Post-Oversease Life.

Life as I know it now. **Pictures at the bottom, since we all know that's why you're really looking ;) **

6 months ago I had never been across the big ocean.

6 months ago I had never lived in a different country for longer than a week

6 months ago I would have never guess where I would be now.

4 months ago I thought I would be in France until July 16^th, said I was done with big cities and stated that I was never going to work at a camp again.

1 month ago I flew back to the states early, decided to live in Chicago while working at a summer day camp.

Life is sometimes quite funny.

This transition, although very unconventional has been some of the best times in my life, I would actually go as far to say that collectively, these past 7 months have been some of the best, hardest, and most defining times. Sometimes I’ll find my mind drifting back to memories, see a photo, or talk to a friend from Uganda and think to myself, “Whoa. What the heck happened.” Or, I’ll be explaining my journey after Uganda to friends and think to myself, “Wait, did I really just do that?” Like, that’s not real life. Even now, I’m chilling in my hammock on our front porch attempting to wrap my mind around what’s happened. And the thing about all this is that it’s absolutely glorious. I’ve seen more about life than I could have even imagined.

But I digress, this is about being back. In this past month, I’ve fallen in love with job and my kids. I’m working at a camp called Fred’s Camp, which is held on DePaul’s campus in Chicago. I have 17 four and five (and five and ½, 3/4 , and everywhere in between ;]) under my care that I get to play, snuggle, and love on every day. Fred’s camp is unique because you can have the kids for half the summer or the whole summer so you really get to know each kid, including being able to stop the troublemaking before it happens. Hehe

I debated about leaving France early because I was there to serve, to help a missions organization, Reach Global Toulouse. However, my French was far from good enough, it’s an organization based specifically on relationships, and I was just simply tired. Not that God couldn’t work in spite of all those factors but I’ve seen that he was calling me to a different place. Fred’s Camp doesn’t have a Christian affiliation and it’s been so cool to be able to do basically what I would have been doing in France! I’m being relational, doing life and work with kids and counselors that I’m around every day. I’m on gym duty in the mornings and I’ve loved being able to get there early and talk to the other counselors and hopefully exemplify the hope, joy, peace, freedom, and love that comes from knowing God. It’s not at all in your face, the goal isn’t dramatic conversions but the goal is simply live lives true to how God has called us to live, let the Holy Spirit work on people’s lives, and then just speak truth when the time comes.

I’ve also received so much freedom and joy from being with my kiddos! They are simply crazy and so pure, it’s so contagious. There isn’t any pretenses, hidden motives or judgment and it’s beautiful.

My favorite conversations I’ve had so far was with my favorite (shhh don’t tell) kid named, Max. He’s the cutest, funniest, spunkiest, craziest, blond-haired, blue-eyed kid. He loves superheros and is typically known as batman. We were walking hand in hand and he says in his super cute stutter,

“Allison?
What Max?
Um… uh… do…do.. you…. Do you…. Do you have a wife?..... Wait! No… Uh… umm… Do you… do you… do you have a man?!
(I crack up at this point) A man?
Yeah a man!
Ha Max, I don’t.
Oh. Awwwww. But my mommy has my daddy!
(Another laughter break)

And it went on BUT he’s just great, they’re all great.

It’s cool how God works things out, even if they are really last minute and seemingly destined for catastrophic failure up until the very last minute.

So thanks to everyone who has prayed, supported, and loved me. It’s been so helpful and I’m so thankful for where my life has been and is going. I know it’s not always going to be smooth sailing but I’m thankful to have gotten to know a God who is a master in rough and calm waters.