37 Days Until Takeoff!

So, the countdown begins yet again! 37 days as of today. It's so exciting. We leave at 5:30pm on Thursday March 5th! Looking at how close it is, there is a lot the team needs to do (because we haven't met since December 17th) and the team is a lot smaller now, as well as having a lot to do in regards to preparing my heart more and being prepared and intentional (meaning being up to snuff with Bible versus and the language) on top of doing well in school and I have a test March 2 in one class, and I'm going to work out the exam for the second class that I'm in because it's scheduled for the day before we would get back to the States. Also, very importantly, I want to know everyone's heart in all of this and the journey knowing we aren't going to be doing the things that we planned on doing. So, if y'all could be praying for all of that I would be so grateful and I know the Father hears those prayers!
The funny thing is that just today I was talking to my roommate and I was saying I was a little worried because I haven't really heard much at all about the new trip, and a few other people I talked to on the team thought the same thing. Well, not very long after that I check my e-mail and the leaders sent us more info and we are still going...and our next meeting is at 1pm February 8th. (The difficult part for me about that is my friend Tselane's bridal shower is at 2pm, so we'll have to see how that'll all work). Anyway, thanks everyone for your prayers and I'll keep you all updated again soon! Love y'all!

p.s., I actually got into the class on Friday/Saturday that I needed to get into.  They did a lottery this weekend and got in!  Thank you Lord!

"hug it out b-awch"

This last week has brought me it's share of ups and downs.  So, in the words of Michael Scott (from the show "The Office") when you have a problem "hug it out b-awch", or in my own way I'm gonna "blog it out, b-awch".  Here's a some of the highlights and low-lights of the week (and what I am gonna choose to do with them)

• I got into one class that I really needed to get into for nursing school; and there is a good possibility that I'll get into the second.  The difficult part about it is that one of them is a Friday night AND Saturday morning class.  The good news about it is that I am loving the classes and am already learning.  If you'd like to know the 9 regions of the abdomen, let me know.  :)  I'm determined to excel in these classes.  However, the downside is that I usually proctor the SAT's at my alma mater once a month on Saturday morning for a good amount of money (which I rely on that nice check) and now I won't be able to the next couple months.
• one of the classes that I have has a test scheduled for when I'm gonna be in India...the good news is class policy states I can ask my teacher and classmates to consider revising the test date...I'd probably have to tell them it's because I'm going to India (and I'm sure that'll spark some curiosity), so hopefully it'll be a cool time to minister and talk about my faith.
• I've been in contact with a nursing admissions counselor at Cal Baptist University, and she was extremely generous and helpful and interested in me!  And she's gonna review my transcript to see if I could apply late to get in this May!  (pray requests for that please please)
• not good news--my car speedometer and gages weren't working (yep, they were all completely on zero, empty, ziltch while driving on the freeway).  Good news-my dad isn't working so he was able to quickly help me see what the problem was with my car fuses.  
• one of the highlights of the week: during the very little time I have to have lunch with a friend, I got to go to UCI and eat sweet potato fries with Tselane (she's the best!).
• got to hang with my family last Sunday, and I had a great time.  But with family always comes some sort of injury...my dog bit my dad because my dad played too ruff with him--dad ended up having to get stitches.  Blessing about it: 1)dad learned a lesson, 2) as I was gonna drive my dad to the ER (because our primary care physician isn't open Sundays) the husband of our good friend Lisa (who is a nurse practitioner) just so happens to pull up at my parents to say hi and tells my dad not to go to the ER because Lisa's at home and she'll stitch him up.  She had everything at their house to clean the bite wound, numb it and stitch it up, and write a prescription for an antibiotic (everything someone in the ER would have done--and I got to watch it, so good practice for me).  We have such great people in our lives!  It saved us a stupid ER bill just for stitches and saved my dad and I about 4 hours in the ER.  Thanks Lisa!
• last Saturday I got to utilize my Disneyland annual pass and go with Kristi and Stephanie...the park wasn't too busy and we went on a lot of rides for just a half day there.
• yesterday I was babysitting this adorable two year old girl, right by my parents house; so, I brought her over because her family and my family are really close (two weekends ago went motorcycling riding together).  Anyway, my parents were acting so cute, giving the little girl sweets and Diet Coke and acting like she was their world and she was so cute that they just wanted to make her laugh, show her cool things and spoil her ( it's no wonder that I love kids).

