One Down & Four To Go

As of 1:53 this afternoon exams are over and I am officially finished with my first semester of nursing school! So that's one semester down & four to go! (spring, summer, fall, and spring again)

1st day in the uniform, including no makeup since I was headed to a bathing lab :) Fun day!

The past sixteen weeks have completely changed my life! Nursing is becoming part of who I am & another lense that I view the world through.

First day wearing the stethoscope

 Its hard to believe that it was only this summer that I was anxiously waiting to begin this journey. And now I've spent eight weeks in a nursing home and then eight weeks working at the hospital.
and loved every.single.minute!

My clinical group. These guys were awesome!

I'm off for the next three weeks and so happy for a break!
Although, come January I will definitely be ready to get back to the grind of exams and hospital visits!

Happy Birthday, Elizabeth!

Happy 11th Birthday, Elizabeth! 

I can't believe how fast you're growing up ... you're becoming such a sweet young lady!

I love you! 

When my fingers touch the keys ...

Music has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. 

I love to play and can sit at the piano for hours. 

This is because of Mrs. Horn and it all began when I was seven ... 

 My mom told me one day that she wanted me to start taking piano lessons. I wasn't thrilled about the idea then, but now, I'm so thankful she insisted I was going to at least try piano for a while. 

My first teacher was a lady we knew from church, Mrs. Susan Clark. And I took from her for about a year before her family moved. When she left, Mrs. Susan suggested Mrs.Lois Horn be my new teacher. Again, I wasn't thrilled with the idea, but I found myself going to her house every week and quickly realized she was SERIOUS about music. You see, Mrs. Horn was Mrs. Horn and she didn't mess around. If you weren't willing to count, work hard, count some more, and put your best effort into the music, she wasn't interested in being your teacher. She poured her heart and soul into the music and into teaching. 

She was a wise woman and she's taught me so many things over the years. 

My fingers have always loved fast, bangy pieces and I tend to play them like a freight train about to run off the tracks. Mrs. Horn was forever insisting that I "reign that adrenaline in" and use a metronome.

She purposely gave me slow, soft pieces and told me "anyone can play loud, but only the best can play softly." 

I remember when I was about sixteen I was in love with Chopin Nocturnes and had talked Mrs. Horn into teaching me to play one of my favorites. After a few months, I was still struggling with playing the piece with enough emotion. Mrs. Horn looked at me that day and said "I don't think you'll be able to play this piece properly until you're at least forty; you won't have experienced enough of life until then."  

Through the years, Mrs. Horn became not only my beloved piano teacher, but also a sweet friend to our family. When I first started taking from her, it was only Madeline and I. 

I remember being so excited when Elizabeth was born to take her to meet Mrs. Horn for the first time.

 Then a few years later, Jubilee, was brought for her first visit. 

And finally NoraJane. 

She loved seeing the girls every week and watching them grow up. 

The years rolled by and eventually Elizabeth began coming for her own lessons. 

For the last three or four years, my mom drove Mrs. Horn to dialysis every week after our lessons. Her health wasn't always the best and we missed lessons every now and then because she was in the hospital. 

I remember being surprised when she got out that she was still going to teach. A few years later, her eyesight began to go and she became blind in one eye, but she still kept teaching. Even after the dialysis shunt in her arm rendered her unable to play anymore, she still kept teaching. Mrs. Horn was a fighter and it didn't matter if her hands could no longer glide across the keys like she wanted them to, she loved music and wasn't about to give it up. 

She had a will of iron and there were so many days when I wondered how in the world she was still with us. 

I was awed over and over again by her stamina and willingness to share what she knew and loved with those around her. 

--------------------------------------------

On Saturday, my mom got a call telling her that Mrs. Horn had died. 

I was shocked and a little dumbfounded at the news.

Mrs. Horn has always been there and no matter how sick she was she never let it get the best of her. 

But this time, she was really gone ... I would no longer see her sweet face or hear her voice. 

