Home Away From Home

Let me start out by saying WOW. The last couple of weeks have been a mumble jumble of emotions. From excitement, nervousness, uneasiness, tiredness, to overwhelming joy, to just plain being overwhelmed.
I finally moved into my dorm at Simpson and got settled (for the most part anyway).It has been such an adjustment to go from the conforts and familiarity of home to a new adventure called dorm life. Although it is great and I absolutely love it there are little things thoughout the day that I didn't even realize were such a luxury.
At home I could be as loud as I wanted for the most part at all hours of the day and night, here on the other hand I can't make a peep after 10pm on school nights or I might get a dreaded "level". And we don't want any of those no do we? At home, even despite the fact that I hated doing laundry, I could do it for free, here it cost me my change from breaking a buck at Starbucks. And I have decided I dislike laundry even more than I did before. At home the food was great and the food that was just okay I would now consider good. Actually anything that was prepared for less than several hundred people at a time I would consider great.
So this is just a little insight into my hectic life as a college student living away from Mommy and Daddy for the first time. Being away for a couple weeks at a time and living away are twwo totally different thing, and i have come to realize just how much Mom and Dad did and stil do for me.
More than ever before in my life I feel blessed to call them MINE. My Mom and Dad. I am so blessed to have them a part of my life and to have put up with me all these years. And what is more suprising then that, although they enjoy that I am enjoying being here, they actually would love to still have me at home.
It's a funny thing growing up. One minute you can't wait to get out on your own and the next (after your out on your own) you can't wait to go back. Home is a great place. And it should be a place that I long to be. I think that a since of home and family is extremely important. Even after I am grown and completely out on my own and have a family of my own, I will still long for home. When I think of home, I think of all the amazing memories that where created there. Home is not the building, but the people inside the building. So I say all this to say; I love my family, the people that have laughed and cried with me, and been there with me creating lifelong memories.
For now I have to make Simpson my home away from home. And as with anything, change is difficult. Especially when there are many other girls living in the same building, having to deal with the same kind of changes.
An upside to all this is that we all know the overwhelming excitement and frustrations that come along with this new era in our lives. We are all in this adventure together.

The Last Before Great Things

Well I leave for school Friday morning. So about a day and a half. So with that being said this will most likely be my last blog for the next several days anyway. Until I get internet in my room all set up and stuff anyway. Just thought I would check in so everyone still knows I am alive and well. So this is the last blog.....Check back for more in a few.

The Countdown

Only 4 more days (aroundish) until I leave for Simpson University. I think I'm ready, I hope I'm ready.

People keep asking me if I'm nervous. Suprisingly enough I'm not. Actually to tell the truth I was more nervous to get my hair done on Thursday. And that proved to be worry free since I love my new do (thanks to Nikki).

So anxious is a word I have used to describe myself lately. I am totally looking forward to dorm life and living on campus will be great (at least I think it will be). My class schedule is the only thing I am a little aprehensive towards. I'm sure that will prove to be nothing to worry about as well. As it stands right now my class schedule looks a bit like this. Mon. Wed. Friday I have classes from 8am-3:10 with chapel on those days as well. And then on Tues and Thurs I have a class from 8am-9:30 and then one from 11:50- 1 I beleive. So it'll be intresting to see how well I do. This semester is the craziest I have had, but then again I won't be working 30 hours during the school year like I did last year. So it'll balance out, and soon you'll be looking at another California teacher.

The Simple Things in Life

Things I Like (part one of…. who knows?)


Okay, so I decided to write down things I like a while ago and just recently came across the list again. I thought I’d share it…maybe I’ll inspire some of my thousand (yeah right) reader to think about simply things in life that just make you smile. Hey it’s worth a shot, and beside… better than looking at the negative right? Yeah I’m right… you know you wanna agree. So without further introduction here’s my list:

