Transitioning...

Please please please bare with me. This blog as you can see is in new transition. I need a new theme..and a new look...and i like what i have but in order to customize it all i have to do it in the tricky and complex coding. So I just haven't decided what I want to do. So it is on hold for now.

Tomorrow I leave for Virginia again for my journeyman debriefing! It will be amazing to see some of my best friends and people i haven't seen in a couple of years and to meet some new peeps. I will be back on Sunday evening and then will try to head off to Cali by 5 AM the next morning. So...you might not hear from me for quite some time. One day this blog will be back and in full function...but just not yet. My life is in transition..so I guess it would make sense that my blog is too!!

Love you guys! Do you miss me? I miss ya'll!

Prison Break- Season 3

Prison Break.... what can I say? I am addicted, obsessed, and in love with Prison Break. It is a simple joy of mine. I have tried to rationalize why it is that I love this show so much. It is seriously one of my favorite tv series EVER. I woke up this morning especially excited because I knew that at 7 PM I would get to watch it. I know...rediculous.

I watched season 1 and 2 after they aired...so I got a little spoiled by watching one episode after another. I was a little disappointed tonight after the first episode to think that I actually have to wait a WHOLE week before I can see the next one... seriously?

I will say that I was a little curious what they were going to do with this new season, but the way the set it up today...I am very hopeful and excited about...

See you next week Michael Scoffield!!

Back In Texas

It is good to be back in Texas! This past week, I was in Richmond, Virginia at the IMB headquarters for job training. Then we hopped a few states over to South Carolina for some hands on training at North Greenville University for their Global Missions Conference. I spent about 5 days in South Carolina and would have to say I experienced a little culture shock! Not from being in America, but from being in the deep south. I loved everyone and their country accents and their amazing southern hospitality. At the North Greenville, I even stayed in this awesome log cabin...it was quite wonderful.

Let me just say this...let me put this out there... I LOVE my new job!! This new job is a perfect job match for me. I will write another post about it all together, BUT I get paid to use my gifts, my passion for missions, my love for relationships, and my love for students!! I am starting to get a little anxious about moving and getting to meet my students and the staff there. However, I am STILL enjoying my last couple of weeks in Texas BUT also kind of counting down the days till i get to move to California (exactly 2 weeks tomorrow)!

Random things about me since I last posted:
1. I wrote my first check since I have been back in America which was also my first car payment I have ever made. yikes.

2. I found out I get my own business cards...I am officially grown up now.

3. I still have not been to Wal-mart yet.

4. I bought a planner...it looks like I will actually have a schedule at my new job...so I get to write stuff in a planner! Planners are a simple joy of mine. This time I went for the grown-up planner...you know the really thick ones that are leather and have places for business cards and pen holders.

5. I have been asked to go back to India next July to help supervise and to lead some teams!! Um...can't tell you how excited I am.

6. I officially have a place to live in California! I will be living on campus in a cottage with one of my best friends...Lindsey Cooper. It's just the two of us in ONE big cottage!!

7. I also officially have a California address and cell phone number. Let me know if you need it!

8. I ate at Sonic for the first time last week..yumm.

Here are a few pics from my time away....

My new co-workes and the famous Eloise!! Any of you know about the hip granny that does video for the IMB? Yep...that's her in the middle.

My new supervisor- Melody! She is AMAZING!! I love her and she is very talented at her job!

My sweet sweet fun crazy friend Chesed. You might remember her...I visited her in Singapore last New Years. She was also at my training!

Off to Virginia and South Carolina

Howdy. Howdy. I leave early tomorrow morning for Virginia and South Carolina. I will be gone till the 13th for training for my new job in Sunny California! yay. I will also be attending a missions confernce at North Greenville University and will have an opportunity to speak in a church. So...my new job already begins! Yay.


A fun exciting thing too is that I will be only 40 minutes from my friends Jonathan, Kelley, and little Kiran (she is walking now) !!! Isn't that amazing?! So I will hopefully get to see them and their new house! Wahoo. This was a sweet little gift from the Lord...God is good...all the time!!

See You soon Caskeys!!!

I will try to blog and post some pics if I can...if not I will see you after the 13th!!!

Blog Makeover

As you can tell...my blog needs a little blog makeover!!! I am no longer in India and I just think it needs an overall new look....

I need a new theme, but I have thought for a long time and I am un-inspired....HELP!!!

Anybody out there have any ideas?

The JOYS of Texas....

The JOYS of my Texas hands down are those you love...friends and family. This weekend 5 of my college best friends came to see ME all the way in San Antonio! This was the first time we were united to just hang out since I graduated in May 05. My college friends are like sisters...so seeing them is like coming home. It was a JOY to see them again and I already miss them. I am realizing the older I get how unique and rare these opportunities are so I try to cherish every moment!!

