So many emotions

So crazy that two weeks from today, I will be on the plane and on my way to Kansas. June 12th, I am scheduled to leave Mexico at 10:30 a.m. and land in Kansas at 10:30 p.m. My original flight I booked I was flying from Leon to Mexico City to Minneapolis to Kansas, but I had to switch the airports as they switched the time of the flight to 8:30 a.m. and that means I would have to be there at 5:30 a.m. I still would've landed in Kansas at 10:30 p.m. The airport is about an hour drive, so I didn't think anyone would want to bring me that early and it would make for an extra long day.

So now I am flying from Leon to Monterry to Atlanta to Kansas. All that to say, I will be in two new airports. I am sure it will all go fine, but I also know prayers will help me to have peace and for all to go well. Please be praying that flights will be on time, I will be able to find my way around and for safe travels.

I am excited to spend the week with my sister Stacey and her family in Kansas and to visit with my other sister Jenny as she is now living in Kansa. My niece, Maddie, has been borrowing my car while I was gone, so I will drive back to Minnesota after visiting them for the week.

I am also hoping to stop my brothers in Otsego on my way back to Wadena and visit with him and his family. I will probably spend a night or two there, but they live closer, so I can go visit them again this summer.

Last, but not least I will head to mom and dad's in Wadena. This is where I will be staying until I figure out where I will be living. I mentioned in another blog post about a house that was for sale that I will take a look at if it's still for sale when I return. God has been so faithful and guided and directed everything else, so trusting He will do the same with my living arrangements.

June 20th, I will start nannying with the Dokken Family. I have been blessed to spend the last 5 summers with their girls! They live on the lake, so it's a really hard job : ) It's 3 days a week and we have so much fun. They are getting older, so pretty soon they won't need me, so wanted to make sure I got another summer with them. It will also be nice to have the income as my school contract won't start again until the end of August. Thank you Lord for this fun job to earn some money.

So yeah, just a little update on my return to the states and my plans for the summer as some people have been asking : )

While I am so excited to be back home with family, friends and my familiar, I am also so sad to be leaving my family and friends here in Mexico. Who knew 10 months could have such an impact on someone's life?! The people and Mexico will always have a huge place in my heart!

I know I will be back to Mexico, but I don't know when or for how long. Thankfully God knows and I don't need to worry about it. I will definitely be back to visit and who knows maybe for another missions trip. I think it would be a shorter trip, but I also know my plans aren't always the same as God's plans. Again, trusting He will make it clear.

Last week, Serena shared the evaluation that Liz my co teacher, Rosa the director and Francisco the Pastor filled out and they all had such good things to stay. They want me to stay forever! Serena had told me it was such a great evaluation, but it was nice to read what they all wrote. I joked with my mom that they might hold me hostage here and not let me return home : )

They all know how much I miss my family and friends and that I have a teaching job to return to, so understand why I am leaving. Thankfully we will be able to stay in touch with technology. I told them they could come visit me in Minnesota too. Hopefully they don't all come at the same time : )

Last week was a good week at school. We were back to our regular routine, so that was good for me : ) Our primary class had fun making the fun face snacks as we had extra from the preschool class. The secondary class did some faces with crackers, but I didn't get any pictures.

Wednesday night Norma and I went to prayer time at the church. We talked about how we need to believe that God still performs miracles. We also talked about how we need to thank Him when He does things. We often just go on with life and forget to give Him the honor and glory. Sweet Norma and Rosi, another gal from church, came and put their arms around me during prayer time and prayed for me. They were just praying quietly, but still made me tear up.

The Ohio missionary team that was here working on the new school stopped by the school Thursday afternoon and got to see school in progress, so that was fun. I go to see Bill and Lydia again. (The missionary couple that I wrote about in my last blog post.) I see them on Wednesday mornings through zoom, but finally met them in person last Sunday. I got to see them again on Sunday, so three times in one week. What a blessing! Check out some pictures of the new school.

Friday, we had our monthly teacher meeting where we always open with an activity. We had a couple circles of fabric. The first time we had two teams and we had to link arms and pass the circle and then go back. The second time we made a circle and passed both circles in opposite directions. Karina, our director, took a couple videos, so I will post them on my Mexico missionary facebook page. Go watch for some good entertainment : )

We also have a time of devotion during this meetings before we talk about things that are happening at the school. We read from the Bible and then have a little talk. We talked about how we don't know when Jesus is coming back and we always need to be ready. It was a good and productive meeting. Such a great team to work with!

It was a bittersweet day as it was the last monthly teacher meeting I will be attending. It's starting to get more real as many last things will be happening in the next couple weeks. I also submitted my last lesson plans that I will be teaching before I head back home. I will submit lesson plans one last time before I leave, but Liz will be teaching those.

Thank you Lord for all that you are doing at the school and in the students and staff. I am excited to see what He has planned for the new school and how it will continue to grow.

