A blurry time of opposites....
[It's ok if you need to skip to the end for the prayer requests.]
It truly does not seem feasible that at the beginning of this month I was pulling back into mom's driveway completing a 2,984 mi (4,802 km) road trip. It took me through 6 different states, created so many memories, and yet I was glad to finish it.
Ten days ago I completed a 32 hour journey that started in Tennessee, USA and ended in Kampala, Uganda. With that I've officially embarked on another adventure in Africa. But the last month had quite a bit of adventure itself.
Finishing a long road trip
Walks with friends
Making moments into memories
Last minute shopping for various things
Bonfire, grilled hamburgers, and s'mores
Holding a sleeping, growing baby
Drinking last cup of favorite coffee
Countless heart wrenching goodbyes
More driving to see those dear to me just one more time
Packing and packing and more packing
Airports and airplanes
Unpacking and settling
Joyful reunions with friends
Fun in the kitchen with friends
Left: Hours spent on the road to see so many.....totally worth it.
Right: Trying to be present in the moment but wanting a quick snapshot to capture the memory.
. 
Left: Last minute errands with a crazy schedule lead to a moment of walking into a store while eating a waffle. That's acceptable, right?
Right: Learning new recipes and delighting our tastebuds with kitchen adventures full of laughter and some fabulous food!
Looking back through some pictures, I really felt the top picture depicts things so accurately right now.
It is a bit blurry, or maybe a lot blurry.
But there are glimpses of clarity.
There are also brighter times as well as darker times.
The painful, heart wrenching, tearful goodbyes are actually proof of the blessing of so many relationships filled with love, connection, and appreciation.
There is bright excitement in getting back to work but I know it will come with difficult times to get caught up on everything and reach a point that I feel like I have a good grip on things.
Blissful reunions with friends in Uganda mixed with other feelings as they have their own travels which will put long distances between us again.
Some days being back has felt like I'm finally home. (Ironic since the last four months were called home assignment.) Yet other days there are culture differences that hit me like it is the first time I'm on the continent! Being here is so familiar yet there are subtle changes and I feel like I need to learn things that I knew with confidence last year.
The month of April has provided a vast variety of experiences and emotions. Although, it may be only a drop in the bucket for what lies ahead as my journey in Africa continues/begins again.
With a heart of mixed emotions,
love for those near and far,
gratefulness for people and things,
anticipation for what is to come,
Katherine
Prayer points -
[It's ok if you need to skip to the end for the prayer requests.]
SO MUCH in so little time.
It truly does not seem feasible that at the beginning of this month I was pulling back into mom's driveway completing a 2,984 mi (4,802 km) road trip. It took me through 6 different states, created so many memories, and yet I was glad to finish it. Ten days ago I completed a 32 hour journey that started in Tennessee, USA and ended in Kampala, Uganda. With that I've officially embarked on another adventure in Africa. But the last month had quite a bit of adventure itself.
Finishing a long road trip
Walks with friends
Making moments into memories
Last minute shopping for various things
Bonfire, grilled hamburgers, and s'mores
Holding a sleeping, growing baby
Drinking last cup of favorite coffee
Countless heart wrenching goodbyes
More driving to see those dear to me just one more time
Packing and packing and more packing
Airports and airplanes
Unpacking and settling
Joyful reunions with friends
Fun in the kitchen with friends
Left: Hours spent on the road to see so many.....totally worth it.
Right: Trying to be present in the moment but wanting a quick snapshot to capture the memory.
. Left: Last minute errands with a crazy schedule lead to a moment of walking into a store while eating a waffle. That's acceptable, right?
Right: Learning new recipes and delighting our tastebuds with kitchen adventures full of laughter and some fabulous food!
Looking back through some pictures, I really felt the top picture depicts things so accurately right now.
It is a bit blurry, or maybe a lot blurry.
But there are glimpses of clarity.
There are also brighter times as well as darker times.
The painful, heart wrenching, tearful goodbyes are actually proof of the blessing of so many relationships filled with love, connection, and appreciation.
There is bright excitement in getting back to work but I know it will come with difficult times to get caught up on everything and reach a point that I feel like I have a good grip on things.
Blissful reunions with friends in Uganda mixed with other feelings as they have their own travels which will put long distances between us again.
Some days being back has felt like I'm finally home. (Ironic since the last four months were called home assignment.) Yet other days there are culture differences that hit me like it is the first time I'm on the continent! Being here is so familiar yet there are subtle changes and I feel like I need to learn things that I knew with confidence last year.
The month of April has provided a vast variety of experiences and emotions. Although, it may be only a drop in the bucket for what lies ahead as my journey in Africa continues/begins again.
With a heart of mixed emotions,
love for those near and far,
gratefulness for people and things,
anticipation for what is to come,
Katherine
Prayer points -
- that I give myself patience as I get back to work this week, that I don't try to do everything at once and I allow myself a little time to get caught up
- smooth transition from the "honeymoon" of being back into whatever phase is next
- Time management as I set boundaries for work, establish good rest habits, and build relationships with those around me
- New neighbor to be just the right person/family...whoever that may be (The Turkish family has left while I was away which is a little sad to be honest.)
- physical health - it would be so lovely to start off strong and especially start better than last time
- a teachable attitude
- abounding flexibility that is always needed during times of transition
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