The Time Has Come

And so another book in my life has come to a close. I would say another chapter but this has been so much more than a chapter. It is almost midnight and I have to be up in close to four hours. I still cannot believe I won't be coming back here in August. I have had the hardest time the last few days coming to grips with that. I know that God has something wonderful in store for me and I can't wait to find out what that is.

Thank you for sharing this journey with me. As I've said before, I'm not going to stop blogging so I hope you won't stop reading! I've changed the title for now to Allison's Adventures. I'm hoping to come up with something more clever after I find out where I'll be living and working.

Off to bed now.

Brutally Honest

Today was the hardest day of my life. Today I had to say good-bye to my wonderful family at the Anglican Church in Basel. It honestly felt like a part of my heart had been ripped out as I hugged and said my good-byes. Can I be brutally honest? It sucked. It really did. Some of me and Anne's friends got together and made us both scrapbooks with notes from our friends. I don't think I've ever had a harder time saying goodbye before. I can't imagine that I won't see these amazing people again for a long time. I can't imagine not sitting and worshiping with them every Sunday. I am so incredibly thankful that God placed these wonderful people in my path. I am so blessed to have sat under the teachings of my pastor, Geoff. I am so glad that doors at the church opened for me to take a big part in the ministries there. I know that wherever I go God is going to provide a church family for me...but there is something very, very special about the Anglican Church in Basel. I leave you with lyrics from a special song by Brian Doerkson that our praise team has been singing for the last month. We ended the service with it today and I think it's quite appropriate:

"Your Love Will Find Me"

You were there when life began
Spoken words became a man
Formed in love my every part
You caused the beating of my heart
You're beside, behind, before
You surround me
You're everywhere

You chart the path ahead of me
Show me all that I can be
Every moment you ar near
In every step
Through every fear
There is nowhere I can go
To be without you
You're everywhere

Looking to the heavens You're there
And in the dark depths of despair
Even there your love will find me
Knowing that I'm never alone
Even if Your hand takes my home
To the other side of the sea
Your love will find me
Your love will find me

Precious are your thoughts to me
More wonderful than I can see
As I cannot count the sand
I cannot count the things you've planned
But when I wake up everyday
To face the morning
You meet me there

Looking to the heavens You're there
And in the dark depths of despair
Even there your love will find me
Knowing that I'm never alone
Even if Your hand takes my home
To the other side of the sea
Your love will find me
Your love will find me

Pictures from the last year...

Euro Cup Update

Tonight we watched Germany beat Portugal 3-2. It was a fabulous game and we had such a great time watching the game w/our Bible study group after a fantastic bar-b-que. I've added a picture of Anne & I with our Berlin tees on. The phrase "Berlin, Berlin, wir fahren nach Berlin" is translated "Berlin, Berlin, we're going to Berlin!" Next Germany will play on Thursday night which is the day after I get home. I am looking forward to watching and cheering on my favorite team (since Switzy is out)

Today

It was a very emotional day at RIA today. The morning started with my kiddos helping me take down things in the classroom and then we had our annual awards ceremony followed by pizza. Afterwards, everyone started to say good-bye and the tears were unstoppable. One of my students, Harriet, wept on my shoulder as she left the school building. My heart is breaking and I'm going to miss these kids so much.

The next week in Europe I plan on packing up and saying my last good-byes. I really can't believe it's all coming to an end. Didn't I just start this blog? Has it really been 2 years? Time sure does fly, doesn't it?

Tonight I will be going to dinner w/Kelly, Anne, & Anne's Mom to a restaurant in Basel called Blinde Küh which translated in English is Blind Cow. It is run by blind people and the restaurant is completely pitch black dark! Anne & I received gift cards there for part of our Christmas present from the parents so we are finally using them.

Don't know how much I'll be updating in the next week b/c I will have a lot going on but I can promise I will post just as soon as I get back to Jacksonville.

As a lot of you know I had an interview w/a school in Rome, GA and I'm still waiting to hear back from that. If I get it, I would be teaching 4th-6th grade Reading. I will keep you posted.

Must run for now.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow it will all be over.

Tomorrow will be my last day at Rhein International Academy.

The last two years have been a whirlwind of dreams coming true, teaching a variety of cultures, learning another language, and developing a world view of things around me. I will not stop writing in this blog as I know a lot of you enjoy reading about what goes on in my life, however, I can't promise things will be as "exciting" once I return to the States. I have an idea for what I will re-title this but I'll reveal it later :)

Off to bed now to prepare for the final school day of 2007-2008.

Something different

I saw this on Lindsay's blog (A Southern Wife) and thought I'd give it a go. If you want to do your own, just go to photobucket.com, type in the answer and paste the picture :)

1. Age you'll be on your next birthday:



2.Place you would like to visit:



3. Favorite place:



4. Favorite object:



5. Favorite Food:



6. Favorite Beverage:



7. Favorite animal:



8. Favorite color:



9. City Where You Were Born:



10. City Where You Live Now:



11. Favorite band:



12. First Name:



13. Last Name:



14. Favorite Store:



15. Favorite item of clothing:



16. Favorite Movie:

Opening Game of Euro 2008

Yesterday Anne & I spent all day in Basel w/our friend Jo getting ready for the first of the Euro '08 games. We bought face paint and new tshirts to go along w/our Swiss theme. Later in the evening, our friend Vanessa joined us and we headed out to Laufen, Switzerland just outside of Basel, to enjoy a farewell dinner from the Wasem family. It was a great night, even though Switzerland lost to Czech Republic 0-1. Switzy plays again on Wednesday night against Turkey and this time we hope they win! Here are a few pictures from yesterday:

Euro Cup 2008

Tomorrow starts one of the biggest (if not the biggest) sporting events in Europe--The Euro Cup. It is a football (soccer) match that goes on for a month and this year Basel has the privilege of being one of the hosts! WOOHOO! Tomorrow's game will be Switzerland vs. Czech Republic and of course I'm rooting for Switzerland. In fact, I hope Switzy wins the entire thing. My 2nd favorite would be Germany with France a close third. As they say in Switzerland "Hopp Schwiiz!" (Go Switzerland!)

The Waiting

Heard this song getting ready this morning for work and it has stayed with me all day. It's an older song by the group 4Him. I hope it brings you peace as it has brought me peace :) PS This is my 300th post! YAY!

The Waiting

I know, you know,
We all have taken blows
At times the weight is more
Than you and I can bear
I hurt, you hurt
We live and breathe the word
But through it all it's good to know
We need to know
That Jesus is there
And you will never have to face the hurt alone

CHORUS
When you're waiting
Through the hard times
Hold on, don't let go
Waiting through the hard times
Will only make you strong, hold on

I cry, you cry,
Life takes us by surprise
Before you know,
It'll catch you unaware
I need, you need,
Much more than sympathy
But through it all it's good to know
We need to know
That Jesus is there
And you will never ever have to cry alone

When you're waiting
Through the hard times
Hold on, don't let go

You will never ever have to cry alone