A View from Oregon

I have been back in America less than a week. It has been an onslaught of emotions... exciting, nerve-racking, fun, and sad. I will admit that I threw up from anxiety after getting off the plane. Didn't expect THAT! But my body reacted that way. After a few days I'm no longer anxious, feeling like my old self, and enjoying good company, food, and sights. Today John and Erin took me on an Oregon hike, like the good ol' days. The view is a lot different than the views I've experienced in the last year.

And some views were not so different...The crew in Oregon


The crew in Kenya

I did catch myself looking for gazelle and zebra when we passed a grassy, yellow field, but realized I was in the wrong place for that.









Instead, I saw the blue-green hills of the coastal range and beautiful flowers.

I am glad to be back in the States, but must admit that I'm realizing so much about myself and my heart with this visit. Transition is always a bit difficult, and I have spent the last few days processing many thoughts and feelings. I'm learning that it's time to close some doors in the U.S. and solidify others, time to take my whole heart to Kenya and not leave pieces of it behind, time to say good-bye to an old life I was hanging onto for the last year. (I've been reading Ecclesiastes lately. :) I really feel like God is giving me this summer to figure a lot of things out, which most of you would think I figured out when I left here a year ago. I'm obviously a slow learner - it's taken me a year to realize that the U.S. is no longer home. So here I am with an opportunity to love on all my family and friends and looking forward to seeing each of you!