Month Ten Update

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.

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.

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