One year and a couple months happened...

... and all I did was write a blog post.

Let's call it a hiatus. (It sounds better than sometimes too busy and sometimes too busy being lazy.)

Now, I'm still hanging out in Iowa working and going to school. But a year has gone past, and I've done some things in that time! 

August:

I worked at the State Fair serving food and whatnot. It paid tuition, and I had fun! Sis was named State Fair Queen. She's gorgeous and smart and talented, so of course. I also attended the Salt Company Leaders' Retreat. It's awesome.

September and October: 

All I can think of is football and volleyball seeing as I worked a lot during the fall. I also spent time with Bible study ladies at an apple orchard and we had so much fun!

Photo stolen from the beauty on the left!

November: 

The group of gals below hold a special place in my heart, and we had a reunion for a short evening. It was the greatest. (And it should happen again, even though it's significantly harder now) Thanksgiving is always the best. I actually spent most of my Thanksgiving break with family and some friends, so it was a good time.

Photo stolen from the beauty in stripes!

December:

The semester ended, and I said goodbye to my sweet, kind, and loving coleader and roomie. She graduated and moved not too far away, so I still see her but not often enough! 

January:

New semester and classes along with a trip with friends over Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. We had so much fun!

February:

I turned 21 and that same weekend got really sick! (Seriously, no correlation!!) Thankfully, my mom was around the area with my sis, and they were able to pick me up and take me home, since I was out of town. If you want a humbling experience, go to a large college ministry event and have your mom pick you up. (Thanks mom!! You're the real MVP!)

March:

I went to NYC for Spring Break! I went as a part of a mission trip focusing on social justice. We worked with Let My People Go, a ministry within the Metropolitan New York Baptist Association. A huge thank you goes out to my home church for supporting me financially and prayerfully!

Photo stolen from the tall guy on the right.
Thanks for showing us a great and heartbreaking time in NYC!

April:

Nothing super crazy happened here, other than organizing a baking party. I love baking for others, so it was fun to bake with others. In a class, a team and I edited and published our first book! I really loved doing it, and it was a huge learning experience.

May:

The beginning of May, I had the honor to baptize three wonderful friends and sisters in ChristThe semester ended, and Sis graduated high school. I went home for about 10 days, including going to the Tulip Festival to celebrate my Dutch heritage, cousin's grad party, cleaning and organizing, attend a 2.5 hour long band and choir concert, a one-hour long athletic awards banquet, seeing Sis's team win District Champs for girl's soccer, hang out with Bro as well as friends, clean more with Grandma and Aunt, set up and take pictures during the party. It was fun and exhausting, physically and emotionally.

One beauty I baptized with our pastor supervising!
Stolen from KJoy Photography.

Photo stolen from the beauty in the middle

June:

I slowed down and took one class while working and leading a new group of gals in Bible study with a strong, gracious woman of God. I got to see my sister compete at the IHSSA soccer tournament. I went home and got to say goodbye to our foreign exchange student (Miss you!!) and go to my town's parade. I tend to steal candy from the kids around me. I also got to visit my friend for her birthday!! Her mom saved some raspberries and rhubarb for me to help make into jelly and jam. It's so good, and it was easy and fun! I definitely want to do that for my own pantry someday.

She's the best. Hands down.

We loved our night in Boji!

July:

Going even slower now that my class is over. I worked at the State Fairgrounds over the Fourth. That was an adventure. I also hung out with most of the fam at the State Fair's Corndog Kickoff. It was so fun! I took a tiny trip to visit family in Minneapolis area. Their new home is lovely, and the people are incredibly gracious hosts! It was so restful.

Um, why is there a gas pump
in the Mall of America?

This corgi is the bomb.
She lives with my awesome extended fam.

August 2015:

I went home for a weekend. And all in one weekend I: picked up my brother, celebrated Grandma's 80th birthday, went to the Okoboji Bible and Missionary Conference to hear Mark Lowry and The Martins (of Gaither Vocal Band fame and they performed this! *not my recording, nor the actual performance), and heard Jimmy Needham perform too. It was pretty rad. I also worked at the Iowa State Fair while sis finished her year as Iowa State Fair Queen and crowned the next incredible woman. In the middle of that, I went to the Salt Company Leaders' Retreat. It was a great time of pause, worship, and friendship. And then school started! I'm in my last semester at Iowa State. FINALLY. 

Stolen from the beauty on the left.
She was in my group 3 years ago and leads, loves, and serves international students now!

