Where Do I Begin???!!!

   I have been contemplating a title for the next -way over-due- blog post for a couple days and couldn't think of anything that was satisfying so I settled for the easy way out this time. 
    The last post was in early November and I am struggling to think of words to describe the length of time it feels like it has been since I posted it. I promised more pics and they never came- please forgive me? Thanksgiving was a week after that and I was so excited to be on the road to my parents house that was a fun dream! The days leading up to Thanksgiving break were very overwhelming but God brought me through it all. I was privileged to watch one of the professors daughter a couple times that week. The day I left for Ohio I watched her in the morning and did some laundry. I left around 2:30pm. I got directions and a concerned "be careful" from my daddy on the telephone minutes before I left. As I was heading out the door I stopped at the office at the bottom of the steps leading to the main floor of my building where the student center and one of the counselors offices is and got a hearty have good break from Mr. Paul. As I left Vancleve I stopped and got gas. Then was on my way. I set the cruise and off I went. It was such a beautiful day and I was on cloud 9! I had 3 fun-loving brothers and 2 sisters that are always ready to stay up and chat till- well to  late early to be talking about here. Not to mention my parents. There is something about being where your family is that is just  a comfortable feeling. I was anticipating seeing my grandpa who at the time was still in the hospital. All this and just the simple fact that I got to get off campus, didn't have any assignments staring me in the face, I was pumped! I was about an hour from school when suddenly the cruise control kicked off on its own, I pushed on the accelerator and the gas gauge when flying up towards 50 mph then slowly fell back down. I could speed the car up but the lights and the gas gauge wouldn't work. I pulled off at an exit and stopped at a gas station and used 3 dollars to use a pay phone that didn't do what I paid it to do. I was in tears trying to stay calm as I went into the gas station and as I tried to hide the fact that I was losing it I ask if there was a mechanic around. She proceeded to ask what was wrong and I told her I had no idea and she went out and looked at it. I couldn't start it now and I popped the hood for her and she jiggled the cables to the battery and she told me to start it- started right up and she said "oh it was just a loose cable- you should be good to go now". So quite relieved I went on my way thanking God she had been able to figure it out. I made it 12-15 miles- same thing only this time it just up and died and I coasted to the edge of the freeway. I sat there and looked around and tried to my racing heart to be still. I prayed that God would help me give it to Him and that I would be OK with staying on campus if it was His will. I then got out of my car and changed into my tennis shoes and started walking. It was going to be getting dark in an hour or so and I was trying to figure out how long it would take to walk to the nearest town- about 15 miles. I walked and tried to ignore the stares from those on the interstate who were FLYING past. I had walked about 5 maybe 10 minutes when a man pulled over and rolled his window down. He asked me what was wrong and I told him trying to keep the tears at bay. He asked if I had someone I could call and I said yes. He let me use his phone and I tried to call the school. I got someone on the line and I lost it. I couldn't even talk. It was a little lot humiliating!  The person on the other end thought someone had died. About that time a truck pulled over closer to where my car was and 2 men were walking  towards us. Turns out its people from the college. The men worked on the car and got it started and we were on our way. For 10 miles. It did it again. Finally we parked it in a empty lot and moved on to plan "B". I called my daddy as we were travelling North and he said that they didn't have time to come and meet us so I ended up in Paoli Indiana. I slept in a hallway behind a sheet for 5 nights. It was a warm and welcoming place to be I have no complaints but is was not the above mentioned dream. I still don't know what God was trying to teach me maybe submission. I am grateful to Pastor Bob England of Paoli Wesleyan Church and his wife and their family for taking me in and making me feel welcome. It was a Thanksgiving I will never forget. I spent a big chunk of the little bit of money I had to buy an alternator for my car and the guys fixed it on the way back to school on Monday morning- in the rain! 
  The weeks after Thanksgiving break were full with studying for finals and working to pay my bill at school off. Finals and Christmas parties finished off the semester. I got a Gummy snake that was 3 feet long and a cute little snowman made of a sock and some rice it really is pretty cute! He is adorable!
 Christmas break began and I spent it in Ohio. Mother was sick the entire time I was there and Kendall and Laban (my brothers) and Sarah and Carrie (sisters) took turns with it too. We had 2 funerals while I was there (no family- Church friends) and we celebrated Carrie (17) and Kendalls (8) birthdays as well along with Christmases. It was a fun time I got to spend some time with a couple friends and took all 3 of my brothers at home on a little fun trip to am Amish Store and then to Richmond Indiana for some window shopping. We went to the Library 2 times and we went mudding in my car- their idea all the way! It was a fun trip. I got to school last Tuesday and classes began on Friday. I am praying for a good semester! May God bless you all!