This was the lady who taught me what she knew and shared an amazing gift with me ... 

the intangible gift of music. 

Its something I use every day and part of who I am. 

And now, every time my fingers touch the keys, I think of Mrs. Horn and that incredible gift. 

This is the Room

The first week of nursing school has begun

I've been sitting in lots of orientation classes and it all seems kind of surreal!

Two years ago, I was just beginning my college education & itching to get to the "real" nursing stuff

Two years from now, I will graduate

right now, I'm beginning that journey of becoming a nurse

I'm learning to listen to patients, calculate dosages, start an IV, assess progress, be compassionate, and all of the other things that makes a person a nurse

This video was part of a tutorial I had to watch for pharmacology last night - 

I'm fairly certain I got goosebumps!

Silver Threads + Buttons + Lots of Pillows = Bedroom Makeover

I FINALLY got around to taking pictures of the finished bedroom! 

My grandma and cousin visited last week and our room was kind of a mess since we had luggage and a huge pile of quilts a makeshift bed for Abby to sleep on in the middle of the floor.

Anywhoo, on to the bedroom makeover ...

I wanted to surprise Madeline when she got home from Summit and had drilled the little girls several times that day about not saying anything or acting suspicious (they did an awesome job by the way)! She had no idea.

Madeline & Dad finally got home around 5:30 and we stood in the kitchen for at least 30 minutes while Madeline told us about all the crazy stuff she had done and about the great sessions she had attended. I kept waiting and waiting for her to decide to take her luggage to her room, but she was just a little bit loopy and kept right on talking. 

I finally told NoraJane to go in my room and call Madeline like she wanted to show her something. 

That little girl was perfect! 

She poked her little head out the bedroom door and called Madeline, then promptly shut the door and waited for her to come. Apparently Madeline didn't hear her. A few minutes later, she poked her head out and called again. Madeline still didn't hear her. On the third try, Madeline finally heard her and went to see what was so important to this persistent little three-year old.

She opened the door and said "well, hellooooo!"

I'd say she was just a little bit surprised!

We I decided to forgo shams and went with lots of throw pillows instead

My "side" of the room

You can't see them very well in this picture, but the quilts have a row of buttons sewn across them = my favorite detail!

Madeline's "side" of the room

Nightstands & Trinkets

I love that everything on our nightstands has some kind of meaning. Some things are from special birthdays, but most are representative of things we each love:

hydrangeas, teacups, and a birthday doll for me 

&

bluebirds, roses, and a seashell for Madeline

I couldn't have done this without the help of my mom and grandma. I kept saying I wanted the room to be shabby chic & eclectic, but comfortable & a little modern to appease Madeline. They helped me figure out what that actually looked like and pull everything together! 

And for the record, I told Madeline it's her job to re-do our lovely chocolate-brown bathroom :)

Whispers to the Soul

I woke up this morning to the sweet sound of "Be Still My Soul" playing on my mom's Pandora in the kitchen. It was exactly what I needed to hear this morning. I love when God uses something as simple as a song to speak to your heart about something. It isn't always like fireworks or a thunderstorm, sometimes He whispers quietly to your soul.

  Be still, my soul; the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul; thy best, thy heavenly, Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul; thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence, let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul; the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

  

Be still, my soul, though dearest friends depart
And all is darkened in the vale of tears;
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrows and thy fears.

Be still, my soul; thy Jesus can repay
From His own fulness all He takes away.

Be still, my soul; the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.

Be still, my soul; when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

~Catharina von Schlegel

I also heard this song by Ana Laura this morning.  

So Long Teens, Hello Twenties!

I had a birthday last week.

And said goodbye to my teens and hello to my twenties! 

I decided that I wanted to re-do my bedroom for my birthday. 

I should also mention that my sister and I share a bedroom and that she was conveniently away at camp for two weeks when I made this decision.

