what a spectacular, awe-inspiring, gracious, and good, good God I serve! (aka placement in Turkey for the summer!)

Sorry this is so long, but it is such an amazing story I had to include it all!!

    If you have been tracking with me at all this semester you'll know that I have been waiting since I got here in Ireland to hear from Huma, my Turkey coordinator, to find me a family to au pair for this summer. Most of the semester I have heard nothing from her at all, good or bad, and my efforts to contact her have been without replies. I got really frustrated with her and with not knowing, but my fear wasn't as much not knowing what I'd do if it fell through for a job, but more because I'd have to face the confusion of why I had felt so sure the Lord was guiding me into this and paving the way if he then wasn't going to provide a family after all.
    I've been reading With Christ in the School of Prayer this semester, and have been so challenged not to pray "If it's your will give me a family" but rather because I have been led into it by Him, "I'm trusting that you will give me a family; give me a family that suits me perfectly." Yet when it appeared it might not happen, this is what confused me so, because I wondered if though I believed he led me thus far, maybe his end plan wasn't to give me a family but rather to get me to stay home or something instead. So my prayer became more like, "God, I know you can give me a family if you want to, and this is what I ask for, but I trust you will provide, regardless of what I end up doing this summer."
    Well, up to about a week and a half before the date my deal with the organization would be cancelled and refunded I'd heard nothing at all for over a month. Out of nowhere Huma finally contacted me to tell me about a family with two four-year-old twin girls who were in a wonderful location and were a great family, and I got really excited! But then they too decided they needed someone longer. The same day of their rejection, however, Huma told me about another family. They sounded really really great, but they only needed an au pair for about a month in the middle of the summer, and I knew I needed a full summer job and have no job I can just work at for a month or two then leave... I asked the mother of the family if she could use me in NY as well, but she said they didn't have room, so I told her I couldn't accept it though it sounded amazing, because I'd need an all-summer job. She said she understood and wished me the best. The NEXT DAY, though, I received this message from the mother: "Hi Cassie, After thinking about it, here is an offer we can make. We will be in the city of Bodrum, from the 19 to 28 of July. My parents have arranged such that you can stay on the boat with the family. We will pay your plane ticket to Bodrum and expenses of course. And then you can come back to Istanbul and stay until August 7th with us. That would an extra 2 weeks of work. In addition we can pay an extra 2 weeks, which would make the whole arrangement for 2 months. Let me know if this would work. Best". Additionally, Huma said "Bodrum is one of the best holiday places in Turkey with its crystal blue Mediterranean coast and some Greek history/culture/cuisine. Also there are shuttle boats in Bodrum and I guess the family could sail to some Greek islands too."

Bodrum:


    Additionally, here is the information I received about the family: The father is American and the mother is Turkish and they live in NY but wanted an au pair for the summer to go to Turkey with them to visit her parents, who live on the Asian side of Istanbul in a nice and central location. They have a four year old girl named Ella who is bilingual and they need an au pair to help her to continue speaking English while they are in Turkey since she will be entering Kindergarten next year. The information I received about the family said the parents were an architect and an attorney, they also have a 1-year-old son but I wouldn't be asked to care for him much if at all, and Ella does music class, loves to go to the playground, play house and with her dolls, draw, read books, is learning to read and write, and she also loves Annie the musical. There is staff in charge of housekeeping, cooking, laundry, etc. so I wouldn't be in charge of any of that. Finally, I would stay in my own guest cottage with my own bedroom, bathroom, sitting area, WIFI, TV, and telephone line, which looks brand new like a hotel suite.
Here is a picture of them (I hope it's ok for me to post this!):

    I could not believe this offer... it sounded like a dream family and a dream job! It was the day after I rejected her and she had already adjusted her offer so much to try and accommodate me! I got super excited and skyped Mom and knew if I didn't take the opportunity I would be CRAZY! I thought I would need to find some work for the weeks I would be at home since it still wouldn't be for the whole summer, but since God has been so good to provide this opportunity, how could I doubt he would provide work at home!? So I set up a time to skype with her, knowing I'd accept as long as it went well. (!!!)
    WELL, I had a wonderful skype interview with the mother of this family! She was beautiful and very relate-able and I already really like her a lot! She brought Ella and Dennis (her one-year-old) to the computer. They were adorable! Ella was really bashful but the mother said she'll be a chatterbox once she gets used to me and is just starting to get into a girly phase, loving to paint nails, wear princess dresses, etc. Aka, PERFECT for me! I told the mother how huge this opportunity is for me and how perfect it is and how thankful I am. She smiled and seemed really glad and told me they're also SO thankful for how it's all working out!
    Since then I have bought my flight round trip to Turkey (darn expensive!) from Chicago, June 15 and August 5. That means I get to go home for almost three weeks after my time here in Ireland and my travels, then go to Turkey for two months, then I will have a couple of weeks at the end before going back to Taylor, as well! (If you recall I was originally planning on going straight to Turkey from here and I would've had literally about a day between Turkey and going back to Taylor, so this is a wonderful improvement! - Makes my parents pretty happy, too :) Also, I will be in Istanbul 4 days before the family gets there, so I will be able to get over jet-lag, sight-see a bit, and get settled in, which is so great! None of it has sunk in yet, but whenever I think about it I want to scream and jump for joy!!!
    Now I am waiting to hear whether I am in the running for a $1500 grant from a partner organization which I applied for in January, but they wouldn't start the process until I was placed with a family. PLEASE please pray the Lord would enable me to find favor with the organization and he would bless me with this grant! Coming off of this semester abroad finances are extremely tight for me, and this would make a world of difference in helping me to actually come out of the summer having made money and not just breaking even with the $500 program fee and my share of the flight expenses.
    Please also be praying for this sweet, sweet family! Pray that I would be able to be a witness of Christ's love to them from the beginning.
    Also, if you live near me and have some sort of odd-job(s) or work I could do for the short time periods I will be home, please let me know, because I will most certainly be looking!

All I can say is, PRAISE JESUS!!!! I have waited and learned trust for a long time for this... It seems God was asking me, "Do you trust me? Do you trust me? Will you rely on me? Do you believe I will provide as I have promised?" and I am so thankful I trusted Him enough that he saw fit to bless me with this incredible gift. The wait certainly paid off though it was rough! He knows what He is doing. Wow.