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| My parents and I at a Spartanburg landmark |
I feel like a ton has happened since I last wrote.
To see what's been happening at the boys' home, check out it out on Facebook.
For those of you following this plot line: there has been a change in
the plans for next year. To make an incredibly frustrating story short (think
my Food Stamps experience), I’ll just say that I will not be attending grad
school next year. I was not rejected, it was much worse—I never heard anything
at all. As exasperating as it was, I know that it just means that God has
something better planned for me. I have applied to a few VISTA Leader positions
in SC (because there aren’t any in AL, TN, GA, or MS) and have a few more “real
jobs” in the works in the Spartanburg
area for August. At this point, I am not opposed to staying in the Spartanburg
area because I have enjoyed it, though I am also not opposed to moving back to
the Homewood
area, or anywhere else for that matter.
Onto the fun stuff—my parents came and visited! They made the journey to
the Sparkle City for only the second time, the first being when they dropped me
off in August (which doesn’t really count because we both knew nothing of the
area and didn’t know downtown existed). In addition to going to a few places I
wanted to go, they were able to see where I work and spend some time with boys
I have come to love. Seeing them interact w/ the boys and giving so much to
boys they had just met, I know that I get this desire to do whatever for the
boys’ home from my parents. I’m not sure if it’s because my Dad made them huge
batches of banana pudding or the fact that he let them walk our dog, but he
instantly connected with even some of the boys that can be difficult.
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| Harbor in Charleston, SC |
Being this close to the Atlantic
Coast, it was only a
matter of time before I went. During Memorial Day weekend, one of the other
VISTAs went apartment shopping in Charleston
and invited me to come along. This was the weekend of the tropical storm Beryl
but it did not stop me from getting ankle deep in the treacherous waves, battle
the desert-like blowing sand, and of course, get sunburned. Each restaurant we
went to, the food only seemed to get better as though I could’ve been on Food
Network’s “Best Thing I Ever Ate.”
After returning to work on Tuesday, I left that evening for Atlanta. My parents were
dropping my sister off at the airport for her trip studying abroad. In addition
to hanging out with them, I enjoyed our trip to the Georgia Aquarium. Even
after just returning from the beach, it was amazing how rejuvenated I felt
after spending time with my family. Then it was back to Spartanburg and work on Thursday.
Now I am anticipating returning to AL for a few days to celebrate the wedding
of a dear friend from high school and to see friends from college whom I
haven’t seen in 10 months. I am very excited about the time off.
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| ATL |
Honestly, I have found it difficult to write a new blog post the past
few weeks. Perhaps it is because I am down to two more months left. I think at
this point, it is easy to focus on what hasn’t gotten done yet and become
discouraged. Personally, I thought I would have been farther along by now. Like
I would be a marketing-and-mentor-recruiting-machine or something. But I also
have this renewed sense of commitment—like I still have one last good push yet
in me.
In those moments when it is so easy to become frustrated, all I have to
do is look out the window. Unlike many working to alleviate poverty, I am
blessed to know exactly who all of my hard work is benefiting—the boys outside
right now playing baseball. I have enjoyed getting to know each and every one
of them and will miss them very much. I may or may not have considered taking
one or two with me… Everyday working for them and having the privilege of
serving an amazing God who continues to reveal new things—that’s Why I’m still smiling <3
