First let's back track a bit to the past several weeks. Two weeks ago I piled all of my belongs into a U-Haul trailer and two cars and made the 5 hour drive from Wildwood, MO to my new home here in Fayetteville. My mom and Kevin came along to help me move and that was such a blessing! I could not have done it without thier help for sure. On that Friday we got me all moved in and settled. I got to meet two of my roomates and spend my very first night in my new apartment. Then the next morning I woke up and said goodbye to my mom and Kev as they headed back to STL. I also got on the road, headed the opposite direction to Conway, AR. I got to meet up with two wonderful teamates and sweet friends of mine from my time in Australia and we got to spend the day together. Justin is going to school in Conway, which is basically the half-way mark b/tw Emily and I so she came and met me there. We helped Justin move into his dorm, making fun of some of the halrious things in his possession as he unpacked everything! We had wonderful lunch togeter full of sweet conversations of all the Lord had been doing in each of our lives over the past months and weeks. Then we headed back to campus and hung out a while more until it was time to go and then I followed Emily to her hometown in Jonesboro, AR where I got to spend the night at her place. This time together was so precious and much needed! We stayed up way too late just getting to catch up and talk about how incredble our God and just getting to encourage one another in our walks. It was a beautiful time I would not trade for anything. The next morning I got to wake up and go to church with Emily to a precious church where her dad is pastor. I was blessed to learn from Em as she taught the youth prior to the service as well. Just seeing the unity among the body in this small town was such a beautiful thing to me. Everyone, no matter how different or how alike, just seemed like family and the love in that place was unmistakable. After a deliciouis lunch with the Emily and her family I was back on the road once again, headed home to STL.
It was really a weird thing coming home. I felt like I just went on this little vacation and now I was going back home just like normal. However, soon enough I would realize the next time I returned to AR, it would be my new home!
Upon arriving home I spent the next four days/nights going going going non-stop. We had our last college bible study with the Cosseys which is something I am going to miss dearly. Then on Monday I had my last day of nannying my precious boys and it was sooo difficult to say goodbye....Cole, the younger of the two boys, was so sweet. About 45mins after I had left, he called my phone balling his eyes out that I was leaving and asking me to promise to come back and see him soon. Soooo precious! Despite challenges here and there, I could not have asked for a more incredible family to have spent my time with this past year and I miss them so much already.
From work I headed straight downtown with Ashley to have a "going away" dinner at Maggianos. It was delicious! I was so blessed to get to have this sweet time just to spend with Ash and talk about many different things. Afterwards, she showed me some of the thigns she and her fiancee had registered for and then we went to this amAAzing place Anthropolgie! Her favorite store that I had yet to have gone to...which is a good thing because of course I love everything in it and it is way out of my price range!! But she was all about speaking my love language that night which I sooo loved of course and she asked if she could buy me a notebook because the very first time we hung out she bought me one and would write verses in it for me to memorize and reflect upon. It really wasnt even the fact that she wanted to buy me the notebook, but the fact that she remembered that and wanted to make this night significant and special to me....she is just sooo sweet! Then I was totally thrown off (though she never lied directly) to come back to Ash's to find some very wonderful girls waiting to surprise me! As they jumped out from behind the couch I was totally caught off gaurd and blown away...for a minute the thought literally went through my head that I just ruined someone else's surprise party! It was so unexpected and usually I never fall for that kind of thing, probably b/c I am usually the one behind it! It was such a fun night of brownies, memories, and sweet friends all who have just been such an encouragement in my life. Thanks sooo much for speaking my love language Ash :)
On Tuesday I packed awhile and got to visit with some of my motherly figures/mentors and women who have just selflessly poured and poued into my life day after day. I got to have coffee with my precious Mama Fogt and our time together was so wonderful just to catch up on life and share all the Lord had done these past few weeks. Then later in the afternoon I got to go spend some time with Kelli and Shelly who just poured Truth into my life as always and listened to me babble about all of my fears, doubts, excitement, and struggles! These are two of the most solid, selfess, beautiful, loving, and wise women I have ever known and the Lord has just so greatly blessed me by allowing me to be apart of thier lives! Thank you both....I love and miss you sooooo much! Then Tuesday night I got to spend celebrating 20 years of life with my bestest friend Lesley. What a gift she is in my life! We went to a wonderful dinner at guess where? Maggianos!! Yup, thats two night in a row for me of spagetti and meatballs...oh well Ash let my leftovers rot from the night before so it worked out anyway! We just had some great conversation and time together. Then we went back and watched a movie which I slept through as usual and enjoyed some delisious smores and oreo balls with a few more friends.
On wednesday I spent most of the day with Ash helping her with some wedding stuff, errands, lunch with the ZOE gang at Chickfila and finished packing. Got to have one last dinner with Les before we both left the next morning to drive opposite directions across the world :( Then went to an incredible night of ZOE where we praised God i worship and learned about the Holy Spirit from Phillip. I got to say many final goodbyes, though it was still yet to hit me I was really leaving Zoe. Ash was so gracious to allow me to spend my last night in her bed, my favorite place to be! Then I woke up bright and early and began the five hr drive to Arkansas! More to come!
But you will not leave in haste or go in flight: for the LORD will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard. Isaiah 52:12
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