Time With Friends

LG and Bill
Summer has arrived and the community meals at Colonial Park Apts. are in full swing! Gonna miss this!
Tuesday Night Ladies...You have blessed my life, more than you'll ever know!
Celebrating Jen's B-day out in P-town.
Miss Lauren, Tennessee bound.

The Heat Is Just Preparing Me For Florida

Kind of a selfish outlook on the weather we had earlier this week, but I keep thinking, "Maybe this is how hot it will be." Unfortunately, humidity is a whole added factor. Fortunately, I am under the impression A/C exsists everywhere! I finally started packing Saturday. What a mess to live surrounded by boxes and now this will be my lifestyle for the next few months. I'm adjusting and learning to just go with it. Pura Vida. Esta Bien. Relax and just keep living.

I am still in unbelief at actually making this move. Yes, all the preparations are being made and here I go, but I'm confused by my feelings. Sometimes, I can't believe it. Other times, I am perplexed at the fact that this opportunity is in Florida (of all places, can I get any further away in the US? I think Hawaii might even be closer to home;)! ) Sometimes, I feel sad. But in all, I come back to how the Lord knew just how these circumstances would have to fall into place to move me along. How Cuba turned me to Costa Rica which is now taking me to Florida. And it has all worked itself out so nicely. I am heading out of Vancouver with a great sense of expectancy. I did, however, already warn Leah that she will have to drive the first leg as I have a feeling I may be in a big slump in the passenger seat shedding a few tears of sadness, joy, and thankfulness. There is a sense of peace brought on by the awareness of "He's thinking of me."
I'll be keeping you posted. Happy 4th of July to all of you.

I'm Going to Miss This!

Faith In the Unseen

Another picture from Costa Rica...an evident implication of faith. We were on a canopy tour in the cloud forest outside of Monteverde. You can see the cable heading into the clouds and the aparatus for strapping on, but the rest was unknown!

Florida Countdown

Ok, so I've never made a move quite like this and figuring it out is really not that fun. It's like buying a car...you hope it's a good deal and that in the end you'll have found the right fit for all your needs. (P.S. when I signed the papers to buy my car I told my mom I needed to go to the bathroom and throw up...she laughed, I survived!) I've been simplifying my belongings...will I really need a ski jacket in FL, do I need to take a bazillion boxes of Christmas decorations, and all those old college books!?!?! I was a pack-rat back in the day, then I began to move from dormroom to apt. to house to apt. etc and realized it is better for me to be clutter free! These days it is more of a minimalist mentality-clean, neat, orderly...your laughing if you know me and you are laughing even harder if you've lived with me!!!

The days have been full of visits and I expect they will be up to day of departure. My neighbor Leah (who visited me in Costa Rica) will be driving across the country with me. We have been mapping out our route through the southern states and hoping to stop in Santa Fe, San Antonio, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and then on to Orlando. If you've traveled this way and have some suggestions, leave them in the comments!

Leah K. and Jen (neighbors) at Urban Fondue! A Portland favorite.

Hey Family and Friends,
I'm sorry if I haven't been able to personally talk with you to share the news, but want to let all of you know I was offered and I have accepted the position in Orlando beginning July 15th! (You can start making your reservations now for coming to see me and 'Mickey'!) If your asking, "what are you talking about?" (sorry this is the first you have heard) at the end of my time in Costa Rica I had the opportunity to play tour guide for one of the speakers of the convention being held in San Jose. He, Greg Wiens, is the State Pastor for the Church of God in Florida and he invited me to fly down to meet his staff and explore the idea of going to work there. I spent the Memorial day weekend in Orlando with Greg and his family meeting the staff, talking about the position, and seeing the city. Since my return from Costa Rica in late March, I have been processing through all that this could potentially be so it was an easier decision once I was finally there and had more of the details. The specifics: I will be working in the Resource Center, administrative/personnel sorts of things as well as directing the missions aspect of the state...leading experiences (yes, my trips to Cuba and other places will be part of my job!!!!!!!) organizing and coordinating with other churches, and many other things that fall in between. It really feels like such a great opportunity, but of course it has it difficulties in being on the other side of the country. After such a great weekend, I was at the airport waiting at my gate and I am sure everyone there thought I had been to or was going to a funeral. Every new chapter means there is another closing and moving away from family and friends is not on my list of "Top 10 things to do before you die!" Yet, I keep hearing, "this is the time to do it" and as my friend Elmo told me after sharing the news with him, "I say go for it!" So, here I am...going for it!