News :)

Dear all,
I wanted you all to know that Robbie and I are no longer together.
Yes, I am okay with it and I am very much at peace about it.
It was a very calm, peaceful, and in some ways a sweet ending.
God is really working it all out for the good of everyone involved. :)

So yes, I love you all and can't wait to be seeing you soon!!

Love,
Kera

Faith We Would Not Fade Away by Honest Abe

I'm starting my own tradition: every post will be titled with some type of song lyric. Yay!

Sooooooo I suck. I haven't been on here in FOREVER. Things with school got wayyyyy out of control, I've just had craploads of work to do recently. So to update everyone on my life...

This semester has been fairly decent. Lots of things happened on campus, and it's really made me think about a lot of things. We were at a remembrance ceremony this afternoon for a first year girl who was killed in a car accident on her way home for Thanksgiving. It was heartbreaking to hear about. It just made me think about how short life is and how I really need to live my life the way I want to.

I received some...interesting news this weekend about a certain person. I'm sure most of you know who it (he) is. Surprisingly, I'm not really that torn up about it. At least, that's what I keep telling myself. But I got some sound advice from Eat, Pray, Love: "Send him light and love every time you think of him, and then drop it." Good words to live by.

I realized I'm in love with a language. Spanish. I freaking love it. Yet I'm saddened because next semester will be the last semester I'll have room in my schedule to take it. *tear*

For the past several months I have been utterly OBSESSED with Salman Rushdie. I'm in the middle of reading The Ground Beneath Her Feet and I'm telling you, I'm in love with this guy's writing. Ask Gabby. I've scared her a few times, actually, reading that book, by randomly sobbing or laughing out loud. But you guys know how emotional I get over literature. But anyways...READ IT. SERIOUSLYI'MNOTEVENKIDDINGYOUALLHAVETOREADITSOICANTALKABOUTITTOSOMEONEELSEAHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Now that the spaz attack is over...I have a song I'd like to dedicate to all of us:
"We Are Okay" by Joshua Radin

Love love love always and forever,
Honest Abe xoxo

Winter Wonderland! by Gabs

So, I started to write a comment on Kera's post, but when I got to the third sentence of my second paragraph, I decided to just write my own post. Woohoo! First order of business: SLEDDING! I am so excited! I can't actually remember the last time that I went sledding. I actually think it might have been before Alex was born, and he will be 5 in a month. Crazy, right? He is getting so big and cute and just awesome! He has this new Spongebob hat that he wore every day this weekend. It was adorable. And he told me that I was his favorite person. Which is funny, because last weekend he told me he loved bacon more than everyone except Andrea. Haha. Okay, that's my tangent about Alex. =]
Second order of business: I AM LOVING THE SNOW! It is making campus look so pretty. Although it is less fun to walk through, even if the quad we live on this year is better salted and shoveled than the walkway in front of my dorm last year. At least for now, I'm trying not to get my hopes up. It was kind of sad at first with just the flurries, because all the snow melted away... Thursday night? Although Wednesday I did get to witness a girl totally wipe out on the ice in the middle of her drunken rendition of "Let It Snow". It was kind of hilarious. Although the effect was sort of lessened when we got back to our dorm and the full ramifications of "Wasted Wednesday" came upon us. Drunk people are so gross- Amber witnessed a girl spitting in the stairwell at one point. Ick! And don't even get me started on the mysterious substance my hand encountered on the stair rail the second week of the semester. I freaked out. Ha!
Anyway, I am not excited about finals, but I am pushing through. Yes! Mostly because I am really excited about next semester and I just want to get to it already. Even if it is going to be SUPER hard- I am going to be in 2 English classes, one of which is a really broad survey course (18th & 19th C British Lit) and another more specific class (Nature and Lit). Plus I'm taking an intro Women's Studies course, so there's 3 classes with a TON of reading. Then I'm going to be in a language class- German 2. That shouldn't be as hard. I just know that I am going to have a ton of papers to write, and lots of reading to do. I mean, we have to read 2 novels in one of my classes, and then a very large chunk of Gulliver's Travels, and then still a whole bunch of other stuff. And there are 4 required books in my Women's Studies class, 3 of which aren't the textbook, just novel-length books. So... woohoo! At least I like reading, and books. I am an English major after all. I guess this is what I get. We'll see how many sleepless nights I end up with....
Oh! So a health update. I don't know if I've told you guys, but I was diagnosed with a heart condition in March/April called POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome). Basically my heart races when it's not supposed to (I woke up almost every morning with a pulse of 120-not good!) Anyways, I've been on a beta blocker since then to regulate my heart rate. Well recently I've been having issues again- irregular heart rate, etc when it shouldn't be. Even after no caffeine for 3 days and switching up another med I'm on, it's still doing these funky things. So I have to go on a heart monitor for 2 weeks sometime this month- whenever the insurance decides to stop being stupid and just put the darn thing through. My mom got really mad at them- she asked the woman "What if she has a heart attack before the request gets processed? What then?" Needless to say, the woman did not have a response to that question. So, yeah. I'll try to keep you guys updated with that whole thing. Wish me luck!
I can't wait to see you guys!
Love, Gabby

