In 8 days on Thursday February 6, I am headed back to the States for a two and a half week visit. I've been talking about it daily for weeks now. I'm so excited to just spend time in my parents house, chilling, heating, and just being with them. I'll also visit other family and friends in Iowa and Illinois and spend a few days visiting friends in the Twin Cities. The goal of the trip is just to have some time off recharging for my service in Belfast.
In some ways it feels like I was just back in the States, but I know for my parents they patiently wait for my visits back to Iowa. Last time I was home, I literally traveled all over the Midwest visiting friends and fundraising. It was incredible being able to see so many people, but it wasn't necessarily restful. I'm constantly having to battle myself to take time off and just rest. When my family isn't around its easy to get wrapped up in work or the busyness of life.
I look forward to sleeping in, watching movie with mom while knitting a scarf, playing cards with dad, and having dinners together. It will be strange to go from mild wet weather into the snow covered frozen tundra. I can't wait to eat my favorite foods, see my new room, and drive a car. I'm so blessed to be from a family who loves me so much, and I long to spend more time with them. As much as my family loves me, I am so grateful that they let me go, to follow Gods call on my life and the great adventure in which I am on. It really is a wonderful adventure!
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Snippets of 2013
Snippets of 2013
New Years with Maigheard at the Chelsea. Staying at Elaine and Mags. Moving up the mountain to the OHares. Proper Westie meals- meat and potatoes. Boggle and cards. Frozen meals. Allergy room. Grey, grey, and more grey. Hannahstown Church. Being sick for a month. Can't remember much except being sick and homesick. Rain and sunshine. Black taxis. Late night McDonalds trips. UCO lifts home. #purebant. Last touch back. The fight of Christ classes. Semi-silent retreat at Portglenone. #D7 Discerning the call on my life. St. George's Market with Elaine for crepes. Sitting in the upstairs office on the floor. The old PC. #stinkin Ash Wednesday Lifeline night. Under pressure. Outreach forms. Hope Rises. Love Wins. The Well #outofthedarknessitrises. Poland. Kairos Conference. Worship in Polish. #newmates Krakow at Night. Beer tent. #trumpetplayermidstop. Shammy Burnsh. "See your face..." Ball pit. "Mummy!" Hyper night. Cheap pretzels and sketchy neighborhoods. Hunting Lodge. Irish rainbows. Surfing X2. Heather's Hen Do. Sketchy beach games. Portrush rides. Family to Ireland. Family vacation up North. Staying in youth hostels. New discoveries. So beautiful. Titanic Quarters. Discovering the waterfall. Dad driving. Seeing my life in Belfast. Elaine letting us stay at he house. Moving to Siobhans. #roomies. Illegal garden. Dublin Vacation. Sun, wee beers, and laying out. Seeing Bono's house. Time with the Morans. The Well to the beach. Beach and mountains with Siobhan. #adventureswithsiobhan. Amazing Summer Scheme Team! 12341234TwinbrookTwinbrook. #divedeep #life Water and stress. Laughter and bonding. So many memories and good pictures. Driving Tonys car. #stalledat3redlights. Too many leaving parties. Choosing Belfast. Falling in love with this city. Up the mountains. Favorite sights. Digging Deeper Summer Camp. Banbridge girls. Young people encountering God. SPO Ohio people in Ireland. Praying with Nuts girls. 3 AM walk with East girl talking about God. Prayer room. Marquee. Who camps in Ireland? #wet #floodingtents Visit back to the States. Surprise of seeing Grandpa and Grandma at the airport. #myparentsareamazing. Hanging out with my family in Naperville. #cousintime Swimming. Eating. Trampolines. Catching up. Steak, potatoes, salad, and peach pie. #ilovemyfamily Going to the lake house with Grandparents, Mary Rose, and Anna. Buying peaches and stopping at a priests house. Going skiing and floating. Driving my pick up truck around 6 states and over 600 miles in one month. #coffeeandpints Back home in Detroit. Back and forth between Detroit and Ann Arbor visiting friend. I don't