"Don't you EVER read my blog?"

Barbados December 2011

Sri Lanka April 2012

Dubai, April 2012

Judah’s first Christmas

Kaieteur falls, Guyana. December 2011

Guyana- November 2011

I haven’t blogged in a long time. 

How long? Well, since my last post:

• I’ve traveled to Guyana where I saw (allegedly) the world’s largest water fall and took Christmas gifts to an incredible orphanage
• Enjoyed a two day mini vacation in Barbados
• Celebrated my nephew’s first Thanksgiving and Christmas in South Carolina
• Turned 33 years old
• Helped to kick off a huge campaign to build a city in Cambodia (www.buildacity.org)
• Saw Jack White and Coheed and Cambria in Concert 
• Traveled to Dubia with one of my favorite traveling friends
• Hosted the very first COG youth camp in Sri Lanka

All while making new friends, working hard at my job, volunteering and sneaking in a workout every now and then. (If I have any regrets its probably that I didn’t “sneak” as many of these as I should have).  I’ve also made a lot of decisions, learned a lot of lessons (mostly the hard way) and tried to figure out exactly what it is I want to do with this life of mine.  The last six months have been hectic and exciting and sad and happy and ultimately life changing.  There are a lot of new things coming soon and I felt now was as good a time as any to revive this blog. 

This last week has been one of the hardest of my life.  I’m still processing and praying and thinking and hoping but to be perfectly transparent everyday is a struggle. All I really know right now is that I’m thankful for all the wonderful people whose lives intersect mine and that one day this story will have a happy ending.  All things work together for good in the end, so if its not good, its not the end. 

If I feel like something good is coming I generally keep my mouth shut, as if speaking it too soon may keep it from happening.  Occasionally, I’ll tell my closest friends what “may” happen, being ever so careful not to make assumptions or build something up that may never be. However, for the most part, I don’t speak it until its really going to happen. So, when I was asked to travel to Guyana to take Christmas presents to the Tyler Carver Orphanage, I was so excited but I played it cool and told almost no one until the tickets were purchased.  And now the tickets are purchased!!

So, officially:

I’m going to Guyana the first week of December. I’m excited to meet the children and see another International orphanage and I’m honored at the opportunity to share such a special event with them.  I’m also excited because Lonely Planet pointed out that the Kaieteur falls, possibly the highest waterfall in the world, is just a short 1 hour plane flight from Georgetown where we will be.  It is supposed to be 4 times as high as Niagara falls and its in the middle of a jungle so there aren’t all the guard rails and Asian tourists with camera’s around their necks.  After some research, I found what seems to be a reputable company that does a 6 hour expedition to the falls including a 3 hour hike and lunch in the jungle. I’m ridiculously excited.

As I walked out of Customs in Atlanta, a large elderly African American man said”welcome home baby.” I smiled, welcome home indeed.

There were several troops on my flight and there were large thank you and welcome home signs and people cheering outside customs and baggage claim. Im not always the most patriotic person but it made me proud to be an American and that much more thankful to be home. I obviously love traveling and exploring other cultures but at the end of every trip I’m reminded how blessed I am to be from here.