The Holy Spirit is real and alive and amazing. The past couple weeks in my morning devotions I've been starting by writing in my prayer journal. I'll write and get out what is on my heart. Sometimes the theme or topic shifts as I'm writing, but I just go with it. It's the Holy Spirit. And then I open up my devotional that I love. It is short paragraphs written from the perspective of God that are based on scripture. The past couple weeks, everytime I open to the day's devotional, it has to do with exactly what I was praying about. Everyday. Without fail. Random topics, reoccuring topics, mindsets, changes of heart, all of it. Exactly what I was praying. Exactly what I need to hear.
This just blows me away. It shouldn't, but it does. I love it! The Holy Spirit is at work and the Lord knows what he wants me thinking about that day, or what things I need to be giving up. His ways are so much higher than my ways. I then get to look up the scripture references and meditate on them as well. It's been good. I've been learning a lot and have to constantly turn everything over to the Lord. Whatever his will is, let it be done in my life.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Victory
Well, week one is over. Diving started this week and I made it through. I am still alive and in quite good spirits. It was hard and a long week for sure, but I survived. It was definitely fun to get back into things and get back on the boards. We have five new freshman, so I'm starting to build relationships with them as well. It's been fun so far.
I also started aiding on Wednesday and I love my placement! I've only been once, but I know I'm going to learn a ton and really enjoy it. My teacher is great. She really genuinely cares for her students and goes above and beyond. I am in a Kindergarten and First grade Mildly Cognitively Impaired classroom at an urban elementary school. The kids are absolutely adorable and I love them already.
My Thursday was killer. I was on campus from 5:50am to 9:00pm. Longest day ever. We had dryland from 6-7:30am, then I had class all day, then stuck around for a little practice (I just worked on the trampoline since I couldn't make our practice time) then had a little break and then had night class. My breaks weren't long enough to go home, so I just tried to get some work done and caught up with some friends. It was so long though and I was exhausted.
The Lord has been so faithful though. Through all of this. He never leaves my side. Really. Just think about that. He is always there! He is always with me. Amazing! It was definitely a week where I had to keep relying on him, keep trusting him and holding my hands open. I'm taking it one day at a time. I have to keep reminding myself of that.
I also had a fantastic conversation with one of my professors about my placement for student teaching next semester. I'm going to be doing track and the schedules conflict quite a bit. I don't get Calvin's spring break, I get the school that I'm at's spring break, which gets interesting because we do a Track Training Trip over spring break. So we talked a lot of things out about trying to make it work so that I can go. He was so understanding and is really willing to work with me. It was totally the Lord. Nothing is completely set, but we started the conversation and it went better than I could have imagined.
After that conversation I was just thinking about how many people have had to be flexible and understanding with my schedule. It just points me straight to God because there is no way in the world all these people would be so willing to work with me, if it wasn't for Him. His hand is in all these situations and he is paving the road for me. I just stand in awe. He is amazing. He's challenging me and I'm learning a lot. Definitely a situation I love to be in. It's hard while your going through it, but it is so fruitful in the end.
I also started aiding on Wednesday and I love my placement! I've only been once, but I know I'm going to learn a ton and really enjoy it. My teacher is great. She really genuinely cares for her students and goes above and beyond. I am in a Kindergarten and First grade Mildly Cognitively Impaired classroom at an urban elementary school. The kids are absolutely adorable and I love them already.
My Thursday was killer. I was on campus from 5:50am to 9:00pm. Longest day ever. We had dryland from 6-7:30am, then I had class all day, then stuck around for a little practice (I just worked on the trampoline since I couldn't make our practice time) then had a little break and then had night class. My breaks weren't long enough to go home, so I just tried to get some work done and caught up with some friends. It was so long though and I was exhausted.
The Lord has been so faithful though. Through all of this. He never leaves my side. Really. Just think about that. He is always there! He is always with me. Amazing! It was definitely a week where I had to keep relying on him, keep trusting him and holding my hands open. I'm taking it one day at a time. I have to keep reminding myself of that.
