One Year Anniversary

Yesterday, January 6, 2007, was my one year anniversary of living in Madrid. Where has the time gone? I intended to blog yesterday about this but ended up not getting home until late. I had a rip roaring party with Troy, Heather, and Kelly. We ordered in Chinese and watched Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. It was really fun actually. I really can't believe it's already been a year. I remember the day I arrived in Madrid like it was yesterday.

Troy and Kelly met me at the airport last year. They were going to help with my luggage, had the airline not forgotten to send it with me. We ended up going straight from the airport to Troy and Heather's house for lunch. In what I now know to be typical Troy fashion, we had to run to catch one of the trains to get out to their house. I remember sitting at the table with Troy, Heather, Meg, Nic, Kelly, Jay and Carolyn eating soup and bread. I remember thinking, "Oh crap, what have I done?!" "I am in Spain, I'm stuck, there is no going back." The rest of the afternoon and early evening was spent at the Cady's trying to stay awake and act like I wasn't terrified about the decision I had made to be here.

My luggage finally arrived about 10 pm, just after I had climbed into my mattress on the floor. I looked around my empty room and the two suitcases I had brought with me for a year, and cried myself to sleep.

One year later, things are very different. I once again was at Troy and Heather's with their kids and Kelly, but this time, I wasn't terrified (well not for the same reasons at least) and I didn't feel stuck. I felt like this is where I am supposed to be. I felt like I was hanging out with family. Last night when I got home I looked around my room that is full of my stuff and fell asleep content knowing that God has protected, provided, and guided me to this point. I can't wait to see what He has in store for my next year.