Waiting for the pot to boil

Friday, Jay, Jani, and I headed to camp for the Germantown Men's Retreat.  I loved every minute of it!  :)

Naturally, we had to stop for a pre-drive snack of Scratch cupcakes!  :)

When we got to camp, Andrew gave us the schedule, housing assignments, and asked if I'd be okay with going to the horse area to help with a sick horse.  I changed into my boots and went.  Peter and Katrina were walking Bear around and around.  He was colicky.  We walked in so many circles.  It made for a great opportunity to catch up with Peter and Katrina though.  After a long night of walking Bear around, he was made a little better after a visit from the vet.  If you really want details, ask Chunk or Jay, they'd be happy to recount the tale.  I spent the rest of the evening catching up with the other staff.  It is always good to go back and enjoy that type of fellowship after weeks of separation.  

Saturday morning was WONDERFUL!  On Friday, Andrew had eluded to Sue wanting me to work in the Craft Room and get it more ready for retreat season.  I was absolutely okay with working in there by myself.  I cleaned and put away so much stuff!  It was wonderful and my only hope for that place is that it stays that way for a good long time!  :)  Lunchtime brought news that I would be in the dishroom with Ben and Brennan. It was a lot of fun and hard work.  Ben had to leave, so for a while it was just Brennan and I.  It took a while, but we got things almost done when Chunk and Daniel joined us.  Debbi did give me some great news that I would have a little bit more time before I went into the kitchen because she was moving my kitchen shift back by a half hour.  I sat and continued that wonderful fellowship with Jana, Jani, Chunk, Gage, and whoever else happened to happen along.  Debbi and I worked together for a while before the boys joined us.  It is always refreshing to talk to her and catch her up on my life and how camp has been since I was last there.  Supper ran smoothly, and after clean-up, I began to prepare snack bags for a wedding that camp is hosting next weekend.  Katie and Jani came to join.  Sometimes, the kitchen is such a great hangout spot.  Grown up girl talk is so refreshing.  Jay came and taught us how to make the popcorn and we got snack out and sat for a while.  Jani and I were being ridiculously goofy and grabbed Connect 4.  Why not, right?  Seriously though, it was great!  Rachel joined us and we played a few games.  I accidentally on purpose beat Rachel, and Rachel beat Jani who even cheated!  Last night was a late night, but it was well worth it!

This morning for me was all about fruit and toast.  I also got put on vegetable and pasta detail.  It was a WONDERFUL morning!  At one point, all four of us were waiting on the water to boil so the pasta could get going.  Jani suggested that we pray for Katie who has a big interview coming up.  So we did.  We just stopped and stood there in the middle of the kitchen, in the middle of the fans, dish crew and their noise, and all the other noises, and we paused, breathed deep and prayed.  I was feeling great before that, but I still walked away feeling refreshed.  How awesome is it that talking to God just gives a wonderful feeling of refreshment?!  I love it!  :)  This meal was so chill that we only needed one in the servery and one in the kitchen.  We got things cleaned up early, and Debbi gave us hugs before sending us off.  Does it really have to be a whole month before I'll be back there again?  We got things all packed up and said our goodbyes before hitting the road.  Jay convinced me, it was easy, to stop for ice cream, and then we really got on the road.  It was a quiet ride back.  All 3 of us were beat, but it was worth it! 

   

Best Friendship

Just thought I'd start off this blog with a good ol' throwback picture of mine and Whit's first year at camp and the summer that we truly became best friends.

There we were, friends at youth group, occasionally saying, "Hey," to each other in the halls at school, a Junior and a Sophomore in high school, and on different sides of the fence.

We were headed to a new camp, Village Creek Bible Camp.  Matt & Emily hadn't even been our leaders for a year when we found out.  At first, I wasn't sure how I felt about this.  For months, I faked excitement for them.  VCBC is where they met as they worked summers.  They were excited to take us there and experience VCBC for ourselves.

I didn't want to go.

I had them fooled though.  I faked excitement on the bus ride there and all through the first day of camp.  "God, what am I doing here?  I just want to go home.  I don't even want to be here."

Monday, God showed me why I was there.

