PTL!

Everything has been provided for. We've gotten another job that will provide for our housing and allow us to keep our original tickets. I know that we still need to be willing to be flexible because plans can change again at the drop of a hat, but this seems to be fairly certain. Thanks for your yarps!

Help!!!

This past Saturday was the "two weeks until we leave mark", at least we thought it would be... Without giving too many details, I want to let you guys know what's going on with us so that you can remember us before the Father.
Friday night we recieved an e-mail that some changes had been made and we would not be able to be employed until the end of August, which is a month and a half later than we had planned. We were too shocked to even react.
Saturday, we found out that we could go ahead and go July ll, but we would be completely self supporting. We thought we could handle that.
Sunday, we got an estimate on what it would cost us to do that, and we just didn't feel comfortable with the option, so we decided to change our tickets and arrive middle of August.
Today (Monday), we found out that it would cost us the equivalent of another ticket to change our flight. We were contacted again and told that this was too expensive, keep the original flight and we would be taken care of.
That is the last we've heard. We have no details of what we'll be doing or how we'll be provided for. This is a big deal for us because we do not want to be a burden on anyone.
We are doing ok, but this is a huge emotional roller coaster because we keep having to change our mindset from leaving to staying! We are so sad to leave our families here, but at the same time, I am so ready to return to a land that I love as if it is my home, and we are eager to be doing what we've been called to do.
Please remember us in your "yarps", and we'll keep you updated!

No turning back, no turning back...

That's the song that was stuck in my head last Friday as we drove away from our apartment in Hattiesburg. We had just packed up everything we owned and left home, knowing we would not have another place to call ours until mid-August and it would be halfway around the world! Talk about surreal! However, it didn't take me long to get used to the idea, and this has been a wonderful experience so far. This whole experience has brought Dennis and I even closer together because we are each other's constant among all of this change.

From Hattiesburg, we drove up to Amory to drop off some things to be stored and spent a few days with my family. Then, we headed down to New Orleans to spend a few days with our friends the Stewarts (and Lee), which was a blast. Something about New Orleans feels like home to me, don't know why. Now, we are in Orlando and settled down for a few weeks. The Ellzey's are spoiling us, cooking for us and taking us places. Next week we are going deep sea fishing!

Tickets are purchased, VISAS have been attained, and we are in the process of securing an apartment right now. That last part has been a wild ride! We thought it was hard picking an apartment in Hattiesburg! It looks like we are going to take up the lease for a couple that is moving out in August. This apartment is beautiful! It has a porch (I am so excited, I can have plants!), three bedrooms, two bathroom (one squatty potty...), a living room, and a kitchen. It comes furnished. To be honest, it almost makes me uncomfortable because it's so nice. I know that I can be extreme with my disdain for material things, and I feel like "Someone" is trying to teach me a lesson! I honestly think I would be more comfortable with crappy living arrangements! What a strange way to get out of one's comfort zone....

So, that's the big thing going on right now. The more interesting updates should be coming soon, our fly-out date is July 11.

What an eventful week!

In the past week, Dennis finished up his last day at work, I had my wisdom teeth taken out, I turned 22, we sold Dennis' Montero, and we had our final Sunday night out in the city. Wow, my head is still spinning, possibly from the anesthesia :)
This is my first alert day back on my feet after surgery, and everything went really well. Apparently, I'm pretty funny coming out of sedation. I slept through my birthday, so I don't really feel 22 at all. Twenty-two is so uneventful anyway, before that every birthday gets you closer to being legal to do something, but after twenty one, it's just a matter of getting old.
Dennis sold his Montero at 3:30 on Sunday, less than 24 hours after he put it out in the church parking lot to sell! We are so thankful for that. I honestly didn't think it was going to happen before we had to leave.
Sunday night wasn't as hard as I expected it to be, because the kids that it really hurt to leave were out of town. One little boy, Cameron, took it pretty hard when I said we were moving, but I know that the Richardson's are taking him under their wing, so he'll be just fine!
We move out on Friday, and we'll be living out of the van until we fly out next month! We took pictures of the apartment today, I guess things are going to start going in boxes tomorrow!

It's startin' to get scary!

Dennis and I are leaving in just over a month now. This is the point, I think, where excitement gives way to fear. I know that I am realizing a lifelong dream of living overseas, but there are just so many goodbyes to say before we get there! We have two weeks left in our apartment, and I'm trying to soak up the last bit of my kitchen and all of the convenience it offers!
Last week was crazy, I (Sarah) spent the whole week away from Dennis. I was visiting with my family and trying to help manage the chaos of having family in from out of town and taking care of my Grandfather, who was in the hospital. He's ok now, but the day after I left everyone got sick! I'm still well, and we're hoping that holds up because I'm getting my wisdom teeth taken out on Friday. I've never had anything like that done before, but I'm guessing it doesn't mix with strep throat, which is what everyone thinks they have.
It all seems to be coming so fast.

Threw me for a loop....

I just graduated, and I'm finishing my last few hours at the school, so everything is wrapping up and we are getting ready to focus on just going. I was really expecting to have way too much time to get everything done, since we weren't planning on leaving until late August. All of that has changed in the past 24 hours! We received an email asking us to come and begin work much earlier - the middle of July. I know that this is an opportunity we simply cannot pass up. It's not an easy decision, though. It's going to be so hard to say goodbye to everyone here. At the same time, Dennis and I are both so excited to go we can barely stand the wait. This will also give us a chance to see a completely different side of the country and meet more people. We are studying the language a lot now, and I'm proud of how fast we're picking it up. I think I could survive on what I know now. We have so much to do before we leave, but I'm just trying to take it a day at a time.

We just got the news!

Just yesterday, I was telling Dennis, and then Sarah Taylor, that I wanted to start a blog from the first day we found out for sure that we were going overseas. How ironic that a few hours later we got a confirmation e-mail, assuring us that we definitely have jobs in place teaching primary school! Now I can officially be terrified...
I was so excited to discover that we will be working at the same school and with the same principle that I worked with before! My old friends (who became "family" while I was there) will be there! One friend in particular, whose English name is Kitty, has gotten married and now has a baby boy! I cannot wait to tell them I am coming!
There are so many questions I have right now. I think we'll be teaching all subjects, but the kids will speak English really well, so that won't be an issue. I think. We have to find an apartment! I wonder if it will come furnished... this is very distracting news to receive right in the middle of finals!
I suppose I should post some guidelines for taboo words and topics while we are overseas. However, I will have to take it off once we leave. I don't know, I'll get to it sometime.