summer plans...

So I've been sorting through my plans for the summer and have decided on a few things. I'm not going to take summer classes b/c I need to SAVE $$ right now so I have enough for fall semester and taking class means not working (all day/week intensive courses).

I WILL be working full time doing what I am doing now, PCA (Personal Care Attendant) for children with special needs. I'm working with 2 families and will continue through the summer with 40-50 hours a week, yahooo for hours!

My FUN news you ask??? I AM coming home for 3 WEEKS!! I just booked my ticket today and will be back in Alaska June 19-July 7th! I'm planning on working fireworks for the 4th of July again to help the budget and have time to see people, go camping and run the Mayor's Half Marathon with my dad! He got the running bug after my race so we're going to get to race together again. My aunt and uncle from Illinois will also be in AK during part of that time so I'll get to see them too! I'm looking forward to it and can't WAIT to see all my amazing AK people!!

spring time in south carolina...

...welcome to my neighborhood

fun at frankie's

of course a little dance dance competition!


Lazer tag anyone?!



Fletcher with his Saudi friends, Hakeem, Nasser, Hassan, and Muhamed


Noah and Nate heading to the batting cages



Kristin feelin' like a NASCAR racer


Me and my pirate lovin' roommate Kristin!


Nicole, me Hannah, Gloriana, Rachel

A group of my friends and I went to Frankie's Fun Park tonight. It's a step above Chuckie Cheese but not as upscale or wild as Six Flags. We had a blast! I was inviting a girl from one of my classes to come this past week and she said, "Oh ya, Frankie's Fun Park, I went there for my 12th birthday!" To which I responded, "Sweet, I am going for my 30th, you oughta come!" We laughed hard!

a new chapter??

This past Thursday was my 30th birthday. A little strange to be in a new decade, but fun too. Different people have different responses to turning 30. For me 30 is no biggie...my "quarter life crisis" came at 27. I don't know exactly why, but that was a year when life just really hit me. I wasn't where I thought I would be or maybe where I hoped I would be...married, having kids like the majority of the rest of my friends and making a "home."

The transient lifestyle of housesitting was getting wearisome. Being single and living in the seemingly barren land of AK also looked bleak. It was after that year that I had a shift of sorts...a heart change, life change whatever it was. I remember after turning 27 letting go of my "plans" and expectations and enjoying the journey of life...wherever that led. It was at that point that I had true peace about being single, about living transiently and not knowing "for sure" where I would be in 10 years. All my friends with families had life pretty much laid out...life seemed pretty predictable for them.

Funny thing, I remember my senior year of high school saying and even journalling how I didn't want to "live the American dream"... go to college, get a good paying job, get married, have kids, plan for retirement. That sounded at the time and still sounds like death to me. I don't mean ANY of those things are BAD. They are not by any means. I mean I knew then at 18 that that was not God's plan for me and even though it has sounded good at times, the past 12 years as an adult have been a journey I would never trade.

As I start a new decade of life I am excited to see where God will lead me. Yes I would love to be married someday. Yes I would love to be a mother someday. Yes I would love to have a "home/house" someday. Yes I would love to live overseas. Yes I would love to do full time ministry somewhere along side someone. But more than all those things, I want to live my life in recklace abandon loving and serving others and bringing glory to God with all that is in me. THAT is where I have found the deepest satisfaction in life and the most fulfillment. My journey thus far has been wild to say the least. I can only imagine what is in store!

Eight Days

Eight Days That Changed the World...

Palm Sunday: Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem

Monday: Temple was cleansed
The Greeks sought Jesus

Tuesday: Leaders questioned Jesus (issues with healing on a Sabbath)
Jesus gave the Olivet Discourse

Wednesday: Judas made a deal with the leaders (to later betray Jesus)

Thursday: Peter and John prepared the passover meal,
Jesus ate the passover meal with his disciples
(also known as the Upper Room Discourse)

Friday: Jesus arrest, trials and crucifixion

Saturday: Sabbath (day of rest)

Easter Sunday: Jesus RESURRECTED
Jesus appeared to his disciples in the Upper Room


Today was Palm Sunday, the day 2,000 plus years ago that Jesus humbly road a donkey into Jerusalem, a journey that would lead to his excrutiating death on a cross. The GOOD NEWS about this journey was the outcome of his death...HE ROSE AGAIN conquering sin, death and Satan FOREVER CHANGING HISTORY!