We were all standing and singing during worship.  There we were in the front row.  Whit suddenly changed places so she could sit next to me.  I noticed, but didn't pay too much attention.  Eventually, I realized that she was crying.  Really, she was BAWLING!  For a minute I tried to calm her and figure out what was going on.  Through the sobs I heard her ask me to help her accept Christ into her life.

ME!?  Really?  That started the waterworks.  No lie.  When Whit and I get to crying, we get to crying!  I know many people can attest to that sight!  I know I stumbled through some sort of prayer before Whit asked Christ to live in her and we went on with chapel.  What a night!

Throughout the rest of the week, we had many talks and truly became best friends that week.  Later, when sharing in church, I remember her saying that before camp, she always noticed that I had something that she was missing out on, but wanted to have.  I don't consider my years before that summer to be a bright, burning flame for Christ, but somehow, He was shining through.

Since the prayer that started a new life in Whit, I have witnessed so much in her life.  She has become an accountability partner for so many, changed the face of our youth group until graduation, continued to push me in my walk, worked at VCBC, worked in youth groups in Pella, gone to Africa on a missions trip, and so much more.  This isn't to glorify all she's done, but what she has done because of this life change in her.  She still has her downs (don't we all?), but she takes it to God in prayer.

It all begins with a prayer.

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

-Proverbs 27:17

My life lately (2)

Week 5 of my last semester already?  Can it be?  Honestly, I can say that I am enjoying ALL of my classes. I'm actually motivated to do the homework...well, for the most part, I like going to class, and I'm just all around having fun.  This doesn't even have much to do with the fact that graduation is dangling in front of me like a carrot on a stick, although it is a plus!  :)

I met with my conversation partner for the first time on Monday.  His name is Kun Peng, and he is from China.  Monday was all about me.  I showed him many pictures of my family, friends, and camp.  I showed him videos and told him so many stories.  At one point he typed into his phone to translate so he could say, "I had no childhood."  I laughed and said that these things just happened this summer, and I'm older than he is!  We laughed over more of my pictures and stories and I had fun explaining farm things to him.  I'm excited to hear about his family and friends next week.

Last weekend I introverted.  I LOVED IT!  I pushed all week to get my homework done so I would not have to do anything over the weekend.  I watched movies, I read, I demolished a large Canadian bacon and pineapple pizza and crazy bread from Little Ceaser's, and I enjoyed lots of TAG time.  I love that I have abundance of time in my schedule for that these days.  It is so lovely!  I love just being able to revel in all that my Creator is.

Today, I met up with Autumn and Heather at the mall.  No, I'm really not the type of girl who meets up with her friends at the mall, but it was fun!  We wandered, talked, rode the carousel, and found a unicorn!  :)

Tomorrow, I will get cupcake #25 on the Scratch Cupcake Tour!  So far, they've all been AH-MAZING!  :)

Virginia Snakenberg once told me, "Life's good...well, if you enjoy it!"  I'm enjoying it!  :)

And to be completely girly for a moment, I scored a CUTE bag more than 1/2 off!!  :)

Living Situations

I had a pretty good childhood.  I was healthy, happy, ran free, had a dog, had a calf or two (remember, I'm a farm girl), went on great adventures, have parents who let me dream and encouraged me, and I somehow made it through all my school years without a best friend moving away.  Yes, I'm sure I'm one of the few that didn't have to go through that traumatic experience, and I am grateful!

My best friend in the whole wide world is Whitney.  We've been through so much in our 5 years of friendship.

She came into my life when her dad became the superintendent at our school.  We didn't start our as friends right away.  I mean she was the sporty, popular, superintendent's daughter.  Me, I was the FFA, friends with everyone kind of girl.  We became friends through youth group and deepened our friendship at camp.  

I also have somewhat been adopted into her family.  I love each and every one of them dearly.

Now, Whitney and I are both in college and I don't get home all that often.  Last summer, Todd took a job in Grinnell.  This meant a move.  I wasn't terribly heart-broken because Whit and I are all but out of our parents' nests.  I knew I would miss their presence in Sigourney, but I also knew they had been praying over this decision for a very long time.

