My Day.

7:23am - wake up
8:00am - go to breakfast at Denny's with Jessica.

Oh, how I shall miss her. We had a wonderful conversation over a delightful breakfast.

9:20am - check out Megan
9:40am - check out Beth
10:00am - FAIL A MATH TEST.

For real, I'm pretty sure (but not 100% positive) that I failed it, since I didn't even understand half the questions. The ones I did understand, I guessed on. There's only one question (literally) that I think I got right. The rest? Not so much.

11:00am - call Shaun sobbing about math test, proclaiming that I am dumb and should never be a teacher.
12:00pm - lunch with Dani
1:00pm - Sno-Cone date with my CML buddy!

Why, oh why, do I become good friends with those who are older than me????? Helena, Amandas, Jessica, CML Buddy.... why?

2:00pm - go to storage unit, bank, and tanning with Monica
4:00pm - check out Keah
5:00pm - start getting ready for my birthday date!!
6:23pm - leave for birthday date!

With my cute dress on, hair curled, and longboard in hand.

I Leave In Six Days.

It looks better... right?

All the stuff stacked up by my desk is ready to go. The rest... not so much.

A professor and I had quite the heart-to-heart today and some of the things she wrote in a test of mine were quite true. I need to reflect on them more.

I'm done with Social Studies now, and Ed. Psych.
All that's left to do is take the Elementary Math I test,
Pack,
Go to WalMart,
Find $600 for my malaria prescription,
Pack,
Go to the Awanas cookout,
Check out girls,
Etc.

Tomorrow is my birthday date with Shaun!
I think we are going to Pheonix.

I leave and turn 21 in six days.
Whoa.

I had something else to say.
I sold my fridge today for $50 to an awesome girl.
We've had many fridge talks lately, and I think we will continue them next year. I might even make us T-shirts.

Ha. Speaking of money, I deposited a LOT of money into my bank account today for my travels. I felt pretty important, I won't lie.

I bought iTunes songs last night. I like them. One of the songs I got is called "One Voice" by The Wailin' Jenny's. It's so mellow and has such nice lyrics that it just calms me down immensely.

God always provides. My malaria prescription? Not at all $600 like the doctor said. It was only $40. Praise the Lord (literally) for insurance! (And thanks, Mom!!!) I also bought snacks tonight for Asia, and hand sanitizer and sunblock. SPF 45. :)

When I get back from Asia, my arms, face, and feet are going to be tan... and the rest of me isn't. It'll look funny in my sleeveless, knee length, V-neck bridesmaid's dress!

Did I mention that in ONE week it is my birthday?
I'll be 21.
TWENTY-ONE.
Yup, that's right.

Packing, Day 2.

Welp, hello day two of finals week.

My room is still just as messy.

I showed a mom and two girls my room today because they wanted to see what a single room looks like. I was a little embarrassed, but then again, not really.
Except that a boy came in with them, and I had underwear lying around.
Oops.

I finally finished my social studies unit. It's 16 pages long.
Right after I finished it, there was a huge issue in which I could not save it. I was FREAKING OUT. I ran to Sarah's office and she called the Help Desk. I took my computer to them, they found the problem, fixed it, and saved my project.
Phew. I was shaking, I was so scared.

Kyle and I met tonight during dinner and talked about our trip.
We leave in literally ONE WEEK. I also turn 21 in one week. :)
We spent some time talking about the gifts we are buying to take,
what we want to do devotion-Jesus wise while there,
doing worship in Asia, and our team in general.
And I prayed for each team member, including Steve, by name.
And he prayed for me. It was a nice prayer, I'll admit.

I'm really excited that we are on a team together. I've known him in the past, since freshman year when he dated one of my hall-mates. But this is different. This is... epic.

I had to call about our Visas today because we still haven't gotten them. There was a huge mix-up with all of them, and they will be on the way tomorrow. Steve was on the verge of freaking out. Poor guy.

To Do Still:
Ed Psych Final
Turn in Social Studies Project
Elementary Math 1 CLEP
Register for CLEP
PACK
PACK
PACK

I got my OGET results in the mail today. I passed with a 293/300. :) I got 4 perfect 300s in different areas. I am SO happy! I feel like I keep getting confirmation that I am on the right track, not that I really doubt it. First talking to Dr. Crane, then this. It's great.

Take Your Cap And Leave My Sweater.

I am in the middle of packing.
Packing for a month in Asia.
Packing for a week in New York.
Packing for about a month at home.
Packing the rest of my stuff for the summer.

And my room looks epic.

A girl might buy my fridge.
Praise the Lord.
Really.

I slept in my sleeping bag last night so that I don't have to wash sheets the day I leave for Asia. It was really quite comfortable and warm. A nice investment.

I have some clothes I don't know what to do with.
Particularly a black puffy Cabela's vest that's too big,
a pink/salmon coat from Macy's in New York that's too big,
and a nice wool sweater from Old Navy.

I'm keeping the sweater.

That reminds me of a song.
"Take your records, take your freedom, take your memories, I don't need them. Take your space and all your reasons, you'll think of me. Take your cap and leave my sweater...."