September 2015:
School and work kept me busy and often feeling like I'm under water. Thankfully, I got the chance to go home and watch one of my sister's soccer game, hang out with my parents a little, and take my favorite kiddos to the county fair. I laughed so hard that weekend!
October 2015:
October has been fun! Weekend 1: A cousin married and the reception was so much fun! They're such a fun couple, and it was fun to see all the people, especially family, that came to celebrate. Weekend 2: A great group of girls that I have the honor of leading, serving, and loving went to Center Grove Orchard and had so much fun! I love each moment and every silly picture we took! Weekend 3: My sister has a fall break, so she took the first part to come see me! We had fun giggling at 1 a.m. and taking ridiculous pictures at Reiman Gardens. We ended this weekend with peach cobbler made by her. She's the best sister anyone could have. (yes, I'm a sappy older sister. no shame.)

Corn mazed and confused. We made it though!

We have so much fun together!

Upcoming:
The Salt Company Fall Retreat is coming up this next weekend! Please pray that all of us will take this weekend as the gift it is to rest and recharge in Christ to be fulfilled for the rest of the semester.

Well, I suppose I should write more often, so you don't have to suffer through long posts like this. Thanks for reading, no matter how far you got!

Home is...

I've been home more throughout the summer than I have for much of the past school year. I love it! I enjoy going home almost every time. I had the chance to celebrate Mother's and Father's days and see the show my sister was in. I even had a chance to spend time with my grandparents. It's the best. I am so thankful that I have a family that lives nearby as well as gets along really well. But here's what happens when I'm home:

Home is...
... early mornings
... granola bars
... Skyping my brother
... mowing the lawn
... sister time
... TV and/or yard work with dad
... snacking and movie watching with mom
... slow wi-fi
... home church smiles, hugs, and handshakes
... hanging out with my best gals
... laughing so much that I'm crying
... hugs

I haven't taken tons of pictures while I'm home, but it's only because I'm having so much fun!

Are my parents crazy?

In case I haven't told you, sometimes I think my parents are strange. Or ridiculous. Or hilarious. Or inappropriate. Or wise. Or silly. Or sometimes, awesome.

A while ago, I heard a gal say she had never been on a plane or out of the Midwest, much less the nation. To some, this is their norm. However, I was surprised. While I understand many people have not had the same opportunities I have had or share my love for travel, her remark made me reflect.

• I flew in a plane for the first time at age 9.
• With my family, I've traveled to various places within the nation.
• I left the country without my parents at age 13. And again at 14 and 15.
• I flew and left the continent with five people my parents didn't really know at age 19.

WHAT were my parents thinking?!?!?
That they were not going to stand in God's way. 

When I first left the country, I went with my youth group on a week-long mission trip. I was a freshman in high school, the youngest person on the trip.

Let's not judge the fashion, okay?

Again, when I went to West Africa last summer, I was the youngest person on the trip.

Six years later and I'm still pale. Good.

When I told my parents that I was thinking of going on a mission trip for the summer, they were behind me. Sure, they had questions, but they were in step. My dad said that it helped that many things were in order and organized (Shout out to Missions Staff) as well as the fact that I wasn't going to a super dangerous part of the world.

But he also said that he knows God is doing big things with or without you. If God "invites" you do get on board with something, you can say yes or no, but saying yes will take you on a wild ride full of "turbulence." He'll get you through it, and it might not be easy. It will be crazy, and you might even see great, wild "God things."

As my dad and I parted ways before my trip, he told me, "I can't wait for you to go because I can't wait to hear the stories you'll have when you come back."

So mostly, this post is not to brag about my rockstar parents, but to encourage other parents to let your kids go and do great things for God. Your kid and you won't regret it. (And your kid might recognize how cool you are.)

Blessings and birthdays

I made it to 20! How crazy is that?

This past weekend, the fam came down to visit! Our foreign exchange student made it to the Large Group All State Speech Festival!! (I'm so proud of her!) But Friday, sis came and we hung out at an ISU gymnastics meet. It was so fun to have sister time! We haven't gotten to spend a ton of time together, so that was super special.
Saturday we made chocolate chip pancakes (a favorite!) and met up with the parents to watch all the cool acts. We loved watching everyone; they were fabulous! Then Mom and Dad spoiled me! Mom and I bargain shopped. After a while, I went to work. From the play-by-play via text, I'm sure they had fun. They also brought down a few presents and baked goods. My apartment is still in no short supply of sweets! Grandma baked cookies, Dad baked a cake (complete with frosting and funfetti sprinkles!), and Mom baked a pie. I had made brownies Friday night with sis, so we were stocked!
Sunday church was wonderful, and we had plenty of time to eat and clean a bit before I had to be at choir rehearsal before the concert, which went wonderfully!
They fed me again before leaving. It was the best weekend I could have had! :) Thanks fam!!

This coming weekend is the Salt Company Spring Retreat! We'll have almost 700 people there!!! Pray for us as we talk about the Glory of Christ. Everyone is super pumped! (I would say I'll get pictures, but I try to make promises I can't keep)

Birthdays are so fun! Can't wait for spring to come!

