The gift of giving

Tonight before dinner I decided to overcome my awkward tendency to avoid giving a gift directly to a person.  Five times.  

I had packed away gifts for my host family to give them when I got here to thank them for welcoming me into their home for the next few months.  It took over a week, but I finally came to terms with the fact that there was no way to gift them without simply giving them.  So, I did.  And it was good.  

First I had to get everyone into the kitchen.  Then I clumsily dropped the gifts I was holding behind my back on the floor while mumbling something about wanting to thank them for hosting me and scrambling to pick everything back up.  It was much more fun for them to watch than I was having gathering everything back up I'm sure.  :)

For Bobbo and Vendela I gave Arkansas Soccer t-shirts.  For Vanessa, an Arkansas running top.  For Boston, and Razorback Soccer scarf from last season, and for Anja a (slightly squished) box of MoonPies from Chattanooga (so that we can have Fika (you'll have to look this one up, there is no one word translation) together someday.  

Boston's reaction to his gift was maybe my favorite, but I think all of them liked their gifts.  Mostly I think they just appreciated the gesture.  Then it was a family hug, followed by hugs from everyone individually (and Boston about 4 times).  I'm glad I thought of it before hand.  It was one of the few things I was really able to prepare before I came.  

Not much else to report here today.  The weather was fair, thought slightly on the windy side.  I went on a short bike adventure this afternoon just to make sure I could find the field on my own, and looked over plans for the upcoming trip to Rome, Florence, and Stockholm.  
Practice this afternoon was rough for everyone... I don't know exactly what it was, but there was a certain frustration that always seems to follow a long game, a day off, and then weights.  Tomorrow is another day.