40 Days

Today marks forty days until Grace Brass heads to South Korea and China, then leaving me behind to go to the Philippines. We're all pretty excited about the concert and have come quite a ways with our playing and unity as a group. In fact, we are potentially looking to record a CD next fall! Two actually...one with our current repertoire and one with Christmas music. It should be a good thing, and possibly a money maker, and no one would complain about that.

I want to let out a huge thanks as well for those of you who were able to support me financially in these trips. The support is much appreciated and is really helping me achieve my goal. Thanks again! Also, continued prayer support is much appreciated for all of us! Thanks!

Pittsburgh, PA

This past weekend, Abi, Drew, Toby, and I headed to Pittsburgh, PA to celebrate Abi's 22nd birthday and spring break (for Abi and Drew at least!). After a long drive from WI for Abi and Drew and a shorter but still long drive from Indiana for Toby and me, we arrived on Friday night and decided just to stay in and play games.

Saturday was an adventure in itself. We visited the Museum of Natural History which is attached to the Museum of Art. Spending many hours, film, battery, and energy walking around there for about 3 1/2 hours, we headed to the Duquesne Incline. We enjoyed the view for quite a while as well as some dinner before attempting to head back to the hotel.

For almost every trip we made, we had directions. Needless to say, those directions aren't much of a help! We definitely gave ourselves a tour of Pittsburgh (and many surrounding cities) more than once. If I had to make a rough estimate, I'd say we spent about 3-4 hours of the trip being lost!

Before Toby and I headed back to Indiana (leaving Abi and Drew for a few more days), we visited the botanical gardens in Pittsburgh. Despite that my allergies didn't like all the foreign plants, it was beautiful! Definitely a place I would visit again if I had the chance. Maybe in the summer though to see the outdoor gardens too!

All in all it was a great trip! We were blessed with safe (although not short, and often in the wrong direction) travel and good company. Toby and I agreed it was a "fun-filled mini Spring Break."

Hi, My name is Val, and I'm your RA!

After a few interviews, which didn't seem much like interviews because they were too fun, I have been selected as part of the Resident Assistant Staff for '07-'08! I will be an RA in Westminster Hall, which happens to be the hall farthest away from the rest of the campus. That will be a different thing for me to be so disconnected, but I should be busy enough with it all that it won't phase me much.

For those of you that may not know, an RA is the "leader" of a hall. There are the disciplinary figure, event planner, service project coordinator, counselor, spiritual leader, etc. Every thing you can think of, we get to do. Not janitorial things or maintenance things, but all the other in-and-outs are for us. It should be quite the adventure.

P.S. I get to come home in less than 24 hours for spring break!! I'm stoked!

I WIN!

I know I am a bit more south than you all, but I wanted be sure to let you know that I saw Spring's first robin today. I only saw one and not for long before it flew away from some other students, but I did see it! And, as a bit more proof, there were some photographed on campus. Visit www.grace.edu to see them. Sorry I can't copy it and post it on here, odd copyright stuff!

That's all, just wanted everyone to know that I WIN!!

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

All the dead, formally dyed hair is gone now. But that meant about 6-8 inches depending on the layers! I feel like I've lost two years on my life and now look much younger. Even the lady that cut it told me I looked younger. Not intended to offend either parties, but add to that Katie (the girl who was with me at Thanksgiving) saying "It makes you look a lot like Abi" right afterwards too. Needless to say, it's quite a drastic difference and I'm not sure how I feel about it. Luckily, my hair grows pretty fast and I shouldn't have to worry about it for too long. Besides, it still makes it to a pony tail, a very small one, but a pony tail nonetheless.

In other news, I'm applying for the position of Resident Assistant for next year. It's always been something I've wanted to do but never did out of pure laziness! I was recommended by a few faculty and current RA staff for the position, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to apply. Besides, who wouldn't like free room and board for two semesters! As the application process keeps going, I get more and more excited. We'll have to wait and see though.

Welcome to WI

The countdown has begun to my short homecoming this weekend. I'm really excited just to be able to come back home for a little bit and see the family.

My godson Dawson is being baptized on Saturday which is what initially brining me home. It's just so happens, however, that it's also SuperBowl weekend which I usually watch with the immediate family. To stay and watch the game, I'm making it a long weekend and skipping a few classes on Monday. Nothing too major, the powerpoint for one class is always online, and their's a girl in the other class that is a mega note taker who promised me her notes. I should be alright. And let me tell you, it is to worth it!!

It's been a month to the date on Friday since I've been home, so it's well overdue. And what a GREAT excuse to come home. Can't wait to see Dawson, the other kids, and the fam! Just need to stay focused for a few more days. ;-)

Playing "Mom"

This Thursday through Saturday I get to experience the world of "Mom," well, kind of. My brass professor is going to be going to MI to judge a music contest with his wife and has asked me to watch his two boys, two foreign exchange kids, dogs, and home. I'm pretty excited to get to make dinners, pick up and drop off the kids from school, and make the kids do their homework! It should be quite the adventure but I'm pumped about it. Not to mention that I will get to stay somewhere off campus for a bit. It's been a while, so that will be a nice change of pace. Plus it will be like having little siblings, which I've always wanted, not to mention brothers. I've known these kids for a bit now, and have a blast with them every time I see them so it should be a good one.

Other than that, nothing too exciting going on here. Just impatiently anticipating coming home next weekend for Dawson's baptism and the SuperBowl. Definitely glad I won't be on this campus for the big game since they are all pretty split between the Colts and Bears. There's already been some bitterness between some kids on campus, nothing major but there's the tension. Should be a good game though! Glad I'll be home to see it!