Here are five things I like and don’t like about what we’re doing.

Firstly the bad (so we end on a positive note)…

1. We have been sharing a room with Amy since about three weeks into this adventure. That means, since about mid April. That’s four and a half months people. FOUR AND A HALF MONTHS. I love my daughter and I know how incredibly blessed we are that she’s even here, but I look forward to the day when we will no longer have to share a room.

2. We’ve meet so many amazing people… which we have said goodbye too. It’s hard constantly getting to know people and then (after too short a time) leaving their side.

3. I haven’t had a ‘Jess’ day since my birthday on the 1st of June. Considering Tim, Amy and I are always together, we do pretty well. But there are times when I just want to hang out with my besties over a coffee and an avo smash. Mmmmm avocado smash.

4. Now that our ‘plans’ have run out, it is actually pretty stressful making last-minute decisions and finding last-minute accommodation options. Before, I could spend months looking at the options and budgeting carefully. Now I long for those days and laugh hysterically at my unknown good-fortune. These days, as one example, we had two days to book our accommodation in Ho Chi Minh and I just have to hope and pray I’ve made a wise decision.

5. Mentally (or emotionally), it’s hard to process what you’ve seen or done at one place while you’re moving onto the next. It’s a constant looking behind and looking ahead at the same time. There are not many long hours to digest everything. Firstly, even though we have our down times, this is not a holiday nor does it feel like one. So when we go to a place we are viewing it or processing everything through a different ‘lens’ than a tourist does. Secondly, even when we get our quiet moments… there are no babysitters. We are always functioning as a family, which often means reflection times are interrupted by a little blonde haired, blue-eyed girl wanting to play hide and seek.

The good…

1. We meet so many amazing people! Everyone we come into contact with inspires us with their own story and passion.

2. This leads us to the different organisations we have visited or joined. It is interesting getting to know the culture and heart behind each group. We’re pretty quick at picking up whats going on these days.

3. I have seen and done things I never thought I would. I believe I spent almost two and a half months of our time in Brazil in constant disbelief that I was actually there. And on Friday… I’m going to Vietnam!

4. What an amazing opportunity for our whole family to experience this together. Tim and I often say how blessed we feel to be able to spend all this time with Amy. Not many other parents can say the same. It is rare and we do not take it for granted.

5. I am learning things about God that I don’t think I would have learned to this degree or depth at home.

So, that’s the inside skinny. That’s some of the good and the bad stuff I think about on this adventure. I am ever so grateful that we took that step of faith though. My goodness, am I even so grateful, we’ve come so far already and can hardly guess where we’ll end up!

Love Jess xxoo