la vie de boo

This is the music in my life.

2011-01-06T22:57:00.006-06:00

This Christmas break was... amazing. perhaps the best one so far. It was a whirlwind of getting reacquainted with old friends (and one in particular), having the whole family under one roof, talent shows, fires in the fireplace, music snow angles, cousins, and good food! But the overarching melody through it all was "All is Gift". every single thing.

<3

I like Christmas

2010-12-13T09:40:00.006-06:00

Finals are coming along! half-way done. I just finished one final and have another today and the last one tomorrow. Whew!
Yesterday was the first time at Church in a while due to classes last sunday, travels to and from Midwest, chikfila, and lexington. It was wonderful to be back.
In honor of advent, we had a Gaudete service, a service of lessons (scripture reading) and carols. Its latin for "rejoice" (thanks Mrs. Walker, Jenny's Latin, and Wikipedia).

One carol in particular grabbed my heart and filled me with Hope. The promises in the first stanza are what i long for so much, the promise of comfort to those who mourn, whose back aches from a load of sorrow. the promise of peace to the world and peace to Jerusalem, a city so divided and disgraced by centuries of war. Thank you God, for covering our sins, for comforting your people, for descending from heaven to be incarnate to us. And thank you God, for not only being the Comforter, but also being the Savior. Please help me pass my final. Have mercy. Amen.

Comfort, Comfort Ye My People by Johann Olearius
1. Comfort, comfort, ye My people,
Speak ye peace, thus saith our God;
Comfort those who sit in darkness,
Mourning 'neath their sorrows' load.
Speak ye to Jerusalem
Of the peace that waits for them;
Tell her that her sins I cover
And her warfare now is over.

2. Yea, her sins our God will pardon,
Blotting out each dark misdeed;
All that well deserved His anger
He no more will see or heed.
She hath suffered many a day,
Now her griefs have passed away;
God will change her pining sadness
Into ever-springing gladness.

3. Hark, the Herald's voice is crying
In the desert far and near,
Bidding all men to repentance
Since the Kingdom now is here.
Oh, that warning cry obey!
Now prepare for God a way;
Let the valleys rise to meet Him
And the hills bow down to greet Him.

4. Make ye straight what long was crooked,
Make the rougher places plain;
Let your hearts be true and humble,
As befits His holy reign.
For the glory of the Lord
Now o'er earth is shed abroad,
And all flesh shall see the token
That His Word is never broken.

I couldn't find a great recording, but this gives you an idea of what the tune is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sfDESOjN0I&feature=related

END NOTE:

This is my view out my desk window this morning.

It snowed yesterday for the first real snow in Nashville so far. It is wonderful. I went for a walk last night with the puppy and looked back at my little house and saw two heads peeking out through our lighted window. I just love those girls.

I love my roomates, i love my apartment, and i love how Lacie, Sarah and I have formed little family of our own. I was immensely blessed by both roommates yesterday as they gave me rides to and from the car shop through the snow, and as sarah worked for HOURS to make Lacie and I some of the best Potato fennel soup Ive ever had, topped off with home made apple pie. so wonderful.

Up Late

2010-12-08T23:49:00.005-06:00

Today is Wednesday, and its been a long week already. I had block classes all weekend which makes it seems like last week never ended, and I'm still recovering from having classes all day long. Finals are just around the corner, as in they begin on friday.
I realized today that I dont recognize when I am feeling stressed, but people around me do. I found I show it in one of two ways. Apparently I get a little crazy with cleaning and doing dishes and organizing. I feel the drive to organize some part of my life, and the tangible seems the easiest thing to reach for. I also get really creative- like today of all days I started a new project for window treatments in my room, or i made a banner of all the finals i have so I can get the satisfaction of pulling each one down as I take them. (See picture below).

In college, my roomates would tell you that during the most stressful part of the year, I spent hours making intricate paper snowflakes. (again, see below).

Last night I went to small group, which is always so wonderful. I'm so glad God has given me a place in Nashville that I sit by a real live fire, and talk to people who know me and love me, and feel at home. The night before Sarah and Chironna and I went to a Christmas concert at Lipscomb. It was beautiful, and it made me homesick for wheaton's christmas concert. Music truly is magical in how it can lift your spirits and convey so much emotion.

Well, I don't think there's any particular reason for this post, except nobody's on skype and its too late to call people. :-) And this is my blog, and i dont have to have a coherent post if I dont want to. so there you go internet.

Aunt boo's roadtrip.m4v

2010-11-15T17:09:00.000-06:00

R.N.

2010-10-26T23:42:00.002-05:00

The moment we've all been waiting for....

Ok! I think I will!

Hi, my name is Becca, I'm a nurse!

October First

2010-10-01T22:17:00.007-05:00

I can't believe its already October. I'm sitting in Nanny and Papa's lovely basement, enjoying the heat of the fireplace. Being at their house is so soothing, perhaps its all the delicious food they feed me, or being understood by your own people, but it feels good. Somehow time got away from me these past few months. The intensity of clinical (nicknamed bootcamp) and the absence of a summer break made school feel endless this year. The accelerated pace of the program is beginning to wear on me, and in order not to get discouraged, sometimes I look back at all the things I didn't know when I started that seem second nature to me now. Here are just a few things I've learned in the past few months.
-sleep is important, especially when working 3 twelve hour shifts in a row, so you shouldn't feel lame going to bed at 9:30.
-wash your hands
-take the tourniquet off after putting the needle in when drawing blood.
- wash your hands.
- strep throat makes life harder. First line drug therapy is Penicillin- make sure your provider knows this. grr.
- wash your hands
-Nashville in the summer is like living in a giant hot cloud of steam coming from burning asphalt, just add pollen.
- use lotion on your hands
- treat all your patients like they are your parents.
- scrubs are great, except when you order longs and the pant legs are still too short

- Squirrel weddings are fantastic

- moving is always hard and brings out emotions i didnt know i had, but good thing my wonderful brother David helped arrange our furniture. thanks bro.
- I like driving a uhaul truck. very much.

- Birthdays are wonderful.

- Ukuleles make the world a brighter happy place.

- Records is spelled r-e-c-o-r-d-s. oops.

- Wash your hands and your dishes.
- I am so blessed by living with Sarah and Lacie

- Kayaking into the sunset is a new favorite, especially with wonderful friends.

- Being Aunt Boo only gets better.

- Church weekly renews my soul.

These are just a few things I've learned in the past few months. Hopefully I've learned enough to pass the NCLEX, my big huge test that determines if I become a nurse or not. So, if you happen to read this before October 12, please say a prayer for me, and if I seem hard to reach until then, know that I would really love to chat but I'm probably studying. maybe not, but i should be.

Lucy Eloise, welcome to the world.

2010-04-16T18:27:00.002-05:00

For new babies, new life, a brand new little person with a beating heart and soft feet that have not yet felt the green grass or the grit of sand. For a healthy mind that can think and feel, for lungs that gasp and cry out as they experience filling with air for the first time. For eyes blinking at the sunlight, trying to focus and understand that other pair of loving parental eyes gazing right back. For thin dark hair, slowing rising into small curls as it dries. For little tummies quickly rising and falling 40 times a minute with each breath. For that fragile yet so strong little archipelago of bones down her back that protect her spinal cord from harm. Oh little one who will soon grow up too fast, I am so thankful to God for all of you, and for all that you stand for. Your birth is a reminder that we don't have hope because we have children, but we have children because we have hope. You, Lucy Eloise, are a living proclamation of your parents' faith and hope that God will keep his promises and will never leave you nor forsake you. Oh thank you Lord Jesus. Amen.

