Ten Things I'm Loving About Summer 2016!

This is such a wonderful but unusual summer for me - living in Kingwood for the first time in 10 years!  It has been fabulous so far and I am soaking it all in before I depart for Budapest in August!  Here are my top ten things I'm loving right now (in no particular order)!  :)

10. Life without GPS because I know where everything is!  I lived in Houston for 8 years and it was a rare week that I didn't have to look up directions on the map on my phone.  I love being in my hometown and knowing where I am going!

9.  One of my cousins started weekly family dinners this summer and it has been so much fun!  Thank you Maggie! Spending time with my aunt, uncle, cousins, and my sister's family is just the best!

8. This has nothing to do with living at home and everything to do with the fact that it is summer: NO MAKE-UP! See also: WORKOUT CLOTHES EVERY DAY! (whether I work out or not...) See also:  NO HAIR FIXING! I am throwing my hair in a messy bun every day and loving every minute of it!

7. My summer birthday!  I absolutely love having my birthday in June and I always have!  The past few years I have gone with my sister and her kids to Galveston for a beach day on my birthday so this year we continued the tradition.  And my dad had the day off from work so he got to join us!  That evening we had cake and ice cream back at the house.

Me and my sister Meredith!  (Thank you to my sweet friend Amy for my fun new shirt!) 

Matching t-shirts with my cousin Christina!  Love them both with all of my heart! 

Sidenote: I didn't mean to wear only Texas shirts on my birthday but I am more than okay with the fact that it happened! :) 

6. The Kingwood Library! It is two stories and so pretty.  The last time I went it started thundering and raining while I was looking at books and it made me so happy! Few things are better than rain + reading a good book!  Sidenote: If you aren't on GoodReads, get on it.  We can be friends and see what each other is reading!

My stack of books checked out from last week.

5. Spending time with my dad!  He's pretty much my favorite person.  My dad is never in a bad mood - ever.  He literally whistles while he works.  I have had a few minor meltdowns about moving to the other side of the world (just keeping it real, y'all) and my dad always listens with understanding and offers encouragement.  I have cooked dinner a few times and he is always so complimentary because he is the least picky eater on the planet.  I could go on and on!

This was on my birthday beach day in Galveston! 

4. The view out the back windows of our house! My current desk space is the kitchen table which looks out the patio and forest behind my dad's house.  It's so green, and there are always birds chirping!  My favorites are the cardinals and hummingbirds. :)

3. Catching up on my podcasts!  I got way behind throughout May/June and I'm finally getting back to all my old favorites.  If you are a podcast listener, let me know if you have any recommendations!

2. Summer Bible study!  I'm doing this at my hometown church, FPCK!  We are studying the gospel of Mark and I'm really enjoying it!  I'm learning not just about Mark but also more about how to study the Bible and apply it to my life. I love studying God's word with a group of ladies - we are all on a journey together to know God more!

1. My Summer Bucket List!  I have done this the past couple of summers.  I love having a list of things I really want to do (and need to do) while I have the chance.  I still have a lot left to do on it but thankfully I still have about 6 more weeks! :)

I hope all of you are having a wonderful summer so far and that all of my Texas friends are staying as cool as possible! :)




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TeachBeyond Orientation

We gathered on the campus of Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois (just outside Chicago).  There were about 80 missionary candidates preparing to serve with TeachBeyond all across the globe - Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America. 

I specifically want my partners who have made a one-time gift or monthly pledge to know that TeachBeyond is an upstanding agency.  They have 475 members serving in 47 countries. They know what they are doing and provided us new members with so much! This video is less than 2 minutes and shares more about their ministry.  I am so thankful to be a part of TeachBeyond! 

It was wonderful to meet and talk with other people that are on a similar journey. They grouped us with others who will be serving in the same part of the world, so my group was Eastern Europe.  There were people from all over the US and Canada, from all walks of life. Many people have teaching experience but some have been working in other fields. Some are just barely out of college!  All ages and stages were represented: singles, young married couples, families with kids of all ages, and empty nester couples. 

My roommate, Zoe, will be serving at ICSB in the fall as well and I was so happy to connect with her. I could definitely write an entire blog post just about Zoe!  We went from strangers to friends very quickly and had the best time together. Living the dorm/dining hall life, we definitely felt like we were back in college and had a blast goofing off together. We even had the brilliant idea to create a lip sync video (A Whole New World from Aladdin - what else?!)  :) 

We also had the chance to meet two new friends who will be at ICSB, Alina and Anna.  The four of us spent a lot of time and many meals together.  I am so grateful for the chance to get to know them before we all arrive in Budapest!

