Nursing, Nursing, Nursing!

I just registered for the Certified Nursing Assistant program at BTC for Winter quarter. Excuse the short post, but I am so, so, so excited!

New Plans: The College Update

This might not be a super interesting post, but it's all about my newest plans for schooling. As you all (probably) know, I'm going to school for Nursing. I'm not in a nursing program yet, and Western does not offer a program which is a huge bummer. So I've been looking into schools that I can transfer to.

Here is the new and improved list:

West Coast:

University of Washington

Northwest University

Seattle University

Seattle Pacific University

Whatcom Community College (don't really want to go here, but I'm applying anyways)

Biola University

East Coast:

New York University

Pace University

Cochran School of Nursing

Westchester Community College (Also don't want to go here, mainly because I would only receive my Associates degree, and I really want to graduate with a bachelors.)

So. That's the list thus far. Some of these schools are incredibly expensive. NYU? Like 45,000 buckaroos a year. Yeah right. So if I end up deciding to go to some of these schools, I'm hoping for some prayer partners to make it happen.

My new MacBook

It's sleek, shiny, thin, awhh. Beautiful. I somewhat impulsively purchased a new MacBook this past week, and I love, love, love it! Reese likes it because of the Photo Booth application. Last night she and I took about 75 pictures on it. I'd like to share the highlights. There are a couple cute ones, but there are some disastrous ones too... Reese just looks so funny in them!

A Perfect Afternoon

Let me paint you a picture. I would ask you to close your eyes in order to see it better, but for obvious reasons, that won't quite work.

I am currently sitting inside the Woods Coffee in downtown Bellingham, typing on my beautiful new MacBook. I'm wearing a summer dress with cute black stockings underneath, and a long sweater over top. I have a scarf on, too, and my trusty "jingle flats," as I lovingly refer to them, are on my feet. I'm drinking a warm nonfat vanilla latte that is in a for-here mug. (Much better than the to-go cups. I'm working on slowing down, remember?) Oh. And one more thing. John Mayer is singing "Gravity" in my ears and I love it. Now, right here, in this moment. I am content. Oh so very content.

Contentment seems to be this crazy, radical idea that is always just out of my reach. I love my life, and I always have. I'm happy, and I feel like I always have been. But contentment just seems to never be approachable. But awhhh let me tell you. Today, I have discovered it. I've been thinking about Paul, and how he says "I have learned to be content in every situation." I love The Message version:

"I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am."

Okay. How beautiful is that?! Love it.

So. Right now, I'm content. And man oh man, am I loving it.

This kind of has to do with this post, but not really.

These kids are the lights of my life.

These kids just bless my life so much. So much joy. So innocent. They add to my joy for life.

Be Still.

"Be still and know that I am God."
-Psalm 46:10

Be still.

Quit the worrying, quiet your heart, and just be still. Stop talking and over-thinking. Just. Be. Still. Take a breath and listen.

And know that I am God.

The Prince of Peace. The Solid Rock. The Good Shepherd. The Creator of All Things. The Alpha and Omega. The Beginning and End. The One who was, and is, and is to come. The Lord Almighty. Maker of Heaven and Earth.

"Be still, and know that I am God."

New York: When Tino Came to Visit

I have about a million pictures of my family in New York; Sorry, I should specify. Not my family, per se, but they've pretty much become it. All those pictures are on my second camera though, and I have yet to upload them to my computer. That blog post will come another day.


For now, I have pictures from my point and shoot, which are pretty much only of me and Tino from when he came to visit! We had so much fun. The first full day he was in town, the two of us went on a 25 mile bike trip. What a blast. It was gorgeous out, and we really loved being able to catch up after missing each other for 3.5 weeks. While it was sunny and beautiful for the first 19 miles, we hit a major rain/thunder/lightning storm on the 2oth. At this point, we were crossing a bridge over one of the reservoirs. I gotta say though, we embraced it. We were laughing and enjoying the rain. It was dumping, and in a matter of seconds, we were completely soaked. Oh well. We got good pictures.Can you tell? We are completed drenched.


Besides the bike ride, we went into the city twice. Once in the daytime for like 7 hours, and then later in the week at night. (Left around 5, had dinner, walked around Cental Park for a couple hours...) Very fun. And we spent lots and lots of time with the Kleins. It was a lovely trip.


We played frisbee in Central Park.... And I was wearing my new cute Target dress! Woohoo!

I have this problem. I don't have a husband or any cute kids to blog about (which really isn't a problem at all, come to think of it...). But this makes me wonder what interesting things I could possibly write about. Most of the blogs I read are either cute little families or amazing superwomen-type folk like the Pioneer Woman. And you know something? I just don't fit into either of these categories. Therefore, it's been two months since I've blogged anything which is just pathetic. So here I am. Back in action.

Today was my first day back at Western. I walked through the Arboretum to get to school, and from my house it only took 12 minutes! This is exciting news. I walked it four times today, and am thankful that I got to enjoy some peace and quiet in between classes. I used my morning walk as a prayer walk, and prayed specifically for my sister and her munchkins. (It's Reese's 3rd birthday tomorrow, so she was on my mind.) I also took time to thank my Jesus for my generous parents who are blessing me with the gift of an education at Western.

...Then I started to think about what I am thankful for. It wasn't hard to make a list...

I am thankful. I am thankful for the beautiful colors of the leaves and trees. I am thankful for the view of the Bay on my walk to class. I am thankful for my friends- faces that I haven't seen in months, lining the fountain in Red Square. I am thankful for freedom. I can make my own decisions. I am thankful for the gift of relationships. I am thankful that I get to serve at my church. And tonight, tonight I am thankful that I have a constant friend in Jesus. I may not get to see Jesus in skin form, but I see him everyday. I saw him at my worship night tonight. Friends gathered in a basement to sing praises to our God; to pray for one another and for our campus. I saw Jesus in Tino. He blesses me everyday and spreads Jesus' love. I heard Jesus in my mom's words today. She looks out for me. She cares for me. She wants me to succeed in all areas of my life. Today, I am thankful. I am thankful that the people around me spread the love of Jesus. These people really are the hands and feet of Jesus.

I just had a little baby Bible study over the phone with T. We read some of what Paul spoke to Timothy. "Flee from all of this, and pursue righteousness, godliness..." So, as I begin my Fall quarter at Western, I plan to pursue righteousness. I plan to pursue godliness, and to live a life of life. A life that is truly life.

I'm inspired by the Word of God, and I'm ready to fight the good fight of the faith on my campus.