Hi.

Hey. How is everyone doing? Hopefully pretty good. :) I decided that this blog has been neglected long enough so I am going to remedy that!

As of late, I have been quite busy, between school and taking care of the house and my gram. I am still hanging in there but am definitely happy that tomorrow is my last day of class. Then I only have to worry about three finals and then I will be free for the summer! I'm not too worried about my Spanish final or my Psych final...those will be easy. The chem final however....different story. Oh well. I will survive.

I think the thing that has been the hardest for me this past year is taking care of my gram. Don't get me wrong, I love taking care of her. That is how it should be. It just gives me a fuller plate to handle.

I would really appreciate if you all would pray for me and my gram. She was really sick in Jan and Feb and that really took alot out of her. She isn't bouncing back as well as everyone would like. She keeps getting dehydrated and on top of that, the only kidney she has, which is a transplant, is failing. Her doctor is trying to hold it off as long as possible but it looks like she will be back on dialysis by the end of the summer. It will make her feel better but it will add to my load alot. Please pray for me that I will remember to let God be my strength.

On a different note, I got a summer job! I am now working as a dishwasher in the restaurant part of a local golf course. Very ritzy. I should be able to get quite a few hours this summer so that will be good. I just hope I can keep up with all the dishes.


Something has been on my mind alot since my summer in Mexico. When I was there, I felt really disappointed and discouraged by some of the "Christians" that were working on base. There were so many people that were in a position where they could do sooo much good, they were in the midst of so many hurting people that they could have helped in major ways by the simplest of gestures on their part. The part that really hurt me was that none of them cared. They all had become so apathetic. I thought I was so much better that all of them because I cared about the hurting people and played with all the kids. A few weeks ago, I was reading my blog from the summer. I almost started crying because looking back, I could see that I was just as bad as everyone else if not worse. I have decided that it does no good to live with regrets, therefore, I am just gonna have to do better in the future.

Three days later.....

Yeah...so...I am really bad at actually finishing a blog on the same day that I start it.....

Today was my spanish final. Definitely finished that sucker in 35 minutes. HA!
Tonight I am going to work. Oh! I got a new job. I was working at a little cafe near my house but now I am working in the kitchen at The Turtle Back Golf Course. It pays more than my last job and I will get more hours for the summer. It is a lot more work but I think I should be just fine.

I have to go do some laundry so I am gonna end this thing with a bible verse.
Proverbs 31:30 Charm is deceptive and Beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Dios Te Bendiga!! Abi

P.S. I am planning on staying in Wisconsin for most of the summer but I will be coming home for a bit in the end of June!
P.P.S Here is a picture of me with my gram to make you smile. :) Love you guys!

Fresh Year...

Hey ladies!

I’m sorry that I’ve taken so long to post!  I shall hopefully reform myself.  Right now I’m taking an interim Humanities class, so basically I have one 3-hour class each morning and the rest of the day free.  We’re performing Shakespeare’s Henry V, and I play a character that speaks only French.  The whole time.  I’m kind of dreading that, but I’m sure it will be interesting, too.  Hopefully I won’t completely butcher the language!  We’ve also been discussing the predestination vs. free will debate (the whole, does God choose us or do we choose God), and I would *LOVE* to hear any of your thoughts on it!!! J

I have been getting to know my roommates better during jterm, and I’ve been spending more time with Elena.  I’m really enjoying the fact that my relationships with a lot of the people on my floor and in my classes are beginning to deepen and turn into more than just surface friendships.  At least I hope so.

It’s been a very fun interim—movies, pranks, late-night essay writing parties, naps, ideas—and I can’t say that I’m excited for next semester, when I’ll have a full course load.  It’ll be stressful.  But God’s brought me this far, and given me a bit of a break; I bet he can take me the rest of the way through the year.

I hope all of your New Years are going splendidly!  (Did anyone make any new years’ resolutions?)

--Roberta;)

Bells Will Be Ringing

Hey ladies!

I just wanted to leave a short little bloggy for you guys this week, and wish those of you at school GOOD LUCK on your finals!

Also, I would just like to extend an invitation to everyone to have coffee/tea/assorted chilled beverages and treats some afternoon/evening to those of you who will be home over break ( Im assuming you all will be) I think it would be a great time to catch up and have fun outside of cyber land =]

Everyone would be very welcome at me "Flat", or if anyone else would like to host that would be convenient also. I have plenty of room, but not many seats : p

Thats a bit in the future, so we will decide on a time later on.

Also, I thought Id share a few photos of some recent happenings :]

Anna & I the day she went home (Oct 31st)

Reese & I, one of the four kids I babysit.

Ashley, Ben & Anna after her Baptism (Nov 20th, Also their 1st Wedding Anniversary)

Ericka had Winter Formal this past Saturday. It made me feel SO OLD to be getting my baby sister ready.

We spent Thanksgiving at Ashley and Bens this year :)

Thats me. eating some pie.....

My Christmas Tree!

Have a great few weeks all! Hope to see you soon! Merry Christmas!

-Trudi

A Sunrise

Hey all!  Hope you are keeping warm on these frigid December days and enjoying the beauty of the Christmas season.  I know I already put up a post, but I wanted to share a couple thoughts with all of you before I pass the baton on to the next writer :-).

