Yes, there is a mountain lion on campus. It has been seen three times this week. Now, tell me how I am going to LOOK BIG when there is a mountain lion starring me down?!?!

Flap Jack

Matt took Jessica, Abby, and me to Flap Jack for Sunday lunch. We felt like we were in a nursing home or something like that. All of the waitress spoke really loud. I'm guessing because most of their customers can't hear what they are saying.
-The booth in front of us had a young couple and an older than dirt guy. The woman was talking about how she isn't afraid of dying because heaven is what is on the other side. Meanwhile, the guy across from her is about to die because he is so old.
-The booth across from us had an old couple. The woman didn't have the strength to feed herself. The husband was trying to feed her but his hand was shaking so bad, he couldn't get it in her mouth. Cute, but funny.
- The booth behind us was the only other table under the age of 75. The couple had three young kids. However, each kid was a different ethnicity.
Wow, it was an adventure!

What a Cutie! Elijah is 2!

Playing with his new bubble gun

Karilynn and I went to Midneight Madness at SAU last night. It was a sad spinoff of MSU's Midnight Madness. Oh, well we had fun at Denny's after!

Matty came for a visit.

Roommates

Me and my roomie, Lydia. We have roomed together for two years!

Make Over

Lydia, Liz, Karilynn and I decided to practice our makeup for Halloween. Karilynn did my makeup normal, but everyone else was either a princess, cat or something else. We had tons of fun!!!



The final Product

Me and Karilynn

The Gang!

Liz and Lydia

Dance Aerobics

Last night we decided to exercise by dancing. At school dances I was the one that held up the walls by leaning against them, but last night I had fun!

Liz

Lydia

The Gang

Karilynn

Shake it like a polaroid picture, shake it, shake it...

Chicago

This past weekend I went to Chicago with an SAU class. We saw Chinatown, Indiatown, and the Mexican community. The funnest part was free time downtown. Emily, Kazia and I walked around and of course shopped. There were many scary moments, but definetly lots of fun. I'll post pics later.

Quotes from the trip:
"Beep at a gang member and wait to see what happens." ~Kazia
"If I were homeless, I would eat you bird." ~Josh

Karilynn & Me

What would I do without her?!?!?

Birthday Weekend

So my birthday weekend wasn't exactly what I expected...
1. I stepped on a nail in the barnyard. I now have a hole in my foot.
2. Matt decided to slam on the brakes and spill a full Orange Hi-C drink all over my car.
3. My CD player in my car stopped working.
4. I got into the wrong car after church. I couldn't figure out why my car door wouldn't unlock. It helps if you try the right car.

Sometimes I Forget How Weird This Place Is

First of all, my roomate Lydia and I are sitting in the Dining Commons. A older woman walks in with a horse riding uniform. She is wearing a tank top, tight pants, boots, and spurs. The whole deal! Her pants are so tight, you can see everything. With the straightest face, Lydia says, "My friends call that cottage cheese!" We could not stop laughing at the woman and how Lydia said it.

Then Karilynn calls me to tell me a really weird guy called her room. He was asking her strange questions and was being really creepy about it. I told her to tell campus safety. About an hour later, Karilynn got a call from the head of campus security. They had traced the number to a construction worker working across the street from her room. He was fired immediately. How scary is that!

Back to It

Back to the arbor for me. I started classes today. I found out I am going to Chicago in two weeks with my core group. That should be pretty sweet. We are going to eat at different culture's restaurants. Then we are going to a play and the Magnificent Mile. I can't wait.

And then I found out that my Aunt Gayle passed away this morning. Although it was expected, it was a reality check. God has our timing, not us.
Since no man know the future, who can tell him what is to come? Ecclesiastes 8:7

Good 'ole Dansville

Wow...the hour and a half Dansville parade was an experience!

1. Miles of tractors show up to be shown off
2. A beer bellied man was wearing a too tight stars and stipes tank top
3. Not only were horses in the parade, but Llamas, goats, and oxen
4. A high school reunion with the gang
5. A tractor held up the parade because it broke down and had to be towed by the other one
6. In front of the gas station someone parked their John Deere tractor

As I walked through town I could imagine coming back in 50 years with my family and showing them where I grew up. Then they would understand how crazy people can be.

Quotes from Brandon...The man who ran into the tree

"Do you want to play unltimate frisbee...oh wait."
"I've got this hair thats like blinders. I'm like a horse, I can't see anything on the sides."
"My arm looks extemely long today."
"I kept reading the same word over and over, then I would write a word and forget what I was writing."
"I saw my guitar and touched it to make sure it was mine."
"Someone asked me how my car was after I ran into a tree. I said there was no car, I RAN into the tree."
"What is a concusion? The nurse told me, but how would I remember?"