I also had a fantastic conversation with one of my professors about my placement for student teaching next semester. I'm going to be doing track and the schedules conflict quite a bit. I don't get Calvin's spring break, I get the school that I'm at's spring break, which gets interesting because we do a Track Training Trip over spring break. So we talked a lot of things out about trying to make it work so that I can go. He was so understanding and is really willing to work with me. It was totally the Lord. Nothing is completely set, but we started the conversation and it went better than I could have imagined.
After that conversation I was just thinking about how many people have had to be flexible and understanding with my schedule. It just points me straight to God because there is no way in the world all these people would be so willing to work with me, if it wasn't for Him. His hand is in all these situations and he is paving the road for me. I just stand in awe. He is amazing. He's challenging me and I'm learning a lot. Definitely a situation I love to be in. It's hard while your going through it, but it is so fruitful in the end.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
This Way and That
Time management is something that I would consider myself pretty good at. I have learned how to juggle a lot. I feel like God has called me to many different things and the recurring theme is that if he wants me to do them all, he has to do it. I have learned how to say no to things, even good things, and sometimes that is really hard for me. Right now I feel like I am in a place where I have said yes to too much, but at the same time feel called to all the things that I am doing. I am continually praying for direction and want my eyes to be open to the things that are my desire but not God's desire. I currently feel like there is too much. Too much for a 24 hour day. But then I come to my senses and just surrender it to the Lord. If it is his will that I do all that I am doing, it will all work out. I don't have to have it planned out, I don't have to know what every day brings. All he requires of me is that I trust him. And I do.
I know that I just blogged about all of this, but it seemed to come full circle again last night. I went over to my guy friend's house and hung out. I had a really great conversation with two of my friends. Two guys who I truly love and are dear dear friends of mine. We were just being really honest with each other. I loved it. But it was definitely hard. They approached me about my priorities, something that gets hinted at often, and I knew was coming. It was really hard to hear. Like harder than I would have imagined.
I just get so frustrated and feel so torn. One of them straight out said that I put school before relationships and sports before relationships. I don't spend enough time with them. It's true. I didn't even try to argue. I know that I do, and I honestly don't know what to do about it.
Relationships are really important to me. They are. I love building relationships with people and talking and sharing life. When I am at school I get pulled and tugged in so many different directions I don't even know where to begin.
God is my number one priority. I know that. My relationship with him is more important than any relationship I have ever had or will ever have. Without God I can literally do nothing.
And after number one, honestly, I get really confused. I know that I am called to be here at Calvin College and in the Special Education program. I know that and I am confident in it. It requires a lot. The number of hours put into it are more than the credit hours. One of my classes is a four credit class that requires 11 hours a week, and that's not including homework, reading and assignments. It's a lot.
I also know that I am called to be an athlete here at Calvin, and right now (it very well could change) I feel strongly that God has called me to do two sports, well really three if you count indoor and outdoor. It's new, and different, and I don't know if it's been done before, but if it is what the Lord is calling me to, I'm going to do it. And I'm going to do it with excellence. And honestly, I feel like excellence is where I get in trouble.
Young Life has done a great job of teaching me about striving for excellence. You work really really hard and do a lot of work to make something just a little bit better (even if it's something no one will notice). I want to give things 110%. I feel like I don't know how to do differently. It drives me crazy to know that I didn't do something to the best of my ability. I feel like I cheat God and myself.
So in being called to be a student and an athlete and to be them with excellence, it requires that I get a lot of sleep. I know, this probably sounds stupid that sleep would be such a priority in my life, but in order to do the things God has called me to with excellence, I need sleep. I need a lot of sleep. In my family, if you don't sleep, you get sick. Plain and simple. When I'm tired, I don't practice well, I can't pay attention in class and I am a horrible person to be around. I get grumpy and cranky and it's just not a pretty sight. It is also the absolute worst feeling in the world to me. I hate the feeling of not being able to keep my eyes open and not having the capacity to think clearly. I would rather be sick than exhausted, and getting sick because of exhaustion is definitely the worst.
