Home Sweet Home

So my first semester at wheaton is over and done with. It was great. God gave me a great pair of roomates, wonderful friends, and lots of new experiences. Its also great to have finals behind me. I am not such a big fan of cumulative test. I have now been home for five days. I do miss my wheaton friends a great deal, but it is good to be around the coopsters and sawyer folk again. It is also nice to drive downtown and see Lake Michigan. The first night I was home Dad and I went down to see the sunset. The beach looks so cold and lonely now compared the bright and busy summertime. It is still beautiful in am more wild way.
Britta is happy to have me home again. She keeps whining at my door early in the morning to get me out of bed to play with her. Yesterday I built a fire in the fireplace and Britta just loved it. We both fell asleep in front of the fire for awhile. All in all, its good to be home.

Norway!!!

YHM, or youth hostel ministry, is something I have heard about for a long time from my sister Kendall. While at Wheaton, Kendall participated in YHM and traveled all over Europe visiting youth hostels where she shared Christ with lonely travelers. Her high reviews of the program led me to look into it earlier this semester and apply for this upcoming summer. Last week I got the acceptance letter, along with my roomate Andrea who is also going to do YHM- we were both ecstatic. We looked forward to when we would find out where in Europe we would be sent, and who our groups were. Last night we found out, we are in separate groups, she will be in spain, and I will be in Bergen, Norway, the land of my ancestors. The first three weeks of the summer will be spent there running a hostel- making beds, being the hostess, and cooking. Then we will travel for the last five weeks all over Europe. There are two boys and one other girl in our group. Their names are Stephanie, Devin, and Chris. Stephanie and Devin seem pretty nice, and I still have not met Chris. Please be praying now for our trip this summer. We have a lot of preparation work to do. Please pray also a head of time for the people we will encounter on our travels. So my summer is set. I think it will be great.
Look at this place!

Life Is A Highway

So its been a while... life has been pretty busy. I still haven't quite mastered the whole balance issue, I wonder if anyone has. I cannot belive how fast this first semester has flown by. There are many things I never got around to doing, like visiting Taylor before the semester ended, and finishing my quilt. But I have done many more unexpected things that have been so wonderful. I went to boston, to honey rock, to ohio, indiana, and iowa; I climbed walls, rode on a hot air balloon, and ran around Chicago. My favorite thing about wheaton is joining Crew and enjoying that great group of people. i love it.



God has truly blessed me. I only wish i didn't have to leave everybody at Taylor. Next week is exams week- please pray.

Balance

Balance is a difficult thing to achieve in college. Balance between work and play and devotion to God have been especially difficult for me to do this semester at Wheaton. Most of my friends are smarter than me, so they do not need to work as hard as I do to do well in school, therefore i get dissolusioned about how much time i need to work. Being around christians who talk about christianity and God all the time almost desensitizes you to the power and grace of God. I wish it would enhance in my heart instead of numbing it.
The Christian walk is not easy. One chapel speaker talked about a conversatin he had with a girl. She was crying and saying that she was frustrated that she could not serve hard enough, pray good enough, read clearly enough, or connect with God enough. He told her congradulations, for that is what the walk is like. We are not meant to be content in this world. Sin is a barrier between us and God that can only be broken by the death of our bodies and our soul's entrance into His glory.
His congradulations comforts me very little, although it holds hope.
Pray for my family at Sawyer- especially Dave and Hannah and Preston, who's friend was recently shot and killed in Chicago.
Pray for my diligence for my studies, that i would love God and not this world, and that He would give me wisdom.
Pray for Linda, my roomates sister, and Linda's roomate's family. The mother of Linda's roomate Erin suddenly died this week of a blod clot in the brain.
The skies are gray today, but the sun will come out tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar.

Think Summer

I know it is still October, or as they say in spanish, Octubre, but I am already trying to hash out my plans for this summer. That gets me thinking about this past summer, which was one of my very favorites. I loved being an intern at Sawyer, it challenged me in ways I could never have thought of. I also liked having a real grownup job with an I.D. and time card swiper at the hospital. Waking up early and having breakfast with Dad was priceless. One evening i was working the 3-11 shift, and during my dinner break David, Mom, and Dad all came over and had dinner with me at the little hospital cafe. That was so fun. Its amazing what a difference it makes when you see someone who loves you and cares about you in the midst of an often unloving and difficult work place. Thanks guys, you made my night.
Since I stayed home last summer, I would love to go abroad somewhere, possibly a spanish speaking country to brush up on my espanol. Here are a few of my choices:
Ecuador to study spanish for a month with a program Taylor offers.
YHM- youth hostel ministry, i would travel around europe for the summer and help out at different hostels.
L'abri- perhaps in British Columbia?
So basically, i have lots of options and who knows what will happen between now and then, but I just love thinking up plans.

Fall Break Fiesta!

Last weekend I was with some of my favorite people in the whole world. Mom, Dad, and I flew out to visit Summer (http://moreh20.blogspot.com/) and Oliver and their little dog Una in New Mexico. Albequerque is the US headquarters for hot air baloons, and last weekend was their annual fiesta. Saturday morning we woke up before sunrise to see the balloons prepared and readied for takeoff.


