Gifts 21301-21400

21301. Waved through mostly at customs. 

21302. Köfte goodness. 

21303. A good night’s sleep. 

21304. Turkish breakfast. 

21305. No vulnerable questions asked my first day back. 

21306. Marisa potentially coming to stay for a month or two. 

21307. Caroline to help unpack and get me organized again. 

21308. Hot water working. 

21309. Suiters and Campbells doing a lot to help get my apartment 

            ready. 

21310. Seeing the Altays again. Laughing and being at home with 

            them. 

21311. A puzzle mat from them. 

21312. A good encouraging word from Steve. 

21313. Meeting Özge, a new sister. 

21314. Getting to do Ebru again. 

21315. An unexpected hug from Jude. 

21316. A day to chill and sleep in. 

21317. My Turkish not being too rusty. 

21318. A good evening at Masal Diyarı. 

21319. Güneş Pide. 

21320. Another good word from Steve. We don’t know who’s life we

            have impacted and changed because we came back. 

21321. A chance to be a part of Turkish fellowship again. 

21322. Hearing Heath teach again. 

21323. Steve and Caroline serving these local believers. 

21324. A fun night with Marin. 

21325. Çiğ köfte and midye. 

21326. Steve’s heart to pray more than souvenir shop. 

21327. Getting to go to Ephesus with the group. 

21328. Steve’s generosity towards us. 

21329. Getting to see Mildred and Ozkal and new baby Kaleb. 

21330. Marisa and Lauren hosting us. 

21331. Not feeling stressed over the medicine. 

21332. Laughing with Lisa again. 

21333. Getting to know Marisa. 

21334. Marisa insisting on paying for our breakfast, a relief to my

            heart. 

21335. Finding some goodies at Zara Home. 

21336. Able to get my medicine here! 

21337. A good night’s sleep and a long nap. 

21338. Getting more settled and unpacked and organized than I had 

            expected. 

21339. Ashton and Brice coming over. 

21340. A veggie heavy dinner. 

21341. Finding sweet cards from my mom and dad. 

21342. Ebru therapy. 

21343. Playing wirh Ahmet. 

21344. Getting to see Buket before she went off to university. 

21345. Seeing red and orange leaves from my balcony. 

21346. Jude being a gentleman. 

21347. Jude whispering if I was excited for the bus ride. 

21348. A chill evening with him. 

21349. A clean and mostly organized house. 

21350. My bank card working. 

21351. Food containers coming in less than 24 hours. 

21352. Yoga helping back pain. 

21353. Ismahan so glad I’m back. 

21354. Good gossip from Selma’s son. 

21355. Marisa came to stay with me. 

21356. Going back to bed after Jude left and sleeping til 11. 

21357. Joy at seeing Roozbeh and Mahshid on the bus. 

21358. LCW having some fall decor. 

21359. Good convos with Özge. 

21360. Nachos bringing soul comfort. 

21361. Getting to catch up with Jenni. 

21362. Chatting with Şenda for a minute. 

21363. Jude falling asleep quickly. 

21364. Going to bed early. 

21365. Time to grieve. 

21366. Good reminders that hard culture shock is normal after being

            gone for a year and especially for all I’ve been working 

            through. 

21367. Lisa to help talk with the Philips guy. 

21368. Delicious dinner made by Ashton. 

21369. Candlelit dinner because of no electricity. 

21370. Gorgeous sunset. 

21371. Jude giggles. 

21372. Hospital bus coming meant I got to ride a non-crowded bus. 

21373. A few minutes of sunshine with Ashton praying. 

21374. Getting to talk to mom, dad, Caley and Josh and see Aubrey. 

21375. Finding stickers and a gift for Sage at Buka. 

21376. Early to bed and 11 hours of sleep. 

21377. The Ege bringing it in the Virtual Trip. 

21378. Finally getting Jude’s homework finished. 

21379. Getting to talk to Kyla. 

21380. Ashton taking us to the bus station. 

21381. Jude’s excitement and giggles on the bus. 

21382. Enough time for a bathroom break. 

21383. Mountains and sea, light and darkness. 

21384. Sushi and Korean chicken for dinner in a beautiful garden. 

21385. Getting to talk to my brother. 

21386. Playing Qwixx with Marin. 

21387. Sushi for lunch again. 

21388. Sea views and smooth colorful rocks. 

21389. Delicious cookie cake. 

21390. Pat and Rick giving $25 for me too. 

21391. Celebrating Sage with life giving Asian food in a beautiful 

            green garden. 

21392. Marin walking back with me. 

21393. Good chicken wrap. 

21394. Time to paint by the sea. 

21395. Dinner with like-minded people. 

21396. Made it home in time for counseling. 

21397. Laura helping me work through my emotional state. 

21398. Getting to sleep in two days in a row. 

21399. A chance to process with Lisa. 

21400. Making it to the otogar in time. 

Gifts 21201-21300

21201. Thankful that after a year in the States recovering, I’m finally

            headed back to my home in Central Asia. 

21202. Thankful that we don’t have a master who calls us to walk 

            paths he wasn’t willing to walk himself and that none of our 

            paths are as bad as the path he walked. 

