Off We Go!!

Cheyenne and I left Dallas to head West, well, South first, technically, on Wednesday, 6/13/12, at a later time than was originally scheduled. For those who don't know my packing habits: I hate packing. A lot. I tend to procrastinate and end up packing too much due to feeling overwhelmed--which leads to delayed trip embarkations and heavy baggage. I tried to tailor my urge to pack everything I own for this trip though, and I'm proud! The 5-week packing list was narrowed to this:

...we'll see if it ends up being too much or too little.  Either way, the first two pictures packed down into this!:

Cheyenne and I spent 2 nights in Austin with Kayley, my former roommate, who is settling into her new apartment and new job.  It was a great 2 nights/1 day, filled with Home Depot runs, painting, touring Kayley's new clinic, and eating at wonderful restaurants!  I can't wait to pass back through!

On Friday, 6/15, Cheyenne and I loaded up at 6:45am and made the 10 hour trek out to Las Cruces, NM.  We were able to break-up the monotony of I-10 by taking a breather in Ozona, TX to visit family over the lunch hour though, phew!  In Las Cruces we stayed with a dear family friend, Judy, who treated us to frozen custard after dinner; Cheyenne thoroughly enjoyed hers and was jonesing for mine afterwards:

We arrived in Window Rock, AZ, capitol of the Navajo nation, at 5:00pm on Saturday, 6/16, and met up with the rest of the mission team.  I should take this moment to explain why I was inclined to spend the first part of this traveling internship experience on the Navajo reservation.  I was a member of an organization called the Christian Veterinary Fellowship (CVF) throughout vet school.  In early 2012 I was approached by CVF's mission coordinator with an opportunity to serve on a veterinary team with a local church's mission trip to the Navajo reservation.  There are many things I want to learn over this next year, how to be a better advocate for Christ through my occupation is one of them.  It was perfect!  I signed up almost immediately and managed to persuade my roommate, Lauren, into coming too. :)  So now, here I am--one of two veterinarians on this mission with a team of 4 vet students.

Here's the catch though: the mission only lasts for a week, then everybody else goes home.  I'm planning to stay here until mid-July.  And I just found out, today, that the veterinarian who usually runs the Navajo vet clinic gave birth to a beautiful healthy little girl yesterday and will be out on maternity leave for the next few months.

I guess we got here at the right time for the animal patients of Navajo!  I guess I'll be spending these first few weeks learning trial-by-fire.

Any first job is nerve-racking, but I'm especially anxious over the fact that I'll be the primary active veterinarian at a clinic I was just introduced to yesterday.  It's going to be tough.  It's going to be humbling.  Ultimately though, it's going to be an unforgettable experience which will test my character, bring great amounts of joy, and provide a stepping stone in the right direction.  We (myself and the mission team) start tomorrow.  Wish us luck!