They looked like giant glowing jellyfish. Due to high winds, their departure was slightly delayed, but finally they began to gracefullly rise off the ground.





Dad even got to help one of the crews set up their ballon.










We all got really excited when they started taking off.













Summer and I met the Governor.
















This balloon is for Baby Jack.













Mom and Dad.








After a fun morning of breakfast burritos, balloons, mountain sunrises, and family fun, we went back to S and O's house to rest.
That evening we took Una to the dog park to see her friends (she was the prettiest dog there). Then we went to a neaby mountain to see the sunset.

Una's support system.











Our sweet hosts.














New Mexico has the most beautiful sunsets.







Monday morning we had another balloon adventure. Dad took us on a hot air balloon ride! Mom, Oliver, and I had a lot of fun.





Daddy's Girl for life.

It was the perfect fall break.

Just Keep Swimming...

B-quad is almost over... and fall break is just three days away!! Crew is all done, we finished with a jubilant victory over the other 12 boats in our race. It was a bittersweet ending to a great season. I love crew. Now, however, it is time for studying. In the midst of midterms, I can't help but praise God for all the blessings he has put in my life in just a few weeks.

This is my room, there are two smaller bedrooms that branch off the "family room". On the right side is where Elizabeth and I sleep, and on the left is Andrea's room. During the daytime, the sun illuminates the changing leaves of the big tree outside our windows, and colorful sunlight floods in and dances on the walls.

I am so grateful for my family, a constant encouragement to me. I still can't belive that little Jack, who used to be that bump on kendall's tummy, is now a real person who will one day walk and talk and worship God.

I am so proud of David, who works hard all day long. Keep it up big brother, thanks for your calls. I wish i could be down there with you to go fishin' and sip on milkshakes.

And sweet Summer, who never fails to guide and encourage me, thank you. I know this is a hard day for you, but press on, fight the good fight, endure! Or as one little fish says, "Just keep swimming!"
Now I must be off to the books!

Who finds a faithful friend, finds a treasure. -- Jewish Saying

I have been blessed by a great many treasures in the forms of wonderful friendships, but now I want to post about one faithful friend of mine, Sarah. She has blessed me and encouraged me in countless ways, and we have been the closest of friends since art class in 7th grade. I can remember the first time we really connected. Her parents were over at my house for something, and Sarah and I went up to my room and sat on my bed, and began talking about how great God is. After that night, we were steadfast friends. We complained to each other about how we couldn't find long enough pants, played sports with each other (the twin towers), helped each other through rough waters, and sailed over smooth ones. We can be serious and yet hysterical with each other. After abandoning her at GCS, I rejoiced over our acceptance to Taylor U. We had a great year there. I can't belive how much happend there. I think she knows me better than I know myself most of the time.
Sarah, Thanks for your call today. I miss you.

Alright Alright....

College is really busy, thats why I don't update very much. But I will try to do it more often. First off, i want to say that iSight is a wonderful thing for my family to have. Second of all, I am so very grateful for my fan club. Last saturday was our first regatta in cincinnatti ohio. My boat, novice B, was scheduled to race at 2:15. it had been raining off and on all day long, and as soon as we got to the starting point heaven let loose everything in the rain storerooms. It poured and poured. Well, that didn't stop us, we raced anyway and actually passed another boat that started before us. We rowed really well until the lightning showed up, then we had to stop the race and go in. Our captains decided we should just pack up the boats and go home, so after about 1 hour of packing up and goofing around in the lake, our captains decided that the girls should race again now that the storm let up. So in a hurried rush we took our boats off the trailer, rigged them up, and raced. It was rough, but in the end a great experience. I was the only person on our team who had both sets of grandparents, a mom and an adopted aunt steph.
now i have to do homework again.

Sunday Afternoon

Its sunday afternoon, and I am sitting on our cute couch in our cute room, there are two great windows at my back, and when i turn to look out i can see branches and wet leaves of a maple tree only inches from the screen. I dont feel well, i wish mom could be here to make me some tea and orangejuice, and read to me. I wish dad could be here to bring me popsickles. But i am supposed to be grown up and mature now, so i guess I'll just try to tough it out. My roomates are wonderful, they let me have some of their chewable vitamin c tablets, and leave me get well messages on our doornob, and are bringing me tea and soup from the store. I am blessed.

Wheaton Crew, Here I Come!

So all that hard work paid off. I got an email today at 8:07 saying...
Hey team!

Congrats on making the team! You all did a great job this week. I'm excited
for this coming season. So here's the line-up for fall semester rowing, the
boats are as follows, based solely on erg scores.

Novice A
Emily M.
Emily H.
Molly
Michal

Novice B
Megan
Elizabeth
Becca
Courtney

I will see you all tomorrow on the river. Show up in front of the SRC at 7 AM
with running shoes and five dollars.


Woo hoo!!!