In January, I applied for student teaching.  This was a process!  I filled out more forms, and thought over so many things.  Where would I choose for my placement?  If I don't get my first choice, where will I live?  What am I supposed to do?!  I prayed as I dwelled on decisions.  I waited and waited, just hoping that I would get word that I would be placed somewhere back home.  Sadly, I did not.  As I read over the MARSHALLTOWN/RURAL area placement I was a little bit of a mess.  "God, you know how badly I want to go home.  God, what's going on?  Marshalltown was one of my least favorite, off-handed choices."  When I had filled out the form, I off-handedly chose a couple of places that might work, if I didn't get my first choice.  Clearly, I was banking on getting my way.

I continued to pray and give it to God trusting that He knew what is best.  I finally called Mary to work something out.  She was really excited when I asked and said she would talk to Todd.  JC would be moving out to college, so there would be an open room anyway.  I continued to pray.

I got the okay!!  I love the Abrahamson's!  I get a room to myself, I get to spend time with a wonderful family, and I will experience who knows what in Grinnell.

I'm still praying over my school placements that I will not know of until November.  I'm excited to see what doors God will open to me as I continue my journey as a pre-service teacher.

Pull off Hwy. 149

A weekend at home!  I love weekends like that!  I was greeted by Ruby.  I love my pup!  :)

I was in the mood to be in the kitchen and I ended up making a lot by the time the weekend was through!  Biscuits to go along side fish, English muffin bread, and cookies.  All in my Belle apron!  :)

I also had a very big reunion with my best friend!  I missed her like crazy and she spent the night and we had so much fun!  :)  We talked and laughed so much throughout the weekend.  

Right away on Saturday morning we started watching movies.  We also wanted to go on a horseback ride.  Dad told me that he would help us get the horses up and we could go.  It was so exciting!  This was the first time that I went riding at home without Dad!  It was also the first time that I rode Bufford in a very long time!  He was good!  This was also Whit's first time riding by herself.  She did pretty well!  We were gone for a good couple hours.  It was BEAUTIFUL!  Fall is coming on and it was lovely to see everything beginning to transition.  A good ride with a great friend!

Naturally, when we made cookies that afternoon, we ran out of flour.  After a quick trip to Grammy's we finished the cookies while dancing and singing to Hairspray.  It was then time for Whit to leave and for me to go meet up with Momma for supper.  It was good to spend time with her since she worked all weekend.  I Skyped with Lu & Alison and we figured out some Christmas Break plans!  I won't forget my blanket, I promise!  :)  

Sundays are always good!  I love going back to church and seeing everyone.  I even had a new little baby sitting in front of my through the service!  What a sweet heart!  Congratulations, Kyle & Kelsey!  :)  I had lunch with Grammy & Gramps.  Grammy caught me up on all the neighbors and such.  She also had a whole ice cream bucket of Snot Bars ready for me to take.  I love it when she does that!  :)  Naturally, Ruby knew that I was leaving and she didn't like that.  Good thing that I was packed up with lots of goodies like leftovers and Snot Bars.  That makes going back with plans to share the goodness a little easier.  It's always good to go home!  :)

5 More Green Checks

I know I've said it many, many times already and I'm only ending my third week, but this is my last semester!!  Today, I had my Student Teaching Interview.

All dressed up for my interview!

One thing I had to bring was my progress report, which is simply a checklist of all my required classes and tests needed for a teaching license.  I only have 5 more green checks to get!

Can this really be happening?  The path that I got on in high school has brought me so far!  From bus rides to  13 weeks left before student teaching.  I can only look back and laugh at how it all began during my senior year of high school.

There I was, a senior in high school and I still had no idea what I wanted to do with my life.  I had plenty of ideas, sure, but nothing that was really sticking out as the "it" thing in my life.  I thought about going to Indian Hills in Centerville for something in Agriculture since I had taken about every Ag class I could and because that was what I knew.  One day, though, Tresa from Vennard came and had a table at school.  Vennard was the Bible college about a half hour away.  I knew many people from there including my head pastor at the time.  I actually had the application all but filled out thinking that I would go there and God would show me what I was supposed to do with my life.  Seriously, I was a couple of days away from sending in the application when it closed.  Yes, Vennard closed its doors.  It was so sad, and then I was all sorts of confused.  Obviously, this was a closed door, but I also couldn't see any open ones.  I worried about it for a couple of weeks before finally surrendering the situation to God.  What a relief.  The questions still came as to what I was going to do, but I felt a little more confident in my, "I have no idea," answer.