Poor guy...maybe he should get back to bed. Or take less medicine.

In my Gospels and Acts class, we have been studying the Sermon on the Mount. "Your're familiar with the old written law, Love your friend, and its unwritten companion, Hate your enemy. I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respnd with energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created sleves. This is what God does..." (Matthew 5:43-47)

When discussing this our professor asked us if as Christians we should be fighting in the war right now. Shooting our enemies; is that going against Jesus' command to love your enemies?

I am not sure what to think of this. I think it is different if we go into it for the protection of others. Hmmm....somethin' to chew on!

365 Days Ago..

Wow, I don't really know where to start except for I have been doing a lot of thinking today. It was a year ago to this hour that I was in the emergency room after a motorcycle accident. At first I did not really think into it. I figured it was kind of ironic that we would hit a dog in the middle of Lansing. Later I was to the stage that I couldn't believe God would allow this to happen to me. This was supposed to be the biggest year of my life. I was going to finish my track season as the captain of the team, walk down the aisle at graduation, and then head off to college. My dorm room was paid for at MSU. My plans were set. God had a different plan. He was going to stretch me physically, emotionally, and spiritually. And that he did.
Showing weakness is one of the hardest things for me. I had to sit back and watch my sister have loads of fun her last few days of high school with our friends, sit on the side lines of prom with my crutches as my only date, watch everyone zoom by me as they were planning our open house, and much, much more. Instead of being at school with my friends, I was lying in bed. Of course it wasn't too bad when they were all studying for finals, I was playing Go Fish with Ethan. (We became pros at card games)
Becaue of the small campus and my sister attending Spring Arbor University, I decided it was the place for me. I knew I was going to have a second surgery over Christmas and the smaller campus would make life a bit easier. I am sure Jess sometimes hated everytime I asked her for help, but she never showed it. (God may have stretched her as much as me!)
At first I did a really good job of putting on a mask, that nothing bothered me. After a few weeks into college I realized I put on the happy face for too long, hoping no one would really notice how much I hated not being able to participate in everyday activities.
Hopefully life will sometime get back to normal. This week was an encouragement because I was able to run for the first time. In two weeks I have a doctors appointment so I can get a knee brace. Then I will be able to play volleyball.
I thank God continuously for even being able to walk at all. I realized I took for granted being able to take a single step. That also reminds me of the amazing family that stuck with me and still does when I am having a bad day. Mom and Dad filled up my ice packs and gave me medicine at the craziest hours at night. I don't think they got much sleep for a long time. My mom always said she "became one" with my leg. When I was having a bad day, Mom and Tricia would make me laugh by saying, "You'll be alright!" They knew it would make me smile.
Through all the tears and questioning I have learned to keep trusting God. He is in control of my life.

You know you go to a Christian college when...

Only at Spring Arbor University would there be a Root Beer Kegger Party!!!

Here's Your Sign!!!

Today was registration day for 2005/2006 academic year. The doors opened at 8:30am. I got in line at 7:00 and was about 15 people from the door. When one of the registration workers walked by he asked, "So, who was the first person here?" Duh, wouldn't the first person here, be the first one in line? Here's your sign!

My New Favorite Song

My Glorious-
Delirious?
The world's shaking with the love of God
Great and glorious, let the whole earth sing
And all you ever do is change the old for new
People we believe that

God is bigger than the air I breathe
The world we'll leave
God will save the day and all will say
My glorious!

Clouds are breaking, heaven's come to earth
Hearts awakening let the church bells ring
And all you ever do is change the old for new
People we believe that

My New Baby

This is the new arrival on our farm, Cooper. He weighs 96 pounds. Last night I was supposed to give him his shots, I pulled the cap off the needle, and freeked out. I couldn't hurt him. Then we had to give him his ear tattoo and ear tag. It was really sad. But he is super cute and really nice!!!

WOW!!!

Today was officially, "Beat up on the Country Girls".
~First of all, I was telling Shauna my weekend plans.
1. Mow Fairways
2. Attend a pig meeting
3. Dig up irrigation heads
4. Fill steers' water tanks
5. Wash my steers
"Wow, you country folk are way superior to us mediocre city people." ~Shauna

~ Second, Jess, Lydia, and I decided to do sit ups in my room. We don't like to listen to the
cheesy work out music on the video tape, so I play my playlist off of Windows Media. My
favorite country song comes on, "Little Moments". This is kind of a love song, so its slow.
"I don't think I have ever worked out to country music." ~Lydia (my roommate)

I guess not everyone loves country music (tricia:). That's all right. I'll stick to washin' steers and listening to my awesome country music.