last few days at home

this tour...it is not good-bye, it is see you later 
*13 hours until departure...
I do not like good-byes, who does? So I am thinking of it as see you later! (it just so happens that my see you later is 27 months long!)
So this is how I spent my last few days at home.
Monday...
-Coffee with my great friend Michelle (you are awesome and I am so glad that God crossed our paths!)
-Pool time with my mom and sister (this is our home away from home during the summer)

cheese fries! our favorite snack at the pool

-Prayer walk with my dear friends Beth and Dawn (I will miss you so much!)
-Church, so this is how amazing God is...He always is in the moment! I know that this journey has been planned out by God for me. The theme in Jesus Calling for the month of June is that God is with you. (this also happens to be my theme/verse for my adventure! if you remember from my previous post this verse is inscribed in a ring my parents gave me) 

"For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." Isaiah 41:13

During worship time I was thinking of a song that I like and I knew it had to do with seeking Jesus but I just could not think of the words...guess what the next song was! That is right it was the song! (Thank you Jesus! I posted about this song before and you can check it out here.)
Our teaching was from Matthew 8, the story of when Jesus calms the storm. (everything happens for a reason, and I do not think that me hearing this before I leave was a coincidence) I know that I will have storms on my adventure, but I need to remember to have faith and that Jesus is always with me.
-Early birthday! My dear friend B gave me flowers and cheesecake (my favorite!!) 

-Dinner, homemade chicken pot pie (yummy!)

(this is our family plate, usually the plate is given to someone for a special reason, like awesome work in school or moving to another country)
Tuesday...
-Pedicure and lunch with my mom (I love you!)

veggies and hummus!

-I am all packed! So this is what my room has looked like for the past 4 or 5 months! (and anyone who knows me, knows I am a clean freak so it has been kind of driving me nuts! but packing has been such a large task!)

I was stressing over it for awhile...but it all worked out and God was in every detail! (I need to remember to have faith and He will always be with me-even when I am packing!)
So my life has been stuffed into 3 bags, that is right 3!

(I was under the weight limit (48 pounds!) and I even stuffed in a few extras that I was not sure would fit!) God is awesome!
-Dinner, my all time favorite! Enchiladas!! (best last meal ever!)

-My dear friend Carol, who I met on my Haiti trip, gave me this awesome book (Thank you! and I will miss you Carol, I am so glad that I got to know you on our trip to Haiti)

-Church, amazing! Everyone from my church got together and got me a bunch of books and wrote random messages in them! (so I will have surprise messages all along my journey)

It is so amazing to me to see God in all the little things...
-He has allowed me to pack all that I need plus a few comfort items and still be under the weight limit! 
-My last two nights at home just so happened to be church nights! His timing is so perfect! (so thankful to have such an amazing support system and church family)
-That I have been able to enjoy all my favorite things with family and friends
-To be constantly reminded that He is holding my hand (in everything I do that verse pops up!)
-That I have peace about my journey
Who knew all this? GOD DID!
and with that...
See you all later! 

top ten

this weeks tour...getting as much of my Colorado life in as possible, other random things, and a top ten list
*3 days until departure...
On Monday we went to the Rockies game, complete with fireworks (a friend of mine had some tickets he was not able to use, thanks Carl!) 

awesome seats!

best fireworks ever!

On Wednesday I went to dinner with my amazing friend, Dawn! She was one of my leaders on my trip to Haiti. (I will miss her so much!) She gave me this cute gift, with the verse "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take" Proverbs 3:5-6

I love it!

Friday was my last day of work (I will miss the kiddos and all my wonderful co-workers)

all the lady's I work with

Saturday we had a family movie night, we saw The Avengers. (It was awesome!)

Sunday we had a family lunch (complete with grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins) at Mimi's Cafe

I love pasta!

This is how I felt all week...

