Seeds

My monthly youth event, S1 was on tonight and it was really good.

For a long time now two of my Rock Solid lunch time girls have been on my heart. Their names are Abby and Maisy, and they are two of the sweetest girls. They're both consistent with coming to Rock Solid every Friday and they always bring a certain joy to the club. 

I encouraged them both a couple of weeks ago when I last saw them to come to S1 and lo and behold they showed up tonight! They kind of stayed near me all night, which was alright with me. I just loved getting to hang out with them and talk to them in an informal setting.

Neither one of them are Christians, yet they keep coming to a Christian based lunch time group and a Christian based monthly youth event. I just can see that there's something there and I can't wait to see it flourish.

Even if a seed has been planted, that would be awesome. I might not ever get to see the outcome of that seed, which is totally fine.

Just knowing that they're interested and curious means the world to me.

I just thought I would share that seeing as it's been on my heart for a while now.

Love,

Kelsey

Half-term

My blogs seem to be getting a little more consistent, every week or so. I could definitely start doing better though. I'll work on it.

This week has been really good. It's half-term so Nicole and I haven't had to work at all, which is nice. A break here and there is appreciated. 

To be honest we haven't done too much this week. Monday we had our belated Valentines Day which consisted of chick flicks and ice cream. Tuesday-Thursday we really didn't do much at all, just relaxed and hung out together at home. Yesterday was a great day, we woke up fairly early about 9 AM (believe me that is early when we had been sleeping in all week) and we caught the 10:05 AM train into town. We went to the movie theater and saw a double feature and afterwards we went to Nando's! So all in all this week has been just what I needed.

To be honest, my work schedule for the rest of my time here is really nothing at all. I work this next week and the next and then I'm off work for two weeks. One for a retreat with the rest of the YFC volunteers and the next week my family arrives! I then work two more weeks, and then Easter Break comes along which also lasts two weeks. After Easter Break I work five weeks then Nicole and I are off to Oxford for May half-term. Finally after that I work about three and a half more weeks and then Nicole and I are coming home for good! It's crazy to think about how much time is really left here in England.

I'm a little bummed this weekend though. It's Chi-Alpha weekend, and I'm not home for it. It's my first one to ever miss since I was first able to participate in seventh grade. It's really cool though because a lot of my friends came home to be leaders, and I'm so proud of all of them. I will for sure be there next year as a leader, so I guess a year isn't too long to wait really.

My house in Garland has been sold and my family has to be out of it by March 9. It's a really weird and kind of sad feeling knowing that I have slept in my house for the last time. It's okay though, because my family and I are going to start a new life in Blue Ridge, Texas. 

I have to work tonight for the first time this week. Our monthly youth event known as S1 is on. I also have to teach a Sunday School lesson tomorrow morning, so my half-term is technically coming to a close really fast. Oh well, it will be good to work again.

I hope you're all having a great February! 

Love,

Kelsey

The day of Love

Happy Valentines Day!

I'm not really allowed to celebrate today though. Nicole is on a weekend away with some of her kids from church and since I'm all alone on this lovely holiday we decided not to celebrate it until Monday! 

It's a little difficult though because when I woke up this morning I had a package waiting for me downstairs from my sweet Nana ( I love you!) and it contained some Valentines Day treats! My favorite though, a box of RASINETS! My Nana truly knows the way to my heart. 

I'm also wearing red which is a little cliche, but it's a Manchester United jersey so it's not too bad. 

It's officially half term aka no school for a week and I'm so stoked about it! Nicole and I really haven't had a chance to really hang out since she got back from Texas so just a week of Nicole time is fine by me! :) 

We're going to do fun stuff all week, but I'm most excited for the day of all days FRIDAY! We're going to go into town and go see "He's Just Not That Into You" and "Confessions of a Shopaholic" and go eat at on my all-time favorites, Nando's! Seriously a great day all around.

This past week seemed to go by really quickly, which I'm not too disappointed about. It just means that March is getting closer and closer and I will get to see all of my YFC buddies again (some for the last time), we're not going to dwell on that though and then I'll get to see my family! Ah! I am so excited! Kent, Stacey, Peyton, and Claire in England is basically the most exciting thing since England won the World Cup in 1966.

I think once March hits the rest of my time in England is going to fly by which makes some people happier than others. I'm just ready to see what the last few months of my year holds, I'm going to take in every single second of it!

Love,

Kelsey

The joys of Monday

I highly doubt that this blog will be nearly as deep as my last post, but oh well.

These last couple of weeks have probably been the dullest of my life. Nicole was in America, and I never realized how much I depend on her until she left for fifteen days. However, she's back now and I couldn't be happier! :)

Last week there was tons of beautiful SNOW all over the country. I played in it a bit on Thursday, and by play I mean I took some pictures in my cute snow clothes and made a snow angel and that was it. I love snow, but the cold that goes along with it isn't really my cup of tea. 

Nothing new to report from work, I've just been doing the same old. However, I think after February half-term I'm going to get a girls group started in partnership with my church in Great Ayton. There won't be that many of them and they'll be Year 6-8. But, I couldn't be more excited. I love working with younger ages, and I can't wait to build relationships with some of these girls. 

People ask me more frequently when I'm coming home and every time I tell them June 26 I can't believe how soon it really is. I mean really it's only like 4 and a half more months, and I'm not working for 6 of those weeks. My time with Youth for Christ is drawing to a close, and I'm really torn about it.

On one hand I absolutely love what I get to do day in and out. I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing without the amazing kids that I'm blessed to work with. They're why I get up every day and go in to work. I've had a lot of challenges facing my job this year and I cannot wait to leave those behind, but I'm going to miss my kids so much. Through them I know that this year out was what I was meant to do this year. 

On the other hand I cannot wait to come home. I'm looking forward to spending some quality time with my family, turn 19, go to Disney World, and prepare to go off to Fayetteville, Arkansas next year. I am so ready to start pursuing my degree in Early Childhood Education. I have missed learning so much this year. I guess I never realized how much I actually did enjoy school till I wasn't going anymore. Every day that I get closer to going back to school the more excited I get.

I guess what I just need these last 4 and a half months in England is to finish strong. Some days are much harder than others, but I just need the motivation to finish what I've started.

Happy Monday everyone!

Love,

Kelsey