From: Ansley

To: Fabiana

i'm going to miss...

Getting on my iPad and seeing that my wallpaper has been mysteriously changed.

sinking in

    As I type this, I am sitting on a comfy chair in my grandma's room while Anderson (my seven year old brother) is laying on the floor watching the Disney Channel. My parents are out doing some last-minute Christmas shopping, my Papa, Aunt Melissa and new goober uncle, Gary, are at work, my Grandma is in her room, my other siblings are watching TV in the living room, my cousins are all hanging out in their house down the street and my other grandparents and friends/relatives will  be arriving in the next week or so for Christmas. In the last couple of weeks I have gotten to see many old friends, tour the college I will be attending next fall (ACU!!) and stuff my face with really, really good food. I have been SO blessed to have a couple months here in the States with my family and friends, and have been putting off posting on this blog - because that means that I am very close to actually getting on the plane and going to Ecuador. Don't get me wrong - I am VERY excited about Ecuador. Sometimes I catch myself wanting to get there already and see what God has in store for me. I've never spent more than a month away from my parents and I'm ready to see how much I am going to learn in the next five months. Yes, I am ready. Since all of this has started to sink in, however... I am also SO NERVOUS THAT I NEED TO TYPE IN CAPS FOR THE REST OF THIS SENTENCE. I have been trying to keep this (happy) face on for the past couple of weeks:

...but I am actually one sad song, or, in last night's case, good Christmas movie, away from a minor (or major) meltdown. Yes, I cried a lot watching this movie:

(if you have not seen it, by the way, YOU SHOULD. it is so sweet and funny. here is the link to the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tk-WZSqIGQ)

     Anyways, I would really appreciate your prayers. I have 13 days left in the States with my family, and then I am off. It is so weird how fast time flies. It started out being seven months away, then six, five, four, then a couple of months, then a couple of weeks, and now thirteen half nerve-wracking, half very exciting days. For now, I am hanging onto the verse that is on my little cards you have probably gotten in the mail:

  " I, the LORD, have called you for a good reason. I will grasp your hand and guard you..." Isaiah 42:6.

Thank you for reading this blog and for all of your support and prayers - it all means so much to me. 


Aaaaaand, I leave you with a cute video of Giovanni's newest dancing moves:

 You're welcome :)

Ecuador in January!

I cannot believe that I only have 2 months left of living in Brazil... After that it's straight to the US for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, and then on January 2nd I will be arriving in Ecuador! Amazing and terrifying at the same time. I am very nervous about my time in Ecuador but also VERY excited to learn new things and help in different ways. I can't wait to see how God is going to work in me while I am there! I will post a little during these 5 months I have left (August - December) about my life and how I am preparing for the trip, and then starting in January I will hopefully be able to blog everyday, even if its just a picture or a couple words, so that I can keep everyone posted on how my trip is going! Thank you for taking the time to read this, and please remember me in your prayers! Love, Ans