The Good Life to Down Under: Smells like flowers, stings like a bee

I know that is not the real expression, but has described my week both literally and figuratively. I began this week feeling the sting- literally.

I came back on Saturday evening and was going to get my washing from the line outside. The light on the side of the house was on, but it was still dark outside. First shirt off the line, just fine, went to grab the second one, and OOOUUUUCCHHH!! My first reaction, was I got bit by something! So I ran inside and ran it under cold water. Sonya took the torch (flashlight) outside to check if she could see anything. We have killed a few redback spiders around the house lately so we just wanted to make sure it was nothing like that. She would not find anything out there, but my hand had not completely swelled up so we figured whatever it was, it was not too poisonous, ha. She took the rest of the laundry down and we were going through it piece by piece to make sure nothing was in the rest of the clothes. Well we picked up the shirt that I had grabbed, and it was still there.......a bee. Yes, I went to Australia, the home of the most poisonous snakes and spiders and got stung by a stinking bee. Not that I wanted to be in the hospital, but it is really just not a very cool story- it did hurt really badly though! Right on the pinky finger. So that was my literal sting for this week. The other sting has been starting to say goodbye to people. Greame left at the end of last week, and I have had to say goodbye to my principal and other staff members that I won't see again before I leave as well as the church family that I have grown to know since I have been here. It is a very bittersweet process. It is interesting the support systems that grow when you are away from everything that you know.

On the other hand, I am smelling the flowers; I will see home in one weeks time. I am very excited to see my family! and then friends when I head up to Nebraska. It will be a great time being at home once again, before real life really has to hit. I plan on sitting by the pool with my mom and my grandma, and helping out my dad most of the summer. Of course I am excited to go to weddings this summer as well. That is the sweet I have to look forward to, but the literal sweet smell I got this week was the most beautiful bouquet of Australian native flowers, and a huge box of snickerdoodle cookies:) I told you a while back that there was another American family here at the school from Missouri, well I have Abby in my history class, so she and another student, Lucy, baked me the cookies, and Abby's mom got me the flowers. The 7th grade class made me a card that a bunch of kids signed, it was so sweet. After chapel on Monday Helen (my principal) gave me a little farewell to the school. I just feel so blessed to be a part of this wonderful community for these 8 weeks. I will truly miss everyone.