"From life's first cry, to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny"

for my fellow slow moving mammals

2010-03-29T10:58:00.002-05:00

thankful today for:
-finding a new study "spot" last night- an empty multipurpose room in the commons.
-Lacie, and her teaching me ballet for a study break in the multipurpose room- pirouette!
-my hard workin dad and the voicemail he left: "Boo of Boo, I love you... etc"
-palm Sunday services, reminiscing about palm Sunday last year.
-babies sleeping in their father's arms during church
-google
-music therapy (presentation today on music therapy... I'm using this video for part of it . I'm not going to explain how right now.
-the bird outside the window singing its heart out this morning.
-English breakfast tea
-God waking me up on time after staying up late working, AND getting me to school early.
-One extra thank for babysitting on Saturday and taking 'C' to 4year old soccer game- he would run out to the field, turn around, and run right back to me and hug my knees. I tried to cheer and encourage and use guided imagery tactics, such as: he was the conductor and he needs to get that train(ball) back into the station (goal), or when he said he was too hungry he couldn't run i said he is like a cheetah- the fastest animal in the world, and the cheetah is fast because he's hungry! so go get your antelope (ball) and take it too your tree (goal) to eat (then i will reward you with your chicken patty you brought with you.)These tactics worked for maybe one or two runs into the field, but after I told him the cheetah one he ran back and told me that he couldn't do it because he's a "slow moving mammal!!" so great. I had to laugh. happy to report he did kick the ball once. we went to donut den to celebrate. Most fun i had all weekend.

top 10

2010-03-26T19:42:00.002-05:00

Things i am thankful for right now:
- the Frothy Monkey coffee shop and how empty it is tonight
- the ability to actually study well tonight rather than waste time
- my sisters and how involved they are in my life, for better or worse, im so thankful they are.
- new sunglasses
- the bananna I thought to put in my car for a snack
- melancholy music
- the chapel being open and empty last night, and the piano tones bouncing off ancient rock walls.
- living with sarah
- omelets!
- my rib cage (I learned about this terrible disease yesterday that makes your rib cage grow concave and put pressure on your heart and lungs, you have to get a metal bar implanted across your chest under your sternum to keep it from becoming more concave.)

Padre nuestros, gracias por este dia. Amen.

Christmas break business

2010-01-12T23:31:00.000-06:00

Summer's visit

2009-11-29T21:32:00.001-06:00

Surfs Up!

2009-10-21T23:41:00.000-05:00

Here are a few of my distractions lately...

Better World Shopper reveals where your money really goes when you buy a shirt at wall mart vs REI, and although you have to pay more by shopping at stores with better standards, you'll probably end up spending less in the long run and only what you need. Moderation. great idea.

Kings Of Convenience just released a new album that is ever so pleasant and relaxing.

Design Sponge has a great review of nashville and things to do, as well as millions of amazing Do It Yourself ideas. Great resource.

I'm always on the lookout for really beautiful fabrics to use for quilting and sewing projects (aka my 5 year old unfinished quilt). But Jo-Ann's can only go so far. I found the most beautiful/interesting fabrics here, especially this deer print (david you might like it!).

Tree Fall Design has some amazing ideas for using the fabric.

Molly's Blog is a good way to catch up on her life in Jerusalem! And Emily's too!

And finally, Paper Cut! or Shnerinshnitte as it is lovingly referred to, shows me what I'm up against in the paper cutting world. yikes.

There, That should keep you busy for a while. I gotta go study.

A little glimpse into my life...

2009-09-24T21:40:00.001-05:00

Here are a few pictures of what's been going on lately- except that I dont have any pictures that represent the majority of my time- looking at a book or sitting in class. They wouldn't be as interesting anyway. At the top are some shots of an amazing sunset with two rainbows! Its been raining here for almost 3 weeks, monsoon season! Today we had a break and Sarah and I played some tennis. The next shot is of Sarah and I before we went to a free concert at Belmont University next door. The rest are of our apartment which is finally starting to look and feel like a home.

Entry from Last Tuesday.

2009-08-28T19:01:00.000-05:00

This was from Last Tuesday

I’m trying to think of a way to tell you about my day in an organized manner. Lets see… well, first of all, you must know im in my apartment on my couch (from davie). My feet are up, im listening to pure moods, and all the happy light are on: aka I’m sitting under Christmas lights and two candles are lit. I got home about an hour and a half ago, and talked to mom and kendall while I reheated a global smorgasbord of leftovers- everything from pad thai, mac and cheese, and sundried tomatoes with basil. I’m still getting used to living by myself and figuring out what cooking for one person looks like.
Today I finished my second day of orientation, and both days have been really great so far. Monday was scary at first, but I made some friends on my way over from the parking garage and that made the day run much smoother. At lunch I met a girl I really connected with, Samantha, and she and I decided to be real friends. That is, after I asked her “can we be friends?”. She’s from New Hampshire (but doesn’t know brookwoods or deer run.) and went to Asbury for her undergrad. Its so weird to talk about undergrad… but I guess I have to get used to the idea that I’m not pretending to be a grown up but that its really happening. I pay bills now and to the electric company and write checks and stuff. So grownup .
Oh I almost forgot, last night sarah and her bro Johnny and I drove 7 miles each way to eat a chick-fil-a. on the way over I realized I was wearing my I <3 chick-fil-a shirt, and I felt like total fast food nerd. I asked if I could get a discount for being a big fan, and they said no! how rude.
So yesterday was great, very encouraging. Today I was running a little late, and on my way up to the 11th floor of the parking garage I got pulled over by a cop on a motorcycle. Yeah, didn’t see him coming, I had cut a corner and driven through some empty spaces, he yelled at me “now how careless was that! Next time go all the way around!!” he was mad, I was scared and sheepish, and he let me go. Whew. Then I got lost walking to my building, and finally got there 2 min. late- sweaty and panting. I didn’t feel so grownup then. But my new friends had saved a seat for me and I slipped in the back.
Today I met lots more girls and one boy, most of the girls were roommates of other girls I knew (jenny from wheaton) who are christians. Its indescribable the comfort I get from knowing that I share a deep soul connection with someone because they love God too. Its like how people like other people automatically if they’re both star treck fans, or love metallica, except that this kind of similarity goes into how you think and move and act and speak. Its so sweet. I think ill find a community here that can really support me academically and spiritually.
The past few nights I’ve had bad dreams, last night I dreamed I was at church and was about to take communion but the pastor was serving ice cream instead and a friend and I were in line but she hadn’t been baptized so she couldn’t get any and I yelled “why haven’t you been baptized?!” and everyone heard it and so she wasn’t my friend after that and I felt so bad. It wasn’t a great night of rest. I think the devil is attacking my dreams- my family and church- because this is a vulnerable time for me. I’m living alone for two weeks until sarah moves in over labor day, and I really hope to continue the devotional habits ive begun so far.
I love my church already, and I’ve signed up for a small group with my church and am looking forward to that beginning. Several people came up to me and welcomed me, and I really enjoyed the service. There are several wheaties there too! But I haven’t met them yet.

Whew, im so tired! Im planning on going to bed early and getting up early and walking. I’m going to play a little guitar before bed too. I miss living with my girls and enjoying each other’s presence, especially while cooking. Its weird to cook alone. Kitchens to me symbolize groups and talking and togetherness, now its scavenge. Haha, ok not that bad, but Im just getting used to this whole ‘im not living with 7 other girls anymore’. Its very different, but I'm aclimating slowly but surely.

