New Directions

Things are changing around here.....a LOT.  Some changes are awesome (finally no more 8 am classes! woohoo!), others have their pros and cons (no more regular babysitting--I love having the free time but man do I miss those kids), and others are taking a lot to process (two of my friends are married and another is planning her wedding now).

Mtendere Village

But by far the biggest change is my focus.  The new Christian Student Center is finally done (just 4 months behind schedule--no big deal) and we're getting ready for another mission trip to Malawi.  I'm so excited for both of them, but even more so for what God is doing not only in me but also in those around me.  I have a feeling the CSC is about to just explode for God, and I absolutely can't wait.  And I can't wait to go back to Malawi, too.  I'm starting to feel that it might be my last trip there (since the place where we go is so well established, and they have groups coming so often), but that by no means implies that I'm done with international missions...but we'll get to that later. More presently though, getting ready for Malawi means figuring out where that money is coming from.  We've got a lot of fund raisers coming up, but you don't raise over $30,000 doing fund raisers in a little town like this.  I'll definitely be sending out some letters soon.  This year however I will also be doing something a little different--I'll be selling some of my photos.  The ones for sale can be found at alrhodes.zenfolio.com (it's a work in progress) or if you have an idea of something you'd like I'm more than happy to see what I can do to get it for you.  The ones there will be from last year's trip, my photography classes, and some random playing around.  I'll post prices soon, so tell your friends!!  100% of the profits will go to the Malawi Mission fund.

For those of you who don't know about the Malawi trip, I'll give you a quick explanation--we go to an orphanage called Mtendere (TEN-deer-y) Village, run by 100x Missions.  Most of what we do involves hanging out with the kids there and doing VBS with them when they get back from school.  We also do some work around the orphanage itself--just whatever little things they need done.  There is also a hospital on the compound that has been reopened since the last time we were there, so we hope to do more with it this year.  This is just a really simple overview of the stuff we do, and my next few posts (at least) will be more about our trip two years ago--I'll be breaking out my old journal to hopefully share some really good stuff with you guys and give you some better details :)


Well, my horse of a pup is practically laying on top of me, and has just about blocked my access to the computer...I think he might be trying to drop a hint ;) 


Goodnight y'all :)

There's something in the water.....

Allison and I at her reception

                                                                           

Micha's Ring

Lashley and Koan

Libby's engagement ring

....so I'm sticking with Dr. Pepper :)

I can't tell you how ecstatic I am for my best friends to be marrying the men they love.  They deserve every bit of happiness they are experiencing, and I'm so blessed to be a part of it all.  Paige and Shane got married last Thursday.  Christopher and Allison's wedding was last night, and it was absolutely wonderful, and an awesome way to start off the year.  It just so happens that at the same time, James was proposing to Libby.  My sister Lashley and her fiance Koan will have their wedding this summer.  Another of my sisters, Micha, and her fiance and Bryan aren't in any hurry, but we'll have that party eventually. :)

As for me? Well, I'm focusing on other things right now--the amazing God I serve, the fantastic college ministry I'm so blessed to be a part of, finishing school (especially now that I've figured out what I want to study), and figuring out what I want to do when I do finish.  I'm just enjoying the freedom of my life right.  Not that I want it to be this way forever, but for now I couldn't wish for anything more.

I'm loving every minute :)

I Will Follow....

This is clearly not going to be an everyday thing.


Shocker, right?






I'm so ready for this....

But even more than that, I'm ready for this....

This picture was taken in Malawi, Africa last May, during my first international mission trip.  This year, I get to go to Honduras.

I'm super pumped to say the least.  :)

We've just got to get the rest of our money raised--about $15,000............in the next 3 weeks.  Not to mention the end of the semester and finals.

But I'm not worried or anything.

New Adventures

I've clearly gone crazy.  As one of my good friends would readily tell you, it was a short trip. ;)  We'll see how this goes--life is crazy and I'm not very good at keeping up with things like this….

Never has anything kept me up the way this idea has.  It's 3 o'clock on a Sunday morning and I've been trying for over an hour and a half to get to sleep.  No such luck.  In fact, I feel more awake than when I tried to go to bed in the first place.  Maybe it's just a little affirmation that what I'm thinking is an insane endeavor is really part of a greater plan.

After all, I'm no writer.

Or maybe I am and I just don't know it.  I suppose we'll find out soon enough.  Whatever the case, tonight I was inspired by the work of a beautiful, talented woman who I am blessed to have as part of my life…or perhaps more appropriately, whose life I am blessed to be a part of.    Not only am I honored to call both her and her husband my friends, but they have entrusted me with the task of helping care for their two precious children, who bring the kind of joy to my life that only children can on a daily basis.  More about this wonderful family later :)

Shaunna and the kiddos--Grayson and Ava

Tonight however, my focus is on another family--mine. :)  I am unbelievably blessed to go to school only 3 hours away from most of my family.  Weekend trips-certainly not last minute ones like this-were never an option when I was 13 hours away.

I'd been debating whether to visit this weekend or next.  Unfortunately, the death of a family friend made the decision for me.  Despite the not-so-ideal circumstances, this trip brings a much needed sigh of relief after the last few crazy weeks.  Three weeks ago, things started getting really crazy--crunch time right before spring break coincided with midterms.  Then 12 hours in the car with a beast of a dog took me back to Virginia for a week with the parents and some much needed catching up with my best friend.  12 more hours in the car and it was back to reality, tests, projects, and 2 days of work for a mission trip fundraiser (again, more to come on that later).

He's just a big baby! :)

But now, just seeing the rest of my family has calmed things down.  It's a peace that only comes when I'm here--when, if even for a short while, everything else goes away.  That's not to say that everything here is perfect, but it's my place…and that's good enough for me.  You know that person who knows you better than anyone else?  Who knows exactly when something's wrong and understands what it is?  Who knows just the right thing to say and whose hugs come at the perfect moment?  Mine's here.  And that place where you feel safe no matter what?  Where you can be by yourself or surrounded by the people you love?  Where you feel most yourself?  Mine's here…and it's been much too long.

Maybe I've satisfied this urge--I certainly hope so, because if not I may not be able to actually enjoy the time I have here tomorrow before I have to go back to school.  Stick around to see how this new adventure goes :)