honey bunches of oats

Ok, sounds good! I'm thinking that I'll still be able to go next weekend...I'll make sure I can :-)

How was everyone's week?? I hope well :-) I really miss you! And I can't wait to see you...

Just wanted to say hello :-)

LOVE YOU

Yes! We are still doing NYC (I think!) I have yet to hear about my job... BOO! So please hang in there. I do not anticipate them telling me "You start in 5 days", if they tell me I got the job, so I think NYC will still happen! And if you are in too much pain, we can reschedule... or load you up on pain meds :P

Hil!! Do tell about the Mission's trip, unless you're still on it.. then wait til you get back.

Amanda, come home!! I miss thee.

Bri, I will definitely be praying for you. You will be great -- you have a great work ethic, and I'm sure you will be a wonderful student at Jefferson. I will pray for you all of the years that you will be studying there. (Confession, even though I read the post 20 seconds ago, I forgot how many years you said it was.. haha :)

Anywhoo, let's all chat soon... YEAH?! I miss you guys a lotta.

Peace, love.. and me of course

Joy

So I just want to apologize for that blog right below this...I guess I hit enter by accident and I would delete it, except that I don't know how! lol
Anyway, Joy, I love that verse you put up...it seems very appropriate :-) (And honestly, I'm not even sure if I've read that before...) And I'm so glad that you're updating us on your project...I love hearing about it. And it's awesome that you guys were able to come up with this idea that turned into project that is able to help so many people around the world. I remember when we were sitting in the living room at school trying to come up with ideas for you for the project, and it's incredible to see where it's gone!! And just out of curiosity, how come it was only Tyler who went with your professor? And have you heard anything about the job?

Hilary- How was your missions trip?? Any fun and exciting stories?? :-)

Amanda- When are you coming home???

As for things here....they're going pretty well. I just had my last Jefferson orientation on Friday, which went pretty well. We signed up for classes and as it looks right now, I don't have any classes Monday mornings or Friday afternoons....4 day weekend?? lol yea right, those will fill up quickly with lots of studying. Anyway, I'm really excited to start- it looks like my first class will be Sept. 2, so if you ever get a minute, it wouldn't be too early to start praying for me lol because apparently it's a pretty rigorous 3 years...yikes, what did I get myself into??
And also, I just found out a couple days ago that I have to get my wisdom teeth out next Monday- they're all impacted with pieces under the jaw bone or something like that...great...so I'm hoping that I'll be fully recovered by NYC weekend...we're still doing that, right????
Anyway, you guys are always on my mind and I can't wait to see you. Maybe only 2 or 3 weeks????
LOVE YOU!

Remember that little senior project I did? Well I wanted to keep you guys updated.... Tyler and our Professor went to Zambia a few days ago to pilot the project with some World Vision staff/volunteers. We have real data streaming in and out of our database.. data that has things like how sick a child is, are they orphaned, are they old enough to go to school, do they need food? The database is full of children who need food right now.. and I am speechless. Here I am sitting in America as "technical support" for them, and all I can do is stare at these "alerts" that are being sent back to headquarters to say children need food. Out of 10 children input, 8 need food. The list just keeps growing as these community volunteers enter information about households they visit.

This project has come together, and though I felt taken advantage, I am speechless and profoundly impacted by what has taken place as a result of my work. World Vision's executive's called to tell us that our project has changed the face of World Vision and their outlook on technology and its impact in ministry, and we have also changed the face of mobile development. We've taken something so socialized and modern as an iphone or a palm or whatever people use these days and implemented something that's actually changing lives. Tyler sent me a message saying that children and parents were thanking him and Professor Nejmeh for the project, because now they would get help faster...

I'm so incredibly moved by this whole thing, and how this project was driven by God entirely.

If any of you girls want to follow the blog, its at http://blog.mobileappdev.org and Tyler and Nejmeh update it 4 times a day with new stuff.


As for my personal life, nothing new really. Hil your post made me smile :) I do need a fern! P.S. the day I saw your post, I watched that movie :) Watching chick flicks always makes me think of you guys, and how we could watch the same movies over and over again!! I haven't heard back from that job yet. I sent him an e-mail and he goes "You made a great impression, but these things take time..." UGH GUY! C'mon, don't you know that I've gotta find a place to live?! hahaha.. oh help us all..

