Call me anything you want.

Today has been a mostly good day. Some minor frustrations, some wasted time, but I get over it. The day started out well when I left for croissants at just the right time so I hitched a ride there with our driver, instead of walking both ways. That was nice. It was warmer than usual today, I didn't even use the heater in my office after lunch! We had soup and homemade bread for lunch, which is another plus. And then corn for supper, along with potatoes (again, a plus) and some not-exactly-my-favorite chicken casserole. Spent the evening with friends, first, I watched an episode of Firefly with a couple buddies, then went and looked for spots to stay over Spring Break and then got to just chat.

One of my big worries in my initial coming here was my ability (or lack thereof) to fit in with new groups of people. It took me a while, but I think I've found the niche I can exist in. This I am so grateful for. I'm grateful for my friends here, who aren't my friends from back home, but have filled roles I needed. I'm grateful for someone who will ask me how my day is going, and who I feel comfortable enough to be able to really tell because I know they truly do care, and who stop, sit, and talk for five minutes in the midst of a busy day because they can tell I just need to get some of this out. I'm grateful for someone who I can talk with about very personal things. I'm grateful for someone who just wants to hang out with me, and let me hang out with them.

I'm also very grateful for friends back home who have stayed in touch with me. Even though I'm not there, you folks can make me feel like I'm there with little stories, telling me about what you're doing, what's going on. I never mind getting e-mail like that, send it to me whenever you wish.

I've been impressed the last couple days that we really do get what we need when we need it. I've heard or read things in the last couple days when I really needed to. I've had conversations that needed to happen. I had a friend stop by my office yesterday, when I was having a... weird day, and ask me how I was doing, and then take the time to listen, encourage, and just be my friend. I had a fellow staff member say something to me later yesterday, out of the blue, pretty much the exact moment that I needed it. I had the ability to be honest with someone when I needed to be. A friend of mine had a good day teaching while having a not great of rest-of-life day. All of these things came at just the right time. He has given us things exactly when we need them.

He holds our dreams.