When The 'What Ifs' Turn to Yeses!

There seems to be an increasing interest in the introvert versus extrovert topic lately so much so that I saw someone post to Twitter the other day that saying you're an introvert is the new gluten-intolerant stance. It's trendy. I've never really been clear on where I stand on the introvert to extrovert status. I've heard it said that an introvert may not say much but there are things constantly running in their mind. That is my mind.

I may not be writing here much lately but if you could be in my mind and hear the thoughts, oh man, would you be excited for the future posts I have swirling around in my head. Why am I waiting though? I'm waiting because I want things to be good. I want to impart the things I've learned, the things I love and the things that encompass my mind on here. I want to impart them well. I'm not waiting on perfection right now though, I'm waiting on time. 

Start Experiment Round One lit a fire under my blogging bum and came at a time where there was a lot of 'What ifs?' up in the air. Now it's Start Experiment Round Two and I'm ironing out a lot of the awesome that has happened from Round One and looking at new Round Two opportunities. 

In Round One, I risked two things: getting a job I loved and working on my blog consistency. I was blessed to get a job at a church within the first two days of assignments being released. It is a huge victory knowing that I will be doing something I love doing. I had a little more time to start getting blog consistency worked up and working on some new exciting changes for it. In addition to this, I got to edit a book for a new friend. More than all of that though, I have found a loving community of dreamers. 

In the end of Round One, I started my new job in a new city. We're well into Round Two and I'm currently working remotely as I wait for some medical things to be taken care of for my Dad. I'm working, packing, taking care of my sister, saying goodbye to friends (and hello to a few who have been out of the country), making sure my dog is okay along with Start and so many new opportunities that seem to be knocking on my door right now. It's been a whirlwind of a few weeks and I'm crazy excited about all of the opportunities from having my photography in an art show to having a giveaway to making new connections with amazing individuals. 

It's time consuming though and with the 'What ifs?' turning into 'Yeses', it's becoming impossible to keep up with everything. It's impossible to say yes to everything. It's a problem that I've encountered and befriended for years now. It's time to learn to say things like 'wait' and 'not now' and even the dreadful 'no'. I need to let you know more for myself than you really that I have great dreams that I'm going to make sure don't stay in the land of dreams even if they have to frolick out there in fields filled with unicorn and streams of chai tea lattes for awhile as boxes are packed, new routines are settled into and things are figured out. 

It's been a wild ride and even though my dreams seem to just linger out in front of me right now, dreaming with the knowledge that I can do something about them and an amazing community supporting me is good enough for the time being. It is good enough to wait for better timing not due to perfection but due to the necessity of saying 'not now'.

12 for 12 September Update

Need a flashback to the 12 for 12 June, July & August Update?

Twelve for Twelve 

1. Books.

Even though looking at my To Read List at the last 12 to 12 update made me realize how much I had to catch up on I didn't lift many pages in September.

2. 5K.

There is absolutely zero things I have to say about this.

3. Quotes.

I can't say that I'm even 100% positive that I know where my quote notebook is.

4. Blog.

I always have ideas on what to blog about, they just never seem to make it on here.

5. Create.

I don't believe I created a thing other than new frozen yogurt combinations at Yogurtland.

6. Learn.

"Oh wow. What have I learned over these past few months? True vulnerable friendships are hard to find and shouldn't be let go easily. Goodbyes are and will always be hard to say. No matter how much time you think you have, you don't have it. Putting your whole heart into everything is completely worth it even if it becomes frustrating and painful. As long as you have people who truly love you, life will be good." That is what I said about the summer. I believe it was the true ring of September.

7. Minimize.

I'm still going through stuff. I need to get rid of a few things. 

8. Gratefulness.

Heartbound.

9. Handmade.

I wasn't able to make anything homemade this month.

10. Intentionality.

This was a month that flew by in light speeds. I said a lot of goodbye for nows. I spent a lot of time laughing with friends over JJ's, coffee and cupcakes. It was a good, but hard month.

11. No.

I said yes to a job... :)

12. Word.

Obedience.

September was a fast paced month with a lot of laughs and little time for sitting around.

It's Never Too Late to Change - Delve

Hi, I make New Years Resolutions on the 26th of January instead of the 1st. This year, I said that I wasn't going to do any New Years Resolutions. In the last few weeks though, I've changed my mind. In fact, I may have made twelve resolutions...

