Two of My Most Favorite People

This morning I said goodbye to two of my most favorite people!  My brother and sister-in-law took off on a new adventure to Costa Rica this morning.  They have committed to serve with the Peace Corps for 27 months!  I have been so blessed to have such an amazing brother and sister-in-law.

I have been right by Braden's side pestering him since he was a year and a half old.  I think mom and dad wondered if the two of us were ever going to get along!  I'm pretty sure Braden often wondered if I was ever going to be quiet long enough for him to get a word in.  Once the little sister was born Braden and I started to team up to defend our home turf and we had fun giving Brennan a hard time about everything!  Even though Braden and I fought a lot throughout middle school and even some in high school I have always known that he would do absolutely anything to protect me.

I still remember my freshmen year of high school dad woke us up one night because there was a tornado headed towards our neighborhood.  I remember taking shelter in the closet and being really scared.  We were all piled into a little bitty space with a ton of blankets and pillows.  Braden was right next to me and he must have heard me crying because the next thing I know he grabbed my hand and told me over and over, "It's going to be alright.  It's going to be alright."  He's been pretty much the best big brother ever!  I've always known that he was only a phone call away and would drop anything to help his little sis.

I think that is what makes this move the hardest.  I'm so excited for Him and Erin, but I am going to miss having that lifeline!  It's hard knowing that two of my best friends are now not only a phone call away.  Selfishly I want them close, but I know that God has beautiful and amazing plans for them in Costa Rica!

When I look at how all of the plans have unfolded there is no doubt in my mind that His hand of grace and love has been all over this path!  Our faithful God has opened these doors for Braden and Erin in His perfect and faithful timing!  Although two years seems like quite a long time, I know that it will pass quickly and  before I know it my big bro and sis will be back in the states putting my Spanish degree to shame!

I can't wait to hear about all of the wonderful things that our Lord does through them while they are there.  I pray that they will be challenged daily to lean fully on Him and trust that every word that He has given us is true!  I pray that He will keep them safe and use them to be a light to His most holy name.  I pray that through them somebody's eternity will be changed and that their faith will be strengthened in amazing ways.

I'm so blessed to have these two amazing people in my life!  I'm looking forward to going to visit them on the beach really soon!!!

What I Want More!

My family and friends from back home are so so special to me!  I cherish the time that I get to spend with them!  I still tear up every time I leave my parents' house to drive back home to Little Rock! I miss them a lot!  I miss spending countless hours laughing with my little sister.  I miss Kristin's endless energy and love for life.  I miss shopping and watching movies with the sister-in-law.  I miss Braden's witty sense of humor that keeps the whole family on their toes.  I miss shooting out in the driveway with my daddy and watching sports together.  I miss getting daily hugs and kisses from my mom as well as hearing her sweet voice tell me as I walk out the house door..."Be careful, I love you!" I miss them!  

To be honest there are days when I want to pack my car up and move back to Oklahoma just so I can be close to them.  There are days when I long for the comfort and the love from back home.  But there are other things that I want more!   

I want to spend hours talking with my sister and laughing so hard that we cry! I want to have my best friend right by my side.  I want to spend time with my brother and sister-in-law seeing who can make each other feel the most awkward.  I want to curl up on the couch by my dad and watch hours of basketball.  I want to hear my mom say, "be careful, I love you!"  But what I want even more than all of those things is to be right in the middle of God's will for my life!  What I want more is to see my 7th graders get up every Wednesday night to pray together!  What I want more is to have conversation after conversation with my girls about the faithfulness, power, and pure awesomeness of our God.  What I want more is to see my teens give their lives to Christ in baptism.  What I want more is to walk into the teen room and get 70 hugs.  What I want more is to watch my teens serve so selflessly.  What I want more is to see my girls fall head over heals in love with our Savior!  What I want more is to spend day after day investing in His eternal Kingdom!  What I want more is to spend time on my knees in prayer with my little sisters in Christ.  What I want more is to follow in the footsteps of my savior!  What I want more is to fall before my Father's throne everyday and trust that He will provide me with everything that I need in order to fulfill His purpose for me.

It's almost been two years since I packed up my car and moved to Little Rock, and these past two year have been filled with plenty of ups and downs!  I am so thankful that my God has led me somewhere where I have had to learn to depend on Him like never before.  And even though I miss my family so much, I feel so blessed to be able to work with such amazing teens!  When I see how God is constantly transforming all of them I am amazed and I can't imagine missing out on all of this!  His power is infinite and I feel so blessed that He has invited me to be a part of His work.