When I turned 27 last year I was terrified.
Why?
The day before my birthday and the day OF my birthday letters were going out to the preschool families about the fact that I was going on the world race and wouldn't be coming back to the preschool in the fall.
Not to mention the day before that I had to make another unmentioned big decision.
Needless to say the build up to 27 was a bit insane.
And then it happened- 27 amidst my friends, good Italian food and martinis.
It's been crazy. The first 7 months of 27 were filled with A LOT.
June held saying goodbye to my preschool family, my 3rd year of RFKC which was insanely hard.
July held fun, sun, Orange County goodness, and VBS.
It also held hanging out with my brother Corey and his kids for awhile. Which in retrospect was beautiful.
July also was when nsquad truly started to form. Skyping, chatting, texting and phone calls.
August it got real. I wasn't going back to the preschool (except to ya know, teach them how to use the laminator) and I was on the precipice of making the decision of when to leave the OC.
September was my last month.
Just thinking about it now brings tears to my eyes. Leaving that place, the home, my heart.
The last weekend in September after an early morning at Disney, my roommates and I loaded up my dads truck, took a shot of tequila together and I said bye to the first home I could call my own.
I cried a good way down the 405.
October was a blur; more hanging out with my brother & his kids; training camp; reunion with the undergrad girls.
November and December brought this time of being able to spend most waking hours with my best friend as I continued to prepare for the race.
I got one more OC trip in there in the month of December- complete with wedding dress fittings, Disneyland, all of my favorite coffee and so much more.
And then January came.
I don't think I can even attempt to rehash my first 5 months of the world race. You can read my other blogs.
But I can say this.
Being 27 turned my world upside down.
I said goodbye, so long, see you later, to people and places that I cherish.
I've seen God move on 3 different continents.
I've heard his voice so clearly in my head.
I've experienced loss in more ways than I ever thought possible.
I've realized the people who are actually my friends and cheerleaders.
So yes, 27 started out terrifying
And I am being completely honest it ended terrifying.
The clock clicked over to June 1 while I stood in the Istanbul airport about to board a flight to my 4th continent of the year and my most favorite country.
I type this on my phone at 3 in the morning watching the newest die hard and sipping some coffee.
27 ended with some feelings of trepidation.
28 began with newness.
[veracity at the Johanessburg airport the morning of my birthday]
27 was amazing
28 will be epic.
I am going to spend the first half of my 28th year in 6 different countries.
I may be in my late twenties.
But lets do this.
Here is to 28. A year of freedom, victory, adventure , tears, laughter and probably some sadness.
Here is to 28.
I'm officially a little over two weeks into 28. So far it's held the follow:
Worshipping with MOST of Nsquad in the Johannesburg train station
Starting month 6 in a guava farm outside of Capetown
Holding babies over a span of 12 hour shifts
picking guavas with workers
leading a devotion in front of those workers.
curling up every night in a shed between two of my good friends
spending each day wearing most of the clothes I have on the race
getting a chance to glance at table mountain daily
relishing in the fact that I am in FACT in South Africa
getting to spend time with the wonderful women of team Radiant
seeing the joyful faces of the kids in squatter camps.
28 is AMAZING.
[if you'd like to help my 28 to be continually amazing feel free to click support! ALSO if you have any questions, comments or whatever- comment below or click questions on the side!]
