Thinking about Chicago... And Family.

I love Chicago.

Not for the traffic.
Not for the wind (it's not called "the windy city" without just cause!).
Not for the food.
Not for the music.
Not for the beaches.

I love Chicago for the people.

I have been blessed to have met so many amazing, talented and beautiful people... Through my (short) time living in Chicago.
I can easily say that some of my best friends were made in the Chicagoland area, if not Chicago itself!
And some of my dearest friends are still there.
I miss that city and especially my people in Chicago.

And here's another reason to love Chicago - it's beautiful! And green. And apparently, within a half mile's walk - anyone in the city can get to a park or some green space. :)

Enjoy this link! Chicago ranks 14th in national park space survey - ABC News

And today is my Grandpa's birthday; he would have been 92 today. 
I love you soooo much! 
xoxoxo

Sisterhood

With my sisters - sorry it's a bad photo - I just love y'all!!!!

I found this blog posting - On Sisterhood and thereby the article that it references - The Spirit of Sisterhood Is in the Air and on the Air, from the NY Times, this morning.

What a treat. 

Both are talking about the importance for women, females, actually, to have close friendships with other females. Not just the importance, but the health and even psychological benefits for females to have a few close relationships with other females.

I love my Mom.

It made me think of my sisters.

And my Mom.

And the ladies that I am blessed to call my sisters.

What a gift!

Women who impact me. Support me. Challenge me. Strengthen me. Comfort me. Encourage me. Hear me. Want to be heard by me. Trust me. Share with me. Hope with me. Pray with me. Cry with me. Laugh with me.

I remember being a little girl and thinking, "Thank you God for making me a girl and not a boy... If I was a boy, I'd have to ask someone to marry me, instead of being asked!" Oh the thoughts of a child that didn't understand or consider the many different factors involved in choosing a life-partner (like, I'd know my future spouse first!)...

But really, "Thank you God, for making me a girl!" I get to enjoy and cherish deep, loving, amazingly-complex and beautiful relationships... With other women - women who need me as much as I need them. We are made and designed for relationships, for community. We as people, but especially we as women.

Thank you, God.

So, enjoy the articles, that are above. And these photos, of some of the women who have shaped, and continue to shape my life.

I love you and I thank God for you.

How's that song about "sisters" go...? Sisters... 

with little brother peeking in!

 

 

I love the women in my life! 

Burundi

We all used to live in Chicago... And had a fantastic reunion in Bujumbura, Burundi!
Flo, Gloria, me, Bonheur, Tikva, Andrea, Baraka, Leah

Old and new friends before Gloria's unveiling ceremony...
Leah, me, Annie, Tikva, Andrea, Tara, Wanjiku, Alice, Karen

Maranga, Leah and I after the wedding, relaxing at the beach!

At the wedding with Bonheur

Carrying a basket for the unveiling ceremony

The ladies! 

The newly-weds!! Gloria and Flo.

*Some photos courtesy of Maranga Darling and Jim Lyons, via facebook ;) 

Returning to the DR Congo

After over one year in the States, I am going back to the Congo again. My tickets have been purchased, my luggage is (somewhat) packed, and the time is flying by, as it always seems to! Especially when a deadline is drawing near or there's something to look forward to.

There's still so much to do before I can go (pray for my visas, please!), and even though the time is steadily slipping away... I want to enjoy these last couple of weeks as much as possible. Good byes are hard but thank God for the wonderful memories we have!

Even though I didn't expect or plan to be here for so long, it has been a really good, full and blessed year! As a little recap:

• Our family (minus Becky & Jon) went out east together last summer. The time with family was wonderful, and we had a fun road trip and time spent at the beach. It was a great opportunity to hang out and reconnect.
• Being at home with Mom and Dad (and Nathan), allowed me to help out with homework (yay for helping to write and edit English papers at 2am! You know you're loved when your big sister stays up that late! ;) hehe), and bond with my brother in new ways. 
• I got to watch Becky develop as a beautiful and pregnant woman... How fun to watch her change before my eyes as she and Jon prepared to become parents! 
• Numerous trips to Chicago and the area allowed me to reconnect and rekindle so many important friendships that I thank God for placing in my life.
• Thanksgiving at home with the whole family (minus Hannah), Birthdays and Christmas - all things I really missed while I'd been in Congo for two years.
• We went skiing a few times (it'd been forever since I last went), that was a blast! And sledding :) Hill 17!
• Our family hosted an exchange student from Poland, Karolina. It was good to be with her and the rest of the family for the majority of her stay with us, from middle of January until the end of June!
• I took a trip out to LA with my dear friend Mandi to visit another wonderful friend, Michelle. It was a great little vacation and time to even swim in the (chilly) Pacific, in April! 
• Our family took another family trip out east during Nathan and Karolina's spring break - we saw Niagara Falls, family in Syracuse, Maryland, Pennsylvania and even Delaware. Some of us got our feet in the ocean, but it was significantly colder than in LA! We spent time in Washington, DC and even New York City. 
• Reunions and lots of laughter over yummy meals with good friends has been wonderful.
• This spring meant yardwork, helping (a little) in the garden and watching everything turn green, at last! 
• Becky gave birth to Marcus in April, and it has been sooooo fun to watch him grow a little, almost before my very eyes. I have loved having a nephew and getting to shower him with love! 
• Sarah graduated from college and Karolina from high school. Both are milestones and I loved being here to celebrate with them!
• Hannah came back from Ecuador in June, Karolina left a few weeks later and it was so good to be here! 
• We've been picking strawberries and even made ice cream once...
• The 4th of July meant fireworks, BBQs and time in the pool... Which, is awesome! :)

 Things will be super busy in Beni when I get there:

• The Graduation ceremony for our first class of students will be at the end of July!!
• Year-end celebrations with all of the students and staff.
• Farewells to students and teachers for their vacations (or, with the graduates, as they go on to pursue their careers).
• Reconnecting with many friends and colleagues in and around Beni. 
• A trip to Burundi for a wedding in August.
• And preparations for the start of the next school year, in September.

I am excited to return to Beni, the students at UCBC, friends and colleagues there. It will be difficult to leave my family, friends and community here, but it's timportant I go back to the work at UCBC and it's time for me to return now.

Thank you all so much for your love and support during not just this year, but since this journey first got underway, in 2008.

I will try to keep you posted in the coming weeks...

much love,
Bethany