For quite a while, I had bounced around the thought of Special Education.  Back then, it was just a passing thought, but then one day, that thought stuck.  I was talking to my good friend, Racheal, she's one of the best, let me tell you!  She was getting so excited to go to UNI for Elementary Ed.  She was showing me everything on the website and telling me about campus.  She was the first person I told about this Special Education idea.

Sometimes, I get an idea and I just run with it.  I don't always sit around puzzling and planning over it.  I'm just determined to somehow make it work.

I got all things figured out with my guidance counselor, and told my parents.  They have been very supportive of my decision.  I ended up going to a community college before coming up to UNI.  One of the best things that I did in preparation was praying for future friendships and my classmates.  I constantly emphasize this when I give my testimony at camp.  I met some wonderful girls and one of them is actually at UNI too!  These girls were all off-campus students just like me and they all love Jesus.  It was a wonderful group and that is something that I will forever treasure.

Since being at UNI, I've prayed for friendships, and God has blessed me with many!  I've been able to get plugged into a Bible study with a woman that I look up to very much.  She is always there to encourage us and challenge us to continue to dig deeper in our faith.  I love ending our times holding hands and praying together.

I've also prayed over my placements when it is time to have experiences in the field.  God has blessed me in that area as well.  I've had amazing mentor teachers and have met so many kids.  Some of these kids have such hard lives and they need to be shown so much love.  During the spring, I had an experience that lasted 8 weeks.  My mentor teacher is a Christian and I wish I would have had more conversations with her about things other than our experience.  She had a lanyard with a verse on it, and she liked to read things like, Crazy Love.  She had mentioned that she taught in a children's hospital for a while and I thought that was really neat.  I started to dwell on the idea towards the end of the experience, but didn't talk to her about it.  During the first week of camp, there was a camper who had been diagnosed with a brain tumor a few years back.  He started telling me his story and got to just after he told me about his teacher that came to the hospital and how wonderful she was and the impact she made on his life.  WOW!  Then I really started thinking about it and praying about it.  I also took a chance and e-mailed that mentor teacher.  Her response?

First off, faith and daily communion with Jesus is essential for working with children in a hospital setting!

WOW!  It was so cool to have her back me up like that and encourage me to pray every day without us really knowing each others' story, but knowing that each other is a follower of Christ.

God has just been continuing to answer prayers with this whole school thing.  I can hardly believe that it is almost over, but I'm still praying about the teaching in a children's hospital aspect.  I don't have a closed door yet, but I'm also not sure if it's open.  I will continue to pray about it,but not dwell on it.  I know that God has it and will open the door when the time is right.

The Adventures of Labor Day Weekend

I had one of the busiest and most exciting weekends I've had in a long time!  I endured a lot of driving, but it was well worth it!

Friday:

Practically as soon as I got to camp, I ran into Autumn and we had to hug it out in the parking lot.  It had been too long since I had seen her beautiful face!  It was so great to run into everyone that I hadn't seen since I had left camp 3 weeks before.  It felt so good to be back!  I was told to go be ready to greet families and was soon given charge of Sam and Dani.  Dani gave me a run and jump hug and Sam just wrapped his arms around my legs.  I had missed those 2 a lot!  I also got a running hug from Toby after he yelled my name across the lawn.  It's good to be missed by all the camp kids!  I received my second Pray! shirt from Stacy and it was so cool to watch a lot of the campers walking around in them because they are now sold at the camp store!  :)  Naturally, I helped with the actions for the kids' song at the start of chapel and was told I was helping with the songs for kids' chapel too.  That is always a grand adventure.  We had our staff meeting in the Indoor Chapel which is also where child care takes place.  Usually, we play with the toys as we wait for the meeting to start.  Katie and I found an awesome puzzle!!  :)

