there is this CRAZY story that makes our journey come full circle- let me share a bit of it with you. It was 2009 and I had just met this crazy Latino named Alvaro at a Memorial weekend spent in Minnesota. It was a time in my life that I was doubting so much and unsure I'd ever really find someone to spend my life with. We had met at a church service in Rochester, MN, he asked for my number but I really didn't think much would come of it. The rest of the meeting details are super fun and that shall be a story for another blog perhaps...

After spending some time together that weekend and planning to see each other again the following weekend in Eau Claire, WI there were thoughts in my head that this was just kind of a fun time and wondered if it could ever be something real or lasting.

It was a summer afternoon when I was contemplating this potential relationship and if I should pursue it or just give it up early on. I was driving a curvy, country road to my parents house in Stevens Point WI and literally saw the sign pictured on the bottom for the FIRST time! (the bottom pictures are from 7 years ago-our dating season) Now this road to my parents I have driven thousands of times and I must have passed that sign countless times. But there it was, right in front of me: WISCONSIN NICARAGUA PARTNERS! What!? Is this a joke? I actually laughed in the car to myself and I think I even turned around to see it again. I joke that it really was a literal SIGN that helped bring Alvaro and I together.

So here is the story, less than 2 miles from my parents house is a warehouse that stores items about to be shipped to Nicaragua as part of a program called Wisconsin Nicaragua Partners . It is an amazing organization with great history and doing incredible work in the country of Nicaragua. You see my home state of Wisconsin is partnered with the country of Nicaragua and God used this sign in the journey of my life. Isn't that just like God? Showing up, directing our steps, leading our futures....

Well that isn't even the extent of it, just as Wisconsin is partnered with Nicaragua....the city that my hometown of Stevens Point, WI is partnered with is the VERY city that we will be living in: ESTELI, Nicaragua. Crazy, right!? My cousin and great friend Katie captured this shot of us in front of the sign that leads into our hometown.

Sometimes I feel so small in the scheme of His plans, but other times I feel like He is pinpointing our exact steps. This is an instance where He has humored me, He has encouraged me and nudged me on. I felt the literal sign I saw was such a fun way for God to push me to keep pursuing this Latin guy, but I would have never imagined that 7 years later we would be a family of 4 actually moving to that same country. That sign spoke louder and truer than I ever could have realized. Full circle. His plans are always better and higher than mine.