This, That, & Gratitude...

Well, it's been two weeks since my last entry. My desire is to post weekly. And, when I don't, I feel that when the second week has rolled by. Not that I think people are thinking, "That Gwen! I can't believe she hasn't posted something yet." But, then again, maybe I do feel the pressure that readers are disappointed when they click on gwenjackson.blogspot and there's nothing new. It's hard for me to believe I began this blog three years ago in September. . . and stayed at it! I get about 500 visits a month, so I guess people are checking!

October 1 is tomorrow! Missing the Michigan fall - apple picking, hot cider, the leaves changing color - but looking forward to our first fall in Budapest.

September has been a month for settling back into our flat and life in Europe. Dennis has been to Russia, Czech Republic, and currently in Macedonia. I joined him for the Czech side of the journey, visiting our teams in Brno and Prague. Great time connecting with team members and being the first to visit the flat of one of our newly appointed young couples in Prague. We stayed with our Czech national pastor, Marek and his wife, Jana, who were wonderfully gracious hosts.

Jamie with Iris and Evee

Our daughter, Jamie, has inspired me to make a gratitude list. If you go over to her blog at Baby Get Green, you'll find her latest post with a list of things she is grateful for during their season at Princeton Seminary. I love her life mission statement to "live a simple and peaceful life," which is not so easy in a world that stays so busy, and with two little ones! She's doing a great job!

Here's my gratitude list at the moment:

• Dennis comes home tomorrow! I'm grateful for the days ahead that we get to be together before he's off again.
• Our sweet language teacher, Lidia (more to come on that)
• The Blank Page Writing Workshop - I am learning so much in this 6-week workshop and feeling more freer in my writing!
• My health - gearing up for a 10K in mid-October
• Julie is coming to visit in 2 weeks!!! A surprise that I discovered earlier than planned :)
• Mike, Joni, and Miles will be here in 3 weeks! Can't wait! 
• The strangers who smiled at me today when I communicated with my new Hungarian words - they were very gracious

Thanks for the reminder Jamie. Gratitude nurtures contentment. I need that from time to time.