We started each day with worship and a devotional from a TeachBeyond staff member.  Most of them have served as missionaries themselves so it was wonderful to hear their stories and perspectives.  The TeachBeyond staff led most of our sessions as well.  Just like any challenge or transition you go through in life - the people you gain the most wisdom from are those who "get it" beacuse they have been there and gone through it.  Every day we had sessions on multiple topics.  If it looks overwhelming...it was! :) 

The Organization Structure of TeachBeyond               

Reflections on Calling

Personality’s Impact on Service                              

Cultural Adaptation

Personal Safety                                                         

Country-specific breakout sessions

Faith Integration                                                       

Ministry Partnership

Finance/Insurance/Retirement                              

Third culture kids/Missionary kids

The Transformational Christian Educator             

Cultural Implications in the Classroom

Outreach and Discipleship through Mentoring     

Spiritual Preparedness

Language Learners in the Mainstream Classroom 

Transition Training

On Wednesday we had some free time in the afternoon, so Zoe and I ventured out to the Wheaton’s Main Street area.  We browsed in some shops and enjoyed ice cream at Kilwin’s.  I ordered Traverse City Cherry in honor of my great-aunt Helen (no joke, y'all – she has a cherry farm in Traverse City, Michigan!) :) It was delicious! 

My favorite moment of the entire week came at our dedication service on the last day.  Each name and country of service was called individually, and we all stood.  At the end we took communion and were prayed for specifically by our mission coaches.  

We sang the song “In Christ Alone” which often makes me cry anyway but definitely had me emotional at the end of the week. If you don't know it, my favorite version on YouTube is by Christina Grimmie (who I absolutely loved on The Voice. I am so sad about her unexpected death just a few days ago).  The song is very powerful and each time I hear it, I can’t help but think of singing it at several memorial services I have attended in the past few years.  The presence of the Holy Spirit was incredibly strong with so many voices raised to heaven singing the final verse:

No guilt in life, no fear in death

This is the power of Christ in me

From life's first cry to final breath

Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell, no scheme of man

Can ever pluck me from His hand

Til He returns or calls me home

Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

It seemed that every missionary in the room was singing these words with all of their hearts.  I have seen in my life that the power of Christ is stronger than anything this world can offer and that nothing separates us from His love.  Choosing to serve God in this new way is full of uncertainty but this song describes the truths we stand on.  

I flew home to Houston last Saturday with a heart full of gratitude for such an uplifting week!  It was overwhelming at times but I have the next 7 weeks to soak it all in and prepare for my departure on August 12th!  

Thank you for reading my blog and caring about my life!  I am so honored by your love, support and prayers!

Goin' to Kansas City!

For many years my Mimi’s family has a reunion in Missouri the second weekend of June.  When I was young our family would make a summer trip out of it.  It was great to see all of the extended family and enjoy some time connecting to my dad’s Midwest roots.  We always stayed with my dad’s Uncle John and Aunt Lettie, who were like grandparents to my siblings and me. The past few years I have enjoyed going with my dad and seeing everyone!

We left early on Friday morning and then spent some time shopping on the Plaza before lunch with my Aunt Lettie.  We also went with her to the Liberty Memorial which honors the military 

servicemen of World War I.

 It was really pretty and has a nice view of the city from the top.  

Aunt Lettie has bricks on the Walk of Honor for my Uncle John and her brothers.  My grandfathers and all of my great-uncles served in the military (World War II and the Korean War) so it was special to see the brick with Uncle John’s name on it! These were the only pics I took all weekend, unfortunately!

Saturday was a very full day!  We drove to Sedalia and enjoyed lunch at the family reunion. We stopped in Holden on the way back to visit my sister’s in-laws and had some delicious blackberry cobbler.  That evening we had an early dinner with relatives in Kansas City.  On Sunday morning we attended church with Aunt Lettie and then it was off to the airport. 

My dad’s flight back to Houston was very delayed so he waited with me at my gate to keep me company.  It suddenly hit me that I was going to TeachBeyond Orientation and this whole moving-to-Budapest continues to become more and more real.  I was feeling really anxious about everything and started crying (I cry when I’m nervous…).  I knew I’d be fine once I got there, but I just felt overwhelmed.  I told him, if getting on the plane to Chicago feels like such an ordeal, how on earth am I ever going to get on plane to Budapest?  I am truly excited for this next chapter but as I have shared before, there is always an underlying layer of anxiety surrounding the whole thing!  Nothing upsets me more than the thought of leaving my family behind...

