Adios!

Well, I'm off to Costa Rica in just a few hours!  This past week since I have found out about going to Costa Rica has been a blur.  I feel like I was in power mode when it came to school work ( I still have to submit something for my personal health class before I leave... probably not going to sleep before I'm leaving in the morning... I'll sleep on the plane) and today has been crazy packing.  Today was the only real day I had to go shopping for things I needed and pack everything up.  I took pictures of my room while packing - it was crazy.  Clothes were literally everywhere.  When I post about CR when I get back I'll make sure to post those too.  I would show you now, but my camera is already packed away :) 

This isn't my room - but you get the idea!

Seeing as I still have stuff to do, I will see all you lovely bloggers out there next Sunday when I get back!  I will talk about my February goals and make my new ones for March! 

Pray for myself, the team going, and the people in Costa Rica.

Love you all,
mb

Bittersweet Tuesday

So some positive things about today:

new Adele cd i am so so so so so so so so excited about this one.  Adele is easily my favorite musician, I just love her.  If you have never heard of her, please go to youtube and listen to some of her songs. someone like you is my favorite but, in reality, they are all amazing songs.  Plus she's british which makes me like her more :)

GAME NIGHT is tonight!  I'm going over to my friend Sally Claire's to hang out wiht people and play fun games like catch phrase!  I don't know what we'll play tonight, but I know it's going to be a fun time.  Don't worry, there will be pictures.

I leave for Costa Rica in 4 days!

Some sad things about today:

I leave for Costa Rica in 4 days!  There is a lot of stuff to get done between now and then.

My roomie, Noel, is home sick with the flu :(  I do not like that she is sick!  Flu is no fun and so I want her to get better asap!  I'm going two weeks without seeing her so this being separated even more es no bueno.

The weather, which was BEAUTIFUL yesterday, and has been the past week or so, is back to being cold and blah :(



How's your tuesday?

mb

another blog

so I created another blog for myself - this one isn't going to have any writing (if so, maybe a sentence).  It is going to be composed of pictures that I find that I like, think are pretty, describe myself, etc.  It's a picture blog.

speakingthroughpictures.blogspot.com

-mb

preperation

So one week from right now I will be in Perez Zeledon, Costa Rica. [or at least on my way] Let me tell you, there is a lot to get done between now and then.  I have been/am planning on being a lame college student this weekend.  I spent my Friday night working on my lab report for biology and studying for greek and so far on this beautiful Saturday I have been working on my lab report.  I think I'm going to take a break from that (which is kinda what I'm doing now writing this) and work on my english paper even though I would rather do neither.  Honestly I want to be outside or hanging out with friends or doing something other than school work.

I've used this picture but it just describes me right now.  Lots of school work!

Lets take the school work factor out of it - there is still other types preparation needed to go on the trip.

1) Spiritual. 
I know I put in my last post about me even being able to go on this trip is a God thing but there is more to it than just that.  I want my heart to be in the right place before I set foot on the plane next Saturday.  I don't want this trip to be about me or the experience I'll gain.  I want this trip to be about making God's name known to people who may not be able to hear it otherwise.  In a sermon I heard from John Piper he asked

"Do you feel more loved by God because he makes much of you 

or that he enables you to make more of him?"  

 Sit and think about that question, it's a tough one.  I know that one reason I feel love from God is because he allows me to go on mission trips such as this one and the experience I will gain will look great on PT school applications.  However, my hope is that my desire while on this trip will be to make his name known.  The worst kind of idolatry is when you enjoy worshiping God because he is committed to making much of you.  You are basically worshiping God to worship yourself.  Note: I am writing this as a point to myself as well.  There are times that this is the exact thought that crosses my mind.  "How lucky am I to have a God that will enable to do what I want?"  In the same sermon John Piper told us that this is like expecting the same meal you would usually have on a Monday night but instead of fixing it yourself you have a butler to fix it for you.
My God is an amazing God and I want to take his message to every person I can.

