Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone!! I hope that you are all finding joy and love this holiday season. It seems like I haven't had that much time to reflect this holiday season on Jesus, but I am finding that I am just experiencing Him deeper through loving other people, seeing how other people have compassion for others and just all the ways that He works. It's amazing. I have just been thinking about how humbling it was for this great God to come to earth as a little baby; helpless and innocent. He lowered himself to reach out to the whole world, to be able to relate to us on every level so that later we may be saved, something that we don't even deserve!!

It feels so good to be home. It's been relaxing so far, reading some books, seeing family, and getting together with friends. I really appreciate all the prayers from everyone for our drive home. It went better than expected. I am so thankful to God for sending us great weather and clear roads! Well now that I think about it I don't really have much to write on this thing. Just wanted to give a quick little shout out to my avid readers. Thanks for your loyalty. I really enjoy writing these blogs and going back and reading them from the past year. It's fun to see where I've come from and my plans for where I'm going. Later days!!

No more homework! No more books! No more teachers' dirty looks!!!

Yipee!!!! I'm finished! Oh man the agony of the past few days is what kept me from writing on the ol' blog. I have had the time, believe me, but I just didn't want to complain about the only thing that was going on in my life . . . studying. Well now it's over. My test yesterday was okay. I don't think that 3 weeks of studying could have prepared me for it because the teacher just doesn't have a clue. Today's test went alright. I could have been more prepared, but I say that about my last one every year. My friend, Megan, in that class is done her degree too and this was her last test forever too! She however has plans for her life and is headed to Australia in January.

Took me a good 4 hours to pack up and clean the house, but now I am done and waiting impatiently until we go to board the ferry. It's snowing again here which is okay for me, but will slow the traffic down tremendously because people still don't know how to drive. Okay I know that it's not like Alberta but come on, it snows here at least once a year. Get used to it.

I would like to say it was a tearful goodbye to campus and classes and teachers today, but alas. . . it wasn't. I just want to get out of here so bad right now. Could be because it's Christmas and the holidays, but I also just need a change of scenery. Seems like I can't stay in a place longer than 2 years before I get bored of it.

Let me sum up last weekend briefly . . . lack of sleep . . . surprise for Christmas . . . Michael W. Smith concert . . . amazing . . . Jack in the Box . . . outlet mall shoppping . . . intensely slow and careful driving . . . snow . . . NO studying . . . love my friend Serena!!!! Yes folks. It was an amazing weekend down in the lovely U S of A.

I can't say that I have much more to write about today. If you could all keep Brianne and I in your prayers for safe travels, patience, and wisdom for how we should be driving. The weather forecasts are looking positive so I'm keeping optimistic. Can't wait to see you all!! Later days!

Goodbyes

Here I am writing on this thing again. Get used to it. I really should be studying today because I had this dream last night that I hadn't studied enough and I was going to fail and it freaked me out. I am just waiting for my lunch to digest before I go for a run this afternoon and don't feel like getting all into my studying. Nice excuse, eh?

Well on Saturday was the Adore Christmas Gala and it was really good. The food was good and it was fun to hang out with Faith and Sarah again. I got to chat with some other friends too. We took some fun pictures and were entertained by some games and "acts" that went on. Faith and I then watched the Princess Bride because we both hadn't seen it. It was actually pretty good. I loved getting all fancied up for the banquet too. I crimped my hair with a triple barrel for the first time and it turned out pretty good. Although I had so much hairspray in it that I woke up today and it looked like I hadn't even slept on it, so I just went to church like that.Today was another day of goodbyes as my church family at Parkdale E. Free Church in Victoria wished me well and sent me off with a graduation gift and acknowledgment. It was good to go to such a welcoming and accepting church while I was here. I enjoyed getting to know everyone even if it mainly happened this semester. I just wish that this goodbye seemed more like I was leaving than it does because I haven't even written an exam yet. First one tomorrow!

It's just a shorty today, but I thought that you would like to see some pictures so I added them! Later days!!

Course evaluations - the mellow version

It's funny. I have mixed feelings about each one of my exams and tackle the method of how to study for each one completely different. Here is a run down of each of them and my comments about the class. You may not find this interesting but I don't want to study right now and this is a good way to procrastinate.

- My first one on Monday is religious studies. Now I am completely ready for it already because I find it really interesting, we have a clearly defined outline about how the test will be, and it's worth 50%, the most out of all my exams. The class overall was good. The instructor could work on his public speaking skills, but I learned a lot and even spoke up a couple times in that class.

- I have Human Anatomy on Tuesday. I haven't been studying for this test mainly because I hated the course. I have wanted to take it every semester I have been here, but it just wasn't that good. I learned a ton of stuff and use it when I am at the gym, but the instructor was brutal and the lab treated us like babies. I only studied an hour for the midterm and pulled out a 90% so I am not too worried this time either since it's only worth 30% of my final mark. Safe to say the majority of time I have left until then will not be spent on studying for it.

- On Thursday is Animal physiology. Now this one I have been having fun studying for because the things that I learned in Anatomy are helping my understanding of the physiology behind it. With the help of the lab too I understand it all and am better prepared to study rather than just memorize as I did on the final. I liked this class. During the semester I hated it but I made some good friends in the lab and learned a lot.

So the week after that I have my last two. I have not begun to study for those yet other than downloading the papers I have to read for them and looking at some maps. I am not super worried about those either. I have done well this semester with all my assignments and exams so the pressure is off. Plus I am graduating!!! I will be posting later about my evaluation of those other two classes, but for now I should get back to studying. Later days!