Accomplishments, happenings, facts, and little things.

It has been about 10 days since my last blog. I just wanted to take the time to catch you up on what has been happening in these past 10 days. Nothing TOO exciting, but hey, even just laying and staring at the ceiling is deemed exciting when you're in Ireland.

In my last blog I wrote about my goals and new habits that I wanted to develop. Well look at what I have achieved:
- I've been eating healthy and exercising daily for exactly 2 weeks! It has changed my life. Yes, that sounds dramatic, but it is so true! I feel happier and good in my skin. My life feel's more balanced. I've been keeping up on school work/productivity, keeping my room and bathroom clean, etc.
- I told myself I wanted to write in my journal every day, ( I haven't been keeping up very well since I've been over here) and i haven't missed a day in 2 weeks! I love being able to go back and look at what I've written. It also helps in remembering things to put in my blog. I even started writing things on sticky notes that happen throughout the day and stick them in my journal.
Ex: One day I was having a conversation with one of my friends, here and I apologized for how cheesy I was being, but then I continued and said, "Well, you should know this by now... I'm cheesy but extremely sincere." And she said, "You're from Wisconsin, they like their cheese, there." Okay, you may not find that too funny, but at the moment I found it hilarious! So I wrote it on a post-it quick and stuck it in my journal later that day.
- I've started up a devotional and prayer journal. Usually when I start a devotional, after a few days I get caught up in my life and forget to take time for the Lord, but the Lord has blessed me with so much! The least he deserves is a little time with Him each day! So I started a devotional and prayer journal. It has been very wonderful. It is a beautiful start and end to my day.
- MOM TRAIT: I developed the train of thought, "Why do what you could do right now, later?" I've started keeping up on EVERYTHING. Now I understand why my mom would tell us to hang up our jacket right when we got home instead of throwing it on the banister. We would just respond, "I'll do it later." It just seemed like so much work at the time. Years later I finally understand my mom. For example, when my toilet paper runs out, usually I would "be too lazy" to change it right away... I'd be sorry later. Now I just change it RIGHT away. Of course there are more major things that I do right away, but the little things add up too!

What has happened in the past 10 days?
- PONIES ON THE RUN: One morning on a run I came across a farmer trying to get his loose ponies back into the pasture. Of course I stopped and helped him. It felt SO GOOD to do farm work! It was like being home. After we got them in and chatted for a bit he said, "Leave it to the American to be the one to stop and help." I was all smiles that day. It's a little silly how much that task made my day.
- FAMILY DINNER: I had a family dinner with my good friends, here. We made homemade pizzas and talked for hours about what has been going on in our lives. It's amazing how close people become in just a matter of months.
- TEA TIME: I had tea with one of my Irish friends and made another Irish friend! "Tea fixes everything." (One of the first things I've quoted her on.)
- A time to reflect: Yesterday was my day off of running. I have a hard time taking days off. My legs get restless and it seems my longing to run is the strongest on these days off, but of course God helped fill this void. I went on a walk in the back of St. Patrick's. It is BEAUTIFUL. It is this area lined with paths and there are big grassy courtyards. Well, on the back of one of the trails I found a large stump to sit on. I sat there and listened to my christian music and just sat and took in Ireland. We need to remember to take that time to just, be.
- Family birthdays: 3 of my siblings have had their birthdays while I've been over here. It's different being away from them on their special days, but in another way, it helps you stretch to find other ways to show them you love them. Maybe that's something else we are supposed to learn to do while we're over here, how to express love from so far away.
-BEAUTIFUL WALKS: I've started going on a walk every night after I eat supper (around 7pm). They are the most beautiful and calming and soulful walks. It gives me the time to reflect on my day and thank God for all of the blessings that day! The smells are of firewood, farmland, and dew. The sounds are of sporting events - parents cheering, players talking/shouting to another. Children playing - laughing, racing. The sights are the sporting events happening, the children playing and I also walk by farm fields and fields of sheep or cattle. 
- ROOMMATE DINNER: My Irish roommate, Michael always has this delicious Indian food. His dad makes the sauce and Michael brings it back with him every weekend. My other roommate (Sami) and I would always comment how good it smelled. Finally it came down to it that he offered to make some for us one night and we offered to make brownies and supply ice cream in exchange. So we had a roommate dinner one night! We have good craic together. Michael likes to pick on us, Americans. We find ourselves laughing a lot... at each other. HA.
- A RAINBOW.

Want to learn some facts about Ireland?
I've started a new thing where I learn 5 facts about Ireland every day. I don't want to go home and not know anything about Ireland! Here a few facts for you:
- Up until 1973, women employed in public service were forced into retirement once married.
- There are no postal or zip codes in Ireland outside of Dublin and Cork City
- The population is about 4.1 million
- Nickname: Emerald Isle
- 15000 years ago, Ireland was covered in thick glaciers. The movement of these giant sheets of ice stripped the soil, leaving huge tracts of flat, limestone pavement.

My own personal Ireland learnings:
- They spell things with the "s" instead of "z" over here. For example, it is spelled "Organise" instead of "Organize".

The little things:
- One day I was reaching back in my cupboard for a tea bag and couldn't decide which kind I wanted. I have about 5 boxes of tea and I said, "I have too much tea." My Irish roommate, Michael said, "You can never have too much tea." (He also corrects the way I say it. It isn't "TEEE" it is pronounced "Tay")
- Even though I have gotten used to the accents over here, I still love the way the Irish talk. The way the ends of their sentences/words curl up.
- My teacher often says, "Have a think about . . . "
- Roads are referred to as "motorways"
- I don't think the Irish have a general concept of a consistent side of the sidewalk they should walk on. I find myself "dancing" with many people when we cross paths.
- APPARENTLY it is not common for mothers to cut their children's hair? Michael went home and came back and he had his haircut, I said, "Oh did your mom cut it for you?" You should have seen the look he gave me and the laugh that came along with it.

I've taken on:
- I've started saying "cheers" out of natural habit, now.
- Sometimes at the end of my sentences I find myself saying, "yeah?" For example, "You like the flowers, yeah?"

What's to come?
- Here at Maynooth, this is the way they do their exams: They start the first or second week of May and go until May 31st. The exam office sets up the exam times. I have a couple papers/essays due as well as an exam throughout this next month. Since I have been busy learning, loving, and laughing in Ireland, I haven't really been keeping up with school as much as I should. Therefore, I'm a little nervous about these exams, but of course God comes in to save the day! Many of my professors are thoroughly preparing us for the exams so there are no surprises, AND my exams are spread out for the most part, which is a blessing in itself. It gives me time to study for one at a time! I have an exam on April 29th, May 9th, 10th, 14th, and two on the 20th. I've been finsishing up a paper and I plan on getting the other paper/essays done before studying for my may Exams. I forgot I was in school over here.... :)
- This coming Sunday my roommate and I are going to Dublin for a flea market!
- My parents arrive! Dominic arrives! My parents are flying into Dublin on the 23rd, but they leave later that day to go to Paris and Holland. They will come back to Ireland on May 29th. Though I do get to see them on the 23rd for a little while! Dominic arrives on the 25th and I think he leaves on the 30th. SO EXCITED TO SEE THEM. I know it is going to be one of the strongest moments of mixed emotions when I see them. I will be so happy to physically see them, but at the same time, that means that my experience is coming to an end. That is why I'm taking in as much of Ireland as I can each and every day and thanking God for everything!

I hope you all are having a wonderful week!
Cheers!