Christmas break

This break has been amazing. I love family road trips. And not that anybody actually reads this blog, but here are some pictures to sum up what has happened so far:


lots of Cracker Barrels


lots of driving


lots of beautiful scenery


farm life


quilts


Bethel


Uncle Jim


Christmas Eve pj's


lots of family time


snow!

We're leaving my Grandpa's house tomorrow to head to Nashville for a few days. So I'm sure there are more fun adventures to come!

done!

Bring on Christmas break because I am officially done with this semester!! And I could not be happier about it! This semester has been so good, but it has also been challenging. And now, I get to celebrate the fact that I have officially made it halfway through nursing school! Hallelujah!

I can't express how excited I am that I have two whole weeks to hang out with my family, visit extended family, read books and watch movies, and most importantly, to have two whole weeks of not having to think about nursing school!

Christmas break...here I come!! :)

countdown...

the countdown to Christmas break has officially begun! Actually, I began counting down a long time ago, but I'm happy to say that we are now into the single digits. Hallelujah. This semester's work has been kicking my booty, but I think I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel!

5 days and makeup clinical work, one last clinical day, 3 finals, and 3 Christmas parties stand between me and Christmas break! It's time to find some motivation and conquer this semester! :)

thankfulness

"I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder." -G.K. Chesterton

Top ten things I'm grateful for in this Thanksgiving season:

1. grace and mercy. I am so incredibly grateful that the Lord has redeemed me from the pit of my sin.

2. my family. I'm thankful for two parents who love the Lord and love each other. I'm thankful for my younger brother and his example of perseverance.

3. my friends. God has given me some good ones :) I'm so grateful for friends who both encourage and challenge me.

4. my church. I am so blessed to have been raised in a church that is founded on the Word. I'm so glad that I have the opportunity to be surrounded by people who deeply love the Lord.

5. the UP Women RA staff. These girls have been such an amazing blessing to me. I have found some very dear friendships in those girls.

6. CBU. The Lord knew what He was doing when He sent me to CBU. It has been the perfect school for me. I'm also grateful for the nursing program. Although, many days I'm not sure why I'm in nursing school, I'm grateful for the opportunity to be in a program when the field is so competitive. And I'm confident that the nursing program at CBU is exactly where God wants me to be :)

7. my roommates. This year has been so much fun. Paco, Whitters, and Shelbs keep me sane. They always make me laugh and encourage me on my difficult days. I'm so very thankful for an apartment that's drama-free and so much fun to live in!

8. the opportunity to be an RA. It's an incredible opportunity that a lot of people want to have. It's been an awesome experience that continues to grow me as a person.

9. the ISP program. I am beyond grateful that the Lord has used this program to completely change my life. This program is the program that sent me to Africa, not once but twice. The Lord used Africa to completely rock my world and broaden my view of the world and of God. And this summer, this program is giving me the opportunity to go to South Asia :)

10. my freedom. I am eternally grateful for the people who fight to keep me free everyday.

11. Bonus! I am thankful that this break gave me a chance to breathe. This semester has been (and will continue to be) pretty overwhelming. This break gave the chance to sleep and spend time with family. I got to visit the Sagers! I got to sit and do nothing but hold a baby for a few days and it was glorious.

Thank you Jesus for everything you have given to me!

And now...it's time to tackle the homework that I've been putting off all week :)

today

is a sweatpants and sweatshirt, peppermint mocha, stay inside, homework, Pride and Prejudice kind of day. And even though I had a rough morning...maybe this kind of day is exactly what I needed :)

this girl

got MARRIED today!! I have been so blessed by Kristin's friendship. She and I met while serving as RAs in the freshman dorm during my sophomore year. We quickly became friends and Disneyland buddies. Kristin is an amazing woman of the Lord. She has been such an encouragement to me these past couple of years and I am blessed to call her one of my closest friends. And today, I was blessed to watch as she and Chris started their new life together. It was a beautiful day and a wonderful celebration of Chris and Kristin :)

family

This is my family.


We take awkward family photos. (And yes, I'm great at being awkward.)


We have family fiestas.

