Summer on end

It is 20 degrees outside (68F) (which would be a warm Norwegian summer!), but I still don't feel like going to the beach. There's something in the type of heat that has changed that shows that summer has come to an end, and fall has begun. In June and July we would be happy to go to the beach with 20 degrees outside, but now it seems too cold. And as a true Norwegian, maybe something in me is starting to expect, and even long for the fall, with rain falling on the windows, a cup of tea under a blanket and everything around me turning yellow, orange, red and brown. I love the different seasons, and how we have such distinct ones - still, even though global warming is changing it.

It has been an amazing summer, full of adventures. Coming into it, exhausted after finishing my thesis, I didn't expect much, but it has been better than I dared hope for.

It started with an amazing girl trip with Ellinor and Olene to the infamous Sandnes city 20 minutes away, with shopping and going out as our main ingredients, along with fun and deep talks. Our start up, with Maren in lead, with the intercultural cafe was better than expected, with around 30 people on a regular basis each Friday. Getting to actually do something for our asylum seekers, not just read about them in the newspaper, felt good. And even though we've been 10 volunteers and many people involved, it hit me how easy it all was, really, how little I did, that actually could mean a lot to someone.

June continued with two great bachelorette parties and then a stunning bride where I got to sing at the reception. The wedding was a creative oasis, and having gone to more than 20 weddings not much impress me anymore, but Maria's wedding did. It was beautiful!

Then Christina and I have been thinking and praying, and felt like she and Lukas was suppose to come with me to Hawaii to help me get ready for the apartment to sell, and also for all of us to have closure. They left Hawaii 2 years ago after having lived there 3 years, and re-entry is always challenging. Update on the apartment is that there are several people coming to look at it, but no sale yet. We're thinking of painting it and doing a few touch ups, done my tenants there at the moment, which will hopefully give it a boost. 

The summer continued with a spontaneous vacation to the great city of Stavanger for Elisabeth and me. She booked a junior suite and we spent the days just chillin' and eating lots of good food. I love being able to do this. Just in a day, turn things around and go on a holiday with your good friend. This spring and summer I've been living everywhere, at my Mom's, my sister, at Anett's, at friends' houses, and the good thing of staying some months in a bigger city has been to be closer to Elisabeth and other friends I usually don't see that often. Added to short walk to new parks, new coffee shops, and just the 'city feeling' I miss in my own apartment in Bryne, has been so rejuvenating (påfyll).

Then another short term decision to go with Elin and some guys from Intro church in Sandnes, to the Hillsong conference in the O2 arena in London, proved to be amazing, and so much fun! 10 000 people gathered, worshiping together, hearing amazing messages that just hit my heart like rockets... I'm so glad I went! Something happened inside me those 5 days, and also getting to see my good old friend Veronica, who I haven't seen since - I think 2007!! I never saw her kids or her husband. That was great!

I'd been moving in with the Mong's, my close friends in the middle of July when they went on vacation. I loved it, having a huge house to myself... but realizing how much work it is to keep a whole house!! Just cleaning it and tidying up took me four hours. Credit to everyone who takes care of a full house every day!! When they came back from vacation, we thought, why not me living with them and their 4 kids for a couple of weeks?! Of course I had a few hesitations, but it turned out to be so much fun! The kids´ friends would stare at me coming out of the bedroom 10am in the morning, asking: "Who are you??" which I found myself replying, after a moment's thought: "I'm a family friend!" realizing that I was becoming a friend of the whole family, really getting to know the kids as well. Good food (even me baking some, challenged to find ecological ingredients, and replace sugar and normal wheat with honey and almond flour, coconut flour and oatmeal!) and great talks, a rising star with the kids and trying to influence Olene to use more lipstick and braid her hair and include a morning coffee every day. Living in community is so underrated, more normal in other countries, and something lost in our Norwegian society. Something good happens when you're having to deal with someone outside your immediate family on a daily basis, and the challenges are so worth it when you work through it.

Then Anett was back from Los Angeles and Mosambique and what not, and we celebrated her birthday with Indian food and going to the movies. Too much money spent this summer, that's for sure.... 

Then it was full on August and I decided to move out, while waiting for my apartment in Bryne to get ready in October. After searching the net I found a tiny place in Lura, right by Sandnes, 182 square feet (!), 17 kvadratmeter, just like a bigger bedroom is my home now for the next 7 weeks. Then we just celebrated Lukas' 8th birthday last week where Mom and I gave him a basket ball net. I've just been starting to play basketball with him and Kaleb (a variation from soccer!) and am learning probably more than they are, so I decided to get a good net so we could play for real!

Through the summer I've been thinking a lot about my next step, not being in missions anymore, not being a student... and my plans switching from living in Hawaii and Korea, to Norway. I applied for one job, uncertain if I was even ready to work or if that was what I was suppose to do, dealing with re-entry to Norway and finding it hard to emptying my hands of all that was in them. While doors have been closing all over, along with being in maybe the hardest waiting season ever in my life, now some new doors are starting to open up. The last two pictures here are from Stavanger where I've been spending most my time the last week. I'll write more about why later on. But sensing a new season ahead with its challenges and joys, I feel my life will change and go in a new direction. I'm excited.

So here we are, Maria and I driving to Sola beach yesterday, bringing hot tea and expecting a fun walk in the sun. On our way there it started pouring down, really announcing fall, and we had a shorter walk, got soaking wet and spent the rest of our time in a coffee shop.

Fall is here for real!