And those are just the major things.  lol.  (seriously though).  Well, that's my life lately.  But I'm determined to stay joyful, hopeful, not let the joy of the Lord be taken from me and keep going strong! 

Christmas 2008, New Years and updates

Recap of the last week:  Christmas was really awesome and memorable.  We had one Christmas the Saturday before Christmas with my dad's family.  I love hanging with my family... we laughed so much (partly because my aunt had a new camera and after having a cup of coffee my dad tells us "I'm feeling really photogenic right now"... so hysterical).  The crummy part was that two days before I had a cold, was nauseous and threw up.  I was suppose to help out that night at church recording the service on video.  But God so provided; there was an extra person suppose to record with a second video but it turns out that the decision was made to only use one video camera.  The second person said he was scheduled with me the next day but it'd be easiest for him to do the two services that night if I could do the services on Christmas Eve.  So I left and slept for twelve hours and felt so much better in the morning.  Praise Jesus!  

On Christmas Eve, the family went to church and then we have a tradition of eating at Claim Jumper afterwards.  The best part about that was our good family friends (the Ponsfords) ended up coming to church with us and dinner (and they were so awesome to help out my dad with paying for dinner....they're such an awesome family).  Mama Ponsford is a nurse and has given me some good advice about nursing schools (she went to Azusa Pacific, where I wanna go).  Anyway, our other tradition is to open family gifts to each other on Christmas Eve...and my sisters and brother got me awesome and thoughtful gifts.  My older sis got all of us girls matching PJ's which we wore that night.   Then, we slept at mom & dad's that night and woke up in the morning to open gifts from mom & dad.  They got all of us amazing gifts and we so thoughtful and I am so grateful.  Even though the last half a year has been difficult for the family, we were able to pull together and be content with making Christmas about being with each other.  We even made homemade taco's for dinner on Christmas.  (Thanks for all your prayers for my family, and please keep 'em coming!)

It was pretty weird to see quite a few people from the India team at the Christmas services.  We were suppose to have left for India two days later.  It's been a journey even the last couple days since I am home (i.e., not in India).  I have had a few days off lately and have decided to use that time to be doing more research about nursing schools and all that jazz.  It definitely brought up a lot for me about my future and in particular fear.  This past April I applied to the UCI bachelors nursing program and did not get in.  I found out that they had only 11 spots to fill, but that out of one hundred applicants,  I placed number thirty-nine.  It was the only school I had applied to at that point, and it definitely hurt.  Don't get me wrong, I know that it's not the worst thing that could happen, and the odds weren't good to begin with and now I have so many more amazing possibilities that I quite frankly didn't realize before.  However, lately the fear of rejection has resurfacing.  The good part is that I recognize it, I know the falsehood in it, and am not giving into the fear.  One way I am doing this is by being all over the nursing applications and being in communication with the nursing schools I want to apply to.  It's so interesting that simply being at home has resurfaced this stuff, and has caused me to be active in my passion for being a nurse.  It just gives me the feeling that God has a purpose for becoming a nurse, and for the India trip being rescheduled.  It feels so much bigger than myself and God uses everything for good.  So again, thank you all for your prayers through all of these things and I really encourage you all to continue to pray!!!!

I know that this is a somewhat deep blog, but thanks for hearing me out and know that I have joy through all of this and am leaning on the LORD.  On a lighter note, I visited 

the "Magic Kingdom" today (Disneyland) and was able to have fun there (I haven't been in a little over 4 years).  It was a fun way to spend New Years day.  I have some great friends in my life and a great family who love me and are there for me!!!

Oh, and here are some "Happy Birthday Jesus" bubbles to celebrate (even if it is a week late).  I thought they were cute, and interesting to see the way Jesus is marketed (but it does teach little kids it's His birthday, right?