This has been a rough week (more on that later). But, this week is TWIRP week at CBU, so the girls of the family threw a fiesta for the guys. And I must say, it was exactly what I needed. So all of this is to say, I'm thankful for my family who picks me up when I'm having a rough week :)

new staff

Well...I've been in RA training for 3 weeks. And I have to say that the best part of it has been my staff. I'm not going to lie, I wasn't sure that I would find the close friendships that I had on my Simmons staff in my new UP staff. But...I'm glad to say, that I have indeed found those friendships. I love these girls with all of my heart. They have already been such a blessing to me. I love that our temperaments are so similar. But, I also appreciate that we all have different strengths that we bring to the team. The Lord definitely knew what He was doing when He put us together. So, Katy, Julia, Alysha, Courtney, Hannah, Stephanie, Alison, Wendi, and Paula, thank you for being you and bringing joy to my life :)

my sweet Kelly Lee

Well...I'm back at CBU and just got done having dinner with this girl :) And I must say that I am so grateful that the Lord brought her into my life. Kelly and I have been friends since freshman year. But, we had the incredible opportunity to serve on an RA staff together during our sophomore year. I'm so glad that the Lord used that opportunity to build our friendship because we've been close ever since. I am so blessed to call her one of my best friends. She never ceases to encourage me and to challenge me to strive after the Lord. The joy of the Lord truly dwells within her and spills out into those around her. Even when facing challenges, she never fails to look for the good of the situation. And in the process, challenges me to do the same. So tonight, I'm grateful for a beautiful friend that encourages me and also challenges me to grow.

SO very thankful for you, my sweet Kelly Lee!! :)

year 4

tomorrow begins my fourth year at CBU. I can't believe it. It seems like just last week, I was moving into the dorms as a freshman. But, tomorrow I move into CBU for the fourth time. I'm so excited for this year. CBU has been exactly what I needed and I can't wait to see how the Lord will continue to use it to shape my life. But, to move back to CBU tomorrow means that I have to pack my room today. So, I guess I should get back to that ;)

Thank You Lord for CBU!

20

20 days left of summer. 20 more days of the freedom to do nothing at all. 20 days before I move back into school to start RA training. I can hardly believe how quickly this summer has gone and I can only imagine how quickly these next 20 days are going to go. These next days will be filled with sleepovers, camping at the beach, a trip to Bishop, and LOTS of reading. Pretty good way to end my summer if you ask me :)

so...here's to 20 more days of summer!

incredible

Well...I'm back from an incredible 3-week journey in Uganda. It felt like home. I swear I belong there. My team was awesome and we did a ton of stuff. I got to see a lot of the same people that I worked with last year, which was amazing. And best of all, I got to see the kids of Raining Hope again :)

We spent our time doing VBS in local churches and villages, a couple women's conferences, and hanging out with the kids at the home. It was an incredible 3 weeks. And I wish I was still there. I miss it. But for now, some pictures will have to do...


























This is just a glimpse. There are MANY more pictures and memories. I'm so grateful that the Lord took me to Africa a year ago and completely rocked my world. And I'm SO thankful that He decided to take me back there to continue to refine me. I love that place and I have a feeling that I'll eventually find my way back there :)

tomorrow!

tomorrow I leave to spend 3 more weeks in this place. and I absolutely can't wait. I can't believe that I was in Africa for the first time a full year ago, and now I get to go back. absolutely incredible. God used Africa to completely rock my world last year and I can't wait to see what He will teach me this year. I fell head over heels in love with Africa last year and I am so excited to go back. I am looking forward to seeing familiar faces and experiencing new things. And I absolutely love my team this year. The girls I get to go with are fantastic. And I am beyond excited that I get to be there when they experience Africa for the first time. I'm also really blessed to have Eydie as my team leader again. She's an incredible woman and I'm thrilled to be going with her again. All in all, we have a pretty awesome team. I'm positive there are good times ahead.

So basically, this blog post is just to say that tomorrow I leave for 3 more incredible weeks in Africa and I'm really excited...if you couldn't tell :)

to my favorite man...

even though he'll never read this...

happy birthday to the most amazing daddy that any girl could ask for!

Daddy, you have been the most incredible example to me of what a true man of God is. Thank you for continually leading and sacrificing for our family. My future husband sure has big shoes to fill ;) I love you to infinity and beyond!

relieved

This is the face of relief! I am officially moved home for the summer. and I am so glad. It was definitely a whirlwind packing up all of my stuff and saying goodbye to friends. But, now that I am home, I am finally starting to feel like summer is here. Now if I could just figure out how to fit all of my things from school in my room at home...

summer!!!!!!!

summer has officially arrived. I finished my last final at 9 this morning, which means that I have officially survived a full year of nursing school. All I can say, is Praise the Lord summer has arrived. It came at the perfect time. I can't believe I did it. I made it through a whole year. There were definitely times that I didn't think I was going to make it. But, I did! And now, I get to enjoy four whole months of doing things that are absolutely not related to nursing school in any way :)

And now, I have to pack up my apartment and move back home for the summer. I'm sad to leave my roomies and my nursing friends, but I am so very excited to get to be home with my family. I'm excited to get to spend time with my family and friends at home. And of course, I can't wait to sit on a beach somewhere and read a book. not a textbook, an actual novel :)

Hallelujah. summer has arrived.

