Our vacation to Australia and a general life update
It’s been a while since my last post so I figured I would give an update on what’s been going on in my life and how God has continued to work despite the challenges and circumstances.
May 15th seems like a lifetime ago, but my last day at EKU was relatively uneventful and, save for a last-minute error in my electronic time sheet, I left the fourth floor of Combs thankful for the short time I’d had and trusting God with the rest.
Four days later, May 19th, Justin and I left for the airport in the early afternoon to begin the first of four flights to Australia for our vacation we’d initially planned for November or December...But the timing for my lay off and the finances just allowed it so smoothly to work out, and the trip was a good break of time away! It was a little slice of heaven, to be honest. However, our first travel day was lost due to a hydroplaned plane on the runway in Lexington, which set off a chain reaction of delayed flights and missed connections that eventually transpired into Justin and I spending the night in Louisville, with the help of an amazingly kind Delta agent and a plethora food vouchers. Seriously, we will never forget Ms. Joyce, who works at the Delta counter at the Louisville airport; she is an angel from God Himself, I do believe!
Sunday, May 20th, a day late but not necessarily a dollar short, we began our travels again in the early afternoon with an added blessing of an extra night of good sleep and a wonderful breakfast buffet! We arrived without issue to Atlanta, but as we sat on the tarmac to depart to Los Angeles, a massive thunderstorm came through and we were delayed almost two hours. I prayed so hard on the plane that we wouldn’t miss our LA flight, because that would put us back another day. Sure enough, we landed in Los Angeles and went from a 3 hour layover to just about 30 minutes and we barely made it in time. Thus began the 13 hour flight and on Tuesday morning the 22nd, a little jet lagged and in desperate need of a good meal, we landed in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, and were in Justin’s hometown a couple of hours later. I barely remember that first day, except that by 6:00pm I vaguely remember practically falling asleep into my dinner.
The vacation, as I mentioned before, was a little slice of heaven, with A LOT packed into our two weeks! Wednesday the 23rd we met Justin’s 88-year-old Nanna and spent the day being toured around Mackay. It was funny, I wore a sleeveless dress that day and folks kept asking me if I was cold! Coming from Kentucky summer humidity to Australia going into winter with mid-70s and a nice breeze and little humidity, I was so happy! Thursday through Sunday we began our drive up the coast, stopping in Townsville for a visit with some furry friends at Billabong Nature Sanctuary, where I fulfilled my dream of holding a koala! We also got to feed some very friendly roos!
Friday we left Townsville after spending the night in an ocean front hotel (Ok, I never thought how awesome it would be to wake up and open the screen door so you can hear the water, but there ya go!). We drove 3 more hours north to the Etty Bay area and spent the night with my mother-in-law's brother and his wife, then we left Saturday and stopped briefly in Innisfail, my mother-in-law's hometown, before driving six hours south to Airlie Beach, getting in at about 9:00pm! No rest for the weary- Justin and I were up at 5:00am Sunday morning to catch our half day cruise to the Whitsunday Islands and Whitehaven Beach. The clearest, bluest water I have ever seen in my life! On the cruise we decided to splurge and purchase some professional pictures of us on the beach- too beautiful for words, we couldn't believe the results! Picture frames are definitely on our shopping list in the near future.
After four days of traveling we were bushed so we took it easy for the next few days, except for some shopping in Mackay and a high tea celebration for Nanna's birthday on Monday. Our last full day in Mackay we stopped at some of the Northern beaches and ate lunch at a wonderful water-front pub.
So in less than two months I've left my job, looked for another, spent two weeks in a foreign country, celebrated six months of marriage, and became a pet aunt? Not too shabby!
Friends, I want to thank you for your prayers, your support, and your love as I continue walking in this season of job searching and newlywed living. Every day I try to ask God to give me peace and strength during each day, and although I still don't have a job yet, I'm hopeful that the right one will come along in His perfect timing...just like it did last time! In our marriage vows we certainly didn't ask God to give us a layoff less than six months into our marriage, but I have to be honest, this season of unemployment has given me more time with him and I'm counting that as a sweet blessing. Every day is a choice and right now I'm choosing to try not to let the little whispers of doubt and frustration creep in.
I thought today's YouVersion verse was especially fitting, and may it be so for me!
Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. -Hebrews 4:16
May 15th seems like a lifetime ago, but my last day at EKU was relatively uneventful and, save for a last-minute error in my electronic time sheet, I left the fourth floor of Combs thankful for the short time I’d had and trusting God with the rest.
Four days later, May 19th, Justin and I left for the airport in the early afternoon to begin the first of four flights to Australia for our vacation we’d initially planned for November or December...But the timing for my lay off and the finances just allowed it so smoothly to work out, and the trip was a good break of time away! It was a little slice of heaven, to be honest. However, our first travel day was lost due to a hydroplaned plane on the runway in Lexington, which set off a chain reaction of delayed flights and missed connections that eventually transpired into Justin and I spending the night in Louisville, with the help of an amazingly kind Delta agent and a plethora food vouchers. Seriously, we will never forget Ms. Joyce, who works at the Delta counter at the Louisville airport; she is an angel from God Himself, I do believe!
