Summer Recap/Enjoying America

Wow, it has been about 6 months since I blogged last. So much has happened since then, but this blog is going to be a reflection of the wonderful blessing of a summer I just had.

I spent a good chunk of my time at PK Lake, with family and friends. My family reunion was once again EPIC and so encouraging to me to have a family that covered me in pr-er and I know is continually pring for me. Love them so much and I can't wait to hopefully skype in next year at our nightly hangouts :-)

So many good times were had and memories that I'll never forget. If I typed everything out it would take forever, so I put some pics together for a shorter blog post. haha.

WATERSPORTS!! I had so so so much time on the lake this summer. So much skiing, so much wakeboarding, and so much boat driving. I loved every minute of it!

These are a few pics of the many people who came to play this summer. All of these people are loved, so special to me, and will be missed so dearly!

I also spent a little time in Dallas to visit my sweet Gammy and Gayle. They made sure and feed me (and Neil) well. I also was so blessed to have a couple days with the Droogsma's which was such an encouraging couple of days. We managed to go to a Rangers game and only spend all of $2 including ticket and hot dog. Then rendezvous at Cheesecake Factory for a slice of Key Lime Cheesecake! So much laughter and much needed catch up with these 2 beauties!

While I was in the DF-dub I got to hang out with Neil for a little while. We also went to a Ranger game (yeah thats right I went to 2 games in one week, did I complain.....absolutely NOT), Six Flags, REI, and, you know, I got to jump out of a perfectly good airplane. It was pretty wonderful. I have no words to describe exactly how wonderful it was.

My summer ended with a few days at home with my sweet parents eating Chicken Fried Steak and whatever piece of meat dad was smoking on his new smoker. haha. I also had one surprise night with the Azams at their new home in Olton. Being around them is always special no matter how long or short. And to top the summer off, I was so blessed to be able to be a part of my sweet friends Jenny and Ben's wedding. Being there on their special day was so wonderful and Im so glad it worked out for me to be there and support them in their new marriage.

All in all I had a pretty wonderful summer, even though it ended with me saying good bye to my loved ones. I cannot express the joy these pictures bring to me. This is what I will come back to these next 2 years. I truely love you all so very much! Thanks for making my American summer so special. haha. Asia is only a skype date away :-) Just let me know and I'll be there!

More Transitions

Well most of you know that I have now graduated from Texas Tech University. It is a weird feeling to first of all be done with student teaching and then to be done with college. At the beginning of this semester it felt like the end would never come. I spent 6 wonderful weeks in 2nd grade having a blast with my kids and teacher then I was so blessed to spend another 6 wonderful weeks in PreK having a blast with my kids and teacher! Student teaching was so much fun and gave me a deeper love for the classroom and for kids here in America. There are so many opportunities to use your position as a teacher to share the gospel not only with your kids, but with the parents and your coworkers.

Graduation weekend was a fun filled weekend that ended with a little sadness. We had a blast hangin out with my wonderful family, my awesome roomies, and my fabulous friends! Here are a few pics of the weekend:

The whole family! I am so blessed to have each of them.

My Beautiful Woman of God Seeester :)

The most Beautiful Daughters of God that I know!(and I have the pleasure of living with them)

And two awesome Men of God!

Like I said, it is weird not having a plan for the spring. I am about to go back to Lubbock and start looking for a part time job and substitute when I can. It is going to be strange not having to turn in papers, or communicate with professors, and the strangest is not getting to walk on campus/run to my next class. I am going to miss my college life. I am going to miss the late night study sessions because thats when you really get to know people. I am going to miss early morning coffee runs and late night burrito runs. I am going to miss that beautiful Jones Stadium. I am going to miss intramurals 3 nights a week. I am going to miss RSC and Foundation. Most of all I am going to miss my friends. Some are still in Lubbock with me, but there are many that have moved off to begin the next chapter of their lives. I am so blessed to have friends literally all over the world (but mostly Texas). They all are being used by God and I love getting to hear how they are so willing to be used by him.

Even though there are these and so many more things to miss about college life, I know this next year is going to hold some intense transitions and I am eager and ready to see what Father has in store for me. These next few months are crucial to the next few years of my life, so be in prayer that God's will for my life is done.