AHHHH

I may or may not be losing my mind. I'm seriously so over school at this point, I don't even want to study for my finals. Obviously I will study, because I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't. But, it is taking some serious effort to be a responsible student. The only things that are keeping me even remotely sane are Starbucks and Adele's new cd. 6 more days until summer. I can do anything for 6 days...right??

5

5 whole days of being home. Easter break has arrived. This means that I don't have school for the next 5 days. And yes, I still have homework. But, that's ok. I don't have to worry about going to class. and I'm home. I can sleep in for the first time in a very very long time. I can lounge around in my pajamas and watch movies. And so, I'm grateful for these next 5 days of much needed rest.

almost there!

today (or, I guess, technically yesterday) was the last day of clinicals for the semester! no more waking up at 5am to go to the hospital!! (at least not for 4 whole months). It feels pretty amazing to know that we're so close to summer. But, until summer officially arrives, I guess I'll just sit here and write my paper...that is, if I can stay awake...15 days until summer everybody :)

Kris

I live with some pretty amazing people. And one of my roommates, Kristina, has become one of my closest friends. She and I went to Africa together last summer and roomed together there. And we've lived together this school year as well. I can't say how much I appreciate her. She has kept me sane on many many days. She understands me in a way that my other roommates don't. She is an incredible woman of God that challenges me every day. Selfishly, I'm really sad that she's graduating this year, because that means that I won't get to live with her next year. But, I am so so excited for her to go conquer the world. I know that the Lord has BIG, amazing, and powerful plans for her life. I'm already proud of what she's going to accomplish. (read her newest blog!! http://www.amoderndayabolitionist.blogspot.com) Basically, this blog post is just to say...I love you Kris! and I am SO proud to be your friend.



I know you're going to do amazing things in this world Kris! Thank you for being you :)

23

There are 23 days left until summer. 23. and that includes weekends and Easter break :) hallelujah. 23. There's a week and a half until Easter break. and then I'm done a week and a half after that!! I just have to keep telling myself that I can do anything for 23 days. This is gonna be a crazy crazy ride. These next 3 weeks are filled with SO many assignments. There are so many papers to write, projects to do, and tests to take. But, the hope of summer on the horizon is what is keeping me going :)


23 days until I can sit on a beach and read a good book...hallelujah!

Disney

One of the reasons that I love living in Southern California is Disneyland. I love everything about Disneyland and I never get sick of going. One of the great things about the CBU community is that tons of CBU students have Disneyland annual passes. so for the past couple of years, I've gotten an annual pass so I can go with friends. I always have the best time. It's nice to be able to go for a few hours whenever you get out of class. It's a good way to relax and have fun with friends.

Kristin, Kelli, Kristi, and I went after class last week. We ate dinner, rode a few rides, and then ended the night with World of Color. And it was lovely.

And so, I'm thankful for these girls...and for Disneyland :)

home

home sweet home...Spring Break has finally, finally arrived. I feel like I have been waiting for Spring Break since the start of the semester. haha. You see, school has been pretty overwhelming for me this semester. There is just so much to do, and sometimes it feels like I can't breathe. I've been struggling with the fact that school literally consumes my life. Let's just say that there have been quite a few meltdowns this semester. And I know that it will all be worth it someday, but sometimes it's just hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. So, for the past three months, I have been taking it one day at a time, telling myself to just make it until Spring Break.

And Spring Break is FINALLY here! Yes, my entire Spring Break will probably be spent working on homework and staying on top of school. But you know what? that's ok. Because I'm home. Sometimes I just need to be home. I will get to sleep in and lounge around my house all week. and that to me, is absolutely glorious :)

Praise the Lord, Spring Break has arrived.

UP!

Well...yesterday afternoon student leadership was announced at CBU. This means that everybody who applied to be a student leader next year (RA, FOCUS, OSL, Ad host, MOB, CAB, and any others I'm forgetting...) found out whether or not they got it. Well I had applied to be an RA next year and I also applied to return as an ad host. I honestly had no idea which one I would get. I was pretty sure that I would get one or the other, but it was kinda fun not knowing which one it would be.