remember Ann Arbor roads as well as I thought. #ihategettinglost Road trip to Columbus. Connections with parishes and SPO friends. Not Belfast Bant #missingbelfastmates Videos to Siobhan. Finally back in Iowa. All my favorite food. #redjello #iowafood Family time intertwined with support raising. #madness #myparentsreallyareamazing. Supporters over for dinner. So blessed by my friends and time in Minnesota. #encouraged #loved #laughter #perspective Trip to Target with Joe Hall. Massages with Kelsey. Watching the sunset over the Mississippi River. Another stop in Iowa and Illinois before heading back to Belfast. Mexican food. Hating saying goodbye to my parents in the airport. #dontknowwhenimcomingback Good to be back in Belfast. A couple of weeks adjusting back to YI life. Debbie and I running faith development. Laura and I running faith development! #what?!? #forsuchatimeasthis #godisgood. I'm getting paid a wee bit... Like just a wee bit, but it's amazing to have my rent paid for. Transitions. Never get too settled. Glow girls group in full swing. #silliness Unique program. Sky trek high ropes course. "Sarah's scared too- she'll go first." Thanks Sheena. Glow Garden. #growth TkOne meetings with girls and staff. Happy 25th Birthday to Me! Piñata and sleep over with Debz and Heather. Siobhan's away. Dublin trip with Christiana. Lunch theater. Dublin Castle. Birthday pint in Temple Bar. Birthday Lords Day at the Brothers. Dance party in their living room. Out to the Kings Head for pints. #blessed #loved #belfastfam #bringon25. Random trips around Northern Ireland with Heather. New sights and loads of laughs. Still not sure how I'm in charge of faith development. Laura and I figuring things out. #vision #grace Amazing faith development team. Homesickness. Thanksgiving at the Brothers. Charis Women's Retreat at White Park Bay #sisters Late night swim in the sea. #memories #baltic #adventure Advent. Paths. Always running into people in town. Christmas continental market. Isaiah. Auna from Divis Bode is coming. Worlds collide again. Unprepared. Christmas excitement. Plans with Siobhan. Siobhan and I are actual roomies! Baking Christmas cookies with Ciara. Christmas Eve steak dinner at the Tony and Sorchas, followed by games at Matthew and Sheenas and midnight Mass in Lagmore with some of the young people. O Holy Night. Up until 4 AM. Holding baby Jesus close. Christmas dress. Presents, prayer, and egg dish for breakfast. I'm going to see River Dance! Call in at the Darragh's and keep getting things served to you. Christmas dinner with the Byrnes plus 5 Americans. Meeting Laura's aunts. Boxing Day at the Darragh's and of course The Kings Head. No more room to eat. Harry Potter Marathon. New Years in Glasgow. His. Witnessing miracles. Seeing lives transformed. Being transformed myself. You are God. I am not. I trust in You.
New Years with Maigheard at the Chelsea. Staying at Elaine and Mags. Moving up the mountain to the OHares. Proper Westie meals- meat and potatoes. Boggle and cards. Frozen meals. Allergy room. Grey, grey, and more grey. Hannahstown Church. Being sick for a month. Can't remember much except being sick and homesick. Rain and sunshine. Black taxis. Late night McDonalds trips. UCO lifts home. #purebant. Last touch back. The fight of Christ classes. Semi-silent retreat at Portglenone. #D7 Discerning the call on my life. St. George's Market with Elaine for crepes. Sitting in the upstairs office on the floor. The old PC. #stinkin Ash Wednesday Lifeline night. Under pressure. Outreach forms. Hope Rises. Love Wins. The Well #outofthedarknessitrises. Poland. Kairos Conference. Worship in Polish. #newmates Krakow at Night. Beer tent. #trumpetplayermidstop. Shammy Burnsh. "See your face..." Ball pit. "Mummy!" Hyper night. Cheap pretzels and sketchy neighborhoods. Hunting Lodge. Irish rainbows. Surfing X2. Heather's Hen Do. Sketchy beach games. Portrush rides. Family to Ireland. Family vacation up North. Staying in youth hostels. New discoveries. So beautiful. Titanic Quarters. Discovering the waterfall. Dad driving. Seeing my life in Belfast. Elaine letting us stay at he house. Moving to Siobhans. #roomies. Illegal garden. Dublin Vacation. Sun, wee beers, and laying out. Seeing Bono's house. Time with the Morans. The Well to the beach. Beach and mountains with Siobhan. #adventureswithsiobhan. Amazing Summer Scheme Team! 12341234TwinbrookTwinbrook. #divedeep #life Water and stress. Laughter and bonding. So many memories and good pictures. Driving Tonys car. #stalledat3redlights. Too many leaving parties. Choosing Belfast. Falling in love with this city. Up the mountains. Favorite sights. Digging Deeper Summer Camp. Banbridge girls. Young people encountering God. SPO Ohio people in Ireland. Praying with Nuts girls. 