Life is good...

Life is good, and God is good... I have a car coming my way and a job interview on Wednesday at 1:00. (I just found out about that one tonight!) Not too sure about the job, but at least it is a start!

Now, it's time to get ready for bed... good night!

Changing gears

I'm doing well, but I'm changing gears... it's like I'm still trying to land from being in Norway for so many years. I'm trying to find my bearings and to learn how to live life all over again with my time here in the States. My room has been complete chaos the last week with trying to put everything away (and get rid of some truly OLD stuff to make room for my new things -- and I thought all of that was OVER!) -- definitely not up to "Gretchen Standards." And then I've had to make some MAJOR shopping trips the last 2 days to get all the basics to start up again -- everything from clothes to toothpaste to a new watch! And even then I still haven't purchased everything I need; I'm constantly remembering things I forgot to buy. And then I just had to buy a new cell phone (with extremely high rates compared to Norway!) because my Norwegian one has decided to suddenly stop working altogether. Then I'm trying to find my place again in my family and with my friends and my home church. And then there's a job and the American working life all over again... And my devotional life is also in the midst of change right now too! I'm reading from a devotional book right now and spending more time in prayer, and just trying to let everything adjust and settle down before I decide on a new devotional plan...

So many things are changing right now, and I'm glad I'm not working right now. I'm looking for jobs actively, but I'm taking it easy and trusting that God will provide a job at the time when I'm ready. All I can say is that everything is changing right now, and I'm not pushing myself too hard in anything right now. I need to take time to adjust and cool down and process. I know things will be difficult these coming weeks, and I will need my friends so desperately. I will need to just talk and PRAY with them and just release all my thoughts and feelings inside. It will be a big, jumbled mess for awhile.

Yet, I know more than anything that it was a good time to come home. God is up to something good. My family needs me. My church needs me. I need to be in LA with lots of sunshine! God is good... I'm sure my ramblings will continue on for many weeks, but ahhhh, it feels so good to get this all out right now. mmmm

I'm home

Well, yesterday, I came home. The flights went by without a hitch, and my boxes came through safe and sound without anything missing, though a ribbon for one of my sweaters and one of my scarves managed to almost fall out of the one of the handholds on the box. I'm so surprised they stayed in there! LOL

It's so weird to be back in LA, and this be my home again after Norway being my home for so many years. I don't think it has quite hit me yet that I've moved home! I've been unpacking and trying to get my room in working order because I can't stand it being messy. I'm trying to figure out where everything should go and actually getting rid of stuff I don't need anymore here. I thought I was entirely done with the purging process in leaving Norway, but oh no, it is still going on. There are quite a few things I still need to get rid of here before I can fit everything I brought back from Norway into my room! LOL Oh well, at least I have some time this week to get it all done. I've decided to take off the rest of this week and start looking for jobs again next week. Everyone in Norway was so generous to both Tylene and I when we left, that I won't need to worry about getting a job right away. Of course, I'll be looking, but I have more than enough to get started here and survive at least the first month or so until I land a good job. :) That's exciting to me.

Otherwise, things are going well. It's super warm here -- just like a Norwegian summer and sunny -- a nice change when we had rain non-stop for one month in Kristiansand. I do miss everyone in Norway, and I know that it will take some adjustment to get back into the American culture. But I will be back to Norway for a wedding in the summer and am already looking forward to it.

Keep me in your prayers if you happen to read this. I will need them a bunch as I get ready to jump into the American culture again.

Until next time,

Gretchen

2 more days...

2 more days, and I'm ready to go now. I've been a constant ball of emotions the last 3 days, and I'm just exhausted from saying "goodbye." It's all been so wonderful the goodbyes from everyone, and our going away party last night was WONDERFUL -- fun and sad all at the same time. We are truly loved by such a wonderful church and group of people here...

Tylene leaves tomorrow :( And then I say "goodbye" some more... and then early on Wednesday, I travel home. I'm excited :)

3 more days

It's 3 more days until I travel home; things are winding down so fast. Tylene and I were antsy and excited to get home, but now we feel a bit numb. We've finally realized that we're going to be leaving without coming back for a long while... :(

We have our going away party at the church today; what a tearful night it will be! The tears are already starting to flow with people saying their last goodbyes and last visits and famous last words. It should be a wonderful night, and we don't know quite what to expect or who to expect to come, but surprises are always a little bit necessary here and there.

Pray for us today -- that it would be a wonderful time full of fun and memories of good times and of God's peace in this decision to come home. It's going to be one LONG day.

Gretchen