It is starting to get real… The final pieces are really starting to come together, and this week was really the first time that I have consistently started to get that little tingle in my stomach… the “Butterflies”! Last night was a big mile marker for me.
I had to say goodbye to a lot of my friends that are apart of my church family that over the past 8 months have become my true brothers and sisters. A few nights ago they even threw me a surprise camping trip… I MEAN WHO DOES THAT?!? Pete and I where supposed to have some bro time, and he told me that he wanted to go camping one night just him, Caleb and I, but he would give me NO details… He just wanted me to show up and go along for the ride… So once we got to the designated spot, in the darkness, one by one lights started to light up in the distance, they slowly started to move until all the sudden there is a mad dash of lights, and dark figured bodies running right behind those lights, straight at me… I heard screaming and hollerings of “ETHAN!” “BEEFS!” and “HE’S HERE” as they all darted after me. They met me like a 12 foot wave meets a hopeless rock on the shore of an ocean… I had no chance. They jumped on top of me, completely engulfed me in their rush of white frothy excitement! They tackled me to the ground the instantaneously picked me back up like a pack of ants and carried me back to their camp. They sat me down on the tailgate of a dusty old truck bed, lit only by a few strands of dim hanging light and started one-by-one blessing me and encouraging me. 45 minutes had passed, and still people where speaking life and encouragement into me just pumping me up getting me ready for this incredible trip I am about to embark on. The rest of the night consisted camping in hammocks underneath the stars while talking with friends, reminiscing on what the future will hold. Moments like these is when you know you have a home… Witch makes leaving so much easier. If I would have left back in January, like my original hope was, I would have left feeling like an orphan LOOKING for my family… Now though, leaving is going to be so much easier because even though I am leaving, I know where my family and my home is, and now instead of finding my family, I get to make it bigger by introducing God’s awesome tangibility to the rest of the world.
It is August, 27, and I have only about 6 days left until I head to Georgia and meet back up with my team, and head out on this awesome adventure. Until you are actually in this moment, it has hard to tell you what it feels like… There is sadness in telling all of these wonderful people goodbye, but sheer excitement in what is coming! And with so many things happening, it is hard to keep your thoughts straight. I am also going to try to be more diligent in coming back, and writing down my thoughts. I have been making excuses of “that’s not a big enough part of your story” or just not being disciplined enough to write out my thoughts. But here they are, and I can’t wait to tell you about everything that is about to happen in my life.
Love you guys!
Ethan