3 AM walk with East girl talking about God. Prayer room. Marquee. Who camps in Ireland? #wet #floodingtents Visit back to the States. Surprise of seeing Grandpa and Grandma at the airport. #myparentsareamazing. Hanging out with my family in Naperville. #cousintime Swimming. Eating. Trampolines. Catching up. Steak, potatoes, salad, and peach pie. #ilovemyfamily Going to the lake house with Grandparents, Mary Rose, and Anna. Buying peaches and stopping at a priests house. Going skiing and floating. Driving my pick up truck around 6 states and over 600 miles in one month. #coffeeandpints Back home in Detroit. Back and forth between Detroit and Ann Arbor visiting friend. I don't remember Ann Arbor roads as well as I thought. #ihategettinglost Road trip to Columbus. Connections with parishes and SPO friends. Not Belfast Bant #missingbelfastmates Videos to Siobhan. Finally back in Iowa. All my favorite food. #redjello #iowafood Family time intertwined with support raising. #madness #myparentsreallyareamazing. Supporters over for dinner. So blessed by my friends and time in Minnesota. #encouraged #loved #laughter #perspective Trip to Target with Joe Hall. Massages with Kelsey. Watching the sunset over the Mississippi River. Another stop in Iowa and Illinois before heading back to Belfast. Mexican food. Hating saying goodbye to my parents in the airport. #dontknowwhenimcomingback Good to be back in Belfast. A couple of weeks adjusting back to YI life. Debbie and I running faith development. Laura and I running faith development! #what?!? #forsuchatimeasthis #godisgood. I'm getting paid a wee bit... Like just a wee bit, but it's amazing to have my rent paid for. Transitions. Never get too settled. Glow girls group in full swing. #silliness Unique program. Sky trek high ropes course. "Sarah's scared too- she'll go first." Thanks Sheena. Glow Garden. #growth TkOne meetings with girls and staff. Happy 25th Birthday to Me! Piñata and sleep over with Debz and Heather. Siobhan's away. Dublin trip with Christiana. Lunch theater. Dublin Castle. Birthday pint in Temple Bar. Birthday Lords Day at the Brothers. Dance party in their living room. Out to the Kings Head for pints. #blessed #loved #belfastfam #bringon25. Random trips around Northern Ireland with Heather. New sights and loads of laughs. Still not sure how I'm in charge of faith development. Laura and I figuring things out. #vision #grace Amazing faith development team. Homesickness. Thanksgiving at the Brothers. Charis Women's Retreat at White Park Bay #sisters Late night swim in the sea. #memories #baltic #adventure Advent. Paths. Always running into people in town. Christmas continental market. Isaiah. Auna from Divis Bode is coming. Worlds collide again. Unprepared. Christmas excitement. Plans with Siobhan. Siobhan and I are actual roomies! Baking Christmas cookies with Ciara. Christmas Eve steak dinner at the Tony and Sorchas, followed by games at Matthew and Sheenas and midnight Mass in Lagmore with some of the young people. O Holy Night. Up until 4 AM. Holding baby Jesus close. Christmas dress. Presents, prayer, and egg dish for breakfast. I'm going to see River Dance! Call in at the Darragh's and keep getting things served to you. Christmas dinner with the Byrnes plus 5 Americans. Meeting Laura's aunts. Boxing Day at the Darragh's and of course The Kings Head. No more room to eat. Harry Potter Marathon. New Years in Glasgow. His. Witnessing miracles. Seeing lives transformed. Being transformed myself. You are God. I am not. I trust in You.
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