Spending time with family!

Christmas... I love it!! I had a wonderful Christmas being with my family!!! Christmas eve, I opened gifts with mom and my brothers , relaxed and just did nothing. Christmas day was spent with my mom's side of the family. It was funny to watch 3 yr old Leila tell the story of Jonah and then with her grandpa and dad acting it out with her. LOL.
Today, went shopping to get after Christmas deals!! Oh, the joy of shopping with mom!!!! :) I love my mom and we always have fun together!!!
Then, we went car shopping again!!!! Its so funny how every car salesman wants to sell you their car. One of the guys said, I'll even give you a free tv if you buy the car today!
Remember me in your prayers that I find the right car if the Lord's will!

Just think 2009 is around the corner... I want to do my best for the Lord in the coming year!

I love Christmas time!

Christmas is less than a week away!Wow!!!!!
Although, I wish I were home with family but I'm still in Cincinnati working ... Today, I was thinking I love Christmas! As I was driving around Cincinnati today, I was enjoying all the wonderful Christmas lights!!! I love this time of year but don't like the cold! But acually today we had a high of 60 degrees. It was blissful, awesome, wonderful!!! I love it and enjoyed every minute of it... but tonight its getting colder.
I think all my Christmas shopping is done which is awesome!!! So glad I don't have any last minute shopping to do that I know of!
Oh, by the way I'm all moved into my apartment! Sorry, I never get around to putting pics on here. Its really awesome to be out of the dorm but on Monday when I was leaving the dorm and sleeping at my apartment for the first time... I gave Ms. V my keys and she hugged me and the tears started to flow... then I hugged my brother and cried more. It was so weird to give my keys to my dorm room and mailbox key ( I have had that key for over 4 years) to Ms. V and thinking I'm leaving here and starting a new phase of my life. But one thing I do know is that God is in control and He holds my future!!!!

Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and remember the reason for the season!!!

Merry Christmas !!!!

Finals

The last week of school is here and finals start thursday.
All my classes are coming to the end as I finish my last assignments. I just want to praise God and say that He has been so faithful to me over the past years of college!
Now, I'm sitting here wondering why in the world I'm still awake... but thankfully I don't have to stay up all night... I'm going to bed as soon as I finish!

It snowed!!!!

This has been an interesting week. I was busy with school and other things in life! On, Wednesday in chapel, President Avery dismissed us to go have donuts and coffee in cafeteria becuase of all the end of semester stress. That was so awesome... donuts are yummy!
This weekend is the GBS Christmas program and my family came down to see it.
We got to spend time w/ my sister after the program and Saturday went to the Newport Aquarium and saw a penquin up close and also Scuba Santa. We then ate lunch w/ my Uncle which we had a great time together!!! We also went to the Conservatory!!!! They have beautiful pointsettas this time of year. But I forgot my camera!!! ugh... thankfully, mom had her camera!
And to top it all off, we got several inches of snow today!!
Its beginning to look alot like Christmas!!!! Snow just adds the added effect to put people in the Christmas mood!!!
Merry Christmas!!!

~Thanksgiving~

It was so good to be home. I enjoyed it so much. Thanksgiving day was spent with family on both sides. One my friends wrote me an email and in that email she said I hope you have at least 5 things to be thankful for this thanksgiving season. So, I just sat and started thinking of 5 things... and realized I had so much more to be thankful for - the list could go on! God is so good to us!!
On Friday, I got up at 5am to go shopping with mom which was really fun. After some shopping, we went out for breakfast. Then, went back home for a little and then we went out shopping again. lol.
I also got to help put up our Christmas tree. This year, its a snowman themed tree. Its so pretty, I love it!
I also did some cooking and baking... I made some really good Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cookies. It was a new receipe that mom had found and we all really liked the cookies!! yum yum
Now, I'm anticipating Christmas and all the joys of the season!
Most of all, I don't ever want to forget the reason for the season. Jesus came as a baby and then one day die on the cross for our sins!! It's so amazing that Christ did this for us.
Christmas is my favorite time of the year; I have been listening to Christmas music for quite awhile now.
May you all enjoy this special time of the year!!!

God is working in my life!!

So, I thought its been way too long since I've last blogged. God has been working in my life so much... I just have to praise Him for everything He's been doing. He's been especially teaching me to trust him and its not always easy.
Most of you know that I'm done with school in December and I've been praying for God's will for what I should do next... well looks like I'll be staying in Cincinnati... God has provided an apartment for me... and if things work out a full-time job as well!!! So, I'm praying that if its God's will I will get this job... so I'm trusting Him that he knows best.
In the meantime, I have been extremely busy with school work and it seems to be very overwhelming at times!!! But, the end is in sight and I'm very grateful!!!! I can do it through God's grace!
I'm so ready for Thanksgiving break... one more week I can do it!!!

My 23rd Birthday Weekend!!!!

