The Mountains Are Calling And I Must Go....

Reminiscing: Four years ago I accepted a houseparent position at Gateway Woods.  I remember Judy Gehring mentioning Gateway to me on several occasions from the time I first moved to Indiana in the fall of 2013.  She talked it up (a lot) and kept saying how I would be so good at it, or how much I would love it, etc...etc.  However, I really didn't exactly what Gateway was other than they worked with teenagers and I wasn't a fan of teens. Plus, I had plans to go back to school and get a Bachelors degree in Music Therapy! I was trying to adjust to life after Haiti and finally had settled on my plans for the future.  But... Judy was a persistent one.  She took it upon herself to talk to both the residential manager and the executive director about me.  Then gave me Clint's number to call! Even though I wasn't keen on the whole idea, I decided to call Clint and apply for the position.  I knew that even if it wasn't my "ideal" job, it was pretty much in line with my passion and calling in life: to work with hurting kids from broken families.  I also trusted that if God wanted me at Gateway, He would get me hired on! :) Long story short, I was hired...just barely past the required age of 21!

In these four years, I have gotten the opportunity to work with so many residents! Super cool fact: As the stats stand now, I have gotten to work with 37 residents and 9 babies (from the teen mom program)!! Thats over forty lives in the past 4 years!! I would have never gotten to know or help any of them, had it not been for Gateway and God bringing both them and myself here at the same time!! I am so, so thankful that God brought me here, and for each resident He brought into my life.  Each of them had issues to work through and areas to grow; but the each on taught me something. And shockingly enough...I had a lot of issues to work through and areas to grow! (Ok...not so shocking...). Through working at Gateway, God has taught me so much! I have been stretched, stressed, poked, and prodded. And it most definitely was painful! But I wouldn't change it or exchange it for anything!

Current Assistant Houseparent Team 

Its a pretty awesome team and probably the longest lasting team as a whole!  

Sarena has been here 5 1/2 years, Kristi over 4, and Lydia has been here 2!

If you or someone you know is interested in this position please, please, please strongly consider it!! We need houseparents!!

Hanging out with the houseparent kids is one of the best parts of my job!! :)

Life As I Know It Now:  As it stands today, I have less then a month left of work. You read right,  I am leaving Gateway.  Just writing it down brings a barrage of different emotions to my heart. My heart hurts to have to leave my current girls, my houseparent team, and their kids! I love them all so much and have invested in them. Gateway is so much more than a job and it has been most of my life the past 4 years.  I really can't even imagine life without Gateway!  Which makes it scary to leave.  It is also really exciting too. I am really excited for my next adventure, I'm excited to see how God uses my experience at Gateway in the future, I'm excited to have some time to be refreshed & rejuvenated! Working at Gateway requires a lot of emotional and spiritual energy, so taking some time away will be good for me!

Looking Forward: My plans after Gateway will require a backpack, hammock, and a lot of physical energy. Can you guess?!  (Hint: Guess something crazy.....its usually not that far from the truth😂). Got your guess?!

Okay, I am planning on thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail, from Georgia to Maine!!!!! So, so excited!!  It has been a dream of mine for several years and when I was considering leaving Gateway, I knew that is exactly the dream I wanted to challenge myself to next!

Testing out my sleeping bag :)

My why:  I love setting goals, challenging myself, and achieving them. The hike will challenge me physically and emotionally.  There is huge satisfaction in setting a goal that you quite possibly could fail at, and pushing yourself farther than you ever thought you could go.  I also have always felt closer to God out in nature. Whether that is running outside, sitting next to the creek, or listening to the birds.  I am excited and am really craving lots of one on one time with God out in His creation.  I'm also excited to detox from the craziness of daily life and the electronic world we are living in. And to think about whats next for me in life.
Trail length:  2,189 miles.  The trail starts at Springer Mountain in Georgia and ends at Mount Katahdin in Maine.
Food: I will be carrying 4-5 days worth at a time and will restock in towns along the way.
Length of time:  My goal is to finish the trail in 5 months.  To accomplish this, I would be walking on average 15 miles a day.  If I finish earlier...that would be super cool and exciting!  If I finish later, it will be super cool and exciting!! I want to enjoy the hike and I will be pleased as punch if I finish it!!
Start Date: I will be flying to Atlanta on April 14th and hoping to start my hike on the 15th! Hopefully, my roommate will hiking with me the first few days!! Which will help a lot! I am honestly more nervous about the 2 & 3 day, than I am about the 2,000+ miles!

Feel free to ask questions!:) I am hoping to keep my blog updated throughout my hike (hopefully a lot more frequent that I have been...😬)! I would also greatly appreciate your support, encouragement, etc.  Knowing I have a strong support system here will help a ton on those days I just want to give up!

Because I'm an Aunt...and Emma is adorable!! :)