Sort of like a chicken running around with its head cut off...
My wonderful mom has been making me my favorite meals, here are some of the amazing foods she makes (I am going to miss her home cooking!)

our favorite family meal, hot wings!

cinnamon raisin toast with berry smoothie

homemade mac n' cheese and hot dog

My amazing sister brought me home my last free Dairy Queen (she works there and brings treats home for us)

butterscotch dipped cone

Top ten things I will miss...
1. Family
2. Church family
3. My mom's cooking (more specifically enchiladas)
4. Hiking 14ers (well...hiking in general)
5. Way-FM
6. Veggies and hummus
7. The lady's from work
8. Friends
9. My bed
10. Ice Cream

Micronesia here I come!

this weeks tour...good lucks and good-byes (island party style)
I have had a pretty busy weekend.
But...
I am so glad (and blessed) to have the opportunity to do all of these things before I leave!
1. Dinner and a movie with the other half of my brain. (I share a brain with a co-worker...so much so that when we had dinner we ordered the exact same thing!)
2. Peace Corps send-off brunch. Awesome! I was able to meet Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, people who have just started the application process, and people in the same boat as me-getting ready to leave. (great conversations, and valuable packing advice)
Then...this morning I woke up feeling so unprepared! (more than ever during this whole process) I think because the reality is starting to set in.
Then I read this...

May 6

"Do not search for security in the world you inhabit. You tend to make mental checklists of things you need to do in order to gain control of your life. If only you could check everything off your list, you could relax and be at peace. But the more you work to accomplish that goal, the more things crop up on your list. The harder you try, the more frustrated you become. There is a better way to find security in this life. Instead of scrutinizing your checklist, focus your attention on My Presence with you. This continual contact with Me will keep you in My Peace. Moreover, I will help you sort out what is important and what is not, what needs to be done now and what does not. Fix your eyes not on what is seen (your circumstances), but on what is unseen (My Presence)"

by Sarah Young

Jesus always has the right words at the right time! I still have a checklist (and I always will! that is just the way I am) but I am asking for His guiding hand in what is important and what needs to be put on the back burner.
3. Party! My parents put together a going away party for me. It was so great to see everyone and say good-bye before I go. (I did not even cry!) I was so happy to see family and friends that I have not seen in years!
I was not expecting gifts, but I received some awesome (and very useful) things! (Thank You everyone!)
  ~journals/stationary
  ~books/devotionals
  ~Swiss army knife
  ~collapsible water bottle
  ~travel laundry line (would have never thought of that!)
and this

He will hold your hand Isiah 41:13

I have a thing for stars...this is from my parents with the verse inscribed in the inside. (Thanks mom and dad! I Love You!)
and we took a family photo

Thank you everyone, it means so much to me that I have a HUGE support system! Thank You! Thank You!
God has blessed me!

a little bit of everything

this weeks tour...a little bit of this and a little bit of that
Sometimes I know exactly what to write.
Sometimes I am not so sure, but end up figuring something out.
Today I have no idea! (nothing has been laid on my heart to share)
So...this was my week
1. Received the best gift. (my good friend B gave me all his worship music so I could add it to my iPod, so I would have plenty to listen to while I am away)
2. I was sick in bed for two days. (literally did not move and slept almost the entire time!)
3. When I went back to work, the kiddos were SO excited to see me! Made me happy and sad. (they do not know that I will not be back next year)
4. My great-grandma turned 92! (she planned her own surprise party! and still surprised herself-I guess that will happen when your that age!)

5. Dinner with the girls. (man oh man am I going to miss them!)
Well...that is all I have to say.
Thank you Jesus for free music, rest, being missed by the kiddos, birthdays, and amazing friends! oh and for loving me just as I am!

road trip

this weeks tour...family
For spring break we took our last family vacation.
We went to Missouri to visit my mom's side of the family. Also so I could say good-bye to everyone there before I leave.
It was a great trip!
Hard to say good-bye...but if I think about it I usually see them every two years anyways...so when I am gone it will be a semi-normal length of time before I see them again. (makes it just a little easier to think about the amount of time I will be gone)
Here were some of our adventures...
We went on a hike at the Springfield nature center.

me and my grandpa

my mom and her dad

the family

 Playing with my grandpa's 'toys'. (we all took turns on the 4-wheeler and tractor)

digging some dirt with the tractor (yes, I am wearing a skirt!)

