Photo Frenzy

I just love photography and had a blast taking these and then editing them. These are just pics I took around Dorchester and the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha. Enjoy!

First of all, let me give you a little update of whats been going on the last 2 months since I seem to not be keeping up with this blog very well. May 4th was the Graduation Banquet, a banquet where all the Graduates were recognized, given gifts, and some were asked to give a speech. We took all of our pictures before the banquet this year down by the ball field so we wouldn't have to stay later at the banquet. It was nice to just relax, eat some good food, take some pictures, and fellowship with friends...Amanda and I had a great time. 

The very next day, Amanda and I and some of our other friends drove about 1 1/2hrs  to the Wichita Mountains...well they're not really moutnains, but for Oklahoma where everything is flat, they were mountains. We hiked up and on Elk Mountain for about 4hrs on the mountain jumping across gaps in the rocks, climbing boulders, scaling down a few inclines, dodging prickly cactuses, ducking and climbing over tree branches, and trying to find shade whereever we could find it.....it was really hot that day! The scenery was beautiful! One thing that was really cool, but weird at the same time, was when we saw trees growing out from the cracks in the rocks. How can a tree grow outof a rock? Oh, and how can grass grow from a water puddle ontop of a rock? I had never seen anything like that before. After hiking Elk Mountain we cooled off in a small stream, then drove up to Mount Scott. It was very, very windy and the heat from the day made the mountains appear hazy...it

was gorgeous! We had so much fun :D.

The graudation preaching conference, May 7th-10th,  started off with a bang with a message from Bro. Dave McKracken on the holiness of God. We also enjoyed preaching from Bro. Jaime Jett, Bro. Josh Merril, and others as well as testimonials and music specials from the students. May 10th makred the big day for the Graduates, who were more than eager to close this chapter and begin a new one in their lives. Bro. Clifton Mizer preached the commencement, Bro. Mark Gray led the singing, and soon the graduates were doing the walking!

It's hard to believe that in 2 years I wlll be walking across that same stage...I can hardly believe that I'm halfway done and that I will be entering my Junior year this fall! It truly has been an amazing year full of Spirit-filled, life-changing preaching, endless ministry opportunities, and spiritual growth spurts. I loved my roommates this year: Jessica Yruegas, Kali Morgan, and Bre Gittings. We had so many laughs together...they were absolutely crazy at times when they burst out into song or just randomnly yelled, "Whoo!" It was encouraging to have roommates who had a desire to serve the Lord and were considerate of one another; different from last year!

The assistant RA position definitely made things more interesting. I was forced out of my comfort zone multiple times by having to confront girls about rule infractions, even writing them, and myself, up. Getting hours you have to work or pay off isn't fun or convenient! Fortunately, this position isn't all about enforcing the rules, although it is a big part; but it is also about getting to know the girls more intimately by spending time in their rooms, praying for their prayer requests, talking one on one with them about any problems, giving them spiritual and physical advice, and so much more. I look forward to serving in this position again next year!

The classes I took this year were hard, but the work was worth it. I learned why I'm a Baptist and how to defend our Baptist doctrine in Baptist Distinctives and Baptist History,  how to properly teach children in Methods of Teaching, the basic doctrines of the Bible in Bible Doctrines 1 and 2, the various religions and cults in this world in World Religions and Cults, techniques to learning a foreign language in Linguistics, literature in American Lit, and also took pictures and constructed a few pages in the year book. Yes, it was a very profitable year!

I am very glad to be home for the summer though and sleeping in my own bed, having no curfew or lights out, abundant food in the fridge and cupboards, and best of all getting to talk to my parents face to face instead of through a chunk of plastic. I would be lieing if I said I wasn't looking forward to another year at HBBC....but only after a few months break :D.