Showing posts with label 2014. Show all posts

Senior Year

It's hard to believe that I'm a 1/4 of the way through the fall semester of my last year at Liberty. It seems like I just came here yesterday as a little freshman. Everything's been moving so fast.

This is basically an update on how I've been for the past 5 weeks at Liberty. (Follow me on Instagram if you want to see more pictures)

1) I'm living on East campus now. So I have my own kitchen and common area. I have the most incredible view out my window ever. And I am also on an amazing leadership team. I am so blessed to have these women in my life this year. I wish I could put into words how much I love these young women of God.

My New Home

The View


My Lovely Leadership Team

2) I looked into joining Liberty's Crew team.
This was a spur of the moment thing and I kinda knew I wasn't going to make it on the team considering the last time I exercised consistently was back in 2007/2008 when I did 8+ hours a week of ballet. But I still really enjoyed going to the gym and working out for a long period of time with the team. I learned that if I push myself I can be surprised with the results. I've discovered that I can complete 5,000 meters of rowing straight in under 27 minutes and complete 2,500 meters in just over 10 minutes. Legs of Steel are coming!

One of my new favourite places now


3) I'm continuing to learn that I'm held and known by a God who cares for me deeper then I could ever know.
I'm always in His hands and that I can never, ever do any thing to change the love He has for me. In the valleys and in the mountains I am held by Him and he will NEVER let me fall from His hands. I am His. He has rid me of the shackles of my sins and I am now clean in His eyes. He tore the veil for me to come close.



4) I've been listening to this song on repeat a lot the past few days. If you read number 3 you'll know why I love the song so much.


So far this semester has been going really well and I'm learning so much but I also know that it's only going to get more difficult. So please keep me in your prayers as I continue to complete my studies this year. 
2014, Change, Liberty University,
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I Am Canadian! And American!

It's not as complicated as it sounds.

Since it's both my countries birthdays this past week I thought I would clarify something that has made some of my (American) friends a little confused.

I'm a dual citizen of Canada and the United States of America.

I can vote in both countries and get a job without a green card or all that jazz. I have two passports Canadian and American; though my American passport has a better picture. I can, and have been called for jury duty - although my Canadian home address was probably why I was never summoned.

"How is this possible?" "You're not really American!" "I'm more American then you are or ever will be!" These have all been said to me during my time at school. Seriously Americans...

How is this possible? - My dad's American, my mum is Canadian. They met at University, fell in love and got married. My grandmother on my mum's side was diagnosed with skin cancer so my dad said "Let's move to Canada" and they did. Such a nice guy.

You're not really American! - Hmm....I'm pretty sure my Certificate of US citizenship and US passport proves otherwise. I also am a Daughter of the American Revolution and I get really excited when it's Military Convocation at LU.

Military Appreciation Convo last year (via Instagram)

I'm more American then you are or ever will be! - Yes, I haven't lived in America my whole life like most people I go to school with, but that has nothing to do with my American-ness. I have just as much rights as you, well technically more since I have citizenship to two countries. Furthermore, I think it's unfair to say that someone who was born in the US is more American than those born outside of the US. What about Americans who are born in the Middle East because their parents are in the military? Are they less American because they were born in, say, Iran? That logic doesn't work. You can still be American if you weren't born in the US just as you can be Canadian if you weren't born in Canada. I just happen to be both American & Canadian.

However, I will say that I feel more at home in Canada. I feel safe in the US but when I walk through the gates that say Welcome to | Bienvenue au Canada I get really happy. I think this is the same for anyone when they enter their home country after being away for a long period of time.

One of my favourite things to see. (via Instagram)

So to clarify, I'm am Canadian. I am also American. I love both my countries and am extremely blessed to be citizens of both of them.

Happy Independence Day and Happy Canada Day!
2014, canada, Canada Day,
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21 Things I've Learned From My Daddy

In honor of Father's Day here are 21 things* I've learned from my father.
*I say 21 not because I only have 21 things but because then it's one for every year I've been alive & seemed like a good place to stop. 
1. "You can do anything!"

2. "Put your cream in your coffee mug first. Then you won't have to stir it."

3. That history repeats itself, learn from your mistakes.

4. "Sarcasm - It's a beautiful language!"


5. That you should always dance like no one is watching. (Even when everyone is watching)

6. "We can't forget Spurgeon, now can we?"

