Some Bits About Belgium...
*** The cheese here is amazing! I'm afraid I won't even like cheese when I get home because I'll be so spoiled by these gourmet cheeses that are "typical" by Belgian standards! (The bread is amazing too, and of coures the chocolate is unspeakably delightful! :-)
*** It starts getting light (and birds singing, etc.) at 5:00 a.m., and doesn't become dusk until about 10:30 p.m. I guess it's from being further north. I guess that also means a LOT of darkness in the winter? It's been a little "interesting" on my body, but we're adjusting okay and sure don't mind all the sunlight. :-)
*** When driving, all drivers yield to the car on the right. Lane markers dividing the oncoming traffic are solid white lines, and roundabouts are everywhere! Street signs are rather different too! At least the stop lights are the correct colors. :-) Vehicles are all very small. I have seen no vans or SUVs anywhere here and only saw a few in the city of Brussels. Some of the cars are even itty-bitty one person cars!
*** Plant hedges are very common here. Most people have a fence somewhere in front, behind, or inside the bush, but most houses have at least a part of their yard "fenced" by hedges. They're very pretty! People also have GORGOUS flower gardens here... everywhere!
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Monday, July 16, 2007
More Pictures from Belgium
My new home for the next 3 months...
My new house from the back yard and glorious garden...
More of the heavenly garden that is the backyard...
A very fascinating house I passed on a walk... Looks like it should be in a fairy tale?!
Couldn't resist taking a picture of this while out walking... This is probably my favorite picture so far... hee-hee-hee!
My new house from the back yard and glorious garden...
More of the heavenly garden that is the backyard...
A very fascinating house I passed on a walk... Looks like it should be in a fairy tale?!
Couldn't resist taking a picture of this while out walking... This is probably my favorite picture so far... hee-hee-hee!
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Pictures
Good Bye Columbus, Ohio!!!
Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 5:18 p.m.
Sunrise over the clouds over the Atlantic
Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 2 a.m. Ohio Time
Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 5:18 p.m.
Sunrise over the clouds over the AtlanticThursday, July 12, 2007 - 2 a.m. Ohio Time
Flying over the North Pole... or...maybe just some cool clouds! :-)
Thursday, July 12, 2007 
First good look at Europe...
Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 5 a.m. Ohio Time
11 a.m. Belgian Time
My new bedroom for the next 3 months...
I Have Arriven!
Just a quickie to let you all know I have arriven (new word), safe, sound, smiling, and tired! Belgium and the Petrie's house is B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L. Can't wait to send you some pictures!
The trip was not uneventful, but also not bad at all. I'll fill you in more later, since I had a chance to write twice during the plane trip, but couldn't get onto internet to share. So that's it for now about that. :-) As you can see, the internet works here, although the webbrowser stuff is in Dutch I think, so if I want to post a new post, I click "Maken", or I can choose "Berichten Bewerken" or "Reacties". What fun this is going to be! :-) (I'm sure there is a way to change it, but at the moment I think it might be a cool way to learn some Dutch! :-)
THANK YOU FOR YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS!!! Please continue to pray that the transition goes smoothly. Life here is going to be VERY different than home... but I already expected that and think I need it. Please pray that I'll just be able to handle it! :-)
I have some fun stories to share about how God has already shown up along my trip and even when I arrived, but that will have to wait, because I'm off to get a shower and then make some tea for Rebecca and go visit with her some more... :-)
Did I mention it is beautiful here?!!!!
Muchas Amour,
MB
The trip was not uneventful, but also not bad at all. I'll fill you in more later, since I had a chance to write twice during the plane trip, but couldn't get onto internet to share. So that's it for now about that. :-) As you can see, the internet works here, although the webbrowser stuff is in Dutch I think, so if I want to post a new post, I click "Maken", or I can choose "Berichten Bewerken" or "Reacties". What fun this is going to be! :-) (I'm sure there is a way to change it, but at the moment I think it might be a cool way to learn some Dutch! :-)
THANK YOU FOR YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS!!! Please continue to pray that the transition goes smoothly. Life here is going to be VERY different than home... but I already expected that and think I need it. Please pray that I'll just be able to handle it! :-)
I have some fun stories to share about how God has already shown up along my trip and even when I arrived, but that will have to wait, because I'm off to get a shower and then make some tea for Rebecca and go visit with her some more... :-)
Did I mention it is beautiful here?!!!!
Muchas Amour,
MB
2:17 a.m. Ohio Time - 8:17 Belgian Time - Somewhere Over the Atlantic
2:17 a.m. Ohio Time - 8:17 a.m. Belgian Time - Somewhere Over the Atlantic
Wow... wow! WOW!
It's amazing what a little bit of time and distance will do to you! Here I sit on a very comfy plane with two open seats beside me. I've been on this plane for 6 hours already and still have about 2 more to go. This trip has truly been a trip of sitting on unmoving airplanes! :-) 2 hours in the Columbus airport onboard a plane to Philadelphia, and then another hour in Philadelphia sitting on board the plane in an airplane trafic jam. :-) Everybody is quiet and great though... even the little ones. I've heard no complaining on either flight, and the kids are quiet and cute. One little boy was roller skating up and down the aisle's at 1 a.m. :-) Another little kid has a voice like Keri... in my half-dozed state I pretended it was Keri. Hmmm... I wonder where I can adopt some little siblings in Brussels?!
