leaving (again).

hey all! 

i apologize for not being a better blogger, but my life has been CRAZY this summer. 

now it's fall. 

my Mexico and Uganda trips are both over, but TODAY i leave for 7 weeks in New Zealand (+ one week in Australia). 

i am kind of in shock (almost) of the fact that this is ACTUALLY HAPPENING. 

i mean, i dreamed of going to Australia and New Zealand when i was a kid. i dreamed of going to Africa when i was a kid. i dreamed of going to Europe when i was a kid. now here i am, two months shy of my 20th birthday, and in the past year, i have spent three months in Greece and three months in Hawaii, two weeks in Uganda, a week in Mexico, and i'm about to spend 7 weeks in New Zealand and a week in Australia. sometimes i just stop and ask myself, "HOW IS THIS REAL LIFE."

i love my life. i love that my dreams are coming true. i love that every day is a crazy adventure...

...but i must say that i am looking forward to resting when i get back to America in October. i don't want to have to say "goodbye" for a while. i want to be still and listen to what God has planned for me in 2014. i want to pour myself into my relationships here (at my home in America), and really focus on discipleship and listening.

don't get me wrong, i am SO EXCITED to be going to New Zealand and Australia, and i can't wait to get there and make new friends, but i so need a season of rest right now. i just got back from Uganda two weeks ago, and the thought of spending another 20-ish hours on an airplane + jetlag kinda makes me depressed...but i think i'll be okay once i get there. here's to a smooth trip to New Zealand. America, i will see you again in October!

PS. if you don't remember what i'm doing in NZ, my friend, Amy, and i are flying to NZ to visit several dairy farms, then we're flying to Australia to visit a YWAM friend of mine. please pray for open doors to share our faith with the families we'll be staying with in NZ. :)