1st Semester Sophomore Year- Check!

I'M DONE!!!
I'M HOME!!!!
I'M DONE!!!!!

I'm bored.

Those are the thoughts currently running through my brain. I finally finished up this crazy hectic semester, and boy does it feel good. I made it through one tough week of finals averaging about 4 hours of sleep a day. (That was actually the normal for my whole room this past week) and now I am home cuddled up with my puppy on the couch relaxing for the first time in a long time.


This semester has been amazing, incredibly difficult, encouraging, discouraging, heartbreaking, but wonderful all at the same time. How that is possible I am not exactly sure. Some very hard things happened this semester:

1) My mom was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia 
2) My grandpa was diagnosed with cancer
3) My dog died
4) We lost another loved one to cancer
5) Relationships were broken
and more. But through these hard things, there has also been so many good things...

1) My parents and I have developed a closer relationship then ever

2) I developed close relationships with several amaaaazing people on my hall- specifically Lette and Anna
3) I've bonded with my roommates like crazy
4) I've gotten to spend a lot of quality time with my lovely, wonderful Kaity
5) I got to aid in a classroom of 29 amazing little first graders with one amazing cooperating teacher
6) I got to spend a day with Jacob, who makes me so incredibly happy
7) I've found many ways to serve others
8) I think I've grown a lot as a person this semester
9) I've developed relationships with professors that will last all throughout my college experience 

There are so many good things about this semester I could list. Looking back I know these past few months have been incredibly challenging, but also so incredibly rewarding. There were days I didn't know how I was going to keep going, but was constantly reminded through a variety of ways that God is good and He is the rock that pushes me back up when I hit rock bottom. Earlier this week Lette posted a message on her whiteboard that brought both my roommate and I to tears. It said, "Surviving or thriving? Let's glorify God even in the midst of chaos. He's got this." For me, that was the encouragement I needed to get through the rest of the week. I realized that I really was just trying to survive, I wasn't thriving. It was Tuesday night (or very early Wednesday morning) that Lette wrote that message on the white board. And tears streamed down my face as I read the board and then walked up and down our hallway reading the scripture verses that cover our hallway. Our floor theme is a jungle and it is full of "survival tips" or encouraging Bible verses. It was a sweet moment I had with God as I realized He was going to get me through the next days as I finished up finals and had one of the hardest conversations I have had this semester. 


 I am so grateful for this semester and all I have learned, and especially for the relationships I have been able to develop or continue to grow in. I have been blessed with amazing friends.

I am so thankful for all of these people. And I am going to miss them over break, but I am so thankful to be able to be home for the next 3 weeks. I am looking forward to relaxing, spending time with my family, and sleep! And most of all, I am excited to head back to Trinity refreshed, rested, and ready to thrive, not survive. Next semester I am really going to challenge myself to do more, give more, be more, love more, and grow more. I am excited for it and really think that next semester has the potential to be great and I am almost ready to tackle that challenge. 

But first, I'm just going to enjoy being home.  :)

Teacher Aiding

I know I promised this post last night, but things came up. So you are getting it this morning :)

This year I had the opportunity to work in a first glade classroom with 29 little kiddos. Over the past  2 months I have spent 64 hours in the classroom with them, learning side by side them. I can honestly say I have loved every minute of it. There were days I would not want to go because I was having a bad day, and I'd go anyways and end up having a blast with them. I spent countless hours reading to them, working with them one on one, playing games with them, grading their homework, and more. 

Yesterday was my last day, and I was absolutely overwhelmed with the love the kids showed me. I was literally tackled twice, hugged by all individually, some of them even crying. I heard a ton of I love yous, I'll miss yous, and you'll be a great teachers. And the kids each made me a card- and if you know me, you know I love cards.

I was also just extremely touched by my cooperating teacher. She is such a wonderful woman, inside and out. I learned so much from her. I learned how important it is to use positive reinforcement instead of negative. I learned investing time in a kid can change their life. I learned classroom management strategies. I overall just learned a lot about what it means to be a great teacher. Almost every day there were periods of time when it would be just her and I in the classroom and through my talks with her I learned a lot more about myself, and about her. She was an all around just wonderful person, and has told me multiple times now that she is always there for me if I need anything, and to always remember that her door is always open. She wrote me a card as well, and also sent me an email last night that made me cry. 

I am very much going to miss her, and the students. Saying goodbye was one of the hardest things I've had to do this semester. I think I am definitely going to be one of those teachers that cries at the end of every school year. 

I am so incredibly thankful for the time I got to spend in this classroom. I have learned so much and have grown so much as well.

I can't wait to be a teacher. 

I know I know I know

This semester I have been a blogging mess. I apologize to all of you, including those of you who have been nagging me to write about my life on this thing. :P

But stay tuned. Today is bound to be a day full of joy and sadness, and I promise you all a blog post on it tonight! 

Kaity

People. You all need to know...this girl is wonderful. 

She fills my life with sooooo much joy and happiness. She makes me laugh till I cry, and makes me laugh when I am crying. She is super kind and caring. She is beautiful inside and out. And I am so incredibly grateful that I can call her one of my best friends.

Tonight I got to hang out with her for the first time in a week. I love it when we get to spend time catching up and just chatting and laughing together. Here's some quotes from our evening:


"when you see a window do you ever want to just stick your head out it, or dive out of it and feel the glass crashing?" 

"I wish I was a piece of flem in someones throat...I like flem but some people don't so i'm going to stop talking about it now"

"I want a pacifier don't get me wrong...but im afraid if I get one people will think i need psychiatric help! maybe you can just get my a pacifier for secret time."

"That wasn't as dramatic as i wanted it to be because I got stuck in the blanket"

Follow Up

I know I am behind on my thankful posts, and I'll get to that sometime this week I hope.

