Reflective Christmas

Yesterday, Reality creeped into my life again. Darn.
I went to buy groceries with Mom, something I miss dearly when I'm in England and wandering around a strange grocery store by myself, with no real direction, except that I want some digestive cookies and an idea of the luxeries that I cannot have because of my budget. So, its been great to have gone grocery shopping with my mom twice since I've been home. But on the way back, mom said something to the effect of, 'You have a week left here, and in that time you have alot of schoolwork to do, some shopping, and packing, you either need to come home sooner every night so you can get up in the morning and do stuff, or stop expecting to go out all the time.'
That sucked to hear, but as always, Mom seems to be right and I do need to get my act in gear, in order to get everything done that I want/need to.
This time at home has gone by way way too fast. I can't believe that its almost over and I have to leave again, but this time for longer. I have changed so much over these last three months, and Its been super great to be home and reflecting on that, and to really see how little I have retained from the lectures.
And then even these last two weeks, I have changed too, and thats been good too. It was wierd to see my relationships evolve with my new status of being graduated and semi-moved out. Especially the relationships with my family. Those have been the hardest relationships to watch evolve. And to evolve with those. At the same time its exciting to see those relationships where they are now compaired to where they were a year ago.
So I guess this has been a christmas of reflection in a way. And thats alright. because it has also been a christmas of new beginings, and I like that too.
I'm getting ready to head back to england though. Unlike 4 months ago, when I was petrifid to the point of.... who knows what... near insanity? this time I am so so excited. I'm excited for new room mates, for new desk mates, to see all of my friends. to drive through english countryside. to go grocery shopping at tesco's by myself. It will all be good. and I can see how it is shaping me, and moulding me, and teaching me.
So.... perhaps next time you hear from me it will be from a couch in the lounge of Capernwray Hall in Carnforth England.
Love,
Laurel

PS- if you want to see me before I leave, time is running out, and I still have a phone in my house, and an email adress that recieves mail, so get in touch with me, and we can grab coffee, or breakfast, or lunch, or wander a mall, or walk down broadway, or see a movie, or go to Value Village. There are a number of things we could do together. and if none of that appeals to you, we could just make hot chocolate and look at my pictures. I'm waiting to hear from you!

Home for a week so far!

So... I've been home for a week now. What have I done?
The first few days were spent pretty much relaxing, and generally doing nothing. Actually. that was pretty much what the week consisted of. I went for coffee only once, with Dan King, Went over To Cindy Neudorf's for tea once, and besides spending a fair amount of time with my Dearest friend Ben, the only people I saw were my family. And last night my mom had the youth group over, so I guess I saw them too.
Its been really great to be home and resting (even though, due to the odd mix of my social life and Jet lag I go to bed at 1 am and wake up at 6 am) and with my family. Its also been really good to be out of the bubble of Capernwray and in the real world, with different people! its good to be missing the people at school!
Sorry that this is kinda a lame update, but seeings how I have probably talked to most of you that read this in person, you probably don't care that much!
I'll just remind you that I'd love to go for coffee with you while I am around, so PLEASE give me a call to set up a time. I don't really have a schedule, yet, so whatever will most likely work for me!
Much love,
Laurel

I am home!

Hey!
So I've been home for.... a day now! Its sunday morning, 6:45am. and am I in bed? gosh no! how long have I been up? well... almost 4 hours now! its rediculous! AND its SO cold here! like we are talking -10 degrees. I'm used to +10 degrees! AH!
Pretty much thats all there is to say. nothing too exciting is happening... yet. I really want to bake cookies. maybe I'll get to do that soon. The food so far has been GREAT... even though I haven't eaten much.. its all been super good!
I miss capernwray people already though. how crazy is that? Karen and I talked on the phone for half an hour yesterday. that was super good. like you don't even know!
The wierdest is not having a bunch of people around all of the time. as wierd as it is, I miss that more than anything. I don't really like sleeping in a room by myself. its too lonely!
Anyways.... I hope to see everyone real soon! Give me a call to set up a coffee time!
Love,
Laurel

The Christmas Decorations are all up!