Eggs and the F-Bomb - Kera

I thought since I have some spare time for once in three weeks, I am going to post here :)

As you all know the "f-bomb" has detonated....FLURRIES! I have to say it so beautiful outside especially when it is nice and fluffy and it catches in your hair and tickles your nose. It makes you feel slightly dreamy inside. Maybe it is just me? haha.

Lately I've been really evaluating my educational process....I think what I am going to do is space out my classes more and spend more years total in school. Taking 17-20 credit hours every semester is not a plan for success for me...I have 15 right now and two of my classes are killing me. It took me a while to accept this idea that was presenting itself. I am Class of 2010! Hurrah! But I've come to realize that sure I may say I am that, but if I don't learn what I am supposed to learn cramming it all like I've had to, I won't graduate then anyways. So what seems like a better plan? Exactly. ha. Now you know what is going on on that front.

I just did a "controversial chemistry paper" on birth control. I found it so facinating to read more in depth on the female body. You guys might think I am totally whacko sure, but I really have come to just admire what God has created. Sure, having a period can be annoying / gross at times, but after studying more on how many changes are occuring just so one little egg can dilly dally its way to potentially being fertilized is rather sweet if you think about it. And I wanted to share a little story that made me appreciate a little more "Aunt Flo". A woman in my Bible study told us probably 6 months ago now a little testimony of sorts. She and her husband have two children already and decided that was perfect for them so she had a procedure done that thinned the lining of her uterus so eggs could no longer implant. Yet, she started to have a maternal urge to have another child, but she kept ignoring it. All these women were having babies and she just brushed it off as being that "oh the baby is so cute I want one" syndrome. However, one day the Lord told her that she was going to have another baby. She laughed and was like "God, you know the surgery I had, how is that possible?" However in the course of the last few months she's found she is wanting a "miracle baby". Ironically, a lot of the devotionals that we in the Bible study read have ended up dealing with this awesome man of God saying "if you want a baby, start preparing" etc. Well the other day (and sorry if ahead of time this is gross for you guys), she said that she was on her period and she felt a gush of blood. What most women would typically feel is panic or digust, but instead her heart leapt for joy because that has not happened in the years since she had her surgery! That means her uteral lining is developing on its own! So to the point of the story is that.....I've just been awestruck by these little things I can take for granted or just find as "normal bodily functions" are really a blessing disguise. I had a little moment today where I just thought (of course I am going to say this in a sillier way than it was presented in my mind), "one day...that little egg that usually goes bye-bye will instead meet the sperm of its dreams and develop into a baby, my baby!" Isn't it really just kind of amazing? Anyways, I'll get off that subject for those of you who might be feeling a little queasy, but I hope it insome ways blessed you as it did me (as odd as it may be).

