running in public

Lately i think reality is setting in that i am getting older. sad, but true. i can't really get away with running in public venues anymore. actually i guess what made me think of that exact analogy is because the other day, crystal (my 15 year old step-sister) and i were coming out of the grocery store and we ran to the car. as we were running i said "Crystal! dont run!" i was just joking around, but then i thought about it. when was the last time i saw an ADULT running in the grocery store parking lot? i also am just realizing my adulthood because the other night at the Christmas candle-light service, pastor said "children, blow out your candles..." so all the kids blew out their candles. then he said "adults, blow out your candles..." so, all the adults blew out their candles. i guess i was waiting for him to say "college students..." so i just sat there with this silly grin on my face till i realized that i would fall into the "adult" catagory.
anyway, tomorrow is new years and i have no plans. i think i need a life. i mean, for as long as i can remember i went to the new year's eve service at church...but there isnt one this year! now what? what do people do? any ideas? (you better hurry, new year's eve is tomorrow!)
another random comment: my older sister, dawn, told me i should try eharmony.com. i think she thinks i may not have a chance otherwise and times-a-wastin! well, i will show her. even if i am thirty and single, i will keep my dignity and not use on online dating service! any comments? anybody tried it? any success?

CHRISTMAS IS HERE!

I love my family's Christmas traditions. Every year on Christmas Eve night after the candle light service the fam all gathers around the Christmas tree and we each open one present. then, we all go to bed and santa comes;)
extremely early on Christmas day jim and i (well, now it is bob and i) get up and open our stockings. we then check out the presents in the tree (mom always puts lil gift certificates or something in there). THEN we look in everyone else's stockings to see what they got. after our snooping and shaking of presents we eat candy and color (because santa always gives new coloring books and crayons:)) then we both cover up and nap on the couch till we cant wait any longer...then we wake up mom and the girls! this year was slightly modified but still honored the good ol' traditions that i love. each year as i get older i wonder how my traditions will change. i know that someday soon i wont be able to be a "kid" anymore. i mean, can you picture a thirty year old woman sitting on her mom's couch at 2 AM waiting for everyone else to get up on Christmas morning??? exactly. maybe next year i will begin to phase out some of the hoopla...MAYBE...

WARNING! TOTAL CHANGE OF SUBJECT COMING!

in chapel at school we sang the song i will list below. i have heard this song before - maybe as backround music or whatever, and maybe sang it once. however, i never really listened to it. so, as i was pretending to know the tune i really focused on the words. they are as follows:

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
Till ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
And in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.”

this song is played in public venues - as are most Christmas songs. however, most christmas songs dont address the warfare that is going on between the depravity of man and the omniscience and omnipotence of God. to me, this song says "WAKE UP!" everyone says that all is well...but is it? right now, no. but in the end, yes. God is the almighty King. He is the ruler of the universe and although he allows sin to cause turmoil on earth right now, he will not stand for it in the end!

so, this Christmas day, i wish to say "merry CHRISTmas" and also remind you to WAKE UP!:)
i hope you had a marvelous day!

Hooray for my GPA!

Hey all!
I just wanted to let you know that i got a call from Mr. Cronin (one of the dean's at school). He called to let me know that my gpa was high enough to stay off campus...actually i guess my cumulative gpa only dropped 0.08 this semester. how??? God's grace!
anyway, if i thought i was busy at school, i guess i just didnt know what busy was! this week i have been running from job to job and not even getting to see my family one bit! however, i have Christmas eve partially off, and then the next three days after that off and hope to spend a lil time with the fam:)
well, i guess i should get to bed now, it is 12:15 am and im tired!
have a good one!

I LOVE KIDS!

