Craziness of Life

Wow!  I thought I was going to be so good about maintaining my blog, but now that school has started I have gotten unbelievably busy with just getting homework done and spending some time with the people in my life.  A lot has changed since I posted my last blog, all of which have been great changes!  

One of the biggest changes is that I am now in a relationship with a great guy, Tyson.  Tyson is also in my 1st year cohort (class).  I met him the day he moved into the Ranch Apartments and we've been hanging out together ever since!  We've had fun comparing how different our lives have been - with me being from the MidWest and the South and him being from Vegas.   We both share a love for music.  He plays the viola and the guitar and I enjoy hearing him play both of those instruments.  Our favorite thing to do together is go the beach or go to a coffee shop to study.  One of our favorite coffee shops is in Long Beach and it's called The Library.  There are a lot of books in there, along with tables and couches to sit on to study.  And it's only a few minutes away from the beach, so after we've studied for awhile we can head to the beach!  It's been hard to find time to do fun things now that there are so many assignments and tests going on in school.  But, last weekend we found time to go on an awesome date to The Melting Pot in Pasadena! We've now been together two months and I've enjoyed all the time we've spent together.

Another exciting piece of news that has greatly improved my quality of life is that I moved out of the Ranch apartments and into a house.  I had an uncomfortable living situation with my roommate in the Ranch since she was Korean and our different cultural values caused us to continually clash.  So, another living situation presented itself where I could move into a house full of girls, half of which are Rosemead students.  I checked out the place and met all of the potential roommates and decided that it would be a great place for me.  I really enjoy living with all of the girls here!  I have made seven new friends in all of my roommates!  It's also been nice to live in a house because it feels more like a comfortable, permanent home instead of a transient apartment life.  

God has given me some pretty great relationships with people out here too.  I have a huge support system in all of the people in my class.  We all help each other through the stress of homework, classes, and the overall expectations of grad school.  One of my best friends out here is Katie, another girl in my class, who also moved into the house about the same time I did.  She's another MidWest girl who's learning to enjoy the California life!

I do really love living out in California, which is something I'm a little surprised about.  I thought that I was going to be so uncomfortable out here because of the different culture and pace of life, but so far I seem to be adjusting well.  I live in a smaller suburb of L.A., so I am pretty sheltered from the materialistic society that pervades this area.  I did go to a mall last weekend in Costa Mesa that had all these insanely expensive stores in it like Gucci, Lacoste, Jimmy Choo, and other brands that I couldn't even dream of buying.  That was a wake-up call to me being out in California and not in small-town Missouri anymore!  Thankfully, most of the time the difference in status is not even an issue.  

I love the warm weather here!  The temperature hasn't even approached freezing, unlike back in Missouri, where it's dipped down into the 30's a couple of times at night.  It's finally starting to get a little colder out here, but the weather is still great.  I do miss the leaves changing and the feel of fall.  One of my roommates, Evonne, who is also from the MidWest, said that we've exchanged fall for fires.  If you've watched t.v. in the last month at all, you'd know that was very true.  The fires aren't really close to me, but the ash still affects the air quality.  Last week the smog was pretty bad.

I also am only about 30 minutes from the beach!  Since living close to the beach has always been a dream of mine, I'm pretty much in Heaven.  I also routinely go to Disneyland to play with friends because I have an annual pass and we're only about 20 minutes away from there.  

As for school, I'm enjoying most of my classes and learning a lot.  The class that has probably been the most interesting and the most work has been Measurement and Assessment.  I get to learn how to administer intelligence and achievement tests.  I feel like a real psychologist learning these tests, but it also takes a lot of time to learn all these tests, so that's kept me really busy.  Another class that makes me feel like I'm learning my career has been Intro to Psychopathology.  We read case studies and have to give DSM diagnoses.  (The DSM is like a psychologist's Bible, which describes all the mental disorders).  

It's only 3 weeks from Thanksgiving, which I'm really looking forward to!  I will be spending Thanksgiving in Vegas with Tyson and his family.  Then, in another month, I'll be coming home to Missouri on December 20th!  I only get to spend 2 weeks at home, but I am going to make the most of my time there!  And, I'll be showing Tyson my Missouri life for part of the time too!  

It's time to get back to homework!  I plan on updating my blog more regularly in the future!

Play/School

Since I have arrived in California, my life has gotten quite filled with new friends and fun things to do! I had some time to just hang out and have fun before school started, so I took full advantage of being in the Southern California area. I have been to the beach several times already. I'm trying out many of the beaches out here. So far I have been to Huntington, Manhattan, Hermosa, Newport, and Seal Beach. Each beach has unique characteristics that make it fun, like being close to a huge pier with cute shops or being a great beach to watch surfers. I've even been to a coffee shop that had a view of the beach! I have also tried surfing. I wasn't able to stay on the board very well, much less get up to stand on the board. It's much harder than it looks! It was fun trying to surf though and I may give it another chance in the future.

