Recounting Charlotte

                Last week was a whirlwind of meetings and family time and all kinds of grace.  I flew to Florida a week ago Saturday and to Charlotte last Monday. While in Charlotte, I met with Lex and Renee and various people from Bless Back International to discuss clinic matters, or as as I like to call it, the state of the union. 

                The meetings in Charlotte mostly involved discussing next steps for the MOHI clinic. It was a time for spinning dreams and what-ifs and what-nexts, for weighing opportunities and finding ways to improve and expand clinic services. More on those things as they develop. Usually when I am with the people from Bless Back, it is in Haiti and we are running full speed ahead in the clinic, so the chance to enjoy one another as people was welcome.

                The second major blessing of last week was seeing the Edmes. Well, most of the Edmes. They have been State-side since the beginning of August, making this the longest stretch apart since I came back in January. One of the more bittersweet aspects of them being gone has been how much I have missed spending time with them. We work well together as a group, but in a tremendous grace for a group who spends as much time together as we do, we also enjoy one another's company. I mean, I am assuming they enjoy mine. I certainly enjoy theirs. Last week we moved the party to Charlotte and laughed over every ridiculous thing we could think of.

               Speaking of laughter, I sandwiched the Charlotte trip with weekends at home with my family and best friend. When we are together, I laugh until a cry, until my sides ache and I cannot breathe. The grace of being surrounded by people who know some of the deepest, rawest parts of me and love me anyway is almost more than I can take in. When I am home with them, I am absolutely saturated with love.