This is getting long. I'm sorry. I say all of this to say that I'm torn. Because I spend so much time on school and sports I have so little time for other things (yet somehow I have so many other things right now). And because of this, it is my relationships that suffer. It was so hard to hear such a good friend tell me he saw me as a friend, but not that good of a friend because I'm never around. I don't want to leave college without any relationships that are going to last.
Even within the realm of relationships, I get torn a lot. With so little time, which relationships do I choose to put time into? My friends from my floor? or the divers? or the swim team as a whole? or the track team? or the people I live with? What about the other college students from Crossroads? Or my friend from home? Or even my family? Then there are people from camp who I love so much. There are so many good and important relationships that require so much of my time. I feel strongly about all of them too. I want to continue the relationships with the divers who I already know, I would love to help mentor a freshman diver who is juggling so many changes. I love my friends from my floor. I am so glad I was able to build relationships outside of my teams. Yet the relationships on a team are so important. Those are the people that support me through the highs and lows of practice and performance; even just life. There is another part of me that wants to pour myself into the college group at Crossroads. There is something different about doing life with people who hear the same messages as you every Sunday and are being challenged in the same areas. I also live in a very intentional community. We are required to have small group once a week. These are all people who share a passion for sports and I want to dive into these relationships as well. I've already really enjoyed getting to know my roommate better. It is totally the Lord that we are living together. And then there is home. I don't even get the chance to talk to my family once a week. I would love to catch up with them everyday, or call my brother and see how the transition to college has been (something special I feel like we share). Or even my sister. Being 5 or 6 hours off makes it really hard to find time to catch up. I literally have to plan it into my day. And then there is Nick. That's a friendship I've put way too much time into to ever just throw away. Or even Michelle. Such a dear friend and someone I can be completely honest with. And I can't forget about camp. Amy, Brittany, all the interns from this year. Even Zach, Chick and Pierre. It is such brief moments of catching up and I wish I could invest so much more. I could keep going. Really. As much as I would absolutely love for all of my time to be dedicated to these relationships, it's just not reality. It's a struggle.
This is not by any means the first time I have dealt with this. I struggle with this often. Very often. I struggled with it a lot this summer. I would work all day, and seriously need sleep in order to do my job well the next day. But night time is when everything happens. I'm not the typical college student. I can't function off of 5 hours of sleep. Not even close.
Last night just made me really try to reconsider things. But at the same time, I don't want to be seeking the approval of others. Such a hard concept sometimes. Someone who's opinion I definitely care about brings something to me, but I feel God calling me somewhere else. Or is it just that I think I'm supposed to be somewhere else and he is using this person to point something out to me? I just get so confused.
Church today was great though. Community group too. I just had to literally surrender every single aspect to the Lord. I just long for his will to be done. It's so hard for me to not know what that is. I feel pulled in every direction. As I was driving home from community group today I was thinking and praying about all of this. It simply comes down to this. God is my top priority. I know that. And because he is my top priority, that means he gets to figure it all out for me, right? I don't know if that's bad logic or theology, but at this point, I'm just sitting still, in his presence, with my hands open. I don't know what else to do, so I will do all I know how to do.
I will wait upon the Lord. Strength will rise as I wait upon the Lord.
I know that I just blogged about all of this, but it seemed to come full circle again last night. I went over to my guy friend's house and hung out. I had a really great conversation with two of my friends. Two guys who I truly love and are dear dear friends of mine. We were just being really honest with each other. I loved it. But it was definitely hard. They approached me about my priorities, something that gets hinted at often, and I knew was coming. It was really hard to hear. Like harder than I would have imagined.
I just get so frustrated and feel so torn. One of them straight out said that I put school before relationships and sports before relationships. I don't spend enough time with them. It's true. I didn't even try to argue. I know that I do, and I honestly don't know what to do about it.
Relationships are really important to me. They are. I love building relationships with people and talking and sharing life. When I am at school I get pulled and tugged in so many different directions I don't even know where to begin.
God is my number one priority. I know that. My relationship with him is more important than any relationship I have ever had or will ever have. Without God I can literally do nothing.
