Thursday, February 28, 2008
Oh what a beautiful day...
I haven't made my bed in 3 days
I was asleep before 11:00 last night, but I had so much I needed to stay up and do
Why am I so relaxed? Because today, as of 12:15, I am offically on Spring Break, and I'm stoked. I have seriously worked so hard this first half of the semester, my brain needs a break.
I may take a blog break next week, I may not. It depends on how bored I get:)
If you'll excuse me, I've run out of clean clothes, and there is a mountain of laundry calling my name:)
B
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
My Brazilian Friend
Back when I was in 6th grade, a family in our church hosted a foreign exchange student from Brazil named Maria. Maria came for a year, and while she was here became very involved in our church and was instantly loved by all of the youth(which one was my sister) and by the adults who worked with the youth(which included my parents) so naturally, I came to know her, and just absolutely loved her. Back then, AIM was very popular, and so it was the cool thing to do( at least as a sixth grader) to have all of your sister's friends screen names. So I would talk to Maria, and somehow in some weird way, I recieved her sister Chica's screen name and began talking to her.(FYI--her sister was in Brazil at this point) So Chica and I began to talk more and more, and began a friendship that stretched across the ocean, hoping that one day(before heaven) that we would get to meet. So Maria's time here in America came to a close, but everyone from church continued to keep in touch with her, and I continued to keep in touch with her and her sister. That summer after Maria went back, my sister and some other youth traveled to Brazil for a mission trip with World Changers, and Maria and Chica were lucky enough to be their teams translators. After that trip, Chica began talking about applying to become a foreign exchange student and coming to live with the Baugh's, another family in our church. So we both began praying for God's will to be done. Fast forward two years to my 9th grade year.
After my youth pastor left, plans for a international mission trip began, to none other than Brazil. Not only would I be going, but Chica was going to be one of the translators. At this time, we were still praying that she would be approved to come live in the US for a year and that everything would fall into place. Little did we know that God was getting ready to change our worlds by allowing us to meet each other. So we go to Brazil, and I am stoked to meet Chica. We already at this point know all about each other. We've talked about everything, prayed for each other during their struggles, we had just never met! So when we finally arrive in Brazil, we were finally able to meet, and we were friends instantly. For the two weeks I was in Brazil, we were always hanging out. And we realized, that we were definitly ment to be best friends! While on that trip, we finally recieved confirmation that Chica was in fact approved for the foreign exchange program and that she would be returning to the US at the end of that summer.
We were so stoked! So once she finally came to America for her year, we were honestly insperitable. We did everything together for the most part. We went to different schools, but if we weren't in school or at sport practice, we were hanging out together. As her year went on, we continued to grow closer as friends, and dreaded the end of her stay coming. As it came to a close, we promised each other that we would visit somehow, but that we would absolutely stay in touch. At this point though, there were no upcoming events that would require one of us to go to each other's country.
So fast forward another two years, when Maria is getting married. As much as I wanted to go, it just couldn't happen, so then we thought, I could go down to Brazil when I graduated, sort of as a graduation trip. Didn't happen. So in my mind I thought, I am never going to get to actually see my best friend again. But once again, the Lord had bigger plans, only He was getting ready to carry them out through Betsy, one of my other best friends sister, who just happened to be Maria's best friend from here (the Brittany-Chica story is very very similar to the Betsy-Maria story, I mean seriously close).
Anyway, Betsy went down to Brazil for Maria's wedding in August of this year, and when doing so, had been dating a guy for about 6 or 7 months. At this time, to us it was starting to get serious. While in Brazil, Maria, Betsy, Chica, and the rest of the family made plans that when Betsy's wedding rolled around, that they would indeed make the trip up to Albemarle. This is where I love God's planning. About 2 or 3 weeks after Betsy returned from Brazil, her boyfriend proposed. So we all thought, it will be a year, maybe when they get married, so we didn't get our hopes up of seeing our brazilian friends, and to be honest, I was even confident they were coming. But one surprise after another kept coming my way. First, Betsy decided to get married in March, then almost about two weeks after we find out when the wedding is, I get an e-mail from Chica saying that they are in fact coming up for the wedding. I am crying at this point I am so excited.
It still amazes me to this day how God orchastrated all of this, just through Maria coming to live in America for a year. I am amazed at how God brought one of my very best friends into my life. Needless to say, I am absolutely stoked about picking up Chica and the florist at the airport on Saturday. Though she will only be here for about 10 days, it will be a great visit for all of us, and plus Betsy's getting married!!
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the story of how me and my internation friend actually became friends! I will post pictures of all the events soon! Now, if you are reading this at work, GET BACK TO WORK!
