Moving = FUN!

The past few weeks have been super busy with moving-related tasks.  My family has been amazing to help me out!  My sister and my dad have both made multiple trips to my apartment.  And my brother-in-law, his parents, and his aunt and uncle all came to help last Saturday!  All of them have been incredibly generous with their time.  Moving is exhausting but I am so thankful to have had a lot of help.  At this point, all I have left in my apartment is furniture (some to be sold, some to be moved when I actually leave Houston) and clothes to get me through the next week at work! My goal has been to get as much done as possible before my last day of school (a week from tomorrow).  The last two weeks of school are crazy enough even when you aren't moving!

This week has been great because there is really nothing left to do at my apartment except keep working on my thank you notes.  I will never complain about having many, many thank you notes to write.  This is what I have prayed for and God is providing!

Back to the fun of moving - two of my nieces and my nephew have been here on various days helping.  This was my favorite moment of the moving process so far.  While Meredith and I packed, Sarah (age 4) was watching a movie on Netflix and decided to climb into a box. (Fellow Texans may notice her classic t-shirt - "I get cranky without my Blue Bell.") 

I need to give credit where credit is due - Sarah also carried some items down the steps, such as a small wastebasket and a rolled pillow. Haha!  My oldest niece Eva made me this cute picture which has been the only thing on my wall since that day.  I love it! And my nephew Sam swept my entire patio porch for me!  Love those kiddos!  

Two Homes

I cannot believe I never blogged the whole month of April!  It is definitely an indication of how busy things have been lately!

First things first - I am now at about 80% of my fundraising goal! This is a huge praise and also a prayer request for the remaining 20%. If you have been thinking about or praying about becoming a financial partner in my mission, this would be a great time! :)  I have talked to several people lately who did not realize that I am responsible for raising my entire salary while I serve in Budapest.  The school is staffed by missionaries, and all of us raise our own support to remain on the mission field.

Thank you SO much to everyone who has already given to my mission with a financial gift.  I currently have 62 individuals/families who have committed a one-time or monthly gift.  I am incredibly appreciative of your support and prayers as I prepare for this leap of faith!

So, what is new lately?...Well, since mid-March, my entire apartment has been in various stages of disarray as I clean out and move things to my dad's house.  I'll live there over the summer and it will be my home base while I am serving in Budapest.

Moving is just stressful!  There is no way around the clutter  - I'm pulling things out of cabinets and drawers, boxes are everywhere, and I've made more trips to Goodwill than I can count! I have also been cleaning out my classroom (my fellow teachers can appreciate the work that goes into this endeavor, and the crazy month of May in our profession...)! So. Much. To. Do. 

I know that this step of the journey is only the beginning of feeling slightly unsettled about my future for a while.  Leaving this apartment behind is just one step of many I will take over the next few months. When I do get settled in Budapest in early August (God willing!), it will be over 5000 miles away from anywhere I have ever called "home" before.  While I am SO excited about this, there is always an underlying twinge of anxiety with all of the unknowns that lie ahead!  I have felt this way since God called me to pray about missions last November - the difference is that now my physical surroundings reflect the upcoming change in my life.

As I've been turning over these thoughts in my mind lately, God has reminded me I am able to be content in ANY circumstances (Philippians 4:11) if I rely on His strength.  I am praying to joyfully step forward in this new and not-very-normal path that God has placed me on.

 I have been using a small daily calendar for years and its words of wisdom have become very familiar to me.  This one has been coming to mind lately: "Make two homes for thyself my daughter. One actual home...and another spiritual home which thou are to carry with thee always." (Catherine of Sienna)

 So, I am preparing to move twice in three months to "actual homes."  I pray for my time living with my dad over the summer and I pray also for my new home in Budapest (I have a place to live and two roommates - so excited)!  Most of all, I pray to draw nearer to my spiritual home in the heart of God through it all! Please pray for me, as I am often feeling some combination of tired/stressed/anxious/overwhelmed but I am trying to count it all as joy! And I have SO much to be grateful for! Thanks for reading this and caring about my life!