Last night after the Christmas Eve service my family went to, I realized that I did not know all the words to "Silent Night." I mean I know maybe the first verse, but I heavily rely on reading from a hymnal at church when we sing it. This is because my oldest sister who is mentally and physically handicapped really does not like that song. We think it is the minor key that it is set in, she gets sad and upset when it is on. So ever since I was little, as soon as that song came on the radio, we would switch the station, and at church one of us would take her out of the sanctuary when the song started.
Of course, as I've gotten older I've heard the song, and I like the words...this past week when I spent some time up north in the cold and snow, I realized how quiet snow is. It softens everything, dulls the noise of busyness. I like it.
"Silent Night
Holy Night
All is calm,
All is bright."
Even for us without snow and quiet outside, let's all remember to quiet our hearts this Christmas season, and see beyond the busyness of our lives.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Christmas Time is Here!
So I've decided to blog...weird, I know. I'm not much of a writer, and every time I try and start a journal I forget about it. But I figured I would try this out since I'm on my computer so much anyway with school.
Christmas Eve is tomorrow, and I can't believe it. This school semester has flown by, and honestly the entire year of 2009 has as well. This time last year I was in the hospital attempting to recover from major reconstructive jaw and oral surgery. Boy, that was a trying time. After going through an extensive surgery on the 22nd, I was released on the 24th, but ended up back in my surgeon's clinic on the 30th incredibly dehydrated. He pumped two full IV bags of fluid into me in less than an hour. Apparently it was bad--I honestly only remember parts of it. The next four months were trying as well. Let me just put it this way, I am so thankful to be able to chew now, and feel my face. Yesterday I ate an apple straight from the core as a mini celebration for myself--I hadn't been able to do that all year, so that was great.
After my semester at JU, my parents let me go on a study abroad trip to the British Isles for 6 weeks! It was an incredible learning experience and I saw some pretty amazing things, as well as getting to know some pretty amazing people (including my now boyfriend, Michael :) I spent the first three weeks at a university in Ormskirk England which was about 30 minutes (on the train) from Liverpool and Manchester--right in the middle of those two citites. The fourth week I was in the great city of London, followed by a week in Scotland, and ending my trip with a week in Ireland. I could go on and on about this trip (I have over a thousand pcitures!) but just know that it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I feel incredibly blessed to have been able to go on it.
I started my fall semester at JU with a great new roommate, and the company of a new boyfriend! I only took three classes, but I was plenty busy. There were all sciences with labs, and one was Organic Chemistry, which is one of the hardest topics ever to be studied...and boy do I realize why!! I've never really been in a situation where I am completely lost on what the professor is saying, but there were plenty of times where that was the case with this class. But through lots of hard work, calls home, tears, and pep talks, I managed to pull an 81!! Squeaking by with a B, and coming from someone who normally is not as proud of B's, I am VERY proud about this one :) Now I have to make it through organic chem 2 in the spring, and I'll be good! Wish me luck!!
I've continued to be blessed with good friends at JU and I thank God for them! I'm also very thankful for being able to stay in touch with some high school girl friends. I'm not sure what I would have done without my dear friend Jordan this past semester, who was able to be there for me even when she was at the opposite end of Florida as me. But that's what good friends are for, and I know I can always count on her to be there for me.
Yesterday I was able to catch up with all my girlfriends from high school and that was a fun time. Getting six girls together over hot chocolate, tea, and coffee at Starbucks is always a good time! I'm thankful that even though we don't talk much during the school year, we are still able to pretty much pick up where we left off in many senses. We may not know what's been going on in each other's lives, but we always have fun hearing about everything.
Recently boys have been the topic of our conversations, but that's because a few of us recently started dating. So I might as well share about my boyfriend, Michael. We met in the first weeks of my freshmen year (he was a sophomore) because he was my ride to the honors program orientation at the beginning of the semester. I thought he was cute, but nothing went from there since the only thing I really knew about him was that he was a year older. I saw him sometimes at honors meetings, never really on campus, but then this summer, he came on the same study abroad trip as me, and well we both hung out with the same group of people (the JU people tended to hang out with the other JU people) and we just talked a lot in group conversations. While we were in Scotland, we had a lot of time where we just got to know each other very quickly. When I got home to Florida (and he to Minnesota) I asked my parents if I could date him, and well, the rest is history. It's been 6 months now, and this past week I spent in Minnesota with his family in the snow :) I'm excited for our future!