The way it works at CBU is that they announce everything through an email. Basically, at 5pm, you get an email from whatever office you applied for, saying either congratulations or try again next year. So, yesterday, I got home at about 4:20. And at about 4:30, I decided to check my email for the heck of it. And...the email was there :) I have the amazing opportunity to serve as an RA in the University Place (UP) apartments next year. And I could not be more thrilled. UP is where I live now, and I love it! I'm so so excited to serve there. And, what's even better, is that one of my friends, Katy, is going to be on staff with me! I can't wait!

And while now I have to spend my entire Saturday working on homework and studying for finals, it's ok :) because I'm definitely still super stoked about UP!

lazy Saturday...

today consists of sleeping in, sweatpants, Target trips, movies, and a whole lot of homework...

and you know what?? it's been exactly what I needed :)

help!

I have the amazing opportunity to return to the place that changed my life. My team of 11 girls gets to travel to Uganda and spend 3 weeks there working in Eydie's children's home. I cannot describe how excited I am to go back. But, I need to raise $2800 to go. And I need to have $1000 of that in by February 11th. and let's just say that as of right now, I'm nowhere near meeting that goal. So, I'm asking for your help. I know that not many people in this world read or care about this blog. But, if you happen to be reading this, all I ask is that you would think about donating. My trip last May literally changed my life. And I would SO appreciate any help you could give to get me back there.

Here is a link where you can read my team's updates from last May. This may give you a glimpse of what you would be supporting...
http://www.calbaptist.edu/spiritual-life/international-service-projects/default2.aspx?id=13711&photo_id=13773

And here is the link for donating...
http://www.calbaptist.edu/isp/fundraising/
Once on this page, click the "proceed to online giving form" link. Once into that site, make sure that you choose the ISP tab under the "Category & Funds" section. And then put my name (Bradyn Brown) and my team's name (Uganda: Children) in the comments section.

Thank you again for helping me get back to Uganda and these amazing children...

best day ever.

This past weekend, I had to opportunity to go to Santa Monica and be reunited with some of my staff :) On Friday, me, Ash, Sarah, Carissa, Hannah, and Kelsey drove down to Jana's new apartment. We all went out for pizza and then made monkey bread at Jana's apartment. It was lovely. It was so good to get to hang out with some of my girls. Jana just got engaged last month, so of course, most of the night was spent talking about girly wedding stuff :) but more than that, it was so good just to catch up with everybody.

On Saturday, Ash, Sarah, and I got up pretty early (Jana had to leave to go dress shopping) and headed out to explore Santa Monica. We stopped at Starbucks and headed towards the pier. We parked kinda far away from the pier. So it took us a while to get there, but that was just fine with me. I love the beach. And I love walking in the cool, salty breeze. And the weather was just perfect. We made it to the pier and walked around a little bit. And of course, we took a ride on the ferris wheel :) which was so much fun! We ended our exploration with a little lunch at Bubba Gumps. mmmm...

Can I just say that these two girls are SUCH a blessing to me?



I so needed a day away from campus and from homework. And spending the day with these two was exactly what I needed. They are a constant encouragement to me. Our conversations are so precious to me. I just adore the two of them, and getting to spend serious quality time with them was incredible as always.

And then there was the ride home. At one point on our ride home, Ashley (who was driving) told me and Sarah that she had one more surprise for us but that we needed to blindfold ourselves. So, Sarah and I complied and covered our eyes. Somehow, and I don't know how, I just knew that we were taking Sarah to her boyfriend Kris and that he was gonna propose.

Sure enough, Ashley drove us to the orange groves here in Riverside where Kris was waiting for Sarah. He took her into the orange groves and asked her to be his wife. I immediately started crying once Ashley confirmed what was going on. I felt so honored to be a part of the day that one of my best friends got engaged. And I am SO excited for Kris and Sarah.

Basically, Saturday was the best day ever :)

semester #2

well I started my second semester of the nursing program yesterday. let's just say I'm a little overwhelmed already. Just looking at the master calendar for one of my classes makes me want to cry. But, I'll just have to figure out how to push through it. It's only 4 months until summer :)

In other news...


Jess, Kris, and Bre took me to go get my ears pierced yesterday. I've had my ears pierced before but they always got infected, so I let them close up. We'll see how it goes this time.

welp...

it's back to the grind. I'm heading back to school today. I'm going to pack everything up as soon as I post this :) Christmas break has been lovely. It has been exactly what I needed. It felt incredible to have a life again. I absolutely loved being able to spend time with people whenever I wanted. And now, it's time to give that up again. It's back to school for another ridiculously hard semester. On a positive note, I am excited to get back and see my roomies and my friends. It's been really weird not seeing them every day. And, I'm going to Disneyland tomorrow as the last hurrah of Christmas break.

Christmas break, you've been good to me. Until next time...