An overdue update!

Our first week here in Milan is drawing to a close, and the stories are starting to pile up, so it's time for an update!

Our team is finally (thankfully) out from under the foggy influence of travel fatigue, and I've watched everyone get more and more comfortable with the daily routine, using public transport, ordering food, and speaking to the Italian students. Even though I've been to Milan twice before, it always takes me a few days to re-remember how things work, and I've had some hiliarious moments as I've tried to stumble through pronunciations or figure out what someone just asked me.

It helps to remember that if we feel unsure, the Italian students are often just as nervous (if not more) than we are. We might be in a foreign country, but at least we get to remain in the comfort of our own language.

On the first day of English Clubs, we played games and made small talk and laughed as we tried to pronounce everyone's name. My name is hard even for Americans to pronounce and remember, but it's a real doozie for them. However, Gabrielle, one of the girls on our team, simply switched out the "e" at the end of her name for an "a", and voila! She has an Italian name! Some of the students even mistook her for an Italian when they glanced at her nametag. :)

The first day was good, but the second was amazing! Instead of going to a classroom, we all trooped to a beautiful park that sits a short mile or so from campus. In the bright sunshine and pollen we played soccer (pronounced "futbol" here, just as in Mexico), and even taught the students to play Ultimate Frisbee. They got really competitive!

I brought my tennis shoes to play, but I ended up talking in the shade with some of the girls who didn't want to run around. As we discussed cultural differences, our families, and our dreams for the future, I found myself thinking that these girls were the ages of my sisters.

The awesome conversations continued at the "aperitivo" (happy hour) at a campus cafe. We crowded over twenty people around the tables, laughing at the wind that kept blowing our napkins and food into our laps.

Today was probably the best day yet, but it's 1 am here in Milan and tomorrow Jordan are boarding a train for Turin early in the morning (a last-minute trip that we planned just today!), so I need to sign off.

But please don't stop praying! All week, in both my personal times with Jesus and times with the team, I've been learning about the necessity, urgency and privilege of prayer.

Your prayers matter. 

They move the heart of God to move in the hearts and circumstances of people, and we know that nothing we do will have lasting fruit unless it's done in His strength.

Please pray: 

• That many students would join our team as they go sight-seeing around the center of Milan tomorrow (10 hrs from the time of this post)
• For our team to be encouraged and joyful
• For the three students I got to share my story with tonight!!! (Ohh, it was so exciting!! But you'll have to wait until the next post. :) ) 

Ciao-dy, Milan! It's been a while

We're here! After 22 hours, two flights, a 5-hour layover and a van ride through Milan, we finally hoisted our bags and our sleepy selves upstairs at our hotel this morning at around 11:30 am local time.

(For family members who are curious, Milan is seven hours ahead of TX time. Our bodies felt like it was 3:30 am.)

Hubby zonked out during the layover in Newark

The Alps! 

The bus ride through Milan from the airport

First meal in Italy! So much fun reconnecting with the team and meeting a new friend as well.

Here we are! Exhausted to the core, but thankful for a safe trip.

The hubs is signaling that blogging time has expired, so I'll let the pictures be enough for now. Please pray for our team to be well rested tomorrow as we begin the first week of English Clubs and meet students on campus tomorrow!

If you're wondering why we're in Italy, click here, and then join us by praying!

Time for an Avalanche update!

The beautiful times with our homegroup just keep coming, piling up softly. And then one day I glance behind and stand in jaw-dropped amazement at how God has grown our little community.

I’m not just talking about numbers (even though they’ve doubled since last year!).

I’m talking about a rising level of silliness that shows we’ve gotten comfy with each other. 

Disney's "Frozen" has been quoted non-stop in our group this semester! Random singing breaks out frequently. It may be partly because our homegroup's name, Avalanche, lends itself nicely to the Frozen theme.

I’m talking about inside jokes and vulnerable things shared at late hours after homegroup is over and crazy dress-up games and retreats where hearts are changed.

Because it’s all about Jesus changing our core selves, continually re-creating his creations into the newness he purchased with his death.

I’m learning more and more that He loves to use the tumbler of community to do this changing, softening us and turning us inside out like clothes in a dryer.

This spring we are marching through Romans together. I must have read it a gajillion times before, but this time Paul's words are like fresh water, spilling through the dust of self-sufficiency that settles whenever I take my eyes off the free gift of grace. I had the opportunity to teach Romans 3 last week, and as I prepared, my heart was soaking it in thirstily. We're wrestling with God's justice, the Law, and the fact that grace is un-earned even after we first receive it.

Because all our sin was future when Christ paid for it. And no future sin can cause Him to un-forgive a forgiven one.

And last month we asked a new girl onto the leadership team!

Meet Bree, a freshman who has blessed our group with her faithfulness and willingness to serve ever since she dove in last fall. As our group grew, we were praying for new leaders, and God is providing!

