This week has been kind of lazy. Not that there isn't stuff I should be doing.

Reading. Unpacking. Packing. Cleaning. Studying. Writing....the list goes on...and some of it I have done, if in small bursts of motivation. I've mostly watched tv and contemplated my list of things to do while remaining stationary knowing next week I will be very busy and the week after that I won't be here at all.

And oh, there's been a little bit of stress. Dealing with money, new bank accounts, wondering about those ATM cards, phone calls...lots of phone calls...and the general buzz of "will this work in Japan?" Mom and I have never been too good with ambiguity. We like to have our ducks in a row. There's security in knowing exactly what's going on. But that's God, pulling us just out of our comfort zones so we are able to learn to trust Him a little more each time things start to get a little difficult.

And He is so faithful to remind us that He still knows exactly what's going on.

Tonight I was talking to some friends on Facebook. I sent Hiromi a message about how we'd soon be eating Japanese BBQ together. Kara and I talked about how much this summer was going to change our lives. I made some plans to visit Tahlequah once more before Tokyo. Then I talked to Sho, who is traveling around the east coast and Canada this summer.

We were nearing the end of our conversation and he was wishing me well and telling me how excited he was about me going to Japan, then he says "I pray for you every day." A simple statement, but it meant so much to me. In that moment, I knew that no matter what happens - God knows what He's doing and I just need to trust Him. In that moment, He reassured my heart that this is His gift to me.

I feel called to go to Japan to share the love of Christ. I want them to know Him, to feel His love, to share in His glory. But here's the awesome thing about God's plans, it is never about the "work" He wants you to do. Like for me, it isn't just about starting a Bible study and sharing the gospel to international students and it's not just about going to Japan on a missions trip - this is a gift to me. This is the plan God tailored to fit me and I think I am more blessed by the people it has brought into my life than anything else. That's so God! His plans are never one-sided, I want to share His love with the Japanese people, and I learn more about His love through them every day. His plans are perfect, come full circle and they don't just satisfy the soul - they fill it to overflowing. We are so blessed! He loves us so much.

Tonight, I'm just really thankful for what God has already done. I'm excited for what He will do. I trust that He knows exactly what is going on.

10 more days...

11 days...

...11 days!

Only two more weeks!

I AM SO EXCITED!!

I've been getting to know some of the other summer team members via Facebook. Everyone is so excited and so ready and so anxious to get there. Everyone is so nice. We are all just so eager to see what God has in store.

I am so excited, but I'm also nervous about the journey. This girl's never been on a plane alone before, and she's definitely never traveled through three airports and over an ocean all by her lonesome. I just have to put all my trust and all my faith in the fact that God would not have brought me this far just for me to get lost in L.A. Unless that was His plan...but I highly doubt it.

My heart is in Japan!

Last weekend I bought my first official piece of luggage. Sure, I have duffel bags and even some vintage suitcases - but I needed heavy duty, over the ocean, three planes and then some gear. So I bought one. It's gray. It's going to be difficult to pack for two months for a place I've never been, but I'm sure I'll figure it out.

Two weeks. Two weeks! I remember when I was counting down months and now I've barely got days. This is really so much more amazing than I ever could have imagined, and I'm not even there yet!

That is just intense. I'm just now really free to think about it and get fully prepared. Finals week is winding down(only 1 more!) and I'll be moving back home tomorrow night. So far, so good with the finals. I had my print advertising and my Japanese II final today. I did well on Print Ad and I aced my Japanese final. What was even better was hanging after a little with the class and my instructor to talk about my trip. There are only five of us in that class, one has already been to Japan and three others have already started planning for a trip or a study abroad program.

One more final, one more day - then this semester is behind me and this summer is before me. Tokyo! I'm coming!!

Thank you AGAIN for your support and your prayers!

Yatta!

"We did it!"

My full budget for the summer is raised.

My plane tickets are bought.

My heart is full and spilling over!

I just have to make it through these next two weeks of class. I have two presentations due on Monday. Finals week after that. I'm feeling a little overwhelmed right now. There are two parts of my life that are so suddenly not mixing well. I'm so ready to leave, to travel, to experience God as I never have. At the same time, I still have a lot to do here. Now that I feel I probably won't be going into the advertising industry after I graduate, motivation to study it is lacking.

But, I must and so I will...I'll update soon with details about how the huge fundraising weekend went(really really good!) and about my preparations. I just wanted to post a quick update and say thank you for those who have donated and a huge thank you for those of you who are praying for me. I can't wait to get to Tokyo!