But my, my, my, how things have changed! This past year has been the most challenging of any year in primary and secondary school combined. I completed my Student-Teaching which truly tested me as a teacher, and I can gladly say that it only encouraged my love of the profession and my unconditional love of children. Somewhere towards the end of Student-Teaching--I believe it was the day after Thanksgiving, I received an e-mail from a beloved professor who loves to play match-maker between ministries and students. I thank God for her, because she matched me with a one-year mission to Bulgaria--asking me to take my time before making a decision about whether or not I would go. Well of course I didn't listen to her because I knew immediately. You could say that God had already revealed this mission to me. From that day on, everything became about Bulgaria- Student-Teaching became preparation for the youth I already loved in Bulgaria. Graduation became urgent so that I could go to Bulgaria. Money became a stressful thought because I knew I would have to come up with quite a bit to live in Bulgaria.
After Christmas, my responsibilities at work increased with my new-found "free" (a.k.a. non-teaching) time. I got promoted and worked about 30 hours a week while taking an online class--the only thing standing in the way of my degree. To my dismay, there was some mix-up in paperwork and although I met all the requirements to graduate, I wasn't on the list of college graduates. Luckily, there were Loving, supportive people ready and willing to back me up, and it wasn't long before I walked across that stage like so many others before me.
After graduation Vera and I were planning a weekend trip to Washington D.C. to turn in all our Visa paperwork at the Bulgarian Embassy (See my earlier blog on March 4th to learn all about what that was like!) That was stressful too because there were so many elements as to what was necessary for the visas and then my FBI background check didn't come in until a week or two before we were scheduled to leave! But, as always, I worried for nothing. Everything went smoothly. (In fact, today 7/11/12, Vera and I each received a phone call from the embassy saying that our Visas were approved and are going out into the mail today!) And as an added bonus since reporting to the embassy turned out to be a speedy process, a tour of D.C. turned out to be possible and incredible. We went to a couple of the Smithsonians and I saw the actual Constitution!!! AND the Declaration of Independence! I was so humbled and overwhelmed that I cried.
Well anyway, since then, I've been with my family in Florida. I watched my little sister graduate from High School. My mom, sister, and I went to the drive-in to see the latest Pixar movie. We even went to the beach together and I enjoyed it! (I'm not usually a beach person unless I'm there at sunset).
All of this is to say, that this summer has been long awaited.. and so much more. This summer has been a time of growing. Growing in God, growing in my friendships, and growing closer to my family. I've come to see that God has been with me all year long (well, truthfully, He's been with me always). But He has been most evident in the little things-- in the pictures drawn by my fourth graders, the email from my ministry match-making professor, the hug from a faculty member when I learned that I wouldn't be in the graduation program, the smile of the representative at the Bulgarian Embassy, and even in the things that we might take for granted... like seeing the real Constitution, or attending a graduation or getting a handwritten letter in the mail. Its little things like drawing dinosaurs on "paint" with your not-so-little sister that have made me see just how much God loves me... how He's always right here shining His face upon me like a Father who sees his tiny daughter for all Her precious possibilities. His presence in these special, though seemingly insignificant moments have made it clear that no matter where I go or what I do, as long as I am turning my heart toward Him, His face will always be shining upon me, teaching me to see these little things for what they truly are: reminders of a God who Loves me, who chooses to surround me with His beautiful Love in both the big and little things.
