Many things in life make me smile or laugh.  Ask any of my friends on either side of the ocean, and they'll agree!  Over the past two years, nothing has brought a smile to my face faster than seeing my nephew, Griffin.  I love being an aunt! 

During the last two weeks, my aunt responsibilities have DOUBLED.  MacKenzie Grace arrived on Thursday, April 9th, and within an hour of her birth she got to skype with her Aunt Steph :)  I love technology!  She is simply beautiful! (proof is in the photo above)

I left Knoxville with Griffin still very much a baby boy...but when I come home, I'll find him a 2-year-old big brother.  He seems to be adjusting well to his new role.  He got his first "lap-top" to commemorate this event!

I can hardly wait the 16 days I have left til I get to come home to hold my sweet baby niece and take Griff to Starbucks and various other important places!

Sorry this entry has been delayed!  Other things came up...like my car story and then St. Patrick's day!  So, here we go...

As many of you know, one of my friends, Grant, came to visit for a few days this month.  I spent a few days before he arrived pouring over my maps to find a few NEW locations to tour (outside of Dublin) since I've created a well-worn path in both Dublin and Kilkenny.  I came up with a few good ones!

We started his visit sticking close to Dublin, because you can't come to Ireland and not visit this city.  The Hop-On, Hop-Off bus tour was even better than I remembered.  Very informative, and I added to my personal list of facts about the city in which I live. 

After visiting a few other places in and around Dublin, we decided to hit the road for a couple days in the west of Ireland.  Our first stop was the Bunratty Castle...the most complete and authentic medieval fortress in Ireland.  We loved this tour first of all because it was self-guided :)  Other high points included the preserved "village" that surrounded the castle.  We visited a fisherman's thatch-roofed home, the local doctor's office, and more.  We tried to visit the print shop, but as I opened the door, I was met with a stern "we're closed"...so we went on our way!

About this time it began to rain, so we went back to the car and headed off to the Cliffs of Moher.  This was the second most impressive site that I've seen since arriving here in Ireland.  (The first was Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland...see photos and you'll know what I mean.)  The wind was CRAZY when we arrived, so we were thankful for the stone wall that surrounded us at all times!   All I can say is...check out the photos...amazing!

Finally, we wound our way toward Galway, and I say WOUND because the roads were the most curvy that I've ever driven on.  Thanks to my awesome driving skills, we arrived unharmed :)   I can't say much for my sense of direction once we got to Galway though...it took us about 45 minutes to find our hotel! 

We woke up the following morning to enjoy a full Irish breakfast and head on our way.  So much to see in Galway.  My favorite row of houses (photo I took at the top of my website) , the ocean, and some great shops.  The weather was amazing, so we even enjoyed the 3 hour trip back to Dublin. 

Great time hanging out and enjoying the scenery!  Check out the rest of the photos on the Photo page...

Anyone who has known me for a length of time will have heard this statement from my lips more than a few times.  It doesn't always precede an unfortunate experience like a snow plow/lawn mower crashing into my car, seeing a criminal on the news that spoke to me the day before, or showing up to what I thought was a dinner with friends to find out it was a blind date.  I've often used it to talk about great things like getting some amazing stuff free for no apparent reason (long list...it's my super power!), being COMPLETELY surprised by birthday parties, or receiving money from insurance or tax returns that I didn't know about.

This time it falls in the "unfortunate" category, but it was funny all at the same time!  The event took place on this past Thursday night as I was in City Centre with some friends for tapas (Spanish appetizers).  Thursday is late night in town...this means stuff doesn't close at the typical time of 6pm.  So I drove downtown and parked my car in one of my favorite spots right on the Liffey River.

After an enjoyable evening with friends, I headed back to my car around 10pm.  As I got closer and closer to my car, I decided that my rear windshield looked a bit strange, but then decided it was the glare from the street lights.  When I made it to my car, I realized my preliminary assumption was wrong!  My back wind shield had been COMPLETELY smashed in!  There wasn't much glass left intact at all! 