Reading all the beginning of the year blogs and talking to my friends, Andrea and TeeJay, about all the options of the new year made me desire to actually do something. I've ended up combining a few of my favorite New Years Ideas including Jon Acuff's Finish Year with Words of the Year (Up, Grow, Delightful) and Andrea's sister-in-laws Twelve for Twelve - Twelve Resolutions for the year 2012. 

I'm kind of excited about this. I mean, it's all still new. It is still January. I know making a New Years resolution-ish blog post so close to February is a little iffy, but that's okay!


Twelve for Twelve
They are: Books, 5K, Quotes, Blog, Create, Learn, Gratefulness, Minimize, Handmade, Intentionality, No, Word.

1. Finish Year: Books I've Already Started.
I am positive that I am not the only person with a reading problem. I used to devour full books in a day, now I can't even stumble through reading a full book in a year. I have a knack that no matter how much I am enjoying any particular read, I will stop at Chapter 3. Okay, that's being way too lenient. I usually stop after Chapter 1. I made it to the first page of Chapter 4 on Redeeming Love so in my mind, all the books I've ever started that ended up in piles of books on my nightstand or in my car were all immediately jumped to that first page of Chapter 4. This is exactly how I missed a full half of one of the Harry Potter books. (For the record, I figured it out because of the confusion my mind was in during the movie.) For Finish Year: Books, I will attempt to finally finish all those books that got left behind after that first chapter or so.

2. Finish Year: Work Out More - 5K.
I ran a half marathon once. Okay, okay, I sprinted about 5 minutes during a half marathon that I walked. That does seem quite different now that I think about it. My goal is to run a 5K in its entirety by the end of 2012. I'm going to start slow by walking the majority of one next weekend, but we all have to start somewhere.

3. Finish Year: Quote Book.
I started a quote book when I was in high school. This is really just a green journal that I wrote down a few quotes I liked and has now expanded to a huge list including sections of books that challenge, inspire and make me laugh. I want to fill up the whole thing with quotes from the books I read for Finish Year, scriptures that are near to m heart, favorited tweets and other quotes I've heard or seen around Pinterest.

4. Blog More. Regularly. Intentionally.
You agree on this one, right? I wish I had gotten paid this last semester for every time someone asked me when I was going to update again. I don't want this blog to be a place where I update when I feel like I have the time. I want it to be intentional. I stink at journaling because my hand cramps up, but I can type all day plus I have things to say to the world, whether I always believe it or not. Here's to blogging more regularly!

5. Create.
I was really good at favorite-ing food items on Foodgawker last semester. I was really good at adding blogs to the bookmarks on my computer to come back and look at, cook the recipe of, or craft from, etc. Now after having held out for almost a year, I am finally on Pinterest. (You can follow me here.) It's dumb to have all these great ideas and recipes at my fingertips and not utilize any of them. That is what I will strive to do, whether it's a recipe, craft or whatnot as often as I can.

6. Learn.
Confession time. (Although, my whole 12 for 12 may be one big confession really). I have an awesome camera with access to a ton of great resources and I don't utilize these resources nearly enough. I have a desire to speak Spanish even more fluently yet never practice. I want to be able to tell you what wrong with my car but I just never read up on it. I want to be able to do ________, yet I just don't. For all those things I need to practice or learn, this is their spot in my next year. Can't say it will be perfectly done, but I want to at least put forth an effort.

7. Minimize & Organize.
I have a bunch of stuff I don't need or even have the desire to still have as well as things that are silly but I still want to hold on to. Jeans that don't fit? Yeah, it's time to part ways with you. Piles of ticket stubs in drawers? Let's get you in a book or something. Every card I've gotten in my life? The full drawer is nice, but let's find you a better home. I need to give away and declutter. I need to organize and repurpose.

8. Gratefulness.
'Hi I'm American!' seems to be synonymous with 'Hello, I'm ungrateful.' I want to use up a bunch of thank you notes this year not only so I can get new ones, but because there are a ton of people that could use the encouragement, gratitude and even a Sunday funnie in a letter to brighten up their day. I wan to give that to them.

9. Handmade.
Ever go into a friends house and you can practically see the store layouts of where they got them and which of your other friends also owns it? No? It may just be me and my problem with noticing things at stores right after seeing them at a friends house. It's like individuality has gone out the window with all these brands (Sorry to rag on you Target. You know I love you as I have my fair share of Target buys littering my home). The favorite gifts I've given these last 2 years have been homemade gifts. This is the year I want to try to give as many homemade gifts as possible (although there will be some exceptions!)

