Let me tell you something about me that would surprise you.
I absolutely hate flying.
You probably just laughed, right? Why would the girl who hates flying decide to travel the world in a year and sign up for probably a LOT of flights? Why would she voluntarily fly home for thanksgiving, and plan two separate trips to Texas between now and her Launch Date for the WR?
Flying is a thing I am beyond willing to go through to do the things I love, including visiting my fiancé and family, and travel the world to continue talking about Jesus. In fact, it is SUCH a privilege to be able to travel, to be able to cross the country in a few hours, and I am really thankful for that. I am very fortunate. The opportunities I have ahead of me are very great, and I’m really looking forward to them, however right now, at 30,000 feet in an airplane on my way back to Colorado, I’m reminded of how much I really hate this part. Being in a tin can in the air and hitting turbulence might actually be taking years off my life. I’m so stressed out and ready to be done and my journey home has only just begun. I’ve got a few hours of flight ahead of me. I also look forward to the flights that I don’t have to take alone. Flying alone is less appealing than with a squad of 54 friends.
Life is picking up speed. Thanksgiving has passed, and after lots of snuggles with my parent’s new dog, Gunner, some great family time and some much-needed time with Freddy, I’m heading back to CO to pack up and prepare to drive all of my belongings home to NY. This week home with my family and friends has been so good. Freddy and I had our engagement party and it was so fun, we kept looking at each other in disbelief that, yes, we are in fact having an engagement party and yes, we’re actually getting married! How crazy is that?
Both times I’ve gone home to NY after moving away I’ve been reminded of how great a community I have, in NY and in CO. My friend Annie and I had the party at her house, which she and her parents were happy to throw. My girl Mara spent a morning with me shopping after staying up until 2am the night before with me. I met up with old friends and had a ball, and Annie’s dad took us to Trans-Siberian Orchestra with my mom. To say I was blessed is an understatement.
(Have I mentioned that I hate flying though?) I’m writing right now to get my mind off the fact that I’m on a plane in the middle of the sky. It’s kind of helping… but I’m still counting down the hours until I am in my bed in Colorado.
With thanksgiving behind me, and my visit to NY over, I am on to the next adventure between now and Launch. Yeah, guys, it’s only just beginning. About a year ago, before I knew about the WR my best friend from high school, Alysa and I had a conversation about what we wanted to do for a vacation. We’d talked about going on another road trip, but we’ve done so many of those. We talked about driving to Mexico, but that made our parents nervous, so we opted for a gentler approach – a cruise. We began saving and quickly bought our tickets. That was a year ago and now our tropical Caribbean cruise is only a few days away. Had I known that I would be fundraising and scrambling to make ends meet a few months later, I probably would not have bought this vacation, BUT since we did and it’s nonrefundable, I am beyond excited to relax with my girl for a whole week. We have everything taken care of, and we fly out of Denver on Saturday and will be back next Sunday evening. We’re very excited.
When I return to CO after our little getaway, I will literally take everything I own out of my house in Colorado and load up my car and begin the drive to NY. I’ll stay a night in Nebraska with my mother’s cousin Janelle and her family, then continue to Chicago to visit my man Trevor who is going on the World Race with me. Trevor and I will pick Freddy up at the airport where he is flying to me to help me move the rest of the way home. I’m already excited to be back with him. From Chicago, after a night’s rest, Freddy and I will drive to Cincinnati to visit my Grandmother, whom Freddy has never met. I can’t wait for them to meet. Hopefully we will be able to hang out with my cousins and Aunt and Uncle as well. We will then finish the drive from Cincinnati to Burnt Hills hopefully in under 10 hours. It will be nice to have all my belongings back in one roof, and then I will be Home.
Guys – this next 36 days is going to be packed, full of adventure and love and fun, but I’ll admit – time is getting away from me and I’m nervous (and stressed). I’m leaving for 11 months and haven’t really had that sink in completely. I’m not sure it ever will. I’m going to miss a year of my little siblings lives, and a lot of big events happening in Freddy’s West Point Career will happen with me abroad. That’s hard to be at peace with, but I am trying to find rest in the fact that when I come home I get to marry Freddy. (Woah!)
God has given me life and life to the fullest, as He designed it to be. I’m constantly learning and through these events it’s hard to not be focused on me. I’m trying to live like Christ did, except factor in the airplanes and the car and the smart phone and it certainly makes it less simple. I’m keeping my eyes fixed on him as best as I can, and every time they start to wander He calls me back to him – for that I am so thankful.
This blog serves only two simple purposes – to get me through this flight and to catch ya’ll up on what God has in store. I’m running out of things to write and the flight is not over… but I think I’ll play solitaire. Thank you for your love, loyalty and for being so supportive of this journey I’m on. Having this many people subscribed to my blog is so cool and having all of you loving me is mind blowing. If I go down on this plane (which I’m considering a serious possibility,) I will have known that I was loved immensely and I’m positive that’s what Jesus meant when he talked about life to the fullest.