I love kids - i really really do! when i was younger i always said that i wanted three kids - no less, no more. now, i wouldnt be against having four or five kids. yes, i understand that raising children is not a walk in the park. i spend hours a day with them when i am at home. however, there are moments, every day, that remind me of the tender hearts children have. for instance, today one of my little two-year-old daycare buddies had to get a "time-out" (where he is separated from the group temporarily). of course, he was upset. so after his two minutes or whatever i let him come to me so i could take him on my lap and talk to him about throwing toys (a big no-no). after i talked with him, i gave him a huge hug and he said "love you" in his cute lil two-year-old voice. i melted. i completely melted. even after i had to discipline him, he still loved me! then, tonight one of the daycare parents was taking us all out for a nice dinner. so, before she got there to take us i changed out of my grubby jeans into a skirt, freshened up my make-up, etc. when i came back into the daycare room, another little two-year-old came up to me and said "you look so nice. you look sooo pretty!" how sweet is that? now, my only dilemma is that i have two-year-olds saying stuff like that and i have old men that love me when i work in the hospital...where are all the guys my age????? ah well. i am in no hurry i guess. i have much preparation to do before i get married anyway and i can definitly get closer to God before i start a relationship. well, i guess that is all for tonite...i love kids, i love daycare, i am single, and i love God and want to know him more and more and more and more!
have a stupendous week!

Finally home!

YEAH! Words cannot express the feeling i had when i landed at manchester airport this evening, but im gonna try.
i felt like a little kid on Christmas morning waiting for the clock to jump hours ahead in time so that it would be late enough for me to wake my parents up in order to celebrate.
i felt nervous. i dont know why, but i was a little shakey.
i was grinning from ear to ear. i could not wait to see my family. i love them some much!
i was eager to get to church. i missed all my church friends soooo much! especially susie, pastor, mrs. fuller, aaron, and shannon.
and finally i was excited to see my dogs:) poor abby's health is going down-hill fast. you would never know it, she seems to be in good spirits, but i know. it's almost like she tries to hide it, but we all can see that she is not in the best condition.

so i guess what i am trying to say is that i have never been more excited to come home in my entire life. being here just makes me smile. i love it.

as much as i love it, i am going to call it a night. i begin work at the daycare tomorrow. i cant wait to see all my little buddies (and of course mamachette and pam too! they are the best co-workers anyone could ever ask for and i love them to death!)

caio!

Major doubt

So I am pretty much a relaxed person. It takes something huge to get me shaken up - usually I am just the go-with-the-flow kinda girl. Well not today. Today I am having some "major" doubt. Currently i am enrolled in the nursing program, but this semester i have been struggling with figuring out if nursing is what the i am supposed to do with my life. so, prepare yourself because i am getting ready to ramble. ready? okay.

yesterday when i was studying for my fundamentals of nursing i was thinking to myself "WHAT AM I DOING?! I DONT LIKE THIS STUFF!" that set me soaring on an evening of studying something that i really didn't want to learn. now - remember the name of this class...fundamentals of nursing. nursing....i dont like it? thats right. i don't like it. i mean, don't get me wrong, i love medical stuff. blood, guts, trauma. you name it, i love it. but nursing....eh...i'm just not sure.
so, in the midst of all this doubt i read an email from the dean's office that says the following:

Your current GPA is 1.80 which is too low to allow you to live off campus per the agreement you signed 12/9/05. We are holding your application until the final grades are recorded, at which time we will be able to give you a definite answer. Thank you.

Elaine Haines
Dean's Office

Now, those of you that know me, you know that i am not a bad student. as a matter of fact, up until this semester, i was on the dean's list. now, how in the world can your GPA drop that much??? well, i can tell you that it has nothing to do with my living arrangements. if anything, living off-campus is more conducive to studying. i don't know.
Anyways...THEN, i go into latte this morning and one of my bosses decided to sit down and tell me that i was pursuing the wrong profession and that nursing is not my forte. he said "i can tell that you arent supposed to be doing this. you need to go into business. that is your nature...why fight it?" Wow. my mom and my friends were the only ones who new my conflict.

THEN in chapel this morning mr. davis was preaching on Joseph's character. somehow, he kept mentioning mbbc and majors and changes in life. so needless to say i am going to do some major praying and soul-searching over break.

i guess that is all for now. sorry for the long post! i am usually not this stressed...more relaxing posts in the future.

caio.

I can't believe i am doing this...

Yeah. I can't believe i am doing this. see, once upon a time i had a xanga account (actually...it is still open, but i havent posted in a year or so and if you are really curious you can go to it...www.xanga.com/chen01), anyway i hope this blogging experience is a little more successful! have a great day!