10. Intentionality in Relationships.
You can say I'm good at this. You can say I'm terrible at this. Both statements are true. How? I'm really good with being intentional in some relationships and not so intentional in other ones. Why can't I just be intentional in all of them? Its ridiculously hard for sure, but their are definitely some friends that I have allowed to be stranded by the wayside during tough crunch times. (Also, shout out and thank you to all of those whom were more than willing to change our coffee dates into picking out diploma frames, running errands, etc. You know who you are and you are amazing!) This year though, I want to try my best to be fully present during hangouts and opportunities I have with family, friends and strangers. This will be a work in progress, possibly forever.

11. Say No & Relax.
This is for sure going to be the most difficult thing to do. I think it's pretty self explanatory but do more downtime rather than running at 97 miles per hour just because I can. All the running, chaos and last minute plans cause burn out and that's not good to cope with. Why not forgo all that and just rest some before the burn out? Brilliant. This is going to be so hard. 

12. Word.
Delve into the word. This one is also pretty self explanatory, but I really want to get inside the stories of the Bible and really develop not just a relationship with God, but truly a deep intimacy with the scriptures to go alongside of it.

& The one word that sums it all up for me? Delve

 Also, if you've made it this far, enjoy the 2011 Twitter Timeline Review.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

It's 2:27AM. I still have nothing in a suitcase. I'm not worried though.

I'm working on getting some electronic issues in order before I leave such as getting my resume off of my laptop desktop. I'm also getting some books downloaded onto my Kindle such as the ESV Study Bible, which weighs approximately 99.9% lighter than the hard copy. I'm also getting some fun books and speaker notes from Kathy. Incredibly excited to put this Kindle to use!

I still can't believe I'll be leaving tomorrow for Costa Rica for 10 weeks. I haven't really mentioned this on the blog much but this summer I am an intern with Greater Commission Ministries with Ted and Gracie Quiocho. I'm super excited.

I've been getting asked one question more than anything else: Are you nervous?

Am I nervous? I'm essentially moving to another country to live with friends of a friend that I barely know for 10 weeks of my life working in a community of people I have never met while being the translator for several teams that will be visiting us. What's to worry about?
NOTHING really.

My biggest concern is that I'm going to lose something on the way down.
Other than that, I'm excited to see what God has prepared for me in Costa Rica.

Guess I should go get something in a suitcase now...

sixteen. seventeen. eighteen.

sixteen. Taco making. I've talked about this a bit before on the blog. Counselors, youth and Dan preparing tacos to hand out to day laborers to show them Jesus' love.

seventeen. Read the quote. Living it this semester. unseenbeauty:encouragingquotes

eighteen.

Heading To Brazil

This past week and a half has been filled full of adventure. It all started with a text message about an open spot on a mission trip with my home church to Brazil. I really wish I had the time to go in and explain everything that has gone on, however, it is 9:35 the night before I leave and I have a lot of summer school, picture editing and packing to get done before I go. I'm hoping to find some time to type it out, but I'm not sure when that will be. (My goal, which I know isn't feasible, is to not pull an all-nighter. Ha!)

Just know, that it's a bit crazy how everything came together in just 8ish days.
And with that, I'll be leaving on a plane to Brazil tomorrow!

Want to pray? Splendid! Here's how you can be praying:
I'm going to attach the list of what the team needs prayer for, but to pray for me personally it would be great for y'all to be praying for no stress as I will still be doing summer school stuff, just from Brazil; an open mind/heart receptive to whatever God has in store; my heart to not be complacent (hope that makes sense!)

Now on to how to pray for the entire team!
Sunday, June 13: Pray for God to prepare each team member to be a vessel for Him to use this week; pray for rest before traveling.

Monday, June 14: Pray for safe flights and for unity between the youth and adults; pray for the team’s rest and energy after a long flight; pray for an outpouring of God’s spirit on the team and those we will serve.

Tuesday, June 15: Pray for open doors and relationship with the families we will be serving; pray that we will be light in the darkness and the presence of God in people’s lives.

Wednesday, June 16: Pray for attitudes to be Christ-like and for God’s favor with the local people.

