I've been moved into my parents' house for a couple of weeks, but now I'm officially here. On Friday, I gave up my cat - and from the sound of things she's settled in pretty well. It was a little strange going home to an empty, cat-free house. I spent the rest of the night (with help) cleaning out my house completely, so I was ready the next morning to hand over the keys. I'm now without a house and without a cat...and that much closer to leaving for Honduras. I have two weeks of school left, and then I'll have to get things organized at school so I can leave for a year and not return to a mess.
In many ways it feels like everything is coming to an end. I have mixed feelings about it. One one side, I'm excited that so many things have come together. It's been very evident that I am doing what God wants me to do. He has worked out all the details, the funding (which is almost fully in), provisions, etc. On the other hand, it's starting to hit me everything that I'm going to miss. Living with my family for the past few weeks has been wonderful, but it also makes me realize that I'm not going to see them for months. I think the longest stretch I've gone so far without seeing them in person is about a month, when I was doing undergrad research in Carbondale. College was close enough to where I could usually come home on the weekends when I wanted to. I'm sure the time down in Honduras will go quickly, but I know it's going to be tough at times. And it's not just family...I'll miss seeing my friends, people from church, and everyone I know. My prayer is that I will quickly make new friends and connections there, but there is an element of uncertainty as I'm preparing to do this. My new mantra is "there's always Facebook"...and I'm pretty sure I'll be living online for at least the first month or so...getting to know new people, but making sure to keep up connections with people here. Part of my fear is that in throwing myself into life down there, I'll lose connection with my friends here. I don't want that. I know there is a certain amount of distance that will happen...I'll be experiencing new things, growing in new ways, learning and changing. My friends here will be having experiences, growing and changing...so when I return I will not be the same, and they will not be the same. My hope and prayer is that both cases will be changes for the better, and that these changes will enrich our friendships...and also I hope I don't tire everyone out by constantly talking about Honduras for weeks on end when I return. :-)
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
More Progress
It seems like every time I get a chance to breathe, I'm in a new situation when it comes to Honduras. I last posted last Saturday, less than a week ago (a mere 5 days for those of you keeping track). In that time...
- My department at school gave me a card, and inside the card was money to help me in Honduras. I was really touched by that. I love the math/science department at my school. We have some disparate personalities, and at times there are issues, but for the most part I get along with most everyone, and I'll miss them all next year.
- I got a call last night - the last piece of the puzzle for refinancing my mortgage came through, so that will be coming up some time next week.
- Today in school we had a presentation on technology - some very interesting ideas, and many that I can look to implement next year.
- As of the beginning of this week, I'm over 90% funded!
There have also been e-mails back and forth through the week with people down in Honduras. I don't have much time (or attention) right now to dedicate to updating the blog..it seems at times the more things to talk about, the less time to talk about it. And I did get another time-sucking device last night...my new iPad showed up. Fortunately I was already done grading lab reports, because no work was accomplished last night (but an awful lot of play was done...and I did try Angry Birds and Words with Friends for the first time).
- My department at school gave me a card, and inside the card was money to help me in Honduras. I was really touched by that. I love the math/science department at my school. We have some disparate personalities, and at times there are issues, but for the most part I get along with most everyone, and I'll miss them all next year.
- I got a call last night - the last piece of the puzzle for refinancing my mortgage came through, so that will be coming up some time next week.
- Today in school we had a presentation on technology - some very interesting ideas, and many that I can look to implement next year.
- As of the beginning of this week, I'm over 90% funded!
There have also been e-mails back and forth through the week with people down in Honduras. I don't have much time (or attention) right now to dedicate to updating the blog..it seems at times the more things to talk about, the less time to talk about it. And I did get another time-sucking device last night...my new iPad showed up. Fortunately I was already done grading lab reports, because no work was accomplished last night (but an awful lot of play was done...and I did try Angry Birds and Words with Friends for the first time).
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Timing is Everything
I've been interested in refinancing my mortgage for a while. I got my house/mortgage before the economic downturn, so comparatively speaking my interest rate was higher than the current rate. It's been an interesting process. The day I had been speaking with another teacher about it at school (who had recently gone through the process), I came home, dropped my stuff off, and the phone rang. I picked it up (a rare occurrence) and it was my bank, asking if I'd consider refinancing. (I have my mortgage with them in the first place). A little more than an hour later, we had talked through the numbers, I had crunched them in Excel, and my Excel calculations were matching up pretty well with what the guy on the other end was telling me, it was about a percent and a half better than what I was currently paying, so I decided to start the process. However, there were a few snags along the way - nothing major, just minor, time consuming details. The problem was I had locked in a rate that I didn't want to lose, and I didn't want to have to apply for an extension.