The beach out here is also very different from the beaches I have experienced at the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. The waves out here are much more powerful and the water is a lot colder! I have to let my body go numb in the water before it's actually comfortable. There's also a cool breeze by the ocean, so I don't start immediately sweating as I lay out on the beach, which would be the case on another coast. So, the beach is different than what I was expecting. I'm growing to love it though! It's great to be able to go to the beach and be a perfectly comfortable temperature. I am only 30 minutes away from several beaches as well, so I plan on going as much as possible. This week I have gone to the beach twice to study! I have to make studying enjoyable somehow! And of course, I will take any excuse to go to the beach!

Disneyland is a new favorite fun place too. I have an annual pass to Disneyland, so I plan on reliving my childhood quite a bit at Disneyland. I've been a couple of times now, once to eat dinner for a birthday celebration and then a full day to play with some friends of mine. While there aren't as many parks associated with Disneyland as there are with Disney World, there are tons of fun things to do at Disneyland and California Adventure. I love feeling like a little kid again riding the rides, seeing shows, and just forgetting all of life's troubles...or grad school studies. Apparently, one of the theology professors, J.P. Moreland, came to Disneyland to write several of his books. If Disneyland can inspire such a great thinker, then what better way to follow in his footsteps than go to Disneyland myself? That will be another place I might occasionally take a book to read for class. (Yes, the recurring theme in my life is now reading books).

Classes started for me last Thursday, August 28. I am taking Advanced Statistics, Introduction to Psychopathology, Biological Bases of Behavior, Theology I, and Measurement and Assessment I. So far, I'm really enjoying my classes. I have tons of reading to do for each class, along with an additional lab time for each class, whether it's time in the computer lab or discussing the subject matter for the class. My life now completely revolves around school and my classmates, but as a nerd, I like that anyway. Grad school will be a ton of work, but I'm up for the challenge! I have such a great cohort made up of all my classmates, which I know will make the experience so much more enjoyable. God is going to use grad school as a time of huge growth and change in my life, and as a source of fun too!

My California apartment at The Ranch

Photobucket Album

The big move to California and my birthday!

I'm finally settled into my apartment in California after a week of being here. It's been a long process to get my apartment in a live able condition, but all the hard work has paid off. But, I'm getting ahead of myself...I'll back-track to leaving Missouri.

So, I left Missouri bright and early on Monday, August 4, with my parents. We took Buddy to Lucky Dog, his boarding place, where I said good-bye to him. (I'll really miss having my dog to pet and love on!). Then we took my parents' car to the Tulsa airport parking lot so that it would be there for them when they flew back in. From Tulsa, the long journey continued in a blurred fashion. We drove so fast through so many cities that I hardly paid attention. We all took turns driving and cramming into the backseat of the Mustang. We drove through some pretty areas, like Flagstaff, Arizona, and some really desolate areas in New Mexico and especially in the desert in California. We finally arrived in the L.A. area late Tuesday night.

Wednesday morning we went to my apartment complex so I could get my keys and check in with the apartment manager. After I got my keys, we opened the door to my apartment, and we were faced with the reality of my living situation. The apartment was absolutely filthy! There were cobwebs everywhere, the kitchen walls and stove were covered in grease, the shower was rusty...it was dirty all around. (Another highlight of the apartment was my gas stove from 1957, which is thankfully going to be replaced soon!) We immediately bought tons of cleaning supplies and started deep cleaning the apartment, which took two days. And, this whole time we were sweating to death because..and here's another perk of the apartment..there is no air conditioning! So we finally got it all clean and then the fun of unpacking began.

Thankfully all of my boxes arrived and amazingly only one thing was broken in transit. (The one thing was a gift from someone who is best forgotten anyway, so it was okay.) It took awhile to get unpacked. I realized that I have tons of shoes and clothes! I'm a very blessed person! We also added some homey touches to the apartment. We put a cute tablecloth and place mats in the kitchen and pretty bathroom accessories with a matching rug in the bathroom. We also rearranged some furniture to create a cozier atmosphere. Now it really feels like a home instead of just a place to live. I just hope that my roommate feels the same way when she returns from Korea.

My parents and I worked really hard last week getting me completely and comfortably moved in. After slaving away, we did manage to have a little fun. Saturday night we went to Downtown Disney with my cousin Greg, where we ate dinner at a really nice Italian restaurant, Naples. Then, Sunday I took my parents to LAX. They returned to Missouri, while I embraced my new California life.