Friday morning, I found out our class, lost a classmate who was battling an aggressive respiratory infection. Please be praying for Jeff's family and friends. I knew Jeff all the way from kindergarten at St. Ann's through high school. He was always smiling and making people laugh.

We should all be living our lives as if it's our last day as we never know when our time here will be done. I need to work on that with both my actions and how I treat people as well as just enjoying life and living it to the fullest! Are you living each day like it's your last?

Friday night was an adventure as we went to the grocery store to get ingredients to make Chicken Wild Rice Soup. I am thankful for google translate and google to show pictures of what I am looking for as Norma doesn't always understand. Thank goodness we found everything we needed. We went out for coffee and tea after our shopping adventure.

Saturday morning, I taught Norma how to make Chicken Wild Rice Soup as I made it one other time and she loved it. I gave her a crockpot for Mother's Day and told her I would teach her how to make soup before I left. So glad we were able to do that.

I continue to be thankful for Norma and her care, love and support. She is always making sure I have what I need and sometimes things I don't need, like chocolate : ) I took a picture of the lunch she brought me last week. I would've just put some syrup on it and called it good. She brought the whole bottle of syrup and some other icing stuff. Plus it was fresh off the grill. I joked with my mom that she would need to bering me lunch to school every day when I return : )

My attitude was not the best on Saturday as I was supposed to get my period and I was just feeling annoyed with everything. It was one of those days where I was really ready to be back home. We had talked about going to the movie. Then we talked about going to Leon instead and going to the movie Sunday. Our plans changed like 3 times in 30 minutes. I am a routine person and a planner, so this was frustrating me. I just want to tell like I am in control, even though I really am not! Plus I was extra moody because that's how I get when it's that time of month. No excuse for my attitude, but just being honest about my attitude.

We ended up going to the Little Mermaid and it was air conditioned, so that was great! Then we went and had some pizza as an appetizer before we came home and had soup : ) I was able to sneak a little nap in and listen to some worship music before we ate and watched another movie.

Saturday night, I went to bed early and prayed about my attitude as I didn't like how I was feeling. God politely reminded me the one thing I can be in control of is my attitude. Thankfully, His mercies are new each day and I woke up Sunday feeling much better and had a completely different attitude. Thank you Lord that your mercies are new each day!

Sunday we visited the church that I spoke at a couple weeks ago. They continue to show so much love, even though I have only visited the church 3 times. We also got to see Bill and Lydia as they were visiting the church : ) The message was how we are children of God and talked about how we need to be willing to use our gifts and let the Lord use us. Lord, show me what you have planned for me!

One of my churches back home has been doing a series, Courage in the Chaos. I was catching up on the messages and there were 2 messages on God gives us courage to submit to Him. Lord, help me to surrender to you and remember that you are in control. It's like He knew I needed these reminders : )

I shared last week that the verse Joshua 1:9 came up a few times. Thank you Lord that you are with me wherever I go and that you are my strength when I am weak. Courage seems to be a repeating word lately!

After church, we headed to Guanajuato to have an early birthday lunch for Norma. We went to a beautiful french restaurant and enjoyed visiting and delicious food. We had some yummy desserts. We walked around a little bit and headed home. Such a great time celebrating Norma. She is always giving and helping others, so it was nice to do something for her. Check out the pictures below.

Today was a good day at school for a Monday : ) We have a spelling bee, so Liz was helping with practice for that. I thought we were all practicing together, but I was wrong. Good news though, I had a good attitude about it and got done what we could in class. We only had 2 kids in our preschool class, so that was nice and quiet for a change.

Some of the prayers and praises I mentioned above, but going to put them all in one spot. Save you some time looking back or writing down : )

Please be praying for travels on June 12th. As I mentioned I will be in 2 new airports, but trusting all will go well. Pray for flights to be on time and safety.

Pray for wisdom direction on living arrangements when I return. Thankful I can stay with my mom and dad until I get that figured out.

Pray for Jeff's family and friends. A classmate that passed away Friday morning as he battled an aggressive respiratory infection.

Pray for Norma's brother Henry who is having some lung issues

Pray for wisdom and direction as I signed up to donate a kidney. I passed the survey and have spoke with 2 different people on the phone. I need to lose some weight and then will have an evaluation done. Pray for discipline to lose the weight and all to go well.

Continue praying for my emotions as they are like a roller coaster!

Thank you Lord that I will get to spend another summer with the Dokken Family. Thank you for providing income until my school contract starts again.

Thank you Lord for the missionary team that was here from Ohio and worked on the new school. Continue praying for the construction of the school as well as financial needs.

Thank you Lord that your mercies are new each day. Continue praying for my attitude and strength to finish strong.

Thank you Lord for relationships here in Mexico. Be praying as there will be some sad people when I leave. And maybe some happy people too : )

Thank you for technology to keep in touch with family and friends back home and that will be able to keep in touch with my family and friends in Mexico when I go back home. So great to watch church services back home too!

Check out some pictures from the last week : )

We got our soup in the crockpot : )