whirlwind.

Well, the title to this post pretty much explains it all. [kind of like Clarissa Explains It All, but different]. My days in Knoxville are winding down, and after a couple weeks of time creeping by, time has begun to fly and my life has become a whirlwind. A quite lovely and beautiful whirlwind, I might add. This post is basically to update anyone who cares on my life and my progress, and whats happening in my last few days in Knoxville. So, if none of that appeals to you, well, keep reading anyway because you might like it. :)

First of all, I have completed #18 on my "101 in 1001" list. It reads: Give someone a surprise painting. So, this is what I did! I painted the below and to the right paintings and gave them to my friend Jenn and her sweet kids Ewan and Allison. Jenn writes an amazing, Christ-focused blog that you should totally check out by clicking here.

Secondly, my last week in Knoxville has been, as previously stated, absolutely packed and crazy. I am chaperoning the HD Kids Extreme Camp for Calvary this week. It's for kids from 3rd to 6th grade. I thought this was my least favorite age range for kids, but I think this week has changed my mind. They are absolutely hilarious and smart, yet still sweet and want to make you proud [most of them anyway]. There have been so many great moments this week, but I will choose two of my favorite quotes to share. Okay okay, maybe I'll choose three.


(Getting out of the car at the camel safari, surrounded by about 25 pigs and piglets. I'm wearing an old tshirt from when I worked at a BBQ restaurant.)
Jayden (8yrs old): Miss Chelsey, these pigs are going to feel very uncomfortable around you.
Me: Why's that Jayden?
Jayden: Um, because you have on a barbeque shirt?!

(Cailyn & Heidi, both 8yrs old, are sitting behind me in the van as I overhear their conversation)
Heidi: Is the toothfairy real?
Cailyn: I don't know, maybe.
Heidi: I'm not really sure but my Mom says it is! and I get money from it when I loose a tooth!
Me: (thinking to myself) Please do not ask me if the tooth fairy is real.
Heidi: Miss Chelsey, is the toothfairy real?
Me: Well, I don't know.. my Mom told me she was, and I got money under my pillow when I used to loose teeth...
Heidi: I think she is.
Cailyn: (leans up and whispers in my ear) I don't think the toothfairy is real because I know she's not because my mom told me the truth.

And finally...
(Sam and I are supervising the kids changing out of wet clothes in changing stalls. There are 6 stalls, 20 kids, plus the general public who also wants to change. One of the stalls doesn't lock, so a random lady is holding the door shut for one of our kids)
Random lady: Okay, I have to go. Someone else come for door holding duty.
Sam: Okay, I'll get it. (walks toward door)
Random lady: (looks at Sam, looks at me, speaks to closed door) Okay sweetie, your umm... Dad is coming to hold the door.
Sam: Oh, haha.. not Dad, but thats okay. Just um.. I guess um.. chaperone. We're just chaperones.
Me: (hysterical laughter)
Random lady: (awkwardly walks away) 


Anyway.. the kids are at the church from 9-12 learning about the Bible and various things about Jesus, then they bring their own sack lunch and we go on an "extreme" field trip. [and by extreme... I mean extreme, even for me haha.] The 5 field trips are as follows: Tubing, Camel riding/caving, Rock climbing/repelling, Whitewater rafting, and scuba diving. Because of bad weather on Monday, we had to cancel the rock climbing/repelling, which was just fine with me since that was the only one I was going to refuse to participate in haha. [I don't do heights, at all.]

So, my schedule this week is below, just for your personal information haha:
Monday: Suspected tubing, suspected camel riding, then swimming in a pool in the rain from 12-5, sleeping from 7:30 to 2am, up from 2-4 am, then sleeping again.
Tuesday: Packing/random stuff 9-12, camel safari/caving 12-6, movie night with Amber and Nicole from 8-12, then sleep.
Wednesday: Check in for camp 8:30-9:30, bank, packing, bank again, post office, lunch with my friend Megan, tubing from 12-5, Wednesday night church [cafe] from 5-8, now blogging and about to sleep.
Thursday: Rafting 11:30-5, my going away party from 7-9 [sad!], and then sleep.
Friday: Lunch with my "adoptive Mom" Audrey at 11, then scuba diving from 12-5, then my last Calvary College Social [pool party] from 6-9, then a goodbye hangout with my sweet friend Sam.
Saturday: packing/moving out, last minute everything, and hopefully fun plans Saturday night with Amber!
Sunday: Last Catalyst, last Big Church, and last Sunday lunch, then homeward bound!!

Now do you understand why I'm using the term "whirlwind"? I thought so! How bitter sweet it is to wrap up life here in Knoxville for now, not knowing really when I will return. The family I have accumulated here in Knoxville, at UT, and at Calvary has been such a blessing on the last 3 years of my life, and I don't know what I will do without them! Thank goodness for internet in Haiti! :)

Knowing that my time with sweet friends is coming to an end rather quickly has made me sad and sentimental. I have spent several nights lying awake thinking about all the memories and all the people I am leaving here in Knoxville. It seems surreal.. I keep asking myself "Is this real life?!" And I know that it is, and I have never been more sure in my whole life that I am doing what God has called me to and has planned out for me. It's sad to bring a chapter of my life to a close, but one thought of those precious Haitian children that God has placed exactly in my path for me to love on and I remember that I have work to do for the Lord, as a good friend put it.

This life is not about me, it is about bringing Glory to the King! 1 Corinthians 10:30 says "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." This is what I live for. Not to be happy or comfortable or to get married or to have kids or to be healthy or to be rich or to glorify myself... but to bring Christ Glory with every single thing that I do. Join me friends!