21 days!

Happy Birthday KURT!!
I leave for Australia in 21 days! WOWERS! I still have not gotten my VISA yet. I have 21 days to get it. It will work out. (at least that is what I am trying to think) I am getting excited but nervous. Hard to believe I am actually going to Australia.

After my Grandpa died in January I wrote a poem in my journal about him. He was such a wonderful Grandpa and I miss him a lot! I have been thinking about him this morning so I read what I wrote about him. I couldn't help but tear up. I would like to share the peom with you.

Grandpa Jack
I miss you so much.
It is so hard to believe you are gone.
I am so happy to know you are dancing with Jesus right now
Thank you for showing God’s love
I miss you so much

I miss seeing you so excited to see me
Throwing your hands in the air
Wrapping your arm around me
With a huge grin on your face

I loved how you teased me about being in third grade
I wish I could have another conversion with you
I will never forget all the times I had with you
Thanks for being Grandpa!

I will miss your cookies, jello, and of course your pies
I hear you say, “Clean it up”

Every time I drink Orange I hear you saying,
“You can take it home one way or the other!!”
Thanks for everything Grandpa.
I cling to the hope I have in Jesus Christ
One day I will see you again.
I miss you Grandpa!

Please pray for my aunt, uncles and dad as they go through my Grandpa's house. It is an emotional time but a time to remember!
Have a great day!

A month from Today! AHH

I leave in a month. AHH hard to believe! I am really looking forward to it.
Please pray that my Visa comes in time. I have 4 weeks till I leave and I can not leave without it. We mailed it in yesterday so Lets keep praying that it comes in time. I had to mail in my passport with it so I don't have that at the moment. I am nervous but I am trying to keep positive about it.
I have a lot of homework (papers, presentations, handbooks, and lesson plans) that are due in the next couple weeks. I have 2 weeks left of classes then a week of finals then off to Australia!! WOOO It will go super-duper fast!
In other news: I am going to be an AUNT!! I am really excited for it! Johanna and Peter are having a baby in September! AND Erin and Kurt are having a baby in November! I can not wait for the little ones!
Thanks for your continuing prayers!

Real-world

The picture above is of my roommates. It is starting to hit me that we are moving out of our house in 4 weeks. I am going to miss them so much. Even though I am not actually graduating till Dec. I am done at Stout. I am living my best friends. I am leaving the campus, and I am leaving the comfort zone that I know. I am sad but glad at the same time. I am gone with College classes in 3 weeks. I can not believe it. I thought I would never make it. I thought I would never pass the PPST or make it through some classes. But Here I am...going to Australia in 5 weeks to start my first placement! How cool??!?! I am excited yet nervous at the same time. I am really going to miss the times with the roomies, the times of laughter, the times of stress, the times of cries, the times of prayers, the times of cooking together, the times of just being there for each other. I am so blessed that I have met these wonderful girls!
I feel overwhelmed by all the stuff I have to do by the end of the semester but It will get done. It will be the last teacher-tool I make in college, It is the last lesson plan I write in college, It will be the last tests I take it College, It will be the last papers I wirte in college. SO werid. I am overwhelmed but enjoying the lasts of everything.
My boss at my on campus job starting tearing up when I was talking to her today. I didnt know what to say. She went on about how much she is going to miss me and how much she has enjoyed working with me. I cant believe I have worked there for 4 years. It has been a good job overall and part of me is going to miss it.
As for Australia: We got our host families and teaching placements this past weekend. I am living with a good friend of mine over there. I am glad for that! We are living righ out side of Lismore so it will be nice to be in the country. I am so excited and really looking forward to what God has planned for me over there. We applied for our Visa earlier this week because we finally heard from the Australian Govt. We have 5 weeks to hear back. Please pray that we will get it in time!
Thanks!:)

Well, it has been quite the week. I am recovering from being sick (fever, ear aches, body aches, headache, and horrible sore thoart). I slept all day last Friday and Sat.--Which I think helped but still recovering. I lost my voice earlier in the week, and it is starting to come back, still sound like I am sick. Cough syrup really helps!:)
It has been a hard week at Stout. Three students died in a fire....very sad. Walking around campus you can tell that something bad happened. This morning a abhorrent group that preaches hate come to Stout to protest about the deaths. They had some very disturbing things to say concerning the recent deaths on campus and about homosexuality. There was a lot of screaming and police cars around this morning. As my roommate, Heather and I walked to class this morning, we were in shock and immediately started to pray. God was present on Stout Campus this morning. From one of the dorm rooms we could hear someone playing worship songs. I got teary eyed and just thank God for being so amazing, and that he would just Protect all. Having said that: It has been a challenging couple of hours. The topic of Christianity has come up. Pray that I can say the right thing and can stand on what I believe. As the verse in Timothy says, "who wants all men to be saved and come to knowledge of the truth." (1 Tim 2:4). That is my prayer and I pray that I can be a light and show God's love through my actions and words.
As for Australia: I have a orientation meeting this coming weekend. I think that will help calm my nerves a little bit. I am looking forward to learning more about my upcoming Adventure! My mom and dad are coming to Menomonie for that. I am excited for them to come!:) On Sunday evening, we are meeting to go over our Visa Application and to finally apply! I leave in 40 days! AHHHH!
I also should find out where I am doing my Kindergarten and Primary placement for the Fall in the coming weeks! I am anxious to find out!

2 months!

Spring break was good. I did homework. Hang out with molly, mom and dad. Spent time with Erin and Kurt. Went to Eagle River for Easter. That was fun but way tooo short. We also went to Cumberland. That was one of the hardest days ever. It was sooo odd being there without Grandpa, it almost felt wrong. It also was good to be there...it felt like closure, but it is still extremely hard. I miss him so much.
I am still working on getting ready for Australia. I will be there in two months. It is starting to set in...I have sooo much to do. They cancelled the weekend trips that they had planned, because there are only 8 of us going. We have to planned our own weekend trips: I guess that is a bad thing and a good thing. It give me more freedom and I can pick what I choose but also it gives me more work.
I am getting a little nervous about my VISA. We haven't applied for that yet because we are waiting to hear from the Australian Government. please pray for that, that we would hear soon so I can apply and not be stressed about that. Another pray request is money situation. I am trusting God that he will provide....i dont have any $ so it is hard. Australia is a lot of $ but it will be worth it.
I have a lot of homework this week. I have a lot of lesson plans, projects, papers and presentation this week. I dont want the weekend to be over. I spent most of the weekend in the hopstial visiting mom. she had surgery on Thursday. She is home now!! YAH! I hope she continues to improve!
that is all for now...I will keep you updated on the visa situation! Bye for now!

my first blog!!!

This is my first blog!! How exciting! I thought I would do this because I am studying aboard in Australia this summer! I am so nervous yet really exciting! I booked my plan ticket the other day. I do not think it has sunk in that I am going to Australia (the land down under). I feel that God is going to use me there and that he is calling me to go. I am more at peace with the decision. I was sad last night because I didnt get to tell my Grandpa that I booked my ticket. I really miss him. I also really miss my uncle Clinton. I cant tell them that I am going to Australia. It makes me sad.
I am really looking forward to spring break next week!!! It is going to be nice to hang out with the family. I am going to go shopping with Molly and mom, go visit Erin and Kurt in Platteville and go to my Grandmas for Easter. I also have to do some homework but that is fine. I can't believe this is my last semester of classes. It seems so un-real, happening too fast. I am looking forward to having my own classroom someday! The end is sooo close!
Well that is all for now.
Come along on the adventure!