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!
6 comments:
oh AMY!
I can't believe how idyllic it sounds, what with dancing around the maypole and stuff... i guess maybe doing the dishes so much counterbalances everything, but still! thanks for blogging.
it was the most amazing thing to talk to you on the phone! and yes, you did get an overly rosy picture of my summer, but i was just so happy to talk to you!
ok. i am praying right now that your piano playing would be good and that it would bring glory to God!
LOVE<
HANNAH>>
Is your password the same as your license plate?
Good luck with the sports camps!
When you're juggling four lines and start dropping the inner voices during the third verse of a hymn, you should think of me juggling four calls at Ravinia's front desk and dropping three of them. :) (If it's really important, they'll call back; and if the words are uplifting, they'll sing anyways.)
:)
I think you're just WONDERFUL.
Oh Amy, thanks so much for the new post. I love reading every word you write and hearing about your summer adventure in Sweden. Thanks for putting up pictures, too, cause I love seeing your lovely face!
I agree with Michelle...entirely... I tried calling Ravinia the other day, prepared to donate lots of money, and my call was dropped...I can't believe how they run things there. Oh, and I'm completely confident that your piano playing in Sweden enriches their worship.
-T
Hi Amy--your summer sounds so great! i love the image of dancing around a maypole wearing a wildflower wreath to celebrate summer! and the idea of fika--because i love drinking coffee and snacking with friends.
are you home in houston now? how's your swedish these days?
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