What i feel like in the morning, although i dont look that athletic.
this is how i feel the rest of the day.
today was my last running practice- i made it!!!! tomorrow is the big day- the urg test at 6am. pray for me! i am exhausted!!
this is my motto:
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
i say it while i run to my running partner.
this one is also in my head alot during times of desperation.
Hebrews 12:11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 "Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
AMEN!!

Crew

Oops again, my CPO is 2646. Sorry!!
I realize that some may not know what Crew is, besides that its all i can think about right now. The Wheaton Crew team is a club sport that competes against different schools at what is called a regatta. A regatta is simply a race, either a regualar distance or a sprint. The boat consists of four rowers and one coxan - a person sitting in the stern (rear of boat) facing both the direction in which the boat is moving and the rowers - she navigates, instructs, and leads the boat. I have been training this week to join the crew team, which has been very hard. On tuesday we ran 4 miles at 5:30am, which was bad enough. then we did sprints and our circuit workout- pushups, leglifts, crunches, squats, you name it. during the day on our own time, we must practice rowing on the rowing machines, called Urgs. Today we had a similar workout regime, but they added stadiums. I wanted to cry it hurt so badly. It takes me an extra two minutes to walk anywhere on campas due to my sore body, and an extra three minutes or more up stairs. only one more day of full out running and excercise, and then friday we are tested on how fast we can urg (row) for a distance of 2000 meters. it is pretty intense. but i keep thinking of what crew will be like after this if i make the team, getting up at 4:45 to row on a beautiful river with great people, enjoying creation, and being involved with a team. the picture above is what crew looks like, although our boats are smaller.
They are taking in 8 rowers this fall, there are about 14 trying out. We find out friday if we made the team or not.
please pray for me to have strength, courage, and rest.

Opps!

Sorry, my CPO is 2624. I wrote it wrong on a previous post. While I am here, I might as well say something about my weekend. It was splendid. I went to a square dance, hung out with some great people, and got a group of girls together to go to my grandpa's farm. We had a bonfire, but the approaching storm cut our dinner short with a ferocious downpour. We got completely soaked- it was great. In the evening we played a looong game of Rook and told stories in the barn.
This morning we had our own little church on the front porch of the farmhouse. Noelle led the singing, and Grampa passed on more of his precious knowledge to us. It was a great day.
Thank you Grampa and Liz for your overwhealming hospitality and love.

Now I have to hit the books.
Pray for me this week, it is try outs for the Wheaton Crew team- i will be running and working a lot. yikes.

Well, i survived the first week at Wheaton. Thank you dearest sisters for the care packages... you both are the best. i am so thankful for you both.
Today i am meeting my PA (or RA) from taylor for lunch. i cant wait to see her. but it gets me to thinking... what will happen to all my friendships that i dearly cherish and love that i made at taylor? i will see my friends from home who go to taylor during summers and breaks, but not the girls on my wing. i wonder what God has in store for those friendships. I want to keep them, but it is very hard being far away and so busy. perhaps i will never get to see some of those girls again, and maybe i will. i hope to bump into them for the rest of my life in strange places and stages.
People ask me about 500 times a day, "so why did you transfer?" Its hard to explain why I left a place that I really did love, but I am happy where I am. I would not give up last year for anything, the bright things and the dark things.

1st Day of School

Today is the first day of school for me at Wheaton College. After an exhausting week of transfer orientation, it feels good to be in a structured environment again. I am taking Spanish, Chemistry, and Anthropology. I already had spanish and chemistry this morning, and both of my teachers are very nice. I think it will be a good year.
Last night while the freshman were practicing their class song, they were suprised by everyone else in the school rushing in on them dressed in anything and everything, yelling and screaming for them. Being a transfer, we all sort of sat and watched the excitement until I got some of them together to join in the yelling. I learned once again that college kids are both crazy and creative.

One great encouragement this week has been noelle. we can joke together, work together, play together, and pray together. God has blessed me with her here.
CPO- 2426

The Next Step

I flew back home today after spending 16 eventful days in Virginia with the Colquitts. On the plane to Chicago, a polish lady probably in her early 60's sat next to me on the flight. After a few minutes of silence, she pointed at my birkenstocks and asked me if my second toe being longer bothers me in my shoes. She explained that her second toe is slightly longer too, and she was trying to find shoes that didn't bother it. From then on, we talked about pretty much everything- education, religion, war, and travel. As she was telling me about her experience in spain, she told me, "The women in spain are absolutely beautiful, but the men are just ugly. Now in Italy, that is the place to go. There the women are ugly, but the men, oooh, they are gorgeous." It was so fun talking to her.

Tomorrow I leave for Wheaton. I am trying to gather everything together, but trying to unpack and pack at the same time is not very productive. I feel like one of these little turtles, leaving the nest (again) and going into the sea.

19 years and exactly 2 months ago today, my two sisters witnessed my entrance into the bright world full of smiling faces. Two days ago, I was finally able to witness baby Jack, my little nephew, arrive into the world. It was probably the most amazing thing I've ever seen.
Jack and the parents are now safely back in their home, which is much more comfortable than the hospital room for everyone.
Kendall just reminded me that I go to Wheaton this thursday. the summer just flew by.

pray for the parents and jack... praise God that all is well.

This is my new blog.