Last PFO Days and Weariness

The last days of PFO were great! I was completely exhausted (information overload and emotional exhaustion) but loved every second.  The evening of the 4th was so much fun!  First was the talent show.  I'm not going to lie - my expectations weren't that high.  It was awesome!!!  The people who did serious acts were really good and all of the little comedy skits were hilarious!!!  I laughed so hard I was crying.


After that, some of the Vienna girls and I drove to the closest city with fireworks (45 minutes away).  It was fun getting to laugh and hang out but also talk about some serious things as well.  We didn't have the faintest clue where to go so we camped out on a hill that a few other families were on.  After an hour of anxiously waiting, we finally saw the "bombs bursting in air"...from behind the massive trees in front of us.  We quickly trekked across the street, through the 7/11 and parked it in a Big Lots parking lot.  It was one of the most interesting July 4th's I've ever experienced.  Also, some random girls in a car blessed us and told us we were the "bomb-diggity."  Pretty awesome.

Not the best picture ever...but I had a great time with these girls!  Can't wait for more Eastern Europe adventures!

I got a kick out of the fireworks mixed with the street lights

I honestly don't remember most of Thursday.  I was exhausted and drained.  We did have our International Dinner that night which was really fun.  People who had clothes from the country they were headed to dressed up and the cafeteria catered unique dishes from the various countries represented for dinner.  I also got to read a few grammatically incorrect fortune cookies - which was fun for me. :)

It was also a night for the kids to show off what they'd done all week.  This was one of the crafts that I loved!

Ecuador and Hungarian wear :)

The fancy wear of Czech Republic, Spain, Hungary, and Cameroon

Friday was hard.  It was difficult to say goodbye to these people that I'd formed bonds with and spent every moment of the past 2 weeks with. Luckily, some of them won't be too far away come August. Others however, it could be years before I see them again...if I do.  As my friend so wisely put it, this is just the beginning of  a lifetime of goodbyes.  That's just the nature of this ministry and lifestyle.  


We had worship, a time of affirmation, and communion that morning before boarding the bus to the airport.  There were a few fellow PFOers on the plane to Chicago and we got to eat Buffalo wings in Buffalo (they were good, too!)


It's so good to be home.  I keep scaring myself when people ask me how long until I leave.  My standard answer is "early August."  But now when I say it, I realize that "early August" is 4 weeks away!  AHHHH!!!  


God is so good, though.  In the midst of the insanity around me, the long to-do lists, the support meetings, the emotions of saying goodbye - He provides joy and peace.  Monday night I got to talk to my roommate and we talked for 2 hours.  I can't wait to live with her!  I really think it's going to be a good situation for us both.  There will no doubt be hard times (as there always is whenever 2 broken people spend a lot of time together) but I think we're ready for it.  I've had some really sweet times catching up with people and hearing their hearts for God and His work.  


Today was a tough day.  I woke up emotional about leaving my nanny job and almost lost it more than a few times.  As I went through the day, I felt weary.  That's the best word to describe it.  Weary.  I'm tired of this in between and feeling pulled in two directions.  So, before I made my calls this evening, I went for a walk.  I just needed to spend some time in prayer.  To still my mind.  To cry out to God about all of the emotions I'm feeling.  And as I walked - sometimes I prayed aloud, sometimes silently, sometimes I just walked without saying or thinking anything - He gave me peace and joy and a feeling of restfulness.  I still have a ton to do and the circumstances that led to my weariness are still here, but the burden has been lifted.  He gives me the strength to get through this transition.  He gives me the joy and the peace that I've been missing, not my circumstances.  I don't have to do this all in my own power.  I don't have to be in control of everything (which is a good thing because I'm in control of so little).


He is good!