In some ways, Team RADIANT is like the obnoxious Tanner
family from Full House; there is a lot of hugging, we share absolutely
everything, and every time somebody walks out of a room, I yell, “Miss you,
love you!�
family from Full House; there is a lot of hugging, we share absolutely
everything, and every time somebody walks out of a room, I yell, “Miss you,
love you!�
It started out as a joke (kind of), but then Danik and Dorik
picked up on it and it became the funniest/best/cutest thing in the world when
a 17-year-old boy would instantly say, “Miss you, love you!� in a broken
Russian accent whenever I got out of my seat to walk to the kitchen. As a team of six women, we obviously
encourage such behavior, hence “Miss you, love you� is the new team
catchphrase. The boys started writing it
everywhere — on notes to us, in text messages, on the tables. While it started out as funny and endearing,
it quickly became real and I loved it.
picked up on it and it became the funniest/best/cutest thing in the world when
a 17-year-old boy would instantly say, “Miss you, love you!� in a broken
Russian accent whenever I got out of my seat to walk to the kitchen. As a team of six women, we obviously
encourage such behavior, hence “Miss you, love you� is the new team
catchphrase. The boys started writing it
everywhere — on notes to us, in text messages, on the tables. While it started out as funny and endearing,
it quickly became real and I loved it.
Then we had to leave. Danik and Dorik skipped school that morning to see us off at the church;
they arrived two hours before we had to leave and stood around sadly, waiting
for us to ask them to carry something heavy or move a piece of furniture for
us. We all prayed together and when Team
RADIANT climbed into the van, both boys drew hearts in the dirt on all the
windows. They waved until we were out of
sight and that was it. Our team brothers
were gone.
they arrived two hours before we had to leave and stood around sadly, waiting
for us to ask them to carry something heavy or move a piece of furniture for
us. We all prayed together and when Team
RADIANT climbed into the van, both boys drew hearts in the dirt on all the
windows. They waved until we were out of
sight and that was it. Our team brothers
were gone.
I needed Danik and Dorik this month. Taylor, my little brother at home, is one of
my absolute favorite people in the world, and Danik and Dorik filled a
Taylor-void in my heart that I did not fully realize I had. Of course, I knew that I missed my baby brother, but being around these two
young guys with so much potential made me cry because I missed my Taylor so
much. He and Danik could be awesome
friends — they’re both strong men who God has called into greatness. They are both passionate and intelligent and
they fight for what is important. They
both have sensitive spirits and they are both fiercely protective of me, and I
love those qualities in both of them.
Saying goodbye to the boys in Transnistria was hard for a lot of
reasons, but a large part of it was because I felt like I was saying goodbye to
Taylor all over again — and that’s not something that I ever wanted to do
twice.
my absolute favorite people in the world, and Danik and Dorik filled a
Taylor-void in my heart that I did not fully realize I had. Of course, I knew that I missed my baby brother, but being around these two
young guys with so much potential made me cry because I missed my Taylor so
much. He and Danik could be awesome
friends — they’re both strong men who God has called into greatness. They are both passionate and intelligent and
they fight for what is important. They
both have sensitive spirits and they are both fiercely protective of me, and I
love those qualities in both of them.
Saying goodbye to the boys in Transnistria was hard for a lot of
reasons, but a large part of it was because I felt like I was saying goodbye to
Taylor all over again — and that’s not something that I ever wanted to do
twice.
The World Race is the hardest thing that I have ever
done. Ever. We’re all about community and loving people
well and yet as soon as we create that community of love and honor and
friendship, we uproot. We leave behind
the people who hold much of our hearts and start over on another continent. I realized that coming into the Race and this is the
most incredible adventure that I could ever hope for right now — but sometimes,
it just sucks. I will never regret doing
what I am doing. I will never regret
falling love with these people the way that I have. I only wish that I could be in multiple
places at once.
done. Ever. We’re all about community and loving people
well and yet as soon as we create that community of love and honor and
friendship, we uproot. We leave behind
the people who hold much of our hearts and start over on another continent. I realized that coming into the Race and this is the
most incredible adventure that I could ever hope for right now — but sometimes,
it just sucks. I will never regret doing
what I am doing. I will never regret
falling love with these people the way that I have. I only wish that I could be in multiple
places at once.
So to my little brothers, all around the world — I miss you
and I love you. Taylor, happy
birthday. I’m praying that this year is
the best year of your life so far, that you grow in new, unexpected ways, and
that you know the power of God in your life at an unprecedented level.
and I love you. Taylor, happy
birthday. I’m praying that this year is
the best year of your life so far, that you grow in new, unexpected ways, and
that you know the power of God in your life at an unprecedented level.
Miss you, love you — all three of you.
_______________________________________________
Next up — Welcome to the Himalayas!!!