Thankfully my dad is not the type of dad that gets awkward with a gooey show of emotions.  First of all, he can always make me laugh.  He’s so sweet and always understanding.  He reminded me of two things that I needed to hear, that did not feel true at the moment: I am brave and I can do this.  So, I got on the plane, settled my soul and prayed for the week ahead!  More to come in my next post. :) 

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One Hundred Percent!

I am so happy to share that I am now at 100% of my fundraising goal!  Raising financial support for my mission has been such a learning experience.  I never thought I would do something like this but I know God has called me to obedience.  It helped to read and learn about the biblical perpsective of giving, stewardship and support raising.  God gave me this simple verse to hang on to: 

The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it. 

1 Thessalonians 5:24

On March 7th, I took a picture and wrote a note in my Bible next to the verse.  Then I prayed over the stack of support letters, and dropped them in the mail on my way to work. I prayed over each batch of letters I sent out over the next few months. I knew God was in control and that nothing about this endeavor is really up to me.  My prayer was that God would stir hearts to partner with me in sharing His love with little children as a classroom teacher and being a part of the Christian community spreading the gospel across Hungary.     

I prayed to have MANY thank you notes to write and God was faithful - over 100 individuals/families have contributed to my mission! I am so thankful and I have been so encouraged by all of you.  

I am working on a plan to pray for one person/family each week while I serve.  I keep you all in my heart with deep gratitude! 

My greatest need now is PRAYER. See the Prayer Corner tab for specifics! :) And again, thank you for all of the love, prayer and support! 

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Airfare + Life Update!

On June 3rd I received the email from TeachBeyond that airfare for August has been purchased! I am officially leaving Houston for Budapest on Friday August 12th and this whole thing is starting to become very real! 

I am close to being 100% funded for the next 2 years that I plan to serve at ICSB. I have been blessed with 91 individuals/families who have generously given a one-time gift or made a pledge to give monthly while I serve.  Thank you so much! All of my family and friends have been so supportive and I can never thank you enough! 
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The last few weeks have been a whirlwind as I finished up my school year and said some sad goodbyes! I taught at The Regis School for 5 years and it was bittersweet to leave my students and teacher friends behind.  

Yesterday I left apartment #1532 for the last time!  I am definitely not the same person I was when I first moved to Houston in 2008 and I am so grateful for all the lessons God taught me during my time in the city.  

 It has been raining in this part of the country for nearly a month, which has been really fun to deal with while moving.  Thankfully no one in my family has experienced flooding but many people around our city and state are really struggling. On a rare day of sunshine, I went to Galveston with my sister's family, where we enjoyed the beach and an old fashioned ice cream shop on the Strand called LaKing's. 

 For the first time ever, I was able to go to the end of year school programs for my niece (5th grade) and my nephew (1st grade)! Can I just say how lovely it was to be sitting in the audience of a program? I loved every second.  I felt like a mom, right down to being teary eyed through the programs! So proud of their hard work at school but more importantly their character and the people they are becoming.  

I enjoyed their little sister's dance recital, too! You can ask anyone in my family - this girl is a character with so much personality! 

My dad has been so gracious to let me move in for the summer and store so much of my stuff here! He is simply the best and I love him so much! In between helping me move, he spent a week in El Salvador with a group from our church serving with Living Waters (he's on the far right). :) 

It has been great to be back where I grew up in Kingwood. My family moved here in 1986 and it will always feel like home to me.  Last week I was sad thinking about how much I miss my mom and the time we would be sharing together if she were still here.  My parents' 42nd wedding anniversary was June 1st, too.  I struggle with the sense that she is missing out on my life but at the same time, I feel her presence and her love everywhere I go.  The sorrow never goes away but I am striving to choose joy and gratitude...

 It's been great to catch up with my cousins and a few friends.  I am enjoying things like family dinners and going for walks with my dad.  I took this picture from our walk down to Lake Houston last night.  

I'll have another update soon about my TeachBeyond Orientation in Illinois June 12-18th! SO excited to meet fellow missionaries and make some friends! :) 

Thank you for reading about my life and keeping me in your prayers! 

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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!