Life as I know it.

The last post that I made was over a year ago. A lot has changed since that last post, so to start from the beginning....

I finished my internship in San Dimas and then left for Hong Kong. Being in Hong Kong for a month was one of the best experiences in my entire life. I love that city so much, and God is going to do some more amazing things over there. 

While I was in Hong Kong, I called Chris and broke up with him. It wasn't the easiest decision, but it was the right one. I think that I was more in love with the thought of marriage than I was with him.

In August, I started my last full year of college. I lost some friends and gained some new ones. Some drifted apart and some got even closer. It was a pretty up and down year. I made many plans but broke most of them.

So that leaves me here at this very moment sitting on my bed in my summer apartment wondering why I am even writing on this blog. It just seemed like a good idea 5 minutes ago, I guess. 

In approximately 13 days I will be leaving for training in Denver. I will be teaching English in Hong Kong again this summer at the same school. Excited? Yes. I cannot wait to be back in the city that I so dearly love. It's sad because not all of the money has come in for the trip, but I know that I am supposed to be there, so I am going. 

I have one semester of college left. That's it. One. It scares me to the point of anxiety, but it also excites me. I'm ready to be done with the monotonous lifestyle that school often brings. I'm ready to be an adult and to feel like an adult. I am attempting to be an adult at the present moment with my own apartment and paying my own bills and such, but I won't really know what it's like to be an adult until I am finished with school, working, and am able to afford rent. 

My brother's girlfriend is about to have a baby. That will be my second nephew. I'm pretty excited. She should be going into labor and day now. She is actually due in 1 week, but she is getting really close. My niece has been getting so big. Not just physically, but mentally too. She is over 2 years old now and we now have full conversations. She pretty much rocks my world. 

So, that's the story of my life up until now, and when I read this 35 years from now, I can think about what a terrible writer I was, but I can also smile at the memories that even cared enough for to write down. 

The end.

A year later...

It has been almost one year since my last blog post. A lot has happened over that year. Chris and I got engaged in August, I started school at Greenville, and now I am back in California before I leave for China in a few weeks.

Instead of posting notes on facebook, I just thought that it would be better to post here on my blog. After all, that's what it is for!!

I have been here in San Dimas for a week now. Work has been great, and it is keeping me very busy. It has not been all work. I have had some fun too. One night I went to Pasedena with some other ELIC employees. We ate dinner and just walked around Pasadena.

I haven't been doing much. Just sort of hanging out and working.

I went to Disneyland this past Sunday. It was pretty okay. We weren't in Dland for very long. We spent most of our time in California Adventure Land. They have better rides. While I was there, I got to see my old friend Ryan Moody since he lives in Riverside and is a Disneyland freak!!!!

Anyway, work is good. I have to read this book called Chinese Intellectuals and the Gospel. Its a pretty good book. It's about trying to reach the Chinese intellectuals in a way that they can understand the gospel better.

That's all for now.

Chinese for the day: Xiangmao shi dongwu (shyoong maow shir doong woo): Pandas are Animals.

(Insert Catchy Title Here)

Life has been pretty good since the last post. I have been working quite a bit, but I love what I do. I am trying to find a place to live around here. I think that I have found an apartment in Garberville, but we will see how that goes. Chris and I started our children's ministry at First Baptist Church of Redway. It is going pretty good so far. We are definitely learning and being stretched.
The past few weeks have been a little crazy and stressful, especially for Chris. He has been doing a lot and has had a very full schedule. We weren't able to spend much time together, but that's been changing, so life is good. We are on our eighth week of our devotional and it is going well. Next week is our last week of it which is kind of sad, but the devotional has taught me a lot!
I have been playing on a summer softball league here. It has been pretty exciting. I love playing, and I love everyone on my team. It has been a little painful considering the fact that I haven't played since early May, but it's good and sore muscles are actually nice sometimes.
The rest of the summer is going to be pretty busy. Along with work, I have youth camp coming up at the beginning of August, and Chris and I are planning on a possible road trip to Illinois, so that is pretty exciting!

Wake me up when June ends...

