finally!

So, yes. I disappeared from the blog for a while. I’m sorry. Things got crazy throughout the end of my second round project and then it just took me a while to find some time to come back. But here I am.

I continued to really enjoy my time in the Bay. I gained some real life skills working with Habitat and felt very accomplished by the time we had finished our service there.

My trip home and to DC over Thanksgiving was a great time. I really enjoyed my whirlwind of activities: seeing Brendan as Lewis in “Angels in America;” surprising Liz for her birthday; Thanksgiving dinner, of course; watching Sarah sing the National Anthem at the Sixers game; my 5-year high school reunion; Luci and Randall’s wedding and spending time with 2^nd Belk girls in DC. It was great to be home after 5 months away and a nice little sneak peek of how nice winter break would be.

My team experienced some drama over Thanksgiving break and immediately afterward, but we made it through and came out for the better, I think. It wound up getting pretty cold down in Bay St. Louis—my team and I were pretty shocked by the weather!

We finished up round 2 with a debrief of the project back on campus and then I started my trek home for our two-week winter break. I drove home with Chandra, Andy, and Jo, three of my TL friends. We had a blast on the 1200 mile trip home, but unfortunately were slowed down by the “Winter Wallop” and it wound up taking us about 53 hours to make it to Ardmore from Vicksburg (including a 12 hour stay in a motel in Salem, VA). Home time was lovely and quiet. I only had to carry one cell phone and use one laptop—I was govey-free! I rang in the New Year with good friends and good food. Refreshed, I came back to Vicksburg for our mid-year transition and Round 3 (see the next post for updates on my current project)!

Transition was just fine. I love spending time with Team Green up in our ivory tower. It’s great that we’ve all bonded so much—I really feel like I have a family here. We’ve built a fantastic support system for one another and can almost always understand where one another is coming from.

I’m posting some pictures below from my time in the Bay, so enjoy.

Thanks for sticking with me through my prolonged absence and stay tuned for a post on round 3 very soon! I promise! XO

my team went out as a jazz band for Halloween!

one of the empty lots in Bay St. Louis

the house we completed during our Blitz Build week!

laying bamboo floors in one of the houses