Things I'll Miss in Milwaukee

Believe it or not, I will miss this place. I'm overjoyed and SO ready to move abroad for the next year, but there are certainly things and people I will miss.

Unfortunately, this past week was a super busy one for me. I was packing, working a lot, and not actually seeing everyone I wanted to see or going everywhere I wanted to go. I did get a few pictures of some people and places I will miss, but there a lot left out of these snap shots. Here's what I've got though!


I will miss my house. My first ever apartment that I rented, I paid for, I kept clean (sometimes)... that I came home to each night. I'm all moved out now. Weird.

This is what I saw each night before I fell asleep and each morning when I woke up. :]

My transportation. I think it's safe to say that I couldn't have survived without this bike. Love my Bianchi. Thankfully I will still get to ride it in the next few weeks in MN.

I was so blessed this past year to have the BEST JOB ever. Everyone should check out Anaba. Going there at least once in your life really should be on your bucket list. Also, now I'm a tea snob. I really am. I'll really miss it there.

Head chef at Anaba and the best boss ever... Gregg. This is his "contemplative" face.

Heather, Emily, and Jamie. Co-workers and more importantly, friends. I'll miss everyone there. Too bad I don't have pictures of Sarah, Dani, Amy, Kyle, Adrian, Joe, or PJ. Shout out!

I will super miss biking down hills like this at 1 a.m. when there are no cars! SO SPEEDY!


This girl. Shmems. I think the photograph says it all.

How could you not miss Alterra once you've lived in Milwaukee for two years? But I'll miss this more...
ROAST. Best baristas, best iced coffee, best location, best atmosphere. I love it here so much. I can't wait to go back when I return!

I'll miss Comet! I love this restaurant! SPICY FRIES!

Kyle. One of the friends I'll miss. I was lucky enough to see him walking along Oakland Avenue a couple days before I left. I'll miss all my friends so much. I wish I had pictures of everyone!

Seriously the best Thai restaurant I've ever been to. Little hole in the wall place. Their red curry is to die for.

Mykel and Nick came to say goodbye as I was packing/cleaning my house. Thankful for them. Again, though, I wish I had photos of all my wonderful friends.

Epikos church. This place has been such a blessing! A place of fellowship, full of family and love. I love everything about Epikos and I will miss being there so much!

Fun times with my wonderful sisters! Jamie and Karley have both been SO influential in my life in the past year. Love them. I will miss them greatly!

There you have it. I could list all the other places and people I wish I had photos of, but that would just be ridiculous, let's be honest. I'm thankful for everything I've experienced these past couple years in Milwaukee! I shall return!

Last week in Milwaukee.

Well, my last week in Milwaukee has finally come. It felt like it was a lot farther away, and then all of a sudden... here it is. It's bittersweet, really. I'm really ready to pack my life into boxes, move out of my house, hang out with my family for awhile, and re-pack my life into a 65 liter backpack. I feel like I can't truly start thinking about the next chapter of my life (Uganda) until the Milwaukee chapter is officially over. So, in that sense, I'm so ready to get out of here.

But I'm also really going to miss Milwaukee. The people I've come to love as brothers and sisters, the places I frequent, the weird quirks that make me smile all over the city, my job and all the people there. I have five more days here and I'm going to bring my camera everywhere. I'm going to photograph things that I'll miss. Then I'll post them here.

I've been incredibly surprised and blessed these past couple weeks by how supportive and excited about my upcoming trip random people have been. While serving at Anaba, I've met a lot of people who ask what I'm doing this fall, all to which I say simply, "I'm going to Africa." Mostly everyone wants to hear why, what I'm doing, who I'm working with, and if it's safe.

Last week, I was serving two ladies. They were so excited and interested in what I am going to be doing in Uganda, and they ended up tipping me 25 dollars on their 15 dollar tab. The little note next to her signature said "Blessings to you!" Seriously, that gift is SUCH an encouragement to me! I wish I could have hugged her and thanked her, but she was gone by the time I saw the tip.

There have also been multiple regulars that come in to Anaba that I sort of know who have asked for my blog website and said they will follow it. Knowing that there are people who support what I'm doing and want to stay updated on it is enough to encourage me to push forward, even when it's hard. Things like that are why this trip is a reality. I hope that all you regulars are reading this right now... if you are, I just want to say thank you so much.

My mom has been a huge blessing this past week too. I talked to her on the phone for an hour the other day, telling her all about the chaos that's going on in Uganda for multiple reasons- one being the bombings in Kampala. I asked her if she was scared for me, and she said, "Well, I mean, I worry about it a little bit, but I'm not scared. I know you're doing what God wants you to be doing. I know this trip is happening for a huge reason. And that makes me not scared." I love that. So much faith. My mom is one of the most faithful women I've ever met. She's seen some really hard times in the past four years, and yet she continues to praise the Lord through it all. And she's been so blessed. It's really true that if you delight yourself in the Lord, he will give you the desires of your heart. I've seen it first hand.

That's all I've got for you right now. Stay tuned for photographs of my favorite things at the end of the week. :]

Love, Brynn

Bombings in Kampala.

Yes, I know. I know about the bombings in Kampala.

If you want to read about it, check out the BBC.

No, that will not stop me and the crew from going.

Just an update. :]

Amazing. Watch this please.

http://iamsecond.com/#/seconds/Brian_Welch/

WATCH THIS VIDEO!!

Financial Update #1

Hey Supporters-

Thought I should update you on my financial stuff. My total cost for transportation/food/lodging in Uganda is $3000. I just mailed in a big stack of checks to Village of Hope, the total was $1847.

SOOOO I am about $1000 short at this point. God's good, and I have 3 weeks or so left to get this money. If you guys could pray about it, that'd be amazing!

Thanks!

Love, Brynn