Nics and Rob in Switzerland!

(I wrote this post after Nicola and Rob came to visit in March / April, and then forgot to post it!)

Nics & Rob came to visit and I am so glad they did! I am always grateful when family or friends spend their hard earned money and vacation days to come and visit me. Nicola came with me when I moved to Switzerland, so it was really special to have her here again, and this time with Rob! I loved having the chance to spend time with Chris with my family – precious moments considering we live so many miles apart!

I had to work while they were here, but thankfully we could still spend the evenings and the weekend together. We took them for fondue to the oldest restaurant in Lausanne (one of my favourites) and had them over for raclette dinner at Chris’s apartment. It was really fun for Chris and I to host a meal together in what will be our home together. On the Saturday we headed out to explore the land of chocolate and cheese with a visit to Gruyeres and the medieval castle, followed by an afternoon at the chocolate factory… yummy! We went to church together on Sunday and I am grateful I had the chance to share this special part of my life with them.

Nics and Rob are both fantastic, mature, godly, capable young people who have invested in their marriage and their professional lives. I so appreciated the time to talk  and get marriage advice! I am glad that Chris and I will get to see them again when they pass through Geneva on their way home. I am so grateful that my family are my special friends too. 

Mountain Living

After my private thesis defense Chris and I and two other couples from church decided to head to the mountains for a few days of snowboarding, sunshine, good food, and board games. We reserved a chalet in Nendaz and were blessed with a few days of absolutely glorious weather. I decided to spend the time investing in my snowboarding skills and was very grateful that Chris was so patient and encouraging – snowboarding is really hard work! I feel like I made some progress, but didn’t manage to snowboard the whole time as my body was just too sore. Snowboarding definitely works muscles I didn’t know I had, and combined with lots of falling,  I was feeling a little delicate so decided to call it quits and rest some of the time. I look forward to having some more occasions to practice and get more comfortable on the snowboard! It was a special few days with dear friends who I am so grateful for.

Life Update

Well, this little blog of mine has been a little neglected! Here is an update on all that has been happening lately.

But first and foremost, the best thing that has happened in the last few months is that Chris asked me to marry him! We went to South Africa in February, and he proposed in the most perfect way early on Valentine’s day. I am so grateful for him, and I can’t wait to be his wife! We are so enjoying this season of being engaged and planning our future together.

Now for some other things:

·      We celebrated the New Year at a Kings and Queens themed dress up party with church friends. I really do love my community here

·      I defended my thesis and it was accepted with minor modifications. My public defense (the last step!) will be on May 26^th. Woohoo! I am proud of myself and so grateful for this incredible season. I am expectant for what is to come, but also a little sad to be leaving my PhD days behind me.

·      I started teaching a Master’s course on Professional Development, which is simultaneously stimulating and exhausting! The students are capable and smart, and most of the time quite engaged in the class, so it has been a lot of fun. But also a lot of work.

·      Chris moved to Lausanne! Yeah! He has moved into the apartment that will be ours when we get married, and I can’t wait. It is the perfect place for what we need right now, and I think we will be very happy there. I love that he is only a few minutes away from me now.

·      I have been applying for jobs and going for interviews – I have no idea what is next (which is sometimes stressful), but I am also excited about the possibilities and know that God will show us.

·      We had a big event at church this past Sunday for Easter with more than 1000 adults and a few hundred children from our church plus some other churches in Lausanne. I was responsible for coordinating the team who served coffee, drinks and pastries - so it was a busy morning.