La Sonya

My cell phone has miraculously been unlocked so now it can work internationally. The cell phone chip was passed down to me from Andrew, and to him the missionary before that, it goes back many generations. Here’s the scoop on what has gone down with this little phone. I thought I had ruined my chance at having it unlocked due to the fact that I foolishly had punched a whole bunch of numbers in at random not realizing that I only had 5 chances to put the correct one in. I was just being silly and going punch number happy. Then I decided to get serious about unlocking it and ‘called’ in the technical people. They advised me to contact AT&T so I being wise, after being foolish, took their advice. I skyped the 800 number from AT&T and was thoroughly disappointed in myself. They were so nice and helpful. They tried their best to help me but alas they number they gave me could be of no use if the opportunity to put it in my phone was gone . . . I was pouty and grumpy after Skyping AT...

My Dining room Originally uploaded by dreams with faith Feast your eyes on the cutest flat you have ever seen! I took some pictures on Friday like I said I would. I hope you enjoy looking at them. Just click on the picture and it will take you to flickr where you can look at all the notes I put on the pictures to describe things. While on flickr you can make your own comments on the pictures with notes or just a comment. Please do, I would love to hear them!! Enjoy. Love, Sonya

Today was my first church service and Sabbath school experience. It was very eye opening. First of all was Sabbath School (SS), we sang some Norwegian songs which were very nice, then we broke into groups for the lesson study. One group was Norwegian, the other group was English, an Australian and myself the only native English speakers, yet we were in a group of about 25 or so. We are talking about love and how to love. Then we read about how perfect love cast out all fear and the discussion turned to what kind of fear are we talking about because the Bible says it is good that we should fear God. So my new friend Zoran was translating for his parents who spoke no English but Macedonian, and Zoran was saying something (I’ll be honest it was a bit hard to follow) and he was giving examples and said, one kind is we should run from the beer and the other kind we should all run towards the beer. “What in the world did I miss”, I thought, “perhaps it’s a cultural explination or I wasn’t pa...

I did my laundry last night. I learned there are two kinds of soap for clothes – one for whites and one for colour. Norwegians really like to sort things out. They sort all their trash – paper, glossy paper, glass, metal, compost and restfall (everything else). So of course they should sort their clothes. I however don’t want to so I just bought soap for colour (let me know if there’s a reason I should sort). Along with my soap that’s unscented I bought fabric softener. Don’t use it much in the states but we use it here because we are green and line dry our clothes. I washed them last night and they should be dry sometime today (if the sun comes out and warms things up). Down side to that is I have to iron more because my shirts will be a bit wrinkly and have a fold crease from the line (any tips on how to fix that without an iron?). I will admit though it’s nice to be green but not as green as Africa.

Thought you might enjoy a video.

I’ve got a brand new Ikea duvet cover and pillow case that I found in the linen closet. I knew I was in the right section of the world when I went through customs x-ray security and the plastic tub for my purse was from Ikea :o) I plan on making a journey to the Ikea home base one day. Until then I’ll go to our local Ikea with Erin this week. Don’t you wish you were here with me!

I’m home at last! My first real home. I arrived in Oslo yesterday and drove with Erin 2 hrs to Skotselv. Now I’m actually home for the first time in months. It was a bit hard to believe. Everything is beautiful and so cute, Scandinavian cute. From houses, barns, big fields, tons of trees, small roads. I love it. I think I’ll like it here just find. We drove into Skotselv and looked around at the school Quite nice. I met several people who’s names I’ve already forgotten due to lack of sleep for such a long time and due to the fact I have never heard these names before. (I’m glad my name is a universal name, thanks mom and dad) At the end of our tour I saw my little flat for the first time. So cute and homey. I wish I had taken some before and after photos. But I hope you like the after photos at least.