Back in the swing of things

School is starting! School is starting!! :) One of the main reasons I love school:

School supplies!! (Yeah, I'm a teacher's kid) :) New binders and pencils and pretty pens that write beautifully. Fresh notebooks ready for print and cursive writing notating all sorts of topics like Spanish and journalism.

What did I do BEFORE school started? (Other than not blog)

Well, I did farm-y things like freeze corn:

 And I had the blessing of babysitting my favorite kids the day before I left! :)






I even got to play hair dresser and give us our perfect "First Day of School" hair do!

I think I have a real future, don't you think?!?

Yeah, we're cute. :)  Every year I miss these girls! They are such wonderful ladies doing such fabulous things! 

First, Last, and Everywhere Between

Goodbye ISU. I'll see you in August! :(

5 Things I'll Miss:
1. Friends that have become family
2. Weekend nomlettes at UDCC
3. Walking almost everywhere
4. Almost daily coffee
5. 10th floor. The view of Jack Trice from my own windows, the view of campus and north Ames from the den, the breeze that comes from being the highest up, the people, noise, ukulele/guitar/voice jam sessions, and my room/door.

I'm home! At least for a while! :)

5 Things I'll Love:
1. Baking and cooking in my kitchen with my mom
2. Doing things with my dad (including, but not limited to: playing catch, bettering my gun skills, learning how to run a chainsaw, learning more about cars)
3. Hanging with my friends from home
4. Driving my car!
5. Seeing the kiddos I babysit --- I saw the two girls today, and the younger one jumped into my arms and gave me the biggest hug! She's too cute! I've missed them both!



Okay, so update on life. This post is past due!

We played with colored bubbles! My friend caught them on a sheet of paper making cool artwork, and I made a mess on my hands! It was Crayola, so it washed off. I totally recommend this for any age.

I was super good and studied outside with my sunscreen! Not a very bad sunburn for me! (I got a little sunburned, though... oops!)

Future bonfire :)

This was taken two days ago. We had a wicked storm come through! My sister, neighbor, and I got stuck in town for a while, and on our way home, we encountered two huge trees that had fallen across the road! This one fell in a way that I could still get around, thank goodness, but it took out the power! Storms always make me think of the greatness of our God and how powerful He is. Super cool!

Are you ready?

For......

because here we go!!

Might I just add that this is
what my bed looked like before I left!

Homemade goodies: Grandma's buns and Chocolate chip cookies!

Pre

Post

Omnomnomnom... get in mah belly!

Broken cookies don't get to be shared!
;)

Just look at these cookies!

gettin' artsy with the
cookie sheet pic! 

All gone! :S (good and bad face)

Now, I'm very sorry it took so long to post all these, but if you take a peek at how beautiful spring makes Iowa State, I think you'll understand. :) My green thumb has absolutely gone crazy with all this beauty!

These are seriously ALL over campus!!

Do you see both of the swans?
Their names: Sir Lancelot and Lady Elaine.
One is on the left right behind the fence post
and the other one is easier to spot on the right.
ISU Secret: They're both male!

Campanile and Central Campus.
So gorgeous!

Daffodils. Daffodils everywhere!

TULIPS!!!!! The Dutch girl in me is going crazy!!

Check out how cool this is!

This is Sloss House.
It has women-oriented things in it
and a fantastic tree in front of it!

I don't know exactly what this is, but I love it!!

Double tulips in cardinal and gold!

Erica's so pretty!

It was so perfect for a dress!

Nobody knows what kind of tree this is,
but it's the most beautiful of them all!

This is a sculpture in the Lagomarcino Courtyard.
How quaint!

Getting artsy! I love the pure flower against the muck in the birdbath.

Mia! Steampunk worthy??
Cool gate also in Lagomarcino.

This sidewalk leads literally from the very north of campus to
the Memorial Union. The endlessness of this path is so fantastic.

Now that you've seen how marvelous campus is, you'll understand why I love college in general.

I've made some of the best friends. Truly. God has blessed me so much!

Last night, I saw that Zondervan (Karen Kingsbury's publisher) would allow me to read the first five chapters to Loving. I told my friends they better not bother me while I read. 

When I heard my door rocking back and forth, I figured they were just writing something weird on my board. I should have known better. 

When I got a picture message on my phone, I had to check it out. They had post-it noted my door!!!

Then I heard duct tape, so I told them they couldn't ruin my pictures (especially of Sleeping Beauty, my fave princess). 

This is what happened.

(yep, keep going. it's worth it.)

You can see the video of me escaping on my Facebook page!

(almost there)

They not only put post its on my door, but literally wrapped
my door with wrapping paper! 

My friends Jimmy and Ryan with their creation.
Jimmy is proud; Ryan hates pictures.