That's me.

It's not every day that you meet someone famous and it's certainly not every day that you run into someone that's infamous.  Juli, Ashlyn, my mom who flew into Ireland yesterday, and I were over at St. Anne's Park at the farmers market to grab a light lunch and say hello to some friends.  After purchasing our Lebanese wraps from one of the stalls, I glanced over to my right and had to do a double take.  Standing at the stall was Gerry Adams.

"Gerry Adams", I said.  "That's me", he replied.  You may not know who Gerry Adams is. Here's a link and I'll let you decide if Gerry would fall under the famous or infamous category. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerry_Adams

After I introduced myself and shook his hand, Gerry noticed my American accent and inquired about how long we had been in Dublin.  "Is this your ba-ba?" he asked.  "What's her name?"  "Ashlyn", I said.  "Best of luck", he said before I joined Juli and my mom and let them know who I had just met.

So it wasn't quite Bono, and Gerry Adams has a mixed reputation in Ireland to say the least, but when you meet someone who's more or less world famous at a farmer's market, you have to at least shake their hand and introduce yourself. - Shay

Just Like the Day After December 31

I've not really thought about any resolutions for 2011.  I've made a few in the past (and actually kept some of them), but January 1, 2011 just felt like the day after December 31, 2010, so I don't  really see the point in changing course drastically.  Maybe that should be the goal, to simply keep a straight course for 2011. 

There are some things that I'm looking forward to over the coming weeks and months.  Next week I'll start teaching a conversational English class to immigrants and migrant workers in the Dublin city center.  The Karnes, Hutsons, and Smiths will jointly begin teaching similar classes in Clongriffin towards the end of January or the beginning of February.  Later this month I'll begin coaching a youth basketball team in Ballymun.  Speaking of basketball, the team I'm on has the bulk of its games coming up over the next couple of months.  Juli and I hope to get a car sometime soon and if we do, I hope to volunteer with Meals on Wheels if I can get cleared with the Garda despite not having an Irish background for them to check.

2010 was a year that we'll never forget.  We were blessed to see an amazing group of seniors graduate and move onto bigger and better things.  We were saddened to leave the kids and families of the youth ministry and the congregation at Brentwood Oaks but it was good to know that the youth group would continue to grow stronger and stronger through the leadership of Adam and Misty Herndon and Steve and Margie McVey (and through many others, not least the teens themselves!).  Seeing Ashlyn grow and develop has been one of the most exciting and pleasurable experiences I've ever had.  As I've written previously, every day really is a new adventure and I'm excited to see what new things God will teach me in 2011 through the life of my daughter.  And moving to Ireland has been the fulfillment of a decade long dream, so we have tried to carpe diem - seize the day each and every day.

So here's to each day of 2011 being just like the day after the day that came before. - Shay