Blessings!
B
I am one productive girl...
I do ask for prayer on one thing. I have a lot of decisions coming up that I have to make, but I'm just not wanting to write about them. But please pray that the Lord will open up doors for me, and that when He does, I will feel his leading, and know that it's His plan.
In other news, my absolute best friend is coming back to the United States on Saturday, and I could not be more excited. Sad thing, she's only going to be here for 10 days. I will blog again and let you into the life of mine and Chica's friendship. It's a crazy, yet blessed friendship that is one that I hold so close to my heart!
Blessings!
B
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Calling All Prayer Warriors:)
I haven't really had a good nights sleep in about two weeks. I was on my way to getting one Saturday night when my phone rang at 1:00am and it was one of the other LA's from the office saying one of our apartment units was on fire. So out of bed I jumped, only to return to my comfy bed around 4:00am. So you say sleep in, only I had to be at work the next day, so I was up early the next morning. With all my work that has to be done, I haven't been to sleep before 3:00am.
I started a new medicine on Friday. That is part of the reason I haven't gotten much sleep, because they new meds don't wear off until late, but when they do wear off, I crash, usually just in time to get a good 4-5 hours of sleep. With this new medicine, I'm not hungry. So you say, oh a good way to loose weight. No....I mean I'm not hungry at breakfast, I'm not hungry at lunch, and I'm not hungry at dinner. I would just go ahead and make myself eat, but nothing is even remotely appetizing.
So in other words, I'm just calling all prayer warriors to pray. Here are more specific ways to pray
--Sleep. My body is so very drained right now. I'm drained physically, emotionally, I'm just about drained in every way possible.
--For me to be hungry. At least for a little something. I need nourishment, but as it is going right now, I'm just not hungry for anything.
--For me to be able to manage my time between all my classes. I have to get better about making a schedule out or something to keep myself accountable.
--For me to just relax. Part of these new meds make me tense up, and stay tensed up. I just get so ansy about getting everything done, that I can't relax until I do.
--I have some important tests/papers coming up, and I need to do well. In order for all that to happen, the above things need to take place.
I'm sorry if you came here to this post looking for an uplifting, or funny post. I'm just not in the mood. I don't have anything remotely uplifting to share today. Sorry for the downer
B
Saturday, February 16, 2008
You can learn a lot from a girl's foot
I went to get a pedicure and manicure Friday as a gift from my mom for Christmas. Since I've been so busy, Friday was the only day I could go, so I went. I thought I had died and went to heaven...well not really, but it was great. It was so relaxing, and I think I surprised the lady at how stressed an 18 year old can really be.
Anyway, homegirl who did my manicure and pedicure is also a reflexologist. As she was working with my foot, she informed me that she could tell that my back was tight, she could tell I had some pressure behind my sinuses (from just feeling my middle toe for crying out loud!) and apparently certain places on your foot can tell you what's going on with your body.
How crazy is all this? I just had to share this. If you are looking for a great way to bless someone you love, or to just take some time to pamper yourself, and you live in or near Albemarle, check out The Works on Hwy 52...it's amazing
Happy Weekend!
B
Monday, February 11, 2008
Monday Evening Mind Dump
Here are my usual random thoughts
--My Grandmother is doing better. Thanks to all of you who have been praying. She is still in the hospital, and they aren't sure when she will be going home, but she is improving everyday. She is still very dependent on the nurses and all of us to do a lot for her such as lifting her, and other things. Hopefully she will be home by the middle of this week. She's getting cabin fever.
--I think I've pulled a muscle in my back. I'm in a lot of pain, no position is really all that comfortable. Laying down hurts, sitting up hurts, standing up hurts. Call me a wuss, but I'm in a lot of pain. I'm just sucking it up though, I have too much to do.
--Work is still going amazing. Pray for us as a staff as we will be spending a lot of time together now that leasing season is upon us. Pray for us to unify, to work together, and for us to get along. If anyone needs an apartment in the Charlotte Area, recommend University Walk. :)
--School is getting a lot more stressful. I have a lot of reading, papers, and notes to catch up on. All of my classes are very reading intensive, and it's not that I am not capable of doing all the work, it's just a matter of making myself sit down, turn all the distractions off, and get it done. Pray for me about this. I really struggled with this through high school and now it is reappearing in college.
--Life itself is good. As far as the minor speed bumps my family had this past week with my Grandmother, life for me is good. I have good roomies, amazing friends, and too many blessings to count.
Have a good Tuesday!