Thursday, June 17: Pray for the lost in Sao Paulo to hear God’s word; pray for the Holy Spirit to move in the evening outreaches.

Friday, June 18: Pray for God to open new doors and give us boldness and confidence to share His message.

Saturday, June 19: Pray for our team to bless our host families and the church, to help meet their needs.

Sunday, June 20: Pray for powerful worship and for some of the new families to come to church; pray for safe travel to Rio.

Monday, June 21: Pray for a fun day of sightseeing and time together; pray for great closing worship and a plan to bring what we have learned back home.

Tuesday, June 22: Pray for safe travel to Sao Paulo and a safe flight home.

Summer Plan #134252-1B

Last weekend, God started doing some crazy works that I'm not quite ready to speak of on here. Either way, I'll let y'all in on exactly what crazy out of this world plan God has for me. We'll call it Summer Plan #134252-1B. I'm excited about this plan. I'm wary of this plan at the same time though. I won't know for sure until Friday at the earliest if this plan will pan out. Please be in pray for this plan. Y'all can shorten it to Plan B in your prayers if y'all like. God knows about it, it's His plan in His hands. Plus, Summer Plan #134252-1B is kind of a mouthful. Please pray for trust and relying fully on Him, against sickness/exhaustion, knowing that either way God will allow things to work out in a way for His glory to shine.


Since you'll already be praying, click this to learn more about and see how you can pray for Achille.

Summer Plan #134352-1

This past month of May has been a time of waiting and celebrations. I've celebrated the arrival of summer, Hanna and Alexis' graduations, and Jeremiah and Stephanie's wedding. I've also done my fair share of waiting to figure out what was going to happen this summer.

The time of waiting is pretty much over. After what seemed like 21 phone call messages just left on one individuals' answering machine at HCC, countless phone calls to others, days of waiting for returned phone calls, everything is solved. How? Hanna and her Mom took me to HCC today and we pulled a few strings and I'll now be in classes this summer. Yay! :)

For the record, that means Summer Plan #134352-1 is a go.

Hello Summer!

Hello Summer,
I sure did miss you during the school year. I can't wait to see what adventures we'll have together and other shenanigans we'll get ourselves into when I'm in College Station this summer. It would have been good if we could have gone to Costa Rica, Spain or Argentina together, but I'm okay with our plans. I'm just glad you are back in my life right now.
Love,
Karlen

Wreckage

I have a problem.
I like my plans, even when I tell God he can wreck them.
I like to keep my fist semi-clenched around my plans.
I like to make justifications on how God can wreck my plans, as long as it's the part of my plan that I'm okay with being wrecked.

God is in control of my life and my plans, not me.
God has indeed granted my prayer of wrecking my summer plans to glorify Him, just not in the way that I asked Him to.

I posted this on here last week:
I'm not sure if you're supposed to necessarily pray for wrecked plans with how you'd really like God to wreck your plans, but if this is what God's going to wreck them for, well, BRING ON THE WRECKED PLANS LORD! (whatever they may be!)

Well, God answered those prayers. My summer plans have been wrecked. Instead of wrecking Argentina so I could have the missionary internship. God wrecked the Argentina Global Media program, the missionary internship that I could possibly do and my backup Costa Rica classes for Summer 1. All in all, it looks like I will be in the states this summer. (Or maybe I'll be in Brazil? Haha!)

This leads me to wonder what I'll be doing this summer...
all I know is that it will be for God's glory wherever I am, whatever I am doing.

I'm clinging to my lifeverse for this season because yet again it rings true for me: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." - Joshua 1:9

World Travellin'

Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails. - Proverbs 19:21
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. - Romans 8:28

I feel kind of bad writing on here before calling home and giving the news in. I'll be calling my mom via cellular device once I push publish. Actually, it's close to midnight. I'll call first thing in the morning.

I found out that today I was accepted to the 5 week Global Media Argentina Program that I hoped on for this summer. This means, I'll spend part of my summer in Argentina for sure. Planned? Check. Everything ready to go? Not yet, but it will be.

Perfection, right? Mostly. I need to spend 10 weeks minimum abroad. This means that for the remainder of summer I'll have to be somewhere else. I've chosen a program in Costa Rica that's just classes and I'll be working with a missionary family down there in my free time and in the week before my program starts. I found out today while waiting in one of many offices on campus that it might not happen. No way around it. Over and out.

