4 years ago....

Last night was the welcome dinner and move in day for the new Atlanta Mission Year team members. Being there as an alum brought back many memories from my move in day four years ago. Four Years...wow, sometimes I can't believe it's been that long and then there are days that it feels like just yesterday that I was leaving my home, family, friends and church to move to Atlanta. I had no idea what to expect, no idea what my roomies were going to be like, no idea what life would look like for the next year. It's so crazy to me that four years later I am having many of those similar feelings about moving to Charlotte and starting a Mission Year city there. I really have no idea what life will look like for the next year. I know nothing about the neighborhood we will be working in, no idea what the team members will be like, no idea what the church partnership will look like but I do know that it will all be ok. God will be there in the midst of the craziness and the unkown. He was faithful during my time in Atlanta and he will continue to be during my time in Charlotte.

As I was sitting and talking to the new team members I found myself getting really giddy just thinking about the amazing journey that they are about to begin and I was reminded of what my year in Mission Year taught me and how different I am now than I was four years ago. I love Mission Year so much and I'm truly thankful for the experience and the things it taught me. I would tell anyone and EVERYONE I know to do Mission Year. Check it out http://www.missionyear.org/. I can't wait to start life in Charlotte and to venture out on an another crazy journey that God has for me. This is a picture of me and my team members with our favorite neighbor Ms. Winnie four years ago.....

Back to School

Schools started back here in Atlanta on Aug.10, which I think is waaaay too early to start back to school. To the left is a picture of Anniiayah and Makayla on their first day of school...aren't they just the cutest things you've ever seen? Anniiyah is in 1st grade and was very excited about a new school, new teacher and making new friends. Makayla is in kindergarten and didn't share quite the same excitement as her sister did, but she's liking it more and more as the weeks gone on. We see them everyday after school and I asked Kayla what she did that day and she says, "play with my new friends and color." When I ask Anniiyah the same thing she gives me this long list of things that she did and learned. Christy and I took them (and Ava) to get a first day of school treat from Sonic...they loved it!!

I was also able to take my neighbors to Sonic that next day for a lil back to school treat. Kaetlyn (8th greade) and Michael (9th grade) already have had tons of homework and its only the fourth day back!



Here are a few pictures from fun times at Sonic....enjoy!

Post Office Drama

East Atlanta Post Office: There is usually a line out the door, a line filled with rude and impatient people who think their time is more valueable than the person before them. Of course there is only one, maybe two if we are lucky, employees behind the counter and they are quite possibly the slowest people I have ever met. Customers are usually talking on their phones(which I can't stand) very loudly, yelling at each other from across the room or getting mouthy and rude with the employee behind the counter...oh and let's not forget the horrible elevator music playing in the background. I usually come back to work with some crazy story from my experience at the post office and yesterday was no different. As I'm walking in I notice a homeless man sitting outside right by the door and he is talking very loudly about needing money and food and how he got hit by a car...just talking hoping that someone will listen and give him money. I say hi to him on my way in and he asks me for $2 and I say sorry, but I can't. I never give money, I will buy food but I don't just hand out money. I go inside and stand in line (for 25 minutes) and the man outside is getting louder and louder and the other people in line are starting to complain and talk about this man. They were saying horrible things about him and saying that he needs to get a job and stop being lazy and other rude things that make me annoyed. One lady actually said that the governement should kill off all the homeless people because then our city would look a lot better....well, that was the last straw-I couldn't take anymore and for the next 5 minutes I rambled on and on about how I disagreed with what they were saying and just because people are homeless doesn't always mean they are lazy and dont want to work...it was quite intense. I can't stand how people are mean to the homeless. Just because a person is homeless doesn't mean they don't deserve dignity and respect. Anywho...when I walked out the door the man was still standing there and I went over and talked to him. I asked his name and I introduced myself and asked him if he wanted something to eat from Wendy's and he said yes so we walked over to Wendys and got his some food. I gave him a couple of places he could go to get dinner and a shower that night and I told him about my work and what we could help him with, I do hope he comes by but I'm not really counting on it. He didn't seem too thrilled on getting off the streets, but I did what I thought I should. I provided him with food and resources to help him and the rest is up to him. He did thank me several times and before I left he told me that he appreciated me just stopping by and saying hi to him because people walk past him all the time and not even acknowledge that he is there...so sad to me. Please remember to treat people with respect and a smile can really make a persons day.

