Getting Ready to End this Chapter

It is crazy that I have lived in Istanbul for the past six months. I have met so many great people and made friends that will hopefully last a lifetime.

Just wanted to send some shot-outs to some great people I have met here...

Whitney Rose...you are such an amazing, mature person. I have enjoyed every moment we spent together. Right when we met I knew we would be good friends. You have been more of a sister to me than a friend! I love you dearly and will miss all the sleepovers and Sunday afternoon's together. Please come visit in Chicago and I will definitely visit in Australia!


Lenka! You are such a kind and generous person. I have has so much fun spending so much time with you (with the exception of the past five weeks!) and getting to know you. I hope that life brings us together in the near future, and possible in Chicago for a wedding!!! And I love this picture of us, it is hilarious!



Armando, Jen, Joshua, Jaden, and Jeremy! I love you all. You have been so helpful and open to listening to and helping process all the confusion between Avat and I. Thanks Armando for taking time each week to teach Avat and Jen for allowing him to be away from you and the boys. Jen thanks for just talking me through so many issues in such a short period of time. I have learned a lot from you all and I really do love your boys. They are great because you both are great.

Dobrinka, an older sister who really took care of me and helped me out so much. God used you to bless and I thank you so much for giving me a beautiful cold place to live in the summer, food to eat and someone to talk to and learn from. I am sad to leave you during this hard time for you. I will continue to pray for you and your family during this next year of transition. Thanks so much for all you did for me. I hope to reciprocate the acts of kindness to someone else someday soon! Hopefully we will be able to see each other in the states. Love you! (Picture to follow shortly!)

AVAT. So much to say here. It is hardest leaving you. I know that God has brought us together and in His timing He will bring us together again. We pray and hope that it will be a short time but we know that His will is best for us and we rest in the hope of His good and perfect will bringing us back together, in the US! I love you and am grateful for your willingness to grow in Christ and trust in Him for everything. You are a great example of leaving everything and following after Him. Continue to trust in Him and His will for our lives. It will be a hard separation but will make our next meeting even more joyous!!! There is a saying in English that "absence makes the heart grow fonder!" (This was our last picture together...;()

Thanks again everyone for your friendships and you help while I was in Istanbul. I love you all and can't wait to see you all again!

Coming Home

After much thought, consideration and prayer I have decided to come home for Christmas and stay. It is a hard decision to make for one reason, Avat. We have been dating since just two weeks after I arrived in Turkey and have really grown in love together. He is really sad and I am really sad but we both feel that God is separating us for a reason and in His perfect time we will be reunited!

It leaves our relationship at the point where we are at the mercy and grace of the US government. Praying that they will grant him a visa to come to the US in about five months. After the arrival we will get married. Yes that is right folks we have decided that we are going to spend the rest of our lives together and are leaving it in God's hands. Please continue to pray for him and his spiritual growth, safety and comfort during this long waiting period. I will only have to wait about five months surrounded by friends and family. He on the other hand will be waiting alone in a not so just place.

It is bitter sweet leaving here and being away from Avat but I am so happy and excited to see my family and friends. I was going to wait and surprise everyone but couldn't hold it in any longer. These next two weeks I have to prepare paperwork for Avat and spend some quality time with him and then the next week will travel to Greece for a day and possibly Ephesus. Thanks for your prayers through this season of my life. I love you all very much and can't wait to see you all so soon!!!