My parents were also really sweet and threw a "Welcome Home Alicia" party for all my extended family. It was nice to not have to miss out on a family get-together...another JOY of Texas.

I heart Texas.

Uncle Tye, Aunt Traci, Kiley, and me at a Mexican Restaurant!

Outside my house... I had to show them my new wheels...no more 1986 White volvo....

Trying to re-in-act a picture from years ago....

Kiley's favorite thing to do all weekend.... "I don't know"

To keep tradition alive...we went to Chick-fil-A for dinner! High class...I know. In college, Chick-fil-A was kind of our default place. For lack of creativity and lack of money in college, we always ended up eating at CFA. I guess not many things over the years have changed.

We are CHICKENS at Chick-Fil-A. Don't we fit the part?

Chillin' at my parents house. I love this pictures. I might have to print it and frame it.

A group shot outside of CFA...also a frameable picture. Its nice to have new pictures of these beautiful gals.

Don't we look like we should be in a magazine! We are so candid. These are also the gifts I gave my friends from India.

our attempt to be creative with the camera...

My amazing parents that helped make the weekend so fun...

At the Mexican Restaurant

In honor of Amber....

C-U-Later...Kiley kept doing this cheer for us...this is for you Kiley...

Waiting

It's almost midnight and I am waiting for the first batch (Hannah and Cortnee) of my college best friends!! My sweet parents are throwing me a welcome home party this weekend with my best friends and family!!!

All of us from college are finally going to be reunited...I can't wait!!! Pics to come!!!

Missing India

Lots of people ask me if I miss India. Which I always find difficult to answer. The problem is that nothing about my life in India and my life in America are the same. It's almost like when I moved to India, I went back in time and now I am coming back to the future. So unless I really stop and think and pause long enough to even think about India...it's hard to miss it. Does that make sense?

Today was a day of missing India. I got an e-mail from my roomie, Laura, in India describing the ends and out of her day and it reminded me so much of my life there. And I missed India terribly. She also shared this....

"Oh, I don't know if B & E told you, but they're planning a jal diksha (baptism) ceremony for next monday. There's several people wanting to take it!! Pretty exciting, but guess who said they wanted to? Deepa's dad!! They've talked to him once and will talk to him again, but Saddhu thinks he's genuine. When I was talking to Deepa yesterday we were talking about stories, and she was adamant in saying that she knew all the stories! She told me creation through the fall in Hindi just because! I was asking her what she thought about them, and she says they're not just stories they are true. She said it with real conviction, they are true, we know it. We all believe the stories, and in Yeshu, my mom, dad, sister, we all believe. And I asked her if she was trying to follow Jesus (or something like that) and she said yes."

Translation is that the family that I invested all my time in is ready to be dunked and their whole family has come to know Jesus!!! This made tears well up in my eyes. So today...I missed India so much my body ached. I also wrote my last newsletter...so India was on my brain today.

Here are some fun cultural things that I am experiencing....

1. I went to the grocery store in shorts. Yes, I went out in public in shorts. I am such a ho.
2. Today, I helped my mom take groceries out of the car and unload them. Is it weird that I enjoyed it?
3. I cleaned house and it actually looked clean when I finished!
4. I have voicemail on my phone. I can check them and leave them.
5. I am still freezing in my parents house...

My Dallas Road Trip

I made a whirlwind trip to Dallas pretty unexpectedly. I focused more on quality then quantity. The Lord was really faithful to work out schedules and I really enjoyed my time with everyone. Sorry if I didn't get a chance to see some of you. I had a short time and just didn't have the time I wanted to see everyone...sad. Anyone willing to make a road trip to San Antonio in the next month is more than welcome!!! Come on Down!!!

I was in a slight funk- so I didn't take hardly any pictures...what was I thinking? Here are some of the pics of what I did get.

Ben showing off his muscles for me. He melts my heart.

Tammy my cousin and sweet Kirra.

Blake and I playing Uno together and Kirra trying to steal the cards and put them in her mouth. She says my name like "Sesha".

Just a few of my favorite ladies at FBC Irving. I got to visit my home church. I didn't have enough time to really re-connect, but it was good to see people that I did.

My cousin Kiley that has TONS and TONS of personality.

Aunt Tracy, Kiley, and my Grandma.

Attention Dallas-ites

I will be gracing Dallas with my presence this weekend. I will be at FBC Irving on Sunday morning and just plan to hang out after church. Leave a comment if you want to try to hook up. Let me know!!

See some of you very very soon!!!

I bought a Purple Car!!!

On my SECOND day of being in country, I purchased myself a brand new Madza 3 2007!! I drove it off the lot with just 17 miles on it! Isn't it beautiful?! The only car I have ever driven before is a 1986 Volvo so this is quite the upgrade!

It was slightly overwhelming to purchase a vehicle with only being in country a few days. So by the end of the day I had a slight melt down. The poor sales guy, but maybe it got me a better deal...tears always work...right?