Right before that though, I'd gone to one of my advisor's offices and the forms I had couldn't be signed by her first which is actually how I ended up in the other office. I ended up hanging out in the office for a bit and in passing asked my advisor a question about if it was probable to be interning a missionary for credit. I ended up telling her a bit about the mission organization and the missionaries I'd be working with. Guess what? It doesn't matter if the program passes through the system. I'll have myself a missionary internship in Costa Rica.

I'm not sure if you're supposed to necessarily pray for wrecked plans with how you'd really like God to wreck your plans, but if this is what God's going to wreck them for, well, BRING ON THE WRECKED PLANS LORD! (whatever they may be!)

Naming Things Is Hard To Do

I've thought about going ahead and naming the photography company I dream of having. Whether or not this dream will ever become a reality is something I'm not sure of. I want to make a simple logo for it, but choosing a name seemed so simple yet I have made it complex.

I originally chose joyephotography. The name is simple and clean cut. Then, I parked my car at my duplex underneath a singing bird sitting in our lone tree. I started thinking about how our joy for the Lord should be singing out from us. I then thought about naming it joyesongsphotography or joyesingsphotography. I've decided I like joyesongsphotography better. I still haven't made up my mind so it will remain joyephotography for the moment.
This is a rather lengthy way to tell y'all that I've changed the blogheader. It is a picture I took from my Saturday shoot with Calli. I love it and instantly knew that it would be shared soon and in this capacity.


& If y'all have a preference on the name, let me know! I obviously need help deciding.

Cries Among the Trash

I read a lot of social justice stuff in a given day. I don't always focus on it though. A lot of days I like to read, meditate for a second on whatever issue I'm reading about and then click over to a "happier" blog or to facebook or to whatever else will distract my mind from the hurts of so many in this world.

While reading Pete Wilson's blog today about a girl named Puja Ghosh, a sentence struck out at me and made me take notice of it.

"She lives with a family here in the Khalpar slum who found her in a pile of trash. Her mom literally tossed her out like you would a loaf of moldy bread."

Soak the reality of that sentence up.
That could have been me. That could have been you.
God has crazy plans that are for each of us. I don't know why I was allowed a loving, generous family while Puja, a sweet daughter of the King, is growing up with a different family than her own. I don't know why I don't have to deal with the pain of that situation and Puja does. I don't know why, but I am thankful that I got to hear her story. You should go read the rest and pray for Puja.

Pray for love. Pray for her future. Pray for her relationships. Pray for God to shine through her. Pray for her new family. Pray for her parents that tossed her into the trash. Pray.

Really, First Week Back, Really?

This week has been insane. I moved in to my duplex last Saturday afternoon and I've been nonstop ever since, which is the exact opposite of all my plans for this week. Why? Let me give you a brief synopsis:

- lost my wallet.
- got my parents to bring my passport and some money to me.
- replaced my id.
- picked up my paycheck.
- worked through the double major deal so now I'm in the INTS class I need.
- went to the bank to cash my travelers checks from when I studied abroad.
- parents switched my suburban out for my car and put it in the shop.
- picked up my car from the shop without a Driver's License or number.
- felt 16 again as I got a new driver's license.
- tried to pick up my textbooks 3 times before I could even get 1 of them.
- my car wouldn't start and then when I went back with Jeremiah it started automatically.
- Jacquelyn (my roomie) comes home and finds my wallet within minutes of being home.

Really? Seriously? Did this week happen or was it all a dream? Gosh. I am behind in my bible study now because I believe I've spent most of the week clinging to Joshua 1:9 and unfocused whenever I read anything but that verse.

Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Forget all that stress. It is a beautiful Friday morning. I've read through my bloglist and been greatly encouraged and had a ton of laughs. I absolutely love it when SCL talks about youth groups. It just makes me chuckle. It's going to be a great day though. I'm having lunch with Sam, studying and dinner with Catherine, Midnight Yell with Kali on Kyle field and our friends Katie and Maryum. Then, I'm off to movie night after that because it's tradition. How glorious!

Where in the World is Karlen?

I'm starting a packing frenzy. My room, college stuff, etc. I enjoy packing. For some reason though, it's bittersweet right now and I don't know why. It's like I can't put my finger on the exact reason. Oh well.

Friday is the starting point of Where in the World is Karlen? I'll be back in forth between Houston and CS a lot for moving, CLUES mentor training, Impact recruitment, etc.

