We Eat Yellow Snow and Like it!!!

It's a snow day in Fort Worth!!!!!

This is what I woke up to this morning.





Thursdays are typically my busy days. I go nonstop from 7:30am - 10:00pm with barely anytime to even stop to eat lunch. As I was getting ready to roll out of bed this morning I was super excited to hear that all classes were canceled and since I work on campus work was cancel as well. Woohoo!

Stephanie and I couldn't help, but take advantage of the snow we received last night and decided to make some snow ice cream.










Ice cream for breakfast... Yum!!




You know it is cold outside when you have icicles on the inside of your window in the morning!

Adoniram Judson's Letter

One of my classes this semester is Women & Missions. A class of only 15 girls. We discuss anything and everything that deals with women and foreign missions. One of our assignments was to research a pioneer missionary women and then give a first person presentation on that person. Last week one of my classmates told the story of Ann Hasseltine Judson, the wife of Adoniram Judson - missionary to Burma. Her story was quite tragic and horrible. All three of her kids died and then she died at the age of 38. But what really stood out to me was the following letter written by Adoniram to Ann's father asking for permission to marry his daughter.

"I have now to ask, whether you can consent to part with your daughter early next spring, to see her no more in this world; whether you can consent to her departure, and her subjection to the hardships and sufferings of missionary life; whether you can consent to her exposure to the dangers of the ocean, to the fatal influence of the southern climate of India; to every kind of want and distress; to degradation, insult, persecution, and perhaps a violent death. Can you consent to all this, for the sake of him who left his heavenly home, and died for her and for you; for the sake of perishing, immortal souls; for the sake of Zion, and the glory of God? Can you consent to all this, in hope of soon meeting your daughter in the world of glory, with the crown of righteous, brightened with the acclamations of praise which shall redound to her Savior from heathens saved, through her means, from eternal woe and despair?"

Surprisingly, Ann's father allowed Adoniram to marry his daughter and take her away. And, sadly she did die a tragic death. Reading and hearing the stories of all of these pioneer missionaries has made me very thankful to be a missionary in this day and age, where there is much more support and help for missionaries. And, thankfully, I could also Skype home and see my family. It doesn't necessarily mean that missionary work is easy today, however it has improved so much since the pioneer days.

We Can Do It!!!

I have recently moved into a two bedroom apartment with a friend of mine from Prague. Living in seminary housing is cheep, but that typically means it comes with its downfalls. Stephanie and I have lived here for a little over a week and have called maintenance multiple times to come fix basic things like the thermostat, the stove door, the bathroom fan, the dripping faucets, and few other problems.

In front of Stephanie's bedroom window is a very overgrown rose bush. Not really a problem except when the wind blows the bush scratches and bangs up against her window. Not a pleasant sound for sleeping purposes. So today, instead of calling maintenance for the hundredth time (a bit of an exaggeration) this week, we decided to take care of the thorny bush ourselves. Despite the fact that we are not equipped with gardening tools. We began with scissors. That quickly failed to chop through the thick limbs of the bush. We went back into the apartment for a better tool and came out with a steak knife. Several cars slowed downed as they passed by our apartment wandering what we were doing.

It took us about 15 minutes to complete a job that would normally take less than one minute with the right tools, but we completed our job. Stephanie's room should be a peaceful place tonight. Only a girl would think to saw through the branches of an overgrown bush using a steak knife rather than just calling maintenance to come do the work. All well, mission accomplished.

A White Christmas for Me

Christmas in my family is never really on December 25th. I can't remember the last time we had Christmas on the scheduled calender day. All of my mom's side of the family tries to get together every year to spend the holiday together. That's close to thirty people trying to make their busy schedules work together and surprisingly we have been able to make it work for most of us for as long as I can remember. This year my family spent Christmas in Ruidoso, NM, a once every two or three years tradition, and with all of the snow Ruidoso has received, it was a good year to go.

My oldest sister Lesli drove all the way from Indianapolis with my niece and nephew and pregnant for the big event.
Their troopers!




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In an effort to help persuade my sister Kelly and her husband Chris that it is time for them to begin having children, Lesli and I gave them a few things they might need when the little ones begin to come along.


To Chris: we gave one of my nephews old baby onesie.


And, to Kelly: she got one of Lesli's maternity shirts, which Kelly quickly returned to Lesli to wear for the remainder of her pregnancy.

Lesli and I are hoping that sometime this year we will be able to begin to give them more of these items for real. We'll see!!
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Besides opening presents, playing cards, and eating way too much, we played in the snow!! I didn't take clothes that were made for snow play, so I only spent a little time out in the winter weather. You would think someone who has lived in Prague would be better prepared for cold weather. Guess I'll never learn! I'm a warm weather girl, what can I say!