Tutoring Report: Done and turned in.
Science Teaching Reflection: Done and turned in.
Science Light Unit: Done and turned in.

Phew.

Still to do:
Educational Psychology Final
Social Studies Unit
Elementary Math 1 Exam

Science Research Project?
DONE.

Go me.

Busy Love.

My room is slowly being packed and is now also very messy, seeing as I just returned from an amazing, relaxing weekend at Shaun's. His sister graduated from high school today so we partied it up. Not really. But Shaun, Brent, and I had epic plans to steal a street sign for her. It failed when we didn't have the right tools.

I have all my sheets in my dirty clothes pile, so from here on out, I'm sleeping in my new orange sleeping bag. It's fun.

Less than 10 days until we leave. Woooooow.

So much to do before then.
Lesson Plans
Papers
Exams
Packing for Asia, home, and New York
BIRTHDAY DATE ON THURSDAY!!! :)
Checking girls out
Cleaning room
Moving stuff into storage unit
Orientation
AWANA cookout
Presentations

Dave.

I wore my "Dave is my Fave" t-shirt today.
Then, while eating lunch, he walked into the ARA.
But he didn't see me.
Sad.

I'm getting my shots done today for Asia. Woot. I have an appointment for next week to get my malaria medicine. I leave in 14 days. Two weeks.

Wow. Summer, I can't believe you are coming so quickly.

Friendship Rock.

While walking back from taking the kids home at Mission Center tonight, Chelsea, Jessica and I started kicking a rock. We kicked it over halfway back to the Mission, then into the gym. Then we stood in a triangle kicking it to a each other.

Jessica decided she did not want to take it to China with her upon graduation, but we felt like we needed to do something with it.

So we took it outside by the rose bush.
I dug a hole.
Jessica placed our Friendship Rock in the hole.
Chelsea replaced the dirt, then covered the hole with rose petals.
Then we took pictures.

It was very... excellent.

Dear God.

Thank You.
Thank You for another day to breathe in and to breathe out.
Thank You for meeting my needs, above and beyond.

Thank You for the promises of Psalm 62:5-7 "Find rest, Of my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my Rock and my Salvation; He is my Fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge."

Thank You for friendships and for laughter and for icecream.
Thank You for the rain.
Thank You for people to go hiking in the rain with.
Thank You for cold hands, wellies, and warm blankets.
Thank You for memories of Africa and "Moleesa."
Thank You for calling me beautiful.

Thank You.
Thank You.
Thank You.

Thank You for being my Romancer.
Thank You for being my Friend.
Thank You for being consistent in the confusion.
Thank You.

Thank You for healing touches.

Thank You in the good times and in the bad.
Thank You for being bigger than the good times and the bad.
Thank You for creating the good times and the bad, because through them I can better see You.

I don't say it enough, God, so thank You.

Thank You for my parents, for my brothers, for my family.

Thank You for Your Word.
Thank You for passions, and for using passions to bring Yourself glory.
Thank You that everything is for your glory, including me.

Thank You for my upcoming summer and break from school.
Thank You for teaching me perseverance.
Thank You for professors who are amazing, like Dr. James.
Thank You for allowing me to develop relationships with them.

Thank You for providing guidance, though I don't see it now.
Thank You that it is waiting there in the wings for when I am ready.
Thank You for preparing me for it.

Thank You for organizations like this that make a difference.
Thank You for asking me to make a difference.

Thank You.
Oh, Abba... thank You.

Short Hair.

My hair is gone. I didn't MEAN to have that much cut off... it just happened. But... I don't know. It's cute, right? I haven't had it this short since my freshman year here at OBU. So? Comments?

I think I like it. It will take some getting used to, for sure. But when I'm in South Asia, it will be nice to have short hair (since it'll be like 115 degrees everyday) and it's still long enough to pull back, so that's nice.

When I got in the car to go get my haircut, I started to just drive... and then drove for about 2 hours, with no destination in mind, taking all these back highways I had never been on before. It was Fantastic. There were so many hills I drove up and down. There were only a few cars out, and we just kind of did our thing. I had no idea where I was going, so I just turned randomly down roads. When I didn't know where to go, I would turn whichever direction the car in front of me turned. It was great. I saw a baby cow eating it's mom's milk. Precious.

And on my way back to Shawnee, via random highway, I found the Shawnee Country Club, where Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie stayed when they brought their clan to visit Brad's mom. It was fancy. Very nice houses back yonder.

Then I had to pee really badly, so I returned to OBU and talked to one of my girls before the fateful haircut, which you have already read about....

24 Days.

The countdown has begun... in a mere 24 days, I will be 21 years old and I will be on a plane heading to Chicago, then to South Asia.

Oh, wow.

To say that I am excited would be a COMPLETE understatement. We have team meetings every Thursday, and they are so much fun. I laugh more with those 5 people than I have in a long time. One of our team members has mono now, and it was questionable whether or not she would be able to come, but she is, praise God!

I have a ton to do in the next 24 days, including packing up all of my belongings, finishing 18 credits worth of classes, and raising an additional $450.

But my God is bigger than 24 days.