B
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Friday, February 8, 2008
Update #3
Thursday, February 7, 2008
An amazing hero...to say the least
Prom 2007(l-r) grandma, me, grandpa
My grandmother has got to be one of the strongest women I know. In fact, if there is a trait that was passed down to my mother and aunt, and then onto the granddaughters, it was strength. My grandmother is a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a lover of Jesus, a servent, she basically is a living example of the Proverbs 31 woman (except for the whole rising early thing...none of the Faulkner- Noland-Williams women wake up early. In fact, we're quite grumpy in the mornings).
Anyway, my grandmother has been a fighter all her life. Being the oldest of three children, she was married young, and has been married to my grandpa for almost 55 years. Their marriage and relationship is so healthy and funny it's amazing. Anyway, my grandmother has struggled when it comes to medical issues for awhile. Before my mom came along, who is the oldest child by the way, my grandmother had three miscarriages. She even almost lost my mom during her pregnancy. After her kids were grown up, and she became a grandparent, her health issues really returned. I remember when I was about 7 years old, my grandmother having heart surgrey. I remember her being in and out of the hospital every once in awhile for issues with her hearts. Everytime I go to see her, I hear about all her doctors. I don't even know how she keeps them straight. The summer after my junior year, I remember coming home on a Sunday night from All-State and going to the hospital to stay the night with my grandma so that she wouldn't have to be alone. I remember most recently coming home the week before thanksgiving because she was in the hospital with a possible stroke. Talk about terrifying. And now, I sit here at 1:00am in the dark, listening to this amazing woman of God snore because I love her.
Through all these health problems, and all the hospital stays, my Grandmother has remained a fighter. During her stay back in November, I remember her telling me that as they were trying to figure out what was going on, and when they couldn't pinpoint it, she was telling me how during the night when she was by herself, how she was so restless. She couldn't sleep, couldn't get her mind to slow down enough to go to sleep. She told me that she was anxious and scared. But in her very next sentence, she told me how through those hours in the wee morning, when she was so scared, she talked a lot with the Lord, and asked for his healing, and for a peace so strong that she would be engulfed in his peace. And the Lord provided. Just Wednesday morning, before going into surgrey, I heard her say, "I'm not scared"
I wish I could say that I felt the same way. I am scared. I've never seen my grandmother this sick before. She has always been the one to take care of me when I was sick as a child, and now the roles are reversed. But I know as scared as I am, that the Lord's hand is in this. I can see Him at work already uninting our family, continuing to give my grandmother a peace, it's just amazing.
My Grandmother is one of the biggest hero's in my life. As it was just me and my mom sitting in her room with her yesterday morning, I remember the nurse coming in and asking if we were her daughter and granddaughter. As my mom answered I remember looking at my mom and thinking how much she looks and acts like my grandmother. And I know I act like them both. I sat in a room with two spirited ladies, who, if I turn out to be like either one of them, I'm gonna be in okay shape. My grandmother has created a legacy, that she passed onto my mom, and that has been passed down to me.
More to come later....I'm not even tired:)
Night Duty update #1
I'm on night duty here at the hospital with my grandmother. At this point, I could not imagine being anywhere else. My aunt left about 30 mins. ago to go get some sleep, which she despretly needs. She was at home all of 20 mins last night when the hospital called for her to return. My grandmother had an anything but stable night, coming close to earning herself a trip to the ICU. But, SRMC has an amazing staff of nurses here on the 3rd floor, and they quickly got her back to where she needs to be. As my aunt puts it, she restled the alligators last night, and the alligators won.
Today has been a good day. It has progressivly gotten better, and as I type this, my grandmother has been asleep for about two hours. She's sleeping so good she's snoring:) We managed to get her to go for a ride down the hallway today, which lifted her spirits a little bit. I've even been able to manage to get a couple of smiles out of her.
She's settled for the night, but the nurses I'm sure will be frequent visitors tonight. I'm looking forward to it. I would take all the interruptions in the world if it means my grandmother gets back to normal. A little later on I'll post a little more about yesterday, and I'll tell you some more about my grandmother. She's an amazing woman. Until then, I'm going to keep surfing the web while my grandma sleeps peacefully. Say a prayer for us tonight.
Blessings!
B
Night Duty
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Hospital Waiting Rooms
As a family, we are not scared. We know that my grandmother is the hands of the almighty healer. We trust and know that Lord's hand is in this. We trust that He will provide, and we are looking forward to spending her recooperating time as a family. This storm will pass, and we will survive AS A FAMILY. Please lift us up in your prayers when you think of us. The road of recovery will be long, but my grandmother will be in a lot less pain when this is all over. I will share more when I know, but keep praying. Love you all!
Blessings!
B