Ali takes on Naperville

I've sat down to do this so many times now, and yet, I'm just now getting the determination to do so. But let's not act surprised about that.

When I announced that I was moving, I had quite a few people ask [or demand] that I keep people back home posted on how “life is” in Naperville. I've had...oh...a couple months now to settle and to really see how my life is going to be. So how is life in Naperville? Let me tell you...

[Lackey Vacation Family Photo Oct 2015]

[Isa and Adam]

You see, I have never in my life gone more than a few weeks without seeing my parents. Either of them. My dad is my rock, and my mom is my go-to person for pretty much every thing. I left behind my home. I left behind my sisters, and took myself even further away from Bryanna in Oklahoma. We currently live 11.5 hours away from each other, that's something we've never dealt with. It's been tough knowing that my sister Shannon, and my dad, and my mom get more 1-on-1 time with my nephew than I do. At this rate, I'll be the aunt he sees on holidays [if that]. I'll be giving up holiday traditions with my family, and the time I'm used to having with them.

I started a job where I took over for a nanny that the kids loved and adored [rightfully so...she was fantastic]. Isa only remembers life with her. Adi and Laila were smitten with her. So it can be a challenge. I'm the “new one”. The “replacement” with big shoes to fill.

My biggest struggle while being up there is not having my friends with me. I was used to having my best friend 5 hours away in Cincinnati. The only part that's different about that is now it's 6 hours away. But I still had 2 other best friends here that made that part of life easier. But I don't have them up in Naperville now. And it's going to take time to grow solid friendships from scratch.

[Isa Baby]

I have moved so many times in my life...and that's my way of saying that I'm lazy and don't want to take the time to count how many. But regardless of how many times I've moved, and how many houses I've lived in, I've never lived in an area that was so completely unfamiliar to me. Leaving behind the most wonderful group of friends, the most supportive and loving church family, and my ACTUAL family has been tough.

Everyone goes through major life transitions. Family, jobs, friends, moving, etc. I just so happen to be going through all of those at one time. And I am so thankful for all of this.

God has given me the most amazing opportunity. He's given me the chance to find a new part of myself that I didn't know existed. So yeah, I'm thankful.

Do I miss my family? Of course I do.

Do I miss my friends? Absolutely.

Do I miss my home? Yup.

[Laila]

Life up here is definitely not the same. But it's not supposed to be the same. This is a completely new chapter of my life. Things aren't supposed to the same. They're not supposed to be comfortable. When God calls us somewhere, He's typically calling us to step out of our comfort zone [and I'm not talking about going out in a public place proudly wearing your Cardinal's apparel when they're playing the Cubs in the playoffs—but I did that too]. He calls us to be stretched beyond what we're used to. Beyond the norm. Beyond what we are comfortable with. Coming from a town of...pretty much only white people, to living in a family of...non-white people is different. But so culturally rewarding. I mean, it's not like I had never been around non-white people. My two best friends are Filipino and Black. But I am regularly finding myself in social settings where I am the minority as the “white girl”. It's been probably the most enlightening and educating experience of my life though.

[The kiddos]

I live with and work for a Muslim family, and living with them during the atrocities being committed by ISIS has been great [and I am being genuine there], because their love, and their generosity, their openness, and their hearts are so quick to shut down ANY sort of prejudice that my stupid brain would think about mustering up. Y'all know that I love Jesus, and my faith is the most important part of my life, and this family has been so accepting of that. In fact, they've been more welcoming and more like a family than many Christians I've encountered in my life.

I've been reminded that regardless of distance, family is family. My mom will always be my mom. She will always be my go-to person for everything. My dad will always be my rock. Four and a half hours of distance isn't going to change that. The most beautiful part about this, is that I have a new family now too. I will always be a Lackey, but I'm now part of the Yusuf family, and it's a pretty amazing family to be a part of. Of course I miss my nephew, but I get to take care of three amazing children, all of which I have started developing a special relationship with. They make me feel like I am at home. They've embraced me as one of their own, and that's not the easiest thing to do.