My rate was locked in until today, and we're not done with the process yet. There were small amounts of frustration on my part, as I'd really rather this were done..then again I've had so much going on, I haven't had much time to dwell on it. I think there were larger amounts of frustration on the part of my bank, because they like having things finished, plus when things aren't going as smoothly as they predicted for the customer, the customer (me) may have a tendency to get angry. I got an e-mail from the person managing the refinancing yesterday, informing me that they would go ahead with the extension process. And then I got a phone call today.
In the phone conversation today, the loan officer was telling me about the details on extending the rate lock in. First, he reaffirmed what exactly needs to be done for the closing to happen, which is one document which is out of both of our hands, we're just waiting on a response. And then he thanked me for how patient and understanding I've been through this process [reinforcing my belief that there are times when people get very upset at him when things don't go the way they expect]. And then he told me that when they went to do the extension yesterday, they found that rather than extending it, I was eligible to lock into a lower rate! So really, the fact that we haven't heard back from this other company is now totally in my favor. And the funny thing is, I haven't been worried about it. It's been on my mind from time to time, but there's been nothing I can do about it, so I haven't worried. And this just goes to show again, how God's timing is not my timing, but He has an ultimate plan. Praise be to God!
My rate was locked in until today, and we're not done with the process yet. There were small amounts of frustration on my part, as I'd really rather this were done..then again I've had so much going on, I haven't had much time to dwell on it. I think there were larger amounts of frustration on the part of my bank, because they like having things finished, plus when things aren't going as smoothly as they predicted for the customer, the customer (me) may have a tendency to get angry. I got an e-mail from the person managing the refinancing yesterday, informing me that they would go ahead with the extension process. And then I got a phone call today.
In the phone conversation today, the loan officer was telling me about the details on extending the rate lock in. First, he reaffirmed what exactly needs to be done for the closing to happen, which is one document which is out of both of our hands, we're just waiting on a response. And then he thanked me for how patient and understanding I've been through this process [reinforcing my belief that there are times when people get very upset at him when things don't go the way they expect]. And then he told me that when they went to do the extension yesterday, they found that rather than extending it, I was eligible to lock into a lower rate! So really, the fact that we haven't heard back from this other company is now totally in my favor. And the funny thing is, I haven't been worried about it. It's been on my mind from time to time, but there's been nothing I can do about it, so I haven't worried. And this just goes to show again, how God's timing is not my timing, but He has an ultimate plan. Praise be to God!
Friday, May 13, 2011
Moving?!?!?
I'm currently in process of moving back into my parents' house. It's a semi-difficult time of transition, as there are some things I can't move until I'm actually living at my parents' house (such as current-weather clothing, toiletries, etc.). It's also difficult moving while I'm still in school, because trying to strike the balance between grading paper, preparing for lessons, and moving is...interesting. I'm hoping once I'm permanently (well, for the next few months) living at my parents house, the moving won't be such a big deal (I will be living there before I'm officially done moving, because cleaning, painting and organizing works much better when you don't have to worry about what state you leave it in on any given day. There's also the issue with de-furring the house once Loiosh is gone. I don't know when that will happen, I'm still waiting on the official word from the family that is taking her. We did a trial run, which went well. But taking a cat for the weekend is different than taking a cat for a year plus.
I've got a lot of other little details to get worked out. I spoke in a few of the Spanish classes at school yesterday about my trip. In one of the classes, after I was done, one of the students asked what they could do to help...it was really cool. It did make yesterday rather hectic...I was giving a test, so the subs didn't have much to do, but they still needed to get settled in, etc. Between field trips and AP tests in the past two weeks there have been so many issues with absences, make-up work, etc...it's more of a headache than I would like (and then we have changing weather, which is actually giving me a headache).
And yet, through it all, I'm carried through this knowing that I am where God has placed me, that He will work things out, and I just need to keep doing what I'm supposed to do. He will work everything out to His glory. He has provided a renter, He has provided most of the funds, and I know He will provide for this as well.
I've got a lot of other little details to get worked out. I spoke in a few of the Spanish classes at school yesterday about my trip. In one of the classes, after I was done, one of the students asked what they could do to help...it was really cool. It did make yesterday rather hectic...I was giving a test, so the subs didn't have much to do, but they still needed to get settled in, etc. Between field trips and AP tests in the past two weeks there have been so many issues with absences, make-up work, etc...it's more of a headache than I would like (and then we have changing weather, which is actually giving me a headache).