What a night/day/morning! I rushed to catch my Minnesota flight. Crammed my backpack under my seat, bumped my head sitting down and arrive in Minnesota to find out I have to go on a long journey. At least the directions to get to the other airport/terminal were given to me in English. . . four moving sidewalks, find ground transportation, Humphrey terminal, outside airport, check back in . . .so confusing. Luckily a nice lady who worked there and was on her way home walked me to the public transportation train ( a subway) that would take me to the other ‘terminal’. Then I had to walk to through a really long car garage dragging my carry on suitcase with me. I tried to hurry because I had no idea what time it was and I didn’t want to miss my flight to Iceland. I must have actually been walking quite slow because when I started through the garage I was in front of all the other passengers, then they all (5) passed me up! So I’m the last person in line at Iceland air to get my boarding ...

I don’t feel crazy excited yet. I’ve flown so often this summer that I haven’t realized where I’m going or anything. What if I forgot something? Or Visa problems or passport problems. . . God is in control. He’s given me this job and opportunity to live over in Norway. He got me to the airport, He’ll pull me through. AMEN~

Sheesh. I decided to leave for my flight in Nashville at 12 noon. Elisa and I loaded up my two big suitcases to check and my two carry on cases and we were off. Then we stop, on the freeway. Yup, STOP! For 30 to 40 min—dead stop. I was a bit worried so I called my pal Maria for wisdom and advice. She suggested I call the airlines. So I called another friend for the airlines number. . . finally I got a hold of a person who told me to call someone else . . . so I called eventually Icelandair who wasn’t even there on the weekend! But fear not Elisa and I prayed for patience and that God’s will be done. We sat back and put our feet up for a bit. God is good. I arrived at the airport with time to spare. My luggage was checked in okay too. No extra fee for two or weight!!! Everyone was so nice and helpful. I’ll fly NWA/Delta from Nashville any ol’day!

Travel. Ugg, I'm over it. Aug 2 took train. Aug 5 took long plane. Aug 12 took plane again + car to get home. Aug 15 will take care + plane + plane + plane + car to get to new home. I would just like to unpack knowing I won't have to pack for at least 2 months. I'm over it.

in case you were wondering Tinkerbell/Miss Kitty, our cat, is on the roof too now.

I’ve been away from camp for almost 2 weeks now. I have found myself on facebook more than ten minutes at a time—I have been on there continually all day. Doing what? I think I’ve been trying to prove that it really happened. Sorting through everyone’s pictures. Making fun comments, leaving messages full of inside jokes. For what? To try and hold on as long as I can to the magic that Wawona held for me. What was that magic? How do I explain it to others and how do I explain it to myself? Perhaps the excitement lies in the fact that I had to fly there. It was a magical place I had never been before and to get there I had to go by – planes, trains and autos. So the location was new, it was surrounded by some of God’s greatest handy work – which I had never been blessed with seeing. All summer long I would sit in the campfire bowl and look up at Wawona Dome in wonder and awe. God is so good. Is the magic in the age of our staff? It was kindly stated that we are comprised of staff who ha...

i spent the last night in my 24hr time period thinking. how i hate to over think things or dwell on an idea or concept or concern. but alas that is what happened to me last night. i'm not even sure where it started except for the fact that it lead me to realize my ipod has gone awol. i believe i left it on my seat in the plane. first seat, first row. sigh. gone. all those thoughts last night and i had to loose my ipod. i of course couldn't do anything about it at the time which somehow makes things all the worse. i remember it, want to fix it but must force myself to sleep on it (which is what i wanted to do anyway--sleep). then of course in the process of sleeping and not thinking about the ipod i think about packing for norway and then i get scared. packing for cold! how do i do that and not take 12 suitcases with me! impossible. how am i going to pay for extra suitcases? to much thinking for me. i think after 12 midnight i shouldn't be allowed to think it hurts my head a...

I find myself longing for the mountains. The solitude and wonder of the hidden places in Yosemite. I didn't realize internally I was leaving and not going to see these things again until I was firmly seated between Chelsea and Anthony in the truck and was watching old town pass slowly by. Gone, gone is my freedom from cell service, makeup, stores, the rush of the outside world and the pollution of night lights. I'm ready for this next chapter but I'm still sad to leave Wawona.