surprise visit

My Grandma turned 95 today. Niel and I surprised her with a visit for a few days this past week. With my hair cut, it took her a few extra seconds to figure out who I was and what was going on when she answered the door. But then her big smile said it all. Even though we had to leave before her actual birthday, we had a great visit with Gram. Some highlights:

• We strolled through the grocery store together and sampled deli meats while we were waiting for our order, just like when I was a kid.

• Gram, as always, was flabbergasted by the price of tomatoes and pasta. I got the rundown on how cheap they used to be.

• I love watching Gram make espresso the old-fashioned way---in a little percolator pot on the stovetop. She made Niel very happy with her "black coffee" (as she calls it).

• Gram dug out some old pictures (like this one). I loved hearing her stories---including a few that I'd never heard before. Like more about what it was like on the boat when she emigrated from Italy at 12 years old. (She remembers that the trip was exactly 28 days long!) I also learned that back in 1958, when my Grandpa worked for the Brooklyn Navy Yard, he won a prize of $353 for making a suggestion that saved the company over $11,000. I asked Gram what he bought with his award money. "An electric train set for your Dad." (Who was only 5 years old at the time.) I love that story.

• With my Grandma being Italian and Niel being South African, they each have an accent. (Although I don't even notice either anymore.) In the past, they've struggled to understand each other, but this time they had no problems! That made me smile a lot.

• Gram mentioned a few times that when I was very young, my mom would drop me off at her place each Saturday and we'd go to the movies together. When we were hugging goodbye, Gram asked, "Wanna come over on Saturday and we'll go to the movies?" That made me cry.

giftedness

The other day a church asked us if they could film an interview with us for their TV show. WHAT?! That is so not my thing. For so many reasons. But we did it.

We sat across from the pastor on a comfy couch on the church stage. We were miked up---you know those awesome nearly invisible teeny-tiny ones??---and had 4 cameras aimed our direction. I kept thinking, "Do you really need four angles of us?" Actually, my biggest thought was, "For crying out loud! Today of all days I woke up with a massive zit on my right cheek. Do we really need so many different views of that?!"

We talked (and filmed) for about 25 minutes.

When we finished up, the pastor told us we did a good job. And I scooted off to the bathroom.

Niel told me later that while I was gone, several of the pastors and crew went on and on about how much of a natural they thought I was. They said I seemed so comfortable, I spoke articulately, I carried myself well. HUH?! I don't see that at all and so it just kind of boggles my mind.

What giftedness do others see in you more easily than you see in yourself? Why is it hard for you to see it?

still smiling

I don't often have the luxury of saying to my friends in America, "See you tomorrow!" But tonight I did. And I'm still smiling about it.

Danielle put together a wonderful jamboree for us. OK, we didn't really call it a jamboree. Only Yeller and I did in emails and chats. In real life we called it "An Evening with Thrive Africa". But "jamboree" is certainly more fun to say.

There were about 30 people there, almost all of whom we've never met before. They seemed excited to hear what God is doing in South Africa. (Which is always encouraging!) I even got to meet some friends-of-a-wonderful-friend. And I ate strawberry shortcake.

It was a great night indeed.

And ending it by giving Danielle a hug and saying "See you tomorrow" just about made me squeal with giddiness. I never never never get that luxury. (Still smiling.)

We are hanging with her and her family for a few hours tomorrow, and I know it's going to be great. The bit of time we had to connect tonight was already wonderful. (She even invited us to do laundry at her house... What a friend!)

AND... I don't have to set my alarm for the morning. The thought of sleeping in is just...Wow! The perfect ending to a great night.

Yep. Still smiling...

xs

I walked into Panera and caught Natalie's eye. She'd arrived before us and ingeniously snagged a table near an outlet. (Outlet = plug for laptop = internet.) We both smiled so big our eyes scrunched shut. Those are the best kinds of smiles. I hurried over to her corner and gave her a big hug. "Your shirt looks so familiar to me," she said after the initial how-are-yous and you-look-so-fantastics.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Maybe---" Before she could suggest that maybe she's seen me wearing it before, something catches her eye. She stops mid-sentence, leans over, and points to my boob. (Yes, I just said "boob" on my blog.)

My eyes follow her finger.

And I see a size sticker, clear as day, announcing to the world what size my boob shirt is.

"Nope. Obviously the shirt is new," she remarked. We burst out laughing as I hastily yanked off the sticker.

Now that's what friends are for!

my day

• Woke up a few minutes before my alarm went off, which is always a good thing in my book. (If I can avoid hearing that obnoxious beep-beep-beep-beep, my day is already off to a much better start.)

• Ate a toasted bagel for breakfast. (Not a huge deal to most of you, but since I live in a bagel-less nation, it's a massive deal to me!)

• Left on-time for the airport (a little early even) and discovered a new Starbucks in the terminal once we checked in. (Yay for chai bliss.)

• On our layover in Philly, I somehow managed to spill an enormous beverage all over myself. (How do I do these sorts of things???)

• After a "plane maintenance delay", we finally made it into Detroit and got to our host home around 10 PM. (I slept through the majority of both flights, by the way.)

• Answered urgent work emails, caught up on blogs, wrote a few personal emails. (Now I'm off to bed. Long day tomorrow!)

Good night John Boy!