Memories of a Closing Chapter ♥

It's hard to believe, but I am in my last 24(ish) hours of college--HOLY COW!!!  Where did those years go?  I look at the people I have been sharing life with over the last 3.5 years and it seems strange that this period of our lives is coming to a close.  Some of my friends have already graduated and others will be in school until May or even next December, but my college chapter ends tomorrow.  As this day has come closer I have done a lot of reflecting on this journey.  I have grown so much throughout my time at Bethel, especially spiritually.  This is something I am so very thankful for.  Bethel is by no means a perfect school, but God has truly blessed me through it.  My reflecting has also brought to mind many favorite memories of my college years and I would like to share a list of them with you.  :) 

• Baby-sitting Jonas and Freya--What a blessing it has been to get to spend time with Michael's niece and nephew and to see them grow and change.  I love those kiddos and am so excited to meet baby boy when he comes!  Here are a few pictures :)

•  Shift--Both my sophomore and junior years I was involved with this campus ministry that reaches out to freshmen.  My sophomore year I had a floor of freshman and junior year I was in charge of a team of Shift leaders with a partner.  It was a wonderful experience full of challenges and spiritual growth.  So very thankful for this.

• J-Term Abroad--During January my sophomore year I went to England with the Education department.  We spent some time in schools helping in the classrooms and also got to do some touring.  During this time I also got to go to Paris (for 24 hours) and Ireland (for 5 days).  

•  CWC--very few people have happy memories from this class as a whole.  It is our Christianity and Western Culture class.  I took it freshman year and did really well and was a TA in it throughout my sophomore and beginning of junior year.  It was so fun to be involved and to help others learn.  I love seeing how Christianity and culture have interacted throughout history.  It was challenging and I learned a lot from the professors and my peers.  

• Dates with Michael--My relationship with Michael and grown a lot through college.  We started dating before Bethel, but did not have a close distance relationship until we went to school together.  It has been such a blessing spending time with him on a regular basis.  We have gone on a number of fun dates (Vikings games, apple orchards, ice skating, Valley Fair, etc.)

• Red Box with Tina--Freshman year I would have dates with my friend Tina and on multiple occasions we would go to several red boxes looking for a specific movie and after we could not find it, we would swing by target and just buy it instead.  I am now older and wiser and know to look online first, but it was so much fun then!  :)

• Lake Day--Every spring during finals week I went to Lake Johanna with a few friends on Study Day.  This was always a fun time to just relax in the middle of a stressful time.  Here is a picture from last year: 

•  Ina with Roz--Last year during J-term my roommate Roz and I began watching Ina Garten on the food network.  It was so fun to spend this time with Roz :)  We love us some Ina!

• Double Piercings--One of my first memories with my roommate Leah was getting our ears double pierced together freshman year.  So fun to remember our early days of living together :)

• Christmas Banquet Freshman Year--Each year Bethel has a Christmas banquet where students can get dressed up and pay to go eat good food somewhere else and have a dance.  Michael and I only went to this freshman year, but it was a wonderful night.  We had a lot of fun with friends and this was the first time Michael told me he loved me :)  

•  Two Weeks Notice--This was a favorite movie of my roommates and myself mostly sophomore year and a little bit junior year.  We laugh throughout it, but I would have to say one of our favorite quotes is "Did you say 'Billy, I love you'?" :)  bahaha

• Handbells--I was involved in the handbell ensemble junior year and it was so fun!  I loved learning how to play :)

• Wicked Sophomore Year--Fall of sophomore year my friends Tina, Brittany, and Danielle came to Iowa with me over Fall Break and we went to Wicked in Des Moines.  My sister Charley also got to come with :)

•  The Fog with Brittany--There was another time Brittany came home with me and when we were driving back to Bethel, there was the most ridiculous fog!  It was both scary and exciting and now I always think of Britt when I am in foggy weather :)

• Undie Exchange--Instead of doing regular Christmas presents, each year my roommates and I have drawn names and gotten each other a pair of underwear.  So fun :)

• Family Coming to Visit--I love when people come to visit me, especially when it is my family.  This has happened on several occasions and have been some of my favorite times in college.  

• Cars Buried in Snow--Now, most wouldn't find this to be a happy memory, but last year when we got a lot of snow, my roommates and I bundled up and worked together to dig out our cars.  It was a pretty good workout and pretty funny :)

• Tina Coming Home from England--My friend Tina studied abroad spring of sophomore year and the night she got home Brittany and I planned to surprise her with her family at the airport.  That in and of itself would have been fun and memorable, but when you add to it the fact that her flight was delayed over and over again and we got lost on the way back and you have an exceedingly memorable night.  

• Solo Video--This kind of goes with the previous memory, Brittany and I 'danced' to the song solo and in a video and sent it to Tina.  So funny...still makes me laugh when I watch it :)  

• Iowa Trip Junior Year--Fall of junior year my roommates and I drove to Northwestern Iowa for a weekend.  It was a blast!  Here are a few pictures from that weekend: 

•  Bible Classes--I have taken a number of Bible classes throughout my semesters and they have been challenging and full of growth.  I have learned so much and love my Savior so much more as a result.  What a blessing!  

• Game Nights with Jason and Claire--We have spent a great many Friday/Saturday/Sunday nights with Michael's brother and sister-in-law playing games.  It has been both a blessing and a blast getting to know them better.  I will miss these when I live in Iowa in the spring.  

• Bangs--My roommate Roz and I decided we wanted to get bangs last Friday...so we did!  We were having a girls' night with Brittany and she helped us cut them!  

• Student Teaching--Oh my goodness...I cannot even begin to express how wonderful this experience was.  I've said it before and I'll say it again: I had an awesome teacher and precious third graders.  I grew so much in my teaching and confidence.  I am so very very thankful for the fourteen weeks I had with them.  

• Getting Engaged--One of the best nights of my life...hands down.  It was such a great day and Michael managed to surprise me and ah, so good :)  So excited to be marrying Michael in 184 days (SIX MONTHS TOMORROW!!!!!)  Here are a few pictures from then...

This is by no means a complete list, there are several other things I could add.  These college years have been very full...it has not always been happy, but I am thankful to have so many happy memories :)

For those of you who are interested in my "next step" I will be moving back home on Saturday and Monday I begin a new job as a teacher's aid at the elementary school I grew up in.  That and wedding planning will keep me busy throughout the spring.  I am very excited to get to live at home and spend time with my family, but I will definitely miss Michael (and others up here).  Excited to see what God has in store for these next six months and this chapter of life between college and marriage :)  Praise the Lord for his faithfulness!