Family and Fun

Family and Fun

July 11, 2009

The past two weeks have been full of family, fun, and late nights every single day. I’ve been blessed to be around immediate and extended family. From the five-day Keller campout celebrating life and love for my aunt Margie luau-style in Indiana, to remembering lives lost and beauty in Michigan, honoring my cousin Tyler after his recent graduation in Ohio, and interspersing of numerous other gatherings, I am left thankful but exhausted. And there is more to come.

It really is amazing at how my mother’s family, the Kellers, get along so well. My mom was one of 12 children, eleven of which are still alive. I have close to forty cousins on that side of the family, and I know them all rather well. Through the years the family has loved to get together to celebrate everything from weddings, births, graduations, holidays, and anniversaries. They sometimes just get together for the sheer enjoyment of one another’s company. I’m thankful to have Keller blood run through me, though I think I lack the Keller ability to stay up all night long. Over the past two weeks I think my average bedtime has been 1:30 am, and I was almost always the first person to go to bed!

The time with family has been great, but I have not settled into any type of routine. I always seem to do better with some routine in my life, as surprising as that may sound with all the traveling and transitions I have been part of. Today is the first day in two weeks where I have taken extended time to be alone and reflect. Despite my rather extroverted personality, I am more of an introverted extrovert. I need time alone to refuel and re-energize.

I will be in Ohio for another week, and then I am off to Colorado for five weeks of missionary training at Mission Training International, July 20-August 21. I am currently at 90% of my support-raising goal! If all goes well and I am able to partner with a few more supporters, I may be leaving in September or early October for Uganda!

Despite my often waxing and waning relationship skills when communing with the Lord, he has been so very good to me.