 My job does not feel like a job. Although it can be exhausting, it is not the burdening feeling of work that I had before. Making friends has still been a struggle, but I have found a small group, I have my friends back home, I have my family back home, and I have my family in Naperville.

[Mantra]

Being a single, 24 year-old female, moving to a new city by herself sounds terrifying. But God has made it clear to me that I had no reason let fear interfere. God is greater than the highs and the lows. And His plans are greater than mine.

Nashville to Naperville

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you, and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

This scripture is a very well known, consistently recited, and often memorized by many. I have just recently figured out how true this is though. I mean, I didn't doubt it. I knew that God had a plan for me. I knew that whatever it was, it was going to surpass whatever plans I could dream up myself.

Over the past 6-9 months, I've felt as if God has been calling me somewhere else. But I haven't been able to see where. Nashville, TN—no. Cincinnati, OH—no, St. Louis—no, Collinsville—no. I've been trying to wait patiently. I've been trying to figure out what He has been telling me. Where He wants me. The thing is...I put in “requests” for where I wanted to be. Or what I wanted to do.

You wanna hear God laugh? Tell Him your plans.

For real though.

Because what came next completely rocked my world.

I need to preface by saying, as a person raised in Southern Illinois. As a person who has lived here my entire life...I'm naturally trained—raised to have very strong opinions about Chicago. There are countless reasons why, and there's no need to go into them. But I can just say that Chicago was not a place that has ben anywhere on my radar at any point in my life. Not once. I've actually referred to Chicago as the armpit of America. You wanna hear God laugh? Tell Him your plans.

I'm not going to go into the whole story of how it happened, but as of Friday 8/14/2015, I accepted a job as a nanny/house manager for a family in Chicago...er—well—Naperville, IL. This family and this family kind of plopped in my lap. It was very out of the blue. When they first approached me, I was hesitant...because it's Chicago. And it's me. And it's Chicago. But something told me to talk to them. And I did. I met them. I met their family. I saw their home. It was that moment of clarity I had been praying to Jesus for.

His plan. His timing.

Not my plan. Not my timing.

His plan > my plan. His timing > my timing.

This job is quite possibly one of the most amazing opportunities I have ever been given. I'll get to travel. I'll get to experience things I have wanted to for a while. I'll get to serve Jesus, and be a witness for Him.

So...in 3 weeks, I'll be saying goodbye to the only place I've ever called home. I'll be moving my life up to Naperville. I'll get adopted into a wonderful family (and still get to keep my actual family). I'll experience a life and things that I've never experienced before. And I'll constantly remind myself of how much God has blessed me with this opportunity.

[To my current coworkers]...you guys are awesome! Thank you for the shared frustrations, the countless laughs, the singalongs, the dance parties, and the memories. You'll still kill it without me there.

[To my friends]...thank you for your support and your prayers. You unselfishly prayed for God's will do be done in my life. Even if it takes me away from here. Special shout outs to Cori, Damanji, Katy and Cassy. My sound boards. My prayer warriors. My best friends. I love you.

[To my students]...y'all are without a doubt the hardest part of leaving. I cannot say that there is one person that would tempt me to stay. Because it's more than one person. It's all of you. You all have impacted my life as much as I've impacted yours, if not more. I will not be absent from your lives, just not physically present as much as I am now.

[To my adorable nephew]...G, I'm still going to be that super cool, fun aunt. That aunt that buys you every single instrument for you to keep your parents up at all hours of the night. That aunt that will be your personal paparazzi...whenever I'm home.

[To my sisters]...thank you guys for teaching me how to live life with determination. Shannon, I've seen you fight selflessly. You always put others first. You are determined to put everyone else's needs above your own. Brittani, you're one of the most ferocious people I've ever met. You're goal-oriented and driven. You see something you want, and you don't just go for it. You actually get it. Bryanna...you're determination is inspiring. You've fought for your life. And you won. You fought for your happiness. And you won. Thank you for showing me what determination looks like.

[Momma and Daddy]...I love you. Thank you for everything. For your support. For your constant dedication. For your sacrifice. For your time. For your love.

Naperville...here I come!

[Thank you, Jesus!]