Time really does fly

The old saying, "Time flies when your having fun" has been so true of my vacation. In some ways I feel like I just got home, but it can't be true because I return to Peru a week from today!

It's been a great vacation catching up with friends, spending Christmas with my family, shopping, and enjoying all things American.

I have a busy couple of weeks when I return. Three trips are already planned for January and I get the privilege of staying with some adorable little boys while their baby sister is born and in the hospital with Mom and Dad. What a great way to start the New Year!

Please pray for my Dad this week. He is preparing for Comps for his Doctorate and working/studying incredibly hard. It's a lot of information and very stressful.

Thanks for loving, supporting and encouraging me!

Whirlwind of a week

I promise I haven't forgotten to blog! It has been a whirlwind of a week. I arrived in the United States 8 days ago and have been on the go ever since. I had a crazy 36 hours in Richmond squeezing in dress fittings, wedding shoe shopping, hair cut, dinner with friends, a midnight run to Walmart and much more.

My brother got married on Saturday in Oklahoma. It was a beautiful ceremony and reception that I am so incredibly thankful that I was there for. I had the best time catching up with my extended family. I couldn't stop hugging everyone! I was also the most emotional version of me at the rehearsal. I'm practicing my best bridesmaid walk down the isle, smiling, walking towards my brother and could not stop crying! I was so overcome by emotion realizing that my baby brother was getting married. Have no fear, I totally kept it together for the real wedding and didn't shed a tear.

Shopping has been interesting in the States because everything is available! I walk around in amazement at all the new products. I literally got dizzy in Sam's Club seeing the quantity of items and couldn't decide what kind of lotion to buy in Bath & Body Works and walked out with none!

I have two weeks left of my vacation and get to spend it all at home. I'm pumped.

Merry Christmas to all! I hope that you and your loved ones have a wonderful season celebrating the birth of our Savior!

'Tis the Season for Giving

I have an entirely new appreciation and love for people who give. Sacrificially give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering to support IMB missionaries. I am blessed to be supported by Southern Baptist who give every year. With the economic decline in the past year, the IMB has also been impacted. As a result, changes are being made and the effects are being felt overseas as well. With giving being down, the number of missionaries being sent in 2010 has decreased. The task to go and make disciples of all nations is still huge. The nations coming to know Christ is urgent, and missionaries are still needed. Please prayerfully consider your offering to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering this year.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your prayers and support. I can't express how much it means to me.

Success!

Everything went very smoothly today with the move, once the movers showed up. They had to clear out my new apartment before they could pick up my furniture, and it took a little longer than expected. Other than that, the whole move only took an hour and a half.

I'm starting to settle in. About half the kitchen is unpacked and I've found the sheets for my bed, so a good night's sleep is in the very near future. Thank you so much for your prayers today!

Moving Day

Later this morning I'll lock up the apartment that Christine and I have shared for the last 8 months for the last time. Since Christine has left, it doesn't make sense for me to keep our huge 3 bedroom apartment to myself, so I'm bound for a cute 1 bedroom. Please pray that everything goes smoothly today with the movers. The last move went flawlessly and I'm hoping to have a repeat experience.

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! Instead of writing today, I thought I'd share a picture collage of some of the things that I'm thankful for. I hope you all have a wonderful day with those most special to you.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Thankful for freedom to share

When I arrived at church this morning, the sanctuary was packed out. It was the third service of the morning and I have never seen so many people at church before. At first I thought, where in the world am I going to sit? My "normal" section is full and I'm going to have to sit at the top of the bleachers. This ended up being true. From my seat, I could see the entire sanctuary and was blessed to see people continuing to pile in the room to worship and hear from Pastor Marcus Witt. He is a well known pastor and evangelist in Middle and South America, kind of like David Platt is in the United States. Anyway, the worship at my church is incredible and always a blessing. I love to worship in Spanish. As I sat and watch I was reminded of the freedom to worship in Peru. I have friends around the world who can't worship publicly. I am so thankful to be able to share the message of Christ freely and for friends around the world who are diligently sharing Christ in anyway that they can.