And after number one, honestly, I get really confused. I know that I am called to be here at Calvin College and in the Special Education program. I know that and I am confident in it. It requires a lot. The number of hours put into it are more than the credit hours. One of my classes is a four credit class that requires 11 hours a week, and that's not including homework, reading and assignments. It's a lot.
I also know that I am called to be an athlete here at Calvin, and right now (it very well could change) I feel strongly that God has called me to do two sports, well really three if you count indoor and outdoor. It's new, and different, and I don't know if it's been done before, but if it is what the Lord is calling me to, I'm going to do it. And I'm going to do it with excellence. And honestly, I feel like excellence is where I get in trouble.
Young Life has done a great job of teaching me about striving for excellence. You work really really hard and do a lot of work to make something just a little bit better (even if it's something no one will notice). I want to give things 110%. I feel like I don't know how to do differently. It drives me crazy to know that I didn't do something to the best of my ability. I feel like I cheat God and myself.
So in being called to be a student and an athlete and to be them with excellence, it requires that I get a lot of sleep. I know, this probably sounds stupid that sleep would be such a priority in my life, but in order to do the things God has called me to with excellence, I need sleep. I need a lot of sleep. In my family, if you don't sleep, you get sick. Plain and simple. When I'm tired, I don't practice well, I can't pay attention in class and I am a horrible person to be around. I get grumpy and cranky and it's just not a pretty sight. It is also the absolute worst feeling in the world to me. I hate the feeling of not being able to keep my eyes open and not having the capacity to think clearly. I would rather be sick than exhausted, and getting sick because of exhaustion is definitely the worst.
This is getting long. I'm sorry. I say all of this to say that I'm torn. Because I spend so much time on school and sports I have so little time for other things (yet somehow I have so many other things right now). And because of this, it is my relationships that suffer. It was so hard to hear such a good friend tell me he saw me as a friend, but not that good of a friend because I'm never around. I don't want to leave college without any relationships that are going to last.
Even within the realm of relationships, I get torn a lot. With so little time, which relationships do I choose to put time into? My friends from my floor? or the divers? or the swim team as a whole? or the track team? or the people I live with? What about the other college students from Crossroads? Or my friend from home? Or even my family? Then there are people from camp who I love so much. There are so many good and important relationships that require so much of my time. I feel strongly about all of them too. I want to continue the relationships with the divers who I already know, I would love to help mentor a freshman diver who is juggling so many changes. I love my friends from my floor. I am so glad I was able to build relationships outside of my teams. Yet the relationships on a team are so important. Those are the people that support me through the highs and lows of practice and performance; even just life. There is another part of me that wants to pour myself into the college group at Crossroads. There is something different about doing life with people who hear the same messages as you every Sunday and are being challenged in the same areas. I also live in a very intentional community. We are required to have small group once a week. These are all people who share a passion for sports and I want to dive into these relationships as well. I've already really enjoyed getting to know my roommate better. It is totally the Lord that we are living together. And then there is home. I don't even get the chance to talk to my family once a week. I would love to catch up with them everyday, or call my brother and see how the transition to college has been (something special I feel like we share). Or even my sister. Being 5 or 6 hours off makes it really hard to find time to catch up. I literally have to plan it into my day. And then there is Nick. That's a friendship I've put way too much time into to ever just throw away. Or even Michelle. Such a dear friend and someone I can be completely honest with. And I can't forget about camp. Amy, Brittany, all the interns from this year. Even Zach, Chick and Pierre. It is such brief moments of catching up and I wish I could invest so much more. I could keep going. Really. As much as I would absolutely love for all of my time to be dedicated to these relationships, it's just not reality. It's a struggle.
This is not by any means the first time I have dealt with this. I struggle with this often. Very often. I struggled with it a lot this summer. I would work all day, and seriously need sleep in order to do my job well the next day. But night time is when everything happens. I'm not the typical college student. I can't function off of 5 hours of sleep. Not even close.