The men's and women's retreats were awesome! Or so I hear from those who went. In a sad twist of the calendar, an out-of-town-and-not-to-be-missed baby shower for a sweet friend and my sister's 21st birthday both coincided with the women's retreat.But don't feel too bad for me--I had a blast with these ladies and tons of heart-filling conversations with my sweet sisters, biological and not!

The theme of the ladies retreat was "Enough", and every girl I've talked to has gushed to me about how freeing it was to realize that God is sufficient for us, always with us, never running out of love or grace or power for us, the weak ones.

Enjoy a few more pictures of our shenanigans! 

For Valentines Day, we played a REAL LIFE version of the board game, Clue! How awesome is that?? We all dressed up, the guys surprised us by serving us dinner, and a few of us actually came in costume as characters from the movie (see below!)

Ellen as Miss Scarlet, and Yours Truly as Ms. Peacock. 

Ok, now we're in character. 

We had to take a we-got-dressed-up selfie...

Last weekend we had an amazing girl hangout while the guys had their retreat! Healthy chocolate chip pancakes (is that an oxymoron?), and Just Dance!

And...don't even ask. :)

The one where I'm a 2 year old with a splinter

My finger is pink and throbbing and my throat trembles with a sob. The memory is flooded by the yellow glow of the lamp by the couch. Daddy sits and draws me to him. Even sitting, his knees are still as high as my chest.

"Ok, let me take a look, sweetie."

I remember his big, warm hands tilting my finger for examination. So gentle, so safe.

"You have a little splinter--see that? I'm gonna get it out for ya."

He must have explained. He always explained. Patient, child-size words for my reassurance were always in abundance. My Daddy has a teacher's heart.

The next thing I remember is the blanket over my head, a sheltering shadow of fibers glowing in the lamplight while the warm hands tenderly coaxed the painful spot.

The edge of the blanket hung below the huge knees. My finger and its splinter were out there, in the brightness. All I could see were the shoes below and the yellow light pressing pinkly through the weave of the blanket while my wound was probed.

I didn't need to see it; I needed only to stand still and open my hand so Daddy could fix me.

This week, I was shifting loads of laundry from one machine to the next when God pulled this memory, dripping with intensity and light, from the archives of my memories. Hubby was shocked that I could remember so much at age two! I'm not really sure how I can, but I'm thankful. Since that moment with the laundry, I've turned this memory over and over in my mind like a shining penny, relishing it for the truth it deposited in my tiny-girl heart.

She was loved.

She was safe.

Even if her finger hurt, Daddy could be trusted.

Twenty five years later, I am so thankful that I have a daddy who--by his tenderness, his compassion, his gentleness, his delight in his daughter--set the stage for me to know God, the Father.

Daddy, I know you'll read this. I love you, and happy birthday. :) 

Keeping up with the Castilles: Novembering!

I have a tendency to overestimate how much I actually share about the day-to-day life around here. Even though I've told you about my new conversation partner, last month's awesome retreat, and the crazy flood at my office, there's a lot that has gone un-blogged. So here: catch up on us!

Back to School:
One of the biggest recent changes for us is the fact that hubby is back in school! Four weeks ago, he began an online Masters program in Pastoral Counseling. It's a role reversal: when we were married 2 years ago, I was the one studying until the wee hours. Now he burns the midnight oil in our front bedroom while I go to bed.

He has a pile of impressive books...

Being his in-residence editor has its perks: it lets me learn a bit about such topics as the Intertestamental Period, the Maccabean Revolution, and the Herodian dynasty. This unashamed geek is planning to pounce on those books when he's done.

You can call me "Tink"
I finally did it--I got a pixie cut!

I was so afraid I wouldn't feel girly without my hair, but it actually feels extremely feminine and bold. My only regret is that my hair is growing so fast! I don't think I was counting on this level of maintenance.

40's Fun
My new workplace is big on social events--and food. Apparently, they also are really big into costumes, which is just fine by this recovering dress-up-aholic! The theme in our office for Halloween this year was "dress as your favorite decade."
I picked the 1940's, mainly because a) I had clothes that would work, b)someone else had already picked the 50's, and c) it's vintage--what's not to love?  

Some people said I looked like a flight attendant, but others swore I looked like this lady in Captain America (minus the hat):

Ok, I'm not in military gear, but maybe? I can dream.

(Side note: my pixie cut was postponed three days so I could pull off a 40's-ish hairstyle.)

Our final wedding photo shoot! (no, I'm serious)

Guess what we did this summer? We took our final wedding photo shoot! Ta da!

Umm...yeah. Our wedding happened two years ago. We know. A little ridiculous.

