My summer has consisted of:
- My Grandpa Manken getting chosen as Grand Marshal of the Van Wert Peony Festival. My sister and I got to ride with him in a horse-drawn carriage down Washington St. in Van Wert during the Saturday Parade. It was my first time in a carriage!! :) I will never forget this day and how extremely proud Grandpa was.
- Driving around Ohio/Indiana. MAN I missed having a car overseas! I LOVE driving with the windows down, radio up, watching corn fields fly by and seeing the scenery of flat, flat, FLAT northwest Ohio.
- Eating absolutely fantastic Mexican food at restaurants with legit, authentic cooks. :)
- Going to gigunda-American-consumer places like Wal-Mart, Target, and the mall for the first time in a year. Totally mind-blowing!! but-- I love it how you can get so many things in ONE place. That's neat!
- Enjoying late-night grocery store options. In bella Roma, we have to get our groceries before the store closes at 8pm. In America... you can go whenever you want! Late night grocery shopping is great, and SO needed sometimes!
- Living up the high-life with wonderful American treats like: A smoothie maker/blender thing; Air conditioning; a clothes dryer; salad dressing; corn dogs; and getting to be with my family & friends!!! :) :) :)
- Learning how to make rhubarb pie and pickled beets at Grandpa Manken's house. :)
- Taking care of my sweet Grandma Zuber as she battled cancer & chemotherapy all summer... and eventually lost her fight on July 27th. :(
- Celebrated my good friend Kelly as she got married to her wonderful fiancee, now husband--- Kyle!-- on August 1st!
- Connecting with ministry partners. I made a scrapbook with ministry highlights from last year in Rome, and it's been a blast to sit down with individuals, couples, and families to share nuggets of what the Lord taught me and how I saw Italians' lives changed in the last year. I love being on a team and really enjoy connecting with teammates!
- Annnndddd, to connect with above... I have been re-raising all of my financial support in order to return to Rome for a 2nd year of life and ministry. Visit this website to read more about my heart for Rome, and for a chance to financially support my ministry if you feel led to do so.