BRI your new pics on fb are cute! Yes, I stalk you all. I cannot help myself.. you are all just so pretty!!

Okay, well I'm at work, and should be working.... my new assignment at work : Redesign the homepage. Pressure? NAH... (did you smell the sarcasm?)

Love you all, talk to you soon. Joy

Good evening, ladies,
So great to hear from all of you. I guess it's my time for some typage. I'll start from furthest distance and work my way back to here.

Miss. Sen of the Dirk<>Hope A country is treating you better...that sounds like a story right out of a book/movie... hilarious...I think I learned new ways to smile/gasp/chuckle while reading of the tale. If anyone can handle that, it's you though, miss travel-aveler. Take in the beauty...have you heard about the rain we had in June..."April flowers bring mayflowers, mayflowers bring the pilgrims"... and the pilgrims apparently brought high pressure systems from the northwest. Thank you pilgrims--we owe you one. (Special props to anyone who followed that twisted mind pathway!) Be safe. Have fun. Praying for you and your adventures. Love you. <3

Miss. Guhloowchee,
Missing you. I am sorry to hear about World Vision and their lack of paying you/appreciating you appropriately... Maybe they lost a contact (badump-CHING) ..... (Did anyone follow that silly joke?) Glad to hear that you are able to hang out with Mateo! Good man! Your apartment is probably not at home because..... you need a FERN! ALL HOUSES NEED A FERN! (A love fern, ideally). Just kidding-home is where the heart is-not completely surprised to hear that your heart is not in Hburg, land of the capitol, and Palumbo's, but sad that it's not more homey for you. The summer is moving along quickly now, yes? Sort of. Sometimes it's fast, and sometimes it's slow, I think. NYC-sounds like a perfect little reunion. Love and miss you. Thanks for keeping tabs on Grantham. We all need that. Praying for you and also for your job hunt. <3

Miss. Dubya,
Great chatting with you the other day. Hope you had fun at Dominic's. I think I figured out why your (and all) long distance relationships are hard. I've calculated this very carefully, and I think it can have something to do with how far away you are from the other person. BRILLIANT! I know, I know, hold the applause. Treasure your moments together! "Love is a battlefield" (Not only a new hit song, but also, and 80s classic). And if love is a battlefield, I think you've gotta be like, "whoah, war is not the answer-let's go get some Chik-fil-a, which, as a matter of fact, is what I said (minus the war part) and what is listed in my pre-school survey, as what I would do if I were given a dollar. {Direct quote: "I'd get my Chik-fil-a"} ....and the wandering thoughts continue. Praying for you and for your missing of him. Love you. <3

Miss. rhymes with doll (ahem: that's me)....
I have been up to really enjoying my time working at church. Lots of stuff to do, but not nearly as much pressure as my friend who is the Children's Director. I have a desk (which I'm not at a ton), and a phone number extension, and an email account, and a mailbox, and keys---um, go ahead, it's okay for you to call me a grown up---or not really.... the only things missing: benefits and a salary and a job opening, which hopefully I will locate, somewhere, somehow. I am working on trusting God's plan right now. I've heard a lot of people telling me that-I need to focus there. Tomorrow I'm taking off since I worked last Friday, and most other people took off...we did not know we had off (Cara-the children's director-and I).
I've seen the man a few times. I've only been to visit him once, though, last weekend for 4th of July. I get a lot of junk for that whole, you never visit me thing, but it's valid, and I honestly haven't been able to go since then-work on Sundays for awhile at the beginning, and other stuff on the weekends. He's been here a few times, once b/c he was doing work in the area, and once b/c I got tickets to a phillies event from a friend from church.
Going outlet shopping tomorrow afternoon with my mom-very excited for that!!!! Love to hang out with my parents more and more. Probably b/c I am understanding them more and more.
I love you and miss you each and all a whole lot. Praying for you all.
LOVE SO VERY MUCH,
HREE

Hey beauties. It is so good to come to the blog and find it filled with posts from you guys -- I feel just a little closer to you all seeing you post here. Bri, I'm sorry that you are feeling like a long distance relationship is hard. Matt and I have seen each other a lot this summer, but I remember last summer when I was in NY and he was in MD -- it was so hard. Sometimes we fought, but it was just cause we were so frustrated that we couldn't see each other. Especially since we saw each other every day!! How is Dom? How is his job?