Weekend Fun

This weekend has been full of crazy events that have caused me to get little or no sleep. Friday was absolute craziness at work and I was really hoping and needing a good night with friends...and that's just what I got. I am very blessed to have such an incredible community of

friends who share the same passion and desire for the inner city as I do. We are with each other all the time eating/making dinner, letting loose by playing with kids, hanging with neighbors, making yummy treats, playing games (euchure!) or just watching movies. In between all those fun times there are moments, and sometimes hours, or debriefing and talking about what's going on in our lives and in the lives of those around us that we love. After work my friends and I went over to the Starrs (Ashlee and Caleb-coolest married couple EVER!) and had pizza, hung out with kids, played games and talked until 2am. It's so refreshing to talk with people who understand and who are living in the same place and doing the same thing as I am. We don't have all the answers but it's nice to know that we understand each other and that we are walking along side of one another in this crazy adventure we call life. Saturday morning I woke up about 8:30 to a knock on my door. It was my neighbor needing to borrow some milk so she could make breakfast. Then I walked to the coffee shop to meet Christy and the rest of the South Atlanta Civic League (neighborhood association) for Nieghborhood Clean Up Day. We picked up trash in our nieghborhood for about 31/2 and boy were we sweaty, smelly and tired! We split up into teams and my team went down Jonesboro (the main road) to pick up trash and we ran into a neighbor...let's call him Abe. He was in his 40's, missing most of his teeth and had been drinking a little too much but he stopped us and wanted to help so we told him to walk with us. He thought we were doing community service and just laughed when we told him that we were doing it because we lived here and we wanted our neighborhood to be clean and trash free. Every time we saw anyone he made it clear that we were serving community service and that he was protecting us. He stayed with us for about an hour and then walked on to Little Bear, which is a little store in my neighborhood. After we got done picking up trash, I came home and showered and we (christy and I) went to pick up Mike and we treated ourselves to Chick fil-a...we HEART Chick fil-a!! Then we went back to the Starrs and went with Ashlee and the three girls to Old Navy (50% off clearance woot woot!!) and to Target for school clothes and supplies. Any time we spend with the girls is always fun. They are six(Anniiyah), four(Makayla) and 19 months(Ava) and didn't seem particularly fond of listening that day, so there were lots of time outs issued. Afterwards we came back and showed everyone all the goods we got and Christy and I took the girls with us to get dinner and to hang out at my house so Ashlee and Caleb could rest and hang out together. We went to Sonic and then watched Cinderella...it was a perfect way to spend a Saturday evening. On the way to Sonic Anniiyah told me that when I had kids that I should name the girl Lola and the boy Lil Joe-she's such a funny girl. We took the girls home later that night just in time for bedtime and then I went home and hung out with my roomies. Did I mention I got a new roomie on Saturday? Her name is Monique and she just finished up Mission Year and she is great! We were all up talking until about 2am and I had to get up at 7:30 for praise band practice Sunday morning. Sooo needless to say I was uber tired during practice. Church was wonderful, as usual and afterwards there was a baby shower for a couple who are expecting at the end of the month. I went back over to the Starrs after the shower to borrow their van ( I don't have a car at the moment) and watched a lil Dr. Quinn with Ashlee. It brought back so many wonderful memories of watching it with my family on Saturday nights! :) One of my roomies from Mission Year, Nicole. had a five hour layover in Atlanta Sunday afternoon so I was able to pick her up from the airport and hang out with her for a while. it was great to connect again and catch up in person rather than on the phone. Then I went back over to the Starrs for some hang out time then came home and finally went to bed...whew-it was a busy weekend!! I added a picture of the girls eating Sonic and watching Cinderella at my house-enjoy!