Dad and I woke up and hit the road around 7 this morning from Montgomery. I was really excited to be driving today. About 3 hours into my driving, my brand new cruise control had stopped working. I was devastated and started to get very stir crazy. I kept trying to get it to work and it just wasn't going. I decided this, amongst other little things that have happened today, was just God's way of making my patience grow stronger. I've decided that God isn't here to test us, He only wants us to grow stronger and today was my day to grow in patience and trust. Eventually the cruise control started working again. Thank goodness! We passed through the rest of Alabama and hit the state that will be my new living place for the next year, Florida! I was so excited when I was crossing the border. I almost stopped at the welcome center to get some orange juice like we did on the FOCUS trip but decided to just keep driving. My dad and I stopped to have lunch and I got to update a few people on my location. After lunch though, my driving got put to a stop. My dad doesn't like to sit in the passenger seat for very long so he decided it was his time to start driving again. Needless to say I was a little disappointed. I tried to use that new sitting time to my advantage though and started my bucket list for the next year. I did not think it would very hard to make but I was once again mistaken. Maybe I was overthinking it all but I realized that maybe I don't have very many goals for the next year of my life. The things I have written so far are pretty materialistic or silly. I wanted to go do volunteer work to make a difference but then I realized that it is harder to put on paper than I anticipated.
My dad and I have arrived in Orlando for the night. We are staying at my Uncle John Kriegisch's sister's house. (My uncle married into the family which is why she isn't my aunt for those of you wondering.) Laura and her husband, Viktor, have been very welcoming and hospitable so far. We had a huge dinner and have sat around talking for a good portion of the time since we've been here. They have told me that I am welcome to come up and visit them anytime which is great to hear. I will definitely need a family to hang out with while I'm down here and their two boys are pretty hilarious so far. Viktor is from the Dominican Republic and also travels a lot so his knowledge of other cultures is huge. He had some really useful information about the different cultures and ethnicities that I will be surrounded by down in Miami.
I have to leave my dad in the morning and I am not thrilled for that one bit. We have had some good conversations on this roadtrip and it also means my last physical connection to Kansas down here will be gone. This year will definitely help me grow in my independence and ability to be strong in myself and God. I will be relying on God more this year, I have a feeling, than I ever have before. My orientation for CVIF starts tomorrow at 1. I have no idea what is to come of this week but I am praying that lots of good things, including a place to live and a few friends, come out of it. Only God knows though.
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