thank god for road atlas' and little girls' birthday parties

on thursday (my day off) i drove myself to Abbey Centre, a shopping mall not far from the girls' nursery school. i was armed with a hand drawn map and a vague idea about where i was going. i actually got there perfectly fine, without any trouble! i was going specifically to shop for the girls' birthday presents (they turned 4 on Sept 6). unfortunately the mall only had 1 toy store, so there i was. i really didn't know what to get them, so i ended up getting Play-Doh (a classic) and a game called the Wobbly Egg or something like that; a huge vibrating egg that is to be balanced on a larger than life spoon while racing around the room! the girls actually really liked it and the shrieks of laughter were abounding, which i always take to be a good sign!

so anyway, i began to drive home from the mall, and started off going the right way, but somewhere along the line i took a wrong exit from the round about (only one of many...) and there i was, in a completely unfamiliar area. their highways are quite narrow, without a shoulder, and no where to turn around (or pull over). so i just kept driving! i saw some signs of towns i knew that were close to home, so i aimed for that direction. i had my map and my "mobile" (!) so i knew i would survive. although the "petrol" gauge was alarmingly close to E. but, i wasn't panicking and i was quite enjoying my little jaunt through the Irish country side. at one point i saw open water, so i must have been quite close to the coast (not where i wanted to be!). at one point Joanne texted me, wanting to know if i was still alive and ok! i guess i had been gone quite a while...so eventually i found the highway i wanted (thank you road atlas) and home bound i was! eventually i did get home, and it really didn't take that long; the country is only as big as a thimble, for heaven's sake!


the play center

the kids and their happy meal lunches

lauren (right) and her friend shannon having a laugh!

today (saturday) was caitlin and lauren's 4th birthday party. they and their little friends went to an indoor play center, and had a Happy Meal lunch. it was a loud, sweaty and rambunctious 3 hours! the girls had a fun time with their friends, and i enjoyed meeting the "mummies"! on the girls' little friends is a boy called Reuben; his mother is Caroline and she was very welcoming and chatty. Reuben and the girls go to nursery school together, so i see Caroline every morning while we drop the kids off, so it will be nice to know someone a bit more properly. she invited me to come and visit at her house whenever i wanted, and once again i am amazed at the generosity and friendliness of these Northern Ireland-ers!

tomorrow is Sunday and another day of church shopping! this week i'm taking myself to Ballyclare Baptist church, about a 10 minute drive from home. i've heard that this chuch has a nice population of young people, so i'm excited to see what it has to offer. Sunday night i am going with my new friend Claire to a church in Belfast where Robin Mark (he wrote the song "Days of Elijah" and also sings on the "Revival in Belfast" worship CD's) is the worship leader. i'm looking forward to some contemporary praise and worship at that church.

Monday will mark 3 weeks for me being here in Ballynure. i feel i've done fairly well!