Canadian celebration :)

Do you ever get the feeling that time is both standing still AND speeding ahead at 100mph? That's exactly how Patrick and I felt when we realized we were right on top of our One Year Anniversary. How could a whole year have gone by when it seems like just yesterday we were standing at the altar? 

And at the same time, so much has happened and changed in our lives...has it really only been a year? I think this is what adults meant when they told us as children that time flies when you're having fun.

So while I could wax and wane about the bliss of married life or reflect on the year passed, I'd much rather tell you what we did for our anniversary. We went to Niagara Falls! 

We left early Friday morning, drove nearly 8 hours to the New York state/Ontario border, then crossed the Rainbow bridge (no joke) into Canada. While there, we stayed in this amazing tower overlooking the Falls, wandered the cliffside paths for unclose sightseeing, and even took the Journey Behind the Falls (yes, I'm attaching video, because it's awesome!). 

We also sampled some stellar dining, namely at Brasa...if you ever get the chance to try this Brazilian steakhouse, do yourself a favor and GO! Pat has been raving about it since we left :)

Anyway, this place is so much better seen than talked about, so I'll do just that! I only wish the pictures could do it justice, but this world wonder is way more epic in person...

The Rainbow bridge and American Falls, aka "Bridal Veil"

Canadian, or Horseshoe Falls, straight from our window!

Getting a glimpse behind the falls

It got to be nearly 80 degrees, so the mist felt goooood :)

Right on the brink...

A gift from our waitress after dinner, yum!

The journey takes shape!

I usually hate self-abasement. It's becoming on very few people, because it's only believable when it's sincere. There's a part inside each of us that says "yeah...I deserve good things to happen to me, and I earned this!" So we feign modesty when really we want the world to know all about our justly gained victory. I hate this tendency. It leaves no room for acknowledgement of God's work in our lives. True humility is a tricky thing. So I don't know how to express how sincerely awed we are at the things that have begun to take shape in our lives.

Backing up a few weeks: Patrick and I were just entering our second month of work (February) at Yale-New Haven when our unit manager approached us and asked if we would be interested in extending our assignment here. Our first instinct was yes! This could be the answer we were looking for - we would have a good job, we wouldn't have to move. The only catch is that it would have to be a shortened assignment so we could get to Washington for my sister's wedding. No big deal, right? Wrong...

Upon asking for this, we were given a swift "no". Nope! Can't be done; we need you both for an additional 13 weeks or not at all. In other words, door slammed in face. So now what??

Panic. What's our plan B? Where else could we go?? We can't stay in New England, in this place. I need my family. We need to go home. Let's go to Washington. We could just move back and be safe. Everything will work out. WE can make it work. But thankfully, God's plans are bigger than our plans.

After a handful of interviews and job offers, I just couldn't accept any of them. Nothing felt right. Going west felt like a cop out. Like we were giving up. So we waited...and in the midst of the turmoil of waiting, God answered the biggest prayer I've had in years. We received a letter from Mercy Ships - we have been accepted to serve. 

Oh dear God. It's happened. This one thing I've wanted for so long may actually become a reality. If you haven't heard of this organization, please check them out. Mercy Ships has been a dream of ours since before we got married, and a dream of mine since before nursing school. This is one of the reasons I became a nurse - to literally be the hands that bring healing to a nation in need, to touch lives and to be changed in the process. My heart aches for this. And this fall, we are slated to go...unbelievable. I could literally write pages about this endeavor, but I'll save that for a later date.

In the meantime, the weeks go by and we remain without our next assignment. But there's a peace in the waiting this time. No more panic, no more plan B. After all, if He cares enough to hand us this huge future dream, of course He is going to provide for our needs leading up to it. And just this past week, He gifted each of us interviews at John Hopkins. Um, what?? How is that even possible...? 

Because when we plan this big, God plans THIS big. He knows our every need, better than we do. And sometimes I think He just gets a kick out of blessing the socks off of us! So here we are, finishing out our final weeks of this assignment, and then we will head south to Baltimore to work at one of the most prestigious hospitals in the country. Oh, and they are giving us time off for my sister's wedding. Seriously.

But before I get carried away with the future, God has more than met our needs right here in New Haven. We found a church that seeks to radically change the face of authentic Christianity, and we have been challenged to rise to that standard. We were surprised and thoroughly blessed by the friendship of Jeremiah and Teresa, this amazing couple who lead our small group. And we have met a myriad of great people who have opened their hearts to this little couple from eastern Washington. This was a huge answer to prayer for us because our biggest fear coming here was to be isolated for three months. But somehow we have come upon genuine friendship and community over 2,500 miles from home. Which, to me, is something worth being in awe over :)

First friend from home!

This past weekend we were graced with our very first trans-continental visitor! Our dear friend Becky made the multi-flight trek from Washington state to be with us and see our east coast life :) 

We did our best to expose her to all that New Haven has to offer (read: ridiculous drivers, Best Video and Coffee shop, Yale/Hogwarts campus, and pizza). But when we had finished with Connecticut, we all hopped on the metro and took her to the big City.

There we met up with another of our nearest and dearest, miss Rachel, and her sister Esther. Becky had never been to NYC, so the troop of us did our best to give her the city in a whirlwind! 

We started in Times Square...after all, where else ought you to start in this place?

We tasted local tastes (Shake Shack...mmm) and enjoyed an off-broadway show (RENT!!). 

We tromped to Battery park and gazed at Lady Liberty as the sun set. (This photo courtesy of Esther, who managed to capture her in the wee corner opposite us, hahaha)

We ended our day with Indian cuisine and got back to New Haven before the clock struck twelve! 

The next morning we woke up our friend at the awful hour of 7am - 4am her time, and went to church. We spent the afternoon baking and cooking, and that evening went to my husband's gig at the Outer Space. This was truly fitting, because Becky and I used to attend Pat's shows together back home every Monday night. It seemed right that she be here for it :)

We bid her farewell the next day, and are now back to our daily lives. But it was great to have her here, even for a couple days. I had forgotten what it was like to spend time with someone who has known us for more than two months. Somehow her visit makes the fact that we're here seem more real. 

She will be missed :)