Home Sweet HomeS

This is the house I will be calling home starting in the middle of August. I am really excited about how God provided exactly what I needed at the perfect time. It is in my price range, a large house, and close to campus. I will be living with four other girls. Most importantly-two are nurses, one works at the church I plan to go to (www.parkviewchurch.org), and one works for a mission organization I was hoping to get involved with. They all love people, love Jesus, and are super neat girls! How cool is our God?! What a blessing.



This is the living room of the house that I will always call home. I am really excited about how God provided exactly what I needed at the perfect time. It is a beautiful house, in a small town, and has a living room that is perfect for family game nights. I live with my two younger brothers and my parents. Andy is a quiet, kind brother, Pete is outgoing and fun loving, Mom is the woman I want to be when I grow up, and Dad would do anything for his family. They all love people, love Jesus, and are a super neat family! How cool is our God?! What a blessing.

Summer

What has my summer consisted of so far?
Lake Vermilion. Laying out. Reading. Homework. Class. Work. Bike riding. Smiling. Laughing. Playing cards. Fishing. Getting excited to move. Being sad to move. Crying. Bittersweet-ness. Iowa City. DIY projects. Iced tea. Ice cream. Grilling out. Playing with kids. Loving people. Learning.

Wishing riding a bike "was just like riding a bike"

How cute is that bike?!? I have been wanting a bike to ride around campus, and this morning my parents surprised me with a new Iowa tee shirt and that adorable Cruiser bike! The only problem? I am terrible at riding a bike...(I didn't learn to ride one til I was about 9 and got a concussion in the process! haha!) It's been so long, and I don't remember how to ride it...I wish riding a bike was "just like riding a bike."

University of Iowa!

Well, I have decided! In 2 months I will be moving to Iowa City! SO excited for this new adventure :)

Decisions.

Decisions. I hate making decisions. Absolutely HATE it. It has been a struggle my whole life because I am always afraid of disappointment. In the morning it sometimes takes me an HOUR to decide what to wear. And, (no joke!) sometimes I will pack two lunches just in case I don't like the first thing I chose once 12oclock rolls around. It's ridiculous. And today I have to make a big decision. You know just a week ago when I posted all those things about going to Allen College, about how great it would be, and how excited I was? Well, that was before I opened a letter from the University of Iowa College of Nursing, to find that I was accepted to one of the hardest to get in to colleges in the country. Now- don't get me wrong, I'm super excited to be accepted and think it's a big honor! But...now I have to decide what I am going to do. In all honesty, I'm kind of mad at God. I thought I knew for sure what I was supposed to do, and now I have no idea. So, if you don't mind I am going to make a pros list for both colleges...
Iowa:
*college experience
*living in an apartment
*new adventures
*great program
*neat missions group to be a part of
*less expensive
*big city
*lots of new friends
*best hospitals and clinics in the area

Allen:
*closer to home
*stay at Orchard Hill Church
*not have to leave friends/family
*keep working with mission programs
*smaller school
*in my comfort zone

I don't know what to do. I think that God is telling me that either way I go, He will bless it, but I need to start to make my own decisions. Lord, help me! :) The name of this blog (29:11) is in reference to Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you,declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." I am trying to remember that promise as I pray and think through this big decision. If you don't mind, maybe you could shoot up a prayer for me today,too? I'd really appreciate it!

On reading the classics...

My dad has started reading the classics lately, and consequently motivated me to read some of the classic romance novels. So, yesterday I went to Barnes and Noble to pick out a few (they have buy two, get one free classics! :) ). I felt so dignified as I brought Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, and Wuthering Heights to the cash register. Like, I am a real reader...I don't read those silly little books that people try to pass off as true "literature". Now, some of my favorite books are Little Women and Gone With the Wind...BUT (shhhh don't tell anyone my big secret!)
for the most part I love funny, cute books, the kind that you know exactly what will happen as soon as you start reading them, but you read it anyway because it's fun. So, here's to broadening horizons and trying to enjoy books that are very different from what I normally read (and feeling very uppity doing it!) What are you going to read this summer?

Happy First Day of Summer!

Today is the first official day of summer! Unfortunately, I am spending it going to class, work, my other job, and studying...but I only have 3 days of class left and then 2 full months to enjoy all the things I love about summertime! My favorite things about summer (in no particular order) are...
1. Flip flops :)

2. Reading lotssss of books


3. The LAKE!


4. Popsicles


5. Walks at night around town


6. Noooo homework


7. Laying out



8. Movies under the Moon


Hope you have a beautiful first day of summer! What are some of your favorite things??