Back to the Future...

So, I am living in a different time zone now which I think is just the coolest thing ever. I'm actually kind of in the future because I am 8 hours ahead of probably everyone who will read this! Anywho...Here is what I took with me. And next to that is a picture of me at MC pointing on the Kugel to my country! How exciting! You really didn't think I was going to show you a picture of what I looked like the morning of January 3rd at the airport, did you? I was a bit emotional. To be expected. But I am here and the travels were great.
One tiny issue in Atlanta involving me sleeping through the announcement that everyone would have to change planes, I believe due to mechanical issues. I did not hear because I have already mentioned here that...I was asleep when this announcement was made. I was never suppose to change planes in Atlanta, you see.
So, I politely go up to ask the flight attendant if I can leave my bag in the overhead compartment for the continuation flight or if I might need to get off the plane and then reboard. She tells me that she has already announced this particular plane will not be going on to Chicago. Wide eyed and bewildered, I get into the terminal and I don't even have another ticket until Chicago to my country. So, I find out where my new but same flight is leaving--halfway across the Atlanta airport--and I sprint to my new gate. Because my flight is scheduled to leave in less than half an hour. I board my flight with my half stub of a boarding pass from the last flight which seems to be sufficient, only to find that I am the last person to board and there is no overhead compartment space. You've seen my luggage picture.
My luggage already wouldn't fit overhead during the first flight from Birmingham and I had to sheepishly take out items while travellers with frustrated sighs boarded around me(I was rearranging my luggage in the aisle at this point with some tears still free flowing, the goodbyes had just taken place.)
So, in Atlanta, finally a very nice man wearing a pin striped suit offered me some true insight when he said, 'we can't leave with your bag hanging out of the compartment like that, just let the attendant help you.' Helpful, eh? Anyways, I sat down and the announcement immediately came on to buckle seatbelts, we were ready to depart.
Can you imagine that I wouldn't have some kind of excitement along the way? I made it to Chicago and met up with familiar faces and we went from there. Smooth flying. By the way, Turkish airlines is clearly the way to fly in Europe or Central Asia. Everyone was so nice. The food was great! We got toothbrushes, socks, and little night masks to wear while we slept on the plane. I am a huge fan.
We made it to our new home and were met by our new friends here. Tomorrow we're going exploring and to get to know our city!
Amid all the excitement of going and sadness of leaving, God has given me peace. I am so excited to be living where I am for the next bit of time in my life. I have no doubt that He has placed me exactly where I am for this time. Here are the words to a verse from what has become my life song and they are so true of where God has me right now. He has made this new place the desire of my heart for this time and He continues to sustain me daily.
"Praise to the Lord who o'er all things so wonderously reigneth
Shelters thee under His wing and so gently sustaineth
Has thou not seen, how thy desires there have been
granted in what He ordaineth.
Hallelujah. Hallelujah."