Day #35...BLAGODARQ =)

Hello, hello! So I counted and I have officially been gone for 36 days...is that all??? Seems like so many more, but I only have 67 more days until I return home, and I haven't even gone on my first major trip yet..OH MY GOODNESS!! But not to worry, ROME AWAITS! Yes, yes..in precisely 4 days I leave for Rome, Italy to spend the weekend there. I am meeting up with a dear old friend of mine Evan Gray, whom I have not seen except for the occasional running into at Planet Sub, or Target, in a couple of years! I am super ExCiTeD! :) I am also SUPERRR nervous because I will be traveling there by myself and am leaving straight after class to catch a train to London where my plane will be. Please Please Pray that everything goes according to plan and the trains are not delayed or there are no mechanical issues or anything like that!!

But lets see...I guess I should catch you all up on what has been going on here in Swansea!
Thursday night My roomates and I, and a few others out of the group went to go see a Shakespeare play, at the theatre on campus. It was "A lot ADO ABOUT NOTHING" and I really enjoyed it. It was my very first Shakespeare play to go see, and in the beginning I found myself a tad lost but ended up understanding it as the play went on! I was pretty proud, because me and literature, poetry, etc, don't usually mesh well! :)


Cristen, Caleb, Me, Conner after the Show!

Friday!!! I have been excited to share with you about his day! Nothing really exciting happened during the day, I went to class and then I went to the basketball shoot around! At the shoot around though only two other girls showed up so we just scrimmaged with the guys and it was fun. I officially met and started talking to one of the SWEETEST girls I have met, Anna! She is from Bulgaria. Her and her family moved to Swansea four years ago, and she is now in her 3rd year at Swansea University. After basketball, she invited to come back to her house and have dinner. Her mother made a tradditional Bulgarian dish and it was SO SO SO YUMMY!! Her parents do not speak English as well so it was really neat communicating with them! :) I am so excited to see where our friendship goes during my time here!

Saturday... Cristen, Courtney, Caleb, Nick, and I all went to Cardiff. It was a really neat city. We just shopped around all day and then went to the Cardiff Castle which was really awesome!!

Nick and I...I like the view behind us!

This is the Keep

View of the Castle House from the stairs of the Keep

Take a squat?!?...This was the toilet in one of the rooms in the Keep haha

View of the Courtyard from on top of the Keep



After I got back I got to have a three hour skype date with my AMAZING boyfriend Elijah, and my little sister Macy :) 

Boy oh Boy do I miss them both!!

I am so beyond thankful for the technology that is available to us today that allows me to not only "talk" but "SEE" people from back home :)

Sunday

Was a very relaxing day. I slept in and spent some really nice time with the Lord and then went for a run, and did laundry! My friend Allison returned from Spain and she came over and filled us all in on her lovely trip!

Monday

Well I did not have class... So I decided to go into town. Why not right? ha! Cristen and I went into town and ran a couple of erands and then had a lovely afternoon tea/coffee and cake date :)



Yummy!!!!! :)



Monday night Anna invited me to play volleyball so Caleb and I went and we both had fun and met some really nice people! I think I will go back whenever I can :)

Tuesday
I had class today from 2-3, and it was nice. I like my Psychology class a lot, find the material really interesting! After class I had basketball from 7 to 9 which was a good practice! Coach told us that out first game is in a week Oh MY!! haha So soon!! I also recieved a package from my MOMMY today!! YAY!!! She sent over some movies, and my favorite candy, my basketball shoes and a few other things! I just am so blessed to have such a wonderful Family!

:)

I was also able to skype with my other half from home KAYLEE MAE HENDON! :) Along with talking on the phone with Elijah for a while!!

I miss her!



Wednesday (Today)

No class today, and its raining at the moment (not a rare occasion) so I am hoping it will stop so that I can go run for a little bit. The one lovely thing about the weather here is it is the PERFECT weather for just grabbing some coffee and a book, and relax and read, and a great time to meditate with the Lord!!

Within the last few days, I have learne something about relationships that I had never really considered. A lesson that I am so very thankful the Lord has helped show me. I always thought that "changes for someone" was bad... and that you have to always be yourself. Well that is true, being yourself is important but its not about changing FOR someone, its about ADAPTING WITH THEM and them with you, as you grow together!! Having a long distance relationship has been extremely tough, but it has also been so beneficial in regards to forcing us into complications that we would have never encountered being at home together. I personaly have learned so much more about Elijah and MYSELF within the last month than I had ever thought I would! :) I just love it when the Lord helps me realize something even the simplist of things. He is always constantly humbling me in different areas of my life!  :)

Till Next Time:

-Lissa

P.S. In case your wondering what BLAGODARQ means, it means "THANK YOU" in Bulgarian. Anna tought me it so that I could tell her mom Thank You for dinner :)

Psalms 91:1-4

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortresss, my God, in whome I trust." Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.