I'm getting all domestic on ya

2009-08-28T18:59:00.000-05:00

Living with Elizabeth was inspiring in many ways- she showed me you dont have to be a jock to be an athlete, or a prudish genius to be a theology major. The latest lesson I learned from her is that you dont have to be martha stewart (or Mom) to be a cook. Each discipline has several common ingredients: one part determination, 3 parts practice, and a heaping tbsp of patience. These lessons have enriched my life in countless ways, and have freed me from having one or two skills as opposed to a wide variety of hobbies and talents I can develop over time. Ah, The beauty of an interdisciplinary life! It keeps giving and giving. Although I was a little intimidated to try to bake my own bread, I was hungry and wanted to make a PB&J for lunch tomorrow so I went for it. Inspired by Elizabeth's weekly ritual of baking the most good smelling delicious fluffy yet substantial gluten packed loaves, I followed suit. Now I get to enjoy the fruit of my labor all week long. so thanks for all the inspiration E! I wish I could share my first loaf with you all with some of mom's raspberry jam.
go bake bread!

Goodbye for now

2009-08-23T15:39:00.000-05:00

Here are some photos of my last day at home. Mom sent me off with a beautiful breakfast spread (thanks so much momma!) and I got to say goodbye in person to my brother, who is off to another adventure himself. I miss you guys!

One last short update about nashville, Sarah and Johnny (her brother) got here last night and we unpacked most of her things. It was great to have someone is the apartment with me! I was getting a little lonely. This morning we went to church, and it was wonderful. I met lots of friendly people and after i mentioned wheaton one lady said there were about 6 other wheaties there. I signed up for a small group and can't wait to get to know people better. I like it here!
Love, Boo

New In Town!

2009-08-21T12:44:00.001-05:00

After 10 hours of driving through beautiful countryside, I finally arrived in my new home: Nashville. I got to drive into the city just as the sun was setting, lighting up everything its golden rays could touch with dazzling red light. I unloaded the tahoe pretty quickly, and I even met a neighbor who helped me with my desk. I'm at a coffee shop now, trying to organize my life a little before orientation begins on monday. Here are a few pics of the apt so far...

AHH! Sarah, I promise it wont look like this when you get here!

David helped me move in some of his furniture from Atlanta a few weeks ago. Thanks brother!This is my bedroom getting organized after lots of work.
posed pic.

Happy Birthday Davie!

2009-06-25T10:06:00.000-05:00

Dearest Brother, happy birthday! yay you made it this far. Thanks for being the best big brother in the whole world. I love you!

Elsa Joy!

2009-05-03T01:13:00.000-05:00

Last Thursday I heard that Summer had gone into labor, hooray! I was so excited to see my newest niece and my (middle) namesake, Elsa Joy. But Elsa was not to be rushed. A full day later, Summer was still in labor with more hours to go. I went to crew banquet on Friday, and during dinner I was getting calls and texts from Mom, Dad, Kendall, David and Grandpa concerning Elsa and Summer. Dad said he was going to Albuquerque on the 6:40 am flight Saturday morning, and after asking me how rough a finals week I expected to have, he mentioned me coming along. Surprisingly enough, the worst of my schoolwork was over, and I didnt have any conflicting commitments, so I decided 8 hours before the flight that I would go to New Mexico with dad and surprise everyone there.
At 5:30 the next morning, I woke up to my phone buzzing and realized I was supposed to be at midway that very moment! Emily saved the day with her quick waking and efficient driving, and I made it to Midway just in time to hop on the plane.
What followed was a wonderful reunion with Mom and Heidi at the airport, and then surprising Summer and Oliver at the hospital.
Elsa is perfectly beautiful, and I am so glad I got to come see her during her first day out. She was so good that S&O were able to come home Saturday night from the hospital.
Everyone is sleeping soundly now, they are all pretty tuckered out from the last few days of hard work- 30 hours of labor takes a toll on the body for sure!
So goodnight, sleep well, and above all, Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Dr. Jeromin!

2009-04-28T00:19:00.000-05:00

Woo hoo! Our own Oliver J is now a Doctor! Great job buddy, we are so proud of you!

Life at the Coffee House

2009-04-04T13:45:00.000-05:00

La Spiaza Observations:

“Have you eaten your turkey yet?” asked the lady with cane.
The old woman in the brown hat and blue sweater with colored spots in it (both items crocheted) replied, “yes it was delicious. Did you eat yours? I found shrimp in my freezer the other day and i couldn’t remember where i got it from. I asked my nephew to take some to his mother for me.”

I’m sitting at the round table by the bookshelf, drinking my cafe au lait and reading Wesley’s letters to John Newton, but I can’t stop from overhearing the two old women sitting by the window. The one with the cane has a slightly higher voice and is wearing typical grandmother clothes- a grey jacket, those flat soled tan velcro tennis shoes, and big glasses that magnify her laugh wrinkles. Glancing over there her eyes momentarily meet mine and she gives me a big hearty smile.

The other woman wearing the hat comes back with her sugar, sits down and leans toward her friend. “I keep telling him, ‘Kill em with kindness, but always beware, beware of your cousin, they’ll take your right teeth! Don’t tell em, don’t trust any of them!’ ”
Cane woman interjects, ‘Oh yes, I tell lots of things to my nephew that aren’t true”

The door swings open and two fashionable women in their thirty somethings clack by me and order- one asks for a chocolate mint latte, the other for a strawberry banana smoothie. The noise dies away and I can hear my two window friends again.

Cane woman: “You know, a merry heart makes glad. If I didn’t laugh so much im sure I wouldn’t be so healthy.”
Hat woman, “oh yes yes.”
Cane woman: “Oh look its snowing again! look at those little white flakes comin’ right down. We better get going soon.”
More customers stomp in and the ladies voices get lost again in the commotion.

Cane Woman: “Ohh its getting close, its getting real bad says the economist. Its coming real close I think.”
Hat Woman: “yep yep, real close, it gives me the shivers!”
Cane Woman: “well and you know they are building a mosque place down in glen ellyn. The economist said...(noisy) ... Obama..(cant hear them).. we’ve got to get going.”

The woman in the hat stands up and puts on her hand-sewn leopard print purse and her big fur coat. Her skinny legs clad in spandex stick out from under her puffy fur and make her look like a black dandelion.
They leave, the two fashionable ladies take their place. Soon they will leave, and someone else will come. I wish I could sit here all day and hear about people’s thoughts. All of these people in this little shop are brought here by their appetites for food, drink, comfort in a warm room. Each one brings with them history, memories, dead relatives, new babies, passions, hobbies, dusty collectibles. People are beautiful.
More Chai please!

What I did with the superbowl

2009-02-05T12:38:00.000-06:00

Don't worry mom and dad, I'm still doing my homework, but from time to time I just gotta release my creative juices in some way or another. Being that its too cold to walk outside and enjoy God's green earth for very long, I've taken up exacto-knifing valentines. So far I haven't cut off any fingers, but I'll keep you updated.

Summer time.

