in the moment.

 

Blessings,

Kristin Noel

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Europe 2014: Sofia #1

A short blog post because I can't sleep and I miss my family:

Our travel from Plovdiv to Sofia, I can happily say, was uneventful! Finally!!!!!! We checked into our 3 bedroom apartment in the center of the city and settled in. This apartment is really nice. Gramma totally scored with this one! It is a ton of space and is beautiful inside, minus the bunker- look to the outside of the apartment complex. Jan and Ralph will be here 3 nights and Gramma and I will be staying 4. We will then overnight in Berlin before heading back to America. I say "America" because when most people ask where we are from we say "U.S.A" and they look puzzled until we say...."America" and then they get it!

Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria and is much larger than Plovdiv. It is approximately a 2 hour bus ride from Plovdiv. We are located in the middle of a beautiful central area with historic monuments, churches, and many lovely restaurants. Our first night we enjoyed dinner at a local cafe called Cafe Wien. It was decorated in a venician style and was small and quaint. I had a salty pancake (crepe) with steamed vegetables and herbs. It was to die for. I ate every bite and still had room for dessert! We shared a piece of divine chocolate cake between the 4 of us and I had a perfect Mojito. Their Mojitos are wonderful here....fresh and not too sweet! Very refreshing as the day was quite hot and humid....perfect combination!

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Note: Adam is at "home" and has been visiting my family at the farm. My sister and her family are visiting and it was GREAT to FaceTime them and see everyone......it has been 2 months since I have talked or seen them ---- that is a long time. We've had a chance to FaceTime Adam's side because they all have iPhones, but my family, minus me, are android users .......so it was great to see them when Adam was up there.

I love traveling, but always miss my family. It always tugs at my heart when I miss out on family get together so and celebrations. An early shout-out to my sister and her husband who are about to celebrate 1 year of marriage on June 15th. Last year at this time we were all up at the farm getting ready for their big day. It was a perfect day! I am so happy for them and wish I could help them celebrate in person.....but I hear they are saving me a slice of cake ;) Here are a few shots from their special day!

And a couple of my cute nephew...just because I think he is the cutest ever! Aunt Kristin loves nephew Trent SOOOOOOOOO much:).........he had me at hello! Stole my heart!

Can you tell I miss my family?

Love,

Kristin Noel

 

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