I'm 100% ready to go back and 100% not ready to go back.
It makes sense, right?


Before it all though, I'll get to register for classes at 6am. I've yet to make a decision major wise.

Can't you just hear His belly laugh now?

Have you ever been waiting for a phone call or an email that you know is going to change things? I've spent a great deal of my summer waiting on two - an email whether I got CLUES mentor or not and whether or not my second major (International Studies) had been declared or not. I got both forms of communication this week. While I did get the opportunity to be a CLUES mentor (yay!), I was informed that no major declarations are being put through until October. How uncool.

All summer I've been doing a lot of questioning about this whole declaring a major thing. It just seems so definite, unchangable. I was hoping to take the easy way out with this decision as I've been hoping it just going through and my advisor would put me in a certain class I really need to take this semester but most likely won't. Then I wouldn't have to worry so much...

I do though and now I'm stuck scrounging around to figure out what I'm going to do this fall. I'm stuck. Howdy has just bailed on my search by letting me know at 7am it will no longer work until it opens Monday for registration. Okay, well, at least it can still help me for the next few hours. No. Howdy just turned its back on me by not loading. I've got some options I researched last night, but it all comes down to if I really want to stick with these majors or not.

Options:
Spanish & International Studies (Government & Diplomacy) majors
Spanish & International Studies (Communications & Media) majors
Spanish & Journalism minor
Spanish & Journalism & History Minors*

*If you're wondering, I'm not really planning on dropping any classes that I already have for this semester due to me having to add more classes already and I'll be 3 hours away from a History minor no matter what.

The "plan" (Man, I love when I can practically hear God's deep gut-wrenching belly laugh whenever he hears me say that. It reminds me that I'm not really in control.) is to get my teaching certificate after I graduate no matter what which will take about a year. Then I'm hopefully going to grad school for Journalism.

If I declare both majors though, I'll be in undergrad an extra 6 months causing me to graduate in December. That's not bad. Then there's the year of becoming teacher certified which is kind of my back up for everything (although if I chose the Span/Jour/Hist option, I'd have more choices). Grad school looks like it's about 2 years for a MA in Journalism. Sigh.

This is mainly just a written flow of the thoughts that have been weighing upon my mind this summer as I question everything I've done for the past 2 years. Having said that though, if you have any advice, I'd love to hear it.

What to do, What to do, What to do...

I just want to scream.
I've been rethinking my major (International Studies & Spanish) for the last week. These thoughts of doubt came from out of nowhere. My result? I have no idea what I'm doing. I mean, I'm going the right way if there was just one path. There's not though. There's a series of paths that are branching off, options that I should have already realized, but I failed to realize them. Now what?

I need to remember the future is in God's hands because I've got no clue where in the world it is taking me.


"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD ,' plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" - Jeremiah 29:11

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." - Joshua 1:9

"God doesn't wreck our plans, he just has no regard for them." - anonymous

I woke up today believing it was simply another lazy day of summer, which I've been perfecting this last week by pretending to study and watching an extreme amount of Disney channel peppered with selected shows from TLC. In order to actually study math I am in need of my graphing calculator that I let Cathlyn Leonard borrow. I headed to Westchase to meet her and get it today. I arrived in the Big Room to see her, but she was not there. I sent her a text and proceeded to search the building which is when I stumbled upon Brian Coats.

I stopped to talk to him, which is when he found out my lazy day schedule. Mr. Brown had to drop out of the Nicaragua trip and BC was offering me the spot on the trip. After making some phone calls to my parents and the travel agent, I'm all set to go minus paperwork which will be taken care of in the morning, way before my normal wake up time.

Driving home while I was cancelling plans, I realized just how crazy God is, especially with his perfect planning. I talked to Mr. Brown about this trip back in February before I finalized my summer "plans" of taking CLEP tests and going to Alaska. I definitely prayed about the trip, but didn't know how it was going to work out and just let it slide out of my mind.

Ever since I've been back from Alaska though, Nica has been on my mind a bit. I've been thinking about gallo pinto, the Nicaraguans I know and love, the mission team I travelled there with and those I've travelled to other places. And now, I'm going back to Nicaragua.

I haven't stopped smiling since I left the church with my paperwork in my passenger seat. Sam Shrauner could hear my smile in the voicemail I left her. I'm excited to say the least. Nicaragua, here I come!