GO Home, smell ya laterr. November 28, 2007

Hey everyone. So this will probably be my last Northern Ireland post! Norma and I will be picking up dad and Mr. Troxel at the airport tomorrow early morning and then I will be busy hanging out with them, visiting, going to boring meetings, and making dad take me shopping. Not really. Ok, yes really. SO we have reached the end of my stay here in the b-e-a-utiful city of Ballymena, NI…. and it has been truely amazing.

So much has happened here and I wont give all the details online but we will all talk at some point, I promise. Most importantly, Toni Lynn made a profession of faith last Sunday at GP. We are all SO proud of her. I had a very good lunch with Norma yesterday and we got to talk about some interesting things!!

I miss everyone so much. I say, party at the Burton’s when I get back??? Oh yeah.

We are having a Christmas party at Amy’s tonight so that should be fun. I have not seen wee Catherine in FOREVER which makes me really sad, but she has a new job so she can save up money to come to America and visit everyone!!!! I am so excited!

So thats me out. I hope these little posts maybe helped a little to shine light on the craziness over here! I will see you all in a week, I hope. Pray for dad and Mr. Scott’s flight!!!!

Hannah

Pasta and Beer November 23, 2007

So I hope you all had a very happy Thanksgiving… ate alot of my dad’s turkey without me… but thats ok because I had leftover pasta and beer with Fiona and Amy. So I would say my Thanksgiving was a success… hope ya’lls was too

Jingle Bell Rock November 20, 2007

So we put up Amy’s Christmas tree yesterday!!! Now I want it to snow or something… wait, no I dont.

AND we are teaching the girls a dance to Jingle Bell Rock. Oh. My. Word. Its too cute. I will record it for everyone, maybe.

what’s up, nashville? November 17, 2007

I have officially experienced the foulest thing ever that was allowed to be consumed by humans. Amy Lynn decided to introduce me to Nik Naks the other night while we were watching a movie at her house. She had me try the Scampi and Lemon flavored ones. I was hesitant, but hey, why not. MISTAKE. I nearly passed out from the grossness. It was stanky. ugghh…… Do not ever allow yourself to be tempted to try these. They tasted like fish. No Lie. gaggg.

Ok, so… yesterday I had a lunch date with Ann Cairns, which was amazing. I think she is one of the most encouraging people ever. We had coffee at Grounds, went shopping (haha) and just hung out for a while. It was so nice to see her because she has been traveling like crazy since I have been here so I have not gotten to spend very much time with her, so sad… but yesterday was fabulous.

Last night I went downtown with the Lynn family to watch the Ballymena Christmas parade. It sucked so bad. First, Santa came on a horse drawn carriage. Then some kids followed by two men dressed up as snowmen, and then the ending of a lorrie. You took two breaths and it was over. Everyone just looked around like, what?? Its over?… The lights and the tree are now set up downtown. SO pretty… its beginning to look so much like Christmas around here! Even the Duncluggers are putting up their lights outside! Its sweet.

Today I went out with NORMA’S FAMILY. It was so funny, reminded me of my crazy family. Then we shopped for a while and went back to the McKinney’s to relax. Next, we went and got Haribo STRAWBERRY STICK THINGS. No clue how I am expected to stay within the weight limit since the boxes weigh about 7 pounds a piece. pfff.

Tonight I went ot Mary Mc’s sweet 17 partay. That was fun! I bought her a clutch purse and some blinging earrings. I told her happy birthday from everyone… I am sick, I think… I have world’s worst migraine… maybe its because I am slowly withering away from 2nd hand smoke inhalation. That or its the fact that I forgot my coat today and froze to death. One or the other.

NEWSFLASH: Amy, Reegan and Catherine are making their way to Nashville in May. So get excited!

Steve-O and Mr. Troxel come in two weeks from yesterday!! CANNOT wait. Miss yall. Cant wait to come home and see everyone waiting for me at the airport with balloons and banners… sike. I will catch up with yall laterrr.

hannah

I said Brrrr, Its cold in here, there must be no money in the electricity box. November 13, 2007

So it is Monday night and I just got in from girl’s poker night at Amy’s. I won. Just so you all know. Then we decided to play Monopoly (London version) and I had 2 hotels on the yellows and no one could pay me for them… so I won that too. Yes, I was a double threat tonight, ladies and gentlemen. So when I get home, if anyone wants to challenge me, good luck.

