Revelations, Funky Asian, and Towels

Sorry I didn't post yesterday.  I usually like to post at night before bed, but last night I just wanted to hang out with Tyrel and read.  I've been reading the book "The Help".  I was watching a movie in theaters and saw the preview for the movie they created and a friend of mine said how much she loved the actual book.  I'm a little over half-way through right now and it is really great.  It's basically set in the 60's when a lot of civil rights movements were happening; one white lady who has very typical upper-class white friends is fed up with the way African-Americans are treated and wants to write a book from their perspective of working for white people.  It's such an interesting book and I can't wait to watch the movie! Has anyone out there read or watched "The Help"?


The weather here is very beautiful.  It can sometimes rain a lot but it makes everything so green.  I think today it's supposed to be a high of mid-70's.  I'm really sorry for everyone enduring the 100+ degree weather right now.  That's definitely not fun.  However, while it may top out at 80 here, I think it gets even more humid here than in Kansas.  It gets up to at least 80% humidity; when I went to the store the other day it felt like a big, hot, wet blanket was thrown on me even though the temperature wasn't that high.  But I'm definitely not going to complain when you all are having heat advisories.  The nice modern amenity you guys have to combat the heat is air conditioning.  Tyrel and I realized (more like noticed) that there isn't AC ANYWHERE here in Belgium.  They may have it at the grocery store but I'm not sure.  No apartments or buildings have it and Tyrel's gym doesn't have it.  Neither did the Fieldhouse so maybe that got him prepared for this.  No one uses it when they drive around either.  I've also searched for a thermostat in our apartment and haven't found one.  I'm guessing we won't have control over the temperature when they turn the heat on when it starts to get cold here.  Hopefully they don't wait until it's 20 degrees! haha


Yesterday, Tyrel and I went to a store called Wibra.  It's sort of like the discount store here in Belgium.  We had to get random things for the apartment like kitchen sponges (which is something I hate...they gross me out), food storage containers, and towels.  This whole week we've been here we didn't have any towels, we had to use shirts when we showered. haha But anyways, it was really nice to find that store because I found a lot of stuff we will need later that is really a lot cheaper than the grocery store.  I'll probably have to go back later and get some more towels for Tyrel to take to practice since they don't supply them.  


Thanks to some logical reasoning and my friend, Katie, the whole oven ordeal is worked out!  I love to cook Asian cuisine, or what I think is Asian cuisine; my sister-in-law makes the BEST food!  But like I said earlier, they just don't really carry the ingredient selection to make all my favorites.  I couldn't find hoisin sauce, let alone peanut butter! I haven't found that anywhere.  I do love Nutella but you can't exactly use that in savory dishes like you can with peanut butter (speaking of Nutella, Tyrel tried it for the first time yesterday and really liked it! It's sooo good; if you haven't tried it you should.  This means you too, Dad; even if it looks gross).  But I made chicken drums (they're the cheapest chicken pieces here) that I marinated and tried to throw together a stir-fry (but with noodles because Ty likes them better than rice).  Pretty much the only Asian-style sauces I could find at the store were soy and sweet chili so all I could use was soy! I should have known to not even attempt to make something with such few choices, but I was determined.  The chicken was pretty good, but I think next time I'll take the skin off.  I think the Belgians raise chickens with thicker skin, it was kind of gross.  Buts the noodles....eh.  I didn't think they were that good, but Tyrel said they weren't bad.  He is so awesome, whenever I apologize for something I don't think is up to standard or as good as I'd like it to be, he is really sweet.  He'll say, "Don't apologize for making me food" and stuff like that, so it makes me feel better and he's so grateful.  I just love cooking and hate when something fails (I don't like failure, either).  


Ty has really been so positive here in Belgium.  I was down the other day after I went to the grocery store and got frustrated with not finding everything I wanted nor understanding some stuff.  He said it wouldn't be any fun or an adventure if it was easy all the time.  He likes a challenge and likes when things are a little bit rough.  Must be why he chose me ;] haha But it really makes a world of a difference being with someone who takes those challenges in stride and doesn't whine or fuss about them.  It changes my attitude and makes me want to be a little tougher.  


I might try to enjoy such a nice day and go hang out by the little river-thing running through the city across the street from our apartment.  Tonight, I'll probably make Tyrel's favorite dish...chicken alfredo.  I went to the store and took some pictures of the different creams (crème) that I saw so that I could figure out which one was heavy cream.  Crème Entière is heavy cream and Crème Legère is light cream.  I'm sure the market here has really great parmesan so I'm excited to make his favorite dish (even though I've made it a million times).  


I want to thank everyone for all the prayers and words of encouragement! I feel so love (as I'm sure Tyrel does, too) from everyone.  It has really helped me to hear "been praying for you" and "keep your head up, it'll get easier".  So thank you all so much!


Lots of love.