New life.....

Well, I'm getting bored with how long it takes to upload photos from my road trip out here. Plus, it feels SO long ago now that it's not interesting me much. Ha! I'll try and come back to it, at some point, but for now, I want to write a bit about the newness I'm discovering here!

 First of all, this little pink Monkey is named Sarah and she (and her bird friend, below) traveled with me all the way to California! They were friends of my nieces, that they gave to me, to keep me company on my travels. Made me cry when they did this. They are such sweet, caring little girls. And I miss them, A TON!

 This is a photo I took while Carla and I were hiking near the creeks and wildflowers in a canyon in Crater Lake National Park.

 Ah, yes. California. The final destination of our trip. Well, at least of MY trip. I was actually less anxious as I drove across this border than I was for the entire trip. As we drove through Indiana, Illinois and Iowa I was feeling pretty good. Pretty excited. But the farther west we got it was almost like the more Satan tried his hand and discouraging me. It wasn't so easy to fight- especially when you throw in the whole part of knowing that I was moving so very far away from my family and my babies (who grow more each day!). I got frustrated with the whole thing. I tried to not think about it though because when I did, I just wanted to bawl. I was feeling emotional but tried to keep it inside and enjoy the trip with Carla (who also had never been to most of these places we went).

 But as we drove into California (this was our view) my soul was at peace. My soul was saying, It is well. And I knew, it really was well! I know that this is where God wants me for the time being, and so how can I be any happier, anywhere else?  The answer is, I can't. If God is wanting me here, then HERE is where I will be most happy and at peace.

Not to say that I won't ever get sick of this view and yearn for the cornfields of Indiana (okay, well, that could take quite a while!) but I will continue to remind myself that God has me here, He is with me, and it is well with my soul! I know that God has great plans for me (and my classmates) for this upcoming year and I definitely don't want to miss out!

SOOOOOOOO......Let me lighten things up a bit and give you a list of all of the things that are different here, on the other side of the U.S.!

1.  Lizards. Everytime I step outside my front door, the little guys scurry away as if I'm a giant who's come to destroy them! They're actually pretty cute and I think they may be getting used to me. Some day, they will let me take their picture and then you can see them too!

2. All of the homeless/transient people that are here. EVERYWHERE. It's like it's totally normal, to everyone. A lot of them almost seem to be more satisfied by their simple life than if they had a job and a home. I saw a guy at the store today, just inside the doors, giving himself a sponge bath with wipes. And no one even batted an eye at it. It's normal. Most of them carry a small bag and a sleeping bag. It's all just so interesting.......

3. Living in an apartment. WHEW BABY! The noises that are continually around me. From hearing the neighbor lady and her kids running up and down their stairs (took me awhile to realize it wasn't someone in my apartment) to their little dog yipping at me when he hears me coming home. From the dog across the way that seems to be a puppy still who is being neglected (if you ask me) because he crys and yowels and crys on his back porch- to the guy next door who likes the radio in his car so loud that my windows all shake when he comes home. Noisy. Very Noisy. :)

4. The heat, minus the humidity. Last week it was reaching 112 degrees during the day but it was different. It was hot, don't get me wrong, but without the heat, it's just totally a different feel. I can still BREATHE! :) I did have to get a window shield thingy for my car though because when my car sits and bakes in the sun, it is no fun to get in and drive it. Everything is so stinking hot that you can't touch it for several minutes!

5. As I drive around this city there is so much! So many different businesses! Everywhere! And it's all so spread out that I still sometimes get turned around. And it's all so hilly. My car definitely doesn't love all the hills but that's okay, she's a great and blessed car and is doing well!

 

 6. Cameras at the stoplights. They're at every one. And if you go through a light, you're sent a ticket, no questions asked. And I heard that they are quite steep! Needless to say, I like to stop at yellow lights now. :)

7. Fires. The land all behind my apartment complex was burnt by fires about a week before I moved in. They had to soak everything right up next to our fences so it wouldn't catch on fire. The good thing is now that it's been burned, it can't be burned again. BUT today there is a haze in the air because very near to me there are some 15,000 acres on fire! So what we see is all the smoke. It's not good. We need rain here, badly! So any prayers for that would be greatly appreciated. 

8. Paying for laundry. Not only paying for it but having to walk outside to get to the little laundry room. One dryer and one washer for 4 units. So far not too bad since most of the students in this building aren't here yet. But we shall see. :) Also, I hate having to put my clothes into the same washer and dryer that toxic laundry soap and fabric softners go into! Ick! Oh well. I will survive! :) It really isn't bad. Just different. 

9. The church body. Wow. It's just so encouraging to be in an environment where people are so passionate and crazy in love with Jesus and they are living it out- everyday! They are moving in things that would seem stupid to most of the world but because they know that God is in it, they just go! And as they follow the Holy Spirit more and more, they are not even surprised when they see manifestations of heaven- like a feather floating in the room! Just evidence that there are angels among us! Pretty cool! Already I am being reminded that since we, as believers, are seated with Jesus in heavenly places (as scripture says) then heaven is with us. Heaven is here. And I think that's pretty good news! :) 

I love you all and hope you're doing well!