2007 in Review

2007 is finally coming to a close.  It has definitely been an eventful year, with many ups and downs.  As the saying goes, when life hands you lemons, make lemonade.  This year I was handed my fair share of lemons. 

 The year started out pretty smoothly.  Classes went well, and I went on my first missions’ trip.  This was an amazing experience.  I travelled with a group to New York City to do homeless ministries.  We stayed at a church in Brooklyn, but spent a majority of the week in Manhattan.  I got to help clean at Time Square Church and serve meals at a soup kitchen in Brooklyn.  The experience as a whole was a very eye opening experience.  We went to a huge Free Methodist church in Time Square which was very interesting.  My first reaction was not good…it was just so much different from what I am used to plus there were so many people in the congregation.  Feeling more at home, Mike one of the leaders of the trip took a group of us to St. Patrick’s Cathedral.  It is a beautiful church and was really cool to get to go to mass there.  Overall, I got to see the Empire State Building, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, Rockefeller Center, Time Square, China Town, and a Broadway show (Stomp).  It was great trip and a great experience.

 On the trip I got to get close to some really cool people.  Some of the friendships have stayed strong and others have faded away.  These people and that trip changed how I look at things and how outgoing I am.  Before the trip I was a “hermit crab.”  I would stay in my room and really wouldn’t go out and meet other people on campus.  After the trip I was more outgoing and did a lot more.  I did however go a little too far and changed who I was, looking back it was pretty stupid because that is not who I am.  I did a lot of stuff that I am not proud of, but it is all in the past and I am not going to meddle on it.

 After my mission’s trip, I temporarily changed majors from elementary education to social work.  I wanted to work with kids who were abused.  After one day of social work classes, I was switched back to education and couldn’t be happier.

I got a job in the School of Education at SAU which I am so grateful for.  I worked full time all summer splitting between the SOE and Adult Studies Admissions.  I work with so many great people who are all looking out for me.  I do so many different tasks, but know so much more about the standards and requirements to teach in Michigan.

 Now that the year is coming to a close, I am a senior at SAU.  I have so many plans for the upcoming year.   In May I will be traveling to Greece and then working for the rest of the summer.  I have set a lot of goals and hopefully I will get to accomplish all of those goals.  I have made a lot of great memories and become great friends with a lot of amazing people.  I wouldn’t trade this year for any.  I learned a lot about myself and have grown a great deal.

 Bring on 2008!!!

Times are changing...

Lots of things have changed...I no longer have a roommate, lost a friend, I have had a bunch of great friends here for me through it all though.  I don't regret being friends with people because they helped me to meet other people that I would not have other wise met and I am so grateful for that.  I have the most amazing friends...who are always there for me.

School has been crazy but is going by so fast.  I can't believe that the semester is half over already.  It doesn't seem like it can be possible.  I have officially switched back to being an education major.  It was something that I needed to figure out for myself, and not by other people telling me that I was making a stupid mistake.  Looking back, it was a mistake, but I have made a lot of mistakes in the past couple of months.  I have turned it around not though, but it took a lot of praying and support from other people.

I changed who I was for the wrong reasons.  I changed so that I would fit in and I actually had myself convinced that I felt more like myself when I was like that.  I was so wrong...sure I was a hermit crab before, but I went from that to being the complete opposite.  I regret acting the way that I did...I shut out some of the people that love me and support me just so that I could fit in.  That is not the person that I want to be...I want to be myself and have people like me that way rather than changing who I am.  I realize that I was wrong to do that and act that way.

When all is said and done...I am so happy with my life.  God is doing great things and I couldn't ask for anything better.  I can honestly say that I am living life to its fullest and loving every minute!!

Milk + Computer = Disaster

So funny story...I was working on my computer, watching television, studying and drinking milk.  One thing lead to another and the milk was all over my key board.  Of course if I had had a desktop computer there would have been no problems...just buy a new key board and problem solved...however having a lap top it presented a problem. 

This glass of milk was not just the last sip or anything...I had just poured the glass and taken a sip, so it was the entire glass of milk.  It just slipped out of my hand and all over my lap top.  Big problem!!

I tried to get as much milk out of it as I could and then things started freezing up so I turned it off and dried it up some more.  Turning it back on was a problem...it would start up but then freeze.  So I took it to computer services and there wasnt much that he could do either.  So I had my dad work on it and he came to the same conclusion.  He was able to somehow get the memory off of it so at least I had all of my documents which I am realy happy about.  But the computer itself was toast. So we had to breakdown and buy a new one. 

I had wanted a new computer but this wasnt exactly the way I wanted to get it.  Anyways...it was terrible but now all is good!!

Upside Down

All of a sudden things have turned upside down and I have no idea why.  Things have been great, the summer is almost over and I am sooooo ready to move back to school but now everything is different.  Jess is here and I am glad but at the same time something is different or something happened and things have changed.

It just kind of happened...there really is no explanation...I have no idea if being roommates is going to work or really what is going to happen to our friendsship.  Things are just different...maybe our differences are just starting to come out now. 

I am really praying hard about it because God has to have some reason for things to be happening...I just wish I knew why. 

This is really the first time she has stayed with me here...granted we are babysitting all weekend but still she really gets to see what I am all about and where I am from...maybe that is why.  I really have no answers...but I have a lot of questions and I really hate that.

Only three more weeks!!

So it's been a while and it is already August!!  I can't believe how fast this summer has gone by...not that I am complaining.  The past couple of weeks have been pretty crazy.  A week ago I went hiking with my dad, uncle and cousin.  The trip is always fun...but I was ready to get back to normal life.  Going to the island really reminds me of Gods amazing creation.  He really is an awesome God.  It really gave me time to think things through.

This week was back to work which might I add, I love!!  The people I work with are amazing and I fit in so well.  My last campus job I felt really out of place and really below everyone else...but with this one I feel like an equal.  I really couldn't have asked for a better summer job.  Plus they asked if I would like to work during the school year also...so I am pretty excited.

To top off the weekend I got to go rollerblading with Krista.  I haven't seen her since she left after graduation.  It is really hard to believe that this might have been the last time I see her before she leaves for Africa...then I won't be able to see her until next July or August.  She is one of the easiest people to talk to, and she always has good advice.  I can really say that I look up to her as my mentor.  I have no idea what I am going to do when she is gone.  I talk to her about EVERYTHING!!  It was really nice to just sit there and talk for a while.

Oh and JessieJo is coming up this week so I am super excited about that too!!  Plus only a couple more weeks and I get to move back to school.  This semester is going to be a ton different that the previous but I am really excited.  I think I am just going to look at things a little bit differently this year.