On the day before Thanksgiving, we closed the doors to our lumberyard, KAL's.  My dad had worked there for about 24 years and my sister for 2-and-a-half, so that place was like a part of our family.  The economic recession had just made it too difficult for our small business to keep up, so we had to say goodbye. 

We really have no idea what the future will hold.  Some days, I'm tempted to think of this season of our lives as a season of sadness and confusion.  Sometimes it feels like we just watched a bittersweet sunset, and now we're lost--wandering through the darkness with no idea where we're going or what will happen when we get there. 

But the grace of Jesus Christ keeps me from feeling that way for long.  God has been so faithful in providing for our every need.  He's provided odd jobs here and there for my dad to work on in this season of waiting.  He's provided wonderful family and friends to support us and pray for us.  And best of all, He's provided the peace of knowing that He is in control.  The same God that sees when sparrows fall and clothes the flowers of the field is the One who planned our days long before we were born.

I still go through moments of worry and forget to trust in the Lord.  But most of the time, I just feel excited. And thankful.  Because my God is able to do immeasurably more than all I could ask or imagine. 

So I'm choosing to view this season in a different light.  I think it's like watching the horizon just before the sun comes up.  You never know exactly when it's coming, or how it will transform the sky.  But you know it will rise. And it will be worth the wait. 

Above is a picture of a sunrise that Julie captured out our kitchen window a couple of months ago.  They say a picture's worth a thousand words, and this one really sums up my thoughts tonight.  

I know a lot of you are going through some major changes and making big decisions these days.  Take courage, my friends!  We serve a mighty God.  Commit your days to Him.  Let Him lead you with His infinite love.  Choose to see this season as the prelude to a sunrise, and then sit back to watch as God paints a beautiful picture in your life.

Much love,

Amy

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hey ladies!  I am so excited to be back on the blog.  To be totally honest, I have forgotten to check it for a long, looong time.  Kayla, I'm so glad you emailed to remind me to post, and I've loved reading everybody's updates.  Trudi, your niece is ADORABLE!!!!  I am so happy for you!  Belle, I loved the pictures.  Thanks for sharing those.  And Kayla, I am so glad you're enjoying your music.

Now I guess I should tell you some of what's going on in my life.  Haha.  It might take less time to tell you what isn't going on in my life, but that could get confusing, so you'll have to forgive me if this post gets excessively long ;-).

There have been a lot of changes taking place around here--some good, some not so great.  I'll have to wait a while to share some of them with you, but I'll start with what I can.  We are no longer taking care of the twins at our house.  I miss them sooo much, but I think it was a good decision.  My mom decided that she needed to be done, since watching toddlers is very draining both mentally and physically, and she doesn't have much energy to spare these days.  (In case any of you didn't know, my mom has been dealing with severe back and abdominal pain for about five years now, and has been through numerous tests, surgeries, and treatments in an attempt to get rid of it.  Nothing has made any difference, so the tests, surgeries and treatments continue to be a part of our lives.  She gets sick pretty easily from medications and procedures, so she has spent many days in bed over the past couple of years.  We are praying for wisdom in deciding what to try next, and we'd appreciate your prayers, too!)

My classes are going okay.  I'm having a tough time in science and my health & drugs class.  Definitely being challenged!  I haven't done real great at focusing on schoolwork this semester with everything that's been going on, so I am thanking God for new classes and a fresh start next semester.

I am loving being on a worship team at church and working with 1st grade girls at AWANA.  I just finished a great Eric and Leslie Ludy study at Hannah Kangas' house, and am learning to give each and every day of my life to Christ.

I guess that's probably enough for everyone to read today ;-), but I'll post again soon.  I miss all of you, and there's so much I want to share with you.  If there's one thing I've been learning lately, it's that this world is messed up, but God is sooo good.  He takes my breath away every single day.  I am blessed.

Love to you all,
Amy

Hey girls!

I'm sorry it's taken me so long to write this post! My life has been incredibly busy as of late, but it's now Saturday, so I have found time to keep in touch with all of you wonderful people!

I woke up this morning to snow for the first time this year. It's even more fun than usual, because alot of people here are from warmmer climates and this is their first encounter with snow. They love it, so it makes me love it more.

Today is Festival of the Bands. A bunch of high school bands from around the state are comming to St. Olaf to play new music and work with clinicians all day, and then in the evening they are going to play in a concert along with Norseman band (the lower audition-level group here) and the St. Olaf Band (my band). I love the music we've been working on, and I'm really excited for the concert tonight! Music is such a blessing. I've been a bit more stressed this year than in high school because of difficult classes and things, and it's been wonderful to be able to go lock myself in a practice room for a couple of hours and just loose myself in the music for a while, and forget about what is stressing me out. I am so thankful to our Lord for such a great gift!

I will be back in Bemidji for the first time since comming here on Wednesday, November 24th sometime in the evening. I'll have to go back on Sunday, so it wont be a long break, but I am really excited to see my family again. I miss them, especially my little sister.

Overall, life is going very well. I just registered for second semester classes, and it looks like I'm going to get everything I wanted, so my schedule should be quite a bit easier and less stress-inducing than it is now, which is great! I hope life is well with all of you!

In Christ,

~Kayla

Anna Grace Anderson

I am an Aunt!

Anna Grace Anderson was born Saturday Oct. 30th at 12:01 PM . 

 

I am so excited ! She is absolutely beautiful!

This is MY NIECE!

Im going to bed now, so I can get up early and visit her!

Happy Halloween all!

-Trudi