Helping You Help Me

Hi y'all! I am writing this blog post from beautiful (yet, too cold) Pennsylvania.

I safely arrived stateside on Friday and am thoroughly enjoying being back on U.S. soil. :) I am in the midst of a two-week visit with my beloved sister and then will head west on Nov. 22.

My sister Leah and I. Leah is one of my most favorite people in the whole world and I'm loving being with her, after almost two years of being apart.

I am still adjusting to the time change (8 hrs. difference) which means I am sleeping like a rock at night, but then am also feeling sleepy throughout the day, but it is improving. Like I said, Pennsylvania is cold - about 40+ degrees different. Oh, and my home area of Portland is expecting a half foot of snow today! Yikes! I don't think I am ready for "winter."

Thus far, my transition back has been smooth, but it is possible there will be some bumps ahead. Fellow missionary friends shared the following videos, which I think will be helpful in helping you to know how to help me in this time of furlough. Though the missionary who made the videos is serving in SE Asia, there are still a lot of similarities in that culture and the one of Uganda.

Happy viewing!

The first video is entitled "The Stare," which describes the blank look a returning missionary may assume when faced with a perceived overwhelming situation.

So, I couldn't seem to upload some of the videos to the post, but here are some links:

• Learn the "secret" truth that missionaries are actually "normal" people, here. :)
• Learn some good questions here to ask me to find more about what has been happening in my life during the past two years.
• In the nearly five years in Uganda, I have developed new "normals," which can be far different than the normals I used to have in the U.S. Learn more here.
• Yes, there is such a thing as "reverse culture shock," which may cause returning missionaries to bring into tears in a cereal aisle. Seriously. Find out more here.

The truth is, we all need grace. Every day. Thank you in advance for your grace and patience with me as I readjust to American life. :)