Wow, so sorry I've neglected my blog for this long. I did have some legit excuses though. June was just a completely insane month and I was actually relieved to quit one of my jobs a week before I was planning to. I do miss working, but lately I've been so busy I haven't really had a ton of down-time.
Working the coffee shop was amazing. I made some lasting friendships with the people that worked there and I still go in and enjoy talking to them. Besides the people I met, I really enjoyed making and serving their coffee. I've realized that I love interacting with people. No matter how short the encounter was, I enjoyed learning little bits about people and talking with them as if we'd always been friends. Well, and getting to drink good coffee every day was a pretty good plus! ;) The only problem is, now I want to drink coffee every morning just because I like it. Still can't drink it black, but as long as I have a little milk in it (or a lot), I'm good. :)
Exactly a week ago, I was working my last shift on the ambulance. It ended up being a really good shift (had an amazing partner!) and all three crews were able to get together at a Mexican restaurant for dinner without getting interrupted. That hardly ever happens. I will miss the people I work with the most. I feel like we were a huge family and now I'm leaving that. Definitely won't miss working night shifts. Last week was pretty rough when I worked a 32 hour shift and the combined two nights I had maybe 7 hours of sleep. Thank goodness, I can finally get on a normal sleep pattern! There's parts of the job I will really miss as well. Since about March, I've had some pretty good calls and not so much the crazy, dumb stuff. We've had so many cardiac arrests it was insane. A few we saved, but not all of them. Had a shooting that ended bad. And then the normal amounts of wrecks, diabetics (last few shifts that's all we seemed to be running on), seizures, breathing problems, fires, etc. All in all, working for Boone Ambulance Service was amazing and I would never trade any of it. Maybe I would've been better off having gone to college and having a degree in my hand in four years, but nothing in college can give you the experience that work can. I made some amazing friends and I'm gong to miss driving around a honkin, big ambulance and freaking people out by running lights and sirens. ;) Totally going to miss the adrenaline from working the job. SO many good, sad, hilarious memories were made in working EMS. My boss has offered to hire me back when I return from Africa, but I told him I thought my career in EMS was over and that I may do something else instead. I can't imagine enjoying a job as much as I did the ambulance, but I know God will lead and I will be happy wherever He takes me. After all, it could be living in Africa. ;)
I am mostly packed up to move back home.... Have I mentioned how much I hate packing? It seriously has got to be the lamest thing ever. I usually procrastinate and attempt to find something else to do. I'm more of a last-minute packer and will probably get most of it done on Thursday night/Friday morning. It will be hard settling back into a life of living at home. I've been on my own for almost four years and I've gotten used to my own routine. So going to miss the trail that is right next to my apartment. I love randomly deciding I'm going for a bike ride and just hop out on the trail for 20+ miles. In the last couple years, I've made such amazing friends that it'll be sad to leave. And I have such a fabulous roommate that I'm definitely going to miss! BUT, before you think I'm complaining, I am so grateful for the friends and work that God has blessed me with these last few years! And I can't wait to see where these next few years will take me. :)
I only have 5 weeks and 4 days until I'm on a plane to Kenya. Really crazy cool to think about. :) I've received my passport and visa back, so that's a relief! I now won't have to stand in line for several hours at the Kenyan airport waiting to get a visa. Pray everything goes smoothly in my last remaining weeks in the States. There's still many things I need and want to get finished before leaving.
Support raising is going pretty well. I have $2330 raised so far, which means I only have $6870 left! I've been amazed by the support I've gotten from friends and family. I even had a donation by a friend (well we're Facebook friends, but we've only met twice) and who's parents gave as well! I don't even know them! It shocked me, but made me realize again how truly awesome God is.
Well, I've had quite a lazy morning of painting my nails, reading my Bible, drinking coffee, and listening to music.....so now I need to run some errands, meet my sister for coffee, make cookies (well I wouldn't have to do that;), and get ready for an evening with my ambulance coworkers :)