Calm Before the Storm

Well I got my student teaching placement last week, so it is official (unless something crazy happens) that I will be teaching 2nd grade all semester at Cooper North Elementary! I am so excited and so nervous all at the same time. Right now in my life Im not exactly "busy" for the first time in a very long time and Im enjoying it very much! I have painted, read a book, watched movies, taken naps, etc. Its been wonderful. And now with the official placement email the reality of student teaching hit me. Its around the corner. Crazy Busyness is about to happen!

But with that said, I cant wait to get started and meet my little 2nd graders. Im so excited to learn how to do this whole teaching thing full time. I know that all you veteran teachers are reading this and probably rolling your eyes, but Im excited :) But Im so much more excited about loving on these kids. Im so pumped to learn how they learn and talk with them and then try and pass on as much love as possible.

Im getting more and more excited everyday, but for now Im trying to enjoy the calm before the storm! Im trying not to get ahead of myself and enjoy the calm that Father has so wonderfully and graciously given to me.

Good Ole US of A

Wow! I have been back in the states for a week now and Im still kind of trying to adjust. Jet lag is basically over, the only permanent damage it has done to me is get me up around 6 or 7 every morning which isnt really a problem at all. haha.

Saturday my friend Melanie picked me up from the Lubbock airport around 10pm. Kassidy surprised me when we got to the car. I wasnt expecting her to be there. It was a very nice surprise. Except they were both on a massive sugar high and I was about to pass out from jet lag and sleep deprivation! haha. We stayed up for a few more hours talking and telling stories.

The next morning Kass and I headed back to good ole DC for church. It was so good to see everyone. A particular someone decided to announce very loudly to everyone who walked in that I was back......I dont know who can get a hold of that woman but MEGHAN AZAM needs to be tamed a little haha. I spent the day with the fam and headed back to Lubbock the next day with Gammy and Dad. I've been here in the LBK partaking in meals with some wonderful people catching up and staying busy. Its been a very encouraging week. Talking about what Father is doing in all of our lives is one of my favorite things to do and I did alot of that this week! Learning what Father has been doing here in the states and in other parts of the world has been so wonderful! It humbles you so much to remember that Father is at work everywhere. We only see our little bitty life and our little bitty experience and it is SO cool to see that our God is HUGE and he is at work everywhere all at the same time!

My last few days in Africa came to an end so quickly it was hard to process through everything that Father taught me! I think after being back home and getting many great questions about what I learned has helped me process through things better. I would definitely say that the one thing that I walked away learning about the most was desperation for Father. Father brought me to a place where the only form of encouragement was my word and my time with Him. He really taught me first hand that all I need is HIM and He has already given me everything I need. My time in Africa was far from easy and I was pushed to my limit many times, but Father was faithful to refuel me and encourage me.

Then afer I went through this time of desperation for him, He then taught me that he is refueling me and encouraging me all for His glory! Father taught me a lot about how He is working towards His glory among the nations and everything He does is pushing that along, and Him encouraging me and refueling me in Africa was in some form or fashion pushing His mission of His name being made FAMOUS towards reaching its goal.

I am just a girl in this giant world who loves my Savior. THATS ALL. I realize the love He has for me and I realize that His love for me is stemed from Him receiving all the glory. He called us (all of us) to make disciples of ALL NATIONS. The one thing he commanded us to do while on this earth was to make disciples and follow him. THATS ALL. It is so simple but not so easy. Be encouraged by the simplicity of his mandate for us.

I was humbled to be apart of the work Father is doing in Africa this summer. Thank you all for all the prayer and support you gave me! I truely appreciate every single prayer and thought!

leaving Afrique!

Well the time has come. We are leaving on Wednesday to go back to Holland. It has been crazy crazy busy the past week. Father has been teaching me so much. Its hard to even know where to start. Because of my time crunch this will not be a long good bye blog, but when I get back to the states, I while be more thorough (with pictures).

PR for us tomorrow. We have our last meeting with some friends that we have made. They dont speak very good english, so PR that the language barrier does not deter us from being obedient, in whatever way that may be.

PR for safe travel and that these 4 girls soak up every revelation Father is teaching them. PR for integration time. I will be leading a lot of stuff that I am still trying to figure out for myself, so PR that Father has his hand in debriefing these girls on what and how to bring back to the states from their time here.

Thank you so much for all of the PR that has been lifted up. I do appreciate it soo soo much! I love you all and its crazy to say I will be back on American soil in a week. Get excited for some Moroccan tea! I am bringing back a tea pot and some tea so if your with me I will be making some for all of you :)