We're Here!

Okay, so you have to forgive me for the length of this video. It just.. happened. But I wanted to be thorough because so many people were asking about everything so... yeah. But here you go! Forgive my ridiculous appearance and my pronunciation of "Lebanon" (I blame living in Nashville for that one..). 

 

Hello's, Goodbye's, and Blessings

A Colorful Best Friend Wedding

My Big Brother and I

A Hello-Goodbye party

Visiting the Capitol

My married Best Friends

Another Best Friend Wedding

My 2nd visitation of the D.O.I. and the Constitution

 

My beautiful Mother and Sister 

Well, we're down to just 3 days until we fly out for Bulgaria. I can hardly believe it. There are many last minute things to consider before we leave, such as: what things we could do without, what things we will regret not taking, making arrangements for our arrival in Sofia, modifying our current cell phone plans, and notifying our banks that our funds need to be accessible while we are in Bulgaria. Overall, things are getting done, and friends, family, and mentors are coming through for us in the most incredible ways!

Before leaving for Bulgaria, it was SO important for me to be able to see my friends and family before leaving since I will not be returning to the states for 360 days. I thought it unlikely that seeing everyone would be possible, but I still wanted to try anyway.

Well, as you can see from the pictures above, God took that challenge and reassured me that nothing is impossible. Not all of the pictures are from this summer, but they do show you all of the people with whom I enjoyed happy memories this summer.
 I think it is a real possibility that I would have changed my mind about leaving had I been forced to say goodbye to everyone I love all at once. I thank God for easing me through the goodbyes, allowing time for strengthening with each passing one. 

I feel like I say this a lot in my prayers, but I have never known love in comparison with the love that I have been shown these past weeks. I think of the tears I shed upon saying goodbye to my big brother, his sweetheart, and then my mom, and my little sister. It hurt in a beautiful way. They have supported me my whole life, and what a frail, hopeless creature I would be were it not for their love which has always strengthened me. Then there are those friends who may as well be my own flesh and blood: My Allison and Cody who are now married, and Meret and Casey who were married only a few weeks ago! Jessica M., my "partner in crime" and teaching twin. My beautiful darling Anne who is so wise and compassionate. My childhood friend Nathan who has always believed in me- and his whole family who have practically raised me. And Jd who calms me down when I stress for no reason. I think of my mentors who have poured their lives into my own- Jessica D., who has always prayed over me and shed tears with me no matter how many other workloads she's taken on, Dr. Nate who has never failed to show me the depth of his care- even at random times when anyone else would be unavailable, and Jason who prayed blessings over me in Divine Love and encouragement. Then there's Kathy who thought of me when she learned of the needs in Bulgaria- the woman who works so hard for us even during her time off. I wish I could list everyone who has made all this possible. But just know that if you're reading this, you have already made this possible.

Just the other day while someone was praying over me, I found myself overwhelmed with the following truth:

I am so blessed

And I don't say that lightly or casually. I am so aware of all that God has given me, all that God has provided for me, and all that He has in store for me. I don't know what exactly to expect, but I can tell you that God will break me, and I will get homesick, and I will get overwhelmed, but also that God will make me new, and He will provide for me in ways I couldn't possibly anticipate, and He will continue to be present in my life whether I am aware of Him or not.

And with that, I say take care and farewell my beloved friends. I'll write more from Bulgaria! 

With Love,

Alex

It's the Little things.

This summer has certainly been a unique one. I can recall summers that were long-awaited after months of school, homework, and complicated friendships... of course, each of those summers were never so grand after two weeks of non-productivity. I must have been dreadful to be around, because all I ever did was whine about my boredom and prolong it with my T.V. addiction.

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.

Thank You!

A huge Thank You to Orlando Centerpointe and Bradenton First Church for hosting and supporting Vera and I and the work we will be doing in Bulgaria! We are so very grateful to you!

Support Us

I just set up my convio page!!! This is a webpage where people can make donations to the work I will be doing in Bulgaria! Instead of mailing in donations, people can pay with credit card here:

http://web.nazarene.org/goto/apalspach
 So, if you feel led to support me financially, by all means, please do!!! :) 
 And if you feel led to support Vera financially, by all means, please do!!!! haha you can reach her convio page here: 
http://web.nazarene.org/goto/vspendergraft

Thank you!!! For everything.... :)
All my Love,


Alex

God Lessons

The past two weeks have been weeks of madness. It's easier to talk about than write about, so I opted for another video. I apologize in advance for my twitchy-ness.

Dreams and Reality

Do you want to know the sort of things I dream about? Watch this video and find out... it's kind of ridiculous.

I Love you all.

-Alex