Thoughts on Figuring it Out

This coming summer, 2015, (I know it's still a semester and a half away) I have kind of two options that I am considering. Going back to Madison and continuing the research I am currently doing Participating in another REU, research experience for undergraduates program, at a different university.  Right now my heart is kind of torn. On one side I love Madison and would go back in a heartbeat. I love the research I am currently doing and it is in the field of chemistry, inorganic, I will probably end up in. On the flip side I'm kind of interested in going somewhere else to do inorganic research elsewhere. Madison is guaranteed pretty much, somewhere else is not. Going to Madison would be a benefit to my senior project/senior "thesis", going somewhere else is not. Going somewhere else is a new experience and different research, going to Madison is not. I'm so lost and confused right now and I can't see where I'm supposed to be. I have until the end o...

This summer I am only posting on the Madison page as that is the only thing I have time for. See link above if you're interested.

All Posts for summer 2014 can be found here !

Hello again from I'm sure you can guess where! (Hint look at the post time) we made it! These past couple of days I feel as if I have bipolar disorder, which is ironic considering that is what I'm doing research on, I feel so giddy at times yet I feel down at others. The good thing is that excitement is the more prominent feeling. Tomorrow will be church and then just taking it easy. Maybe a little exploring of the town. On Monday I move and explore more and then start on Tuesday.  I'm looking forward to seeing campus for the first time and especially the labs. (Thanks to you dear one to me) I just want it to be morning already so I can start. I'm so anxious to get this adventure going. And thinking about it I know how fast it will be and thinking how soon I'll be back to you all. I'll keep you updated hopefully by Monday. Love to all!  -The Exploring Kansanj P.S. I'm hungry tonight, Jenni!, and this is a beautiful state if you've never been. 

Let's start with this. I hate hotels. 10 nights in a little over two weeks...let's just say I don't sleep well. (Hence the post at 3 in the morning) but secondly one week! That's it. I go in less than that, but one week till I move in and have a bed to call my own for a while. I'm so ready. So ready to be done traveling. So ready to settle down. And so ready to just start. I'm not all sure what I'm about to get myself into, and it'll be hard, but I'm ready. As I lay here it can't come soon enough! One more week...I can do it. I can make it. I can live through the craziness of the next week and I'm ready to do so. Summer...ready or not here I come!

Three Weeks. That's it. In Three weeks I'll be heading to Madison for the summer. I'm so excited and ready to embark on this adventure. I've so much to do to get ready with some traveling in-between and I can't believe I'm down to three weeks. I wish I could be going and starting today, but I have things to do to get ready. I'll try and keep updated on my getting ready for the summer.

My mom's chicken enchiladas Oatmeal Ice Cream Today I am especially thankful for being funded for my research venture this summer!

I sit here today, writing this, anxiously waiting for my summer in Madison to start. Today it is hitting a little closer to home as I have found out that I will be funded for the summer!! WOOHOO! That now comes with me feeling a little more nervous and excited at the same time. I can wait for this summer, but I can't wait for this summer. But alas I have been funded for this summer and I can't express how excited I am for that fact. This is going to be a summer of growing and I will end up embracing it with all I am.

Three Gifts Waited For: To be done with my exam. I've been waiting for this day for a good few weeks.  My new Sevenly shirt. I really like my new shirt and am glad it finally came! The nice weather, it's finally in the 50's or above for the foreseeable future!

Get Hillsong's new song Calvary FREE here !

I just finished one of the most stressful, frustrating, tiring and gut wrenching weeks of my life thus far, an exam on Monday, a presentation later in the week in which a 5PM meeting with the professor on Tuesday told us to do more research. We did hours of research, which lasted until one PM on Thursday. Thursday night we finalized the PowerPoint and quickly went over our presentation. Come this morning at 11AM we were giving our presentation. I did not feel prepared at all! Reading papers to present on research that others had completed, I felt I knew nothing. In the moments before class I felt I could lose my breakfast. My mom put it best that morning. She told me that I was the one that knew the information the best and that I would be fine. She spoke a lot of truth into my life. I’m so blessed because of her. My performance today does not, I repeat, does not , define me. I’m worth so much more and however this semester turns out I am still Charissa, a child of His. It’s not a def...

I have been so busy so I apologize for not keeping this up, but it's spring break so I'm back and hopefully for a while. Yummy Pancakes Laundry done by my mom Pants that a friend tailored for me

A Gift of Tin, Glass, Wood Fruits and Veggies that come in tin cans Glasses My bed 3 Gifts before 11 AM Time with Jenni Office Hours so I can get help Sunshine and Bird Songs

I find it offensive that Christians would leverage faith to support the Kansas law. Serving people we don’t see eye to eye with is the essence of Christianity. Jesus died for a world with which he didn’t see eye to eye. If a bakery doesn’t want to sell its products to a gay couple, it’s their business. Literally. But leave Jesus out of it.  He later went on to state: "Jesus taught that if a person is divorced and gets remarried, it's adultery. So if (Christians) don't have a problem doing business with people getting remarried, why refuse to do business with gays and lesbians."  

