Here I Go!!

Just a few brief lines before the whirlwind of Elisa's final packing happens... I leave early Monday morning from Portland which means I will leave the house at about 3am. For some reason we are crazy enough to think we should eat breakfast so we (me, my brother, & SIL) are meeting my Mom at 4am at Denny's before I head to the airport. It will be a good, greasy meal to keep me from being hungry for a long time!!!

The last couple of weeks have been busy - as usual. Last weekend I went to southern California for several reasons but the biggest was to take some luggage to Dr. Hart who is traveling to Malawi this week and had offered to check in two bags for me. I happened to have a free ticket from a previous flight so it worked out well for me to fly down there. I was also able to see some old friends and make new ones and attend the AHI officer's meeting on Friday. I met Don S who is the administrator at Malamulo (who's place I am taking for now) and that was so good to be able to talk with him. Please continue to pray for his health situation. Friday evening I went to Laguna Beach and met up with Bucky Weeks and several of his family and friends. What a special blessing he is - he always goes to such detail to make everything special. On Sabbath I went to Malibu where some friends were rock climbing right on the beach. I didn't attempt that (there were about 40 people just in our group) but enjoyed the sun, waves, people, and friends.

Yesterday was my birthday... it was a special day of doing "whatever I wanted" [i.e. laundry, dishes :)]. In the evening my Mom met us and we went into town for what I thought was just dinner. However our first stop I was told to get out of the car - this was my stop. Turns out I was scheduled for a massage!!! What a lovely treat and something I really needed!! Then we went and ate Thai food (also a favorite). On a walk down the block Randy noticed a sign for the midnight premier of "The Dark Knight" at the one screen theatre in Silverton. On a whim he asked if I would go see it - I said "why not?". So Randy and I went in and saw the movie at midnight last night to end a wonderful birthday celebration!! [It is the new Batman movie and although very dark and long, it was a well done movie. It was the last movie that Heath Ledger did. If you are a Batman fan I would recommend it.] My Mom also brought my favorite homemade birthday cake and stayed overnight so it was fun.

Today Nicole and I decided to bake and cook "up a storm" again. I made some lovely Kalamata Olive & Garlic Bread (a new favorite) and some carmel sticky buns and Nicole made a huge Lasagne (with herbs from the garden), and a cherry/rhubarb crisp. This week we have done more harvesting of fruit - some friends have given us all the cherries we can pick from their trees! What a blessing to get the food free. Nicole has been busy pitting the small pie cherries and the boys have been busy eating the Bing cherries. Today we went to pick a few blueberries and got 24 lbs in about an hour. Everything is ripening a little later this year but it is so nice to have all of the fresh food available. The zucchini is starting to come on in the garden too. I guess I will miss the tomatoes though. :(

So now that I'm boring all of you with my blather I wanted to let you know my mailing address in Malawi:
Elisa Brown
Malamulo Hospital
Private Bag #2
Makwasa, Malawi

Mail and packages are welcomed although things take longer - as you might expect. I'm hoping my next post on here will be after I arrive or en route. Please pray for safe travels and that I will retain my sanity. Thank you all for your notes and friendship!