Here today, Ghana tomorrow.

I've spent my last night of 2010 in beautiful Honolulu, Hawaii. Tonight, it's to the airport I go, to embark on the 30-hour trek to Accra, Ghana. Eek! I'm excited, but in all honestly, I'm completely freaking out (to put it eloquently).

To all two of my readers out there, please pray for me, for my teams, and for our work abroad. I'll be checking back in before I leave my last layover in the States, and from here on out, you can follow the journey on my new SLP travel blog: elaineSLPabroad.blogspot.com.

A bench, a book, & a ring.

After months and months of meticulous planning on his part, and the near-perfect execution of a perfect proposal,

Matty & I are engaged!

Just wanted to share the news! :) I'm truly the luckiest girl ever, and I feel so incredibly blessed to have snagged the most wonderful man I know. ♥

Fifteen-hour flights

I do not like. However, I do fancy chatting with new friends on the airplane! It really gives me a great perspective on how small each of us is, and how, together, we really all make up God's master tapestry.

Yesterday, I met a Juilliard violinist on his way to Seoul to perform over the Christmas holidays, and a doctor in residence on her way to Honolulu with her family and boyfriend. Everyone has such exciting plans!

A request for your prayer and support

This winter break, I'll be traveling with a team of surgeons, dentists, and other health care professionals to Ghana and Beijing to provide health services to infants and adults with special medical needs. My role on this team is in the realm of feeding, speech, language, and cognitive development evaluations and therapy. I would be greatly blessed by your support, both financial and in prayer. Please click here:

http://www.giveforward.com/elaineghanabeijing
to read more about our cause and, if you choose, to support me in my endeavors. Every bit, $5-$20, makes an immense difference, and is deeply appreciated. Thank you, friends!

First day of snow!

& I'm too exhausted to be excited for it. Remember last year? How jaded we become in just twelve months!

While I'm wallowing in my school sorrows, I'll share something that turned my world upside down and put things back in perspective.

On last year's Ghana trip, a few of the Columbia girls with darker complexion (Haitian, Jamaican, etc.) were in the marketplace in Kumasi. The Ghanaian vendor (a woman) said to them, "Your ancestors were the lucky ones. Look at you. If only my children's children could have half the blessings."

Such a poignant statement and powerful revelation, that a free Ghanaian woman would look at who she assumed were the descendants of slaves... taken from Africa generations before, and stand in envy of those slaves for the opportunity that would be provided to their descendants.

And look at me, complaining that I'm exhausted from schoolwork as I'm attending an institution where the tuition alone could sustain many Ghanaian families for years, perhaps even a lifetime. Thank you, God, for my parents, who've made these things possible, for my family and friends, for my professors and mentors. Praying that I can use these blessings to bless others.

Fell in love

with Sean Hayes tonight. And once again with Kristin Chenoweth, who continues to wow me.



Molly Shannon was an unexpected (and amazing) appearance, & I loved it all! Funniest musical I've seen yet!

ASHA Convention 2010

took place in the beautiful Philadelphia this past week!



'Twas lovely to spend time with so many ladies from our program there, though the hustle and bustle of the packed three-day schedule left little time for non-ASHA shenanigans. Glad to be back in NYC, with much much work to catch up on before Thanksgiving week!

My own kind of therapy

After treating stroke patients all day on Saturday, Ana and I headed to a local pottery store for some therapy of our own! 'Twas a much needed respite from clients, paperwork, and schoolwork, as we mindlessly painted and glued amid girlish chatter.

Semi finished products? Here:



Ana's ornaments await glazing and firing, while my trivet's grout needs a-dryin'. I do believe I shall begin to take up mosaic-ing as a new hobby! But for now, it's time to dive headfirst into a short week, then head to Philly for the National ASHA Convention on Thursday! :)

Can I just say...?

I've never been so exhausted for such a long duration of time, but this past year and a half has been absolutely amazing. For the first time in my life, I feel like I know exactly what I want to do, I know why I want to do it, and... I LOVE doing it! Better yet, I feel like God's signs are all pointing me in that same direction. It's so amazing to feel this affirmation. God is so good, even to me of little faith.

Happy Hallow's Eve, Friends!

Make sure you floss & brush after loading up on those sweets! :)

Consumed by school.

My client in the school clinic is absolutely adorable. Her mother told me before we met that she's the ultimate girly-girl, so I've been using a Pretty Pretty Princess game to establish rapport. She gets really into it. On Monday, after our session, she said (in Chinese), "We should wear dresses if we're princesses. Do you have dresses?"

Me: "Mmmm... yes."
JT: "What colors?"
Me: (trying to think of something clinic-appropriate) "Grey."
JT: "... any other colors?"
Me: "I have orange."
JT: "... what else?"
Me: "Purple?"
JT: (thinks for a few seconds) "Purple will have to do."

and had me promise to wear it on Wednesday. So... last night, I dreamt that Wednesday's session came around, and I walked into the room with all the materials I had been slaving over for hours for this one session, and... I had forgotten to wear my purple dress. My client threw a fit in the therapy room, saying something about how she hated me and never wanted to see me again, and she had to be taken off my caseload and assigned to another clinician.

Talk about vivid. You'd better bet I'm wearing my purple dress today.

Having a rough week

and weekend. :( I feel like a mess -- physically, emotionally, everythingly.

I hope it's only 'cause I'm adjusting to my (crazy) fall schedule. Anyhow, I appreciate love and prayers sent my way. I also welcome prayer requests. Gmail or call anytime. Miss you all. ♥

Always remember

those brave ones who lost something for us.

Phillayyyy

It's been almost a year since I last saw Christine, so a long-overdue trip to the oldest city in America was much warranted. Though most of our time was spent curled up in her sub-zero room, catching up 'til the wee hours of the morn, we did explore some of the sights and sounds of Philadelphia.

Lined with vendors of savory and sweet goods, Reading Terminal Market was simply charming, reminding me much of Faneuil Hall in Boston.



Our ventures through the streets of Central City were dotted with froyo and sorbetto stops as we enjoyed the quaint olde neighborhoods



and took evening strolls through town



And, of course, you can't say you've paid a visit to Philly unless you've enjoyed a cheesesteak from their most publicized vendors



and paid homage to the LOVE sign!

& gettin' caught in the rain...

Even if you fancy pina coladas, yesterday's rain was absolutely insane! Even with a change of clothes and a mighty sturdy umbrella at hand, I was drenched from head to toe for the second time by 9:30pm. At least it was a great weekend, reminiscent of late nights in college, filled with


karaoke,


sunrises,


& four-pm brunches.

Top o' the Rock

-erfeller Center!


My first familial visitor, aside from my dearest momma who helped me with the initial move to New York, was Kevin, with whom I shared my inaugural visit to the top of 30 Rock:










'Twas a magnificent view, followed by a week of indulgent eating, touristy gallavants, and a dazzling Broadway performance of West Side Story!








Thanks for visiting, little brother!

Matty in NYC

Also this month was Matt's long-awaited week-long business conference in NYC!


'Twas a most splendid time filled with musical-watching,


midnight chicken & rice + cheesecake-eating,


Korean food-for-three-for-two-indulging,


Morningside Park-going,


and all-around simply fun-having togetherness!

California Girls

I arrived back in New York City on July 6th, and guess who arrived with me? Lovely Tiff & lovely Lisaface!

'Twas splendid to play in the City with ladies from the Golden State, and as Tiff and Face left after their week-long sojourn, JoAn stopped by for an inaugural New York minute! Eeee!

Oh, I do love my California girls. ♥