The Journey Begins!

We are off! WHOOOO WHOOO. Good Bye, NY - Hello West! Hoping to make it as far as Springfield Il, today to stay the night with my uncle. It’s by far the longest day of our trip.
I started the first leg of my journey west to CO last night by leaving my parents place in upstate NY to travel across western NY about 4.5 hours to pick up my girl friend Christine who is driving out the rest of the way with me. :) As I drove away I was overwhelmed by excitement. I think it’s finally hitting me that I’m going!

The waiting is over! I’ve prayed and wrestled so long for this – that God would give me a His dreams for me, replacing my shattered ones with something beautiful – He promised me He would, and He is SO faithful – beyond what I can even begin to imagine! I drove through a rainstorm and crested a hill to see the most beautiful sunset. It was surreal moment, way better than the movies - as I drove off into the sunset! It was definitely a mountain top experience as I looked back on the valleys of this past year and the steep climb to the top – the painful so longs and goodbyes, the long nights of questioning God, the intense wrestling of my soul and will into His – worth EVERY bit! I know there will be rough times ahead as well – that is life, but I feel like a bird set free – my heart sings, YES this is it! This is what you have been waiting for, made for! For the sheer joy of it, I rolled down my window and let out the biggest WHOOP, I could muster! The guy in the truck next to me gave me a funny look, but oh well, maybe he needed something to laugh at right then!

I hoping to take a picture that adequately represents each state as I go through it:
Here is my one for NY. I grew up trying to avoid these cows and had a good laugh when I drove around the corner and saw Eaton’s cows crossing the road again. Perfect way to capture the farm country I grew up in!

As many of you know my Betta fish is making the trip with me. Meet Abraham.
Abraham had to come with me for 2 reasons. (1) Because a year ago (this week actually,) the Lord asked me if I believed He was big enough to work in my life, when my dreams/plans for me derailed. The scripture “Abraham believed God and it was accredited to him for righteousness” became my theme. The past year as been learning to live out that belief. Abraham the Betta, got his name from that lesson,- which the Lord is continuing to teach me! He is my reminder to believe. (2) Abraham (in the Bible) also left his family, friends and comfort zone to follow the Lord’s leading.

My fish Abraham is not at all impressed that he gets to see the world from a mason-canning jar secured in a basket, but I think he’ll get over it in time! :D

The Lord is blessing the trip thus far – through big and little things, like sending help from friends exactly when it was needed, to everything fitting in my car!!!He is good to me and I DO believe that He is who He says He is and will continue to do what He says He will do!