Encouraging and being encouraged
The smell of rain
The sound of rain
Paul (my favorite person in the Bible)
The smell and sound of fire
Scrapbooking
Photography
The Newsboys (My all time favorite band)
Fresh air
The sound of kids playing and laughing
II Timothy 4:12
Clean clothes
Clothes fresh out of the dryer on a cold day
Pasta
Taking walks in nature
Foreign Missions
The feel of sand between my toes
Phillip Larue
Copacabana (my favorite beach, located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
The beach in general
Hanging out with friends and doing absolutely nothing
Getting invited somewhere unexpectedly
The good feeling I get when I do something for someone else
Spending alone time with God and feeling like it’s just the two of us
The song “Show me Your glory”
Learning something new
Being short
My cooking shows (don’t ask, actually do)
Acting like a weirdo
Sleep (I never get enough)
My bedroom
The smell of clean babies
Finding pants that actually fit (short is just not short enough sometimes)
Coconut Lime Verbena from Bath and Body
Foosball
Good books

Oh No- It's Happened- The Day Has Finally Arrived

My dad gets this GREAT idea to buy my mom a laptop the other day. So she's been on it pretty much ever since trying to find her place in the internet world. When she decides to read my blog. Then she has her own GREAT idea to start her own blog. Yes you did hear me right the first time. That's right my computer/internet illiterate mom has entered the blogging world. What does this mean? What is happening to the ways things used to be? I would have never imagined that my mom would want a blog- let alone actually figure it out (no offense mom, you understand). I guess this just goes to show the world that a simplier time is in the past-way in the past. This world is definatly advancing in the technical world. It's hilarious to me that even my grandparents-yes thats right good ol' Non and Pops have email. Amazing, just amazing.

Well on that happy note, here's my mom's Blog addy. The least I could do is get her some Bloggin' business.

http://themommie.blogspot.com

Abigail Faith

So yep I became an aunt on Tuesday evening. Abigail was born at 7:23 pm. She weighed 6 lbs. 12 oz. and was 20 inches long. She has her mommies red hair.

I can't beleive how things change so drastically when there's a baby in the picture. I have only been an aunt now for 5 days and I love little Abbie so much. I actually didn't even want to go to work on Wednesday. I wish I could have gone to see her. It's amazing how things have changed in a matter of moments it seems. Our lives will never be the same. My sister and brother in law are parents. I am an aunt. And my parents are Grandparents (muhahahaha- sorry mom and dad I couldn't resist).

Having Abbie around kinda makes me think twice about school. Not that I'm going to reconsider this late in the game, but I wanna be around to see her grow up. I know I'll get to see her and such, but I'm sure there will be alot of everyday things that I'll miss due to being 3 hours away.

As much as I already love Abigail, and she's not even mine, I can't imagine what it's like to have your own baby. It must be such a rush of different emotions- sometimes all at the same time.

Time For A HUGE Change

Okay so I have been looking forward to quitting work and leaving town and...Well... sort of being on my own anyway for some time now. But the closer it gets the more I realize I'm gonna miss my life the way it was more than I thought I would.
Seriously I have things amazingly great right now. Let's see... well I have GREAT parents, I mean it takes a lot to put up with living with me. Anyone else probably would have packed my bags for me long ago, but check this out, my parents would love for me to stay at home a while longer. Amazing isn't it?

I have portable irritation units and surprisingly sometimes giggle starters that follow me around from the time I get home from work until bed often times. Yeah if you haven’t gotten it by now I'm talking about Caleb, Bethany, and Michal.

I have amazing friends, that even though I do some of the most ridiculous things sometimes, they still choose to hang with me.

I have a niece on the way. Right before I leave for school actually.

And I have a great job, and although it’s rough some days more than others, I love what I do. I love teaching my two year olds and watching them grow and mature as much as two year olds can. I love being greeted with hugs and high fives when I walk in the door in the morning. I love seeing them smile and giggle and I love holding them when they are having a rough day. I love seeing the progress they have made in the last couple months. It’s gonna be so hard to say goodbye to my little friends. I am going to enjoy going back on Christmas, Easter and summer vacations and see how they have changed.

Although transition is hard I know going away to Simpson University is the best thing for me right now. Sure I’ll be giving up a lot, but I’ll be gaining so much as well. I believe God has GREAT things planned for my life. Simpson is just the beginning.

Little Princess Kel

Michal playing dress up.

