Change is in the air....

I woke up to a glorious morning - it rained last night for the first time in nearly two months.  This might not seem like that big of a deal to many, but here in Seattle where it is damp and wet most of the year, this has been a nearly record-breaking dry spell. It's been wonderful - I love the sun, and Seattle winters can be so long... but the smell of the new, damp morning, the sun rising beyond the mountains and through breaks in the clouds, the crisp coolness that September brings in its wake, the brilliant green of all the freshly watered plants, the blue sky peeking through... I love it. 

And I'm savoring every moment I can.  I have to say goodbye to it all on Thursday. Just three days from now I head to a land where it is very hot (Texas) and after that to a land that is even hotter (Guinea, West Africa). 

I'm so excited.  I'm also so sick of saying goodbye. Oddly enough, I was doing exactly this same thing a year ago.

A year ago I was packing up my house in Benin, saying goodbye to my village, stepping into the next adventure called Mercy Ships.  It was an adventure I was excited about but had no idea it would turn out to fill my passions and calling so perfectly.

A whole lot has been accomplished this last year! I spent three months on Mercy Ships, fell in love with the people of Sierra Leone and the Africa Mercy, and sailed from Salone to Ghana.  I spent Christmas with my family in Minnesota for the first time in many years.  I moved back to Seattle, got a job at Disney, and wondered what was next for me. I got to go to Colorado and spend an amazing week there with some of the most incredible women I will ever be blessed to know. (you know who you are and thank you!) I've been back to Minnesota twice, did a week of summer camp, ran many many training miles, five 5k's, one 10k, a 4.5miler, two half marathons and a Ragnar relay. (Huge thanks to everyone involved in each one of those memorable races!) And now, in this season of change, I'm all the more thankful for each and every person who walked with me, ran with me, encouraged me, challenged me, and taught me how to continually walk out my calling, embrace life to the full and choose joy in all things.

I love you all!! 

(I wish I had photos of more of those epic things I've done, but I apparently suck at taking photos. I can't find any of most of them. Except running. I have photos of almost every race.)

So, I guess all of that to say, thank you. Though the words seem completely inadequate, they're all I've got right now. So, thank you. Please please please keep in touch. Stalk my blog, Facebook, email me, write to me. 'Cause I'm leaving, on a jet plane, I don't know when I'll be back again.....

Peace. Krissy