2009-02-04T14:35:00.001-06:00

When you got married and I said my toast, I told you that you were the one who put magic in my life. Its still true. You hid letters from the fairies to me at the base of trees, you read George McDonald’s “At the Back of the North Wind” and “Lillith” and countless other fairy tales. You sang the “lion song” to me, and taught me the words to simon and garfunkles “sound of silence.” At the farm under the willow trees I remember laying down in 3 feet of soft spring grass and singing “If i had a hammer” at the top of our lungs.

you taught me how to do my hair and to embrace the whispies. You showed me how to enjoy nature and go camping and to snowboard like a pro.
You listened to my complaints about Grace Christian, my highschool/homeschool drama, my blabbing on and on about horses. You wrote me letters and sent me packages at college and camp, you taught me how to write.
Thanks sis, thanks for caring and loving and sharing. I miss you mucho. Happy Birthday.
Love, the Elf

Kendall Bethy, and Ricky too

2009-01-19T20:02:00.001-06:00

Dear Kendall, this post is three days late, but better late than never, right?, Happy Birthday! You made it another year, woo hoo! I was looking through pictures to post one of you, and I realized in the past three years you have changed so much. You have become a wife and mother, such grownup sounding words for my sister who I remember loving Where's Waldo and Angelina Ballerina. Being 7 years younger, my eyes were always on you, watching to see what you did so I could follow– sorry if it got annoying at times, especially when you had friends over.
Some of my favorite memories of us together was while you were at home during my sophomore year of highschool. Remember getting egg rolls at China Garden and eating them in the park? oh and the weekly runs to TJMaxx, sure were a good use of time :-)
Thanks for listening to all my hopes and dreams, for playing volleyball at the beach, for sending me all those sweet packages labeled "bootle tootle terhune" to my college post office, and for calling me. You've been there from the very beginning... literally my birth...so thanks. and happy birthday!

And happy early birthday Ricky! Im so glad you married my sister, you have been such a wonderful addition to our family. You have also learned how to be a big brother to me, thanks for teaching me fun stuff, like how to surf (I could use some more work on that- as evidenced by the picture) and snowboard and make sweet ramps off our back porch out of snow. You are always up for playing and having fun, and I love seeing you impart your passion for life into a passion for fatherhood. you're a great dad. And you're a great doctor!
Love you both, hugs and kisses to the kids,
Boo

In Christ Alone

2008-09-28T15:15:00.000-05:00

Church today was really good. Our pastor spoke of the impact death has on life. He said that for a Christian who has Christ in their life, death is merely a passageway on to true life, eternal life, life healed from pain and sorrow and sin. It is a path towards Christ, that place where we can be in a right standing with God. We have hope in the midst of death, regardless of how much it hurts and how bad we miss those who are gone, there is joy beneath it all.

I end up crying whenever I go to church, especially if we sing In Christ Alone. I sang that song in Athens, the day after I heard about eric’s death. We were in a Greek evangelical church, and it was all in greek, but when we sang that song we (wheaton students) sang it in english while the locals sang it in greek.

In Christ Alone"

Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend

In Christ alone my hope is found;

He is my light, my strength, my song;

This cornerstone, this solid ground,

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.

What heights of love, what depths of peace,

When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!

My comforter, my all in all—

Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,

Fullness of God in helpless babe!

This gift of love and righteousness,

Scorned by the ones He came to save.

Till on that cross as Jesus died,

The wrath of God was satisfied;

For ev'ry sin on Him was laid—

Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,

Light of the world by darkness slain;

Then bursting forth in glorious day,

Up from the grave He rose again!

And as He stands in victory,

Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;

For I am His and He is mine—

Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—

This is the pow'r of Christ in me;

From life's first cry to final breath,

Jesus commands my destiny.

No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,

Can ever pluck me from His hand;

Till He returns or calls me home—

Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.

These lyrics comfort me with the Truth, and yet they sting with the pain of those close to me whom He has called home. Weeping doesn’t go along well with singing, but even the fact that I can’t sing reminds me that I can’t do anything on my own, that I have to stand in Christ power and not on my own.

God has blessed me with good friends and family who help me through these days, who cry with me and abide with me even when I’m not very much fun; who let me know its ok if I’m not particularly jolly every day of the week. *Thank you Jesus for my dear sweet friends and family. Thank you.*

photo journal of the last three months.

2008-09-24T12:03:00.001-05:00

2008-09-24T11:40:00.000-05:00

Yeah yeah, I know its been a long time. sorry. So many big things have happened in the last 3 months that time for blog reflection has been scarce. Right now I'm sitting in my happy little apartment- we have 5 couches in it, so it has a very cozy feel. This morning I got up at 4:25 to go out to the river- despite not being on the crew team this year I've gone to practice twice this week to help the girls out. they needed a coxswain for the 8 girls boat, can you imagine me, the tallest one there, scrunching up to sit in stern? Its a funny picture, especially when the microphone doesn't work and i have to yell coherently to 8 novices. Its been really fun actually, and it makes me miss those early mornings when all the world was quiet, and our blades splashed into the pink water reflecting the sunrise. The point of all that was... that I'm sitting at home eating ramen noodles (stereotypical college student food) and using one of my chapel skips to blog and do some homework.

This is our apartment when we were just moving in- ill have to get some pictures up of what it looks like now.
I want to tell you about my apartment. Last year eight of us girls wanted to get a house together, but we weren't able to, so we split into two four-person apartments right across the hall from each other. Its really fun, I'm rooming with Emily and Elizabeth and Rachel are also in my apt. We usually keep the doors open, enabling us to roam freely through both apts. Its been so wonderful to have our own place to have people over, to study together, and to just abide together. Each piece of decoration is from someone- the jerusalem star lights are mine, the quilt was made by elizabeth, the couch is from the mindrebo home, as well as a painting that Mrs M did for Ems. It just fits all of us quite nicely, and its a place I love coming home to.

Well, Im going to get on with my studies... i have development psychology class in a half hour.

Shalom Y'all

2008-06-07T15:14:00.000-05:00

2008-05-18T00:05:00.000-05:00

I feel as though this blog is a testament to the times of rest... to the times that I can actually sit down and write about what is happening rather than doing what is happening. Right now I can sit and enjoy this short moment of rest before embarking on yet another journey for the summer.
This time I am going to the middle east to study abroad with Wheaton in the Holy Lands for 6 weeks. I leave tomorrow with 48 other people. I feel a little like Jaxon- about to jump into the ocean again.
Now I'm sitting with Elizabeth and Brittany in the Terrace apartments. We just finished 3 days of intensive study on Bible and Theology, and today we had two tests. After writing for three hours straight we were able to relax for the rest of the day. We saw Prince Caspian tonight, which I absolutely loved ... at least the first 3/4ths of it. It left me wishing so hard for the trees to move and the animals to talk.
Well, thanks to the faithful few of you who check this every once in a while, my apologies for not being as prompt as I would like.
I'd love to write while I'm gone, hopefully I'll get a chance. See you in 6 weeks- June 29.
Love to the fam, kiss the babies for me!

February Fun...

2008-02-28T14:18:00.001-06:00

This February has brought lots of good things to my life. On the 5th, new precious memeber of the family was born to Kendall and Ricky: Penelope Jane.

On the 15th, I visited Kendall and Ricky in Virginia to meet Penny and spend some quality time with Jaxon. He and I had some good talks about displacement and not being the youngest in the family anymore. He really liked my phone.

On the 23rd I was able to see my big brother David! I went home to be with him and my parents for a short time of family bonding.
And now its the 28th, and I'm working hard to finish my homework before spring break, keeping in mind all the good things God has given to me.
Thank you God.

God is in the Desert.