THE SHOWCASE: it was amazing. So many parents showed up to hang out with us. We had lights everywhere, the art was displayed, we filled all our seats. It really was an awesome night I took pictures of the girls. They all looked adorable! We did their make up and  they all matched… so sweet. It was a blessing to meet all the parents and grandparents and brothers and sisters of these kids who we have grown to love so much! It was a true testimony to how God is working in this place. Thanks for praying for us!

Sunday went really well! First we had the breaking of bread service which I slept through.. ehemm… and then we had Kidzone, which in my opinion was the best one we have held since I have been here!! The kids were really great, the lesson was awesome… altogether, it was a success. Then, now dont be jealous… ok, be jealous… I went to Robyn and Heather’s for lunch. So fun.

I come home in like 3 weeks or something like that. It is so cold here, I have lost permanent feeling in my toes and thumbs. For some reason, my thumbs get colder than any part in my body. I have just now noticed this and I do not think this is normal. Anyway, rain+freezing temperatures= ice… this is not good for me seeing to it I run everywhere I go in order to work up some kind of body heat… which means at some point I am going to bust it. bust it good.

thats all,

hannah

ps… there is a show called the “X factor” over here and last year’s winner, Leona Lewis, has the new hit song over here.. it is called “Bleeding Love”. I hear it about 87 times a day. So when I get home, I am going to make yall listen to it and feel the pain I feel.

hey, hey, you, you… November 9, 2007

SATURDAY NIGHT SHOWCASE this saturday at the church at 6.30….. I never get stressed…. EVER. Then again I have never tried to plan anything of any importance before. So I am a little stressed out about the whole ordeal but I know it will be okay. The kids worked on their art pieces today and they turned out beautifully! So sweet…

I went christmas shopping downtown with Amy and little Reegan today and it was freezing. The Christmas lights are on now and its seriously beginning to look alot like Christmas… and feel like it too. I am frostbitten. Not really, but I should be. I might be, I dont really know what it looks/feels like… so yes, I may be frostbitten. My toes may fall off…. just as long as it isnt my whole foot because a. then I would not be able to walk and b. I would lose my awesome new tattoo that I just recently got. It is awesome. It makes me that much cooler.

Other than the showcase, the freezing cold weather and Christmas lights not too much is going on! I got Reegan a pair of purple skinny legged jeans that are to die for! She is too cute. Youth group starts back to normal tomorrow night so that should be neat.

Hope everything is going nicely back home! Dad comes in 2 weeks or so!!! I cant wait.

Hannah

Oh I can dance… Move aside, Dunclug. October 28, 2007

So I just got back from the Dunclug Estate’s “hallowe’en” party at Connolys… it was hilarious! Here were some of the costumes the wee Irish decided to wear:

-transformer (my personal favorite)

-Guiness bottle and leprechaun (go figure)

-ghostbusters…. with jet pack and all

-wheelchair skit actors from the show “Little Britain”… (who won the £50 award for best costume)-I was introduced to this show shortly after getting here and it is so funny.

-Marge and Homer Simpson

Those were the most hilarious ones… I took pictures… dont worry.  The girls taught me how to rave dance.. and my eyes got melted out by the intense disco lights… and I was asked on a date by a boy in a nurse’s suit. I would consider tonight’s outting to have been a successful one! No, but I got to know the older girls alot better. They really are an awesome group of girls… but you all know that already. Tonight I was specifically with Catherine, Lyndsey, Kylie, Muriel, Toni, MRS. LIZ (who is making me christmas dinner before I come home haha) and Amy… who bartended all night.. such an amazing person, then Philip Lynn, ‘Tuna’, Mrs. Hilda, Ashley… the dancing queen… I am not sure if yall remember her?? It was hilarious… and so much fun.

SO it was an adventure indeed… I am off to bed now, let me know how you all are doing! My email is heburton@olemiss.edu

Seriously, shoot me an email and fill me in on what is going on in ya’lls lives! I would love to be praying for each of you

Have a fabulous Sunday,

Hannah

arts. academy. October 25, 2007

Today was the fourth arts academy meeting and we doubled our numbers. It was so encouraging!! We just kind of laughed when we saw all the kids walking up… we had no clue how we were expected to handle the kids, but they were so well behaved and so willing to stay focused and learn! Also, there is a large group of older teenagers coming now… hopefully they can be leaders one day!!

