On the 19th I turned 28. It was the first birthday I celebrated without family. It was a weird day in general. I had to say goodbye to my wonderful hosts; Al, Shelley, and Caleb who became our family, I missed the time that I actually turned 28 (9:59am) I ALWAYS watch the clock to see it happen, it was a travel day – 4 1/2 ish hours on a bus (I really dislike traveling by bus), got to see some of my squad (which was cool, but overwhelming), 1/2 of my team wanted to go to Vic Falls that night (take a night bus) which McKenzie and I wanted NO part of so we stayed back, then all I wanted was pizza and beer (which we couldn’t find – but then my wonderful teammates Becca and McKenzie got me a doughnut AND found me pizza), traveling to the camp we would be staying at for LDW with the squad after Vic Falls was a MUCH longer process than we all anticipated. It was a long, exhausting day!
I wanted to try to list 27 things I learned in my 27th year, so here we go:
1) How to shuffle cards doing the “bridge,” pathetic that I just learned in Bulgaria…
2) That I AM beautiful
3) I need to process my feelings everyday with the Lord, or else it builds up and I go crazy
4) How to drive a car on the opposite side of the road and on the opposite side of the car
5) That I am a teacher – but that’s not limited to just a school setting
6) I don’t have to put teaching in a box (that I have for the last several years)
7) I will get married, eventually – this year God has placed it on my heart to begin praying for my future husband
8) I really do enjoy coffee, it just needs a ton of sugar, creamer/milk, and flavors are fun
9) Vegetables, when cooked with different spices are actually good
10) I like Indian food – who knew?!
11) I have a lot of passions that I had forgotten about and the Lord has redeemed
12) My relationship with my dad is a special one that I had taken for granted until now
13) I really, really enjoy worshipping – playing a Uke or a guitar and singing my lungs out
14) I learned how to play Settlers of Catan
15) I learned how to play Nerts
16) You CAN lose weight on the Race as a woman
17) India has the BEST chai in the entire world
18) It is possible to only have a week’s worth wardrobe
19) I have grown to enjoy nature and now really see God in every aspect of it
20) I have learned to actually enjoy canoeing, I used to really dislike it
21) Long distance relationships are harder than I thought they were
22) Condensed milk in coffee or tea is literally one of the best things ever (Vietnam knows what’s up)
23) Being active with sports is a hobby that I need to do when I get home, I’ve missed playing sports more than I realized that I did
24) I am drawing deeper conclusions from Biblical Stories/Parables that I have heard since I was little
25) Community is HARD, but SO necessary!
26) I need to stop people pleasing, fearing people’s reactions, placing unrealistic expectations on people
27) How to release control and actually TRUST God with my life/future
My 27th year was one for the books; however, I’m SO excited to see what 28 has in store for me, it IS my favorite number after all so I have a good feeling about it!