Last night just made me really try to reconsider things. But at the same time, I don't want to be seeking the approval of others. Such a hard concept sometimes. Someone who's opinion I definitely care about brings something to me, but I feel God calling me somewhere else. Or is it just that I think I'm supposed to be somewhere else and he is using this person to point something out to me? I just get so confused.
Church today was great though. Community group too. I just had to literally surrender every single aspect to the Lord. I just long for his will to be done. It's so hard for me to not know what that is. I feel pulled in every direction. As I was driving home from community group today I was thinking and praying about all of this. It simply comes down to this. God is my top priority. I know that. And because he is my top priority, that means he gets to figure it all out for me, right? I don't know if that's bad logic or theology, but at this point, I'm just sitting still, in his presence, with my hands open. I don't know what else to do, so I will do all I know how to do.
I will wait upon the Lord. Strength will rise as I wait upon the Lord.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Trust
Why is it so hard to trust God sometimes? Like I know a better way. How rediculous. I think that I can do a better job planning out my life than God can. Oh, how narrow-minded I can be.
I was just sitting here in my living room trying to plan out the next year and a half of my life. Down to the day. Literally. How obsured is that? I want to know exactly what I'm going to do at exactly what time and what day. I have so many thoughts running wild in my head. Diving, pole vaulting, doing two sports, coaching, work, making money for training trip, aiding, student teaching, my placement, small group, alliance dinners, community group, how long it will take to get ready to teach after dryland mornings, diving nationals, indoor nationals, outdoor nationals, puerto rico, spring break, starting student teaching early, ending student teaching late, interning again at Champion, interning again in general, Chicago semester, traveling Europe with my sister, Thanksgiving break, Christmas break, I could keep going. And going, and going. So many thoughts thrown at me all in one instant.
So overwhelming.
And then I stop. And sit.
And am so thankful I don't have to figure it out on my own.
I don't have to have it all worked out right now (as much as I would like to).
I serve a King that is so mighty and so powerful and WILL take care of my every need. How amazing is that?! pretty stinkin' amazing.
I just look at this, all that the Lord has called me to, and say, "God, but how? you only made the day last 24 hours, how do you require so much of me?"
And he looks down at me and says, "You don't have to it. You have to let ME do it. The only way to keep going is to keep your eyes on me."
And oh, that is the desire of my heart. People tell me I'm crazy ALL THE TIME.
Sometimes when I step back and look at it, I think I'm crazy too. But then I remind myself that it's not about me, I'm not doing the work, and this is what God has called me to do. And I can rest in that.
It's an amazing experience to feel the Lord's peace and true rest in the midst of absolute chaos. He is my shalom and I will rest in Him.
Psalm 46:10
"Be still and know that I am God"
I was just sitting here in my living room trying to plan out the next year and a half of my life. Down to the day. Literally. How obsured is that? I want to know exactly what I'm going to do at exactly what time and what day. I have so many thoughts running wild in my head. Diving, pole vaulting, doing two sports, coaching, work, making money for training trip, aiding, student teaching, my placement, small group, alliance dinners, community group, how long it will take to get ready to teach after dryland mornings, diving nationals, indoor nationals, outdoor nationals, puerto rico, spring break, starting student teaching early, ending student teaching late, interning again at Champion, interning again in general, Chicago semester, traveling Europe with my sister, Thanksgiving break, Christmas break, I could keep going. And going, and going. So many thoughts thrown at me all in one instant.
So overwhelming.
And then I stop. And sit.
And am so thankful I don't have to figure it out on my own.
I don't have to have it all worked out right now (as much as I would like to).
I serve a King that is so mighty and so powerful and WILL take care of my every need. How amazing is that?! pretty stinkin' amazing.
I just look at this, all that the Lord has called me to, and say, "God, but how? you only made the day last 24 hours, how do you require so much of me?"
And he looks down at me and says, "You don't have to it. You have to let ME do it. The only way to keep going is to keep your eyes on me."
And oh, that is the desire of my heart. People tell me I'm crazy ALL THE TIME.
