Christmas!!

My beautiful sister's Confirmation!!

Me and my dad

The Malm sisters

A funny show is going on and everybody has to dance along

Starfox knows the moves

Three generations, me, sis, mom and grandma

My niese, isn't she a doll? With some massive hair, I did her hair that day ;-)

Me and granny

Love you sis

Benedicte the baby in the family

Outside church

The whole family. Dad, Sandra, Me, Mom and Benny

Back in Norway

Everybody,

It's been a long time since I have posted something on my blog, but being back in Norway has been quite busy. I have now moved into my apartment AND I have also gotten a new job :-) I work at a bakery/pizza restaurant, which I love. So I have been working my bum off and getting the apartment together. Things are finally looking good now, everything in my apartment is looking better and I finally got to go to Spain. I absolutely loved Spain, it was so beautiful, I enjoyed being with all my friends and practicing my spanish a little. Seeing the beautiful Island of Mallorca was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The people and the nature was unbelievable. I will post pictures as soon as I can, promise :-)

Anyways, I enjoyed being in Germany with Anna SOOO much. It was just like we had never been apart. I love Germany so much and seeing where Anna is from and her family was so much fun. Although it was kinda weird being with her, but not with my sweet family in Show Low. It made me realize how much I miss them.

DISNEYLAND & GRADUATION

The Ultimate American Experience

On April 14, the family went to San Diego to welcome home Lee, who has been in Iraq since September of last year. Tuesday after school we all drove down to the valley (Phoenix) where we spent the night at Adam and Janna's. The next morning we started our 5-hour-trip to San Diego. We arrived at 4, and went straight to David's Bridal, to find Starfox a prom dress. After everybody's help with finding me the perfect dress, we ate a delicious meal at Panda Express (America's greatest invention). Later on we met Christia, who goes to The University of San Diego. She showed us around on campus and after spending some time at the University, we headed out to Camp Pendleton, where Lee is stationed. Lee came home later on that night.

I can honestly say that being there when the soldiers returned to their families from Iraq that night, is by far the best thing I have experienced here in America. There were mothers, fathers, wives, husbands, daughters, sons, grandparents, friends waiting to see their loved ones again. The were all waiting for the feeling that their loved ones was home and safe. I will never forget when Debby hugged Lee for the first time in 7 months. I may only be Starfox, the foreign exchange student from little Norway, but even I felt proud that day.

Day two, we all went to Six Flags, which was a lot of fun. We took rides all day and spent time with Lee as well as the whole family. I had such a great time, I love amusement parks!

''You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them''.

On August 2, 2008, I landed in Show Low, Arizona. This was the day that I met my family, the family that I have learned to admire, cherish, appreciate and most importantly love with all of my heart. When I came out of that ridiculously tiny air plane that saturday in August I had no idea that the family I was gonna meet for the first time, was the family that I would keep in my heart for ever. This family that I was about to meet had no idea that the silly Norwegian girl (later on given the name Starfox) would occupy their American home for 10 months. Eat all their food, steal half of Becca's bed, use their phone for long-distance calls back to Norway, showing off her driving skills in Debby's brand new Jaguar, having Curtis throw grapes at her and most importantly that she would be mean to Ferosh (bat-dog) when the family wasn't around.

I can remember as it was yesterday when the lady from EF that interviewed me said to me: ''You will leave your hostcountry with a family that you will always love''. But in my case, I loved my family the day I met them, and I will leave loving them even more.

Thank you all (you know who you are) for giving me the best year of my life and most importantly your love.