Well, we are finally in Trondheim, Norway! We'll see how this whole blogging thing goes. I tried opening a My Space account but it wouldn't let me, so we'll use this for now!
To start, I will post my journal entry that I wrote on the plane on the way here. We have been here for 5 days now and there have been many ups and downs, but mostly ups. :) This is such a beautiful place and the people we have met are wonderful, but more about that later....

July 26, 2006:
En route to Amsterdam.
I honestly don't know how to explain what I am feeling right now though I really wish I could. For once words cannot convey whatever it is I am now experiencing. How in the world we got here I can only attribute to the mighty hand of God that is more of a mystery to me everyday. This has got to be the most surreal experience of my life-- and I've had many moments I would consider quite surreal. One being my wedding day, yet here I am, 3 days before our one year anniversary, trying to make sense of time that seems to go faster every year, and knowing, yet not comprehending fully, that we are embarking on a journey together that will undoubtedly change the rest of our lives. If that sounds heavy and dramatic that's because it is.
How can I be sitting in this plane, bound for Europe and partly feel I am just going on a little trip instead of MOVING TO NORWAY for the next 2 YEARS. I just cannot comprehend it. how all this has happend. How quickly, yet how long it seems we have been planning. I remember meeting with others to talk about the possiblity of this. The vague dream of the vision of many. And thinking to God, "What if one day we are sitting on a plane, bound for Scandinavia and it dawns on me, that all this is actually happening? We are actually going?" Well, that day is here. I had a ague premonition then, and now here I am, unable to explaing what I feel because I have so many feelings all at once. All I know is that I must trust God that He knows what He is doing bcause I most certainly do not. What a strange and unbelievable life we lead. Our lives are truly not our own.
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Somenhow, though the sadness of leaving family is incredibly overwhelming, at this moment I feel rahter numb to it all. I know I could cry if I think about it for longer than 5 minutes, but I guess part of me is not allowing myself to. It hurts too much and a part of my heart has been left behind. I never imagined how difficutl it would be to lave those I love the most behind. It is a pain and intense sadness I have never felt before. A kind that makes it hard to breathe. No one told me it would be so hard. Although I guess Jesus did. The sacrifice is just almost greater than I can bear. Lord, there is no way I can do this alone. I'm just not strong enough.

So there is a little insight into the first day...there is so much to say about the last few. But I can say that as hard as it has been to be away from family and friends, as well as being sick (another story...I still can hardly hear in both my ears...pray for a miracle), God has truly blessed us beyond what we could have imagined in this place. Our home is incredible, amazing view of downtown and the ocean-- I'm looking at it from my bedroom window right now. The family we are renting from who live below have just been incredible angels to us. I don't know what we would do without them. God's grace has been amazing, His peace. So much more....more about the language course we started today later....
Love to all who read this, sorry it's so long. Lots to say. You are missed.
~Cortney :)
P.S. We will post some pictures soon!