Thats all….

han

World Traveler October 23, 2007

I mean…. there is not much I can even say except that my trip to Belfast and Edinburgh, Scotland was absolutely amazing. The city was the most beautiful city I have ever been to, the building were all so old and intricate…. and the shopping was not half bad We had so much fun.

Here was my schedule:

-Caught train to Belfast right after the arts academy let out on thursday night. Met Becky and went back to her house where I met all her house mates. She lives in an old house where the rooms are about triple the size of what our rooms were.  Its located about 15 mins or so from the Belfast city center so we could just walk everywhere.  The campus buildings are gorgeous…. so cool.

-Wandered around the city center for a while on friday morning and afternoon while Becky was in class and met up with her later after a mini shopping spree…. ehemm. We then got a taxi that when exchanged to American dollars cost three of us 50 dollars. RIDICULOUS.

-Flew to Edinburgh and met up with Carol (the ginger one) and stayed with her that night at her flat at Queen Margaret’s University. We just stayed up and talked for a while. It was nice.

-Woke up at 9 a.m. and took the bus into Edinburgh where we shopped on the infamous Prince’s Street and where we met up with FIONA! It was so good to see her and she seems to be doing awesome. We took a red bus tour and completely froze to death so we followed it up by getting the best cinnamon lattes ever created by anyone on earth. No lie.

-That night we took a ghost tour of Edinburgh which was pretty interesting. We learned to history of “dark Edinburgh” and “One armed Johnny”. Yeah, they called this crazy, blood thirsty murderer “One armed Johnny”. Strikes terror in you. Then we saw where John Knox was buried. Underneath the #23 parking spot of a bank parking lot. All he got was a little silver plaque that you could not even read. Next, we went down underneath E-burgh to the place where the black death plague thing is “hidden”. We saw the actual underground city… it was pretty cool.

-Sunday we just hung out and attended this church called Carrubbers Christian Centre. It was great except that we went on a special night when they had some craxy geologist man come and rebuke evolution. When he finished, everyone just stared at him as if to say “Ehemm… What?”. But other than that it was neat.

-We flew back to Belfast at like half 4 in the morning or something ridiculously early like that.

It was amazing, I took a ton of pictures…….. L1 is going AMAZINGLY. Keep on praying for that ministry!!

Tonight we had a board member from ‘Freedom in Christ’, who also is a good friend of Hayley’s, come and sit in on the women’s Bible study and after she opened her Bible and just began to read to us, pray for us and encourage us like crazy. It was amazing. The women in the study, including myself, were treated in such an awesome way.

Well, thats all for now. I hope y’all are doing spectacularly

hannah

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood October 17, 2007

So today was a really good day! The arts academy went SO WELL. We had a load of kids there and they all had a blast, so it seemed. I went to the McCrudden’s for dinner… yes, I was invited over and they said they wanted to adopt me. I think that means I am in. Then tonight Catherine and I went walking and visiting around the estate and ended up at the local pub…ehemm… called “Connolley’s” and hung out with the older people. We laughed and carried on… played old school Cher and Whitney Houston on the new digital juke box, and I got serenaded by the old, drunk men. It was fabulous. They all sang to me for like an hour. What are you supposed to do when people are singing to you? Like, when they are looking at you, singing straight to you? I didnt know what to do with my hands or my face… But they were paralytic so they didnt mind me being awkward. Then I was OFFERED a ride home from Mr. McCrudden because he didnt want me walking around the estate all by myself at midnight. Fair enough.

Basically, it was a really good day. I know you all are obviously keeping me in your prayers… thanks so much I was so encouraged by today… and the fact that I leave Thursday for Belfast and Friday for Edinburgh!! SO EXCITED.

It’s Hayley’s birthday! SO she treated herself to TWO ‘Take That’ concerts. Now I get the pleasure of staring at a massive poster of a 90′s, european, poppy boy band… day in and day out. They are cute in a ‘you are as old as my dad’ kind of way. haha She is upstairs now dreaming of Mark Owen and how she almost touched him as he lay on the stage 3 feet in front of her, doing the caterpillar, waving her “T-T” flag while catching his eye and bursting everyone around her’s eardrums. How sweet.

Well, thats today in a nutshell. It is freezing over here. If anyone wants to mail me like some heat… that would be nice. Thanks.

 hannah