Hello, Family!

Dear Family,

I feel like I should have a lot to write about, because this month and last have been very full. But I really can’t think of much that’s new, so this email will probably be quite short. Mostly I just want to keep in touch, and to ask for your continued prayers.

As you know, Sarah has come and gone. We had a really amazing time together, and split our sides laughing at everything and nothing. It’s so pleasant to have someone to laugh unrestrainedly with. She had her wisdom teeth pulled while she was here, so we spent a lot of time at the dentist, and laid low the first week. But after that, my Christmas break began, and we explored Seoul together. It was great fun, and I think that I’m experiencing a little bit of Post Company Syndrome, now that she’s gone. Having another person around made the house twice and small cluttered, but proportionately cozy and warm. Being alone again is rather bleak.

I got really sick, right after Sarah left. It seemed like every cold I’ve ever had was pummeling me all at once. I had a pretty high fever, and couldn’t eat for four days, on top of debilitating congestion and headache. One the second day I couldn’t lie down, so I propped myself up against my headboard. And since my toes were the only part of my body that didn’t hurt, I made myself think about them and how nice they felt, until I fell asleep. I slept for the entire day, except for about three hours in the afternoon, and that felt so very nice! The next day I went to school, because I was out of sick days, and I won’t be able to renew my visa if I absent any more this semester. That was Friday. I did nothing over the weekend, and by Monday was back to feeling more like my normal self.

The next day, Tuesday, was midterms. The listening test was pretty difficult. Listening comprehension is easy enough, as are reading and writing. But when one has to listen to the text, read the questions, and write the answers all at the same time, the language tends to rather run away with itself. But even though I got a terrible grade, I did far better than I had thought. The other tests, reading, writing and grammar, weren’t too bad, and I’ll find out how I did on them on Monday.

The only other things worth mentioning are the fact that it snowed yesterday, a beautiful, clean, white snow. The feathery flakes danced, and I wanted to dance with them, but I was uncomfortably aware of people’s eyes curiously watching the odd foreigner. Holding my hands out to catch the flakes, with my head uncovered, was enough of a spectacle. Everyone else was scurrying hither and fro, huddled under umbrellas. It puzzles me every year. How can people be so busy as to be oblivious to, and even hide from, the beautiful ways in which God participates in our lives?

My other random note is that I just cracked the last egg, of a flat of a dozen, and ten of them were double yoked. What are the odds?

With Love,
Elisabeth