But right now I figured I better update you all on my grandpa.

He does officially have cancer, and it is spreading rapidly. As of right now he has decided not to undergo treatment, and wants to spend his time with family and not in the hospital.

My mom and grandma are really pushing for him to do radiation. He will not do chemo, but if radiation is an option they obviously want him to try it. But as of right now it's looking like he will not be undergoing treatment.

Please keep him and my family in your prayers these next weeks. This is not easy for any of us. Many tears have been shed these past few days. Seeing my parents cry lets me know how serious this really is. 

Right now, I'm just praying for a miracle.

Heartache and pain.

The Lucas household is full of pain today.

I'm sitting at home, on a Wednesday afternoon, and nothing feels right.

I got a phone call from my mom about an hour ago saying she was at the Northwestern Hospital in Chicago...we are 99% positive my grandpa has cancer, and it's not looking good.

In case you were wondering, that's my grandpa and little me

Many tears have been shed, and many hearts are breaking. 

Today we also had to say goodbye to my best friend growing up. My sweet Tarzan.

While I knew this day would come eventually, nothing could have prepared me for much it hurts. Saying goodbye to your pet of 13 years is not easy. 

Today is a day of pain and sadness. And while I don't like being sad, sometimes you just can't avoid it. So much has happened in the last hour that my mind doesn't even know what to think. 

Thankful day 10 and 11

Thankful day 10.

Yesterday, I was thankful for Lette. Actually, I'm thankful for Lette every day. 

Lette is just so sweet. Sometimes I don't even know how to handle her awesomeness. She is a fantastic friend. She is always there for me to laugh with, cry with, or run to if I need help. She always goes above and beyond in everything she does and is such a light for Christ. I have so enjoyed getting to know her these past few months, and look forward to getting to know her more in the upcoming months. 

Thankful day 11- which is actually today's post

Today I am thankful for the church I have been attending this semester. The sermon today was so good. And ill probably post about that sometime soon, so thats all im going to say for now.

Thankful day 6, 7, 8, and 9

I know, I know, I know. I'm way behind. This week has been crazy, and blogging has been the last thing on my mind! But I'm here now, and I'm going to make up for my lack of blogging in this post.

Day 6. 

I think this was supposed to be on Tuesday. On Tuesday I was thankful for two girls on my hall. Brie and Alyssa.

Alyssa

Brie

And yes, I did creep on their facebooks to find pictures of them. Brie, Alyssa and I are all in a night class together on Tuesdays. Tuesdays are my bad days. I'm in class for nine and a half hours. One of these classes is Geology, which sucks. It goes from 6 till 9:30 at night. YUCK! These girls make this class bearable. We always manage to have fun, and they always put me in a good mood. :)

Day 7:

This was supposed to be Wednesday....

 Wednesday I was thankful for the teacher I am currently aiding for, Mrs. McClure. Mrs. McClure is one of the craziest, funniest, kindest people I have ever met. She scared me a little at first, but now I just love her. She makes me laugh and I have so enjoyed getting to know her this past month of aiding. We have an awesome relationship and I am so incredibly thankful that I got put with such an amazing teacher my first time in a classroom.
Day 8:
Thursday....Thursday was a loooong day. I was just so tired! But on Thursday I was thankful that I got my SPED presentation over with. It kept me up most of the night on Wednesday, so getting it over with was such a relief! 

Day 9.
Today....Today I am thankful for these 3 little chillins I am babysitting as I write this post- Alex, Evelyn, and Ethan. They are 3 of the cutest, sweetest, craziest, loudest, most adorable kids I have ever babysat. I've babysat for this family every weekend for the past 4 weeks, and I have loved getting to know them! They are super polite, and every single one of them loves to cuddle. Alex is 7, and your typical 7 year old boy. He's crazy, but he's not obnoxious. He likes me alot, even if he won't admit it. I've won him over, and he will even play hide and seek with the 2 younger ones and I now. (The first time I tried to get him to play he said he was too cool for it). Evelyn is 6 and is pure girl. She's obsessed with barbie, pink, dresses, princesses, and candy. She talks constantly and is so friendly. She loves giving hugs and cuddling on the couch. Ethan is 2 and a ball of fun. He's your typical two year old boy and is super adorable. 


Sorry I've been so bad at this whole daily post thing. Hopefully I will get back in the swing of things this week!

Love you all!

Thankful, Day 5

I'm gonna be real honest with you all. Today, I'm having a hard time being thankful. Part of that is probably due to that fact that it's Monday and the school week has started again, but a lot of it probably has to do with the fact that yesterday was a good day, but it was filled with some hard conversations I didn't expect, and then decisions that had to be made that were way harder to make then I had anticipated.

So today I guess I'm thankful for the fact that I have an almighty God. A God that will never leave me, abandon me, and who loves me more then I can possibly imagine. It is so comforting to know that He will never give up on me, even when I'm tempted to give up on myself.

Here's a song that's been really speaking to me lately. I heard it at Outcry a few weeks ago, and it's become one of my favorites ever since. 

Thankful, Day 4

Today I am thankful for Lake Katherine.

Lake Katherine is a beautiful place located about five minutes away from Trinity's campus. I discovered it about two months ago when I was having a really rough Sunday and just needed to get off campus. Someone told me to go to Lake Katherine, and so I did. Since then it has become almost like a safe haven for me. It's a place I go when I want to get away from campus, spend some quality time with God, walk, relax, hang out with a friend...whatever. It is whatever I need it to be. And it's been an incredible blessing to me this semester. That may sound silly..why is a lake a blessing? Well, I don't really care if it sounds silly because it's the truth. And I am thankful for it.