The Final Moments Before I Move to Chile and Forget How to Speak English

So if you read my last post, you know that I became really obsessed with Jesus my freshman year of college. That's what happens to everyone in college, right?

"That's great and cool, Boycrazy. I'm so happy you met the Caucasian Christ Jesus. But then what happened? Did you stop wearing a push-up bra?" Tell me that was your exact wording. Tell me it was.

So I guess that's what this blog is for. To exploit my *~life with jesus~* and what that looks like on the internet. (Claire, help. I can't stop doing *~that~*.)

Here's a few snapshots of my time in San Clemente these past few weeks:

I showed up to my brother's house one evening. I pulled into their driveway and was greeted by a naked Rylee Rae. I walked into the house and the other niece was naked too. Life is good. Also, Rylee and I went on our first date because WE CAN GO ON REAL DATES NOW AND TALK ABOUT REAL THINGS because she's two and a half years old. I paid.

I went surfing. Ask me how many waves I caught. I caught one wave. Ask me if I had a great time. ABSOLUTELY. A note on surfing in California: In Central California, it's kind of my nightmare. I mean I do it, but mostly just as a self-assessment of how long I can fight for my life. In Southern California it's ACTUALLY fun. You can actually sit in the SUN (sry Morro Bay) and wait for waves peacefully on your board and when a set comes you don't drown. Bless you Southern California.

I got my wisdom teeth removed. There were a lot of tears. And a lot of smoothie running down my face because I couldn't feel myself drinking it. And there was some mouthing of scrambled eggs. But seriously, v grateful for access to medical care. Even if it makes me feel like an infant.

I've watched 30 episodes of Grey's Anatomy since being home. I'm developing a deep emotional attachment to Cristina Yang. Help.

One night my parents came home from Outback with leftover steak. My mom wouldn't let me eat it because it was for the dog. I learned where her loyalty lies.

And then the last few days preparing to leave have just been mostly like this: "Oh no. Tampons cost 8 DOLLARS for a box of 6 in Chile?! I BETTER BRING 70 AMERICAN TAMPONS."

And now--the moment you've all been waiting for--my solo pilgrimage to the north. There's a few stand-out moments I'd like to address:

1. I had the honor of getting to celebrate Caroline's grandma's 90th birthday. Grandma Claire spent the first half of her party watching television alone, but once we got her fired up with a birthday song and a cake filled with 2 lbs. of vanilla custard, GMA CAME ALIVE. All of a sudden she started feeding off the attention of the 8 twenty-something year old girls in the room and wanted to stand up and chat and show us her photo albums. Turns out Gma Claire is one wild and hilarious woman. Once she saw that she was the reason we were all gathered there and that we all saw incredible value in her, she became her true diva self. I had a "wow, what a perfect illustration of the Gospel and what we do in Young Life" moment. It was kewl.

2. The most interesting woman in the world is currently living in the armpit of California. Allie Davis, everyone. A word about Allie: She currently has a warrant out for her arrest in Montana for fly fishing in a pink bikini (this is a true statement). And last week she wrote a rental agreement in Spanish and wire transferred money halfway across the world to a complete stranger. Because she's moving to Spain next month. By herself. One day she's gonna take her big engineering brain to third world countries all over the globe to help develop communities, because that's WJWD. Allie has a lot of faith in humanity, in Jesus, and is a bad bitch. Allie and I look forward to Friday afternoons at Pepe's sipping margaritas and speaking *~spanish only~* with Chuy when we return from our prospective countries in January.

3. WATCHING GRETCHEN AND PATRICK JOIN IN HOLY MATRIMONY. Boy, was that something special. I assumed that going to a wedding would make me want to get married like on Thursday. NOPE. In fact, what it really reminded me of is how big of a commitment marriage is. And how special and wonderful and and beautiful and great it is when it's with the perfect person 4 u. And how big of a part God plays in it all. And how absolutely and completely not ready I am for it. So here's to at least another three years of not talking to boys.

And oh mammograms, I leave for Chile on Wednesday.

1. Can you say big faith test. I started luvin da Lord in San Luis Obispo. And I've lived there ever since. WHAT IF I DON'T KNOW HOW TO BE A CHRISTIAN ANYWHERE ELSE.

2. But I really feel like I'm supposed to be there. Jesus has just been slamming doors open left and right for me down there. And I'm not even there yet ! ! ! No fluffing idea what he has in store for Chilean Jansen but I'm V V V V excited to find out.

3. I'm actually gonna try to forget how to speak English.

4. In 48 hours I'll be landing in Santiago alone and trying to figure out how to take a bus to my pal's house 6 hours away. With all my luggage. On no sleep. In Spanish. PRAYERS PLZ.



Obligatory Disclaimer: Let's realize that I leave the northern hemisphere soon. I might fall for some latin lover at the salsoteca and never touch this blog again. And if I do touch this blog again, please don't be offended if the quality of my writing takes a hit. THIS STUFF DOESN'T WRITE ITSELF AND IT TAKES TIME, OK.

Bye everyone.