Jumping off the high dive!

While at Mission Training International in August we learned that the life of a missionary is often full of paradoxical experiences. It any given situation there are positive aspects or emotions "yahs" and negative aspects or emotions "yucks". And this time of saying goodbye and heading to language school is a perfect example of this principle.

"Yahs" - Positive Things
* I am so excited to start language school. I am ready to get started learning the language. * This has been such a long time dream for me. I am so ready to begin.
* I have several friends in Costa Rica in language school.

"Yucks" - Negative Things
* Saying goodbye to family and friends is hard
* Heading to the unknown is scary and... unknown :)

The best example that I can come up with about how I feel right now:

Imagine that you are finally old enough or tall enough to jump off the high dive at the swimming pool. You have been dreaming of this for years. You know that this is what you have been waiting for and that it is going to be the most exciting thing that has ever happened to you. Then... you climb to the top and look over the edge. Wow, the high dive is really high. I mean much higher than you thought it would be. Your still excited to jump, I mean you have been wanting to do this for years. But, now you are getting a little scared. This high dive is so high that it will hurt if you jump and land in the water wrong. But, you have been dreaming of this for so long there is no backing out now (nor do you really want to, no matter how scary it might be)

This is where I am at right now. I thank God for this felling because I know this is just means I will have to depend upon Him.

So I guess all that's left to say is "Ready. Set. Jump!!" (well, on October 9)