Cloud 9 has just landed in the real world. Gulp.

Today, it hit us.  All these changes?  Everything that’s going on?  Here is what we’re dealing with this year: first year of marriage, first year in a new culture, first year of med school, first year of my job.  New friends, new church family, new place to live.  All of this is catching up and trying to drag us down.  We’re not used to being married yet.  We’ve been married for a little over a month.  We broke down Dr. Wile E. Coyote’s schedule yesterday, and it looked great on paper.  But today, the FIRST day, it is a whole lot harder than it first seemed.  I don’t like when Dr. Coyote puts so much pressure on himself, and is that normal for med students?  And the headache that always comes with switching infusion sites, sending orders, and getting authorization AND insurance right where they are supposed to be has arrived.  I have gone more than two weeks past the last time I was supposed to recieve my medicine, and my symptoms are getting worse.  I have to be extra careful now.
But you know what?  It wasn’t long after we got here that we found friends and a church family.  They already love us and lift us up in prayer– I’m speechless.  And all the people at home that are praying for us?  We are so blessed.  I feel like that has been the theme of my life as of late: seeing all of God’s blessings in my life.  And, to top it all off, I started reading Ephesians today.  God chose us and predestined us as his adopted children.  He lavishes his grace upon us all, and we, his children, have access to his mighty power!  God takes every trial or bad thing that happens to us and uses it for his glory!  Not even the best author ever could do that!  Just God.  God, who loved us so much that he sent his son, who came to us and taught us and DIED for us.  When I love someone and I don’t see them for awhile, I might send them a Christmas card, but this?  Unheard of.  Everything God’s about is totally opposite of this world, and it’s quite amazing.
I have been warned by Dr. Wile E. Coyote himself that his appetite will be going through the roof (make four servings of every meal- two for Dr. Coyote during dinner, one for me during dinner, and one for my lunch the next day.  Got it!).  I have also been noticing that he is the best procrastinator ever (he is currently running a neck ahead of one of my sisters, who won’t read this blog post anyway).  Reason numero uno why he left his video game systems at home.  My husband is going to be an awesome doctor once he finishes up this adventure that he just began.  He is the only one I know that tells me excitedly, “I love this.  It’s biology all the time! Woo!”  He came home for lunch today, and I didn’t even get a chance to say much, because he was excitedly telling me what he had been learning that morning.  Everyone nerds out about something.  (What do YOU nerd out about?)
Prayers would be much appreciated for Dr. Wile E. Coyote and his studying, my MS, and my job.  We are trying to be spouses to each other at the same time as encourage one another and get things done.

I love you all, my readers!
Anna

“A Blessing in the Dust”

A Blessing in the Dust
From Jan Richardson’s Painted Prayer Book

You thought the blessing
would come
in the staying.
In casting your lot
with this place,
these people.
In learning the art
of remaining,
of abiding.

And now you stand
on the threshold
again.
The home you had
hoped for,
had ached for,
is behind you-
not yours, after all.

The clarity comes
as small comfort,
perhaps,
but it comes:
illumination enough
for the next step.

As you go,
may you feel
the full weight
of your gifts
gathered up
in your two hands,
the complete measure
of their grace
in your heart that knows
there is a place
for them,
for the treasure
that you bear.

I promise you
there is a blessing
in the leaving,
in the dust shed
from your shoes
as you walk toward home-
not the one you left
but the one that waits ahead,
the one that already
reaches out for you
in welcome, in gladness
for the gifts
that none but you
could bring.

 

My cousin Katrina shared this on her blog, thinking about the friends who became family over the last year.  This spoke to me, especially, because of the move Dr. Wile E. Coyote and I will be making to Kentucky to begin our lives together after we are married.  I have always had the opinion that the people you are with make the places you go special. I love the flat prairies of home, while even a trip to the Black Hills of South Dakota can wear me out.  Who knows what living in the mountains of Kentucky will be like.  There are blessings in the dust– in the little things, wherever you go and wherever you leave.  This path where life has taken me is great, and I am so excited to see what comes next.  Oh, the places we’ll go!

I won’t say too much, because too many thoughts and emotions come to my head to write about decently.  I see blessings everywhere.  In the coming, in the going….even when you wanted to leave but you stay (last summer) or you wanted to stay and you leave.  In the smiles that greet you different places you go, in the familiar or new things you experience.  It’s just great.

 

Blissfully,

Anna