2008-02-28T00:55:00.000-06:00

My dear friend whom I have been so blessed to know better through this class,
I am so proud of you and amazed at how hard you have worked this quad. Your schedule overwhelms me just thinking about how busy you must be. What with your work, chorale, all your really hard classes, you are doing so much! Its so different living in the dorms too, having all those people always popping in to hang out and doing raids and being so socially active. Whew!
But the point of this is not to stress you out, but to encourage you. I felt so weird giving you advice how to live a less stressful life the other day at dinner; i am so not the one to ask! This semester God has blessed me with less stress, but i was thinking over it and was remembering how much i felt like i was floundering my spring semester sophomore year. This passage got me through so much.

Isaiah 41:8 But you, Israel, my servant,
Jacob, whom I have chosen,
the offspring of Abraham, my friend;
9 you whom I took from the ends of the earth,
and called from its farthest corners,
saying to you, “You are my servant,
I have chosen you and not cast you off”;
10 fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

11 Behold, all who are incensed against you
shall be put to shame and confounded;
those who strive against you
shall be as nothing and shall perish.
12 You shall seek those who contend with you,
but you shall not find them;
those who war against you
shall be as nothing at all.
13 For I, the Lord your God,
hold your right hand;
it is I who say to you, “Fear not,
I am the one who helps you.”

I dont understand a whole lot about the old testament or anything, but i love that we, who are called the new israel, have been chosen and pulled from the ends of the earth, God calls us Friends, and God takes us by our right hand.

17 When the poor and needy seek water,
and there is none,
and their tongue is parched with thirst,
I the Lord will answer them;
I the God of Israel will not forsake them.
18 I will open rivers on the bare heights,
and fountains in the midst of the valleys.
I will make the wilderness a pool of water,
and the dry land springs of water.
19 I will put in the wilderness the cedar,
the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive.
I will set in the desert the cypress,
the plane and the pine together,
20 that they may see and know,
may consider and understand together,
that the hand of the Lord has done this,
the Holy One of Israel has created it.

This one i love too, the imagery is just beautiful. Just like in chapel, God makes a stream in the desert. God is in the desert.

So, I just had you on my mind and wanted to encourage you. Hope this helps.

New Start

2008-02-26T20:59:00.000-06:00

I dont even feel like making excuses for not blogging in so long. What can I say, my blogging time is a privilege and gift, something I can only do when time allows.

Time isn't really allowing right now, its just that i am at the library trying to read Apollinaris' work on Christology and Nestorious' account on the incarnation. My brain is just about done for today, however the list of articles to read and papers to writes continues.
Reading is so difficult sometimes. I wish I could read and understand faster than I do now. Even though the ADD meds have drastically improved my past study/reading habits, sometimes I still get frustrated by how long it takes to read it all and understand it.

Today was a long day. I woke up early to take a test in physiology lab-it didn't go so well- and the rest of the day was spent in class, eating, studying, and talking with friends. I had an unusual amount of really good conversation today. I just love people, hearing from people what they think and feel, what they believe, what their faith is like. People are so interesting.

ok im going to try to write down my notes and perhaps find some inspiration here for my paper.
Apollonaris was......
Ok forget that idea. I'm going to get to bed. Too tired.

Trienta y cinco anos!

2007-09-09T19:30:00.001-05:00

Today marks my wonderful parent's 35th year of marriage!
Congratulations Mom and Dad!
(picture to come... internet is slow today)

Big Sibs

2007-09-09T17:49:00.000-05:00

School has started once again. I have to say, it is a whole lot more fun coming back to the same school two years in a row, and not have to go through orientation for the third time. Transferring was tough, but what helped a whole lot were the past transfers who made an effort to know us and welcomed us into their group of friends. This year Andrea and I wanted to play that part for other transfers and we became leaders for Big Sib group: a group of new students with two leaders who take them to chicago via the train. We went to the Bean, millenium park, and ed debeviks for dinner.

High Hopes!

2007-08-20T23:40:00.000-05:00

After researching and shopping for boats online for a long time, I had almost given up on finding a great shell to row around in. But Gary came to my rescue, by dropping off an old catalog for Chesapeake Light Craft- a company that sells boat building kits. This is my newest dream....

Welcome to the family baby Heidi!!

2007-08-09T14:23:00.001-05:00

Last night I had the privilege of welcoming the newest member of our family, Dearest Heidi Anne, into the world. She was born at 5:44 P.M., and weighed 6 pounds, 4 ounces, and is 19" long (tall and skinny, like her momma). Summer and Oliver are now embracing their new position in life as parents of a perfect baby. Summer said Heidi was awake most of the night with her eyes wide open, just taking everything in, and staring at her Mom and Dad. The new family is getting along beautifully, and they are putting up with our excessive picture taking really well.
Welcome to the family Baby Heidi!! We love you so! (from head to toe and everything in between!)

2007-08-07T12:50:00.000-05:00

In the past two weeks I have traveled across the atlantic ocean and the whole US, finally arriving in New Mexico to be with my sister Summer when she has her first baby, Heidi Anne. The baby was due July 27th, and is now 11 days overdue. We are all anxious to meet her, especially her parents. My Mom, Kendall, and little Jaxon arrived last Sunday, and my Dad gets in today, which makes up most of our family, but we are dreadfully missing our dearest brother David who is obligated to work, and our dear cousin Eric, who is in the Marines faithfully defending our country in Iraq. Please keep him in your prayers.
Here are some pictures of the last two weeks.
The Sandia Mountains during one of the daily monsoon storms.

Summer, Kendall, Jaxon, and Me

Prior to arriving in New Mexico:
Sarah F invited me over for tea and toast before she had to go to work.

My highschool friends and I got together for a fun day at the beach.

Big news- Gary and Steph sold their sailboat and bought an Adirondack Guide Boat, a small rowboat used for hunting and fishing in the northeastern states. Gary, Steph, Dad and I took it out to a small lake at sunrise to try her out. So fun!!

Home at last...

2007-07-30T16:49:00.000-05:00

After a busy summer traveling all over Europe, it is wonderful to be home again.

"Wherever you go, it is your friends who make your world."

Well, tomorrow I'm off to new mexico to see my sister!!

Ciao Ciao!

2007-07-12T05:08:00.000-05:00

We are now in Florence, Italy, a beautiful city full of american tourists. Ive heard more english spoken here than Italian. But it is a great place.
We leave tonight for Vienna, which will be a nice place so we hear from our friends the Spain girls.
Ive been doing a lot of reading lately, everyone on my team reads all the time, so I was feeling left out. These are my favorites so far- Mere Christianity (C.S. Lewis), Blue Like Jazz (Don Miller) and also by him To Own A Dragon. Very good books. Oh no, i would write more, but my time is up already!!
Love to you all!

Gryon, Geneva, Madrid.... its getting pretty busy!

2007-06-26T15:51:00.000-05:00

Now I am in Geneva Switzerland with only 4 minutes to spare before I run and catch the train to the airport. We have an early flight at 6am and will be spending the majority of the night in the airport.
The short stay in Gryon was spectacular landscape wise, but much less so concerning good conversations and meeting people. Genveva is proving to be much the same way... However this time has been good for my team to bond together and learn to love each other. We found a place to rent bikes for free by paying a deposit, and chris and I rode around Geneva with nowhere in mind- we ended up way on the outskirts of the city, and decided to backtrack our path once we started seeing goats and donkeys. At one point we had to carry our bikes up 4 flights of stairs. Needless to say, next time we will bring a better map with us.
After that the four of us went to a cathedral from the late 1400s, the very cathedral that the renowned John Calvin spoke in. It is a famous church from the reformation days. I wish Dad could have been there to see it!
Well, unfortunately, my minutes are up.
Dearest Brother, Have a happy birhtday!!! I wish I could have been there with you!
And dear Summer, I also wish i could have warped back to New Mex to be there for Heidi and your shower.. I miss you guys!!
Over and Out.
Love Becca

Closing Time...

