i want to be a nurse in africa ... or a ballerina




We are running out of cheese


posted by Jenn

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The situation here on the ship is getting a little desperate. People keep leaving. People that I really really like. Today my good friend Rachel left and I know that life will never be the same again. Nurses are leaving at a much higher rate than they are coming. (Hint: If anyone reading this is a nurse and has a couple of months to spare, I know some amazing African children that would love to meet you). The rainy season is coming. That means less sunny days and consequently less Vitamin D. I have been noticing via facebook albums that my nieces and nephews are growing at a very rapid pace and I am missing critical moments in their little lives. It is spring in Canada, and I can no longer basque in the knowledge that I am missing out on blizzards. My body has finally clued in to the fact that it doesn't like working 8 days in a row and flipping between day shifts and night shifts like it is going out of style. And, I found out last night, we are running out of cheese. Two more blocks to be exact. Then, the Africa Mercy will become a cheeseless society. There are no words.

I could allow myself to get upset about the myriad of issues that are currently plaguing my heart, or I could choose to make lemonade (or whatever that saying is....we don't have lemons here, so lemonade might be out of the question). One of my favourite things about life and God is how He knows exactly when we are getting desperate. When we need something to remind us that we are blessed and life is beautiful, not always because of our circumstances, but because He makes beautiful moments despite the circumstances. Wednesday April 3oth, at 1:00 in the morning, turned out to be one of those moments. The circumstances weren't anything spectacular. Most of my life's greatest moments had nothing to do with spectacular circumstances. Katie & I have often had the discussion about how the meaningful moments, the ones that truly make you stop and reflect about how happy you are to be alive, have no particular setup. They don't cost money. They usually have no planning. They just happen and, for a brief time, your heart has a sense of complete, pure, innocent joy. Like, when you and six equally spontaneous, irrational girls unanimously decide to have a cartwheeling contest down the dock in a rainstorm at 1:00 in the morning. That moment now gets added to my list of best life moments. I think I needed it.

The situation here on the ship is getting a little desperate. People keep leaving. People that I really really like. Today my good friend Rachel left and I know that life will never be the same again. Nurses are leaving at a much higher rate than they are coming. (Hint: If anyone reading this is a nurse and has a couple of months to spare, I know some amazing African children that would love to meet you). The rainy season is coming. That means less sunny days and consequently less Vitamin D. I have been noticing via facebook albums that my nieces and nephews are growing at a very rapid pace and I am missing critical moments in their little lives. It is spring in Canada, and I can no longer basque in the knowledge that I am missing out on blizzards. My body has finally clued in to the fact that it doesn't like working 8 days in a row and flipping between day shifts and night shifts like it is going out of style. And, I found out last night, we are running out of cheese. Two more blocks to be exact. Then, the Africa Mercy will become a cheeseless society. There are no words.

I could allow myself to get upset about the myriad of issues that are currently plaguing my heart, or I could choose to make lemonade (or whatever that saying is....we don't have lemons here, so lemonade might be out of the question). One of my favourite things about life and God is how He knows exactly when we are getting desperate. When we need something to remind us that we are blessed and life is beautiful, not always because of our circumstances, but because He makes beautiful moments despite the circumstances. Wednesday April 3oth, at 1:00 in the morning, turned out to be one of those moments. The circumstances weren't anything spectacular. Most of my life's greatest moments had nothing to do with spectacular circumstances. Katie & I have often had the discussion about how the meaningful moments, the ones that truly make you stop and reflect about how happy you are to be alive, have no particular setup. They don't cost money. They usually have no planning. They just happen and, for a brief time, your heart has a sense of complete, pure, innocent joy. Like, when you and six equally spontaneous, irrational girls unanimously decide to have a cartwheeling contest down the dock in a rainstorm at 1:00 in the morning. That moment now gets added to my list of best life moments. I think I needed it.