Bittersweet

I asked God for a job and He provided a job.

A few weeks ago, at Dimension Cristiana church, the pastor challenged us to think about this: that when God provides something we have asked for, why do we complain? Why are we ungrateful for the very thing that God provided when we asked? Pastor Dan explained that the Israelites did this over and over again in Old Testament history... praying for deliverance and then complaining when God actually delivered them. Praying for a leader and then complaining about Moses. Praying that God would act and then blaspheming Him by making golden idols.

I have thought about this a lot in the last few weeks. I asked for a job. God provided a job. Now I have to decide whether or not I am going to complain about it.

There's several factors that go into my temptation to complain:

 1) The job is in Costa Rica. My family and many of my friends are here in the States. I've learned over the last couple years that I really miss being part of my friends' and family's lives a lot.

 2) I won't have my best friend Trish to daily share life with.

 3) I am deeply exhausted from 6 months of ongoing illness and 2 years of teaching in a school that runs in crisis mode.

4) I have recently recognized a want (maybe a need?) to be part of a deep-rooted community. I don't have that communtiy in CR despite having been there 2 years as several good friends have come and gone during my two years there. It feels like any community I do become part of just disappears for the next school year. (Kim V., Erin, Tricia G, Laura, Judit, and Trish have all been young women I have connected with on a deeper level during the last two years and they are all no longer in Costa Rica). I am tired of starting over.


So the temptation to complain is great because I like to think my human logic is somehow broader than God's logic. Then I am reminded over and over again in His word that He is a lot bigger than me and has a plan that is bigger than just me. All my reasons fade away as I remember that His grace is sufficient for me, that He promised Paul  in 2 Corinthians (and us!) that His power is made perfect in our weaknesses. I have a lot of weaknesses here to work out, and God knows that. I also am reminded in Matthew 6 that my Heavenly Father knows what I need even before I know or think to ask. As I prepare to return to Costa Rica after a short month at home, I choose to dwell on these truths.

He provided a job, and He'll provide the rest.

Embarassingly Sick

(Is ''embarassingly'' a word?? I have been making up lots of English words lately.)

FINALLY Trish and I have answers about our illnesses over these last few months. Apparently the stress of work and the conditions we were living in made us more susceptible to ... mono and parasites. Not mono like ''monkey'' in Spanish, but mono as in the kissing disease. Trish is the one with mono and I'm the one with... (don't laugh please, this is kind of personal and I can't believe I'm posting it on the World Wide Web) ... a parasite. We were surprised and relieved with a diagnosis that brought answers for both of our physical ailments over the last 6 months.

So I'm taking more antibiotics (we have a love/hate relationship with antibiotics) and Trish is at home in Ohio resting a lot. Sounds fun, eh?

Dad says it takes as long to recover from being sick as you were actually sick... so maybe I'll be back to my normal self by... Christmas? Prayer for healing and for protection against getting another parasite when I go back is welcome :).

Time in the States!

While in the States, I have eaten lots of cheese! :) Well, I have done other things too, but that's definitely a highlight, lol. I have enjoyed catching up with high school friends (Rosie, Liz, Chelsea) and spending lazy afternoons with my siblings (Kallie and Austin!). Here's peeks at other fun things I've done:

Sarah and I met at Walton Island in Elgin to paint beads and take funny photos. We were college roommates our senior year and she's an art entrepreneur!! (possibly an art teacher this fall if the job possibility goes through!)

JeanaLe made pancakes for me in her and her husband Jason's cute apartment in West Dundee. They are headed to Bolivia in the fall to work with educational programs in the city! I am excited to hear more about their adventures through their blog.

I surprised the Gum kids one afternoon with Costa Rican coins (and their parents with coffee!). They were my neighbors my last year at Judson and I can't believe how much they have grown since I graduated!

Natalie and I enjoyed Jamba Juice while catching up about her art and teaching studies!

My friend Christina and I went to a Mehndi designer in Aurora for some henna art. Many of you have seen the the artwork on my hand and immediately asked (like my Grandma did :)), ''Is that real!!??'' No, it's fading quickly! But it was fun while it lasted.

My friends Chris and Christina and I also went blackberry picking behind a cemetery in Elgin. We were happy with the results!

My brother Austin and I drove to Bloomington to hang out with our cousin Collin for a day. He has grown a lot since I saw him as a newborn in December!!

So there's a good summary. This next week I am headed to Minnesota with the church youth group to the Sonshine musical festival. Hopefully I get enough sleep in between concerts and high school drama!!

Life Changes

We all know life changes, but for some reason when the change actually arrives, we're surprised and very uncomfortable. From the outside, it might not look like my life has changed very much in the last few weeks, but it certainly has! I finished my first teaching job and said goodbye to a staff of teachers, office help, and janitors that had become my community of friends and professional development. I said goodbye to my roommate and best friend of the last two years. While I will stay in touch with a few of these people, our relationships will change and we will grow apart... so I am growing and changing and ... feeling uncomfortable, haha.

