calm before the storm

that was this weekend. i was blessed to hang out with so many dear friends and hear about how God is using them and teaching them, as well as sharing what is going on with the craziness called my life. while busy, it was a time of rest and rejuvenation and love.

but i think the storm is coming.

in the next three weeks, i have some major life events happening:

• i start working nights in 2 weeks. that's right, the girl who used to get up at 4:30am and have to be told to go back to bed by her parents has been assigned nights. i'll be working 7:30pm-8:00am, (feel free to text me). the benefit to this shift is that when i go asia, i won't have to adjust to the time difference.
• in 3 weeks, i start functioning independently as an rn. this is scary. while i've been functioning as an rn for the past four-ish months, i've always had a mentor to go to that was forced to help me. once i'm on my own, that person won't be there and i'll have to be more assertive than i'm forced to be now. a stretching experience to be sure.
• in 2 weeks, i turn 25 (aka old). a lot of reality is hitting me with this birthday and i'm not sure how to take it. but i am grateful to the Lord for the past year where i was able to plunge into the depths of Him. and i pray for another.
• in 13 days, i move out of the house i have called home for my entire life. i am excited beyond belief, but part of me is mourning the loss.....of something. i will miss my mom cooking for me when i get home from a bad day at work, or processing with her, and i will miss the simplicity that is living with my parents. (this has been a new development, so i still have more to process).
• the issue i thought had been resolved is not entirely so. i'm dreading the conversations to come in the next few weeks that will hopefully bring clarity to this crazy situation, but will probably create new awkwardness. i pray, more than anything, that God would receive glory from what i hope will be my quiet submission to His plan.

 it seems like there's a lot more that will be happening. i guess i just feel overwhelmed with all that's going on. i have a lot to process, but it seems like i don't have time (or the appropriate outlet) to process it all. i hope that i can do more than simply survive the coming weeks; i  hope i will be able to savor this precious gift called life.