Little Blessings

Auntie Meg….. Hmmm I like the sound of that. I can’t believe any time I can get a call from my sis saying that I will be an aunt very soon. I cant’ believe that it’s gone so quick. It really seems like not too long ago I found out we were gonna have a new baby in the family. And surprisingly enough it wasn’t going to be another brother or sister, but a neice or nephew. It goes to show you that our days of being “irresponsible, crazy, extremely cool at least to ourselves, and spontaneous tennagers” is over. Although I miss those times, as I look back over my life I am filled with great memories that bring laughter, tears, embarrassment, and joy to my life. Sometimes all at the same time. And as I look ahead to the future I am anxious to see what comes about in our lives. I am looking forward to all the great memories that we will add to our collection of great memories.

Such excitement has engulfed my life since last December. I found out I was exepted to Simpson University on the 13th and the on the 14th (Sandi’s B-day) she told us she was pregnant! Suprisingly enough she will have the baby right before I leave for school. Well once again in my life God has a sense of humor. Mom wanted Him to give me a reason to come home more often. She was thinking a guy, but better than that I’ll have a little baby to visit. Little Abigail.

Having a new little lady in our lives is going to be amazing. I can’t think of a better privelegde or a greater responsibility than watching little Abigail grow up. She hasn’t made her grand entrance into the world yet, and I have an overwhelming love for her already. I can’t imagine what it feels like when it’s your own baby. As she grows it will be a constent reminder in my life of how God answered Me and Sandi’s prayers at the same time. While I was praying about school, Sandi was praying for a little blessing of her own. Now both of our answers to prayer will be put into action at the same time.

Ireland In 2006

I have finally decided after much prayer and consideration to go to Ireland next summer with my church. It has been interesting to see how everything came together to form my decision.

When my church first announced the mission trip to Ireland, I did not immediately feel called to go, as I had felt when I went to Uganda last September. As exciting as Ireland sounded and as much as I wanted to be called to go, I didn’t feel led to go yet at that time. It was really a struggle for me, because I wanted to feel called, yet I didn’t. I felt like God was saying “Trust Me; I know what’s best for you”. So I began praying to be called, and began trusting God to lead me to my decision. During the last couple months I have been overwhelmed with emotions and frustration, wanting to be called and not understanding why I wasn’t.

Through my prayer time I felt like God was telling me to completely trust Him with the present and future, and to remember all the times trusting Him in the past had never let me down. So I gave the decision to God. I said “God, as of right now I am going to focus on what you have for me right now. If you call me to go to Ireland then you do, but if not then there must be greater things you have for me here.” So that’s where I left it.

Not too long after my long chats with God, my pastor did a sermon series on totally relying on God and having “Active” faith. Putting faith into action was something I decided I needed to do. Not just trusting God with little things, but in all things. Faith without stepping out on a limb is not really faith, at least not active faith. So anyway I felt like God was speaking to me, and suddenly while I was in pray one Sunday, God called me to go to Ireland with my church.

I am looking forward to all God is going to do in the lives of people over there. Like the many times before that God has drastically changed the lives of people in Brazil and Uganda through ministry I am confident that he has even bigger things in store for the revival that I believe will take place in Ireland.

Before I felt called to go to Ireland I really thought that Ireland was a poor choice for a mission’s trip. I felt that it was mainly just a pretty country filled with people that were for the most part pretty well off, at least in contrast to Brazil and Uganda. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Come to find out although Ireland is not a poor nation or third world country, only a very small fraction even recognizes there is one true God. Over 90% of the population is Roman Catholic. Most people are not willing to even listen to the message of hope that we want to bring. God truly does have a sense of humor. If I knew all this before being called to go I would probably get scared out of going. God defiantly knew what He was doing.