Everything on the plane has been smooth. I've gotten up and walked a couple of times, but mostly just sat in my chair, listened to music, and tried to sleep. I don't recall falling asleep, although I tried for hours, however there is a big time gap that I can't explain between 1 and 2 a.m., so apparently maybe I did sleep. :-) I woke up with a jolt, and opened up my window to see, with a shock, that it was sunrise! At 1 a.m. when I last looked out my window, it was PITCH BLACK. How crazy and amazing is that?! As I look out my window I se blue blue sky and a layer of lots of clouds beneath us... way, way beneath us. I can't even see if there is an ocean below us, but I'll trust it's still there! My little 1 hour catnap re-energized me momentarily, but I'm going to need more than that to make it through the day, so I'm going to have to leave you with this for now....
You know the drill... THANK YOU and LOVE YOU!!!
~ MB
Wow... wow! WOW!
It's amazing what a little bit of time and distance will do to you! Here I sit on a very comfy plane with two open seats beside me. I've been on this plane for 6 hours already and still have about 2 more to go. This trip has truly been a trip of sitting on unmoving airplanes! :-) 2 hours in the Columbus airport onboard a plane to Philadelphia, and then another hour in Philadelphia sitting on board the plane in an airplane trafic jam. :-) Everybody is quiet and great though... even the little ones. I've heard no complaining on either flight, and the kids are quiet and cute. One little boy was roller skating up and down the aisle's at 1 a.m. :-) Another little kid has a voice like Keri... in my half-dozed state I pretended it was Keri. Hmmm... I wonder where I can adopt some little siblings in Brussels?!
Everything on the plane has been smooth. I've gotten up and walked a couple of times, but mostly just sat in my chair, listened to music, and tried to sleep. I don't recall falling asleep, although I tried for hours, however there is a big time gap that I can't explain between 1 and 2 a.m., so apparently maybe I did sleep. :-) I woke up with a jolt, and opened up my window to see, with a shock, that it was sunrise! At 1 a.m. when I last looked out my window, it was PITCH BLACK. How crazy and amazing is that?! As I look out my window I se blue blue sky and a layer of lots of clouds beneath us... way, way beneath us. I can't even see if there is an ocean below us, but I'll trust it's still there! My little 1 hour catnap re-energized me momentarily, but I'm going to need more than that to make it through the day, so I'm going to have to leave you with this for now....
You know the drill... THANK YOU and LOVE YOU!!!
~ MB
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
7:41 p.m. Wednesday, July 11 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
7:41 p.m. Wednesday, July 11 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
I have safely arrived at my first leg of this journey... but not without some excitement first. :-)
Had a very smooth and uneventful check-in, about an hour to savor with my dear family and a few good friends, and then said a heart-wrenching good-bye and headed through security and to my terminal. It took everything in me to keep walking towards the terminal and not turn around and come running home to everything that is comfortable and familiar. I was on the verge of crying as I walked away, but I haven't come this far for nothing, so I tried to push aside the thoughts running through my mind and pressed forward. I'm not going to Belgium for "comfortable and familiar", so I shouldn't expect that feeling anyhow! Sat in the terminal for maybe 15 minutes trying to gather my thoughts and calm myself. I wrote in my journal for a bit, which helped, and asked God to "help me!". Minutes later, a lady and her son walked up and sat down beside me... get this... carrying two animal carriers, one with a big Himalyan cat and the other with an 8 month old papillon puppy!!!! Turns out the lady was moving to Goodyear, Arizona. She brought the puppy out of the crate, and shortly thereafter the puppy was in my arms and I was being covered in little doggy licks and being softly hit with a wagging tail. How's that for some amazing provision on God's part! :-) I couldn't help but smile after that, and before I knew it, it was time to board the plane. I gave the lady back her puppy, grabbed my carry-on luggage and headed for the plane. Then the real excitement started... hee-hee-hee.. not.
We boarded the plane at 3:45, but due to some stormy weather in Philadelphia, we ended up siting on the plane in the airport until about 5:30 p.m... about 30 minutes AFTER the time I was scheduled to arrive in Philadelphia. Good thing for that 3 1/2 hour layover! Turns out my layover is only 1 1/2 hours now, as we finally safely arrived to Philadelphia at about 7:00 p.m. The flight was fine. I had my own seat with no seat next to me, and all the passengers were very quiet and mostly businessman and women. (Sorry Jessica R.! :-) We arrived to Philadelphia with plenty of time for me to call home and let the family know where I am, grab a little dinner (tuna wrap...), and sit here and type this update. Unfortunately, I can't seem to figure out how to use wireless internet that doesn't cost anything, so this update is going to have to be a little belated!
