The wonders of Mefloquine

Nothing like Malaria Medicine to really shake up your last few days in America...

The following words (found on the Medication Guide: Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets) would pretty much sum up my roller coster of emotions the past few days...

What this list doesn't include (but is found on an additional symptoms list later in the novel of a guide) is vivid or bad dreams...

"What does this imply?" you ask!... Well... being chased by an army of pokemon characters, escaping a burglary via flying away holding onto an umbrella, and so much more...

Nothing like paying $30 for serious mental problems. haha

Take 5....

As this semester is magically already coming to a close, I call for a moment of childhood simplicity. So turn on The Shins, grab a coloring book, plop on the floor, and dump out your 16-pack of Crayola Crayons. What a shame it would be to graduate from college and become an official real world adult without taking some time to embrace your youth! For all you normal 20-something year olds who don’t own a coloring book, come borrow a page of mine J If coloring sounds more painful than relaxing, go play tag on the front lawn with a group of friends or play a board game.

Point is… take a break. Relax. All the billion things that clutter our to-do lists will get done.

If I Ran the Circus

Two girls. One top hat. The CBU Library.

I was surprised to see people actually in the library on a beautiful Friday such as this (or any Friday for that matter). Nonetheless, Jessica and I proceeded to quietly sneak around taking pictures amidst the rows of books. Quiet might not be the right word on second thought. You never know how loud your camera’s shutter is until you are surrounded by a bunch of studious college aged kids who are inside the library instead of outside soaking up the sun. Judging eyes. All judgments aside, it was quite a pleasant afternoon.

Always a new adventure just waiting for us at CBU; luckily,

Jess always enjoys a good expedition J

Seasons of Love

It’s always strange to stop and remember being a wide-eyed sixth grader, new to middle school, unaware of my goals, dreams, convictions, beliefs and where I would be as a 21-year-old woman. It was the year I met (or, rather, stalked would be a better term) Luis Mancilla. He was an eighth grader who did the morning announcements on the TV for the Peer Assistance Leadership events. Cool in every way J I was smitten at once and so, in sixth grade girl fashion, my friends and I would follow him around and bug him. We looked him up in the yearbook and discovered his real name is Jose. We sure had a field day with that. We started a Jose Luis fan club. He remembers being annoyed with me, but I bet he never would’ve guessed that nine years later I would still be following him around annoying him. Haha.

In life, the person who becomes your ultimate confidant starts out as a stranger, so it could’ve been anyone. I think of all the random events in my life that led me to Bernice Ayer Middle School in 2000 to meet the man who I want to spend the rest of my life with; it leaves me speechless and praising God for his planning. There is no perfect guidebook to dating or learning how to love someone. We thank God that his Word directs us on many issues and gives us a picture of love through Christ and the Church. Through arguments, miscommunications, and breaks we have learned that when we rely on each other too much, that is when we fall. When our emotions are dependent upon our standing with one another we lose sight of all that God has for us. As we have matured individually in our walks with the Lord, we are finally understanding how great of a blessing relationships can be. I am thankful that the Lord has been patient with us and given us so many chances to change our affections towards Him. Lately, more than ever, I have been blessed by the man that Luis is; how he leads me towards Christ more every day, how he loves my family, his prayers and encouragement to be a Godly woman, the way he makes me laugh and cares so much for me. I am thankful for this season of life that we have together to enjoy each other and I am hopeful for what the future holds.