Wow...it has been a really really really looooooong time. I'm sorry for anyone still reading this (which is probably only my mother love you mum!)

But I will write an update because I feel like writing tonight.

Scott and I have finally made it to our new home....Tampa, FL. Well almost made it home....we are in the process of looking for an apartment...although we have found one we are very happy with, but we'll probably have a better idea about the place on Monday, so I'll keep you posted.

Ok I just have to tell you, we went and saw the movie 'Hairspray' this evening...it was SO good!! I was bopping along with the songs the whole way through the film. I definately recommend it to all ages...it's just FUN! and a heart warmer too

This summer has been great, I don't think I've ever had a more busier summer of going places and seeing people....felt like I was on home assignment visiting so many people but this time I actually enjoyed myself!!  We saw friends from so many different stages of our lives. I saw people from BFA who were seniors my freshman year!!!  and they have now graduated from college!!! Everyone is so grown up....and I'm still coming to terms with the fact that so many of my friends are getting married!! haha it's one thing when I did it...but when all my friends do too!!! It really means we are growing up...!

It just did my heart and soul so good to be with people who will always hold a place in my heart, no matter how far apart we become.  God has really blessed Scott and I with some INCREDIBLE friends.

Over the course of 5 and a half weeks Scott and I drove a total of 6,400miles!!!! Which in km's is over 10,000kms!!!!!!!! We were ready to get out of the car when we got to Tampa let me tell you! But what a blessing every mile was to us. I'd travel 6000 more to be with all those people again. It really was an awesome summer.

And the best part about living in Tampa now is that my best friend, also an mk, is no more than a hour and halfs drive from where we are!!!!!!! Not even fate could have worked that out...it was God. How many mk's get to live 70miles from their best friend whom they met half way around the world?!? not many!!!!! I'm a very lucky girl!!!!

But as always, the hardest part of leaving a country....is now I miss people not only from Russia and BFA....I've just added Australia to the list. Hmph...My heart now belongs to 4 places and I'm only 19. Does that make me a 4th culture kid? It's a tough life, but luckily the perks out weigh the bads....Scott and I stayed in hotels a total of two nights the entire trip!!!! And we went through 15 states over 36 nights!!!!! God's kingdom is HUGE!!!!!

Well I think I'm just about out of words...I hope I've said enough to let you know I'm alive and well.

I miss you!!!!

Talk to you again soon...Fi Custer :) 

Almost one year to the day.....my heart is quietly breaking again....I want to be there to watch the Storch seniors stand tall and triumphant on the stage, receive their diplomas and do a funny little thing at the end of each storch graduate......but i don't think my heart could take watching everyone crying....saying goodbye.....when i look back on it....the pain still seeps through more than the happiness of the occasion. That day was so cruel.

It's been a year, will I ever be happy that I graduated? No, I'll never be happy that that day had to come....but I am happy to know I am going somewhere in 2 weeks and counting.

My prayers are with the Class of 07, and also those who have to be left behind...

I'm really good.happy and pretty well. My poor hubby is sick though.( get well soon babe!)...oh wow...I have a hubby!! HA!!!

Things I can't wait for in the coming weeks:

Andi and Jens wedding....man I can't wait to see them!!!!

Ryan and Tab's wedding....will be so good to catch up with them and so many people and to see them finally married :)

Traveling around America!!!!! WOOHOO!!! ROAD TRIP with my bestest buddy and hubby! We are going to have a blast!!!

Ok, now for all of this to happen, God's needs to do a miracle in relation to my visa issues. You can read Scott's site for abit more info. But yeah. At the moment we don't have a way to get me into the country. I have a ticket....just no visa or return ticket to somewhere. So hmmm :) But we're ok! We are waiting on the Lord and His timing, we don't feel He has revealed his path for us yet! So hence the waiting :)

I've been having great quiet times lately. I've been reading through John. I gave a John track to a friend at work so I thought I'd read it as she is reading too....well I'm not exactly sure if she's reading it....but I'm praying she is! :) but anyhow....I'm loving John, it shows us just how loving Jesus is in so many circumstances. I just read about Jesus washing his disciples feet and it's so humbling....he lowered himself to the ground to wash their dirty unworthy feet and he commands us to wash our brothers and sisters feet. Most times we don't even want to touch our own feet let alone anyone elses feet...and Jesus washed like 12 or actualy 24 feet (since we all have 2!). Now I don't think Jesus commands us to go up to a stranger on the street while carrying a little bath tub and soap and wash their feet, but he simply wants us to be humble enough to go above and beyond for our neighbour, truely showing them love even if they are really dirty. Goodness....I fail at this ALL the time. Andother verse that really stood out was John 13:35: "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another". What a challenge, huh?! I surely want to be known as a disciple! Lord help me to love more!

So I'll leave by telling you all I love you! :) You are all my brothers and sisters in Christ and it's been too long since I've seen most of you! June is coming around the corner like a spanish bull in a bull running!!!! Although hopefully June will be abit more pleasant than a spanish bull!

Aloha!

Mrs. Fiona Custer

Once a TCK, always a TCK

The words I write aren't profound, they are simply from my heart.

It has almost been a year since I last stepped foot in Russia. Almost a year...hmph...Russia was my home for 2 and a half years before heading off to BFA, then it became my getaway from school work and the dorm every few months. I didn't like Russia much, the inability to know what was going to happen next fightened me. You never knew what you were going to encounter on an innocent trip to the shops...a car crash, a begger, a passed out grandma on the side walk. It was unpredictable. But you learned to live on edge, always checking behind your shoulder every once and a while to make sure no one suspicious was following you. You just never knew what could happen. You go to the market, but you don't put your backpack on your back and forget about it, you check it, feel the bottom of it to make sure it hasn't been slit yet. You are always on high alert when you are out and about. After a few months at BFA I was ready for a break and to see my family and Russia again.....after a few weeks in Russia I was ready to get back to BFA.

But all of a sudden...I sit here in safe Melbourne and crave with every bit of me to be back in a place that once frightened me. It's kinda of like abusive relationships, you fear the life you are in, but you don't want to leave it because you are used to the fear and know how to live with that fear...in a warped way, you find comfort in being afraid....because being afraid is what you know...living in safety isn't. Now I know that comparison is a far stretch, but that's kind of what it's like. Although I was afraid in Russia, I knew how to handel it, and I was used to it, and my home was there.

I can almost smell our smoke scented apartment (we lived next door to a chain smoker)...or the supermarket with the differet smells of cheeses, fruits and candies. I also remember the scents that all the new seasons brought. I can smell the heat of the sun reflecting off the gravel. I can hear the silence snow brings when it falls in Moscow. There was always such a peace snow brought when it fell. It's moving into Autumm here...I'm not sure what month it is. I read about the winters in different countries..and I look out my window and can't fathom what it would feel like to see snow fall right now. The southern hemisphere is so much diferent from the northern.

I can just remember my previous world in Russia so vividly right now. This is only the second time it's happened since grad that these feelings and memories are so real. I miss it, I miss it so much. There are so many people who became family who are still living there. It's just so hard being so far away from it.

I'm sure for all of us who are living in our passport country will always have a part of us longing for our comfort country.

What's your comfort country?

US Reception

Ok, so I don't think we have officially told you that we are having an American Reception....

so, let me make it official:

We, Scott and I, are having an American Reception in Colorado on the 21st of July, everyone reading this xanga site who knows either of us is invited!!!! For more infomation (ie. the address and time) please shoot Scott or I an email!

We so hope alot of you can make it! We'd just love to catch up with everyone and keep celebrating the gift of marriage God has given us!!!!!

Love to all!!!