Today is only the sixth day I have actually been at my home in the last year. I flew back into the United States on the 25th of July and have been on the go ever since. However, it hasn’t all been bad! As a matter of fact, it has been really good. I have had a lot of things change lately, and I want to take the time to catch you all up to what it has looked like.
The Last Couple of months
The last couple months of my race were pretty crazy. If my life is a garden than God spent the last 4 months weeding it. Towards the end of it all I was nothing more than a barren patch of dirt. Granted, some seeds of dreams and desires had been planted, but they were still hidden.
I was at place that I was forced to just sit with God. I knew that he was working and decided the best thing I could do was to just sit back and let him work.
Getting home
We flew into Chicago on the 25th of July after a 14 hour plane ride. Six of the guys on my squad and myself stayed together in Chicago for a couple days. It gave us time to just hang out one more time, talk about things we needed to talk about, and transition slowly back into “the real world.” It was a great time and we went out to eat, went to the zoo, and just spent some quality time together.
One by one people left and my family came to pick me up on the 28th and it was incredible. I was able to see 4 of my youngest siblings and my parents. We went out to eat, went to the pier, and attempted to catch up on the last year of our lives.
As we pulled in the driveway every feeling known to man, and many that probably aren’t yet, came over me. “Im home, I am finally home.” I thought as I walked though the front door. The smell of familiarity filled my nose and mind, and for a second it was as if I had never left. I went upstairs to my room and laid in my bed again. I had no intention of sleeping, I just wanted the familiarity of home again. It was incredible and exactly how I remembered it, but I was alone.
It was so weird I had begged to be alone for the last year. One of the things they don’t stress enough about the World Race is that YOU WILL NEVER BE ALONE for the next 11 months. I prayed a lot on my race, but I feel like most of my prayers sounded something like, “God, please just help me get some alone time!” Now that I was finally alone I hated it, and missed the chaos and companionship everywhere. So after probably 20 minutes I went downstairs to the living room and just sat down with my family. To be honest I didn’t want to talk to them. I just wanted to be around them and enjoy their company.
Camp!
Anyone that has talked to me for more than 5 minutes has probably heard me talk about camp a time or two. Every year I volunteer as a counselor at Royal Family Kids Camps Northeast Iowa. I have traveled the world and experienced some things that would blow most people away, yet that camp is still one of my favorite weeks EVER! This year was no different.
This year at Camp was incredible I can honestly say it was the best year yet, while also being the most challenging. I arrived at Camp still on a high from my recent adventures and the Lord used that to give me tons of energy, which i used completely up by Friday. After going so hard for almost a year my body was out down and needed a break. I got sick and spent the weekend in bed asleep and resting. Regardless of how I was feeling I had more planed. While I was at camp I was asked to come down to Gainesville Georgia and help train the next group of World Racers leaving in October.
Down in Georgia
I flew down to Georgia the 8th of August after a short two days back home. I was asked to be on the team that would train N squad. I was originally a trainer for the squad, which means that I would have to say goodbye to the squad after the 10 days of training camp was over. I really enjoyed being there and building relationships with all of them.
I was on the training team with 3 of my squad mates, who would be traveling with them and leading the squad the first 5-6 months. About half way through training camp I was asked to join the other 3 squad leaders and travel with the squad for the first half. I prayed about it and felt very strongly that this is where the Lord wanted me to go. The next day we told the squad and they were just as excited as I was.
Once we had finished training camp I stayed in Gainesville for my squads Project Searchlight. Basically this is a time when we can get together and debrief the last year of our lives together. It’s a chance to spend time together and hang out as friends and family do.
Afterwards I had the chance to go to Charolette and see my brother before heading back home. I flew home on the 30th and the reunion was even better the second time.
Ever since I have been home I have spent as much time with my family as I can. Life has been incredibly busy since being home and I I am loving every bit of it. I am going to be leaving again soon, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that this month will be incredible.
A lot has changed lately and I hope this blog gives a good idea of what it has looked like. I will be writing a follow up blog going more in depth about what my next trip will look like. I will be in need fundraisng again and will share with you all why I am going back out again. Thank you so much for all your support and I pray that you support me again
