It has been a while...

As most of you know it is not my strong point to keep you updated in a timely manner. The Winter session of World Camp has come and gone and I have yet to update you about anything. Lets just say I fell off the blog wagon and haven't really been up to doing much of anything. It wasn't until a few things happened in my life and I realized that my heart was no longer where it should have been...with me.

Now, that I am getting back up and standing on my own two feet I can return to a place where I can do the things that I want to do and be happy with all of the people in my life.

A few updates about me...I feel so narcissistic writing that, but I do it from a place to let you know where I am and where Africa falls into my life. Here we go...since around September of last year I started eating as a Vegan. It took me a couple weeks to fully get there and do a lot of research. My family doctor actually suggested that I go on a full vegan diet for one month and then alternate from one week as vegan and one week eating normally. I decided that if I was going to do one month I might as well make the life change to eat vegan forever. It has been a pretty easy road for me. My toughest challenges are going out to dinner with family or family functions. They either don't understand or forget. Those mashed potatoes are great, Grandma, but they also have milk, butter, chicken broth in them. LOL. So, I've come to realize that I can't have my way every single time we get together to eat. So, I'll eat the cheese or the product with milk in it. The biggest reason I made the life change to Vegan was for the planet and my health. I have other small challenges when it comes to shopping in the Pork and Chicken capitals, but my chain grocery store is expanding more and more everyday. I am constantly amazed and thankful for my Healthy Market section. Meat substitutes, butter options, soy milk in every flavor, and they even have a couple vegan cheese options now.

I reported a few months ago that I wasn't able to go to Africa in December because of problems with my knees. I have gone to my knee doctor (a specialist 3 hours away from my house and works for one of the Iowa University football teams...that's how impressed I was with his credentials...I can't even remember the football team's name...oh well, not that important...he was really thorough and got me some answers). Holy run on sentences with lots of dot dot dots. I ended up not having to have another surgery and was told that I would live with the pain off and on for the rest of my life. He didn't want to do surgery because he said my knees are completely healthy and a surgery would only make it worse at my young age (yes 33 is young). I felt like an organic spring chicken when I left his office (nice play on my vegan words, huh). I guess I could have said...went to knee doc, got the all clear. Huge relief either way I tell you.

Yep...still gonna talk about me some more...get some coffee...

Some of you may or may not know this next part...I fell in love. With the absolute most incredible man I have ever met. For the first time in my life I feel complete. I know that I used to boast as a "single and loving it" kind of man, but my heart did long for that closeness to someone. I patiently stood by until he practically fell from the stars and made me a believer again that there is a love for everyone out there. After months of talking and waiting we finally met over New Year's. Now, you're probably asking yourself "finally met?"...how does that work? Through my Twitter fundraising campaign...that is how we met. I won't go through all of the mushy details, but he is a huge part of my life and we have plans (or we know) that we want and will spend the rest of our lives together. That will include a big move for me...from Iowa to Oregon. Those plans are still in the works, but it is going to happen in the near future.

Now, you are all probably wondering...what does all of this have to do with Africa...well, the above mentioned and some other things (that I won't tell...I'm not Jenny Sanford and writing a tell all novel...just a short commentary of the last few months of my life) that have happened and are out of my control (hard for being a planned out control freak) will keep me from fulfilling my dream of going to Africa. But that is the lesson I've learned from a lot of this...Africa is my dream and nobody can take that away from me. I have to get through some tough times, a cross country move, get settled in my own head, and then return the focus to my dream. The entire process of learning that I am NOT upsetting people because I'm not going to Africa when I said I was has taken its toll on me. I thought that I had to get there when I said was because people paid their hard earned money for me to go. I know that some people are upset and I can't change that, but for the most part everyone that has donated and contributed still support me 100%. I do still have plans to go, I keep in touch with World Camp, and I can't make any guarantees that it will be in May when I get to go...but its my dream...and your donations are still there with World Camp being held for my trip.

That last paragraph was hard for me to write. But that is the way life goes sometimes...not the way you wanted it to. As long as we all keep our heads up, learn from our lessons...life will eventually go the way you want it to.

OK...my little updating fingers are all typed out. I want to thank all of you that continue to support me each and every day. That will always mean the world to me. You all are a true inspiration to me.