This week I've been able to have some fun. I've hung out with my new neighbor, Jackson, who's a really nice guy from Alabama and will be a seminary student at Talbot. And, one of my classmates, Charis, arrived from Malaysia on Monday! Charis and I have had fun spending time together since then. It's been fascinating to learn more about Malaysian culture and introduce Charis to American things like tacos and sunbathing!

Today I thoroughly enjoyed my birthday! This is the first birthday I've been able to spend on the beach!! Charis and I went to Huntington Beach today where we enjoyed watching surfers, taking a really long walk on the beach, and walking along the pier. I also got my iPhone today! And I had some Coldstone ice cream tonight with my friend Jackson.

So, things are going pretty great for me in California. In spite of not having air conditioning, I'm enjoying my new apartment. I'm learning my way around the area and really enjoying all of the shopping centers and restaurants that are close by. The next big thing this week will be finally meeting my roommate on Friday!

Ready to leave?

Although I've had several months to get adjusted to the idea of moving to California, now that the big day is almost here I suddenly feel like I'm not ready. The reality of the move didn't actually hit me until after my going-away party. That night I realized that soon I would be leaving behind the place I have called my home for the past 10 years and many people about whom I care. I realize now that I really will miss Missouri, or at least all the people I am leaving behind. I have been itching to leave Missouri since I moved here in '98, but I never pictured that I would move to California. After visiting California two years ago I thought it would never even be a possibility for me to move there. Yet, here I am, two days away from moving. I guess that just goes to show that sometimes God has plans for our lives that we cannot forsee.

All my things have been shipped off to California and are set to arrive there on Wednesday or Thursday. I will be leaving bright and early Monday morning with my parents in my Mustang to make the long drive in two days so that we beat my stuff. As of Wednesday, I will be moving into my California apartment. All of this seems very surreal to me. I don't think that I will actually believe I'm moving there until I get on the road and start moving into my apartment. Then after I move in, I'll have a couple of weeks to get settled before school starts.

My whole life is about to change! I'm anxious to discover what God has planned for me in California!

Going-Away Party

Good-Byes

This past Saturday, July 26, I had a going-away party. I wanted to have the opportunity to see some people that I haven't seen in awhile before I left for California. I had an awesome time talking with all the people who came. I was really pleased that most of the important people in my life were able to come to the party. Some people couldn't attend because they lived too far away, but I really appreciated the fact that many people made me a priority on such a special occasion. My friends Christy and David Schmuck get extra brownie points for coming all the way from Kansas City so that they could say good-bye to me. I had quite the mix of friends at the party - friends I've had for 10 years, college friends, and singles' Bible study friends. Family friends from our old church, First Baptist Church of Carl Junction, also came. I especially enjoyed seeing my old church friends because they feel like extended family members to me. The party turned out even better than I had hoped. I was so pleased to be able to have some final closure on my life in Missouri and say good-bye to people for whom I really cared.

Now that the party is over, the reality that I'm actually leaving Missouri has really set in. I'm so excited to be moving to California. However, I am sad to be leaving behind so many people who are so important to me. I am thankful that God has blessed me with so many great people who have been a part of my life for these past 10 years. These people have made a lasting impact on my life, which I will never forget.

My Friends

Slideshow of my life from '04-;08

Why Biola and California

I'm sure many people wonder why I've chosen to go to Biola University out in California for graduate school. Some may think that I could get just as good of an education at any state school or at any other school that's nearby. But, I feel that God is specifically calling me to Biola. I will explain a little bit of my journey to this decision. (By the way, I will switch back and forth between calling Biola "Biola" and "Rosemead." Biola is the university's name and Rosemead is the school of psychology).

My first exposure to Biola was when I was studying at the Focus on the Family Institute in Colorado Springs in the spring of 2006. A few of my classmates were current students at Biola. Also, one of my supervisors in the counseling department at Focus attended Rosemead to obtain his master's in marriage and family therapy (which is a program that no longer exists there). While I was there, one of the professors from Biola, Dr. Todd Hall, came to give a presentation at one of the counselor's breakfasts. He spoke about spiritual assessment tests and the integration of psychology and theology. His knowledge, as well as the subject matter, really impressed me. He encouraged the students to look into Biola for graduate school, but at the time I thought it was impossible for me to consider a school out in California. So, I just filed the idea of Biola in the back of my mind and moved on with my life.

I went back to SBU and slowly my career ideas evolved. I went from thinking that I wanted to be a marriage and family therapist to broadening my interests to helping more groups/populations of people. The doctorate is the most accepted degree in the field of psychology. Furthermore, clinical psychology opens up many opportunities to teach, do research, and do clinical work. So, I decided to find a doctoral program in clinical psychology.