21203. Thankful for a Savior who not only died a horrendous 

            undeserved death for us but also always lives to make 

            intercession for us. 

21204. Campbells getting two years, no questions asked, super 

            abundant favor. 

21205. Seeing the Campbells favor strengthening my view of the Lord 

            a bit more. 

21206. A day of rest and ceasing from the endless to do lists. 

21207. Playing games with my dad. 

21208. Light rain and hammock swinging. 

21209. A fun new haircut. 

21210. Last day of US counseling. 

21211. Simultaneous Aubrey and Mumford cuddles. 

21212. Aubrey taking a nap on me. 

21213. Delicious cake catastrophe with Caley. 

21214. Leslie driving down to visit. 

21215. Cookie jar food and valley views. 

21216. Basking in Coke Ovens beauty with her. 

21217. Enjoying Matt Amodio’s Jeopardy success.  

21218. Extra time wirh Crystal. 

21219. Quiet time in the car, shadows of leaves framed in sunshine

            and cool breezes. 

21220. Good cheap finds at McKays. 

21221. Delicious Panda Express. 

21222. Laughing at Aubrey’s expressions at the blown raspberries. 

21223. Local Depot fun with Crystal and Mom. 

21224. Funny greeting cards. 

21225. Deer meat breakfast and homemade biscuits. 

21226. Zeke playing legos as he laid in the floor. 

21227. Hearing Tilinia’s heart. 

21228. My buddy Grant at the soccer game. 

21229. Taiko sushi. 

21230. Another evening with Dwight and Betty. 

21231. Big dog angels prayer. 

21232. Heather’s prayer as well. 

21233. A gift and a hug from Darryl. 

21234. Another one from Pat. 

21235. A nice, quiet Panda Garden meal. 

21236. Chatting with my sissy on the drive home. 

21237. A quick nap. 

21238. Situation getting sorted so as to be less stressful for me. 

21239. Heather handling the canceled ticket. 

21240. Aubrey snugs. 

21241. Mary contacting The Bledsonian for me. 

21242. Bags 80% packed. 

21243. Getting to see Aly unexpectedly for 5 minutes. 

21244. Melissa getting Luke’s visa to print. 

21245. Cana’s sweet prayer that encouraged my soul. 

21246. Delicious dinner with Lakyn and Aaron on the porch. 

21247. A chance to encourage them give wisdom. 

21248. Their sweet and thoughtful luggage tag gift to remind me I’m 

            not carrying things alone. 

21249. Another win for Matt Amodio. 

21250. My 2021 Christmas card finished. 

21251. A chiller day… no drama. 

21252. Waylon back out and about. 

21253. Waylon chasing Ava and making us all laugh. 

21254. A bunch of hugs from Ava. 

21255. Reese’s galore from Troy and Kari. 

21256. Most everything having a place in suitcases. 

21257. Getting to talk to Sandy D and her willingness to help me out. 

21258. Getting to help Caley out and snuggle Aubs for a few minutes. 

21259. Reading and laughing about the camp sob stories with Daddy. 

21260. A family get together and picture as a family of 11. 

21261. Delicious bbq smoked by my bro. 

21262. A final adjustment, kind hands that heal. 

21263. Good lunch with Crystal and my dad. 

21264. A healing massage and time to process. 

21265. Homemade oatmeal cream pie. 

21266. Steaks, brussels sprouts, sourdough bread and çoban salatası.

21267. Laughing through 'Safe Baby Handling Tips' with mom and 

            dad. 

21268. The ref checking on Zeke when he got clobbered in the goal 

            and telling him to share all his woes. 

21269. Encouragement to Cameron to play hard but also give a 

            helping hand to a downed man. 

21270. Zeke’s team having good teamwork. 

21271. Fulfilling Zeke’s weeklong dream and playing murder with

            them. 

21272. Delicious cake made by Aly. 

21273. Getting to celebrate and spoil Aly. 

21274. Waking up to peace. 

21275. Porch sitting, listening to the quiet rainfall. 

21276. Barry’s kind words and prayer and seeing that my mind is on 

            spiritual things. 

21277. Getting to see Mumford one more time. 

21278. More cuddles wirh A Rose. 

21279. Fridge clean-out dinner. 

21280. Games with the family and Hillis girls. 

21281. Being there for an end-of-the-Golden-fridge-era and seeing the 

            nice shiny new one. 

21282. Good long last cuddles with A Rose. 

21283. Goodbyes not being so heartbreaking. 

21284. Playing “Murder” with the kids. 

21285. McKenzie drawing me a picture and writing me a card. 

21286. Getting to watch one last Jeopardy. 

21287. Finally guests gone, goodbyes over and we watched a final 

            Heartland. 

21288. Going to sleep quickly. 

21289. Negative covid tests all came in. 

21290. No baggage issues. 

21291. Last goodbye offset because of checking-in chaos. 

21292. River taking care of two bags. 

21293. 50 unexpected weeks. 

21294. Cracker Barrel food coming quickly. 

21295. No questions at BNA. 

21296. A helpful lady helping us check in. 

21297. Called up ONLY to get a new, better seat assignment. 

21298. An almost empty row. 

21299. Caroline coming up to sit with me. 

21300. Smooth travels all along the way.