favorites

walking out on my balcony and receiving warm and friendly greetings from the sheep who live in the pasture next door

driving through one hill of Black Forest after another... and finding that the hills of the Black Forest really do never end

driving kilometer after kilometer on autobahn A2 and rounding that last bend to see the snow-capped Alps in the distance

standing in those snow-capped mountains and feeling a stillness and grandeur so powerful that my fast-paced heart really does begin to find its stillness

enjoying a seeming never-ending supply of goat cheese

wandering through Freiburg and hearing the faint sound of Pachelbel's Canon in the distance... following the sound and finding a brass quartet on a street corner... standing there and savoring the music... purchasing their CD... taking a piece of Freiburg home with me =)

being completely stopped in my tracks when I walk out on my balcony at dusk to find that the sky has turned a complete other-worldly shade of pink

getting more excited than I ever thought possible at the sight of a McDonalds... or a Starbucks!

...eating 2 times in 2 days at that same McDonalds... when do I ever do that at home??

standing on a hill and looking around me in every direction... and finding only vineyards as far as my eye can see

taking care of someone's plants, learning how to be a real gardener, and stopping for a few moments to actually listen to the plants as they drink in the water!

learning the hard way that the Black Forest trees really aren't such bad "facilities" after all (when they have to be!) =)

discussing the limitless possibilities of "Mr. South" ; )

opening the pages of a Henri Nouwen book and finding that somehow, he put into words all that's been residing in my heart for the past few weeks

finding, when you feel completely undeserving, that the still, small Voice really does whisper all around you, "you are my beloved... well done, child"

seeing with my own eyes that simple love really makes more of a difference than I could ever imagine

feeling the hankering for a salad... stepping out on the balcony for a visit to my borrowed lettuce plant... and returning with the makings of a great green salad!

hearing my phone ring... and answering the phone to find the voice of my mom on the other end of the line

feeling homesick, missing home... at the EXACT same time as when my best friend hops on Facebook and says "let's talk"

experiencing deep gratitude for the presence of latte macchiatos, eis kaffee, and Nescafe frappe mix... when there isn't a Starbucks in sight!

FLYING through the Alps at almost mach speed on a really fun scooter!

visiting old friends... and receiving the privilege of holding and cuddling their newborn daughter

receiving kindness, warmth, and friendship at just the right time and in unexpected places

hopping on bikes with a friend and soaring through the greenest fields I have ever seen

eating dinner at a cafe next to the Rhein River in Switzerland and thinking to myself, "is this for real??"

looking up into the night sky and seeing the same familiar site of the Big Dipper and Orion's Belt

finding that the familiar-ness of your iPod can be the most comforting thing in homesickness

realizing that in exactly one week's time... I will be HOME!!