So its Tuesday afternoon 1:04pm and I am excited to be sitting at my dining room table. The leaves are still changing outside and the hammock is swaying in the crisp fall air. Lexington, Virginia: You Are Beautiful.
I had a restful sleep snuggling with Gracie in the Princess Bed. Since my last post I have been to Springfield and Columbus, Ohio, then Indianapolis, Lexington, Kentucky, and then back again. I have put some miles on my car in the past week, but it has definitely been worth it.
Not that my life is difficult by any stretch of the imagination, I have had the doubts and bouts with the Lord about my future which has allowed for some emotional strain and consequence. Getting out of town proved to be what the Doctor ordered and so I am feeling hopeful and again back into the excitement of this adventure. Tomorrow I will return to my car and drive about four and a half hours in a different direction from this week: kids we are going on 81 South. My destination? Asheville, NC a home away from home for me. I will be down there a few days, repeating the same trip I took last year. I am looking forward to seeing my sweet sweet encouraging and lovely friends down there. I will then return home on Friday evening for a fun Birthday weekend at home.
Some fun ways that I was loved this weekend:
1) Kerri stocked her fridge with Diet Coke and had Taquitos in her freezer. She also printed out pages of directions to Target, Coffee shops, and other retail points of interest to keep me busy when she was at work from 11am-5pm. It was fabulous. We had great conversation and I felt taken care of while in her home and loved seeing her outside of the camp environment we spent the summer in together.
2) Mark and I went to the Cheesecake Factory and did not diverge from our typical plan, and we laughed. While this is not surprising for those of you who know us...you just kind of forget how good it is to be together. I saw Mark about a month ago in Columbus, so it was fun to be again in his home, his house, his life...and within minutes of seeing each other I was laughing. The kind of laugh that comes with a stomach ache, with the intensity that boggles your mind... it was so comforting. We had good conversation, inappropriate hilarious conversation, and fun quiet time while in a movie. He's my boo and I love him.
3) Emily and I spent a good Friday night out with each other, but also spent the day on Saturday bumming around Indianapolis. She asked me good questions, she listened, she reminded me that life is a continuous journey, and most of all I was encouraged by the thought that all the good and all the bad are part of the point and we've just got to keep going. The Fairy Tales are great, but I want something real. My friendship with Emily has never been anything short of being real. I felt well loved in that knowledge of having friends in life that stick around, that you work through life with, you celebrate with...and some days you can just pour your heart out to and in the next moment laugh about some random thing you just saw.
4) Julie and Seth Michels. What is there that isn't great there? I showed up and Julie made me grilled cheese for lunch and we sat and talked for a couple of hours while she made lasagna, and I recounted every last detail of my life since the last time we had a serious chat. I felt loved in her laughter about random stories of travels and friends, and I felt loved in her input in areas that I am working through. I went to a fun dinner with Seth and Julie and some other Young Life staff people and had an amazing time. Then to Campaigners, and it continues to touch my heart knowing the places and situations that the Lord puts me in to further understand His purpose and calling for my life. I miss High School kids, and while I have prayed about leading for a long time, I can sense the timing now and I can see how I could in the very near future.
5) The Ride Home: to be able to break down great things about an experience tends to make the glow last a little longer, and I had that in the ride back with Tex. I was able to share about my six days of fun away and we were able to have great conversation on the phone commenting about important matters, and then wondering about the color of the sky and the size of the moon. The drive between the Lexington's is not my personal favorite and at times gets a little tedious- so having someone to grab dinner with, stop and get gas with, coffee at the Tamarack Starbucks and laugh and yell with outside to get energy out is a God send. I felt well loved with the laughter, I felt well loved with the conversation and I felt well loved with having a friend to share the ride back with and to share in the memories I created while I was away.
So tomorrow I go again. It's a teaser being home. But I am excited to see North Carolina in the fall splendor of color.
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