Saturday:

Hosting duties pulled me from my bed by 6.  That was a little bit of a shock to the system since I haven't been getting up before 8 since I've been at school.  I was definitely a little rusty on my hosting duties, but I stood at the door and greeted the families as they entered and had a blast with it!  After eating too many pancakes, I was off to lead the Interlude.  That was rough!  I am pretty sure that all the kids enjoyed it though.  They usually do.  I love the short staff meetings before Instruction Hour 1.  We get a little goofy, and Andrew gave us time to catch up a little with each other.  We also end these meetings by praying in small groups.  We take time to talk about various prayer requests and spend time praying over those as well as other things.  It makes me feel so free as I head to my assignment.  I was in the Craft Room.  :)  As soon as I opened the door, I was greeted by the sight of this movie that had been left by none other than Lu-Bird.

Craft Room was fun!  I only taught parachord twice!!!  My fingers were grateful!  :)  When I went back after lunch, it was quiet in there!  I was able to sit out at the tables for quite a while and spent time with my Horsmanship camper from earlier in the summer.  Since the Craft Room wasn't opened during Free Time, I had volunteered to sit and be the Buddy Board person up at the lake.  What a smart idea!  It was a beautiful day, there was a great breeze blowing, I was able to sit and enjoy the sights of the kids splashing, I brought along my embroidery,  and the only bad part was that I got dust in my eyes so much that it looked like I had been crying all afternoon.  The festival was fun.  That one really was my last festival.  I gave Autumn my armor.

Ate my first ear of corn of the season

Made Andy Ott juggle while riding the unicycle, did a little face painting, only ate one pretzel, which is very unusual for me, got put in charge of pictures, and just had a good time overall.  Soon, it was time for Luke and I to leave to get ready to start our Minnesota State Fair adventure.  We had a lot of fun on the drive, talking, laughing, and listening to Adventures in Odyssey.  

Sunday:

We picked up Luke's friend, Quinton, and headed to the fair.  I don't know if I was quite prepared for the adventure that they took me on!  We saw just about everything, I felt.  We started out at the Miracle of Birth Center which was all about baby animals.  From there, we wandered through all the barns.

Then we got to eating!  :)  I can't even tell you how much I ate.  I just know I ate a lot!  Some of the best things I ate were the squeaky cheese-cheese curds.  AMAZING!  I also had ice cream made by an old John Deere ice cream crank.  When I got a deep-fried Snickers, I managed to polka-dot myself with powdered sugar.  That was embarrassing! :)  I also accidentally made Luke lose his Dole Whip in the street and had to go get him a new one!  We also saw Beth Bender's 2nd place Carrot Cake!  It looked good, my friend!  :)  Q and I followed as Luke had to try every camper, truck, tractor, and car that was unlocked.  I'm not even exaggerating.  

Before we left, I had to participate in the All-you-can-drink milk for $1.  I downed 3 glasses of some really good, really cold milk.  YUM!  :)  We had to wait forever for a bus, and then because we were so tired, we were all a little goofy and entertained the families around us.

It was a long drive back to camp and when I got there at 1:30 am, I just crawled into bed.  I knew that being in Upper AC with 13 other girls, I wouldn't have to worry about setting an alarm for the morning.

Monday:

Naturally, I wasn't hungry, so I didn't even go to breakfast.  I wandered around and got to see Jana!  I missed this lady a whole bunch and I was glad I got to see her, if only for a little while.  Chapel brought one more time of the Interlude.  Kids' chapel brought the chance to join one of the groups.  They made me run like a Velociraptor.  Apparently, I'm bad at it.  Go figure.  :)  Brunch was so good!  I set up the dish room and ate, and then it was time to say goodbye.  I HATE that part.  That never knowing when you will see these people again is so hard.  Mira jumped in the car with me, and Autumn followed us to The Skinny Dip.  We figured we needed one more trip before the season really ended.  It was YUMMY!  I love that place!  :)  It was then really time to leave.  It was a good drive back, and I was happy to finally arrive back in CF so I could put all my stuff away and relax after a wonderful weekend filled with so much God-given goodness!  :)