It has been about a month since my last post. It has also been about a month since I have been in California. A lot can happen in one month.
Chris and I have definately had our ups and downs. We have been struggling with a lot of things, and I know that it is really stressing both of us out. We started out devotional about 4 weeks ago. It is going pretty well, and I can tell that we are both being challenged.
I started my new job. I am working at the Redwood Times as a reporter. I have been pretty busy since I started working on Monday. I love it though!!
I moved in with Nancy. I am finally in a permanent home. It is a beautiful home, but I really am not there a whole lot. I am either at work or with Chris.
God has definately been keeping me on my toes and has been really challenging me. I am really trying to keep my faith strong, but it is a struggle sometimes. I know that God has a plan for me, and I am trying to seek it out. When you have to make huge decisions that can change your life and you are just constantly seeking God for guidance, it can really push your faith.

This is where it begins.

I am back in California.
After a long flight from St. Louis to Denver and then Denver to Sacramento, I finally made it back to California. It was a long ride from Sacramento to Redway, but I enjoyed the scenery that I had missed so much!!
For these next couple of days I am staying with a very nice, fun, upbeat lady until my permanent summer arrangements go into effect.
Yesterday when I got back I only had 45 minutes to take a shower and get ready for my first date with Chris!
I made it though in the nick of time.
We had a lot of fun! I don't think that I can put into words what exactly my heart feels for him. It would be impossible because words wouldn't do it justice.
I know that we are going to have a wonderful summer together, and we are both very anxious to see where God leads us.
I am suppose to relax this week, and next week I have to find a part time job. Yay!

Sign my yearbook...It's the end of another school year.

First of all, I would like to thank Chris for that first post. It was very sweet!
Second of all, I am a little new at this blog thing.
I thought that a blog like this would be a good idea to update my friends and family on what is going on in my life as a college student, and also updates on California and my relationship with Chris.
I just finished my last year at East Central. After a lot of sad goodbyes, I left Mississippi and made my way back to Highland, Illinois. I made it here safely at 11:00 a.m. tuesday morning. I was anxious the whole trip to get here and see my niece. She is precious!!!! I could just sit and hold her all day!
The past few days were fun days of visiting friends and family. I drove to Greenville and visited Sarah and Brian Knobloch who were my youth group leaders in high school. I got to see their new baby boy. He is so precious! They are such a cute family. Sarah and I were able to take a walk and catch up on some things. It was really nice!
In less than two weeks, I will be leaving for California...that is if the St. Louis area doesn't get flooded out. We are under a flood warning right now.
I am really excited about California. God is going to do some amazing things this summer. I know He is! I am excited to see the opened doors that God has for me.
Chris and I are both anxious to see what God has in store for our relationship. I am really excited about learning more about him in person, and just spending nice quality time with him.
I am pretty sure that I will be attending Greenville College in the fall. Unless God opens the door to College of the Ozarks, Greenville is where I will be. I had a meeting with coach Mac yesterday about soccer. He wants me to run three miles twice a day! ACK!!!!!
Tonight I had dinner, and spent some nice quality time with Larry and Nancy Vossel. They are a couple that I lived with my senior year of high school. It was a great time! I didn't realize how much I missed those two!
May 22 cannot get here soon enough!! I am super excited. Yay!!!

Rebecca through my lenses

I haven't known Rebecca for a year yet, but I do know that she is a blessing to all those that may cross her path. I met her in early June of 2006 and by the end of the summer I considered my time spent with her short, but definitely good. Later we began talking over IM and our relationship began to blossom into a great friendship. Now I have had the honor of calling her my girlfriend for 4 months (in 10 days) and know that she has many great qualities. She is an amazing person and a very loving and caring girlfriend. She has her ups and downs in life as we all do, but she leaves an impact with every one she meets. I am excited to see where our relationship may go. I am also excited to be able to be a part of the growth that she will experience over the next few months as a woman of God and an beautiful person.

Hopefully, this blog will be a place for here to write whatever comes to mind. Rebecca's an excellent poet, and a great writer all around. I hope you enjoy what you may find here. It should be quite interesting!

'Till next time,
~Christopher