I have the best family in the world! I can honestly say that, because I'm on the other side of the world, and I haven't met anybody who tops them! :)

I got up early this morning to work out and get a good start on the day. I went downstairs and checked my mailbox..... and then I saw that glorious little piece of yellow paper with the word POST on it! I'm not sure why, but this time I was supposed to go pick up my mail at the local post office on Zieglergasse, which is about a 5-10 minute walk from my dorm. I was so excited!

I headed out with my map and figured out a winding route to the post office. When I walked in, I was determined to try to communicate what I needed in German. I've really been trying to not seem so American all the time and fit in to the Euro culture! :) I did it! I didn't speak a word of English the entire time that I was in the post office...... okay, so I really didn't say much at all, but used some signals (I tried!). The clerk asked me to show ID to prove that I am, in fact, Amanda K. Tyree, but I understood what he said, and didn't miss a beat! Yay! I immediately recognized which package was mine... the massive TAYLOR PUBLISHING box with Uncle Keith's writing on the front!

This box was about as big as I am, so the real challenge of the morning came when I had to carry it back home, haha. I'm sure the locals found it halarious to see this 5'3 1/2 (I always throw the 1/2 inch in there... I need all the help I can get!) little girl carrying a huge box down the road. :) I got a second workout from this!!!!

To increase the excitement, I turned up some country music before I started opening the box. In this box of treasures was some Progresso Soup (which absolutely thrilled me, because Europeans eat powdered soup, which is absolutely disgusting), my favorite gum, real Neosporin (because I don't think they have it in Austria.... or maybe I just can't translate well enough to identify it at the shops), Cheerios and Grape Nuts (heavenly cereal!), wash cloths, some amazing-looking devotional books (I really needed some Jesus over here... thank you!), pictures of my wonderful Rileys, dried fruit and nuts, and Cheddar goldfish (which also don't exist over here... what's wrong with these Europeans? lol). Perhaps the most wonderful two items in this package were the Fruity Certs and Royal Dansk butter cookies in a tin. Pam and I have been eating butter cookies and certs since before I can remember. I laughed out loud when I saw them! Thank you SO much, Riley family!!!!!!

You can tell that I am VERY excited to recieve any type of mail, and that going to the post office can turn into an adventure for me. They say that simple minds have simple pleasures..... that's okay with me! :) It's always just so refreshing to get a piece of home in the mail. I had really started to miss home this week, since the Cats are dominating and I hear all about it several times a day (lol), but my family really keeps me going! Seeing everyone at Christmas will be so wonderful! I couldn't ask for better -- Thanks!

Love,
Amanda