When people talk about the "good news" of the Bible, THIS is what it's about. Jesus wasn't just a man, a prophet, a good guy...he was 100% God and 100% man, a being like none other in history. Through his death and resurrection he restored a way for us to have a right relationship again with the God who created us. Not just in heaven some day, but right now here on earth.

Last semester my Gospels professor, Dr. Hulbert, talked about "The Eight Days that Changed the World" breaking down the final events leading to Jesus death and resurrection. I had never laid it all out before in a timeline format, but truly these 8 days we are going through this week were, thousands of years ago, days that forever changed history.

blessed...

This is an unusual blog entry today, but as I was spending some quiet time this afternoon at a park I wanted to say "thanks" again to my parents for spending their spring break and vacation time with me. It is rare, too rare, that I say "thanks" to my parents for things they do...maybe b/c I come to expect all that they do, maybe b/c I just simply take it for granted. Whatever the reason I thought I'd share a little note how much I appreciate my parents.

This past week we had a fantastic time seeing extended family, traveling the area, talking, eating, and resting. Dad and I went on three runs together...Charlotte, Charleston (bridge), and Columbia (on one of my favorite trails). Mom and I went SHOPPING and basically did an extreme home-make over in my room...THANK YOU!!! They paid for a car repair, gas, touristy stuff, groceries, AND new clothes (just because).

My friends everywhere have told me how blessed I am to have parents like I do. They have adopted some of my friends (from other states) as surrogate daughters and send them flowers for valentines day as if they were part of the family...making THEIR day! They have also adopted some of my friends children as surrogate grandchildren b/c they LOVE to LOVE on people! My parents are truly a rare find today and I am blessed to have them as my OWN!! Thanks again mom and dad for EVERYTHING!! I had so much fun with you!

segways??

Tammie coming down a hill


John...a natural, he drove circles around us (it was his first time driving too)


Mom and Dad doing their practice run in the field

While we were in Charlotte, my uncle John planned a surprise outting one day...a trip around a southern plantation on....yes, segways! When we first got there I thought, "awesome a plantation tour or hike!" Then we parked in front of a field with rows of segways and my comment to my cousin (we drove separate) was, "Segways? On a plantation, I wonder who does that?" Brittany smiled real big and said, "We do."

I've always thought segways were a little goofy, but after riding on off road segways for a couple hours around trails...it is a lot of fun!! For those Ellers and Burdines who may not believe it without seeing pics...here they are! Dad AND mom did it too! We had a blast! Great idea uncle John!

Side note, one segway costs approximately $6,000 so I have decided to forgo getting one of my own! My current CAR didn't cost that much!

spring break

Uncle John...happy 50th!


my first 30th birthday card...where does time go???


Me and Kristin (my roommate)


Me and Joanna


Cindy's wedding Saturday


Spring break got off to a fun start Saturday with my parents flying in from AK and my good friend Cindy getting married. Cindy, a friend from CIU, met Mike, the housing man on campus this fall. Cindy moved to Columbia this past fall to start seminary the same time I did. She had just finished 8 years of full time ministry in Fiji and decided to take a sabbatical of sorts out of the lime light and be fed for awhile. Just so happens she met Mr. Right, Mike Thompson and the rest as they say…is history! There is a lot more to their story, but in short, they are an incredible couple and I am excited for the ministry God has for them here in Columbia.

That same day my parents flew in to town and we headed up to Charlotte that night to spend time with my aunt and uncle, John and Tammi (my mom’s brother). John’s celebrating his 50th this month and I’ll be celebrating my 30th so we had a big family dinner that night.

John’s the family cook, so he actually cooked his own b-day meal…it was AWESOME!!! I’m adding some pics from the night…the meal started with one of my all time favorite appetizers, stuffed mushrooms! The meal ended with homemade key lime pie and butterscotch morang pie, AMAZING!! Thanks uncle John for the great birthday meal! We wrapped up the night with a round of the bean game…it’s a family classic now Kari, we’re all hooked and have our own game!

My parents are here for a week so I’m going to take them around SC later this week…Charleston, Columbia. Lookin’ forward to time with my family!