“I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you”
-For Good, Wicked
Oh, hello blog. Long time no see! I have been quite busy since I posted last. I survived the craziness of carnival season. I attended two music festivals and had many other fun times with housemates in between. Dad also came for a visit around Easter/ his birthday! I was also able to attend the Coalition on Adult Basic Education National Conference in Seattle! (knocked off one more state on my list!) While in Seattle, I had a 5 hr interview for a job as a Residence Life Coordinator at Grinnell College back in Grinnell, Iowa. When we arrived at our connecting flight, I had a voicemail offering me the job. But with that job comes an earlier start date than the end of the YAV year. I will be leaving June 29th to begin the drive from New Orleans to Iowa so I can start July 1st.
Parts of me are nervous, frightened, scared, but parts of me are excited, encouraged, inspired and prepared to work with these new college students in Iowa.
Because I knew you…
To my housemates: As a house, you have all taught me to appreciate the community we have grown. You have shown me love, grace and kindness when I did not think I deserved it. You have comforted me when I suffered loss, but you celebrate with me when I have a win. You have put up with my crazy stories from all throughout my life. You have humored me in trying some of my favorite meals. You have taught me to love reality television (even though we scream at the TV mostly). You have taught me to express my feelings in a healthy manner and not to sit with them alone.
To Dan, my Site Coordinator: Thank you for allowing this crazy kid to come to New Orleans to discover herself. Thank you for pushing me and others to think beyond the walls of our own minds. Thank you for opening your community of musicians and dancers to me and let me fully experience New Orleans. Thank you for being the first call when I needed to talk me off the ledge. Thank you for being your authentic self around us and getting to know you more.
To Harriet and Greg, My Host Parents: Thank you for so warmly welcoming me into your family. Thank you for being my family while my family is so far away. As Dad said when he visited, “thank you for caring for her” Thank you for showing me the city that you both love so deeply. From Po'boys to Crawfish Boils. Thank you for the treats and especially the Timtams from Austrailia!
To Andrea, Mary and Sarah, my co-workers: Thank you for putting up with all my questions about how the education system works. Thank you for allowing me to fail but being by my side to pick me up and to say "try again." Thank you for supporting me in my life decisions. For the car rides to and from work. For going to Mardi Gras parades together to Broadway musicals. Thank you for understanding when I get stressed. Thank you for supporting me and my family.
To my students: Oh how I am going to miss you so hard! Thank you for following my lead, even if it was down the wrong path. Thank you for showing up and doing the hard work right along with me. Thank you for allowing me to get angry at the government systems that hold you down, but at the same time for showing me the tricks on how to work around it. Thank you for showing me how to never give up even when I am gray. Thank you for showing me your faith and not being afraid to tell me or anyone around you, that you believe in the risen Christ.
To Pastor Chris and Sarah: Before this year, I never thought I would step back into a church, but you welcomed me with wide arms. You have guided my faith more this year than you know. Pastor Chris, it has been great to sit in the pews and hear you speak so elegantly about the scriptures even if you use ted lasso and pickle references. :) Pastor Sarah, thank you for showing me again how much I love seeing a woman in the pulpit. Thank you for showing me how to be the church outside the church, and a mom and wife at the same time. I am grateful to be reminded of my faith by the two of you and that I will never forget.
To the SCAPC community: To the largest church I have ever been a part of, thank you. Thank you for being unafraid to ask the hard questions. Thank you for welcoming my housemates and I into the folds of the church and support our hungry bellies. Thank you for giving me a space to rediscover how much I love the church community, after COVID. Thank you for allowing me to lead the call to worship, usher for a month and to lead a children’s sermon. Thank you for allowing me to practice my bingo calling and cake walking skills. Just keep being yourselves.
To New Orleans: I know that we didn't have a great start to this year, Hurricane Ida and all, but I am glad that I still came. To see the city rally around each other again, you are the epitome of resilience. When I came to NOLA, people questioned, “why do the residents stay after every hard storm?" My answer now would be, because they care. There is a history here that is as strong as the live oaks that cover the city. There is a family here that is generations deep. There is food here that will fill the lost part of your soul. The music here will fill your whole body from your toes to your ears. The city of New Orleans is an amazing place that I cannot put into words but I know that this will not be the last time that I come.
“Laissez les bons temps rouler”