UNBELIEVABLE

I cannot believe that this is happening. I can't even sit here and type it because I don't believe it's happening and when I start to think about it I want to jump up and dance around the room or scream or go run 10 miles. Oh my goodness. Okay, breathe... on Sep 6th (12 days from now), I am going to the USAFE Weather Conference at Edelweiss Resort in the German Alps. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jose and MSgt Bianchi, as the flight commander and flight chief, were supposed to be going, but Jose just found out on Friday that the OSS/CC is giving him a high-level tasking that will take most of his time for the next few months. So I am going to the conference with MSgt Bianchi. I don't believe this. Just so you understand what this place looks like, check out the link: http://www.edelweisslodgeandresort.com/ Now, add to this that it is located less than an hour from Neuschwanstein castle, and if you know me at all you will understand why I am going through the roof about this. Neuschwanstein is THE fairy tale castle, what Disney based his castle on, and the central fixture in all my dreaming about Europe. Picture:


It's perfect, it's real, and in 12 days I will physically be less than an hour away from it when it has been nothing more than a dream or figment of my imagination for so long. MSgt Bianchi has pretty much agreed to go with me if we get out of the conference in time on Friday and can find a way there. If he helps me get to this castle, I think I will owe him for the rest of my life. I've already warned him that he might have to tie a string to me on this trip to keep me from floating away, but he doesn't seem too concerned. He is definitely getting his share of laughs from my excitement, which I am happy about because I am afraid he will get tired of me bouncing off the walls. I don't think my feet have touched the ground since yesterday. It's a good thing I was exhausted after a 16-hour busy work day or I don't think I would have slept.

Even without Neuschwanstein in the picture... I am getting paid to spend a week waking up to the German Alps outside my window. I cannot imagine why God has given me this opportunity, on top of everything else, but I guess that is the overwhelming beauty of grace. I think back to the day in my last semester of college when I found out I was going to Barksdale (last on my list) instead of Germany. I remember it like it was yesterday because I thought it was the worst day of my life. It felt like all my dreams had been ripped away from me. I cried for an entire weekend, and was angry at God for much longer. It's actually embarrassing to think about now, because it makes me sound selfish and shallow and ungrateful, which I suppose I am. Especially because I LOVE the people I met and the memories I made at Barksdale, and I wouldn't trade those relationships for anything.

I think this is one of the hardest things about faith... when something bad happens, all you see is the pain and the last thing you want to hear is "it's part of God's plan", or "rejoice in suffering", because it feels mocking - like your pain doesn't matter. I don't think that's how God wants us to feel. I don't have all the answers and I never will, but I do believe that blessings can come through pain, that God takes bad things and brings good out of them... it just may take time for us to see that. Like I see now.

I am working swing shifts this week (3-11pm), and now I have to run and pick up my car (yippee!) before work, but I had to get a quick blog in with my news. Bye!