So here we are, a year later, we survived. We made it through winter, and the summer and even the beautiful spring and fall. It has been intense. Challenging. Refreshing. Exciting and depressing. Exhasuting, to say the least. Words can't really express how I feel, mainly because I don't really know how I feel, swirls and swirls of emotions would be the best I could do.
I find my self feeling very optimistic, and extremely grateful. Grateful for all of our friends and family and all the visits, cards, and surprise packages that made this year a little less painful and helped remind me how loved and blessed we really are. Grateful also for the new people God has brought into our lives, so insane how one minute you don't even know someone exists and the next you can't really picture life without them. That really blows my mind a little bit each day. A lot of what I'm grateful for is also what scares me, I LOVE my job and I LOVE my church, seriously, and I'm afraid someday I might love them both too much.
Also just a little frustrated and confused, I guess I thought I'd be over a lot more by now, but I still crave Miguels and just the other day I was in tears after a rough day because all I wanted was to sit near the ocean. Crazy how some things just make you miss home like nothing you could have ever imagined.
Overall, I feel like I have survived one of the hardest years of my life, and Iived to tell about it. Lots of teaful stories I can recall and differenes between the life I knew and this crazy little life I've become a little more accusotmed to. More than anything I am hopeful about this year and continue to pray that God reminds me everyday why we are here and opens my heart not only for the people of Des moines, but also for the city. As Moise would say " I may be an Iowan but my spirit will always be in African"
♥
seasons
the harders
my drive to work
Moise and his little brother David
the tanzania boys
bike rides
back to school night
Adel corn festival
Iowa State Fair
jeremy breaking my heart
I'll keep you posted.
I teared up when I read this, mostly because I miss you guys...a lot. And also because I know that God really does have you out there for a reason. And you can already see all the fruit from your labor. You are both really living out what it means to follow God's plan, it's admireable.
ReplyDeleteI'm amazed at how well you're doing, even though you have your bad days, you're still pushing through. Love, and miss you.
I teared up too...but it was because I was watching Friday Night Lights while reading this. :) Sorry I missed BOTH of your Oct blogs until now. You were 1 month early on your quarterly blogging. :/ We miss you guys every day...but are certain you are where you need to be. See you guys soon... One word: EUCHRE!
ReplyDeleteB-Wheeze-- you have no idea how much i miss you guys too. ahh. thank you for the encouraging words, its tough and crazy and amazing too, mostly just an array of various swirls ;) cant wait to see you guys!
ReplyDeletejustin, how dare you miss my last quarterly blog?! words cannot express how excited i am to have the kretzu/baxter bunch reunited again! ahhhhhh euch. euch.euch. seriously cannot wait!