the doorbell

here's the first of my INISGHT 08-09 memories:

so, the downstairs girls' (anna, kat, emily, amy) doorbell is set to auld lang syne. the past few weeks it was ringing all the time because people were always coming over to hang out.

response #1: josh schneider - "oh, isn't that something about old clementine?"
response #2: anna bramble - "HAPPY NEW YEAR!!"

the first time josh said that, he was serious. after that, he was just being funny. but seriously, both of them said their phrases every time the doorbell rang. i though it was hilarious. every time.

soon they will be back, celebrating the new year and inquiring about old clementine:)

:)

i'm feeling a bit like a broken record. i am still sad, but i have said that enough.

so, instead of sad 'i miss you' posts, i'm going to write about memories and experiences from this year. they'll be short and sweet, but they'll help me focus on how great the year was:)

about the posts about all of the students, they're coming. but, i want to think through them a bit more. i will never be able to do justice to all of them with my words, but i want to do my best. so, they will likely be coming when i get back from louisville.

by the way, the fam is driving down to louisville, KY on thursday for courtney tarter's wedding! i am thrilled to see her again and be a part of the wedding!

58-41

grief, wonderful friends, and heaven

it's hitting me. slowly but surely. the students are gone. and life in minneapolis is really weird without them here. today was a hard day. i don't want to make it sound like they're dead or something, but i feel like i have lost so many of my closest friends. some of them are coming back, but still... they aren't here now.

i found myself in a pitiful place today. i didn't want to go out and have fun because none of the students would be there. i didn't even want to laugh because it wasn't one of them making me laugh, or because they weren't there to enjoy it with me.

times like these are when i need to remind myself that God has been so gracious to give me a year like this, so full of incredible people and experiences, and thank him for the precious time i had.

also, i continue reminding myself of heaven. [interjection: the idea of heaven is so incredible! sometimes, i can't even believe that i will actually get to spend eternity with God and all of his people. he is so good!!] because these students are lovers of Jesus, i get to spend the rest of eternity with them! [interjection #2: something i have noticed and experienced this year is the sweetness of relationships that have Christ as the foundation. i have never witnessed a more incredible bond than all of the students had with each other this year. this was without doubt because Christ was the foundation and what brought all of them together. this kind of true, sweet fellowship is a wonderful thing!] how cool is that? and this lifetime is so short. so, even though i do miss them now, i won't have to miss them forever!

one thing that helped me get through some of the goodbyes was thinking of it as 'see you later' not 'goodbye.' knowing that the girls downstairs (anna, kat, and emily) would be back in a few weeks made the parting more bearable. in light of heaven, though, every goodbye, for believers is a see you later, whether on earth or in heaven. that is so sweet!

i'm feeling a bit better now. God is so gracious to make a way for us to live with him and his people forever.

wow. so, this is it.

well, all of the out of town students are officially gone, as of this morning. i'm feeling emotionally drained. i can't even cry anymore. that's probably a good thing, i've shed enough tears for one week:) but, i still feel heavy. everyone is gone, and they have all taken some of my heart with them. a part i am so glad to have given them, but it's hard.

this week has been so full of preparations for graduation, hanging out every spare minute, and very little sleep.

i'm finishing up my last class this week! i'm pretty pumped.

anyway, this blog post is all to say, i'll be back soon! and i have a series coming: INSIGHT students. i'm excited to blog about every one of them and remember the incredible year with which the Lord has blessed me!

ok, back to work, whit.

so, i love the sound of music

this is so fun! i loved it!

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