Nursing Home Singings

About every Tuesday night the yg has the opportunity to sing at a local nursing home. It's always a blessing for us and for them. They are so appreciative and enthusiastic. I love going. 
It never fails that something funny happens or is said at a nursing home. 

Tonight a lady asked one of us girls "is that a tattoo on your foot?"  Nope. just a shoe. 
There is an older man that has a monocle. He actually wears a monocle! I was really excited when I saw him. :)
The other week two older women, who were attempting to whisper, were talking about how I must be Rachel's twin(she was standing beside me). She has dark hair, I don't. She has brown eyes, mine are green. And, I'm slightly taller. ...not sure what made them think we were twins. :)

But, I think by far, the best happened last week. We had all just arrived and were standing in groups. Gender segregated of course. And one of the older women laughed loudly "It looks like you're at a junior high dance. Come on guys get closer." :D hahahah!

You never have to wonder what they are thinking. 

love it. 

In Christ
~Michelle

Weekend in Champaign

Instead of leaving for home right after class on Friday like I normally do I stayed down in Champaign for the Parent and Church Appreciation supper.

Saturday, Ned and Karen came to U of I for an audition. We went out to lunch at Panera and then walked around campus a bit. Ned had never seen the quad, so of course I had to show him. 

I went over to church around 1:30 to lay the chicken out. Katie, Tiera, and Cournty came a little later to help bread and cook the chicken. While the chicken was in the oven we made another pan of dessert and potatoes. 

When the rest of the yg group got there they all pitched in, setting the tables and decorating them with text books, filling water, and cleaning up our cooking mess. 
The evening went really well. We had plenty of food (though, I admit, we did run out of ranch dressing and butter).  After supper, we had a singing. Most of my time was spent in the kitchen cleaning up and cutting dessert.  While everyone was eating their dessert we watched a slide show of the yg. It was quite humorous and a few people (including myself) were embarrassed.

It was a really great evening. I hope all of the parents and church family feel appreciated. Because they should. :)

Only about 80 of the 100 people that RSVPed came so we had tons of chicken and potatoes left over. I had the wonderful job of convincing people to take leftovers home. It actually wasn't hard. Remember, we are poor college students who primarily eat pasta. The hard part was figuring out who all the dishes belonged to. 

Rebecca D. was down to visit Phil so, she spent the night here at the Upper Room. We stayed up late chatting and stickynoting Katie's room. 

Sunday was a nice relaxing day in church with no plans in the evening. Laura, Sarah and I just hung out around the apartment and made a late night run to McDonald's to satisfy out french fry cravings. :) Good times.

In Christ
~Michelle

We are poets

I finally remembered to bring down one of my Christmas gifts from Jenny. 

She gave me poetry magnets. 

(you can click on the picture to make it bigger)

We have been having fun with it on our refrigerator. 

In other news...

Well, actually there really isn't other news. I really have nothing else to report.

"Life seems but a quick succession of busy nothings" - Jane Austen.

In Christ

~Michelle

Hyper Roomies

Not much has been going on lately. 

This was a really light week for my internship. Things are going really well there though there have been a few awkward moments. 
As a Christian organization, they do a lot of praying. Which is great. But, they don't pray like I'm used to. Apparently, closing your eyes and bowing your head/ kneeling is old school.  They stand, sway, hold hands or raise their arms, eyes open, multiple people pray, and everyone throws in a few "yes, Jesus's." If someone is in need of direct prayer. They stand in a circle around them and hold out their arms towards them. 
Now maybe this is more common than I thought, but it was the first time I've seen anything like it in the States. 
It's a little eye opening for this stiff little AC girl. ;)

And, you know me. Sometimes it's hard not to giggle. 

I think there is something in the water at this apartment. For some reason we all have been incredibly hyper.  Events of the week:

• singing Disney songs at the top of our lungs
• Hakuna Matata :)
• learning how to tie a tie from a YouTube video 
• baking a batch of cookies because Sarah told me to
• Sarah baking more cookies because we ate all of mine
• bursting into laughter for no apparent reason
• actually, we were laughing at a roommate who shall remain nameless
• she was singing to herself 

It was a good week. :)

In Christ

~Michelle

Internship

Well, I've been back at school for a week now.  I started my internship on Monday and I think I'm going to love it. I intern 32 hours a week, Monday through Thursday and I only have one class on Fridays. 

After just one week I love it. The Hope Center has a food pantry, serves meals, gives out health and hygiene products, and hosts financial,  job, and health classes. They are run by a church and everything is focused on Christ. 

They have a completely different perspective than most social services these days. They don't like giving free hand outs. If you help people too much you're actually hurting them. Their main idea is once they have found a client's need they match them up with someone from the church that has the ability to fulfill that need. For example, if one of the clients were having legal problems, they would match them with a lawyer from their church.

I am so thankful and blessed to have gotten this internship. I am so excited for this semester. 

In Christ
~Michelle

Busy Relaxing

So far, I've started out the new year by relaxing and sleeping in. 

Last weekend was pretty busy but it was a lot of fun. 

Friday, I went back down to U of I and did some spring cleaning at the apartment. 

Saturday, the Wyss cousins went on a ski trip. A few others joined us so that we could get the group rate. 

some of the group

Sunday, Joy and I drove out to Oakville. Katie was hosting us high school friends for our Christmas.  Joy and I visited Brooke (another married friend) and Kory after church. It was so much fun. Brooke is an amazing hostess. :)
Haley and Emily joined us at Katie's Sunday afternoon. We pretty much just sat around and talked the whole night. Like the old people we are, we went to bed early. No more staying up until 3am.  

the girls :)

(minus Katy K who was in Ireland)

This week has been really nice. But, I'm starting to get a little stir crazy. I'm not really ready to go back to school but, it will be nice to have some kind of a schedule. 

In Christ
~Michelle

What a year.

Once again, this year has been incredible. The more I look back, the more amazed I am at everything that has happened over the past year.

I began my year in India. 

It was an experience I will never forget.

meeting Revathy

I finished my first year at U of I.

I took a quick girls trip out to San Diego. 

I was in Wendi's wedding.

I started my senior year.

Matt and Lena got married.

I spent my Thanksgiving in Haiti.

I am so blessed.

I don't know where God is going to take me next year. I plan on graduating in May and then I don't know what's next. But, I have learned that God will provide.  
So, the next year doesn't look scary at all. It looks so incredibly exciting.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Jer. 29:11-13

Bring on 2013. Here goes stepping off into the unknown. :)

In Christ
~Michelle