Sometimes when I step back and look at it, I think I'm crazy too. But then I remind myself that it's not about me, I'm not doing the work, and this is what God has called me to do. And I can rest in that.
It's an amazing experience to feel the Lord's peace and true rest in the midst of absolute chaos. He is my shalom and I will rest in Him.
Psalm 46:10
"Be still and know that I am God"
Sunday, September 13, 2009
MAJOR catch-up
Wow do I have a lot of catching up to do. The past couple weeks have been packed with excitement, fellowship, lessons, good-byes and reunions. It has been quite a time of transition and I am feeling settled in as I embark on my senior year of college! How crazy is that?! It has absolutely flown by and I have absolutely loved it!
I have been overwhelmed to try and sit down and re-cap the last few weeks, so I am going to do it briefly.
LEACH FAMILY FUN WEEK
Leach family fun week was really fun. Janelle and I both got back on Monday and on Tuesday we were already headed to Busch Gardens for the day. It was so good to go do something all as a family, and I love roller coasters. The lines were ridiculously short so we got to do a ton! We barely waited in line and literally just walked onto one of the coasters.
We rode in the front for this one and it was awesome!
Love this little guy!
Escape from Pompei!
Such a proud aunt!
Wednesday we just hung out as a family and Thursday we moved Justin into college! It was so fun to be apart of freshman move-in and I am so excited for him!
The whole family!
My baby brother is all grown up!
Friday and Saturday my grandparents joined us and it was great to see them. We just hung out, went to the pool and ate A LOT of Bryers ice cream.
Sunday, my parents, Katie, Jack, Janelle and I all went to New Jersey! The suposidly 6 hour trip took 9.5 on the way there. Jack did absolutely amazing and is seriously the best kid ever. I hope mine are as easy as he is!
Mimi showing Jack how to sleep in the car (she's an expert!) :)
Jack decided he wanted to take the car for a spin
Cousins!
Monday all of us, including my cousins, aunt and grandma went to the Central Park Zoo in New York city. It was really fun. We saw some great animals, but it was also just fun to walk around the city and Central Park.
The whole gang!
My cute little Nan! She is so precious!
Tuesday we went home and the 6 hour trip took 8 hours. Still, not as bad, but still long. There was a change of plans because we didn't want to hit Labor Day weekend traffic driving to MI and on Wednesday, Katie, Jack, my mom and I drove to Richmond. Katie and Jack needed a ride back and my mom and I were able to get an hour and a half under our belts for our 14 hour drive.
Thursday morning my mom and I left Richmond at about 4:45am. I was seriously dreading the drive and just wanted to get there. We stopped once to fill up on gas and go to the bathroom, but other than that we drove straight through. We took the Suburban, so having a 40 gallon tank was great for not wanting to stop. We made it in 11 hours and 23 minutes. I was SO glad to get here!
BACK AT CALVIN
A couple days before we left my parents so graciously asked if having a car at school would be helpful. We discussed the costs of things and I decided it was worth it. So I now have a car at school! What an incredible blessing! So my mom drove down with me and then flew back on Monday. It was so so so good to have her here! She was so helpful and constantly looking for something to do and ways to bless me. We were able to get all of my things together and settled in. We did a lot of shopping, going out to eat and just hanging out. It was so much fun and so amazing! We went yard saling on Saturday and got some great deals and all the things we were looking for. Yard saling in Michigan is so different and so much better than any other place we've gone. I love it.
Monday I took my mom to the airport and then went with a bunch of friends to Lake Michigan. (They call it the beach here, but it's really the lake.) It was so good to see everyone and catch up. I definitely missed everyone this summer. We got back from the lake and went to a bbq at someone's house and then watched a movie. It is so good to be back.
The first week of classes was great. Teacher aiding and diving both haven't started yet, so that has been really nice. I didn't have class on Monday, Wednesday or Friday last week, and I don't again this week. It's been so nice to have that extra time to get things done and catch up with people. They both start on the 21st, so that week may be utter chaos, but what's new?