Madeline was never crazy about the brown & pink theme even when we moved into this house 4 years ago, so I was sure she'd be OK with me painting over it without her permission. 

Mom and I found new quilts on clearance at Bed, Bath, and Beyond and decided to design the rest of the room around those. 

 I told Mom that I wanted to paint the walls an antique bluish green color. 

 After three trips to Lowes, we came home with these paint samples.

 On the wall, they all looked too much like a beach house or too green for our furniture. 

We finally decided to go with a light grey called Silver Threads (that just sounds romantic, right?) 

Saying goodbye to the brown & pink:

 the primer went up on Wednesday night

Michael Buble makes priming a whole lot better :) 

it was a bit of a mess with all the furniture shoved into the middle of the room

 

My grandparents had come down on Tuesday for my birthday, but ended up staying for the whole week. 

Nanny LOVES to paint, so on Thursday night she helped me put up the grey. 

Did I mention that this was at eight or nine that night after we'd been blueberry picking in the crazy Southern heat? 

 My grandma is awesome!

 This was taken around 11:30 and we were just a little bit loopy at this point ... 

Everything finally started coming together after a frantic trip to Bluffton for sheets, curtains, and throw pillows on Friday.

I haven't taken pictures of the finished room yet, so those will have to be for another post :) 

To be continued ... 

"We All Belong to The Y"

If you missed my first few posts about China, you can find them here and here

The first few days in China were very full and busy as we adjusted to the 12-hour time difference. On Friday, we visited the Great Wall where we drank in the glorious view along with thousands of Chinese people crowding onto this ancient wall. Interesting fact: Chinese women see nothing wrong with climbing the Great Wall in a dress and four-inch heels. I, on the other hand, about died in shorts, a t-shirt, and my Chaco's! 

On Friday night, the Chinese team took us to dinner at a restaurant called the Upper Room. Yes, to our astonishment this was indeed a Christian restaurant in the heart of Beijing. There we were sitting in the middle of a Communist country singing praise songs like "Your Grace is Enough" with the worship band! I think it's safe to say we all felt goosebumps that night! 

On Saturday morning, we toured the seminary where we would be holding our English camp during the week. God used the rooms of that humble seminary to bring the Gospel to over 500 boys and girls that week. When we first arrived, I couldn't help but notice the stench coming from the bathrooms, a stench only made worse by the humid 90-degree weather. By the end of the week, that place took on a different meaning as we watched the Gospel changing the lives of these beautiful children. 

I was pulled out of my comfort zone that week. Way out of my comfort zone. I really enjoy working with children, but I usually prefer younger children that are in kindergarten or first grade. I found out a few weeks before we left that I would be the group leader for one of the green groups which would be the 10-12 year olds. I was terrified. I really wasn't comfortable talking to kids that age. I have to admit, I panicked a little when I heard that this was the group I had been assigned to. 

For those of you who know me well, it won't surprise you to hear me say that I don't like to talk a lot around strangers or be thrown into situations with people I don't know very well. 

Well, now I found myself in China with a group of twenty 10-to-12-year-olds. I didn't know where to begin or even have the benefit of the same language! 

But, God is faithful just as He always is. I made it through the week and learned to carry on a conversation with these kids. It was usually limited to a discussion on their favorite colors or animals, but I was talking, and they were talking, and we were getting somewhere. Because of the one-child policy in China these kids don't have siblings, so they were fascinated by the fact that I had not one, not two, but four younger sisters. We talked about them a lot and giggled over silly pictures on my camera. 

By the end of the week, I had a hard time saying goodbye to these kids. Yes, I would miss the child who was constantly having to be told to stop teasing the little girl sitting next to him. 

I would miss Angela's sweet smile and inquisitive fingers in my hair. 

I would miss tiny little Charles who didn't even have an English name at the beginning of the week. 

I would miss Jason who could bring a smile to my face with his boyish antics no matter how frustrated, discouraged, or tired I was. 

I would miss my children - all twenty of them. 

