Dare to dream...

"Somewhere over the rainbow
Skies are blue,
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true."

I dared to dream a little dream....a dream I've been holding on to for years!  I've always wanted to live abroad and Italy was at the top of my list.  My friend Neal and I have been discussing this for years!!  He always encouraged me to just up and do it!  Well, that was not me...I do not just "up and do" anything!!  However, I continued to dream!  What I learned though was that I was not ready yet!  I had so much to do: NYC, grad school, all of the amazing things in grad school AND the not so amazing things, I had to meet the people I've met, be broken down to nothing and restored/healed, travel to Italy in November, have time in Birmingham/Tuscaloosa, etc.  NOW...now, the dream I dared to dream is coming true!  My heart is racing and I want to cry (and have many times), but God is too generous!  He has gifted me this amazing opportunity and there is nothing I could have done to force this opportunity...He has opened all the doors of opportunity and made it a reality!

-He allowed me to meet the right people at the right time...Dr. Hernandez-Reif (Maria) suggested it
-He gave me peace, clarity, the right words, etc. through the application and interview process
-He opened doors AND shut/slammed doors along the way so that when this door opened I had no doubts
-He has taught me patience throughout the waiting process of this amazing opportunity
-He will continue to open doors because He has gone before me and He will go with me!

This is such a blessing and while I know there will be scary times and lonely times, I KNOW THAT I KNOW He is with me and I take with me (in spirit, email, facebook, hand written letters hopefully, skype, blogs, etc) all of my amazing family/friends....my beautiful support system!

I feel so blessed to have had so many dreams in life come true!  I hope that everyone reading this understands that dreams CAN AND DO come true...and the cheesy phrase about the scariest opportunities being the greatest...well, I hope that is true!!

More details to come as I figure them out, but I did get my official information today!  So here I go...I'm diving in!  It is getting more real!! :)