Annnnnd I'd like to say that we MUST go sledding this winter. I haven't been sledding in two, possibly three years and I am dying to go. So, you + me + snow + sled = adventure of a lifetime! Do any of you have sleds? I have a long yellow one that we could use.

I hope you're all doing swell and are chugging through the last parts of the semester (or quarter) and with finals! I know you will all do awesome!

P.S. The peppermint hershey kisses are amazing...I think I've fallen in love again :) Just when I thought hugs were enough....not anymore. ;)

Wet Feet -Gabby

Wow! It's been a while since I've been on here. First, I will explain the title of my post. It's raining out today, and I definitely wore the wrong shoes. Specifically, really absorbant shoes. Yeah. Bet  you've already figured out how that turned out. Basically, I'm sitting in the computer lab right now without my shoes on, trying to get the to dry at least a little bit. And I have plans to go to Walmart right after class! Oh well, Ambi said she'd bring me an extra pair if I reminded her. Innyhoo. On to more important news! Jenny- that stomach flu is going around DU. My Psych professor was actually out on Friday, and her husband, who is also a professor here, caught it too. Yuck. Luckily I don't have it. And I refuse to. BECAUSE HARRY POTTER COMES OUT THIS FRIDAY! AND I AM GOING TO THE MIDNIGHT PREMIERE! Okay, nerd freak out over. At least on here it is- definitely still going on in my head. Haha. Oh! So I got my class schedule for next semester worked out! I am taking 18th and 19th Century British Literature with an AWESOME professor; Nature and Literary Imagination with Amber, Beginning German II, and Issues in Feminism. Unfortunately, this makes makes Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays kind of busy for me, but I don't have class on Tuesdays and only on on Thursday! Woohoo! I am so excited! 

Hmmmm what else to tell you... Oh! I've been going to weekly meetings for BreakAway every Monday night. I am getting really excited, and the people in my group are a lot of fun. Last night we played this game that I've never played before called Ninja. It's really weird and kind of hard to explain, but loads of fun. I can totally imaging our group all playing it together. Anyway, the people. There is a really good mix of people. A couple of freshmen, some sophomores, a junior, and a few seniors. One of the senior guys is really nice, and struck up a random conversation with me yesterday when we were waiting for the meeting to start. It's definitely really cool- it sort of feels like we've all know each other for a while and are pretty good friends. I suppose that's us all bonding over our shared status as Denisonians. Plus when we go on the trip we are going to be squished into a bunkhouse that apparently comfortably fits 10 people and the max is 12. Guess how many of us are going? 12. Haha. Oh! And we're staying on a farm. Woooo..... And it's going to be really cold......... Ugh. Less than excited for that part. Oh well. Yay for new friends!

Love you guys! 

