It has actually become real. We left today. This last week has felt surreal. In the time building to my launch I didn’t know how to feel. I was stuck in this place of ready to leave and not wanting to say goodbye. So many seasons of my life have been filled with tension. The more that I live through seasons like this the more I wonder if that is where we grow the most. If the tension is actually healthy and sharpening even though it feels weird and hard sometimes.
I don’t know the answer to that question, but I feel like for me it is where I have found that I grow the most. Something I discovered when I was reflecting today was how much sweeter time with my family has felt because I knew I was leaving for a while. I am thankful to have had the time I had with them, getting to go on our mini vacation, going to bingo, Disneyland, and celebrating the marriage of Chelsea and Ben. These times that I wanted to soak up so that I could have strong memories going into this next year. I am incredibly thankful for the family and friends that I have been given and can not believe that I will be away from them for a year. The amount of support I have received for this trip has blown my mind. For all of you that came to my send off party it was truly a gift to see your face, hug you, and talk to you about what this year will look like. I am thankful for the short time I got with each of you. I am thankful for the ways in which you can love me well by loving my parents while I am gone. Supporting them and surrounding them with the community they need.
While at launch my parents also got to come and go through their own launch. They had sessions with the other parents where they learned more about the medical insurance plan I have, they bonded with other parents over meals, they heard from speakers about what it will be like for me on the race, and we got to spend time together. It was sweet to see the parents of my squad members bond with my parents about their children leaving. I am grateful for parent launch because now I don’t feel like I am leaving my parents without vision for what this next year will look like. They have been given a new support system with the other parents and for that I can not express my thankfulness.
So thank you AIM for thinking though all the pieces of launch and giving my parents a launch into this next year as well.
With that, Adios USA, the next time I blog I’ll be in COLOMBIA!!
