Letters to Family and Friends: Great summer. Spain adventures to come!

Summer 2011 is over. Such a good one. I think my favorite part was The Beach. Bringing Becca and all the time with family was so great. I love our family. Other highlights for me were definitely going to Young Life Work Week and YL Camp with Lafayette college-aged friends to serve and to lead our high-school friends to Christ. It was especially fun to have Mom and Dad there at camp (...winning the crazy leader minute to win it game the night you got there, Dad; remember?). Crazy the place the Lord brings us. Back at Baylor for summer school it was nice to hang out with lots of those friends. I'm surely making lots of long-lasting relationships and it's really fun to know it as it's happening and be able to say to that friend "we're gonna be friends forever and we will keep in touch!" and know it because we know enough about each other that we both really want to and love each other that much.

And as I am about to leave for Spain, I really do have lots of nervousness. Becca and I had a rough tear-filled week. It's a long time (3 months, 3 weeks) without each other and even though we've done the long-distance thing for 2 years now, we still don't know what this time will look like. It's just unknown. It's up in the air. But we remind ourselves it's only temporary. All of this life is. And we must focus on where we are and enjoy that now because we can miss it. Also, we have too much to be thankful for to be worried or doubtful. We know that God's plan for us is going to be GREAT no matter where we are. So we hold on to that promise. I think we finished off with our good-byes today excited for the things to come. She starts back up school at MC on Wednesday.

And Spain here I come. But not just yet. I still have to pack! Hahaha. And Wednesday I'm going to New York City with Mom and Dad to visit until my flight leaves from there next Sunday night (the 28th). So many adventures and unknowns ahead. I am driven with a purpose to go. Here are some vague goals off the top of my head:

1) Learn Spanish. Be fluent.

2) Share faith-matter and life well with those I'm living/traveling/friends with. Live authentically as I am. Being bold and risking as I am led in relationships. I am aware of the faith backgroud in Spain. I want to fight to find a community. I can't wait to dive in and learn and struggle.

3) I want to go see Mr. Mike, Becca's dad, who is working in Germany until Oct. 23.

4) SHARE MY EXPERIENCES WITH ALL OF YOU! I want to be where I am but I will hopefully weekly give you something to look at and probably lots to read (but I realize the pictures are what people really like and will look at) as I experience Madrid and travel plenty. And skype calls and such occasionally too.

5) Learn tons (inevitably!) and do well in school.

I have so much to be excited about but would still appreciate your prayers for all this and your correspondence on facebook or anyway you can. My contact information will be there... I get free incoming calls:) I'll also post it here eventually.

Love you all,

Andrew

P.S.- If you would like a post-card from somewhere, please do tell me (and your address, even if I already have it). I would love to send you one.