SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!!!

लामो समयसम्म हराउनु भयो नी!
(lamo samaya samma haraunu bhayo ni!-Long time no see!)


I apologize for the long respite from blogging - things have been CRAZY considering I leave on SATURDAY!!!!!!  Quick travel info update: I leave from MSP at 1:45pm, have a six-hour layover in Chi-town, then fly to Abu Dabi for an overnight (a 14 hour flight. jet lag????) On Monday morning I leave at 10am for a four hour quick flight to Kathmandu.  I arrive in KTM at 4:00pm their time.  


So how am I feeling when I realize next week I will be LIVING in Nepal?  Well, I'm kinda freaked out.  Yes, I am super excited and thrilled that it is finally here; I mean come on, I've been waiting since last March!  However, these last months at home have been wonderful: I have loved being with my family and back in their orbit, MN stayed true to form and gave me a fantastic winter hah, and I got to finish out my time home working at my all time favorite coffee shop from high school, Lulu Beans.  Great people, great coffee, great place.  I'm going to miss it.


All this to say, life has been good but "easy", and I'm hoping "little miss independent" will show up soon and give me some nerves for what I am about to do!  When I arrive in KTM I will be staying at guest housing available through the translation agency, so I am taken care of in a sense, but I will need to start language classes, work on finding a permanent apartment, acclimate to culture, and find friends.  Not too bad, huh? ;)


Friends, please pray that God will grant me safe, hassle-free travel (!) and is already preparing strong friendships and community.  I can do anything if I have the support and encouragement of others, even build a whole new life in a foreign country!  How blessed we are to serve an attentive, compassionate, creative, and generous God - I fully trust in His plan and purpose with this new adventure.  If I didn't, I honestly wouldn't be going.  Seriously.  


If you're in the Willmar area tomorrow night, please stop by my home where we will be having a send-off party...I'd love to see all your beautiful faces befor I leave the lovely United States of America!


AND make sure to look for the next post, which will be a summation of my first impressions of my new home :D


Cheers!