one year later

A year ago today, I was on a plane, headed for Atlanta, Georgia. I went to bed late, and woke up early, the excitement and fear running sky-high. I was about begin the craziest, most God-filled adventure of my life thus far. I had no idea how those short 4 weeks would change my life, leading me to make the decision to spend 8 months in Uganda this year. (I mean really, did anyone see that coming?)

One year later is a lot of things -sad, slightly mind-blowing, hard to believe, odd, bittersweet. Because, you see, I never really thought this day would come. Somehow, I imagined I would go to Uganda and not come home, that the journey wouldn't end. I didn't think about 1 week after the trip, much less one year.

A year ago tonight, I would climb up three stacks of bunkbeds and try not to think about the dead bees that were at the window by my feet. Letters from home would fall out of my bag, and I would be overwhelmed with an intense feeling of homesickness. Excitement, fear, and sadness would be racing through me because this was it, the journey was about to begin.

But tonight, one year later, will be just like any other night. The house will get cleaned, dinner will be cooked, and I will go babysit. I won't wake up -greasy hair and unwashed face- and head off for an exciting day of getting to know my teammates and preparing to be in Uganda. I will wake up and head off to church, and do normal-life things.

Am I sad, thinking back to one year ago? Yes. Dates don't usually mean much to me, and I didn't think June 16th would, but it does. One year later, it hits me hard: this is over. I know the journey has been over since the moment I walked off that plane and stepped foot into my own home. But I suppose it didn't seem official until today, one year later. Do I wish I could go back to one year ago? The answer to that would be yes and no.

I miss Uganda, and my teammates, and the adventure that those 4 weeks were. And there are days where I would love to go back to that time. But I have seen God do so much in one year. He has led me (and my sweet friend) to serve at this amazing place for 6 months. He has taught me so much -about His heart, about grace, about following Him, about my selfishness and pridefulness, about His faithfulness,  about His unending love and mercy. He has worked out significantly small (yet, to me, seemingly large and important) details of this trip. I have watched Him provide $2,000 in one week (one. week.) for my upcoming trip to Uganda. He has done so much in one year. And I am forever thankful to be a part of it.

In twelve weeks, I will set out on another crazy, God-filled adventure back to Uganda. And there will be so many stories, and laughs, and tears to share with you. And when that chapter ends (because, although 6 months seems like forever, it will eventually come to an end) there will be more stories of His love and faithfulness, and the watching of His hand moving in mighty ways that will be weaved into my life.

I hope for a lot of different things, but my biggest hope is that my life will be a testimony to the goodness and faithfulness of the Lord. And that means many things.. one being that adventures will end. But not without new and different -yet just as exciting- ones beginning (isn't the grandest adventure of all discovering more of His heart and love?) and not without many stories that testify to how awesome and faithful our God is.