Since my dream was to move back to North Carolina, I initially looked into programs at UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke. I even visited both of the campuses last summer. But, after visiting, God started moving my heart in a different direction. I realized that I wanted to do more than just study more psychology and do a whole lot of research on a subject that I wasn't passionate about. I wanted to use the talents that God had given me to impact people for Him. Of course, I could do that at a state school, but I felt like I had to learn more about God and applying my faith to psychology before I could really reach people for God doing work in my field. I wanted to learn to integrate psychology and Christianity/theology. I still had a passion for studying marriage and family issues, so I also looked at schools where I could focus on that as well.

So, I started looking into graduate programs that integrated psychology with my faith. Not many clinical psychology programs are focused on doing that, even at Christian schools. The two programs I found that really made an effort at integration were Biola and Fuller. After visiting both of the campuses, meeting some of the professors, and examining the programs, I decided that Biola was the better fit.

At Biola I will have the opportunity to study more theology. I will take theology courses and integration seminars and have a minor in theology. Rosemead also publishes the Journal of Psychology and Theology, so the school is obviously focused on the integration of the two. I will also have an emphasis on Family/Child psychology, so I will be able to take more courses on family issues and complete practicums in this area.

Biola seems focused on the student's success and is very community-oriented. Rosemead emphasizes the person's development as an individual, requiring group and individual therapy of all of its psychology students. The first year students are also assigned to an older student who becomes a mentor to them. I've already gotten in touch with my mentor and she's been a great help with all my million questions! Every older student I've contacted has said "Welcome to the Rosemead community!" And the students I've found on the Internet who are in my class have been great too! I'm already developing some good friendships.

I did not pick Biola because it was in California at all. Going to California is actually a very intimidating idea to me because it is much different than the South and the MidWest, which are the main cultures with which I am familiar. I've asked God why He is taking me to California instead of back to North Carolina, where my heart longs to go. However, God is taking me out of my comfort zone to grow me. I'm not quite sure what to expect out in California or how the differences will affect me, but I know that I will adjust, just like I have in previous moves. I trust that this is where God is leading me, so I know I will be okay.

So, I am saying good-bye to SBU, Missouri, my friends and family, and the life I know. I am going to have a "water-walking" experience as I answer the call of Jesus and "get out of the boat" of the comfortable life I have. (I've been doing a Bible study at church called If you want to walk on water, you've got to get out of the boat, so I just couldn't resist using the reference!) In a little over a week I will be leaving for California to discover all that God has planned for me out there. I have a feeling great things are in store for my life.

My Alma Mater SBU

Tonight I made my first visit back to SBU since my graduation in December. This time I was attending another graduation ceremony because my dad completed his M.S. in Educational Administration. I was very proud of him for doing all the hard work required for his degree. I'm hoping that he will do well in his future career endeavours along this new path. It's also amusing to me that we're both alum of SBU now!

Being back on the SBU campus brought me a sense of nostalgia and pride in my alma mater. When everyone sung the SBU Alma Mater song tonight, I actually sang it happily for the first time. When I was a student and had to sing it at every official ceremony, it got quite old, but now the words actually carry meaning to me.

So, as a tribute to my Alma Mater, here are the words to the song:
"To thee, our alma mater, SBU,
We pledge our love and loyalty;
For golden memories and the friends we cherish,
We thank and honor thee;
And with a heritage of faith in Christ,
We set our minds on things above,
That we might carry on thy great tradition of service born of love.

To meet the challenge of the years to come,
Thy bold commitment to maintain,
May we be faithful to the task before us;
To learn, lead, teach, and train;
And with our hearts united now in love,
This prayer for thee our voices raise:
'God bless thee, SBU, our alma mater,
And hallow all thy days.'"

I know the song is super-corny, but I really am proud of SBU and have fond memories of my time there as a student. Tonight after the graduation ceremony I saw one of my old professors, Dr. Brewer. He was one of my professors who had a profound impact on my life. He sees me as someone with great potential and has encouraged me to pursue God's calling on my life. It's because of professors like him that I hope to be a college professor someday myself. It will be interesting to see how God uses me to impact the lives of others in the future, just like my professors at SBU have impacted my life.

Decision to start a blog

Since I'm getting ready for a huge change in my life, I thought I would start a blog so that the people who want to keep updated on my life have an easy way to do so. I'm moving to California in about 2 weeks! Although I'm a little anxious about what is ahead in my life, I know that God is leading me to Biola and California, so I feel confident that He will take care of me.

Before I leave I'm going to be quite busy! Tomorrow we're having a garage sale to get rid of a lot of the things I don't want to take with me to California. I've got to do a ton more packing the next week! Then, I'm having a going-away party, more packing, a wedding of one of my friends, and then I'm leaving! I can hardly believe that the time to leave is almost here!