I have been in Maryland for 44 days soaking up the time with friends and family. While at home I have:

-celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas with family

-cooked/baked

-gone on hikes with the dogs

-hung out with friends

-made lots of Christmas cookies

-had campfires 

-read

-watching tv

-shopped for items that I still needed for my trip and Christmas gifts  

-ran errands

-listened to podcasts 

-and more!

Covid has made things difficult at times, but I'm grateful for the people I've seen and things I've done.

I even thought I would get a job. Turns out, people don't want to hire someone for 5 weeks. If I wanted to work somewhere for holidays only, then I wouldn't be around to be with family during the holidays.

So I have been jobless and sometimes it got boring. I tried to keep myself busy and remembered to enjoy the time I have left... but that was actually really hard. I found myself wanting the time to go faster so I could be on the race already. Especially when there was family drama or when I was really bored. I had to keep reminding myself that God has a purpose for every season. These last two months of being home isn't wasted in God's eyes. So in this season, I was asking God what he wanted me to learn and he sure pointed them out to me.

I have had more time, which means I have had more time to be in prayer, read the bible, and listen to sermons and worship. God is always working in our life, sometimes we just don't realize it!

This time has been so fruitful! My heart feels so full that I have been able to see people before I leave; to have some really good conversations and laughs. Even though I'm still nervous for this new adventure, will still miss my friends and family while I'm gone, I feel ready in knowing I spent an abundant amount of time with family and friends.

God is good and He has helped me see that this time was not a waste at all but to prepare me even more!