Mountaineer, Tamer of the Wild

Back home to Indiana, after 5 days in the Smoky Mountains, I'll say it seems a little flat. My mom and I had a great time - we drove to the highest peak, we hiked to a gorgeous waterfall, we shopped (of course), we even went to a theatre one evening. One day we ate chicken for breakfast and pancakes for lunch, a defiance of routine which my mom believes truly makes it a vacation. I think for both of us it was just a good chance to relax, as we both enjoyed watching movies in the cabin and sleeping in. I had some great morning runs, which gave me some alone time and good opportunities to explore the mountain. My mom and I cooked dinner together every night (she chopped, I cooked, she did the dishes), a perfect arrangement if you ask me. We almost saw a bear, we did see some deer, and we shared our chimney with a family of critters (probably raccoons). An adventure, well yes, measured on an adventure scale adjusted to allow for the mom factor. It is truly amazing the world that God has created for us, and seeing new places just ignites that fire in me to see more! So next stop: Amsterdam (layover in the airport, does that count?), then Ghana here I come. Am I ready? Nope, I packed way too much (I took 34 shirts to Tennessee for 5 days, what's wrong with me?), so my main objective is to fit all of the necessities into my luggage. If I can accomplish this, a true feat for a chronic overpacker, then I'll be able to say that I'm ready. I'm not sure that I'll ever be mentally/emotionally prepared to leave, but I choose to have faith, which calms my anxiety. To my Raleigh friends, I miss you already!!

Perfect!

I love my church! Tonight was the last Tuesday night service that I'll be able to attend until I get back in November, and it was perfect. The worship songs were awesome, the prayer time was extra long, and Greg's sermon was right on. The focus of his message was "what makes a church more than just a building?" For me, becoming a part of the church community has made this church a home for me. From the first time I set foot in our church, everyone has been welcoming - they have taken an interest in me and have encouraged me to become involved. Loren said it well when he said once that we just need to invest in people. And this community of friends has truly invested in one another, making it much more than just a Sunday thing. I am so thankful that we have stumbled upon this wonderful, nurturing community, and it has been one of the things that has truly made North Carolina a home for me. And it's one of the things that I will most miss while I'm gone. But I carry the love of Christ with me as I go, and I am giving myself to the Lord for these months in Africa, hoping that He will use me to make a difference. Saying goodbye tonight was tough, but I feel at peace knowing that my community will keep me in their prayers. I love my church!

Wanted: Full-Time Beach Bum Lifestyle

I love the beach! I spent 4 wonderful days with my family at North Myrtle Beach, possibly #1 on my favorite beach list. After one bad sunburn, three fulfilling morning runs, about 40 hours of sleep, and countless UNO games with 10 and 6 year-olds Aaron and Ethan, I am now sitting at work trying to devise a plan that would allow me to be a beach bum year-round. If anyone has any ideas, other than my often pondered plan to become a trophy wife/soccer mom/gym rat, please offer suggestions! There's something uncomparable to leaving reality, turning off the cell phone, not checking email, just spending days lying under the beach umbrella, taking evening strolls - something special that I can really appreciate. A chance to spend quality time with people, no schedule or commitments. Oh yeah, and did I mention the endless seafood buffet, dang, so good!

best vacation ever

Thank God for vacations! It's smooth sailing from here - work Monday... to the beach for a few days... work the weekend... one week off... to the mountains for a week... home for a week... to Africa for 3 months. I can't think of any better way to spend the next 4 months of my life.
My aunt and uncle are awesome - they have invited me to Myrtle Beach to share part of their vacation. I get to spend a few days with them, which is such a pleasure every time. I get to hang with my cousin Jackie, getting to know her as a newly married woman, and spend some real time with her husband and their boys. And I LOVE Myrtle Beach.
One last weekend of work at Duke, probably the best place I have ever worked - I'll be sad to leave that place for sure. Then a week off in Raleigh, just like a vacation really. It will be therapeutic, packing everything up, preparing for a long trip away from home. Saying goodbye to the place that for a year I have called home - I'm still getting used to the idea of leaving, and I'm looking forward to coming back here in November.
Six days in a cabin with my mother - Pray for my sanity! Just kidding, mom. I think it will be great, continuing our new tradition of mother/daughter trips together. I have been blessed with two already: first the Outer Banks (during a hurricane actually!) and then Charleston. Now the Smoky Mountains... This part of the country is so beautiful, and I'm glad for the opportunity to share the experiencewith my mom. I'm thinking cabin with a great view, mountain hikes, waterfalls, Pancake Pantry (Suzanne and David's favorite place), and quality time with mom. Good, very good.
Back home in Indiana... my checklist of friends to see, including baby Avery who will soon be not a baby anymore. My brother Adam, who is definitely not a baby anymore, soon to start college, a day that I will regretfully miss. My dad, who is still not on board with the idea of my trip to Ghana... but hopefully will come to understand why I need to go. And my reunion with Anne, the one person who shares with me a passion for mission work, a passion for travel, and the person whom I have sat next to on an countless number of flights. Anne, I can't wait to do it again!
Wow, thanks God for this priceless opportunity to spend the next month with my loved ones. I am greateful for this time of preparation, of both physical and mental rest. Again, I give thanks for the opportunity before me, to travel to yet another new place to serve a whole new group of people. I'll say it again, LIFE IS GOOD!

Only a Month!

As my trip to Africa gets closer (we leave in one month), I realize how much I have yet to do in preparation. I'll be gone for three months, unemployed for four, so I have to admit that I am feeling more stressed with each day. I still need to exchange money, get a meningitis vaccination, teach my mom how to pay my bills online, read two books on Ghana, start packing, and move from North Carolina to Indiana. Then, I realize that I only have two more weeks of work (six scheduled days), and a little panic hits as I wonder if I can really afford this time away after all. I can admit that I won't miss the busy 12-hour shifts, but I am sad to leave Duke, where everyone has made me feel right at home for the past year, and my coworkers have been so encouraging and supportive of my decision to leave. I won't miss the North Carolina humidity that fogs up your sunglasses at 6am, but it will definitely be hard to leave my roommates and my church community. I love living in Raleigh, mostly because of the phenomenal people I've met here, and I am truly sad to say goodbye, but I'll be back in four short months... And in the meantime I will spend a week in the Smokies with my mom, a week at home with my family and friends, and three months in a new place with Anne, my best friend and fellow world traveler. Amid the mixed feelings of anxiety, stress and sadness, I am feeling an exciting anticipation for this experience. I think our time in Ghana will fly by, and by the end of our trip we will be sad to leave. I work with a nurse who is from Ghana, and her eyes light up when she speaks of her country and its people. I am excited to see it all for myself, to live alongside these people and to learn about and experience their daily routine. I am most looking forward to feeling that fire again that I only feel when I am doing mission work. Taking some time away from the distractions of my busy, overindulgant life will help me to regain perspective on what is truly important. I have been given yet another opportunity to experience a world very different from my own, and I am so thankful for that. I pray that our hearts be peaceful, that our faith may lead Anne and I through this month of preparation.