Final Days Before Finals

Ladies and Gentlemen, I only have 11 more classes to attend. 1 more day of work. 10 more sleeps in Tibstra 34. And a few more meals in the caf. I'm almost halfway done with my college career. I'm overjoyed that I've made it this far and that the next time I come back, I will be on the decline in slices of pie. (In reference to Grandma Smits' analogy of semesters) However, I'm beginning to get a little sentimental! I have just begun to realize that when I plagued myself with 19 credits this semester, it would result in poor actions on my part. I didn't do enough with my friends, or get to relax and enjoy this ride as much as I would have liked to. I'm disappointed that I missed so much because of my overload of things to do.

When I look at my 13 credits next semester, I think, "I'll have tons of free time!" but then quickly remind myself that it's going to be a tough 13 credits, accompanied with early early early morning clinicals.

So I just wanted to post a little blog to prove my existence during these next 2 weeks.

And here's a little reminder to take everything in stride, it's all happening because God wants it to!

Clouds

Today started out as just another Monday. Went to Micro, learned about pathogens of the cardiovascular system, went to lunch, sat through 1.5 too many hours of anatomy, complained about how hard the last anatomy test was, was thankful that I still passed, and I continued on with my day. I got a wake up call when I opened a text from Nathanael saying that he would be going to the UW for surgery on his neck. He had fallen this past weekend and couldn't shake a sore neck, so he got it checked out today. A whirlwind later, he is at home in a neck brace for 2 weeks.

Thinking he would be in recovery for days, I was planning to see him in Madison tomorrow and emailed my honors prof so I could skip my class at 11. I wrote to her that I received a really dark cloud of news. I honestly was in shock. Nathanael's parents are on a cruise and I didn't know if I would have to quick hop in my car, if his brothers could see him, if my parents needed to see him; I didn't know what vertebrae were hurt/broken/fractured or really anything that was going on. I felt so in the dark being 3 hours away. I worried about surgery around the spinal cord but was comforted that he had endured the suffering he experienced all weekend. I just asked my friends to pray. Nathanael and I had just been talking about God working in mysterious ways and I didn't really know what He was doing here.

Then I wrote that I could see the silver lining. Trinity has OPUS tomorrow-a celebration of learning, so we don't have any classes in the afternoon so I could easily drive to Madison to see Nathanael. Thankfully he is already home so I can skip 6 extra hours of driving and just plan on seeing him when I get back home on Thursday afternoon.

This day has been very mysterious, kind of a freak accident. However, God [not-so-gently] reminded me that every breath of life is in His hands. As I finish my final projects and assignments for the semesters my personality requires that I see the need to see control in my own hands as I complete my sophomore year. God has the plans for my life, that's something I can work on seeing.

A Grand Wednesday

Throughout my education, I've had the chance to spend a day with my grandparents when they are invited to school as we celebrate the blessing of these people in our lives. I always looked forward to having my grandparents visit me and I was so happy when they would help me color and sit with me in class.

This chance continues at Trinity. You see here...

... as BOTH sets of my grandparents were able to visit me today, I'm feeling pretty spectacular and special.

Grandpa and Grandma Smits arrived last night and took Ben and I to Buffalo Wild Wings for supper. Gramps enjoyed his first visit there and loved trying wings! We got back to campus and played our favorite card games at the BBC. Cards are a staple for Smits family activities, Grandpa and Grandma have diligently and patiently taught each and every one of us to play Shanghai and Golf. These games have become so traditional we play after church, on girls nights, at the cottage, and even played on our big family trip to Cancun last Christmas.

Today Grandpa and Grandma Hoffmann arrived and I met up with all four of my grandparents for chapel and lunch. They filled me in on things happening in Waupun and Oostburg; how my great-grandmas are doing and what my teeniest little cousins do to make them laugh on Mondays. I appreciate this, especially because being at school entitles me to even less time with my family in Oostburg and Green Bay than when I was living at home. I am so looking forward to spending time at the lake with both sides of my family. This is the first time my Hoffmann grandparents have seen me at Trinity and I was happy to show them my home away from home-I think they left with a new appreciation for this place, it has sure gotten bigger since Auntie Kiki was a Troll!

All the visitors I get at Trinity bring me one thing every time-cookies.

It seems as if everyone knows I am a sucker for that chocolate chip goodness.

My Grandmas are making sure to keep me chunky! :)

I am so blessed to have loving grandparents that share their love and their knowledge of God's love with me!

Thanks to all my Grandma's and Grandpa's for one GRAND Wednesday!