Now I know you may find this hard to believe, but there was nothing in my car but 4 Cd's (thanks, Brooke) and a couple of maps...so I ruled out theft.  No other cars around mine were damaged...so I also ruled out vandalism.  While circling my car and surveying the damage, a Dublin bus driver came over to tell me that he saw what happened...it was the Guarda (police) he said!

With this, I was completely frustrated...especially because I hadn't seen the note they left me.  After reading the note, I called my Irish family to see what to do first.  At their advice, I visited the Guarda station a couple blocks from my car to get the story.  Apparently the guards were arresting someone, and while trying to restrain him, he got free.  Once free, he took his anger out on my car!  Go figure!

Well this is great, I at least know that I'll be reimbursed for the repairs, but I also have to appear in court when this guy is on trial to testify that he damaged my car while resisting arrest.  Should be an interesting experience.

No worries, my friends and I used a combination of plastic bags, cling wrap and tape to make some temporary repairs.  The next morning, I got on the phone and had a new window before lunch!  Oh well, what can I do but laugh!  Here's a before and after...

Being a "veteran" of almost 8 months, I was surprised to learn of a new holiday here!  Today definitely ranks high on my list of days...it's Pancake Tuesday.  Last week several people mentioned "pancakes on Tuesday"  to me, and I thought, "yeah, sure I'll join you for pancakes on Tuesday."  Little did I know that EVERYONE was going to be eating pancakes today. 

With Ash Wednesday approaching and marking the beginning of Lent, people traditionally were looking to begin fasting.   Apparently, getting rid of perishable goods (like butter, milk, eggs) and one final indulgence of sweets were both necessary...so what better way to do that than to make pancakes on Tuesday!

Even after learning all these fun facts, I was still quite surprised at the pancakes themselves.  I showed up early to have some pancakes with friends before heading to coffee.  Being the good Cracker-Barrel, IHOP going girl that I am, I assumed the pancakes were for dinner...but NOPE! First I had some spaghetti, then out came the pancakes.  They were very thin and about the size of a small plate.  Once you got your pancake, there were a myriad of toppings:  stewed apples, nutella, sugar with lemon juice (traditional topping), or golden syrup!

Can I just say YUM!!!  I will definitely not miss this holiday next year...

I don't really know why, but I've always LOVED Valentine's day!  It probably all started in Elementary School when we got to decorate shoes  boxes as a special Valentine's mailbox to tote home all the cards and candy from my classmates.  I remember shopping with my mom and sister trying to pick out just the right ones...ones that not EVERYONE would buy.  I remember sorting through them and picking the best ones for my best friends and trying not to write the same sentence on each.  I love those little candy hearts with messages...except the green and yellow ones :) 

As I got older, I still loved Valentine's day!  One year,  I bought my favourite watch EVER at a huge "Sweetheart Sale" (40% off...woohoo).  I still wear the watch today.  I've witnessed some hilarious proposals while out with friends, and watched my share of "chick flicks" that make their way to the cinema in honor of the day.  It's usually been a fun day!

This year was no exception.  My Irish Valentine's Day was great.  It started off with a leisurely morning catching up on some grocery shopping and a quick search for a cookie cutter shaped like a heart.  For the afternoon, I headed into town with friends for a French film as part of the Jameson Dublin Film Festival (it was great...I gave it 4 stars).  After wandering around City Centre a while, I found my way back home and made some cookies (pictured above) while watching "Music and Lyrics."

It was a good day!  Wish I could share some of the cookies with you...

This week, Dublin got a big surprise...SNOW!    It started on Monday morning, but wasn't too treacherous until the late that night.  I headed downtown to meet up with my friend (also named Stephanie) and by the time I got back to my car there was a thick layer of ice on the roads.  My dad would have been proud at my snow driving :) 

Tuesday the weather cooperated JUST long enough for me to go to class.  Within an hour of getting home, there was 5 inches of accumulation outside my door.  After changing into my ski bibs and boots, I grabbed my camera and went on a walk through the snow! 