Hello Friends!
This is my last Saturday here in Capernwray hall before christmas break! Its kinda bitter sweet, this last week here. I am excited to do my traveling at christmas, and to have the break from lectures and the whole bubble of bible school, but it makes me very sad to think of leaving all of my new friends here for three weeks and to come back to a new room with new room mates!
Today, I am completeing my last assignment before christmas. Its in the form of a pastorial letter to a friend who has questions about Holy Spirit. Today I'm also starting my packing, a little bit. I am a little overwhelmed about how much room I'll have to leave stuff here, and what exactly I'll need to bring with me.
This last week was really good. Again, nothing spectacular. I didn't leave the caslte at all.. I mean, of course I left the vincinity of the castle, but I didn't leave school grounds. I started practicing Dance again, which feels really good. Iam really out of practice though, but thats alright. Last night, I was really bored. I was talking to my friends Robin and Jason, and we descovered that the carpet in the foyer is in a square-ular pattern, and then Karen came and joined us, and we made a Hop-scotch in the foyer! And everyone who came by got invited to play, and it was ALOT of fun. after what seemed like 15 minutes of play, Karen announced that we had in reality been playing Hop scotch for an hour and a half!! I seriously think that was one of my highlights of the week! Also, last night my room had room 7 roomie night! we ordered in pizza (wich isn't as good as canadian pizza.. not even close) and watched Babes in Toyland... seriously one of the funniest movies I have EVER watched... but not becasue they are trying to be funny, but because it is just stupidly funny! Yesterday was just a good day! haha, this is really girly, so if you are a boy, feel free to skip this next sentance- yesterday Karen Plucked my eyebrows for the first time EVER!
There is not really much to share, life here is starting to slow down, people are doing their christmas shopping, and finishing up their last project and catching up with thier school work.
Tonight we are having a swing Dance party, and I am really excited abotu that. Tommorow and monday night is our christmas carol program, and I can't see it becasue I'll be praying through the whole thing. and Wednesday night is the end of term banquet. what am I wearing to that? WHO KNOWS! maybe karen will lend me something! I am always borrowing some of her cloths for SOEMTHIGN! its alright, I don't think she minds. at least I hope not!
well.. I hope you all have a great week!
Love,
Laurel

Meet the Roomies!

Alrighty. I don't even know if this picture is going to work. MEET THE ROOM MATES! Left to Right we have Rachel Cox (English) Kelsey Harry (American-Oregon) Laurel Baillie (Canadain- Saskatchewan) and Lauren Adams (American- California). Seriously, things are getting so boring here that the four of us took two hours one night to do a photo session. I kid you not. and the result? 150+ pictures. no kidding around here.
Wanna know what else we do when we get bored? well... last night, unusually, they gave us nothing to do... no manditory fun night. so what do we do? we gather all of the cushions off of the couches in the lounge, pile them under the stairwell to the girls rooms... and see who will jump from the highest. No, mom, I didn't jump. but it was fun to watch. there were guys jumping from 20+ feet high. it was unreal. yup... thats what we do when we are bored. which is like ALL of the time!
So, it comes without saying, that this week was pretty normal. nothing too exciting happened. Our guest speaker this week spoke on.... oh, wait... we didn't have a guest speaker this week. Rob Whittaker (the principal) started a new series on The Early life of Abraham (aka Abram), Kim (the bookstore lady/ assignment marker) did a few lectures on the Father Heart of God, and Mark Thomas (the Son of the founder of Capernwray) started a series on 1&2 Corinthians (this one is so exciting that I had to ask Lewis, who is sitting beside me what Mark is even talking about). We didn't have evening lectures on Wednesday or Thursday, which was nice. Wednesday we started preperations for our christmas program next week, my role? The leader of the prayer team. anyone surprised? Thurdsay night we had a 'thanksgiving' meal followed by the viewing of 'Remember the Titans'. That was really fun.
Yesterday, friday, Kelsey (my room mate) and I went into Carnforth, for probably the last time before Christmas. At least I hope it is... I am finding myself VERY broke right now!
Today is Saturday... which means I have to buckle down and do some work today, aka finish my Ezra project... anyone know ANYTHING about that book? because I am at a total loss! And I'll start my Holy spirit project too. I've been helping Karen with some of her College application stuff, as she is applying for the Drama Department in a couple top 10 colleges that require shakespearian monologue auditions, so I have been helping her understand exactly what she is going to be talking about, and helping her with pronounciations of some of the words. So I may find myself helping her with that too today. Tonight we are having another Ceilidh, so I'm really looking forward to that.
I am feeling pretty crappy today though, so I hope that by 9:30 comes around, I'll still be ready to dance! I think I'll have a short nap this afternoon too though.
Next week is looking just as exciting as this week has been.. but then again they haven't put up the new Schedule, so who knows whats really happening. I'm not sure if we have any guest speakers or anything for the rest of the term.
I am getting really stressed about christmas break though... about having to pack up all my stuff... and how its all going to fit. And then who my room mates are going to be after christmas. and where my room is going to be. its all really kind of scary!
Anyways... I'm going to go and start my work. I hope you all have a wonderful week!
Much Love,
Laurel