Thank you, as always, for your prayers. They're truly carrying me through this crazy, exciting, fun, exhausting, etc. day! :-)
Please pray that I would get rest tonight on the plane (I'm tired!), that I would continue to be able to deal with the reality of the long term separation from pretty much everything I know (it's good and necesarry for me at this time I think... I just have to keep reminding me of that!), and that I will be able to settle into Brussels, Belgium life okay. I'm getting excited as I sit here and hear people speaking different languages! I sure hope I can pick some new languages up while I'm away... and hopefully I don't mix them up! :-)
Hugs of the big, squeezy, encouraging kind!
~ MB
I have safely arrived at my first leg of this journey... but not without some excitement first. :-)
Had a very smooth and uneventful check-in, about an hour to savor with my dear family and a few good friends, and then said a heart-wrenching good-bye and headed through security and to my terminal. It took everything in me to keep walking towards the terminal and not turn around and come running home to everything that is comfortable and familiar. I was on the verge of crying as I walked away, but I haven't come this far for nothing, so I tried to push aside the thoughts running through my mind and pressed forward. I'm not going to Belgium for "comfortable and familiar", so I shouldn't expect that feeling anyhow! Sat in the terminal for maybe 15 minutes trying to gather my thoughts and calm myself. I wrote in my journal for a bit, which helped, and asked God to "help me!". Minutes later, a lady and her son walked up and sat down beside me... get this... carrying two animal carriers, one with a big Himalyan cat and the other with an 8 month old papillon puppy!!!! Turns out the lady was moving to Goodyear, Arizona. She brought the puppy out of the crate, and shortly thereafter the puppy was in my arms and I was being covered in little doggy licks and being softly hit with a wagging tail. How's that for some amazing provision on God's part! :-) I couldn't help but smile after that, and before I knew it, it was time to board the plane. I gave the lady back her puppy, grabbed my carry-on luggage and headed for the plane. Then the real excitement started... hee-hee-hee.. not.
We boarded the plane at 3:45, but due to some stormy weather in Philadelphia, we ended up siting on the plane in the airport until about 5:30 p.m... about 30 minutes AFTER the time I was scheduled to arrive in Philadelphia. Good thing for that 3 1/2 hour layover! Turns out my layover is only 1 1/2 hours now, as we finally safely arrived to Philadelphia at about 7:00 p.m. The flight was fine. I had my own seat with no seat next to me, and all the passengers were very quiet and mostly businessman and women. (Sorry Jessica R.! :-) We arrived to Philadelphia with plenty of time for me to call home and let the family know where I am, grab a little dinner (tuna wrap...), and sit here and type this update. Unfortunately, I can't seem to figure out how to use wireless internet that doesn't cost anything, so this update is going to have to be a little belated!
Thank you, as always, for your prayers. They're truly carrying me through this crazy, exciting, fun, exhausting, etc. day! :-)
Please pray that I would get rest tonight on the plane (I'm tired!), that I would continue to be able to deal with the reality of the long term separation from pretty much everything I know (it's good and necesarry for me at this time I think... I just have to keep reminding me of that!), and that I will be able to settle into Brussels, Belgium life okay. I'm getting excited as I sit here and hear people speaking different languages! I sure hope I can pick some new languages up while I'm away... and hopefully I don't mix them up! :-)
Hugs of the big, squeezy, encouraging kind!
~ MB
7.5 Hours...445 minutes...26,700 seconds...
Psalm 118:24 - This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!
Wow... TODAY is the day... the long, exciting, sad, amazing day I've been thinking and praying about for 10 months!!!
I went to bed around 1:45 a.m. this morning and slept LIKE A LOG! Thank you Lord! Woke up to the sound of my alarm (I think I was dreaming about puppy Jen at the moment...), at 7:30, just in time to visit a little with Josh and say good-bye (sniff, sniff), before he headed off to work. Another answered prayer: it wasn't an awful good-bye, and we got through with nary a tear! My bro is the best! I sure will miss him!
So... just about 9 more really difficult good-byes and I will be on the plane with my face "set" to Belgium!
From the words of a friend... who couldn't have put it better! "... Thankfully, security can't keep God in checked luggage or at home, so He'll be right there with you..."
THANK YOU SO MUCH for your prayers! Love ya'll!
~ MB
Wow... TODAY is the day... the long, exciting, sad, amazing day I've been thinking and praying about for 10 months!!!
I went to bed around 1:45 a.m. this morning and slept LIKE A LOG! Thank you Lord! Woke up to the sound of my alarm (I think I was dreaming about puppy Jen at the moment...), at 7:30, just in time to visit a little with Josh and say good-bye (sniff, sniff), before he headed off to work. Another answered prayer: it wasn't an awful good-bye, and we got through with nary a tear! My bro is the best! I sure will miss him!
So... just about 9 more really difficult good-byes and I will be on the plane with my face "set" to Belgium!
From the words of a friend... who couldn't have put it better! "... Thankfully, security can't keep God in checked luggage or at home, so He'll be right there with you..."
THANK YOU SO MUCH for your prayers! Love ya'll!
~ MB
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