Hil how's Nick? Do you guys get to see each other?

Amanda, I do not want to know about periods in Turkey.... haha JUST KIDDING! LOL that is pretty gross, but it was a funny image :) I'm sorry you had to experience that unfortunate event. I can't wait to see you! It's great hearing how much culture you are experiencing -- you are going to be a wealth a knowledge when you come back!!

And can I just say that right now at this very second, I'm really lonely? I don't think I'll truly feel at home here in this apartment -- I think partially its because I'm in transition and also because I'm going to move out in August so I'm anticipating more change, but I just feel like I'm in a hotel. Its depressing, and I don't like it. I can't get a pet cause they aren't allowed.

Also... can I just vent here for a second? I feel like I'm being taken advantage of for the World Vision project. I worked 58 hours last week alone-- and I don't get paid for more than 40. I get phone calls from my professor in the evening telling me things I need to complete and I'm just so tired but can't seem to find the time to sleep and eat nice cooked meals and I just want to go back to fry d301 or go home

I miss you guys...

hello hello!

girls, i am so happy i remembered to check here for updates about you wonderful women! i miss you all terribly and when i get lonely over here i just go to my computer and watch the hilarious videos that are saved there. ahem... thanks in large part to you ms. REE. i am sitting here and realizing that i have not been very good at all about updates and such. mostly that is due to bad internet connections and so forth but its also due to my forgetfulness and my inability to sum things up in a few short paragraphs.

anyways, i am in the a country now and have been for about 3 weeks. we just took a small 4 day holiday up to the mountains literally 15 km away from russia! we stayed in someones house in both of the villages we visited. it always seems like a big deal wherever we go because there are 4 kids along with the 2 parents and me so staying at someones house that theyve sorta shifted into a hotelesque thing is quite a maneuver. i promise to tell you all about the wonderful grandeur of it all in person complete with a few photos but i will just give you some advice for now.....

do not get your period in Seki.

they do not have toilets, they have holes in the ground that flush.
toilet paper, also does not exist--but there is a watering can next to the hole that is supposed to serve the same purpose.
also, tampons are extremely hard to come by and when you have 4 kids that you are carting around, going to more than one market is more than just a bit of a hassle
just in case you are ever in this situation, they only sell tampons at the pharmacy, which looks like a bread shop, or a hardware store.
tampons---no applicators, no toilet paper....hole in the ground, i'll leave the rest to your imagination, especially what happens when the water doesn't feel like pumping out of the faucet when you finally figure all the rest out you have to walk a little ways to find a spring that you can use to wash your hands and your thoughts of what happened away.

sorry that was graphic but i thought you ladies would appreciate some comedy of cultural clashing proportions!


i love you all very much and i will try to post soon! i hope that all of the job searching and money making is going well, i'm not looking forward to joining the rush but alas i know i will not be alone! i can't WAIT to see you all---

love love love
me

Well Hello!
Yes, Hil I'm sorry you were so sick!! You better keep eating...may I suggest some cat cookies? ;-) How's the summer internship going?? Enjoying it so far? And how's the job going Joy? I wanted to try to come up the other week, but the lady ending up calling cause she needed a sitter. And Amanda, I hope that you are having fun!! I miss you girls so much!! I think about our apartment often and awesome it was to be so close to everyone and living with you. I really miss living with you. So hopefully we can see each other soon so I'm not so depressed anymore lol.
Also, about Broadway, I second the post below about just being in NYC with you!! So I'm up for whatever, show no show, whatevs :-)
Please know that I'll be praying for everyone, for the big things and the small things :-) I really love you.
Have a great fourth of July! Any parties anyone is hitting up???
Love you!!

ps. I just wanted to share that a long distance relationship is really hard...like really hard. I've only seen Dom once since graduation :-( And I think it makes it worse that we're not going back to school in Sept where we'll be able to see each other every day (or almost) again. Just thought I would share some of my thoughts :-)
How's everyone's boys??