Vadstena

The weekend after Jenny's visit I got to go to a village called Vadstena with Courtney. We took a train and then a bus down (through beautiful and very green Swedish countryside) around lunchtime and walked around the cathedral, nunnery, town center, lake, and...castle. It was a beautiful area overlooking the deepest lake in Sweden. Houses in town had rose bushes two stories high, the streets were all cobblestone, and it was a holiday weekend so lots of people were out and about. Caroline met us there in time for a fancy but late dinner and then, because we missed our first train by about 2 minutes, we didn't get home until around 11:30 that night. It was a long day but definitely worThe castle:
A building in town:The cathedral:

In the dungeon with some not so friendly looking statues:

Later that week Courtney and I planted flowers outside the church with the kids. (Add gardening and weeding to the list of summer intern tasks...) They were excited to "help" and it was a great way to keep them occupied outside.

Last weekend apt. 8A (Courtney, Caroline and I) hosted a lady from our sister church in Holland. The only thing my boss told me was that there was a lady coming who would stay with us, she was probably between 20 and 60 years old, and that Dutch people are "very clean." Needless to say, we took him seriously and got on a deep-cleaning kick and the apartment looks better than it probably has in years. I especially enjoyed having her with us because she's doing what I hope to do - business administration for mission organizations. I also enjoyed hearing about some past mission trips she's taken, one of which included smuggling Bibles across borders.

We celebrated the 4th of July on the 3rd of July with a cookout and a beautiful flag cake. Courtney, Caroline and I made a white sheet cake with homemade whipped cream and used strawberries and blueberries that the kids picked to decorate them. All the kids wore red, white and blue and we also celebrated 5 kids' birthdays.

Besides cleaning and baking I've also been busy taking attendance at sports camps that have been going on for two weeks, cleaning out a closet at the church, babysitting some on the weekends, and finishing up both church and intern finances. I'm here for less than three weeks now, but fortunately several of my biggest projects are almost finished. Pray that I won't "come home early" in my mind, so to speak, but that I'll enjoy and wisely use the rest of my time here. Also, our last week Courtney and I will be moving in with 5 kids (under 10) for 6 days while their parents are out of the country. Pray for safety, patience, wisdom...whatever you think we might need :) We refer to a week from Monday, when the parents leave, as D-Day but are hopeful that the babysitting and cooking experience gained in the past few weeks has prepared us for this.


Thank you for your prayers!

Midsummer and More

I knew it had been too long since my last update when I couldn't remember my password to sign into my blog account. The last two weeks have been very full with a wide variety of activities and haven't left a lot of time for blogging.

Jenny came two weeks ago! Her train arrived at exactly the same time American Girls Club started. My team leader picked her up and she walked into a room of 17 girls between 9 and 13 and helped us with craft day. Other American Girls Club activities included a tea party, a talent show, and a makeover day. (I wish I had known about 6 years ago that Jenny was so good at doing hair!) This picture is of my co-intern, Courtney, our wonderful Swedish roommate, Caroline, and Jenny the day of the tea party.


We made chocolate chip cookies (a very American dessert here because they don't have chocolate chips) and scones - not so American but the girls didn't mind. Courtney, Caroline and I have spent a lot of time in our big kitchen having fika together, drinking hot tea with honey at night, planning dinners and making grocery lists, cooking together, and doing dishes. It never ceases to amaze me how many times the dishes need to be done in one day.



Jenny gave a piano concert at the church on Thursday. The program included Bach's Italian Concerto, Fur Elise, Ravel's "Ondine," a Chopin Etude, and Vocalise with me. It was the first time we had played together since my senior recital. She performed beautifully and spoke a little about each piece before she played. I'm always jealous when I'm in Waco and can't make her concerts at Rice, so it was nice of her to come to Sweden and let me hear her play here instead. I also thought it was neat that I got to play with her at her church in Germany, and now she has played with me at my church in Sweden. We're quite the international duo.


The next day was Midsummer, the biggest holiday in Sweden after Christmas. We had a cookout at the church which included pickled herring. You eat it with potatoes, sour cream, and lingonberry jam and it's not nearly as bad as it sounds. Afterwards, a couple of the moms made Midsummer wreaths from wildflowers Courtney picked with the kids that morning. In the afternoon we went to a beautiful little village called Säby to watch traditional Swedish folk dancing. The church there was built in the 1100's and had a register of priests dating back to 1300. We also danced around the maypole with the kids and tried to stay dry from the summer rainshowers.



















Monday-Thursday Jenny and I put on a music camp for two violinists and 3 cellists. Jenny taught theory and then helped me arrange some hymns so even our youngest 2 cellists could play in church on Sunday - all six of us. We had rehearsals last week as well and will all play together in church again before I leave.

I have some more blogging to catch up on (including a trip to a castle!) but for now, please pray for the sports camps going on this week and next week - energy for the interns leading them and that the boys attending the camps would get to know the Christians here and keep coming around. Please continue to pray for my piano playing on Sundays. Also, the church finances are almost finished but I need to start focusing on the mission team's finances and that will be a challenge.

Praise God for Jenny's visit, for 2 great roommates who are a lot of fun and a big encouragement, and, as always, for the wonderful summer weather here in Sweden!


Happy Birthday, Gran-O and Happy 1st Anniversary Walt and Chandra!