Leaving on a Jet Plane…

The last couple of weeks have been absolutely insane, so I’m not even going to apologize for my lack of blogging.  I currently have over 150 unread items in my google reader (for those of you who don’t use google reader, ask me about it because its awesome!).  But that means I haven’t even been keeping up with anyone else’s life or blog… much less writing about my own.  But I’m going to attempt to remedy that and get caught up right now.

Disaster Response Training:
We had a great group of people from all over come together in PA for Mission to the World’s training for disaster response.  We learned survival skills, food and water safety, how to use a compass, the theology of disaster, how to live in a refuge camp, and so much more.  Then we ran a mock clinic that staged every possible thing that could go wrong to happen within an hour and a half period of time… thanks for that DRM leadership :)  I learned a ton and I’m excited to be able to serve in this way, to go to hurting people around the world when the need arises.  For the next couple years, I will probably only respond to disasters in Latin America… hopefully having some Spanish language skills to offer at some point in the near future!

A Visit:
Last week I got to go visit my grandparents at the lake near Charlotte.  It was a welcome break from life and a very relaxing couple of days.  My roommate from college, Cassie, came and brought her hammock and love for secondhand clothes shops and we had a great time hanging out together.  Its hard to believe I’ve said goodbye now.  But… I’m so thankful for this time with them.

A plane ticket:

I changed my flight to June 11th… official departure date!  I am registered for language school which will begin on June 14th and I will be in Costa Rica until the first week of December.  I’m excited and nervous and keep envisioning an awkward car ride home from the airport with my new host family when all I can say is… “Hola” and then little things like “where is the bathroom?” and “what time is dinner?”  But don’t answer me quickly because I’ll never understand.  I think my new favorite phrase is going to be… “mas despacio por favor” (more slowly please!).

Support:

This picture is a lie because I actually have 99% of my monthly support raised!  I am so close :)  Thanks to everyone who has made that happen.  I am actually in a scramble with the home office to get exact numbers for what I have left to raise… so be praying that tomorrow when we run numbers it will show that my support is finished!  I’ll keep you updated about that.  Any donations are still welcome and needed.

Baby:
For those of you who knew that I was keeping a precious little boy for a couple of months, I’ll give you an update.  This is little Wesley who stole my heart :)  It has been a blessing to be able to see him settled in to his new adoptive family before I leave for the field.  I was uncertain if I would have to leave not knowing where he was going to end up… but I’m so thankful to get to know where he is and know that I am going to get to be a part of his life as he grows up!

A Wedding:
My dear friend and “pseudo-sister” Rebecca got married yesterday and I couldn’t be more excited for she and Andrew.  I am SO thankful that the Lord allowed me to still be there to be able to be a part of their special day and to see HIS name lifted high as they begin their life and ministry together.

A Party:
And next weekend we get to celebrate yet another special wedding for Anna and Josh and it was great to have these girls come and stay with me last night after their bachelorette party extravaganza.  The Lord has blessed me so much to have such amazing girls in my life and let me walk through life with them and watch them grow up and mature and know HIM more and get married and graduate… it’s crazy… but I’m so thankful.

And so much more:
There has been shopping and packing and moving and emails and phone calls and visits and tears and laughing.  I can’t sum up the last couple weeks without 8 more blog posts, but I’ll spare you.  The Lord has been good to remind me to trust in Him because He is always faithful.  He has answered my prayers above and beyond what I ever could have imagined in countless situations and I should never doubt His love and care for me.  Please keep praying as I transition.  I flip-flop from overwhelming excitement to nerves and fear and sadness at the drop of a hat.  But more than any of the emotions, I am confident that I am following the Lord’s leading in my life and I couldn’t be more secure in that.  It is right where I want to be.