I was thankful for the hours I had to spend with them that week. I was thankful for their sweet voices singing "We All Belong to the Y" and "Pharoah, Pharoah" at the top of their lungs. Each of them had impacted me in a different way. It was hard to imagine that I might never see their sweet faces again on earth. 

I couldn't believe that it was Friday once again, that I had been in China for just over a week, and that I would be getting on a plane the next day and flying to Luoyang to visit Mariah. 

To be continued ... 

How It All Began ..

The trip to China began very early on a hot, steamy morning in July. 

Well, it actually started weeks and even months before that. I'd been packing for at least a week and a half before we left and my excitement was building with each thing I added to my overflowing suitcase. 

Before dawn on July 13th, I finally loaded my suitcase and backpack into the van and headed to the airport to begin a journey that would forever change my life. 

I was excited to be finally getting on that plane and returning to the strange and beautiful land that had captured my heart the summer before! Excited, excited doesn't even begin to describe the emotions that were racing through me as we drove to the airport. I was anxious to land on the other side of the globe and inhale that scent that can only be described as China. 

I couldn't wait to meet the children who would be attending the English camp.

I couldn't wait to see what God was going to do in their lives that week. 

I couldn't wait to see what God was going to do in my life that week. 

I couldn't wait to travel to Luoyang and visit Mariah again.

I couldn't wait to hold the precious little people that pulled at my heartstrings.

I couldn't wait to arrive in China.

Nearly 24 hours later, a very tired and only slightly hyper me finally stepped off the plane.

Luggage was collected, customs and immigration were successfully maneuvered, and we boarded the bus that would take us to our hotel in the heart of Beijing. 

I was finally back in China and loving it! 

We checked into our hotel and relished the first hot showers since the beginning of our journey. I had the privilege of rooming with two great girls - Ale' and Angel, y'all are the best! Thanks for putting up with me! With three girls staying in one room for three weeks, we always had an odd assortment of luggage, clothing, food, and shoes strung out across our room! And let's just say that my lovely roommates quickly realized that I don't quite understand the concept of a "quick" shower! :) 

Our time in China had just begun and already my life was being changed.

To be continued ...

A Journey ...

that forever changed my life. 

I've been thinking about China a lot in the last few days.

My time there last summer was amazing and taught me so many things. Yet it was also one of the most difficult times of my life. 

I can honestly say that I will never be the same after setting foot on the soil of that beautiful country. 

 I plan to write more about last year's trip in the next few weeks ...

but for now: here is the slideshow I made after last year's trip.

Beyond the Cross

Easter musical on Friday night +

last-minute shoe-shopping with Mom, Madeline, & Aunt Laurie in Savannah on Saturday +

enjoying a wonderful Easter sermon and fellowship with the saints on Sunday morning +

 a mini photoshoot with the girls in the afternoon +

a stroll down the waterfront with Mom =

A perfect Easter weekend!

... the twirly fairy ... 

~ the little girls~

~Jubilee~

~ElizaBirdie~

... I can't believe how grown up she's getting!! ...

~Madeline~

Happy Easter!!

Seventeen Dresses in Ten weeks!

I finally finished all of my Easter dresses for this year! 

What a relief to have them all done! 

#1: 

This one was for her 1st Birthday!

#2:

#3:

I LOVE this fabric!! So much so, that I have a wallet made out of it, except in blue!

#4: 

My first attempt at smocking kitties

#5: 

#6: 

#7:

Too cute!

#8: 

I made the next four dresses for four sisters! Such fun!
They wanted them to coordinate, but not match!

#9: 

Buttons, need I say more?

#10: 

I absolutely love the sleeves on this dress!

#11: 

This dress looks a whole lot cuter in person! Not sure what happened with the pictures!

#12: 

#13:

#14:

#15:

These next two were also for sisters!

#16: 

I love the "cheeriness" of these fabrics - they make me smile!

And #17: 

I had so much fun making dresses for all these sweet girls!