HOPEFUL...

So one of my famous previous "Laura-isms" has been to not let myself get too excited about anything I really, really want (or at least don't let myself show it). Ya know, waiting for the other shoe to drop, worried things will fall through.  And then I won't be SO disappointed when that happens, right? because I was never THAT excited in the first place.

YEAHHHH,  did you have trouble following the logic in that one?  Me too.  Yet, it's kinda what I have had a history of doing.  and while I thought I had shot that one down the other year because it so obviously does NOT work, it kinda started creeping back up in the past couple of weeks.  

I realized this week that I needed to quickly squash that logic- for good- mainly because I AM excited.  I am excited about how God is at work.  How pieces are coming together so that I have this amazing opportunity to work in the Dominican Republic for at least the next year with the Child Nutrition Program through Solid Rock Missions.  The more I hear tidbits about life from El Cercado and San Juan de la Maguana, the more I long to be there. 

Living in this in-between space is tricky... I am still working to make sense of this past year, adjust back to life here in Pennsylvania, and share all the love and time I can with my friends and family here, and at the same time I am looking to the future feeling EXCITED and ANXIOUS and READY (and did I say EXCITED?!) to get to the Dominican Republic and dig in to life there.

I have been doing a pretty good job at staying un-freaked out by the task of raising this $1800 a month for the next year so that I can get to the DR, and yet I totally am freaked out too.  Cuz this, well this is my heart, so of course I want it to come together.  I am thrilled to say that I have rounded the 1/3 mark of support raising (in actual donations and pledges) and am heading for Half-Way.  Can I hear a yay?!  YAY!  Word :)

I am so grateful and humbled that people are choosing to financially support me in this.  No tengo palabras.  I don't have the words.  And I feel the prayer support and positive wishes surrounding me.  Awesome- please keep it coming.  I will continue to hope and pray that the money keeps coming in too so that I can book my ticket, and then within the next two months (please!) I will be stepping onto that plane headed to the Dominican Republic.  

And I will keep doing my best to rest in knowing that this is all taking place within a broader picture (because it most definitely is), and being intentional to recognize the blessings and lessons within all pieces of this journey.--  Because I do not want to take even a moment for granted.

In case you're wondering what I do with my time, here is a shot of me on my first day as the new part-time snack bar girl at the local golf course- I make a mean egg sandwich!  I also do yardwork, housework, officework, babysitting, etc, and have some time if you're interested... :)  While I'm at it, I have my master's degree in Social Work, if you know of any part-time contract work for this next month or so....