Ready or not, here I go!

The day I have been waiting for and anticipating is finally here! After what seemed like a long time of preparation, TODAY, April 7, I move to East Africa!! (a great day to start a blog too, don't you think?)

Thank you to all of you who have been and continue encourage and help me along this journey. I appreciate you keeping me in your thoughts and lifting me up!

This is my first time blogging and I doubt my blog would be able to compete (if there were competitions) to be the wittiest, flashiest or most stirring... But I do hope this venue will provide you a small window into the new adventures that lie ahead in the next part of my journey. I also look forward to hearing your thoughts and comments!

the last two weeks I have been in Memphis have been a lovely blur. I got to spend lots of sweet time with my family, going on 3 separate garden trips (2 to the Memphis Botanic Gardens and 1 to the Dixon), going out to Ethiopian food together, and lots of hanging around Cape Charles Cove (my parents home).
I also got to grab an hour of coffee, soccer, discussion, singing, dinner, games, and more with many of the amazing people in and around Binghampton.
I'm going to miss you all so thanks for helping me make the most of the last few weeks!

Please be lifting me up as I settle into new patterns of life. I will have about a week of orientation to my new city and then will begin intensive language learning. One important facet of my language learning will involve meeting with a local, native speaking tutor on a regular basis. Please be lifting up that relationship that it will be great both for educational purposes but also as a friendship.

Can't wait to have more details to fill you in on! if you see this soon, wish me luck on getting all my bags in without paying an arm and a leg for them!

this saying gives peace to my mind as I prepare to go: "You hem me in behind and before."


peace and blessings,
Leigh