Oh My Goodness

I was informed by my roommate Joy this evening that we graduate in 13 weeks and 4 days.  It got my heart pumping a little fast.  And when I told my other roommate the same, it got hers going to.  Then it hit me, I am getting married in 16 weeks and 4 days.  Well, three days now that it is past midnight.  I can't belive it.  I have an acutal count of how many weeks until I become a Spieker.  I need to get a move on!

As always, a picture to leave you with.  This one was my favorite.

Status Update!

Well, I failed at taking pictures.  Mostly because my batteries ran out, so my camera didn't work.  I still haven't recharged them.  I go through stages where I don't want to take a single picture.  We'll see how that works out in my future.

I started my senior seminar class for my Youth Ministry major.  And no, it's not a slacker class/major.  I need to come up with a 20 page research paper about whatever topic I choose to then follow with a 30 minute presentation about the topic and how it affects youth ministry and what I have learned from it all.  My topic is the use of arts in youth and it's relationship to their self image and group dynamic.  But, it could change.  So if you know of a good research starting point, I would love to hear it.

Second, I love Journey and Billy Joel.  "Don't Stop Believing" and "Piano Man" are my two newest obsessions.  But don't worry, Doctor Who is still there too.

I will leave you with a picture that I have grown very fond of the past month.  It's just some of the people that I care about in the world all together in one place.  I'm getting excited about having nice photos of my family at my own wedding and nice ones of my friends and me.

Week 1

So here are the first week in pictures, starting on Wednesday.

I woke up on Wednesday with pain in my left eye.  It hurt all around the eyelid and into the inside corner, so now I'm on the look out for pink eye.  Let's hope it is not coming for me.

Thursday morning was much worse.  I had stayed up until 3am working on a presentation about Bonhoeffer and Nazi Ethics for my Western Theological Traditions class.  Here I am at 7:30am getting up for class and freaking out about it.

I woke up today very happy!  Todd was getting me some breakfast and we are going to Red Wing today for just over a week.  I'm in the library right now watching Todd work and posting, while waiting for class to come and go so we can get on the road!  

So my week in pictures:  painful, scared, and very happy.  We'll see what next week brings.

Youth Ministry and A New Project

If I have to hear one more time that youth ministry is a slacker major, I may go balistic.  I work very hard at learning how to talk with youth and develop curriculum in the classroom while putting it into practice with internships and at Sojourner (my church).  People cannot learn the same thing I am learning in the classroom with a good internship.  Without some sort of committment to studying youth ministry's practice for three years of your life while emmersing yourself in a youth group to practice what you are learning, you will struggle in youth ministry.  Youth ministry is not something you can do just because you care about youth.  It is something you have to learn how to do, through study and practice.  

On a lighter note, I have a new project.  Until Todd and I get married, I am going to take a picture of myself everyday of my mood when I wake up and post them all at the end of the week.  I need something to distract me until I get married.  Here is one to get you started.

More BTS Fun

Brad Nassif is our prof for BTS Senior Seminar class.  He is a very intelligent man and I have a lot of respect for him.  I have not had a class with him before this semester, and he has impressed me with even the fact that he remembers my name.

The class was invited to his home on Sunday for dinner with him and his family.  They made wonderful middle eastern food and it was a great time to get to know Brad, his family, and classmates.  This post is really to highlight a certain event of that night.

Thanks to Katie Kuehn, Brad Nassif now knows how to say "What's up big pimpin'?  Balla!" with the appropriate head nod and hand symbols.  Just take a look at his picture above and imagine him saying such a thing.  And then having him say it again in class a day later.  Like I said, it was a highlight of my night.

Obama?

Really?

The Rest of the Engagement Pictures

Here are the rest of our engagement pictures. It's so nice to finally have some pictures of us where we are 1: Not taking it ourselves and 2: Not always looking right at the camera.