And yet, through it all, I'm carried through this knowing that I am where God has placed me, that He will work things out, and I just need to keep doing what I'm supposed to do. He will work everything out to His glory. He has provided a renter, He has provided most of the funds, and I know He will provide for this as well.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
3 months after this crazy adventure started...
Today (being the first of May) is basically three months to the day since I started sending out funding letters and prayer requests for this whole thing. It's four months and a week since I was asked to come down to Honduras. And looking back on the whole thing, God has been incredibly faithful through this whole journey. It's been a rollercoaster to say the least, and I'm pretty sure God's not done with this yet.
I bought my plane ticket this past week. It feels like "old" news, but it only happened 3 days ago, so it's still really exciting news to me. It indicates that I'm at least 80% funded. That was the first exciting thing of this week. (Well, the first exciting thing that I'm counting...I also spent some time working on Spanish and am finding that reading it is coming very easily, writing it is okay...so my hope is speaking it comes quickly once I'm down there...and I have a few people I hopefully can practice with once school is over.)
I had a couple come up to me before church today and ask me how things were going, we chatted for a while, and then at the end of the conversation they told me they are planning on funding me $100 per month for 12 months...which brings me up another 5%, which is absolutely incredible. God has been so faithful with providing funds. I can't even begin to describe how blessed I have been by my family, my church, my school, and quite frankly, a few perfect strangers, over the past three months. In the past it's been difficult for me to accept help on any front, and I really think that part of this lesson for me is just to realize how truly dependent I am, both on the support of others and the provision of God...for I know that by myself, under my own power, none of this would have been possible.
In addition to the funds, there were a few other things that needed to get taken care of before I can totally focus on moving. School is an obvious one, but I knew that would end regardless of whether I was ready for it or not. I have one month of that left. I also needed someone to take care of my cat. A family from church came forward in March and volunteered for that, so they will be taking Loiosh sometime hopefully near the end of this month.
The final (major) thing that needed to get taken care of was finding someone to rent my house. And as of today, that is also complete. I have someone who has known my father for a while who needed a place to rent starting in June...and he came over today to check it out. Within 10 minutes he said he'd take it...we just had to work out details. Some details have been worked out, others still need to be, but from the sound of things, I'll be moving into my parents' house in about two or three weeks, cleaning up/out my house (at least some of it, I actually will be leaving most of my stuff there). So I'll have a busy month ahead of me, but that's a huge prayer request answered! And that's the last major barrier to being able to fully focus on what I'm getting into...praise the Lord!
I bought my plane ticket this past week. It feels like "old" news, but it only happened 3 days ago, so it's still really exciting news to me. It indicates that I'm at least 80% funded. That was the first exciting thing of this week. (Well, the first exciting thing that I'm counting...I also spent some time working on Spanish and am finding that reading it is coming very easily, writing it is okay...so my hope is speaking it comes quickly once I'm down there...and I have a few people I hopefully can practice with once school is over.)
I had a couple come up to me before church today and ask me how things were going, we chatted for a while, and then at the end of the conversation they told me they are planning on funding me $100 per month for 12 months...which brings me up another 5%, which is absolutely incredible. God has been so faithful with providing funds. I can't even begin to describe how blessed I have been by my family, my church, my school, and quite frankly, a few perfect strangers, over the past three months. In the past it's been difficult for me to accept help on any front, and I really think that part of this lesson for me is just to realize how truly dependent I am, both on the support of others and the provision of God...for I know that by myself, under my own power, none of this would have been possible.
In addition to the funds, there were a few other things that needed to get taken care of before I can totally focus on moving. School is an obvious one, but I knew that would end regardless of whether I was ready for it or not. I have one month of that left. I also needed someone to take care of my cat. A family from church came forward in March and volunteered for that, so they will be taking Loiosh sometime hopefully near the end of this month.
The final (major) thing that needed to get taken care of was finding someone to rent my house. And as of today, that is also complete. I have someone who has known my father for a while who needed a place to rent starting in June...and he came over today to check it out. Within 10 minutes he said he'd take it...we just had to work out details. Some details have been worked out, others still need to be, but from the sound of things, I'll be moving into my parents' house in about two or three weeks, cleaning up/out my house (at least some of it, I actually will be leaving most of my stuff there). So I'll have a busy month ahead of me, but that's a huge prayer request answered! And that's the last major barrier to being able to fully focus on what I'm getting into...praise the Lord!
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