2007-06-11T17:40:00.001-05:00

After way too much delay, I am posting again. The last two weeks here have been wonderful. I saw the fjords, climbed two mountains, helped build 64 beds and a million loads of laundry and dishes, saw my dear sweet mother who came miles and oceans away to visit me, watched a super sweet Brann football (soccer) game, and am now working the night shift for the hostel on its first day of being open. Its been so fun to get to work hard and see so much progress being made, as well as get to know the people here. Tonight we have about 10 guests, pretty good for our first day.
Building the beds for the hostel was a whole lot of hard work, and it was exceptionally hot for Bergen on those two days. Thankfully, several of Haakon's friends came and helped us build too.

Tonight I made waffels for the guests. Its pretty fun to have the responsibility of taking care of people and helping them out.
More pictures to come. Hadebra!

2007-05-30T09:09:00.000-05:00

The rest of Amsterdam was really great, we met some fun people (Chris and Pat) and saw Haarlem with its many windmills and canals. After being there, we were ready to leave the smoke of the city and get to the fresh fishy air of Bergen Norway. It is beautiful here, but my teammates can say it better than I can. Here is what they have to say.

Here is Steph´s Update
Hei!
I apologize for not writing to you sooner, but this is the first time I've
been able to have time to sit down at a computer and compose a letter. Our
trip has been quite an interesting one so far- full of surprises and
adventures (and we've only been traveling for about 4 days!)! We arrived at
6.45 in Amsterdam last thursday morning. We couldn't check into the hostel
until 10 am, so we sat on the steps in the Dam (one of the main squares) and
just took in the sights, sounds, and smells (!). At first, I was a bit shocked
at how peaceful and quiet A'dam seemed, but (keep in mind that this is early
in the morning)on the way to the Shelter City hostel, which is situated in the
heart of the red-light district, we saw what this city is all about. During
our time there, we were able to go to some parks, take a tour, and explore the
city. It was beautiful, and many parts of A'dam are lovely and good, but it
was hard to escape the feeling that so many people in this city (mainly the
tourists, not the locals as much) are focused on the...sex, drugs, rock and
roll kind of lifestyle. The Shelter hostel, operated by Christians, really is
a shelter- it was a safe and comforting place literally two doors down from
the windows where prostitutes work. On friday night we took a prayer walk at
night through the red-light district, which was really difficult and
disheartening. The ministry in Amsterdam is a wonderful thing, and there is
much good that comes out of it. Please keep the workers and the guests to
these Shelters in your prayers. The positive part of the time in A'dam
was that I was able to spend time with people that I won't see for another
three weeks, and grow closer to the people I will be with all the time for the
next 8.5 weeks. I also learned some 'street smarts' for Europe, such as how
to NOT look like a tourist and look confident and self-assured (to better
avoid rude men, etc) and how to get tickets, book hostels, maps, etc. Since
our budget for food is roughly 4€ per meal, we've realized that food doesn't
come cheap- the average dinner costs about 13-17€ (up to 30$)- here in Norway,
a big mac at Mcdonalds costs 80 kroner (12 dollars!!!).
Thanks, mom and dad, for taking me out a lot around Europe as a kid- it's
really come in handy.
Yesterday, we took a 1 hr plane ride to Bergen, which was nice because we got
FREE food on the plane (we have been eating bread, nutella, and cheese every
day now). We took a bus from the airport and walked through the city to the
big white house- where we are staying for the next 3 weeks. It is gorgeous
inside- lots of space, tall windows, white walls, IKEA decor everywhere, trees
and flowers outside...there's a little cafe with expresso maker (which Devin
and I got really excited about), a boom box, cute aprons with flowers on them
(which I will wear when I try to cook), little candles, cacti, throw pillows-
basically what looks like stuff from an apartment of a 24 year old single
girl. The best part is that Becca and I have a little room and a kitchen with
dining room upstairs- when we saw it, we were jumping up and down because we
could not believe that we get to stay here. We were prancing around the room
putting all our stuff in drawers (we really took those for granted before!!)
and the books all lined up on the shelf.
We ended up waiting for a few hours because there was a miscommunication and
that someone(the guy in charge of this hostel) was still waiting to pick us up
at the airport. We also found out that the hostel is official closed until
June 10- so we won't be working for two weeks. When he arrived, we saw these
two kids-guys about 20ish. We were totally surprised because we expected
someone much older to be in charge of this whole operation! Their names are
Håkon and Christer, and they are students and also happen to run this hostel.
They took us out to dinner for kebabs and we all had a great time talking to
them about culture, interests, and Christianity. From what it sounds like,
there are not a lot of Christians here, so it can be difficult and lonely for
them at times. At our team Bible study/prayer and worship time (which we did
on the side of a mountain at 11.00 at night when it was still light out), we
prayed for wisdom to know what to do with all the time we have here. After
much prayer and reading 2 Timothy and the Psalms, we believe that we are here
to encourage the Christians already working here (some of whom we met last
night and are very nice and funny) and the Christians coming through here as
part of the organization based in this building (there are some people from
Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey, and Norway). We also desire to get to know the city
and its people better, to find some sort of niche in this place for the time
we are here. Please pray for my team to remain focused, to stay in the Word,
to be a valuable contribution here, and for the opportunity to meet people in
this city and be able to serve the ministry well. Please write back letting
me know about yourselves and how you are doing, and please forward this to
anyone who would like it. Thanks for your prayers, and God Bless.
Much love,
Stephanie

This is Devin´s Letter:
God Dag,

Bergen, Norway is certainly a different city from Amsterdam. Here the only
red lights appear on halting automobiles, careful to give all pedestrians the
right-of-way. The people are tall, rich, and blonde. BigMacs cost the
equivalent of 10 U.S. Dollars.

Intermission--the hostel we're working-- doesn't open for operation until June
10th, affording us a whopping week to actually work there. In the meantime
we're connecting with leadership here and with the city of Bergen. We've got
a bit of prep work before the hostel opens, as well.

Bergen--and Norway as a whole-- despite being a Christian country (buisnesses
must close on Sundays, State Church for worshippers, etc.) is very secular.
New Norwegian friend Håkon says that in a recent poll, less than 5% of
Norwegian students attend church on Sundays. Yet here at Intermission we are
living with a dedicated band of Norwegian Christian university students, some
of whom live in the building, some elsewhere in the city, some who attend
university and some who work for the program. (similar to Intervarsity) There
is, in addition, a Serbian group of university students in the building
preparing for a collaboration conference in Serbia. God has got a lot going
on in this small hostel\house at the foot of a Bergen mountain.

hPrayer for team guidance will be appreciated, as our plan to actually work
with travelers in the ostel have been ruptured. Pray that God will show us
what now He'd like us to do in our YHMish plan's sted.

Peace
Team Nomads

Amsterdam

2007-05-25T09:17:00.000-05:00

This is my second day in amsterdam. I went on a walking tour and got to see the highlights of the city, its is beautiful, but also very lost. Its very nice to be in a CHristian hostel in such a dark city. Truly, a light on a hill. Well i have to go, my minutes are up! but please be praying for our team and the whole group.