I am in LOVE with this car and can't believe it's mine!!!

My Texas Homecoming

I have been in Texas for about 48 hours now and so far my time at home has been BLISSFUL! I can't tell you how amazing it is just to be HOME! Despite the fact that arrived in really late Monday night my amazing family was faithful to show there faces at the airport with signs!! It was soo sweet.

My Grandmother, Grandfather, Daddy, friends Maritza and Lisa of my mom's, and Shanny (my mom was taking the picture and of course she was there!)

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Me and my Daddy.

It was soo fun! My sister and mom lined my driveway with red lights for "rolling out the red carpet"!! It was soo fun to drive up and see my driveway all lit up!! Isn't that too fun?! I love my family!

Here is the red carpet they rolled out for me!! Yes...they literally laid a red carpet for me!!

The first thing I ate when I got home was a roast beef, pepper jack cheese, miracle whip, and tomato sandwich! It's funny the things you miss!!

Odd culture shock things...so far...

1. I am no used to understanding everyone around me. So on the plane while I was reading, I heard about 5 different conversations that I could understand and it was driving me NUTS!!!

2. I am freezing everywhere I go. I am definitely not used to be in AC all the time.

3. I can plug things in easily! No converters! It's so simple!

4. No water heater for my shower! You just turn it on and its hot! Simple again!

More to come I am sure...My life is being so much less complicated!! Wahoo!!

Texas Bound!!!

Tomorrow morning, I am waking up, packing my bags, getting on a bus to the airport, checking in at the Inchon International airport, getting on an airplane and when I get out again...I am pretty sure I will be on American soil??!! Not India..not Thailand...yes AMERICA!!!

I can't believe it...the time has come that I am actually going to America!! Wahoo. I will leave Korea on Monday at 4:30 PM and I will arrive in San Antonio at 10:39 PM on Monday! Yes, I will be gaining time in the air somehow!! My family is pretty excited...and in shock that after two years this day has FINALLY come!!

So anyways...see you in Texas soon!!!

The Hospitality House

Amber lives in Songtan, South Korea which is in the same city at Osan Air Force Military Base. There is this great ministry supported by Cadence Ministries called the Hospitality House which is a haven for military personnel. A place where you can get free food, awesome fellowhsip, great accountability, grow through worship and through the teaching of God's Word. Amber has adopted the Hospitality House as her home fellowship and her place of Godly community. I have been blessed so much by the people there and now feel like I have family there as well. I was really really excited to be a part of this community and get a little bit of education on what all goes on within the air force. These people were great because they really wanted to know about my time in India and what God was doing. Being a part of this community was really helpful in my transition and even got to speak during their Saturday service. Thanks Hospitality House..you are a blessing!

We had a Hawaiian themed night...it was pretty fun!

These boys...i mean men are Josh and Wayne. They pretty much adopted me as their older sister- translated means they picked on me a lot! They were a lot of fun and I am honestly gonna miss them.

Amber and I!

This is Amber's super amazing running partner Sarah and her daughter Ella!! Man...this woman is such an encouragement to Amber and am thankful they have each other!!

We tried to find something Hawaiian. Don't we look kind of cute all matchy and stuff?

Me and Jim with our ukulele....

Pictures of Hanging with my Sis at Random

This week was GREAT and WONDERFUL with Amber. I went back to high school. Ok just kidding, but really...I went to school everyday this week because Amber had her in service week for school! In the morning, I would try to be productive (filling out car loans, working on my last newsletter, making a photo book, reflecting, and answering emails) and in the afternoons I would attempt to help Amber get her classroom put together. I was honestly pretty lame help, but hopefully I was good company at least!

It was great to see Amber in her fun Amber- I am a high school math teacher- mode. She is a great teacher and everyone seems to really love and respect Amber at the school. It was great to get a feel for her little community and school environment.

In the evenings, we would hang out with friends and just enjoy each other! It really has been a great week of fellowship on lots of levels. I have fallen in love with Amber's friends and community. She truly is blessed here and everyone seems to really be blessed by her!


Eating Korean meal with her other teaching staff. The chopsticks are proof we were at a restaraunt.

Fish faces. This is for you daddy.

Amber's coworkers eating Korean Style and me.

Yep...working on those chopstick skills.

Amber working on her classroom.

Me ironing the curtains that I brought her from India for her classroom.

Amber working more on her classroom.

Me sleeping in Amber's classroom while she is in meetings.

Hanging out with some of Amber's Korean friends over food.

Me eating my favorite Korean dish- Kalbi

Shopping in Seoul.

Eating at Chilli's on Osan Air Force base with the boys.

Amber and I ran into a Italian Restaraunt in Seoul.

Me with my menu at the yummy Italian Restaraunt.

Me eating at Taco Bell for the first time on Osan Military Base...then we went to see "The Bourne Ultimatum" on base.