Sunday, May 20th, a day late but not necessarily a dollar short, we began our travels again in the early afternoon with an added blessing of an extra night of good sleep and a wonderful breakfast buffet! We arrived without issue to Atlanta, but as we sat on the tarmac to depart to Los Angeles, a massive thunderstorm came through and we were delayed almost two hours. I prayed so hard on the plane that we wouldn’t miss our LA flight, because that would put us back another day. Sure enough, we landed in Los Angeles and went from a 3 hour layover to just about 30 minutes and we barely made it in time. Thus began the 13 hour flight and on Tuesday morning the 22nd, a little jet lagged and in desperate need of a good meal, we landed in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, and were in Justin’s hometown a couple of hours later. I barely remember that first day, except that by 6:00pm I vaguely remember practically falling asleep into my dinner.
The vacation, as I mentioned before, was a little slice of heaven, with A LOT packed into our two weeks! Wednesday the 23rd we met Justin’s 88-year-old Nanna and spent the day being toured around Mackay. It was funny, I wore a sleeveless dress that day and folks kept asking me if I was cold! Coming from Kentucky summer humidity to Australia going into winter with mid-70s and a nice breeze and little humidity, I was so happy! Thursday through Sunday we began our drive up the coast, stopping in Townsville for a visit with some furry friends at Billabong Nature Sanctuary, where I fulfilled my dream of holding a koala! We also got to feed some very friendly roos!
Friday we left Townsville after spending the night in an ocean front hotel (Ok, I never thought how awesome it would be to wake up and open the screen door so you can hear the water, but there ya go!). We drove 3 more hours north to the Etty Bay area and spent the night with my mother-in-law's brother and his wife, then we left Saturday and stopped briefly in Innisfail, my mother-in-law's hometown, before driving six hours south to Airlie Beach, getting in at about 9:00pm! No rest for the weary- Justin and I were up at 5:00am Sunday morning to catch our half day cruise to the Whitsunday Islands and Whitehaven Beach. The clearest, bluest water I have ever seen in my life! On the cruise we decided to splurge and purchase some professional pictures of us on the beach- too beautiful for words, we couldn't believe the results! Picture frames are definitely on our shopping list in the near future.
After four days of traveling we were bushed so we took it easy for the next few days, except for some shopping in Mackay and a high tea celebration for Nanna's birthday on Monday. Our last full day in Mackay we stopped at some of the Northern beaches and ate lunch at a wonderful water-front pub.
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| Shoal Point- the water was almost glittery |
Thursday morning we got on another plane and flew into Brisbane, where we met Justin's brothers and I had the best muffin I've had in a long time. We had lunch on a river boat cruise where we met up with Justin's two aunts, then stopped at Queen Street Mall in downtown Brisbane. Friday, our last full day in Oz, we visited another nature sanctuary, during which I got close enough to pet an emu, got breathtaking views of Brisbane, and had dinner at Eat Street, an outdoor vendor fair with more food booths and food trucks to feed someone every day uniquely for a year!
It was a little difficult to leave, but we're going to try our best, Lord willing and financial ducks all in a row, to make a trip every two years or so. We had an indescribably wonderful time and I'd say it took a full week before I felt back to normal. Unfortunately, real life doesn't stop when you get back from vacation, and so I jumped right back into the world of job searching. I've had four interviews so far and yet, some days, the process still hits me with its silence and I think today was the first day in which I've felt some impatience set in. I know, though, that God has a plan for me, and more than that, He knows where I am going to end up. I just have to trust Him.
This season of unemployment is far less scary than where I was around this time last year. Perhaps it's because God knew that J and I would be married this time around and that we would be financially secure, because of how He has richly blessed us with the ability to give back and to be debt free soon (this week!!!!!). J has been an amazing support, and I don't just mean financially. More than that, my life group from church and my family have surrounded me with love and encouragement and it gives me the strength to keep walking this road of uncertainty. In the meantime, I'm giving every job I apply for to Him, and I stop and pray before walking into every interview. I'm doing my best to leave every aspect of this process in His hands. He is in control and I am not, and that gives me peace.
J and I celebrated six months of marriage last week! I can hardly believe it! We have come through so much already and we have learned more than our fair share of valuable- and sometimes tough- lessons. In these six months I have learned more about myself, the ugliness of pride, and the value of self-sacrificial love than I ever thought possible. J makes me laugh almost every day, gives the best hugs of anyone I know, works hard for his job and his co-workers, and loves God in all areas of his life. I could not have dreamed of a better life partner for myself, and I'm so thankful God answers prayer!
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| One of our new favorite wedding pictures :) |
In a bit of news that has absolutely nothing to do with me, my awesome sauce twin sister, now happily settling into Boston life indefinitely, became a cat mom last week to two boys, Benjamin and Bear! They are sweet and full of love and I can see and hear in Kelly's voice just how much joy they've already brought to her in a short amount of time.
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| I guess you can call them my fur-nephews? :) |
Friends, I want to thank you for your prayers, your support, and your love as I continue walking in this season of job searching and newlywed living. Every day I try to ask God to give me peace and strength during each day, and although I still don't have a job yet, I'm hopeful that the right one will come along in His perfect timing...just like it did last time! In our marriage vows we certainly didn't ask God to give us a layoff less than six months into our marriage, but I have to be honest, this season of unemployment has given me more time with him and I'm counting that as a sweet blessing. Every day is a choice and right now I'm choosing to try not to let the little whispers of doubt and frustration creep in.
I thought today's YouVersion verse was especially fitting, and may it be so for me!
Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. -Hebrews 4:16
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