Thanks

Yesterday was Thanksgiving, and of course I must do the obligatory thankfulness post. I'm thankful first and foremost for Jesus. I have my days that I'm totally in tune with what He wants, and days where I could care less, but I know always, ALWAYS, that he loves me more than anything and that makes me feel so special!

Right after Jesus, I'm thankful for my friends. These are a unique group of people who range from loud and outgoing to quiet and reserved. Some are mega smart and some are just normal (like me!). Some are ambitious, others are content. Some are artistic, others are athletic. Some are great at communicating, and some suck. But all of them make me the happiest girl ever. I know that I have several dozen people who honest to goodness care about my life and what direction it takes. I know there are at least a few who have the guts to stand up to me and challenge my beliefs, thoughts, and actions. And because of what God has done through them, I am a better person.

Also, I'm very thankful for the daily things we take for granted. Safety. Toilets. Heat. Water. Money. Good food. Computers. Internet. Pictures. Clothing. Movies. Coffee. Gloves. Soap.

And there is a category I wouldn't have mentioned last year--the police force. I am SO thankful for the wealth of information about not only the job I want to do, but also life in general that I have learned from being an Explorer, talking with officers, going to Academy, and riding with officers. Going to Academy was literally one of the most life-changing moments I've ever had. I know I can do whatever I set my mind to--whether I feel like it's possible or not.

Yay. Happy Thanksgiving!

The day before

Tomorrow at noon, my dad is picking me up for Thanksgiving break. YAY! Alex and Brittney left this afternoon, along with most of our podlings, I think. So Hollie and I decided to have dinner and watch a movie. It was funtastic. I love Hollie. She's like........well I don't know how to describe her, but she's awesome. She goes home on the weekends, so the entire time I've been here I haven't gotten to know her that well, but now that I am, I like what I know :)

It's just weird trying to pack to go back to my house and my empty room. This feels like home. And I know my empty room won't. But the plus side is that my extended family is coming over for Thanksgiving! YAY! And then I get to hang out with Jill. And I forgot the best part--MARS HILL ON SUNDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm a little excited :D

My goals for the week are to finish my reading and talk to Caroline. Because I miss her. And that's all folks! Next time I blog I'll be back on the hill!

snow, snow, go away, come back after Wednesday

All of Washington has been getting snow. We've had snow several days. However, it's never stuck around like this before. I went to see the school's production of Urinetown (excellent, by the way) and when I came out, it was already sticking. I'm guessing we'll have an inch within the hour. The bummer would be that it's Sunday. So I'm supposed to go to church tonight and classes tomorrow and Tuesday. If it keeps snowing, I'm not going to be able to go to church because I walk and it's so cold and slippery. And walking to classes is just going to stink.

But I guess as long as it goes away so that I can go home for Thanksgiving, I'm ok.

Here I go again

Well hello. Sorry I've been gone so long--college is just THAT busy I guess!

I have to say that I love Ellensburg. I don't like some things about it, like that it's so small and that there really isn't anywhere to go shopping/there aren't a million Starbucks around, but I love the quaint college town feel. I love that you can drive from one side to the other in 5 minutes and that when it's snowing it looks like one of those perfect small towns in the movies.

Jill and Kirsten and Mary have all come to visit since the last time I posted. It's so funny to me because when I'm here, I feel like this is MY school. I've been here 2 months, and I feel like I've been here forever. Living in a dorm definitely has its downsides--including hearing EVERYTHING that goes on in the rooms around you. Sometimes it's hard because I would love to get to know people in other rooms, but I'm sooooo busy. But I've tried a little.

I've been on another ride with campus PD, and I'm going on another one after Thanksgiving break. Hopefully next quarter, when the work schedule changes, I'll be able to keep riding! The officers I've met are really great! We had some action on my last ride, and they just keep getting better :) Over winter break I'd love to ride with our officer advisor who was on maternity leave while I was in the post, and some of my TACs from Academy. Our advisor said the more departments I can ride with, the better....helps you get to know what you want to work with.

Classes are all pretty easy. I've written a million papers, but since writing has never been a problem for me, I don't mind. Next quarter I'll have more Law and Justice classes than Com classes, but I think that'll be fun! The only bummer is how crazy busy I'll be. But I found out that one of my friends from class this quarter will be in both my Com classes next quarter! Yay!

I'm definitely looking forward to having a break, though. Over Thanksgiving break, I'll have SO much to do! I'm going back on Weds afternoon/evening, Thursday we'll probably be at my grandma's, Friday I'm going Black Friday shopping with Jill (for my first time!), Sunday is church with Mary, seeing Em, and then Jill's for a fundraiser, and at some point I have to fit in editing a paper for a friend and going to Janda's raisers' house to show them what I have done for her scrapbook! Like I said, busy week!

