Killer Stress

So the past week has been... stressful. Nat's new roommate is moving her stuff in as her lease is ending soon, and so things are out of their usual messy-order and thrown into an unusually messy-order, boxes stacked on eachother, my paintings stacked on top of Natalie's piano, etc. You get the idea. And then I realize.. oh.. I have to move out so she can move in.. and I should probably start packing then? One would assume, yes. So with the ever-sturdy, ever-trustworthy liquor boxes in hand, I begin to tear apart, throw away, reminisce, etc.. which we've already talked about. But with all of this comes less sleep. I'm a light sleeper when it comes to the subconscious. Meaning, if there's anything at all going on in life at the time, chances are I won't sleep. As there happens to be just a little bit going on right now, there's been a little less sleep... maybe I'll get 3 or 4 hours a night if I'm lucky? Needless to say, I've gone into work late this week ('cause I have a super cool boss and since I work for a church, I can. :)) but I've also stayed late. So today, it was 11:30ish that I went in, but I didn't leave until after 9. It was the last day, so there was more than usual. Lots of things to wrap up, notes to leave on where things where, and since one of my co-workers had his 4 year old daughter there today, lots of balloons to blow up and let fly away.. and more blowing up.. and flying away. After I got home I had to finish packing because my room had self-exploded all over the place. Then my friend Laurie called around.. I don't know when, and as soon as I saw her name on my caller id, I realized that the case studies I'd promised to translate for her were still in my car.. translated, but not in her hands. She's flying out to Mexico tomorrow on a mission trip.

I keep trying to find something just really funny in the midst of all this because I'm gonna need some major stress relief SOON. I guess the question is how to survive the moment by moment changes that these next few months will bring.. moving in with my friend until August, interviewing for a new job and praying that they don't ask me how long I see myself there, moving out of my friend's house, quitting my new job, packing for Kenya, and then moving to Kenya.. for 5 months.

Honestly, bucket baths and generated electricity are sounding REALLY good right now. It's like a forced down time. I just can't wait to meet the kids and teachers.

I'm so thankful that the Lord prepares our hearts for different phases of life. That's just the most gracious, merciful thing He could do really... How would we survive otherwise?