America is Amazing Because it Has Free Water

As we walked off of the 14-hour flight into the JFK airport, glancing around the busy, clean, good-smelling terminal, every ounce of my being wanted to scream “TAKE ME BACK!” Since escapism isn’t really a healthy thing, and neither is a bitterness for your own home country (recognizing that it is indeed, my home country, regardless of where I call “home” now), I (Amy) realized I needed to nip that in the bud and change my attitude or else it was going to be a loooong 6 weeks.

Yes, I miss my Zamlife. Yes, it’s only been 36 hours in America. Yes, I have dear friends there who I miss terribly and will stalk on social media aggressively in hopes of still feeling connected to them as life goes on for all of us over the holidays. Yes, our hearts feel at home in Zam. And all of those are good and okay things.

But for this season, we are here. Willingly, excitedly, gratefully, as we get to spend time with the people who allow us to live this Zamlife, who support us with choppy FaceTime calls, emails (that I usually fail to reply to), and the rare surprise of a piece of mail that made it all the way into our ZamMailbox. I am excited to be here to rest, to relax, to take a step back to recharge my batteries, and admittedly, to soak up every American convenience that aren’t so present in Zam.

So with that tug of war from missing out/missing home to being excited to spend the (chilly) holidays with all of our favorite people, we decided we’ll have to tug a bit harder on the home for the holidays side to truly enjoy this season for all it has to offer. Instead of criticizing all of the “wrong,” we’ll choose to look at the right with a clear mind that neither places are “better,” they’re just different.

Thus introducing our “America is amazing because it has _______” first impressions list, compiled over the first 36 hours of being back in this place:

1. Free/clean water

2. Central air/heating units

3. Large washing machines

4. The ability to tackle 6+ errands in one day

5. Good food (and convenient food)

6. Quiet nights

7. Sweet tea

8. Chickfila & Target, per usual

9. Free wifi

10. Water pressure

11. Sales, promotions, discounts

12. Carpet

13. Customer service

14. Raspberries

15. Spotify, Netflix, Pandora, Hulu, YouTube

Looking forward to seeing many of y'all over the next few weeks! If you are in Columbia, Cary/Raleigh, Florence or anywhere nearby and still want to meet up, just email or text us (for free!) and we'd love to work something out. We're also hoping to add at least 10 new partners to our supporter base before Jan. 1, and would love for you to be one of them ;) Contact us for more info.

Love,

A&W

We Made It!

Today marks our ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY, y'all! I am so incredibly grateful to be Wyatt's wife, and to have walked hand-in-hand with him over this past year. This past year, the first year of our marriage, may win the contest for hardest year of my life, but not only because we were newly married with a lot to adjust to. It was hard because we moved hundreds of miles away from our family & friends right after honeymooning, had to pack up our new life together in a pile of suitcases, then moved 6,000 miles and an ocean away from our entire community being just 2 months into marriage. It was hard because the longest we were in the same city before we got married was 10 days. It was hard because once we got to Zambia, tons of really crazy things happened at once, things that brought us home for the Spring to recover from the tough stuff. Things like working together to arrest a murderer who tried to kill someone we knew. Things like that, and other stories we can't really share with much of anyone. Yes, it was hard. But WE MADE IT! We made it through some of the toughest things that could've been thrown at us. And if you would've asked us what our goal was for our anniversary just 6 months ago, we would've told you that it was to survive. To just get there. But I am humbled, overjoyed, in awe of God's grace and mercy that we haven't just survived. We have grown together, learned really hard lessons, learned how to appreciate the best (and worst) in each other, and continue to learn how best to love each other. We made it having formed a firm foundation built on the only constant we've had over this past year- Jesus. We made it to a year with a greater love for each other- a deep, authentic, selfless love for each other. The kind that takes fire to create and the kind that will bring us through many more years and hardships to come.

And before I ramble on and on about how much I love Wyatt Bardi and love being his wife and doing life together in Zambia, let's not forget the other stuff. The reality of marriage and the craziness that has been "Our First Year," as told by some unseen wedding photos.

Over this past year of newlywed life,

We have slow danced in the kitchen together. 

And held on to each other for dear life when things seemed too crazy to deal with.

We've been able to walk forward with the great support (via text, email, FaceTime) with lots of these folks (& others). 

But some days we've felt like we've had to do this dance called life all alone.

And on those days we get frustrated with each other easily and want to karate chop each other (but don't follow through thankfully). 

We started off wiping away little tears when the other isn't looking. 

And we've had to learn to let the big, ugly, gushy ones flow in front of each other to really share life together.

We now realize that life/marriage/struggles are basically impossible without prayer and friends.

But it hasn't all been bad. It's been surprisingly hilarious at the most random times. 

And life has provided much-needed moments of unplanned dance-offs.

The more fire we walk through together, the more equipped we feel to do so with joy and confidence.

And on the days that we're fed up with each other or life or both, we know we just have to hold onto each other. Because it.will.get.better. It just will. Because God gives grace upon grace. 

Above all, we've realized that we both will change. We aren't the same people we were one year ago, but one thing hasn't changed- I am his bride and he is my groom. We've been given the gift of loving each other and serving the world through our marriage, and we will make the choice to appreciate that every single day. 

Happy First Anniversary, Wyatt! I love you. I respect you. I appreciate you. And I am thankful for you.

Love,
Amy