i made it!

SOOO VERY TIRED TODAY. HAD HOPED FOR THE SNOW SO I COULD SPEND THIS LAST TIME AT HOME WITH KIDDOS BUT IT WAS NOT TO BE. I WENT TO MY PRACTICUM SITE AND WORKED WITH SOME OF THOSE KIDDOS. PICKED JAKE UP IN "CAR LINE" AND WE MET RUSS FOR LUNCH - HAVEN'T HAD THE CHANCE TO DO THAT IN A WHILE SO THAT WAS NICE. NOW JAKE IS TAKING A NAP - I WISH I WAS ASLEEP WITH HIM!! FINISHING UP SOME SCHOOL WORK - DON'T WANT TO GO TO ASHEVILLE TONIGHT - WANT TO BE WITH MY FAMILY.

I'M READY TO GO - I THINK THE KIDS WILL SETTLE IN FINE ONCE THEY SEE MY PLANE LEAVE - THEY ARE PRETTY WORN OUT WITH THE ANTICIPATION RIGHT NOW.

I HAVE BEEN SO OVERWHELMED WITH PEOPLE'S KINDNESS - OFFER OF HELP FOR THE KIDS AND RUSS WHILE I AM AWAY - ALL THE PRAYERS - I FEEL THEM! AND ALL THE DONATIONS FOR LEAH AND I TO USE FOR NEEDS WE FIND WHEN WE ARRIVE.

I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE - I PRAY THAT GOD WILL GIVE ME STRENGTH - PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, EMOTIONALLY, AND SPIRITUALLY. THIS IS GOING TO BE HARD. I KNOW IT IS A HUGE TRUST ASSIGNMENT FOR ME - I HAVE GROWN SO VERY MUCH IN MY TRUST IN GOD AND HIS PLANS - BUT I HAVE A LOT OF ROOM FOR GROWTH IN THIS AREA.....

PLAYING THE WAITING GAME WITH THE WEATHER RIGHT NOW - WE ARE SUPPOSED TO GET SNOW TONIGHT SO THERE IS A SLIGHT POSSIBILITY WE WILL DRIVE TO CHARLOTTE TONIGHT.....

HOPEFULLY WE CAN UPDATE THIS ALONG THE PLANE RIDES - 1ST PLANE LEAVES CHARLOTTE AT 12:30 TOMORROW AFTERNOON - THEN FROM DETROIT AT 5???? WE WILL BE IN AMSTERDAM FRIDAY MORNING - NAIROBI FRIDAY NIGHT. SHOULD BE IN NAKURU BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON....

IF YOU ARE READING THIS.... PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT - JUST LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK....

Finished up my last day at the CEC - sad to leave those people behind but ready for a few days to focus on my family and tying up loose ends before I leave.

We had a pizza party for the "M&M" kids at church (Missions and ME) - they had bake sales to raise money for uniforms for the kids in Nakuru - we were able to buy 30 uniforms with they money they raised. They also collected small toys for Leah and I to take - we have a humongous suitcase full!! It was so refreshing and it's so encouraging for me to see young children care about others - especially others they have never/'and probably will never meet.

Caleb's teacher let him show his class on the "smartboard" where I will be going - this seemed to be a special thing for him. His teacher (Mrs. Thompson) has been such an amazing blessing to us this year. I know she will make the two weeks I am away easier.

I'm ready to go - just not ready to get on the plane:( having lots of anxiety about that part - pray for me please...

countdown...

So, gonna try to get fancy with this blog now! I'll start with the color and font and see what happens! I spent part of my evening with my two boys - we made a calendar for Jake so he can get this whole trip in perspective. We marked off the days that are already gone in the month and then marked the day I leave and the day I come back. He has some stickers that he will use to mark off the days while I am gone. Caleb picked out some stickers he think will be good like, "you can do it" - how cool to see him being encouraging to his little brother in this way when I know he is experiencing his own anxieties. Caleb and I spent time last week doing a cool map - we drew lines to mark my flight path and wrote down specific details/times so he can "track" me.

Wow... what a ride my life has been here lately - can't believe in two days I will be done with my 3-month stint as Interim Director of Long's Chapel Child Enrichment Center and just four days later..... off to Africa I go. WOW!! I stand in awe of all the exciting, scary, fascinating, puzzling, difficult, humorous, frustrating, tearful, and enlightening ways God is working in my life.

Heart overflowing with love and gratitude for all the blessings in my life - my children - ALL children, my husband, my co-workers at the CEC, my fantastic site supervisor at my Practicum.......