P.C- My Hero

November 28, 2004
As I go about my day, I can’t help but remember the news I received last week. As much as the news made me tear up (it was just allergies, I’m sure), it actually didn’t come as a surprise. I am not quiet sure why, but I knew what was coming, I just had a gut feeling about it. My youth pastor is moving on and leaving our church to pursue the plan God has for him and his family in adult ministry, possible a position as a senior pastor. Although I am extremely excited for the new journey God has for him, his wife and his boys, and am blessed to have had the most awesome youth pastor for the last 6 ½ years, I am incredible sad. Sad to be losing not only a great pastor, but a friend and a mentor as well. Sad that I will not be able to drop in his office for a place to cry and share my heart, pray, or just say hi, anytime I want. Sad that I will no longer be able to look forward to hanging out at his house. Sad that I will no longer be able to serve along side P.C. This man I call P.C. has been the most incredible mentor and guider to me over the last 6 ½ years I have had the privileged of knowing him.
I have had some incredible moments in youth. Although he might not know the impact he has had on my life, the impact he made was huge. There are countless sermons I continue to apply to my life because of the enthusiasm he showed. I remember several very well actually one of these sermons sticks out in my mind more than others. But then again who could forget “ the sermon from the throne”. P.C. began by telling us all to close our eyes for a moment. When we were instructed to open them, the charming P.C. was sitting on a toilet. He gave his entire sermon from this “throne”. He even passed out toilet paper for us to take notes on. The message was that no matter who we are, where we are, and what we do, we all make our own mess, and all need to clean up our own mess ourselves. I still have the toilet paper somewhere around room. I laugh every time I think of the grotesque analogy. I can still picture P.C. sitting on the “throne”. Although the setting in which the message took place was , well, disgusting, P.c. made his point. The way in which he presented this message has stuck with me as well as many youth for years. Whether it was a lighthearted sermon like the “throne” sermon, or a more serious topic, such as “the power of positive thinking”. P.C. had a way of making things stick with me. I really appreciate his eagerness to share with us topics we needed to hear about, issues we were facing in our teen lives from witnessing to friends, how to pray, and dating standards.
Because of the influence P.C had in my life I became a leader instead of a follower. He was the most passionate person about youth I have ever seen. Not only did he enjoy being our leader, and mentor, but he was our friend. He loved just hanging out with us, whether it was going out to eat, the movies, or his house for games and just a good time.

My life as I know it

Just thought I might give un update on my life. As usual I am extremely busy, but don't get your hopes up, nothing excitng.

I am currently in school. I attend American River College (unfortunatly) , and I am taking Algebra, Biology, and U.S. History this sememster. I keep asking why I did this to myself and decided it would be a good idea to take 11 units of hard classes this time around.

I am still at American River College (unfortunalty), but I will be transfering to Simpson University in September of 2005. Simpson is located in Redding, so it's not too far from home. It is going to be a huge adjustment though living on campus, sharing a dorm with either one or three other girls. I couldn't be more estatic. I got my acceptance letter in December I believe, and am currently working on financial aid paperwork.

God is so good. Simpson was definatly my first choice school. I am extremely looking forward to getting out of the secular schooling system. It has been a good experience, but I'm ready to be in Christian environment as far as schooling goes.

Mom and I had the oppurtunity to visit Simposon's campus last November. I loved everything I saw. I actually got a chance to attend one of the writing classes. I really enjoyed it. The professor's at the campus seem really personable and friendly. Easy to talk to I guess you could say, which makes things nice. At ARC most of the insructor's seem really intimidating. Definatly not very friendly.

I also got to stay in the very small dorms. The rooms are pretty tiny. I;m sure I'll manage though. I shared a room with both Amanda and Sandi in the past. That has to have prepared me for an unorganized dorm living situation. lol. The girls I met in the dorms were so welcoming. Mom stayed in a hotel not far away, and I got to go out with girls I met. We went to Jamba Juice (I'm feeling much better that there is one so close to Simpson, I'll probably end up living in that stuff). The food at Simposon was not my cup of tea. lol. After Jamba we went to the Sundial Bridge. I've never been there before, it was awesome. There are green lights under the path you walk on. It is all lit up at night. Pretty snazzy.

Just in case everyone is wondering I plan on majoring in Elementary Education. My goal is to be a third grade teacher. And if God willing I would love to teach in a third world country such as Uganda, but wherever God leads, I will follow.

I am still working at Storybook Cottage Preschool 12pm- 6pm, Monday through Friday. I have been there for 11 months just about. It has been great. I love it. I am growing very fond of some of the little munchkins. Some times I come home at night and want to pull my hair out and scream, but for the most part working with the kids is very rewarding. The best part is when I walk in everyday and am surrounded by at least 20 toddlers, shreiking at the top of their lungs "Miss Megan is here", and lining up to get their hugs in.

So between School 5 days a week and work, then coming home to do homework until I get to bed most nights and my church commitments I'm pretty busy girly. But life is good. God is great.