All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go...

2007-05-22T21:58:00.000-05:00

So after much planning, packing, and anticipation, I am finally leaving for Europe tomorrow at 4p.m. I am currently having a great time with Mindrebo- she treated me to a last Jamba Juice in America- I highly recommend trying Strawberry Nirvana. Well, I have to go to bed. Ciao!

Jump Start the Summer

2007-05-20T19:07:00.000-05:00

The past few weeks have been a rush of many good memories in a hurry. Here's the recap:
The first week after school ended I spent in Georgia with everyone in my family except my dear sister Summer and brother in law Oliver (we miss you guys so much!) We were able to see where david works and meet some of his friends down there (we love you megan!), and we had a blast playing in the lake, watching baby Jaxon, and just being together. I was able to row with the lake lanier rowing club a few times and get some excellent help from the experts- all the rowers were retired and eager to teach me. I learned how to scull, or row with two shorter oars as opposed to the one long oar on either the port or starboard side. I'm looking forward to improving my technique next fall.
After Georgia, I was able to spend a few days at home resting and catching up with old friends. I had a birthday party for myself a month early, which was mostly an excuse to have a party and get together with everyone.

I went back to wheaton for two days in order to get some last minute europe supplies from REI- a backpack, pretty essential. I was able to spend the night with dear Emily, and also see Kenlee and Gisela who live in wheaton.

One of the highlights was the reunion between me and my dear friend Sarah, who has been in ireland with Taylor U's study abroad program. This has been the longest we have ever gone without seeing each other, and boy, it was so good to see her again!!

There are few people who can put up with our family as well and as long as Gary and Stephanie have. They have been a wonderful influence in my life during the 13 years we have known them. Last saturday, Gary generously took me and a few friends sailing aboard his boat, Blue Belle. It was a perfect day for a sail and we had such a great time (Thanks Gary!)

Now I am trying to get the rest of my things all set for my departure to Europe this Tuesday. I plan to continue updated this blog with my Europe adventures, so stay tuned. Also, one person on my team is in charge of writing an online journal during our trip, so if you are interested in receiving that please email me or comment on this blog with your email address. Please keep me in your prayers- for courage, safety, team unity, and contentment in Christ.

FREEEDOM!!!!!

2007-05-03T11:39:00.000-05:00

This captures my emotions for the past week.

School is finally over!! I just finished my Philosophy Final, and am now starting to tackle getting my room in boxes. Whew! Tomorrow morning I leave to go back home to St. Joe, and then Saturday I leave with Dad to see Kendall, Jaxon, Ricky, Mom, and David in Georgia. I am really excited to be done, but I am going to miss my girls so much!!

2007-04-28T16:29:00.000-05:00

To see some of my adventures that happened last weekend at our last regatta in kansas, please see my sister Kendall's blog:
She and Jaxon flew to Chicago, then embarked on the long haul with my dear sweet mother all the way to Kansas to surprise me at my regatta!! I was just getting ready for my race at 9 am that morning, when I look over my shoulder and who do i see? Not only my dearest mother, but also my favorite neph and sweet sister Kendall. It was so wonderful, i was able to finish my race early in the day (bronze, 3rd place) and be with my family for the rest of the day. Thank you so much for driving soo long and far for me. I will never forget it.
And thank you elizabeth, dear roomate, for keeping such a big secret and helping out with the suprise. I loved it!

Crew banquet was last night, it was really fun and wonderful, and as soon as I get my hands on some pictures I'll post them right away.

Please pray for me during my finals week... I'm going to need a whole lot of knowledge next week.

Thank the Lord!! Classes are over!!!!! Woo Hoo!

Blessings Abound

2007-04-15T13:29:00.000-05:00

This time of year when there is only 3 weeks of school left and all the deadlines are coming nearer, it is easy to let that stress you out and get you down. However, instead of letting it get to me that much, i try to count my blessings, which always turns my outlook on life around.
This weekend God blessed me in inumerable ways. I will say a few. We had our second regatta on saturday in Grand Rapids, Michigan. On the drive up, we stopped at my house and enjoyed Mom and Dad's bountiful hospitality: warm bread, fresh food, and a fabulous slideshow certainly entertained the whole team, and the puppy dog made everyone feel right at home. It was just wonderful. Another blessing was being able to have Elizabeth's Mom here for the weekend- she flew in from Philidelphia for the race, and she and my parents brought us a great breakfast on the day of the race too.
Our race went great, my boat won first in our division!! It was such a thrill to work so hard and have it pay off. We beat Calvin (yay!), northwestern, and a few other schools. God gave us a victory! also, he protected us on the long drive, which can be pretty hazardous at times with a big boat trailer.
Being in GR again made me think about 10th grade, when I would drive up to GR every sunday afternoon to visit summer, and we would go snowboarding from 5-10 for $13 dollars at cannonsburg. We drove past both of her apartements on the way, and I wished so much that she still lived that close again!!l
Meanwhile, while i was winning a race in GR, I was missing a work day that is used to raise funds for the Youth Hostel Ministry i am going to europe with this summer. We are required to find replacements if we can't go on the work day, but nobody at school could do it, they were either gone on the regatta with me, or already working for someone else, or just busy. So good old Seth and Isaac drove down from michigan early saturday morning and worked all day for me. They were true servants for my sake. They just left to go back to michigan.
Yesterday after we won the race, we sang this song which applies to every minute that we breath: Praise God from whom all blessings flow, praise Him all creatures here below, praise him above ye heavenly hosts, praise Father Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Happy Birthday Momma!

2007-04-04T13:44:00.000-05:00

To the best mom in the world, Happy Birthday! Thank you for your ever giving and loving arms that are always ready to sweep me up and hug me. Thank you for listening to me yak on the phone, and for coming to every regatta I've been to. I love you Momma!! Now I have to run to class...

Chicago

2007-03-25T17:32:00.000-05:00

Dear Readers,
Thank you for your prayers. The weekend in Chicago was amazing, and our team learned a lot. It turned out that Devin, one of the boys in my group, was sick with flu-like symptoms on friday, so he stayed back in wheaton, while Chris, Stephanie, and I went to our hostel on the north side of chicago. The hostel was an international hostel with hundreds of rooms and a few lounges on the first floor, where we spent a lot of time talking to people. The first night we met a few people and Chris had a really good conversation with a Christian woman and man. Surprisingly, about 1/3 of the people we met were Christians. Saturday night I made spaghetti (can you believe it! i didnt burn anything!) for my group and about 5 others who ended up eating with us. People who were cooking in the kitchen sat down with us too, and we ended up at the table talking for several hours. I talked to people from australia, england, ireland, alaska, and zimbabwe. One guy that we talked to for a long time was from Holland, he was a christian who had just moved to the states a few weeks before. He was really nice, and ended up going to church with us the next day (this morning) at moody church.
All in all, it was a great weekend, we had a few really good conversations despite prior apprehensiveness, and grew together as a team and in the Lord. One of my favorite memories was praying before our meal in the hostel with people from all over the place. God has surely blessed us.

pray hard

2007-03-23T15:34:00.000-05:00

Dear Readers,
This weekend I would really appreciate your prayers, i am on the verge of leaving for the weekend to go to chicago with Youth Hostel Ministry. This is our plunge weekend into life at hostels. Only the four of us in my little group will be going and staying at a hostel in chicago, meeting people, and showing them Christ's abounding love. Please pray for them, and for us, and for the other groups going out. Let us boldly proclaim the message.