Well this opening blog seems long enough...don't count on the rest being nearly this long!!!
"For unto a us a child is born,
to us a Son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulder...
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Pirnce of Peace. "
~Isaiah 9:6~
Christmas Eve is tomorrow, and I can't believe it. This school semester has flown by, and honestly the entire year of 2009 has as well. This time last year I was in the hospital attempting to recover from major reconstructive jaw and oral surgery. Boy, that was a trying time. After going through an extensive surgery on the 22nd, I was released on the 24th, but ended up back in my surgeon's clinic on the 30th incredibly dehydrated. He pumped two full IV bags of fluid into me in less than an hour. Apparently it was bad--I honestly only remember parts of it. The next four months were trying as well. Let me just put it this way, I am so thankful to be able to chew now, and feel my face. Yesterday I ate an apple straight from the core as a mini celebration for myself--I hadn't been able to do that all year, so that was great.
After my semester at JU, my parents let me go on a study abroad trip to the British Isles for 6 weeks! It was an incredible learning experience and I saw some pretty amazing things, as well as getting to know some pretty amazing people (including my now boyfriend, Michael :) I spent the first three weeks at a university in Ormskirk England which was about 30 minutes (on the train) from Liverpool and Manchester--right in the middle of those two citites. The fourth week I was in the great city of London, followed by a week in Scotland, and ending my trip with a week in Ireland. I could go on and on about this trip (I have over a thousand pcitures!) but just know that it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I feel incredibly blessed to have been able to go on it.
I started my fall semester at JU with a great new roommate, and the company of a new boyfriend! I only took three classes, but I was plenty busy. There were all sciences with labs, and one was Organic Chemistry, which is one of the hardest topics ever to be studied...and boy do I realize why!! I've never really been in a situation where I am completely lost on what the professor is saying, but there were plenty of times where that was the case with this class. But through lots of hard work, calls home, tears, and pep talks, I managed to pull an 81!! Squeaking by with a B, and coming from someone who normally is not as proud of B's, I am VERY proud about this one :) Now I have to make it through organic chem 2 in the spring, and I'll be good! Wish me luck!!
I've continued to be blessed with good friends at JU and I thank God for them! I'm also very thankful for being able to stay in touch with some high school girl friends. I'm not sure what I would have done without my dear friend Jordan this past semester, who was able to be there for me even when she was at the opposite end of Florida as me. But that's what good friends are for, and I know I can always count on her to be there for me.
Yesterday I was able to catch up with all my girlfriends from high school and that was a fun time. Getting six girls together over hot chocolate, tea, and coffee at Starbucks is always a good time! I'm thankful that even though we don't talk much during the school year, we are still able to pretty much pick up where we left off in many senses. We may not know what's been going on in each other's lives, but we always have fun hearing about everything.
Recently boys have been the topic of our conversations, but that's because a few of us recently started dating. So I might as well share about my boyfriend, Michael. We met in the first weeks of my freshmen year (he was a sophomore) because he was my ride to the honors program orientation at the beginning of the semester. I thought he was cute, but nothing went from there since the only thing I really knew about him was that he was a year older. I saw him sometimes at honors meetings, never really on campus, but then this summer, he came on the same study abroad trip as me, and well we both hung out with the same group of people (the JU people tended to hang out with the other JU people) and we just talked a lot in group conversations. While we were in Scotland, we had a lot of time where we just got to know each other very quickly. When I got home to Florida (and he to Minnesota) I asked my parents if I could date him, and well, the rest is history. It's been 6 months now, and this past week I spent in Minnesota with his family in the snow :) I'm excited for our future!
Well this opening blog seems long enough...don't count on the rest being nearly this long!!!
"For unto a us a child is born,
to us a Son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulder...
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Pirnce of Peace. "
~Isaiah 9:6~
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