Getting started and asking questions

So, now I'm several weeks into the new semester, my second to last just for the record, and I'm already blown away by how fast time is moving. You'd think by now that I'd have figured that out or at least have gotten used to it. All I can think now is that December is going to be here before I know it. Then it'll be a race 'till May. I sure wish someone had warned me that life was gonna move this fast when I first started this journey. I've been catching myself becoming more and more sentimental and regardless of what happens, I simply tell myself, "just embrace it." This time next year I'll look back on this experience and wish I were back here deep in it all. So I am choosing to embrace every single lovely or not so lovely moment.

This leads me to question how and why it is that we become so lovingly attached to places. I knew going to China that I'd only be there for 1 year. That's not very long at all. But now I have such a love and respect for the place I lived and after arriving here in Austin, I wasn't sure if that feeling, that deep love for a place, could ever be duplicated. I can safely say that Austin and I have had this love affair going on for quite some time now and my love for her has grown. If only I could pick Austin up and move her just a tad closer to family, all my problems would be solved. Just when I think I've got it all figured out, life throws me a curve ball.

I think I may stick to the plan that works best for me, which is having NO plan at all. I had about 6-7 weeks to prepare to move to China and also about 6 weeks to prepare to move to Austin. I'm guessing that through this God is teaching me to live my life more fully and to not concern myself so much with the future, focusing more on the now. Actually, I was just reminded of this wonderful quote, "Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them." Sometimes I wonder if instead that'd be a little bit different for me and instead read, "because the answers would scare you to death." I am quietly reminded that I am still being prepared for my "what's next." Don't rush things, it'll all happen just as it's supposed to. Perhaps sometime in mid-April it will all be much clearer and then I'll know that my next step should be. Patience...one of the areas I've grown so much in over the last 3 years.

Questions and answers...

Thank you all for all your love and prayers.

Peace and love,

Jaime