I found a good church, and next quarter one of my podlings and I will be going to the campus ministry. Jesus has been so good, and is definitely working in my life. Especially in the little things like getting along with a co-worker I don't like. Someone once said pray that God will give you patience until he changes them, or that he will give them patience while he works on your heart. That's what I've been praying. I listen to the Mars Hill podcasts every day when I run, and they're just so good. And so convicting!

And now I am going to watch a movie and just enjoy being caught up in all my classes :)

the ridealong and what happened after...

I haven't blogged in a while, sorry :(

Since I last posted, Jill came to visit for my birthday weekend. It was SO good to see her again! I was just like she'd never left. At least that's how I felt. She and Brittney and I went with my family to dinner. It was very very nummy. :)

I signed up to volunteer with ASPEN which is a battered women's shelter nearby.Volunteers basically go along and help be there for people in domestic violence, rape, assault, etc. cases. I figured that since I want to go into LE, it would be really helpful to know what the victims are dealing with and maybe know how to help them feel more comforted. So I start training for that on Monday. I have 2 weeks of training and then I can start shifts! My roomie is signing up to volunteer, too. If she passes her interview then we'll get to do it together.

Last night I went on a ridealong with campus PD. It was SO SO SO SO great! We had way more action than when I went on a ride back home. But the increased amount of activity was partly due to the fact that I rode 2200 to 0120. So of course, people are doing dumb things late at night in a college town. There was a situation that happened nearby where a bunch of freshmen were drugged at a party. (http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/10/09/hospitalized-washington-state-overdosing-unknown-substance/) I didn't realize how big of a deal it was until the officer I was riding with said that CWU PD was getting called to go help out, so he had to cut my ride short. But the awesome thing is I was listening to radio traffic and heard a lot of what was going on, so I know way more about it than any of my friends. But with the whole "confidentiality" thing I can't release details that haven't been in the news already.

The press has been all over our school, trying to get us to talk about it. Every dorm is actually having emergency meetings about the situation, briefing us on what they know, and asking us not to talk to the media. After dinner, we ran into two reporters who asked us our opinions on the whole thing and I tried to be really vague and make it clear that I didn't want to be on TV (one dude was carrying a camera). It's just a really sad situation. Really sad.

I don't really have any other news. I mean, stuff happens all the time but I can't remember most of it. lol.

I'm a Barbie girrl in a Barbie worrrld

It's probably time to write an update. The weekend starts on Friday morning for me. :D I don't have any classes at all on Friday and just work. I can't even tell you what I did. It was kind of just a chill day. Oh no wait. I spent a good hour working out, worked, and then hung out with Alex, Brittany, Katie, and Emily. We watched a movie...and then yesterday we walked around Eburg, got frozen yogurt, and watched another movie. :) Today we drove to Costco in Yakima and I got cookie dough and fruit snacks! (next on my list is a tray to bake my cookies on) I don't think we have any plans for tonight...probably just finish my reading that's due Tuesday. Maybe get dinner at some point. Been back in Galatians which is good. Kinda over my head some nights. But I'm looking forward to listening to Mark Driscoll's sermon online tonight.

We are wild and young/and we have just begun/slow it down/these should be the best days of your life

Today I laughed so hard that my abs hurt. They literally ached. That might be partially due to the fact that on Fridays I don't have any classes so I slept in late and spent an hour in the gym, but it also partially has to do with the fact that Alex, Brittney, and Katie are just fantastic. Alex is my roommate, Brittney is our suitemate (who was also a friend of Alex's from last year), and Katie is a friend of Brittney's from last year. Yeah, life in Eburg is slow. But it's kind of nice at the same time. We'll see if I still think that after the weekend lol.

Thursday night I visited Fuel which is the Campus Crusade ministry. It seemed nice enough..I've just been spoiled with the hardcore preaching at Mars Hill. I think I'll end up going back. It's the only campus group that doesn't meet on Tuesday nights and I have a class on Tuesday nights this quarter. I gave my name to the girl who's leading the women's Bible study in my hall so there's potential for good happenings. Now I just need to find a church.

Work sucks. I've never had a good boss in any of my regular jobs and this job is no different. Ok that's not true. Half of the time I have a good boss. I just get annoyed because first of all, I'm new. So don't get mad at me for standing around because I thought everything was done since you never taught me I had other jobs. Also, if you see me slacking when there is work I know that I need to do, then I'll accept a lecture. But when I'm actually working and you come over and give me a list of things to do like I'm just playing around....that just ticks me off. Especially since there are half a dozen other people around me who AREN'T doing their jobs. Finally, don't take life so seriously. We're college students. We're running a cafe. It's not the CIA, people's lives aren't compromised if I'm actually talking with my customers. But it's a job and LOTS of people around campus are looking for jobs so I feel blessed to have it.

And it was beautifully sunny this afternoon. I just adore most of the weather here. We'll have occasional sprinkles but it's still sunny while it's sprinkling. It was cloudy one day, but other than that I don't usually need a jacket during the afternoon.