7. That you can never tell someone you love them enough.

8. Family is ALWAYS important.


9. To never take yourself too seriously - especially when it comes to your fashion choices.

10. That complacency is the enemy of excellence.

11. The importance of music. - Can't thank you enough for this one.

12. That you can always play a mean boom box if you can't play anything else.


13. That it's not *technically* hoarding if your kids made it for you.

14. That teaching is not always fun and games. Sometimes you learn how to use ladders.

15. And sometimes you need to be reminded on how to use the ladders.

16. For reminding me that God supplies over and above what we need or deserve.

17. Tat gramrz & speallingz r inporetant tingz.


18. That you can be patriotic for both your countries but know who to really cheer for during the Olympics.


19. That countdowns can never be started too early nor can they go on too long.

20. "Don't be upset with the results you didn't get from the work you didn't do."

and number 21. Family ALWAYS comes first.



Happy Father's Day Daddy!! Love you more then you'll ever know!

❤️❤️❤️
Your curly little red head girl.
2014, fathers day, personal
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A (School) Year in Review

How do you continue a blog when your previous (and only) blog post was used as a sermon illustration? I'm not entirely sure, but I felt it's time to get back into the swing of this thing called blogging...

I've been really busy since I last posted (well who hasn't) but now exams over and I'm back home in Toronto! I am SO happy to be home and have a chance to relax. (Although not really, since I'm taking 16 credits over the summer)

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"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven" ~ Ecclesiastes 3:1

This semester marked the end of many seasons for me. The end of living on Main Campus (Yay!), the end of rooming with my best friend Amy (Boo!), the end of undergraduate Music Theory and Conducting classes (Amen!), & the end of some friendships (Hey, it happens) just to name a few of the things that happened in my life this past semester.

So lets start with the end of living on Main Campus:
This past fall I applied to be a Resident Assistant (RA) and was made it through the second round of cuts. This was a great learning experience and I really do appreciate being able to go through that process. However, I was not accepted to the position and though I was upset at the time, it was part of God's plan. Now I am going to be a Prayer and Life Group Leader on East Campus and I'm super excited for what He has in store for me next year.

Photo: RA Training week February 2014
Photo: My new home next semester! (photo taken by Johanna Hatt)

The end of living with my best friend. No, we didn't "break up" or have a horrible experience being roommates (at least I didn't). We just reached the end of our time being roommates. Things change, life goes on and I have no regrets rooming with Amy at all. We just felt it was time to not room together. No fights, no weirdness, we parted ways well. We'll always be best friends. It was just time to not room together.

BFFS (photo taken by Johanna Hatt)

The end of my undergraduate* Music Theory and Conducting experience. This is one of the biggest accomplishments to completing my degree. 2 years of music theory and 1 year of conducting. The music theory was actually entertaining and I learned a lot from Dr. Wellman AKA Captain Counterpoint. From graphic notation to twelve-tone music, Dr. Wellman has taught it all and his way of bringing music theory to life was amazing and I'm going to miss having him as a professor.
*I say undergraduate because I'll most likely pursue a masters degree in music and will then have to take more music theory classes.

Photo: Last day of Music Theory, Spring 2014 (photo taken by selfie master Okawa Tan)

Photo: From when I conducted the LU Wind Ensemble (photo taken by Johanna Hatt)

The end of some friendships. This one is harder to talk about because the people I was friends with I considered them to be my closest friends at Liberty. But things change, and people change. These people for whatever reason felt that we should no longer be friends. I may disagree with these reasons but it is all for the best. But I know God is good, I know He is in control and I know He has better things in store for me and for those people. Sometimes you just have to pack your bags and move on.

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But with ends come beginnings and nice things so here is one of the nice things that happened this year/semester.

"The Sassy Corner." These four ladies, Amber, Leah, and Dara (who also has a blog and you should probably go follow it) helped get me through Music Theory, Elementary Music Methods, & Instrumental Conducting. They were all there when my grandmother passed away suddenly. They helped keep me sane while studying for music theory and conducting exams. I'm truly thankful for the friendship I have with these three lovely ladies and that God has placed them in my life.


Photo: Sassy Corner at La Carreta (photo taken by Leah)

Anywho, this post is already long enough, but that's the kind of year it's been.
(I am going to try to blog at least once a week over the summer. I want to make it a habit of writing more.)

2014, life, LU
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