Other new stuff these days...
1.  I started my second class at IBI and am loving it!
2.  The Lord graciously provided me with another car.  My orange one was
    having some chronic problems...and was becoming a bit unreliable.
3.  I was recently inspired at an art museum and bought some watercolor
    pencils.  My first work of "art" was a picture of my nephews two
    favorite stuffed animals in his huge red wagon :)
4.  Driving to City Centre no longer makes me nervous!  I've pretty much
    mastered it and found a convenient place to park.
5.  My hair is a bit shorter than it has been in a LONG while.  Second trip
    to the styling school was a bit of an adventure.

So that about sums it up!  Thanks for keeping up with me...

Well, my last entry to catch you all up on my holidays is a bit late.  I've had quite the crazy schedule the last week and haven't felt the greatest with some sinus junk, so FINALLY here you go!

For those who don't know, I spent about 8 months in Greece during 2003-2004 working with some programs scheduled during the Olympic Games in Athens.  Since leaving in May of 2004, I've only been able to go back once for a visit with my friends and "family."  It's been THREE YEARS now since I've set foot on Greek soil, so I decided to head there for New Year's...and had a blast.  I missed a lot over the years...so many of my friends are now married and I met a new baby or two :)

What a relaxing time to just chat with friends over coffee and delicious Greek food!  I may have been guilty of choosing New Years for my return because the Greeks eat this AWESOME bread called "vasilopita."  It's a sweet bread that only gets baked once a year...it was just as wonderful as I remembered.  I also enjoyed a wonderful Sunday at Nea Zoi and was surprised at how much of the language I actually remembered. 

The last half of my week was spent lending a hand with a retreat AMG was hosting on site at the Cosmovision Center.  Back in the kitchen cooking with all my friends...it was wonderful! 

I did take one morning break and head off to Athens for a bit of photography and shopping at the Plaka...check out the photos on my photo page :)

Entry 2 of my "catching up" series was an exciting one for me.  I have been many places in Europe, but never have had the chance to visit any part of Italy.  So, when I was finding my cheap flights to Greece for New Years, I worked diligently to have my layovers both ways be in Italy.  My choices were very narrow for airports that supported both the airlines I was flying with, so I finally went with Milan.  With my itinerary, I had 8 hours of exploring on the way over to be followed by 10 hours on my return trip.

Tuesday, December 30th, I set my feet on Italian streets around 10 AM.  Now Milan is not one of those "movie setting" type of cities.  It is mostly known for its dealings in the fashion industry, so my main goals were to have a pizza, a coffee and snap a few "touristy" shots...then I'd know better for my return trip where to spend more time.

I found my way fairly easily from an airport shuttle bus to the Metro.  Using my trusty Lonely Planet Guide book, I sought out a couple of the stops they suggested.  First on the list was FOOD, so I went in search of the Photographers Cafe.  I walked and I walked and I walked...never did find that cafe :)  Faulty map.

So I went to stop number 2!  This stop proved to be a bit more impressive.  I came out of the underground metro and was met with a HUGE Gothic style church called the Duomo made completely out of marble.  It was beautiful and unlike any I have ever seen! 

After snapping a few shots I headed off to get some pizza and coffee.  Neither of these were even slightly disappointing!  The pizza was simple yet amazing...they don't pile on the toppings...but the sauce was delicious.  The coffee was smooth and strong :)

Well, it was getting late, so I headed to the other airport (across town from the one I flew into) to wait for my flight to Athens.  This turned out to be quite the experience as there was NO ENGLISH to be found.  I like to think that I can find my way around pretty well, but with no English anywhere and seemingly no one willing to speak to me in English (or even Greek) this turned out to be quite an undertaking.  I finally found my gate and sat down to read for the hour I had before my flight was scheduled to begin boarding.  After about 45 minutes, I began to worry because no plane or airline personnel had show up at the gate, though passengers were piling up. 

