Home again home again jiggity jig...

I arrived back in colorful Colorado exactly a week ago today, and there has been a whirlwind of events since my arrival. Two of my dear friends, Bryce and Kate, got married last Saturday and they are now on their honeymoon in Mexico. Erik and I were members of the wedding party among other great friends of mine. During the three days leading up to the wedding we had some awesome time with Bryce and the fellas.

I realized that the love and affection Bryce has for Kate, and vice versus, is just another beautiful testament to God's glory. In the same way I stare in awe at sunsets or huge mountains, I found myself staring in amazement at the way God has created these two people to perfectly accentuate the other. It was incredible to reflect on the years I have known Bryce, and see how beautifully Kate has impacted his life. Basically, this past week I found myself in a state wonder. Wondering how, and why, we are all so blessed.

I don't have to pay to put pictures on the Internet anymore so I am posting a few pictures from the last couple of weeks I was in New Zealand. The majority of them are from the West Matukituki Valley near Mount Aspiring. I have not had the time to digest my experiences coming home, as a matter of fact I haven't even unpacked all my bags, but as soon as I have more thoughts I will be sure to post.

I'm coming home...

I am in the Auckland airport right now, after leaving Christchurch at 7:00 this morning. Yesterday I took two finals, packed my flat up, and had to say goodbye to the people I have come to love very dearly. To be honest, I don't really know what I am feeling right now. I am not going to try and figure out what I am feeling, first because I am to tired, and second because it would be artificial.

I know that I am currently leaving one of the many stepping stones that will eventually lead to something. I think I have always known that studying abroad was just one of those steps towards an unknown destination, and because of that I am not to disappointed that it is over. Sure I will miss this beautiful country, but God' s glory isn't restricted to one island in the South Pacific. I m excited to see who is waiting for me on the next stepping stone, what experiences I will have, what I will learn, and how the past experiences will affect my future.

That is all I am going to say right now...I am really tired, and I am awful at sleeping in any place other than a bed. I hope to better understand what is going on in my head and heart soon, and when I figure it out I will probably let you know.

See you all very very soon.

Reality is becoming real...

I am sitting in an Internet cafe in Queenstown, while Erik, Keith, Tom, Ryan, Taylor and aunt Lynn are doing crazy adrenaline things. I just realized that this is going to be the last night that I spend in this funny city. It is very possible that I never see Shotover street again, or that I never sleep a night in an alpine hut in the Southern Alps.

The reality is that I leave in eight days. This stage of my life is over, and that I may never see Mt. Cook in person again. I could tell myself that I will be back, and ignore the realities that lay before me. I may not come back to New Zealand. I do plan on traveling again, I do plan on living in another country again, and I do plan on taking the new found passion for traveling to many places. But, there are so many places I have learned about while being here that I would love to go to.

I have found myself saying goodbye to many of the places that I have grown accustomed to the past five months. Walking down from the Mueller hut I was quietly saying goodbye to the Mount Cook Range, while reminiscing on the experiences I have had in their Shadow. In the same way I have been wandering around Queenstown, looking at the crazy tourists trying to do as many things that are possible during their four day stay in the "adventure sports capitol of the world," and thinking about the first time we experienced the bustling city on the shores of Lake Waikatipu.

Saying goodbye, and facing the realities that come with it are both terrifying and exciting. I am very sad that this time in my life is nearly over, but I am excited to see how my life is affected because of my time in New Zealand. New experiences await me, and that brings me great joy.

I will see many of you who read this blog very soon.