We were touched that our photographer was willing to honor our package deal after such a wide time lapse. Yes, we have been finishing degrees, traipsing to Colorado for a summer, flying to Italy for mission trips, and other random things that make life busy, but two years? After this experience, I wouldn't be surprised if she put a new clause in her photography contracts. If you lovebirds are too busy (lazy) to schedule all included photo-ops within a reasonable six-month span of time, you will forfeit the unscheduled services.
I wouldn't blame her one iota.

I believe the "day after" photo shoot idea originated from the desire to have a good collection of romantic photos without making guests wait at the reception for hours. Couples usually don the wedding clothes again for a complete wedding day simulation.

As you'll see, we opted for comfortable jeans and t-shirts. This was due to the unbearable, sickly stickiness of Texas July heat...and the fact that all essential undergarments for my wedding dress were borrowed. But it gave me a chance to sport this fun t-shirt given to me by my sis at a bridal shower way back before the wedding! It says "I *heart* my hubby".

I was surprised by how little she had to coach us on natural-looking cuddliness! I guess we've learned a few things in the past two years. :)

If you want to see more, head on over to this album on my facebook page. And if you like her style, check out her other photos on Southern Charm Photography.

Siamo in Italia!

We are in Italy! As I type, the halls of Hotel Ornato are ringing with the thumps and thuds of an entire boy's footbol team. Their coaches are singing and drinking in the patio below our window, so sleep would be impossible even if I hadn't imbibed three cafes today...which I did. Those fancy little shot glasses of caffeine are incredibly delizioso and addictive.

But I'm glad; this is my first real chance to give an update since we arrived foggy-headed, stinky, and stiff on Monday!

Already, I am full of stories. Already, I want to move here permanently. (Kidding, kidding! ...sort of?) 

Already, my heart is aching again because so many of my new friends have no idea how deeply they are loved by God.

But stories will have to wait! Tonight I simply want to share some photos with captions to give you a little taste of the past three days. 

We rode the Christmas-light van to the airport... (still not exactly sure why those were there?)

The sunrise somewhere over the UK was *almost* worth having only two hours of sleep. Gorgeous!

Foggy London town wasn't so foggy, which gave us a beautiful view of close-set neighborhoods and fields as we flew into Heathrow Airport. 

The soda can I bought in London proudly proclaimed their commitment to never adding "NASTIES" to their product. What a relief!

We had a crystalline view of the Swiss Alps on our way to Milan--what a treat! For the next hour, I couldn't keep songs from The Sound of Music out of my head. 

Thankfully, the Italian landscape is much warmer than the Alps.

We were dead-tired, but of course, we couldn't sleep without visiting the gelateria for some delicious gelato. Yummy!

And this was the team on campus yesterday after the first successful English Club meeting. We were so thankful that God gave us the use of classrooms on campus for free this year.

And I'm posting my first update a little sooner than I did last year! *pats self on back*

I am so deeply thankful for everyone who helped us come again to this beautiful city. 

Seriously, ya'll are amazing. 

God is amazing. 

I am amazed that He chooses to use us. 

Can't wait to see how the next week and a half will pan out! Please take a minute right now to pray for our team; God is not limited by thousands of miles! 

Marching on! The Past Month in Pictures

Can you believe it's already April? I made a lot of corny jokes last month about how time was "March-ing on." Yeah, I really went there.

Corniness aside, time really IS moving quickly. My boss likes to quip that "time is the enemy"--of health, of productivity, of babies' cuteness--but I disagree. Death is the real enemy, and as we celebrated last Sunday, Jesus has already, ultimately defeated it. Happy, hope-flooded thought! We are physically dying, but Death will only stick around for a short while longer. Time is Death's enemy, not mine.

The past month held a lot of fun and silliness for hubby and I, squeezed in between work and other normal stuff. Here are some pictures of our shenanigans!

We learned an awesome new card game calked Munchkin. Its tagline is, "Kill the monsters, steal the treasure, stab your buddy." No role-playing, just fun. And yes, those are example cards from the game below...my favorite are the Boots of Butt-Kicking.

Still building relationships with these sweet kids every Wednesday. Love them. (Read about Bible Club here)

 I had the opportunity to sit amazed at my little sister's talent as she painted a vibrant butterfly wing during this 5-minute worship song at church. 

 We relaxed a weekend at the beach for Spring Break--which is actually where we went last year too. :) 

Our nieces were in a talent pageant! And for once, we got to be there!

 On lunch breaks, my walk often takes me next to a field untouched by lawnmowers. Ohhhh, the flowers have been taking my breath away this Spring! And if you like these TX flowers, you'll love these flowers from Colorado last summer. 

Chai latte's are the best, but especially when they're shared with my daddy during a special daddy-daughter date. My heart and my tummy were both full afterward. 

I've snagged quite a few gorgeous sunsets with my phone's camera. 

Annnd...here is my (SLOW) gardening progress! Thought I should post at least one picture so no one thinks I'm just pretending to have one. :)  The plants are still indoors because of a mis-calculation that left me with too little dirt in the bed, but they'll be out soon!