2) Packing
How do you like to pack for trips?  I like to make a list of what I need and then proceed to pack the night before.  The idea of packing a week or even a couple days before baffles me.  What if I need something but I have already packed it?  Then I would have to go in the suitcase and take it out just to repack it later.  I think it is much easier to have a list, do laundry the night before, lay out what you need to get ready in the morning and have it so it is easy to pack once done using it, and then pack everything else.  That way you know exactly what is in your suitcase and you have everything you need the week before the trip.  My dad is the same way except I don't think he makes a list.  He probably just packs.  My mom, however, starts laying stuff out weeks in advance.  Since my sister doesn't live at home she's been using her room to lay out clothes that she is taking and things that she'll need to pack.  I know she probably makes a list as well, but she definitely packs in advanced.  Considering that I have only known for three days that I am going and I leave in 7, I couldn't have packed in advanced for this trip anyways.  However, the late notice does call for some serious list making and some shopping needed (which will probably get done next Friday, the day before we leave)


How do you like to prepare for trips? 

Have a great Saturday!
MB

¡Voy a Costa Rica!

Exciting news everyone!

Last night I found out that I am going to Costa Rica!  I will be going with my church and working in a medical clinic in Perez Zeledon, Costa Rica.  I will be gone from February 25-March 5, so I will miss a week of school, but it is worth it.  The experience I will gain from this is going to be amazing, I'm sure of it.  I am also really excited to see what God is going to do in my life while I am there.  I know that God has already had his hand in this trip for me.  Even the opportunity for me to go is a God thing.  Someone who was supposed to go found out yesterday that she will not be able to go so I am going in her place with the trip already paid for.  Um hello, that's God right there.  I have felt a call in my life to go into missions and here is just the first door opened for me.  I'm not 100% sure what I'm supposed to do in my life but I know that this is a step in the right direction.

Perez Zeledon, Costa Rica

Some prayer requests:
-for the people in Costa Rica that we will come in contact with that God will already start working in their hearts and lives
-for the people that I'm going with that God will open up our eyes and hearts to what he wants us to do and that we will place 100% trust in him
-travel! I'm not afraid of planes but some people are
-logistics so that everything will run smoothly


Don't worry, when I get back I will post lots of pictures!
have a great Friday!
mb

p.s. maybe I can see my wonderful friend Linsey while I'm there? I hope so!

Valeintine's Day

Unless you live under a rock, everyone knows that yesterday was valentine's day.  Or as a good friend of mine said, all chocolate half off eve :)  I have come to find over the years that most people hate valentine's day.  Either they are single and don't like the reminder of that fact or they are in a relationship and just don't like the idea of valentine's day.  I really don't mind either way.  I've celebrated single and in a relationship and to me it really is just another day.  Yesterday happened to be a Monday with gorgeous weather.

Even though I didn't have a specific valentine, I have some of the best guy friends ever and they gave me a present!

Brandon came by and gave me a beautiful pink carnation and Kenneth came by and gave me a white rose & chocolate covered strawberry!  It was delicious and the flowers smell amazing.

Then for dinner I went out to eat with my parents to a great restaurant, Noodles!  If you have never been to Noodles, you need to find the closest one to you and go to eat there!  It has noodle based dishes from America, Asia and the Mediterranean that you can choose from as well as some salads and sandwiches.  Everything is made to order and if you don't like what you ordered, they will make you something else free of charge!  My parents treated me to dinner, got me a cute card and gave me $20.  What more could I want?

Then I finished off my Valentine's day by studying for the organic chemistry test I had earlier today.  There's nothing else I would rather do... *insert sarcasm here* On a positive note, I think I did pretty well on the exam!  We shall see.

What did you do for Valentine's day?

Love,
MB

oh the weather outside is Wonderful!

the weather outside is absolutely amazing. high of 69 today and this week is just going to get warmer, which I love.  It is my personal belief that college students are happier when it's warmer outside. 

This is what college students do when it's warm outside - we sit on the grass to study, hang out and sleep. 

I hope that if you have beautiful weather like I do today, you enjoy it as much as possible!

love,
mb