HEADING BACK WEST

After a successful night in Orenburg, we are happy to announce our return to the West today... at the moment we are enjoying a 4 hours layover in Moscow, which is much better than the 5 hours that we spent at Domodedova airport on the way here two days ago, or two nights, maybe even three days??????
Oh gosh, I don't know... this trip has been so confusing... we've been all over the place.. and three different timezones... I feel like the people in "Lost" who are timetraveling on the island... not knowing what's going on.

Anyways, just a few more hours and we are back on CET... Central European Time, baby!!!

We are not heading back to Valencia quite yet though, but directly to Barcelona where we are going to enjoy some extra hotel time. Barcelona is home to many of our players, so I am happy that they will be able to get to see their families. I am not a hater!!!!

On Saturday will be playing against CB Olessa and then head back "home" to enjoy our first day off in..... I don't know how many days/weeks.

It's been a long couple of days, and I am looking forward to returning to the four walls of my Ciudad Ros Casares apartment... and to hopefully get some sun on our day off :)

Here are a couple of pictures from our trip to Orenburg... enjoy:

after waking up at 5am and traveling a total of 17 hours on 3 planes,
we've proven to be some real troopers

GAME TIME... by the way... she missed that shot! ;)

E, Becky and Ka-Tee acting a fool in front of Becky's Russian ride

having dinner with two of our opponents, Becky and Tina....
Good times! Many giggles! See you again in Spain!

just a sign... funny translation

Becky and Ka-Tee get inspiration from the Russian Teambus for future
home decorations

getting "our stretch on"... at 8am Spanish Time... no need to describe the atmosphere ;)

if our pointguard has this much legroom on the plane....
can you imagine our postplayers?

NONE!!!! it should be forbidden... it's not humane to sit like this for hours!!!!

SUNDAY THOUGHT

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life...” Psalm 23:6

It's a Sure Thing

Let’s break this Scripture down: ‘Surely goodness and mercy.’ People may disappoint you, but God’s goodness and mercy are sure things! ‘With [God] there is never the slightest variation or shadow of inconsistency’ (James 1:17). Our devotion to God may falter, but His devotion to us never does: ‘If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful...’ (2 Timothy 2:13). David didn’t say, ‘maybe, possibly, I hope so, I’ve a hunch’. No, he said, ‘Surely’ and that’s a promise you can stand on. ‘Shall follow me.’ That sounds like another promise God made to His people: ‘all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee...’ (Deuteronomy 28:2). Note the words: ‘follow… come on… overtake’. You can’t get away from them!

God’s goodness and mercy followed Jonah to the bottom of the sea, Daniel into the lions’ den, and John into exile, opening heaven to him.

Stop and look back. Think of the scrapes God’s brought you through, the messes He’s helped clean up, the doors He’s opened, and what do you see? Blessings you don’t deserve, can’t escape, and are new every morning. With God, it’s a sure thing! ‘All the days of my life.’

Think of the days ahead and what do you see? Days at home raising a family? Days in a dead-end job, struggling to get ahead? Days of loneliness and poor health? Days of caring for a sick loved one? Days of battling disappointment and depression?

‘Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.’ Goodness to provide, and mercy to pardon; you’ll never have a day without them!

SUNDAY THOUGHT

Hello, I just came up with the idea to share my favorite devotional of the week with all of you on Sundays :)
Whatcha think? I hope you are going to enjoy it.

Today's SUNDAY THOUGHT comes from Bob Gass's Online Devotional.

It's about self esteem, and where it SHOULD come from. Please feel free to comment and share your opinion.

ISAIAH 43:1
“I have called you by your name; you are Mine.”

Your Self-Esteem Must Come from God

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones said, “Though you are one of the teeming millions in this world, and though the world would have you believe that you do not count and that you are but a speck in the mass, God says, ‘I know you.’” How wonderful is that? Take a moment and consider the things in life that rob us of self-esteem. Words such as, “I don’t want you; I don’t love you anymore.” Or “You’re unsuitable for the job; sorry, we have to let you go.” Or, “You keep making the same stupid mistakes. You’ll never get it right.” Or, “Why can’t you be like your brother, or your sister, or so-and-so?”

Understand this:
(1) Your self-esteem cannot be based on what you do for a living. Because when you can no longer do it you’ll feel worthless. Think about some of the famous people you know: athletes, artists, speakers, etc. When they can no longer do what they do they get depressed, even suicidal.

(2) Your self-esteem cannot be based on what you own. Recently the U.S. housing market lost up to 40% of its value in one year. Millions of people saw their social status go down and their financial security go up in smoke.

(3) Your self-esteem cannot be based on other people’s opinion. Because it will always make you vulnerable to rejection.

What’s the solution? Discover what God thinks about you and build your life on it.

“Thus says the Lord, who created you…who…redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine.” It doesn’t get any better than that!

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Well after Ljuba, Taj, Becky, Edwige and I ended our own little World Championship here in Valencia on Friday by playing three practice games against the Young Mens Team back-to-back-to-back, today in the Czech Republic the real World Championship has officially come to an end.
Congrats to the United States for winning it all!!!!
Great run, Czech Republic... Dobre Holki... and congrats to my new fellow athletes from Spain!!!
Last but not least, congrats to Belarussia... it was nice to see 3 out of 4 teams in the top positions to be from Europe!!!

On the sidelines of the final games, FIBA has held a conference on women's basketball in Karlovy Vary to discuss ways of making the sport better, and more appealing to a wider audience. In reference to that I found this interview with Mr. Patrick Baumann (FIBA's Secretary General), who was commenting on some of the results of that conference.

In the comment section, let me know what you think :)

http://www.fibatv.com/page/Video/0,,12805~1664034,00.html?tabb=interviews&pnumber=1?WT.mc_id=fibacxt

POSITIVITY

Well, this "fin de semana" we are having COMPLETELY off ... the last double-off day till Christmas, so I think it's well deserved.... and NOW day#1 is slowly coming to an end.

It's been a good one: woke up late, talked to some friends, spent some time at the pool with some teammates, went to Lidl, watched tv and last but not least spent some time on the computer.

While doing the latter, I came across this video. I love it!!!!!

I am not a big rap fan per se-- probably because in half of the songs I don't understand a word they are saying (English is after all my second language, so please forgive me!) and then the ones I DO understand, I don't agree with the message. IN MY OPINION most of them (NOT ALL!) talk about too much negative stuff, glorify worldly stuff and mislead their fans to yearn for stuff that is unnecessary for leading a happy life.

Anywhoosers, enough about my opinion... so I came across this rap video today, and I felt like sharing it on here...  IT'S DIFFERENT:

VAMOS A LA PLAYA

Before you scroll down to view the picture, please click on the link below, and let the music run while you are looking at the photos below:

I don't know about you, but I love me some Valencia ;)