For our goodbye, Trish and I sat in the airport at 6am on Tuesday, June 29th, and cried! I had never seen her cry before, and we were a mess. As we parted ways, many people were asking both of us if we were okay. All day, people were concerned about my puffy eyes and occassional tear sliding down my cheek.

Thankfully, God provided some surprises along the way that distracted me from my sadness and encouraged me that He still has a lot of adventures for me, with or without Trish. In the Newark airport, a guy asked me out for coffee while waiting for our next planes, and I didn't budget my time well and missed my flight!! So the following confusion of changing plane tickets and baggage claim and everything in between (I think I talked to at least 10 official-looking people before finally boarding another flight to Chicago!) made me laugh and take time to be thankful that God has everything under control even when I don't!! (And it was a great story to tell friends and family!)

When I go back to Costa Rica, I will be living with my brother, Wes, in my apartment for a couple weeks before he heads back to the States and a new roommate, Michelle, moves in. I begin my new teaching job on August 2nd, and from there, who knows?? Life is changing and open-ended right now! Thankfully, God has it under control, even when I don't.

Week of Relaxing... Well, Kind Of :)

Unlike Trish's face shows in the photo below, we have had many adventures in the last week. Since finishing our work at Sojourn about 10 days ago, we have done all the necessary things we needed to do during the school year that we just didn't have time for... you know, the dentist, the eye doctor, closing bank accounts... all those fun details about being an adult.

It has been soooo nice to be able to sleep in ... although sleeping in means until 8am maximum for us, lol.

Trish has been really sick for about the last month, so here we are at the hospital after an appointment with an infectologist. He thought she might have C. Diff. but her tests all came back negative. So she's still in the dark as to what she really has... She is getting better little by little, but I'm sure her mom will take good care of her once she gets back to Ohio.

At the coffee stand in the Central Market. Great coffee!!! (Yes, Mom, I'm bringing you 3 bags like you requested :))

I was able to check an item off my bucket list for living in Costa Rica after taking this photo of... octopus!!! It's always for sale in the Central Market. Anyone want to try some new recipes with me? :)

Here we are, making awkward poses with the National Museum displays. We never had been to the museum, so we felt obligated after living here for almost 2 years.

And in the Artesan's Market with our friend Heidi! If I have brought you or mailed you a purse, coin purse, or scarf from Costa Rica, she's the vendor I bought it from! She gives us great deals and great Spanish practice.

After living in Costa Rica for 2 years together, Trish and I have grown a lot together and a lot as individuals. We have learned to speak Spanish together, learned to budget together, learned to navigate a country together, among many other life lessons. We both leave for the United States tomorrow to visit family and friends before heading off for our next adventures. This week of down-time has given me lots of time to think about how I am so thankful that God has given us this time together to grow up. The next couple months of transition might be difficult, but from looking at how God has provided a close friend over the last couple years assures me that He will provide in the future as well. I am excited for future adventures, both for my own and for Trish's!

Last Friday (and last day!) of Sojourn!

My last day with this awesome group of kids was a great day. We had a photo scavenger hunt to take silly pictures and to celebrate the last day of school!

During the scavenger hunt, this photo earned us about 20 points for all the random items, the basketball hoop, the soccer goal, the emergency light, and the secretary, all in the same photo! :)

My favorite from the scavenger hunt :)

I'm going to miss these kids! ;(

Amanda's idea to sit on the ledge...

And I always have to have a jump picture! :)

The last day was a bit teary as 6 of the 10 students cried as they left. I cried about 3.5 times as well. I am not very good at goodbyes...

Last Thursday of Sojourn!!

We started off the morning with a Field Day of relay races and sporting events at a nearby park. I was in charge of two events: the Toe Jam and the Tug of War. 

 

In Toe Jam, the students ran down to the bucket of jello, took off their shoe and sock, and then had to grab something out of the jello with their toes. ´´Ewwww´´ was most student responses! :)

Here Santiago hesitates about putting his foot in jello! I had to demonstrate how to do the game twice, and my sock was stained pink afterwards from the jello color... I'm sure all moms loved those pink socks coming home!

And the tug of war!

Ready to pull!

Then the kids were dismissed from school early and we had a going away lunch for the 7 teachers who are leaving Sojourn:

Here we are, on to other endeavors! (L to R) I will be teaching at Lighthouse in Escazú, Trish will be travelling with The World Race, Chrissy and her husband and kids are moving back to the States as her husband changes jobs, Peggy is getting married in August and will live in Oregon,, Carolina will be working at Lighthouse with me, and Erin is moving back to Virginia and hoping to find teaching work there. Not pictured is Lauren, who will also be working at Lighthouse with Carolina and I.

At our going away party, they surprised us with a mariachi band!! We were laughing and crying and not sure how to respond to such a great surprise!

And here we pose with the band... Trish of course joined the band and played guitar :).