Recap

Hello friends!

So much has happened since I last blogged, and yet I am struggling to find the right words to say. I guess I should start with my slightly hilarious, slightly disastrous bus ride to Minnesota. About 4 hours after I wrote my last blog in Panera, I was literally sprinting down the streets of Chicago (6 blocks to be exact) with my backpack on my back and purse hanging around my neck. What happened was that I missed my bus. Embarrassingly. I had the wrong time for my Chicago-Minneapolis bus, and even though I was only off by about 15 minutes, I still COMPLETELY missed it. I was spending some time with a friend of mine downtown, and when he was on his way to drop me off at the bus stop, we saw MY bus driving away. We were still a good 5 minutes from the bus, and unfortunately, my luggage was in a locker in Union Station. So even though we literally drove behind my bus for a few blocks, it was pointless, because I didn't have my stuff with me. This is where the sprinting down the street comes into play. Just in case there was some mistake, I had him drop me off on the corner of what I thought was only 3 blocks from the bus stop...and turned out to be at least 6 blocks. Then he continued to follow the bus for a few minutes to see if it was going to turn around for some reason (it didn't). So, a very out-of-shape Heather finally gets to empty bus stop around the time I thought I was supposed to leave. I don't think I can capture my emotions at that moment in words, but you can imagine the panic that was overwhelming me. Not fun. Surprisingly, I did not cry (it was more of a helpless moan), but instead calmly gathered my luggage and waited for my friend to return. Eventually, after much debate, I bought a plane ticket for 6:30 am the next day (this was around midnight) and he dropped me off at the airport. I still can't believe that I stayed awake that whole night, and I will gladly give all glory to God for keeping me alert. I believe that He even sent 3 Mexican college students to help me feel safe and help the time pass. They were on their way back to Mexico after studying at Notre Dame for a month, and their English was very good. I talked with them for about 3.5 hours and we had some really interesting conversations! :) Anyway, I finally arrived to Minnesota in one piece and had a nice long nap at my dear friend's house. 

After that adventurous beginning to the trip, the rest of the week was filled with its own "adventures." It wasn't exactly a restful vacation, but I would definitely say that the sleep was sacrificed for MUCH better uses of my time. It was great to see old friends and to...continue to grow closer to those that I've known for a long time. I was able to see God working in brand new (or old, depending on how you look at it) ways, surprising me with His timing yet again. It was a very encouraging trip, and I'm so thankful that I was able to go. Maybe as a result of this trip, I am feeling so much more motivated to pursue Christ and really seek out His will for my life. I know that's pretty typical to say for someone in my life situation (about to graduate college), but I really do mean it. I have a little more specific direction for what I need to pray about this year, and I think I really needed this summer to get me where I am. 

Alright, well I need to go. I'm moving back to school TOMORROW! I love you all and cannot wait to see you (Hannah)!