Farewell to Sweet Home Alabama

My dear friends,

The time has come! In six hours my Dad and I take to the car to traverse 1400+ miles from Alabama to Colorado. We spent the afternoon playing Tetris with the Camry and half of my belongings, and we are well-prepared for our 6 am departure.

wowza.

We'll be in the car for around 24 hours. Our time will be spent juggling different music tastes, completing crosswords, and some geological schooling on each state we pass through, courtesy of my very own Professor of Geology/Dad.  I will be passing through 4 new states-- Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, and Kansas. That's a whole lot of geology! Good thing we have a lot of time.

We will be re-enacting this. Art imitates life.
Or... life imitates art? In any case, my car might
actually bust at the seams.

The past few days I have been so focused on this journey, that it has been easy to forget what awaits at the destination: a whole new journey. (Occupational hazard of being detail-oriented?) A new home, new roommates, new job, new mission, new LIFE! And while aspects of all these new things may be familiar and even expected on my part, there remains an unknown; a terrifying newness. I have lived in Auburn near my family for 22 years, and it is hard to imagine daily life without them close.

I'm reminded of some beautiful words from Papa Francis from His Easter Vigil Homily, that came at an apt time as I discerned my post-college life. Five months later, these words still have the power to pierce through all my worries: "We are afraid of God’s surprises. Dear brothers and sisters, we are afraid of God’s surprises! He always surprises us! The Lord is like that. Dear brothers and sisters, let us not be closed to the newness that God wants to bring into our lives!"

There is nothing to say to improve upon these words. It's time for me to go, in any case. Because...

Please keep us in your prayers as we travel-- we need both safety AND sanity! :)

With love and
Under the Mercy,

Blessed JP II... Pray for Us!