I'm excited for where things are headed and am so thankful and grateful when at I look back at where I have been. This summer was absolutely amazing and more than I could have asked for. I miss Champion so much and have had many dreams that I am back there and with those people again. But it is also so great to look at where God has me right now. The transition has been smooth (thanks to my mom!) and I am excited for what this year brings. I have to constantly remind myself to walk each day with open hands. It's not about what I think will happen, what I want to happen or what my plan is. It is all in his hands and by the grace of God.
I am going to continue my blog, even though I'm not at camp anymore, and hopefully it will be shorter posts more often. :)
I have been overwhelmed to try and sit down and re-cap the last few weeks, so I am going to do it briefly.
LEACH FAMILY FUN WEEK
Leach family fun week was really fun. Janelle and I both got back on Monday and on Tuesday we were already headed to Busch Gardens for the day. It was so good to go do something all as a family, and I love roller coasters. The lines were ridiculously short so we got to do a ton! We barely waited in line and literally just walked onto one of the coasters.
Wednesday we just hung out as a family and Thursday we moved Justin into college! It was so fun to be apart of freshman move-in and I am so excited for him!
Friday and Saturday my grandparents joined us and it was great to see them. We just hung out, went to the pool and ate A LOT of Bryers ice cream.
Sunday, my parents, Katie, Jack, Janelle and I all went to New Jersey! The suposidly 6 hour trip took 9.5 on the way there. Jack did absolutely amazing and is seriously the best kid ever. I hope mine are as easy as he is!
Monday all of us, including my cousins, aunt and grandma went to the Central Park Zoo in New York city. It was really fun. We saw some great animals, but it was also just fun to walk around the city and Central Park.
Tuesday we went home and the 6 hour trip took 8 hours. Still, not as bad, but still long. There was a change of plans because we didn't want to hit Labor Day weekend traffic driving to MI and on Wednesday, Katie, Jack, my mom and I drove to Richmond. Katie and Jack needed a ride back and my mom and I were able to get an hour and a half under our belts for our 14 hour drive.
Thursday morning my mom and I left Richmond at about 4:45am. I was seriously dreading the drive and just wanted to get there. We stopped once to fill up on gas and go to the bathroom, but other than that we drove straight through. We took the Suburban, so having a 40 gallon tank was great for not wanting to stop. We made it in 11 hours and 23 minutes. I was SO glad to get here!
BACK AT CALVIN
A couple days before we left my parents so graciously asked if having a car at school would be helpful. We discussed the costs of things and I decided it was worth it. So I now have a car at school! What an incredible blessing! So my mom drove down with me and then flew back on Monday. It was so so so good to have her here! She was so helpful and constantly looking for something to do and ways to bless me. We were able to get all of my things together and settled in. We did a lot of shopping, going out to eat and just hanging out. It was so much fun and so amazing! We went yard saling on Saturday and got some great deals and all the things we were looking for. Yard saling in Michigan is so different and so much better than any other place we've gone. I love it.
Monday I took my mom to the airport and then went with a bunch of friends to Lake Michigan. (They call it the beach here, but it's really the lake.) It was so good to see everyone and catch up. I definitely missed everyone this summer. We got back from the lake and went to a bbq at someone's house and then watched a movie. It is so good to be back.
The first week of classes was great. Teacher aiding and diving both haven't started yet, so that has been really nice. I didn't have class on Monday, Wednesday or Friday last week, and I don't again this week. It's been so nice to have that extra time to get things done and catch up with people. They both start on the 21st, so that week may be utter chaos, but what's new?
I'm excited for where things are headed and am so thankful and grateful when at I look back at where I have been. This summer was absolutely amazing and more than I could have asked for. I miss Champion so much and have had many dreams that I am back there and with those people again. But it is also so great to look at where God has me right now. The transition has been smooth (thanks to my mom!) and I am excited for what this year brings. I have to constantly remind myself to walk each day with open hands. It's not about what I think will happen, what I want to happen or what my plan is. It is all in his hands and by the grace of God.
I am going to continue my blog, even though I'm not at camp anymore, and hopefully it will be shorter posts more often. :)
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