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My sweet family! Next year there will be a baby boy in the picture. Yep, Lesli is having a BOY!! And, who knows, Kelly and Chris might just have one of their own to add to the picture as well!

An Overdue Update

Since beginning seminary my blog has definitely fallen low on my priority list. I was a little unaware of just how demanding seminary would be and to add work on top of a full schedule of classes I had very little time to do anything but work and study. So let me briefly catch you up with what is new with me.

I have successfully completed my first semester of seminary. I took 10 hours of classes the minimum allowed for a full-time student. It was plenty!! I think one more class would have been too much. And not only did I just finish the semester, but I finished well. Not just passing grades, but good grades. I'm pleased. I think I'm a better student having taught for three years before returning to school. Next semester I'm registered for 13 hours hopefully that isn't too much. I picked my classes strategically trying to balance easy classes with harder ones.

When I took a break from my studies and work, I spent the time off catching up with friends that I hadn't seen in way too long. I have been blessed with great friends that will drive hours to come visit me for a day or a weekend, and some have come to see me twice! I love you guys - you know who you are!!

My first Thanksgiving home in two years was amazing. My mom and I flew up to Indianapolis to spend the holiday with my sister Lesli and brother-in-law Mark and the cutest kids in the world. I'm not lying they are the cutest see for yourself in the pictures below.


See how excited Zoey is that I came to visit her!


Cutie pie Owen making a silly smile.






Owen didn't want me to take his picture so I tried to convince him to pose with his bear Yomi. He still didn't really want to smile for the picture.

Besides spending Thanksgiving with family another wonderful part was that I didn't have to make mashed potatoes for 70+ people. The two previous Thanksgivings in Prague, I was given the assignment of bringing mashed potatoes to our missionary family's Thanksgiving dinner. I don't really like mashed potatoes and always had ton leftover to take home. This year my sister Lesli cooked the whole meal and it was awesome. I ate a bite or two of the mashed potatoes and was thankful that she made them this year.

I'm another year older! Not sure how I feel about that yet. I turned 27 on December 4th! Crazy how that age seems mature and grown-up, but I feel like I am just now learning what it is I want to be when I'm a grown-up. My mom took me shopping for my birthday and I was thankful I didn't have to buy boring work clothes, because right now I don't have a grown-up job. That is a plus.

Well, those are the highlights of the past few months. I'll try to be better next semester keeping my blog updated, but I can't make any promises. I don't see my work load going down any, but I'll try.

Hope you all have a Merry Christmas!!

Getting Closer

My first semester in seminary is getting closer to the end. I can't say that this has been an enjoyable first semester, but it hasn't been awful either. The Lord has been good to show me that He is faithful always. He has provided financially, with a job, new friends and keeping up with old friends, and a ministry. Though I would much rather serve him overseas or in a local missions ministry He has me here studying. So I am praying that I learn what it is He has for me to know.

So far this semester I have written 9 papers, taken 6 tests, and read too many books (and by read I really mean skim). I only have 4 papers left to write and 1 test left to take. And of course, a lot more reading left to do.



I received the following e-mail from one of professors with this as the subject line "OK – so where are those tests we took?" This is what he wrote:

I am reading through what I have received and am in the process of grading them. I am NOT using the following methods:
(1) Throw the papers up in the air--those that land first get an 'A," the next 'B,' etc.
(2) Longer answers get an 'A,' shorter answers a lower grade, etc.
(3) People who typed their answers get an 'A,' the others a 'B," and so forth.

The method I AM using is to go through the papers, read and assess them, and then try to apply the most reasonable grade possible. Even with two graders, that takes time.

It made me laugh. If longer answer don't get you an A then I spent way to much time on my written answers! :)

Drip, Drip, Drip!!

Drip, drip, drip! That was the wonderful sound I got to fall asleep to on Sunday night.

As I stepped out of the shower on a rainy Sunday night, I noticed it wasn't just raining outside, but it was raining inside as well. Drops of water were falling from the vent in my bathroom. This isn't the first time my roof has leaked since I have moved to Ft. Worth. The previous time was just a month ago. However, in September the leaked occurred conveniently over the bathtub. Thankfully I live in seminary housing and I call them up when problems like this occur.

Rain fell from here...

... down to to here!

The color of the water makes it look like something besides water. Doesn't help that it is sitting next to a toilet either.

In the end, this how much rain water found its way into my apartment!!

Hopefully the problem is fixed, but if not I am getting pretty good at knowing what to do in this situation. You call maintenance!!