I was able to go home for my birthday. It was so good to be home and I had so much fun! I wanted to bring friends home to join the celebrating so Elizabeth Enyart, Sharonna Mitchell and Christy Fiskeaux came for the weekend and Sam came home too!!!
Friday night, was the Annual Fall Hayride at the Coles. We had a great hayride... especially because I was on the wagon that didn't throw hay. I enjoyed looking at all the stars... God's creation and His beauty just amazes me! We also went on a corn maze... some people (we won't name names)tried to scare us but they didn't scare me. ha ha. The weather was so nice... we also enjoyed time around the fire and roasting marshmallows!!!
I also got to go shopping at J.C. Penny's , visit the Smucker's store and Sunny Slope Apple Orchard. If you remember in a previous blog... I wrote about going to the orchard... Well, I got to go and sample apples and we got apple cider. yummy.
We then decided to go bowling... this was my first time bowling... and I really liked it. I can't wait to go again! After bowling, we went to Starbucks... we had some good times.
Then, we stayed up late watching movies. Another added bonus, we got an extra hour of sleep!
Sunday, was my 23rd birthday... wow how times flies... It was nice going to church and seeing all my friends but most of all to worship God. I miss all the people back home! After church, we came home and had a wonderful meal my mother made... It was so good. Then, we had birthday cake. It was chocolate cake and we had rocky road and bumpy road ice cream. Then, I opened my gifts...
Later my cousins came over... it was so good to see them.
After supper, it was time to head back to Cincinnati...
All in all, it was an awesome birthday and extra fun weekend!!! Thank you to all who wished me Happy Birthday and made my day special!!!

More pictures from the rally...

~McCain/Palin Rally~

Yesterday, I had the priviledge of going to the McCain/Palin Rally here in Cincinnati at the Lunken Airport. Let me just say it was awesome... it was worth standing for four hours!!

After the speeches were over, John and Cindy McCain walked pasted where we were standing and I got to kinda shake John hand and shook Cindy's hand... As John walked past us, my friend told him that she was praying for him and He said "I appreciate that". It was such a neat experience. The secret service was everywhere but it was so cool!!!! Sarah Palin and her husband didn't walk pasted us... so we didn't get to shake her hand.

I also got to shake Gretchen Wilson's hand but who cares about her. lol.

Fall

I have heard so many people say I love fall...I love this time of year. Well, I can't say that I totally love fall but I do enjoy fall in my own way such as leaves turning colors, hay rides, pumpkins, apple cake pie, apple cider, colby cheese and apple butter ...
One thing, that I look forward to during the fall, is going to our local apple orchard at home and taste testing apples. You can try as many as you want. We then choose what kind of apples we like best and purchase a bag to take home with us. The bees love the apples and so there are lots of bees!!! That always makes for a fun time!

~ Homecoming weekend ~

Well... Homecoming was this weekend and Friday night was alot of fun!!! I helped out with a booth so that took alot of time that I usually spend on homework. But, it was well worth it!
Saturday morning, I went out for breakfast with some friends... It was actually lunch time by the time we got to IHOP but we thoroughly enjoyed our breakfast food at lunch time!! After that we went shopping, and we had lots of fun spending money. Then, I took a nap and hung out with friends while doing homework! My Sunday was spent going to New Life church and doing kids klub in the afternoon.
Today, I read Isaiah 40 and verse 31 stuck out to me " but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. "

This semester has been really busy with classes and one that I am really struggling with and this verse really spoke to me that God will give me strength to finish this semester with God's help.

Henry visited me today!!!

This morning, I was getting ready for class and low and behold I look over on my wall and saw a centipede. I would have screamed but thought I'd spare my neighbors since it was like around 6:30 am!!! I even thought to take a picture of Henry the centipede so i could show u how big he was. Then, I quickly grab a shoe and tissue and squished him to pieces. Then, I ran to bathroom and flushed Henry down the toliet. Needless to say, it was a very exciting morning for me. It is not every day that I find Henry's on my wall.

Isn't God amazing ?

I can't believe we are at the end of another week. This week has just flown by. This week seems like I just studied Biology or maybe I really have. My mind feels like it is so full and overflowing with information about Biology and still so much more to learn. I have another test tomorrow. yickes. I am amazed as I study that God made all of this. Isn't God amazing? So, I challenge you if you are ever doubting that God is God and that God created everything ... study Biology and you will be so amazed that God is the one who designed it all!!!
I had lots of fun at work today with madeline. When we were outside playing she would often grab my hand as we walked. It was so cute!!! She also loves to read books and almost every time she wants to read she will bring a book to me and acknowledge that she wants to sit on my lap. Lately, she is really starting to gabber. I think she has started to say "chell" for chelle but I'm not for sure. Another thing, she loves to do is put on shoes... she will find my shoes or any shoes that are around the house and put the shoes on. Her mom told me that she has even put on her high heels. lol.
Above are some of the pictures I took of her today.
Hope you all have a great weekend. I must run and study some more Biology before heading to bed!!

Start of a new week!

Today, has been a good day so far. God has been with me and I praise Him for that.
On my way out the door this morning, I thought today was Wednesday... because I was going to preparing myself for what would happen in chapel. Only to realize later that today was Monday.
Later this afternoon, I had been outside and only to walk up the stairs and open the stairwell door to 2nd floor. For those who know, I live on 3rd floor not 2nd. So I quickly closed the door and walked up the stairs to my floor. Now, I think I have totally lost it for today. lol.
Tonight, I have Biology Lab... pray I don't blow anything up. ha ha