goodbye america.

tomorrow we're off to swaziland. it's been so busy trying to pull this trip together and there is a very long journey ahead of us (21 hour flight and 6 hour bus ride) but i know the second that i step onto the carepoint all of the crazy will be worth it. chad and i have never traveled internationally together, my passport has been untouched for far too long and i've missed these faces so much the past two years. i'm ready.

please remember us in prayer. we'll be back august 16th and don't be surprised if shortly after i write about having smuggled back a swazi child (or two) to raise as my own.

ready.

although made up of miles of to-do lists, far too many functions, and an all around busyness, july proved to be a fairly introspective month for me. i took an unintentional break from the internet and blogging and it proved to be a really good thing. i was able to reevaluate my purpose in a lot of areas (something i try to do often), and discovered much about myself and what i think my next steps in life are going to be.

stay tuned... life could (will) get (even more) interesting.

and on tuesday i get to travel back to one of my favorite places on the earth, swaziland. a country full of the most beautiful people i've ever known. while i've somewhat gotten caught up in the monotony and paperwork that comes with planning a trip like this for 31 people, my heart is still so full and ready to be poured out and my empty arms are ready to hold some swazi babies and never set them down.

a few little polies from my last trip.

heat and houseboats.

home from lake mohave, 12 shades darker and still recovering. but the trip (while exhausting) was just too good. sometimes i can't believe i do this for a living.

1. parasail adventures.

2. my little baby.

3. 85 insane students whom i love.

4. the risks we take for a good camera shot.

5. record breaking.

6. beautiful camp.

picturassss.

a few pictures from last week's trip.

(thanks to my beautiful and talented student sabrina)

the amazing people who make my job so. much. fun.

i've been so sick this past week, mexico put me on my death bed. but i'm ready to rejoin the human race, so here's hoping this nasty cough goes away soon.

home, never to be the same again.

my favorite work trip to date.

it's good to be home (and clean) but so much of me is still in mexico.

transitioning back into "normal" life is never easy for me, and neither is explaining the ways that i've changed on trips to those who weren't there transforming along with me. every trip i take really does change me and this time around was no exception. i'm so in love with the life i've been given and the people who have been placed in my path.

students that make me laugh harder than ever. the cutest little ninos in the world. witnessing miracles. lots of prayer. lots of fish tacos. a beautiful house built in four days. mexican ice cream. no showers. off-roading in the back of pickup trucks on sand dunes. whales off the shore. bonfires and fireworks. sleeping on the beach. the encouragement that i needed. karaoke and a dance party. the countryside of baja. not taking enough pictures. tears for my seniors. my students and our volunteers feeling so much like family, and so much love.

1. border crossing.

2. my diet for the past six days.

3. best shopping place.

4. the sweetest girl in the world.

5. the amazing sand dunes.

6. my students cracking me up.

south of the border.

rolling sand dunes and beautiful mexican children and the worlds best fish tacos and seeing my students work hard to build up another house.

i remember upon arrival last year i felt like i was coming home.

see you in the morning, san quintin.

and see you all again friday, friends.

los angeles, i'm yours.

a very large part of my heart is found in skid row in downtown la.

it's a heavy place, full of some heart-wrenching stories.

and sometimes it's really hard to be there, but more often than not it's much harder to leave.

i've met some of the kindest, most open and transparent people on those streets.

i've met people with more faith and joy than i've ever known.

they know God's grace in a totally different way than i do. it's a beautiful thing.

i haven't been up to visit since november, but this weekend we'll be taking our students up there once again while they are participating in the 30 hour famine.

i'm so excited, it's been way too long since i've seen my friends.

so, for anticipation's sake...

1. the city of angels in all of it's glory.

2. jake and his favorite friend a few years ago.

3. the cutest resident of the union rescue mission and what happened when he got ahold of my phone.

4. the roof at night time, the view right before we fell asleep.