Gabs

If You Looked Like Me - Kera

Okay, so I said I'd write to you about what prison was like. Hopefully text can do my experience justice. A couple funny things happened that I hope I remember to tell you. So, the location was Lebanon Prison. It houses felons (therefore sex offenders, murderers....those kind of criminals) It is high security meaning these people are NOT getting out. haha. There were two rows of barbed wire and it was intense!!! haha. It was on the ground and up top. First I should mention that my prof required us to dress up and look respectable, meaning no jeans. So I had to borrow black pants (I for some reason don't have any) and I wore heels. Of course some of my classmates still wore jeans (Grr!) haha They gave us our visitor badges and we went through the metal detector. Once through the one male guard says, "Pull your shirt up hun." I looked at him bewildered like "oh my am I hanging out?" He says (probably in response to my look), "You're fine, they'll just be screaming at you. And they'll like your heels too...*long pause* but if you looked like me, they'd still like you too." BAHA! The first gate opened and only 8 people are allowed in there at once. It shuts and then photo id must be shown and they ask you to show the invisible stamp on your hand (it glows). The next gate opens and you walk into a long corridor full of administration offices. The next 8 of us went through and so on so forth until we were in the hallway together. The tour lady talks about how old it is and what level prisoners they hold and so on so forth. She kept saying, "We have sex offenders" and would make a point to look at me and the girl standing next to me (okay, my prof required it, don't look at me like that! haha) We start walking and somehow the girl and I ended up in the lead and we're like "we really shouldn't be in the lead...." but all the guys were hanging back behind us (baha!). We get to the next gate that leads to where actual prisoners will be walking. There were already some loitering. Now mind you, they aren't chained as they walk around. They have rules such as they have to walk on this side of the hallway and whatnot, but they are allowed to walk without chains and handcuffs. They are required by law to have MP3 players (it keeps their minds occupied - that is one of their biggest agendas is to keep them from thinking so they won't plan an escape or death). So there was a little kiosk where they could buy music. There was a snack line with hygiene products too where they can buy things they need. They do get $9 a week to buy those things which can be reduced if they act up. You know how we get tickets for traffic violations, they get the same write ups if they break rules/cause trouble. There is a Tag Shop where the prisoners (only the best behaved ones) may work. There are only two places in the US that make license plates and Lebanon is one of those. The BMV pays for the inmate's stay so that way taxpayers won't have to. Of course the inmates don't see any of that money. It's really a bargain in the sense that the prison gets the opportunity to make them and keep prisoners occupied and BMV pays them so they don't have to spend money on inmates stay. Kinda neat. They gave us a free license plate at the end that says, "VISIT" haha. Then we went to a block which is a long hallway with 20 cells on the first tier and then two more levels with 20 cells. Prisoners are held two to a cell except for a few who have gained the privilege of their own rooms. Mostly those guys are ones who train dogs to help children with autism. They are basically the cream of the crop inmates who've been good. haha. This specific block was the best behaved block so they could shower when they pleased, microwave food, sit out in the common hallway and visit each other's cells. They opened up two cells for us to look in. Well, of course it is a prison so there's going to be some "scandalous posters/pictures" on the wall. I am not stupid, I know this. haha. (that's my disclaimer). Well she said, "Go ahead, take a look." No one was budging so this guy Oliver and I went in and I was looking around on the ground and I saw how cramped the toilet is and the sink is over top of it so you have to crouch on the toilet beneath the sink. THey had a TV (occupy your mind haha). The room was honestly the same size as my half bath at home if you guys remember what it looks like. They said the most fights they have break out between roommates...no wonder...haha. Roomates in fairly large college dorms fight, so imagine being forced in a room with a fellow inmate haha. So I was scanning the room and it had lots of random papers and whatnot and then I saw a spice rack so I was like hmm interesting, they have spices. Then I turned and right beside me is a GIANNNNT photo of a COMPLETELY nude woman. I go "Whoooa okayyyyy." and turn on my heel and walk out and just as I did, Oliver behind me goes "ooohhhayyy" and runs out on my tail haha. Of course I turn BRIGHT red and the whole class giggles after I say, "Just don't look at the walls." Even my prof was holding back a chuckle. The woman goes, "Oh I'm so sorry." "Oh it's okay." She can't apologize for a prisoner's pornography. haha. Well then we went to their chapel and talked to a couple inmates. That was mostly the prison. It was a neat experience. The inmates were honestly extremely respectable. The tour lady said that there's 2500+ inmates in a prison that has been accommodated from only being able to hold 1200. They only have about 58 staff members every shift. The only reason she says they can run it is because the prisoners respect the staff and most of them don't want to cause trouble. They want to get out as much as the staff doesn't want them to stay. Very interesting. haha. If you have any questions just ask :) On the way back in the van with a bunch of guys and my friend Rachel, I was saying how it bothers me they don't make women's pants with bigger butt pockets. Oliver says, "You know why they do that...?" "Because they think women don't need them...." "No, because men look at their butts." haha Wow....I was enlightened. The thought never crossed my mind. haha. Then my friend Rachel out of the blue says to my friend Eric, "I really like your eyes." Eric (the smart butt that he is....though he was taken off guard with her statement....[he'll put on this "cool" front, not in a bad way, just really chill about everything, so to see him taken off guard for a split second was funny] ) "Oh uh thanks...I massage them twice a day." Oliver says, "(pretending he were Eric while rubbing eyes) Stay awake....stay awake..."  Me: "Well, if that's Eric, it is more than twice a day." It was really funny especially since, who says they massage their eyes. haha. Funny stuff. Alrighty, this is long enough. I'll bid you adieu. <3

