These last two weeks have been full of amazing fun. With the holiday season everything is so beautiful here. The weather has officially dropped to winter and there are lights glistening everywhere.
Last week my roommate Betsy and I celebrated Thanksgiving by making a mini meal for ourselves. Because we couldn't find all the necessities (like turkey and sweet potatoes) to make a true Thanksgiving we had to tweak it a bit, but it turned out delicious! We made a whole chicken, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, cream of corn and to top off the night delicious pumpkin bread. It was weird to be away from family and I was sad to not be there to help dad with the feast but I was so thankful to share a delicious meal with my lovely roommate. I was able to reflect on the past year and there is so much I am thankful for. I can not believe all that the Lord has done for me and that He chooses to use me and bless me the way He does. Though I was not home it was still a lovely Thanksgiving.
On Saturday my team made another trip to Copenhagen to participate in our first round of the Cup Championships. We defeated the team 3-0 and now advance to the quarter finals where we'll meet Holte a team that we have seen twice already. After the match Betsy, Mie and I were invited to Mies brothers apartment to enjoy another Thanksgiving meal. Though some of the food was not quite Americanized it was delicious and I enjoyed meeting new people. We stayed that night in Copenhagen and the next day payed a visit to Tivoli and amusement park where Walt got his inspiration for Disneyland.
The place was decorated for Christmas and it was the most beautiful thing I'd seen. The weather was poor and it rained continuously but I think that made it all the more beautiful. There were lights everywhere and with the water falling the lights glistened even more. We got to see reindeer and sit on Santas lap for a photo. When our boots became full of water we found a quaint coffee shop and enjoyed a warm cup of coco and a delicious snack of churros. It was a lovely day and made me even more excited for the holidays!
This week presented the second round of league play where we met Brøndby. Playing them last time we lost 3-0 and so we were determined to come back with some revenge. The game started off well and we were up 2 sets to none but then they decided to step up their play. We went to five sets and lost in the fifth 13-15. It was a game that I personally believe we should have won, but luckily we will be seeing them again this season. We've improved so much from the start of the season and it's so encouraging to see how well we are doing now. I'm anxious for the next couple weeks of games. We play a good team tomorrow where I know we'll have to fight for every point to win, but those are the games I love most!
Everywhere I look I'm reminded that the holidays are just around the corner. The weather has gotten down to the 30's and it actually started snowing yesterday as Betsy and I biked to the market. I'm anxiously counting down the days until I come home and can not wait to see my friends and family. I'm loving life here but I find myself missing the American lifestyle at times. Yesterday for the first time as we were at the market Betsy and I came across black beans and we were so ecstatic! All we had been talking about the last week was wanting a bean and cheese burrito. So we made a delicious mexican meal last night for the first time and it tasted like home. I'm excited to experience some sunshine when I come home and have hopefully soak up a few UV rays!
It's crazy to think I'm almost halfway through my journey here in Denmark. I'm still soaking everything up and loving my my adventure. So often I find that it hasn't truly hit me how lucky I am. It's not everyday that you get to live and travel Europe for free playing the sport you love. I hope that everyone gets to experience this sort of joy and freedom at some point in their lives. It is truly amazing.
Have a lovely weekend friends. Stay warm and stay blessed!
xoxo