"They will stll bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, "the Lord is upright; he is my Rock and there is no wickedness in him.""

Psalm 92:14

Math Lessons at Church

A Micro test tomorrow meant going to the early church service at Palos CRC today to ensure a full day of studying. The pastor preached to us about community-it was great, things I really needed to hear. But what really stuck with me was this video that was played during the offering.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35WyG8Q_tSc

We all are trying to change the world and this video emphasizes that when we add, God multiplies.

The past few weeks I studied for the TEAS test, a nursing entrance exam. I wasn't very good at math in high school...okay, I could have failed Alg II, I even had to ask Beefy to help me with fractions and percentages and such over Easter so I could be prepared for the math section of the test.

Besides that fact, I could definitely grasp the idea that when we give a little of what we have, God will take it and multiply it into much greater things. As a poor college student I realize that this doesn't have to be money, mostly because I don't have any, but I can give what talents, gifts, services, and time I have for causes and events that God can multiply.

So what can you add to this big math problem that God will multiply?

PS-I passed my TEAS scoring a 79, basically a nurse right now, someone should hand me my diploma tomorrow so I don't have to take my Micro test. :)

HHH

Hosanna

I woke up on Easter morning with this song in my head.

Ho ho ho hosanna

Ha ha hallelujah

He he he he saved me

Now I've got the joy of the Lord

I can remember singing that in Sunday School and when any little kid sings that now, it brings happiness to me knowing that they can already sing of the joy of the Lord at the young age of 3!
We serve a risen Savior!

We woke up to matching Easter treasures on Sunday morning and matched for church.

 rudith, nelle, beefy

traditional pictures at grandmas house

Happy Birthday

My first little sister turned 17 today. Due to the 4 kids in my family, I don't have a lot of just me and Beefy together. Ma probably found it to be enough trouble to try get 4 kids to take a picture and didn't want to deal with any other variety....shove all 4 of them together, one and done. Simple.

Beefy exhibits many characteristics similar to my mother. Besides that fact, she is smart, stubborn, and doesn't give up on her decisions. She's passed me up in height for years now, insuring me her hand-me-downs and she also has had the same dang cat since preschool. She's pretty hard to get along with my there's nothing that gets in the way of a sister shopping day-except her work at her beloved Christianos. (Drive 30+ mins each way for minimum wage for 2ish hours? Say whaaaaa?) I'll never understand you and your odd ways (goodnight, shower, read, goodnight!) completely Beefy, but I will always remember the night you were born, and I hope you always remember your big sister is always here for you.

first day of school-nice touch with the hawaiian lei there fru...



exploring at Uncle Tonys, I'm surprised we got along enough to take a picture before any attempts to drown you... :)



back in 2010, finally got a new puppy

Hallelujah

Upon my arrival back to Trinity yesterday came a big wave of stresses and emotions.

4 more weeks of classes as a Sophomore. May 10=donezo, finished.

I'm so done with my Stats class (whoever is in my group project, I'll pay you to do my Confidence Intervals...what even are those!?) so done with being away from home and so done with the food in the caf.

Yes, I will enjoy my final few weeks of my sophomore year, but I am looking forward to the successful completion of my TEAS test on Thursday and a letter in my mailbox at home in June telling me I got into the nursing program.

Enough

This past week absorbed me in studying for my final Anatomy practical.
I didn't really do much of anything else, but I sure did think a lot.

For a few weeks now I have been looking ahead to the end of the year. As exciting as it is to have just a month of school left, it's also pretty scary. There are a lot of projects to finish, exams to take, and decisions to be made. I've been frustrated and let down by people, but feel more confident in myself than ever. This saying has helped me realize that I need to stand up for what I want.

"If you don't stand for something you will fall for anything."

Sometimes doing just that will mean dealing with a lot of struggles along the way, but if I don't stand for anything, I'll just be be present...rather than being active.

Lately the words to the Eli Young Band song Enough is Enough have filled my mind as I question what I should be doing in the next year-especially next fall.

I can't lean on you, Cause I'll fall right over,
Can't count on you, It doesn't add up,
This is going no where, Enough is enough

As I learn to stand for things, I find people giving up on me as I lean on them and count on them. What is enough?

Without any coincidence, Good Friday yesterday reminded me that even when people aren't enough for me in the struggles of life that Jesus is, was, and always will be enough.

2 Corinthians 12:9

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

Even in your struggles for standing up, remember Jesus' actions for us. He is enough, His grace/peace/love/understanding/power/youfillintheblank is enough.