About 15 minutes before my flight was to depart, still nothing!  Then I heard the only Greek family sitting at my gate get up and starting talking about the flight boarding already (luckily I know a bit of Greek).  So I jumped up too and followed them around the corner to see that MY FLIGHT was on "Last Call" boarding status.  I rushed to the gate handed my ticket and passport to the attendant, and asked her why we hadn't been told about the gate change.  My answer, we announced it once but only in Italian :)  Lesson learned!

On my return to Milan...there were 8 inches of snow covering EVERYTHING... so I had to just proceed to the other airport with no exploring.  I wasn't equipped for tromping around in the snow! 

Click the Photo tab to see a glimpse of Milan...

Ok, so I'm aware that I've left you all hanging for a few weeks by posting nothing on my blog.  Sorry about that...but time just got away from me, and then each time I sat down it was a bit overwhelming trying to fit it all into one entry :)  Today I devised a plan...I'll post one event every other day for a week...then we'll be all caught up!

Entry 1: My Irish Christmas!
First of all, I want to say a HUGE "thank you" to each of you who sent me cards and gifts.  I was so overwhelmed with the care shown by so many of you!  I appreciate your prayers and encouragement more than you know.

Here's a rundown of my Christmas day.  I spent Christmas Eve night downtown with a couple of friends, so we woke up on Christmas morning and enjoyed a wonderful breakfast of biscuits and gravy to start our day.  After the delicious breakfast and great company, I headed home to get ready for the rest of the day.  It was AMAZING how quiet the streets were downtown!  I took some photos because you could actually count the cars on one hand.

When I got home, I baked some pumpkin cookies while opening all my gifts (except those from my family).  I enjoyed some Christmas music and a couple hours of relaxation before heading to the Burkes' home for Christmas dinner around 2:00 pm.  The Burkes invited me to their family dinner back in October, and I agreed because I knew it would be a day full of activity.  They have 11 children...so it's a full house!  I enjoyed the afternoon and evening full of good food, lots of laughing, and Kung Fu Panda. 

I returned home later that night to Skype with the family and open my gifts via webcam :)  I love technology!  It was fun seeing my family open the gifts I sent and enjoyed all the wonderful gifts they sent to me.  Griffin, of course, was the cutest of all!  He got a little basketball goal, so he's off to a great start with his sports career.  We said goodbye after an hour or so, and then I made a few phone calls to friends from home. 

I ended my night by watching Elf and enjoying some coffee!  It was altogether an encouraging and delightful day! 

See photos below...
1.  Quiet streets of City Centre
2.  Yummy breakfast
3.  Elf!!!!

So my weekend at the castle is over and I had a great time!  Friday, Sarah and I took my little orange car to Castlewellen in Northern Ireland for a weekend away.  I got to spend the entire weekend meeting new people, studying Romans, drinking tea and coffee, and eating some wonderful food.  After the first few hours my brain was hurting a little bit as I tried to remember everyone's names, but it got better as the weekend went on.  I did know one of the couples before I arrived as they are the new pastor of Ballycullen and his wife...Jeff and Caroline Hay :)

During our free time on Saturday afternoon, I joined a group in New Castle at a coffee shop on the coast.  We spent hours chatting, listening to funny stories, and just enjoying each other's company.  Oh, and the latte was great too!  Sunday, soon after lunch, we headed back to Dublin to attend our Christmas Music Evening at BCC.  I had a singing part as a caroler!

Monday, while procrastinating on my paper for school, I finished decorating my tree.  I have also received several wonderful packages from home.  Can't wait 'til Christmas to open them all up!  Check out the photos below of my tree and the collage of Christmas cards on my wall that grows everyday.  Click on each to enlarge them...