Tidbits from Kera

This is mostly in response to Jenny (though I might update a tad bit even though I need to be going to bed....). It hasn't been going around my campus, but I've known a few people to have it. My brother has had gastronitis before same with my good friend Zach. Both very unpleasant experiences and were given prescriptions. I am sorry you had a nasty bout with it, but guess who won. You. Boosh! ;) Glad you're feeling better and more spry (sprye??).

Quick tidbit:
I am going to prison today tehe. We are actually, on a field trip, going to be walking among prisoners and speaking with them. My prof keeps saying, "It is a very sobering experience." I am super excited for this trip. I'll tell you more about it when I return.

I am awaiting our return to home where we can all join together for Christmas :D! I am super excited to see you all and play in the snow with you. And please understand I am not jumping on the Christmas/snow come now bandwagon haha. Believe me, Thanksgiving comes first people! ;) But I do await when I get to see you all. I miss you so much. Life is getting a little intense on the homework front this month. I have to do a research paper on a "controversial chemistry subject". I wish my topic could be the controversy over why this research paper is required of us. Is it really that important? Haha. Student vs. Prof controversy so I say that it is. 8 pages of it....haha. I'd rather sit in calculus thank you!

Lots of love to you my dears :D

The Stomach Plague - aka - The Death ~by jennyMcJenJen

so there's this sucky stomach virus going around campus, and i guess even ohio in general? (idk, have any of you gotten/heard about it?)

its been about 2 weeks since i first heard about it. at first everyone thought that there were just a few cases of food poinoning, and our cafe decided to start serving us our food instead of letting us get it (which is especially annoying because it takes longer to get food now . . . more on that later). however, now it is officially gastroenteritis (or something like that), better known as either the stomach plague or the death. not that it has killed anyone,  but it has caused a few people to travel to the hospital . . .

so here's my personal story about it: the friday before last, yes, Halloween Weekend, sam's roommate, MC got this. at first he thought he was getting a cold, but actually ended up vomitting several times during the night. he slept most of the day friday and felt good enough to go to Cedar Point (to work/fundraise) that evening. he felt better by saturday and so we (those in my hall) figured he was one of the food poisoning victims. well that sunday is when they began serving the food at mac, in order to stop the "virus" we all "knew" was food poisoning. it was really really annoying.

well i went about my life as usual, then last tuesday (nov 2) afternoon i started feeling weird,  but i thought i was just hungry. so sam and i went to nom (the little cafe/diner restaurant thing just off campus) for dinner bc i didn't wanna go to mac. by the time we got there though, i was really tired and didn't feel too hott. i tried to eat, but wasn't really hungry. i texted people to tell them i'd miss my meetings that evening and decided to try to take a nap when i got back to my room and hope it went away. it didn't. i couldn't fall asleep bc i felt so bloated and grody. sam gave me chewable pepto and as soon as i finished that i threw up. it was nasty. really nasty. suddenly, i had the death. and seriously, i felt like i was gonna die that night. i wont bother you with the gory details, bc they're really gross. but anyway, i felt so weak, and tired, and unable to keep anything down. it got to the point that i couldn't keep gatorade or sprite down. only water. sam and my friend dawn put my mattress on the floor bc i was too weak to climb up and down every 10-20 minutes to go to the bathroom. i told my parents what was going on and they nearly came up to take me to urgent care. i told them it wasn't that bad. but it was bad. i ended up sleeping most of wednesday.