This past week was crazy with three exams in total, two of them big chemistry exams. So, here is the past weeks. 3 Gifts In Shadows Coolness from a beating sun in the summer A new perspective Photography opportunity  3 Gifts Found in Serving/Giving Joy Smiles Realizing how blessed I am 3 Gifts on Paper Verses Notes Photos 3 Gifts That Were Plan B's My major Having To Borrow My Professor's Answer Guide (To the textbook) Staying in Bed some mornings A Gift At Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Sunshine A Break Family Time 3 Gifts White Woolite (The bottle is white) Shaving Gell...seriously amazing stuff! Socks 3 Gifts That Changed Today Chocolate Waffles Warm Weather A Baby Shower

I've been watching Passion 2014 today and am thoroughly enjoying it. Here is one of my favorite quotes from today from Judah Smith.  In Christ we don't practice for position, we practice from position.  You can watch the last session from tonight at 7:30 CT here or you can watch the recordings for a short time.

3 Gifts in working: A scarf My dad's life Getting to see Passion 3 Gifts behind a door The great outdoors All the clothes I can afford The warmth of the heater 3 Ways You feel the love of God By the people in my life Seeing His creation  His taking care of me A gift in Losing, Finding, Making Something Losing: Humility Finding: Excitement  Making Something: Creativity

Got To Run To Class So I'll Finish Up The Rest Later 3 Gifts Found Outside: Birds and their songs Flowers Spring breezes A Gift at 11:30AM, 2:30PM, 6:30PM Having time to myself  Being with friends in class Yummy dinner made by my mom A Gift Broken, Fixed, Thrifted My Mulan doll My rayon skirt  Jeans 3 Surprise Gifts - Unexpected Grace Getting To Attend The  KU game Getting to hang out with some awesome students Friday night The Snow Day Last Wednesday 3 Times I Heard Laughter Today Nate in class Dr. Morales talking with students Jenni laughing at our animal organic compounds

I'm a slacker...I know and I apologize. 3 Gifts Found In Writing Expression Beauty Penmanship  3 Gifts Found When Bend Down A new perspective Children Details A Gift Stitched, Hammered and Woven Pillow cases Shelf Scarf

I actually am writing today without multiple days! Pen marks: Constructive feedback on homework or papers is good. It helps me grow and get better at what I do.  Letters: I love getting nots/letters from people! Letters from my grandmas are my favorite! My Granada gift certificate: I really enjoy coffee, so this was a great gift!

A Gift on paper, in a person, in a picture Quotes to keep me motivated Love: From my parents, I could not be more blessed This woman: Paige, she has been one of the biggest blessings in my life! Three things Red Cherries: Yum! Cardinals: They are so fun to watch at my feeder in the summer Starbucks red cups: I love coffee and Christmas and they represent both!

Yesterday: A song heard, a soft word, light seen Sing Sing Sing- the old swing tune, it was a happy tune and made my day a little brighter Hearing how my father delights in us, his children The song Glorious Ruins by Hillsong Live has been one of my favorites recently (Listen here ) and the lyrics are seeping into my should reveling light and truth.  "Let the ruins come to life! In the beauty of Your Name, rising up from the ashes, God forever You reign. And my soul will find refuge, in the shadow of Your wings. I will love You forever and forever I'll sing."  Today: 3 old things seen new  Effective nuclear charge: This probably means nothing to you, the reader, but I learned more about what this means and got a greater understanding of it. I have a new picture of what it really means.  Sex Trafficking: It's not only girls being sold for sex, boys are as well. It's a startling find as we think only girls are being sold for such things. Rescuing those ...

A gift before dawn, at noon, after dark Sleep Warm sunshine The stars 3 gifts in the kitchen Milk Dishwasher Baking suplies  3 graces found in friends Patience Love Grace

Sorry! I've been a bit busy with classes already! Three gifts found in Christ Life Forgiveness Refuge Three Things Blue The ocean. I just LOVE blue oceans, they are beautiful to look at, hold beautiful creatures/plants, and hold amazing misters and awe-inspiring things.  My KU shirts. I get great joy in being a KU fan and really enjoy seeing them play in person. Rock Chalk! Blue Jeans. They are my favorite type of pants, comfy and versatile!

wrinkled- My TOMS flags, for each one I have it means I have a pair of shoes, but also that a child has a pair of shoes! smoothed- My chemistry t-shirts Unfolded- My knitting: I'm so glad I got to learn to knit. I enjoy it. 

The moon Blue starfish (google "Linckia laevigata" and look at the images, yep I saw those!) Playing barbies with my diseased grandparents, we laughed so much that day!

Snow flakes: I love it when the snow is dry and you can make out the individual flakes! ( see here ) Bugs: However gross you think they are you must get close up to see them and they are gifts to us. ( see here ) This might seem ironic, but eyes: They are girts in two ways. They help us see and they show us how others really feel. You can't see them truly, but close up. 

Sorry I missed yesterday. My day was kind of crazy. We, as a family talked about them. Three things that might not have been: The Philippines Trip: This was a trip "in the making" for several years at our church and honestly I thought it would never happen. But it did and it was such a great experience for me.  Seeing Sharon: Sharon got to come to the US in October and our mission trip group had talked about having her in Emporia. But then nothing was said and I thought it would never happen. But it did and it was so good to see her!  The opportunity to go to Madison this summer. It is beyond my wildest dreams and may not have been! 

I love sharing these with you and hope that they can be gifts, even new ones, for you! Encouragement: "Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on  Jesus , who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s  there , in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through.  That  will shoot adrenaline into your souls!" -Hebrews 12:1-3 (The Message) Peace: "Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayer...

Today's: Laughter: The children I watch Prayer: Times with close friends Quiet: Naps

Today's: Seeing the smile after giving a new student a cupcake for her birthday Seeing families reunited at airports Seeing the homeless receive food