Las Vaccaciones de Prima Vera (Spring Break!)

2007-03-17T12:12:00.000-05:00

Spring break was so much fun. Imagine it... 6 girls in a suburban driving from Wheaton to Lakeland Florida to visit Grampa and Liz, who so generously arranged for us to stay in our own house down the street. It was so wonderful. We had many adventures, including Busch Gardens, Ft. Desoto, dolphins, sunsets, crazy raccoons, grilling dinner at the beach, playing shuffleboard, and eating lots of home grown citrus fruit. Thanks Grandpa and Liz for you loving hospitality. All of the girls had so much fun.
Also, on the way down, we were able to stop in GA. and eat an early breakfast with my dear hardworking brother David at his very own Chick-fil-a. And then on the way back up to Wheaton, we stopped in at Nanny and Pappa's house for a heavenly brunch and a much needed nap. We also spent two nights at Emily M's house (the redhead), who's amazing family took good care of us. We rode horses there, spent time in their hottub, ate lots of good food (there is a pattern here), and went to their church. Needless to say, I wish it could be spring break all the time.

Here are some fun pictures. The one of me on the phone is the exact moment when I found out Summer's baby is a little miss Heidi Anne!!

Winter Fun

2007-02-24T10:57:00.000-06:00

Dear Readers,
Much has gone on since the last time I posted, but due to the increase of pre-spring break homework, I do not have time to write all about it, and everyone just likes looking at the pictures anyway. I must introduce to you the newest addition to the blogosphere, my own roomate Elizabeth!! You can see her beautiful blog here http://lilibette.blogspot.com/ to see what is going on in her life and a little bit of mine.

(oops, i couldn't figure out how to make those pictures right-side-up)

Jaxon Takes a Bath

2007-02-13T10:01:00.000-06:00


Check out my cutie pie nephew!!

Cougar Sightings...

2007-02-13T09:56:00.000-06:00

My dear caring father sent me a link to a website about cougar sightings in berrien springs, my home county. To see it- http://michigancougar.com/ I find this highly fascinating, due to my love of animals and biology. One cougar killed a horse in the town where my ex-horse currently lives (we sold him several years ago. I miss him!!).
Despite my past negative experiences with helping animals (see posts below), I still love them and am just so suprised that cougars are being seen all over southwestern mighican. Its pretty neat. Don't worry, the site said you have a better chance of being struck by lighting than attacked by a cougar. And if one does approach you, yell and throw things at it, it should just run away.
Maybe I should forget nursing and go back to environmental biology. I can remember once at Grampa's farm i found a lamb in the barn that was sick.

Grampa let me take care of it (I named him Clover) and brush its wool and help it drink. I set up a little tent outside for him to keep away the sun and flies, but he died the next day anyway. Another time i tried to help an animal was at Nanny and Papa's house. They had a birds nest near the door that a momma robin had made, and one of the baby robins fell out of the nest. I named her angela and for the whole day i took care of her. I made her a nest, found worms to give her, and protected her from stray cats. That afternoon I went to a swim meet that my friend was competing in (now she's going to the olympics!) and when i came back angela was gone. The dinner of an alley cat no doubt. Hopefully I will have better luck with nursing.

BTW...

2007-02-08T09:25:00.000-06:00

For reference, this last blog might be better understood when you read summer's first. Her link is in the right hand column.
Today is my favorite day of the week, Thursday. I woke up at 6:30 and worked out, hopped in the pool, and then headed toward saga for a delicious custom made omelet. They are just so good. The rest of the day I plan to spend studying in my warm room in comfortable sweatpants and my lovely slippers my brother gave me. I am so happy its Thursday.
Oh yeah, one more thing. Yesterday I had a YHM meeting, and we had three professors there answering tough questions that past YHMers encountered during the summer. It was so interesting and inspiring. I wish all classes were like that. I learned more last night than I probably do in a week of classes, and thats 15 hours of class. Why do classes have to be so much more boring and uninteresting than just talking to smart people? Alright, enough procrastinating. Time to study.

Why Hunting Is Good

2007-02-06T14:36:00.000-06:00

While some people may not agree that hunting is beneficial to society, I would ask them if they have ever tried to help the poor creatures they are attempting to "save". Because I have. Today in fact, I was faced with the choice to walk by the seemingly injured Canadian Goose that lay half frozen in the snow in the baseball field behind Saga for two days, or go help it. I called my sister, and she encouraged me to call the local wildlife agency. So I did. They advised me on how to catch it: take a sheet and gently herd it into a wall or fence, then place sheet over bird's head and body and pick up bird, then place in box. Bring box to their facility in Glenn Ellyn. So after I got my snow gear on and rounded up a few volunteers, we headed out into the wild. The baseball field was locked, so we climbed over the fence and walked quietly towards the victim. When we got closer, it began to squwak at us and I got the sheet ready. Then all of a sudden, the injured bird got on its legs and flew away. I will never be an animal rights activist ever again. I would join these men anyday to decrease the population of those menacing birds.

2007-02-02T15:14:00.000-06:00

Time flies when you are having fun, or when you are really busy and have a lot of homework to do. These past three weeks (seems like so much longer) have crept by, leaving me frazzled and tired, but hopefully smarter and wiser.
Weekends are the highlight of my week- especially when something unusual happens. Last weekend, for example, six friends of mine drove over to St. Joe to spend the weekend with Mom, Dad, and Britta. God blessed us with a great gift, a snowstorm! Sunday morning we woke up and there were 18 inches of snow on the ground. We spent most of the weekend sitting by the fire, playing scrabble, out in the snow, and eating mom's delicious food. Yum! Thanks Mom and Dad for your gracious and overflowing love and hospitality.

Missing You

2007-01-18T13:58:00.000-06:00

Three years ago on a september night, mom called me downstairs to run over the the neighbors house. The arrival of a baby girl, scared to death and unattached to anyone grabbed a corner of my heart that night and has still not let go.

Her name was Laina, and she became the baby sister i never had, the light of our lives. I watched her three times a week during that first year, and we grew very close. I remember the way she would take naps in my arms, wake up for a second and pick her head up, then her eyes would roll back a little and her head would plop down and she would keep sleeping. I felt so loved when she started to say my name and recognized my car when i drove in from LMC. She just keeps growing and changing. I hope and pray she will still remember me and how much i love her when she grows up. Oh dear Laina baby, I miss you like crazy.

Home Sweet Home

2006-12-19T10:10:00.000-06:00

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!!!

2006-12-07T13:37:00.000-06:00

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

2006-12-04T18:48:00.000-06:00

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

2006-11-07T09:21:00.000-06:00

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

2006-10-29T18:00:00.000-06:00

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!

2006-10-19T06:01:00.000-05:00

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...

2006-10-10T11:34:00.000-05:00

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

2006-10-04T21:22:00.000-05:00

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....

2006-09-25T12:38:00.000-05:00

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

2006-09-10T12:40:00.000-05:00

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!

2006-09-01T20:50:00.000-05:00

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!!!

2006-08-31T14:45:00.000-05:00

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

2006-08-30T19:19:00.000-05:00

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!

2006-08-27T17:31:00.000-05:00

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.

2006-08-26T11:59:00.000-05:00

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

2006-08-23T12:06:00.000-05:00

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

2006-08-16T23:16:00.000-05:00

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.

2006-08-13T14:42:00.000-05:00

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.

2006-08-08T18:49:00.000-05:00

This is my new blog.