Grampy

my mom on the 4-wheeler

Me

Walking around downtown.

the family

Family Rock Band!

the family

We even went through old pictures...(taking pictures of pictures is hard)

me and my grandpa

my grandma when she was younger

My grandma was a beautiful woman. I know she is looking down from Heaven and very proud of what I am going to do. 
Me and my grandpa have always celebrated our birthdays together because they are only a few days apart. This was on my 1st birthday, and of course being his funny self has the extinguisher for all his candles!
My cousin made this for me. (Thank you Aaron!)

my gift for my adventure

He wanted to make me something special for my trip. He is very artistic and talented. (he did not know that green was my favorite color or that amethyst is my birthstone...guess God let him know, I love how God has been in even the smallest of details while preparing me for my adventure)


This is my family...of course for one of our last family pictures everyone has to be normal (normal for us is having a good time and being silly!)

my family

I know I will be sad when I leave my family...but I know that they love me and support me and will always be praying for me!

has it really been 10 years!?

this weeks tour...The Experience 
this past week my church celebrated 10 years!
a couple of weeks ago my pastor (whom i will call PM) asked if i would share my story of how The Experience has affected my life.
i said yes (but deep inside i was saying no because i do not like speaking in front of large groups-even if i know all the people)
this is my story...
-10 years ago i would have never pictured myself standing up here talking to you, and i am sure many of you would have thought the same thing. i also would have never imagined that the things i am going to share with you, would happen to me

-i think many of you would agree if i said i am not the same person i was 10 years ago

-the truth is i am the same person, just more of who i am in Christ

-yes The Experience has changed me, but i have always been who i am, The Experience and the people in this community have helped me find who i am in Christ

-God gives each of us a toolbox, filled with various tools, to help us get through life
-my toolbox has been filled with many things in life, whether i chose to use them or not was up to me
-The Experience has been and always will be the largest compartment in my toolbox filled with many tools, and each one of you in this community has been a tool, and a blessing, in my life. you all have been vital tools in helping me realize the person i have always been, through experiences and new adventures i would have never thought of doing on my own

-i was and still am a quiet behind the scenes person, even as little as a year ago, i would have never imagined all the things that God has showed me and placed in my life

-here at The Experience you learn to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. stepping forward in faith is hard and scary, but God never asks us to do easy things when He wants us to follow Him

-for me it all began with hiking...i started to step out of my comfort zone only to realize that i have a love for the outdoors and that is where i feel closest to God. thank you PM for setting these trips up

-i even stepped out on my own and began going to singles groups at other church's and was asked to be a group leader and plan things for the group to do and made many new friends

-then last year, i think was my biggest or most noticeable change, i decided to step out even further and go on my first mission trip to Haiti. who knew? GOD DID!

-i never would have realized before all the things that God had planned for me, but through The Experience i have been given the chance to try things and grow and realize things i love. like hiking, missions, and community

-i have no idea what the future holds, but i do know that God holds my future and He has used and is using The Experience to stretch me

-as PM would say here at The Experience ‘you are changed for the ordinary’ you will never again be the you you were, but the you you always were and meant to be

-my next adventure is the Peace Corps, it is an exciting new adventure, to grow closer to God, and the me that God created me to be

-i saw a t-shirt the other day that really spoke to me as i have fears of leaving my family/community it said... God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called. Jacob was a cheater, Peter had a temper, David had an affair, Noah got drunk, Jonah ran from God, Paul was a murderer, Gideon was insecure, Miriam was a gossiper, Martha was a worrier, Sarah was impatient, Moses stuttered, Zaccheus was short, and Abraham was old.

-i have been called, and at times it is scary and i have no idea why He called me. but i am choosing to be obedient and with time He will show me

-i am forever grateful for PM and The Experience community, whom i consider my second family, and how it has affected my life
needless to say i am going to miss my church family very much!
i know that Jesus placed The Experience, and all the members of the community in my life to prepare me for this amazing journey with the Peace Corps.