Life After Dentistry

After months of preparing to head overseas, it has been easy to feel like this kid...

David After Dentist (Original) - More bloopers are a click away

And at times, honestly, this period in my life has felt like pulling teeth. It has often been filled with anxiety, impatience, and feelings of inadequacy and hopelessness. There is a tendency to feel like I have to put on a show for people to convince them to partner with me. What He has shown me is to simply be honest with people and honest before Him. There is freedom in vulnerability and truth. I am weak, on my own, but I'm not on my own!

That is why I sincerely want to say thank you to the countless people who have shown me support these last six months. I've seen how true it is that there are those who go and those who send, but both are completely vital to the story. So now I see the gifts I have been given, more like this kid....

Here's what I've been up to since my trip to Asia (see previous entry for that story), as told by the pictures...

I've been living in Indiana with my family since September, working in a local factory with my brother. We run machines that makes tools like you see above, which are used for orthopedic surgery. They haven't let me design, research or precisely engineer yet. Weird.

In November my family and I took a trip to southern Ohio to my aunt's cabin where we met up with some of our relatives to go four wheeling and hang out. Here are me and my muddy siblings.

And some older muddy siblings. (My mom is on the left)

Janel and I got dead last in our euchre tournament.

But I was able to redeem myself winning a game where apparently being able to reenact "Hungry, Hungry Hippo" is pretty essential.

For Thanksgiving we had friends travel to our house from Alaska, Washington, Oklahoma, Ohio and Washington D.C. Here they come, storming in with authority.

Finally, in January I went to Oklahoma to visit my friends Luke and Jamie. Jacob flew in from Alaska for the occasion.

Luke with their 6 month old baby, Elijah. He was awestruck by my camera skills.

Doing our best impression of the old "girl-best-friends-who-could-be-anywhere-on-earth-but-you-can't-tell-because-all-you-can-see-are-their-faces-smushed-together-three-inches-from-the-camera". This was one of our last opportunities to hang out together before some big changes take place. I am moving to a different hemisphere, and Jacob is getting married in June!

It has been good spending time with my family before I leave, and a lot of progress has been made in being ready to go. In April I plan on driving my car 3,845.17 miles up to Alaska. It will be nice to have a vehicle up there, instead of having to bum rides off people all the time, as many of you have been victims of in summers past! I will be in Alaska until my August departure. There is still a lot to be done, and I would appreciate you all keeping me in your thoughts as I prepare.

I will be sending out another newsletter next month with some more detailed information. If you are not currently receiving my newsletter, or would like to know how to partner with me, please notify me at grainofsandman@gmail.com. Thanks again, and Alaskans, can't wait to see you!