I think the easiest way to catch up on the last few months is to do it chronologically. So here we go... :-D
March: Joy & Andy get engaged!!!
Shortly after my last post, my best friend Joy, whom I moved to Colorado with, became engaged and I became what we lovingly refer to as the MOH (Maid of Honor.) It's been an exciting whirlwind of dress shopping, bridal shower and bachelorette party planning, flower and music talk etc. I am more than thrilled to stand beside my best friend as she marries Andy Getz, the first friend we made when we came to Colorado.
I get to wear a VERY pretty dress and I just love being the "MOH!"
April/May: Candidate Orientation
I finally got the hang of Candidate Orientation this time around and felt so at ease with this crew! The Orientation class once again bonded and I can honestly say this class kept me on my feet more than any other has in the past. The very first day this group was kicked out of 3 stores as they waited for their counseling appointments. LOL. Not for bad reasons though...just for very funny reasons! They made me laugh & we created some awesome memories!
June: It was off to Summer Institute, 10 days to learn more about the YFC Ministries as well as to get to know the Missionaries serving with World Outreach. It was incredible!
The girls at Summer Institute!
The whole World Outreach crew.
June 11th was a hard day for me. My mom called while I was at Summer Institute with news that my golden retriever, (whom I got for my 15th birthday,) Shea was dying and it was time to put her to sleep. We'd never imagined that this day would come and I'd be right in the middle of all my travel. I had to say goodbye to her on the phone and cried myself to sleep that night. It was hard to keep a smile on my face for the rest of Summer Institute but I had some amazing friends by my side while I was away from home.
June 16th: I got on the plane sick. That's right, SICK, and flew to Monterrey, Mexico for my very first Project Serve Mission experience. I had one day to get over the fact that I couldn't hear anything (thanks to the descent in the airplane and to my clogged sinus') and that I felt horrible, because this team depended greatly on myself and the other leader who was also sick! It was one of the most challenging trips I've ever been on but man was it amazing! I learned heaps on the first trip I've ever co-led. Every morning we worked on service projects around the area; mixing cement, digging trenches, painting, using a machete on 5 foot weeds and did I mention mixing cement? It was NOT an easy job! In the afternoon we spent time with the local children doing vbs' or just playing with them. God taught me a lot about what it means to be a good leader and communicator with everyone around you. It was hard communicating with the local pastors and the ladies that were serving us and I quickly learned that the common connection in regards to language is love. The people in Monterrey, Mexico loved us and I made some amazing bonds as we served alongside our brothers & sisters.
Diana and her cousins- they followed me around a lot and even though we couldn't talk much, we really enjoyed each other's company.
The kids praying at a VBS- God is good!
Tons of kids running around everywhere. Can you imagine the response I got when I said "Lights out!"?
Mixing cement is HARD work. Thank goodness for the shade...
My team were slightly 'different.' :) This was the team pose.
July: First it was off the family reunion in Montana. I drove with my aunt Peggy and her friend Bennie and we stopped in Jackson Hole, WY (check out the amazing picture of the Grand Tetons!) We had an awesome time on the drive and seeing my parents and my brother in Montana was perfect. I got some really great quality time with my lil bro and got to see a lot of family I hadn't in awhile. It was a very special weekend.
Chris O visited me on his way to the West Coast. Chris serves with the Military Youth Ministry and became a good friend of mine at Summer Institute. Getting to have dinner with him and talk about life in YFC was awesome!
I turned 26 and it was easier than turning 25 believe it or not! A few of my closest friends took me to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner. It was a blast...except for a few disappointments...
This face cannot begin to describe how I felt when I learned they no longer served my favorite Cheese Cake at the restaurant. No more heath!!! :(
Rebecca arrived in July to assist me in World Outreach! Rebecca and I have been friends for several years and went to college together so it was a nice reunion when she arrived. She adds so much to the office as well as to my life and I don't know what I would do without her?! She's a huge blessing.I survived my 4th Candidate Orientation and I was on a role! We accepted 4 new missionaries to serve with us and by this time I felt like a pro. Get ready...we're going to change things up again though! Never get too comfortable :-P
Praying over the Candidates:
August:
1. First up was planning days for the World Outreach staff. It was a lot of fun as everyone came together from all over the US to begin to plan for the next year. We started off our time at the Willow Creek Leadership Conference at a satellite center- then we went to a Rockies game and had a 'favorite decades' themed picnic party. I think it got a bit out of hand but no one can say it wasn't a blast! Who know we had such good karaoke singers?!?
Rockies game:
Take me to a ball game and give me a brat, I'm a happy girl!
The World Outreach Picnic at Royals house:
Can you tell that I planned the picnic? It wouldn't have been complete without costumes and karaoke!
Hot team!!!
Men singing!Woah there tiger...
2. LeeAnn arrives! LeeAnn is one of our missionaries who is planning to serve in New Zealand starting July 08 but she's also become an awesome friend of mine! She visited me for 6 days in August and we hiked in the Garden of the god's, laughed until our sides hurt, watched countless episodes of "Lost" while we ate mozzarella sticks, talked about everything imaginable and just had an amazing time bonding!
Garden of the Gods
LeeAnn and me at my favorite restaurant, Rock Yard
August 18: Joy's Bridal Shower
We had such a good time!!! I think Joy enjoyed all her presents...well at least A will :) And we had a great time celebrating the approaching day with her!
The Bride's Maids (well, two of them!)
Our flowers! I wish I had my eyes open!!!!!!!!
Kara really liked the game where you got to model the gift...
In this case it was a rolling pin!!!! :-D
Joy's about to open my gift...can you tell I'm excited and she's a bit scared??? It was AWESOME!!!!August/September: Last minute I decided to fly out to Arizona to visit my parents! I got there on a night when there was an amazing sunset and got some good pictures :) We had a blast playing cards, talking, going to movies, and just relaxing together. I read a book for pleasure for the first time in about a year!!!!
Me and mom in front of the "perfect two armed cactus" my dad found for me!
Amazing...absolutely gorgeous! Who can look at this and not agree that God is amazing?
Right before a big storm moved in, I caught this shot. I think it's awesome!
Well, that's it! That's a snap shot at the past 5 months of my life. Feel caught up? I know I feel tired just looking at it!
Fun facts for the summer:
1. Traveled to Indiana, Mexico, Wyoming, Montana & Arizona.
2. 4 missionaries visited me (one from Germany, one on her way to Benin, West Africa, one going to New Zealand and one who's served in 4 countries with MCYM)
3. 3 guests not with YFC have visited this summer
4. I became a MOH for both Joy and my younger sister Helena (she's getting married next May!)
5. I've planned 6 parties this summer
6. I moved into my apartment 3 months ago and have never spent more than two weeks a month in the apartment.
7. I have yet to use the pool...
8. Riley, my cat, has had 4 people other than me take care of him this summer!
9. I've seen my parents 4 times in 3 months- a record for us!
10. I celebrated living in Colorado for 3 years in August and 1 year at YFC on August 28th.
11. I watched 2 seasons of Lost in two weeks (hey...I wasn't sure if I would actually get it done if I didn't!)
12. In the last year, I've flown 10 separate times (the only month I did not fly was July...but I did drive to Montana in July!)
It's been a busy and VERY fun summer! God continually blesses me abundantly. I'm a lucky girl!
