Okay, you didn’t hear this from me, but yes, I was in the
states for a whole 2 weeks.
WHAT?!
I know. It’s crazy. It was unexpected. It was rushed. It was
a mix of emotions. It was a thrill of excitement. It was a blur.
Three weeks ago I made the decision to fly home for two
weeks to spend time with family during a somewhat difficult time. It was a
powerless, Saturday night when I made the choice, and due to a short-life
computer battery, I didn’t get my ticket booked before it died. So, Sunday
morning I booked my ticket for 12:40 a.m. (that night/the next morning) and began throwing the 2 sweaters and 1 pair of sweatpants I could find into a bag. Clearly, my wardrobe isn't suited well for winter in the Midwest. And,
that’s where the blurring all begins. Martha called some of our friends, who we'd heard were driving up to Kampala that day. They picked me up, and about 4 hours after our departure I was in Kampala. A little walk, a tasty dinner, and a quick nap later I was in
a car with my carry-on bag headed to the Entebbe Airport.
A little over 24 hours later, my plane touched down in Omaha,
Nebraska, whose motto is appropriately named, The Good Life.
Waiting at the airport were my sisters, my parents and a
couple of my dearest friends, one of whom had just flown in from the great
continent of Africa himself! Talk about divine timing! Before I knew it I was
at the hospital visiting my grandpa and sitting with my beloved family members.
Highlights of the trip:
- Irreplaceable time, talks, and memories made with my family
- People I know walking right by me, doing a double-take, and then realizing it was me.
- Taking the kids to school in the mini-van
- Sledding on the back slopes of Ty and Pam's land
- Wearing winter clothes, washing my hair with soft water, and feeling a little more like me
- One-on-one talks with my closest friends and mentors
- Driving! (and, having my friends with me)
- A night of bowling with friends, including my sister Kaylea who makes me laugh so stinkin’ hard!
- Sleeping in my bed and late-night talks with my sister Lilly
- Scooter’s Coffee in the morning
- My mother’s home-cooked meals
- Watching the Super Bowl live with my family
- A night of country dancing… sorry, I just couldn’t resist the chance to go
- Worshiping together with my Relevant Community Church family
- Playing games with my grandpa (he's still quicker than me)
- Did I mention just being with my family?
Nebraska...
Sixty degrees and sunny one day, minus 12 and snowing the next.
Some of my brothers
And, the whole gang in real life.
As the rush of the two weeks came to a halt, I said my
tearful good-byes until I make my next stateside appearance in June.
However, I left home feeling encouraged and refreshed and
ready to embark on the next six months of living in Mbarara. Thanks to all of
you who were a part of making that happen, who pray for me consistently, who
bring joy to my heart. And, my deepest apologies to all of you who fall into
the category “I Want to See You”, but I just didn’t have time on such a short,
intentional trip to spend time with family. Please forgive me, and I look forward to reuniting with you this summer!
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