so yeah, it was nasty, but the amazing thing is that it doesn't last very long. like one of those out-of-nowhere, sudden thunderstorms that are really violent but last like less than an hour. i went back to classes thursday, but was still having a few issues. so i went to the health center and got a perscription. was pretty much 100% friday (except for side effects of the meds). however, i washed my hands so much that they are still very dry . . . but other than that, i'm all good :) i survived the death. also, amazingly, sam has not caught it. he refuses to. lol.

but i'd say that at least 1/3 of campus has had it at one point or another in the past two weeks, even a couple professors! so yeah . . . i thought i'd post about it and see if it has infected any of your campuses yet . . .
i hope not!

lots of love,
Jenny McJenJen <3

I WAS SO EXCITED ABOIT CLASSES I FORGOT TO TELL YOU GUYS SOMETHING AWESOME

Innyhoo. Yes I am posting again. But it's important. There's this service trip that Denison does called Breakaway, where for the last week of winter break you go somewhere kind of random and do some kind of service. And I got accepted! I'm going on the "Mystery Trip" which is no longer a mystery, they just didn't tell us really anything about wjat we were applyig for in the first place. We're going to Spencer, West Virginia. I looked it up, and the population is as big as the Denison student body. Which is about 2100. Crazy right? Anyway I just wanted to share that fun tidbit of info. Love you! -G

Why YOU Are Amazing! - Kera

I am glad that this is taking off...:)

It's been a little intense over on this playing field (I just thought of all of us on a baseball field playing a game....innyhoo...). I've had a ton of stuff coming at me with my classes. Calculus and analytical chemistry are kicking my bootay. Thankfully my New Testament class is enrapturing and I am acing my tests :D He's a great prof too! My classes for next semester are looking to be: Analytical Chemistry II, Calculus II, Old Testament, Criminal Law, and Criminal Evidence. :)

On a more personal note....(classes are great, but I want to hear more than classes from y'all....;) ) I have grown to be more assertive and bold (so those of you who pestered me to stand up for myself / be more assertive, guess what?! It has happened. haha) It is simply a boldness that comes from being in Christ. My parents and I have found a whole new loving relationship. You guys know how I used to think of my parents and I am so glad I am not prisoned by that anymore. Sure, sometimes I feel frustrated by them, but I have grown to love them no matter what. I even wrote them a very mushy letter :) I have a found a really hilarious friend here on campus that has such an incredible faith and we're both in the same bible study from home so it's just phenomenal. She's hilarious and makes me think of you all at different times. haha. I'll honestly say that I have a lot of great people around me here, but I've been searching for a good female friend in my life at CU and God brought her. I am truly thankful for that. I have to say, since I haven't been around you guys in a while, I am starting to not be so touchy feely hah (Moima started that in me baha!) I mean I'll poke and punch, but hugs aren't as often, though I do pat Zach's knee when I am assuring him after I just teased him. haha Strange isn't it? I have to say I love Robbie more than I used to and I appreciate him a lot more than I used to. I can't believe I've been dating the kid a year and half....it seems just yesterday you all were teasing me because I was "rob"bing the cradle. Baha. So I think what I am saying from all of that is my relationships have really changed a lot. I have grown to love and appreciate you all so much more and just know that even if you don't get a call everyday or a letter once a week from me....I love you guys more than I have before. I am like my dad in that I don't always tell people how I feel about them. So please know that if you don't hear from me often, it doesn't mean I don't care. I think a lot of it comes from the faith and assurance that you are being doted on by your friends there and I know that you are all beautiful and intelligent women with such courage and strength. (P.S. if your friends aren't doting on you, they better be cuz you ladies deserve it!) That is something truly amazing about all of you - no matter where you go, you make a way. I love it about you :) That actually makes me think of my new theme song: Wherever we go, that's where the party's at.

Well, I need to chop chop on some studying and calc. :) God I thank you for each and everyone of these beautiful women you have put in my life. Thank you for their knowledge and humor that they bless me with every time we speak. I pray that every place they walk and every thing they do - that is where the party is at. Give them rest and an abundance of joy. Amen. LOVE YOU GUYS <3