Long December

Dec. 1 - It snowed a little.

Dec. 3 - Happy birthday to ME!
Dec. 4 - OUCH. The pain in my lower right abdomen started...

Dec. 7 - "Anxiety is the natural result when our hopes are centered in anything short of God and His will for us." - Billy Graham

Dec. 8 - 1st visit to the doctor for the pain.

Dec. 9 - Last day of classes and last minute changes to go home early.

Dec. 10 - Good bye, Chicago. Hello, Emergency Room.

Dec. 11 - After 12 hours in the ER, I finally got to go home. With no answers.

Dec. 12 - Robert and I went to church! I got bombarded with questions and people trying to hug me. Me in mass amounts of pain = don't come anywhere within 5 feet of me.

Dec. 13 - Another doctor. More blood tests done.

Dec. 14 - Lots of sleep and a long walk with Robert.

Dec. 15 - Hanging out in the church office with Robert and Tom. I decided that Youth Pastors are some of my favorite people.

Dec. 16 - Time with Trina

Dec. 17 - Sys Theo, Urban, Media Laws and Ethics = done

Dec. 18 - Decorating the stage for Christmas. I kind of just ordered the guys around.
Dec. 19 - Alicia's Home!!!

Dec. 21 - Horrid night of rehearsal. I actually cried.

Dec. 22 - Epic shopping adventure with Alicia.

Dec. 23 - Painting styrofoam. If anyone needs an object lesson for patience, I just found one!

Dec. 24 - I'm NOT the "tomboy" of the band...

Dec. 25 - Merry Christmas! I'm in a lots of pain.
Dec. 26 - Banana Bread Backstage. Slight meltdown. Then I almost went back to the ER.

Dec. 27 - Larissa, Robert, and I built a ghetto gingerbread house.
Dec. 28 - Spent the day at the hospital. Lovely? Not so much.

Dec. 29 - Spent the evening with Danny, Kendra, Trina, and Viola. I love them. All 4 of them encouraged me SO much that day.

Viola - She talked and giggled at me for 20 minutes. Pretty good for a 3.5 month baby!

Trina - Fun morning running errands and a picnic lunch with lots of hugs!

Kendra - Laughing while listening to the kids talk and eat dinner with Danny.

Danny - Long drive. Christmas music mixup. Lots of laughing.

Dec. 30 - Robert and I took pictures in a cemetery. It's really not as morbid as it sounds...

Dec. 31 - New music on my iPod! Ready for the new year...

ESFP - the Performer!

According to Myers-Briggs, my personality type is ESFP.

Extraverted. Sensing. Feeling. Perceiving.

Attributes that ESFP's (can) typically have:

• Performer.
• Benevolently mischievous.
• Externally processes things.
• Possibilities are endless.
• Loves new people and new experiences.
• Lively.
• Fun.
• Content being the center of attention.
• Easily excited.
• Frequently in the role of the peacemaker.
• Sympathetic.
• Observant.
• Not the best advice-giver.
• Spontaneous.
• Optimistic.
• The world is a stage.
• People pleaser.
• Fun-loving host of life’s continual party.
• Everyone is initially treated as a friend.
• Strong and stubborn judgment.
• Capable of deep dislike.
• Overwhelmed when under a great deal of stress.
• Abundance of negative thoughts when under stress.
• Negative thoughts and stress are not common.
• Pushes away problems.
• Goes with the flow.
• Improvisation.
• Loves applause.
• Hands-on.
• Uncomfortable with theory.
• Attracted to beautiful possessions.
• Appreciation for finer things.
• Team player.
• Fast-paced.
• Enjoys diversity.
• Strongly bonds with certain people.
• Competitive.
• Loves to include others in fun adventures.
• Genuinely interested in people.
• Will shy away from criticism because someone is displeased.
• Doesn’t take stuff personally.
• Not easy offended.
• Indecisive.
• Fear of failing.
• Feels extreme loneliness when alone.
• Flexible.
• Dramatic.
• Jumps from thought to though in mid-sentence.
• Functions well in the mentor-mentee relationship.
• Helps without expecting anything in return.
• Looks “on the bright side”.

High-strung, but not stressed out. Peaceful, but not quiet. Practical, but not systematic.

A few famous people with this personality type are Judy Garland, Ronald Reagan, Marylin Monroe, Bob Hope, and Lauren Barlow.

It seems very fitting for me!

Keeping Me Guessing.

This past weekend I found something that scares me more than snakes. Crazy, I know! Pain. It scares me. Not entirely the physical pain itself, but the uncertainty of it. There’s a good chance that I might have a slow-developing case of appendicitis. Before we all freak out, I said *might*. I’m not at the ER currently but am prepared to go if the pain increases or I start throwing up. I’m not in a lot of pain right now, but over the weekend I was. The pain lasted for a few hours and then went away, but since it did not last or escalate it was not something to panic about. I have the rest of the symptoms for appendicitis and my appendix is swollen and uncomfortable. However, as the doctor told me a few hours ago, before it gets to an emergency state, I will have a few hours of intense pain. The pain is my signal to go to the ER. But I could be waiting a few more hours, days, or weeks. Uncertainty is the name of this game.

So I can’t really do anything about the pain until it comes. That’s what scares me - I'm waiting to hurt.

Since I’m just...waiting...I’m trying to use my time wisely. I’m working on papers, memorizing Greek vocabulary, and attempting to study for finals. And with all the nervous energy I currently have, I'm sure my room will be reorganized a few different times!

I’m a little scared, but...

I know that God’s timing is perfect.

I know that God sees me and my schedule.

I know that God is the great physician.

I know that God is loving and good.

I know that God is faithful.

And I know that God knows what’s going on with my appendix. I just have to surrender.

“Cause I don’t know how the story ends, but I’ll be alright cause You wrote it. I don’t know where the highway bends, but I’m doing just fine cause You’re in control.”

Photo #3: Are You Challenging Me?

I SO owned my suitcase and pile of stuff to pack. I took this picture in October about 20 minutes before heading to the airport to fly back to Chicago.