An Update

Nothing much has been going on in my life lately. Its really just been school and work and wasting time (in a good way) with my friends and roommates. There are a few things going on I would like to share with you:

1. My friend Maxine and I have started coaching a U12 girls soccer team. We started having practices last week. I had a few kinks with one of the parents, but so far, other than that, its been a great experience. Most of the girls have never played, so its going to be quite a challenge, but the girls are really sweet and they try very hard, so I think this season is going to be blast!

2. I finally got all of my finance stuff ironed out for my trip to Uganda. I set up an account with First Baptist Church of Georgetown. I mailed out my sponsor letters today, and I am praying that I actually get some response back. I need to raise about $5000, so be praying that the people who receive letters will have open hearts to support me with money and prayer.

Excited my letters are on their way,
Jenna

Things to Do Before I Die-Feb.

Good news. I was able to complete several things for my list in January:

1. I got my yellow fever and hep A shots for Uganda. The lady that gave them to me was terrible. She gave me huge bruises on both arms. She was in training, so I don't hold it against her. The lady that was training her talked to me the whole time, and even massaged my shoulders. My breathing increased a little, but there were absolutely no tears. Yes, "Get A Shot Without Crying" was actually on my list of things to do before I die. I am a huge baby. I know.

2. I finally got a web cam thing with a gift card I had from Best Buy. This covered "Video Chat with Someone".

3. I also had auburn hair this month, which covered, "Dye My Hair a Color Other Than Brown". I know it wasn't that far away from brown, I'm not as adventurous as Kelsey.

I have also already crossed two things off my list for February.

1. This past weekend one of the girls in my group accepted Christ during our one on one time. It was awesome, to say the least, but it also covered "Pray with Someone As They Accept Christ."

2. Also, I am going to start coaching an U12 girls soccer team next week which covers "Coach a Soccer Team."

But even though I have already crossed some things off the list, here are a few more things I'm looking to cross off this month:

1. Ride in a hot air balloon
2. Play a round of golf
3. Sword fight someone
4. Ride a horse
5. Go skinny dipping
6. Ride on a train
7. Go to a rap concert and be the only white people there
8. Eat caviar
9. Sing karaoke by myself

Let me know if your interested!

Experiencing Life,
Jenna

I'm Already Crying

I don't know if this counts toward the pretend pool that never really started or not, but I already cried my first tears over Uganda. I got to talk to the volunteer coordinator on Monday and afterward, we became Facebook friends, mostly so I could look at her pictures from Africa. I got so stinking excited looking at the pictures of the children I could possibly minister too and the people I could possibly be serving with. Then, I found these two videos on her site. It talks about sponsoring a child in Uganda. One video is really just a longer version of the other.





I watched these videos like four times and I cried tears of happiness about how cool this summer is going to be and how much I am going to love love love loving on these children. Then, I watched this video on Zak White's (pastor of The Connection Church in Kyle, Texas) blog:



Obviously, I sobbed like a baby. Then, I noticed at the end of the video that Sam and Esther live in Uganda.

Even cooler? The hospital they end up at at the end of the video for physical therapy is one of the best children's hospitals in Africa. I'm going to be doing some volunteering and maybe even some occupational therapy at that very hospital this summer.

Just wanted to share that with you. I promise note every blog between now and June 1st will be about Uganda.

Such a crybaby,
Jenna

Uganda

So its officially official, I'm going to be spending June 1st-July 31st in Uganda this summer! I am beyond excited about going. I am also beyond nervous. I did, however, read a Twitter from Perry Noble that said if you aren't nervous about what you're about do to then it probably isn't from God, so I suppose my nervousness is a good sign. Obviously, I would really appreciate it if you would start praying for me and my trip now.

I figured a good way to start out talking about Uganda is explaining why I want to go. There are multiple reasons.

1. I spent a lot of time praying about this with God and I really feel like it is something He wants me to do.

2. I have always wanted to do a longer term mission at some point in my life.

3. I think something like this is the perfect close of the college chapter of my life and the beginning of the adult world portion of my life.

4. I feel like I need to get away from everyone and every thing in my life so that I can learn to fully rely on God and only God. Not God and my friends, God and my family, God and my comfort zone, etc.

5. I want a new perspective on life. I want to learn to really appreciate all the things that I have that I take for granted. I want to wake up in the morning and know first hand that the things I have in my life are not things granted to everyone. I want to know what its like to really live uncomfortably. I want to wake up and praise God for sheets, and cereal, and iPods, and AC and couches and really mean it.

I've already heard from many people, and I'm sure I will hear from many more that this trip is going to be hard. That its going to dangerous. That its going to be uncomfortable. Some people have even told me I won't be able to handle it.

Secretly, I like it. I hope its all those things and more. I hope its so hard that I cry and I get on my knees and I tell God I can't get through it without Him.

And then I hope He gets me through it.

So before you feel like telling me, just know:

I know this trip will be one of the most difficult things I ever do. I know its dangerous. I know its going to be hard. I know I'll be uncomfortable. I am even considering starting a pool for how many hours into the trip I cry. Let me know if you want in.

I also know this trip is going to change my life in a way that only God can. And that's why I'm going to Uganda.

Looking for Life Change,
Jenna

10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Me

1. One of my guilty pleasures is eating icing straight out of the can. Disgusting, I know.
2. Ironically enough, I also have a fear of being overweight.
3. I have an embarrassingly huge phobia of needles and shots.
4. I have a hard time telling people no.
5. I have been blogging since July and I just figured out that pressing the compose button allows me to do bullets and numbers and change the size of the font. I am computer illiterate.
6. I am beginning to develop an odd addiction to re run crime dramas. Law and Order, NCIS, Burn Notice, Psyche, Monk, CSI, Without A Trace, Cold Case. I watch them even if I've already seen the episode. Weird, I know.
7. I havn't skipped any classes yet.
   
8. I enjoy listening to books on tape. I am currently halfway through the first Twilight book. Thanks Ally!
9. My family has 100s of rabbits in the garage. My dad raises them as a hobby. That statement is neither a joke or an exaggeration.
10. I'm going to be spending June and July in Uganda working with the organization Empower A Child! You can check out their website here.

Obviously, I'm extremely excited about this opportunity, and I ask that you would start praying for me now. I promise to write more on this later, but I have two papers I need to get started on. I just wanted to share my exciting news and ask for your prayers for this exciting journey.

Also, just in case you keep up with my blog, this is the big news and the secret exciting opportunity I've been talking about, just in case you didn't catch that.

Spending the summer in Africa!!!!!!!!!!!!!,
Jenna

Lessons Learned at a Hospital

Today was my second fieldwork day at the hospital. I love going to the hospital. I love the patients, I love the treatments, I love the activity, but most of all, I love seeing the patients get better.

After these observations, I know I am going to love what I am going to do when I grow up.

Anyways, God taught me a cool lesson today.

Most of the patients at the hospital are really nice old people, like grandmas and grandpas, but there is this younger individual who has Guillain-Barré Syndrome. Guillain-Barré Syndrome is a really rare disease effecting only 1 in 100,000 people. You can read more about it here.

Anyways, to summarize Guillain-Barré Syndrome it is a disorder in which the body's immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system. Patients begin to lose feeling in their limbs and trunk. Eventually, the patient is completely paralyzed. This loss of function can occur over hours, days, or weeks.

Our particular patient went from a fully functional adult to completely paralyzed in 4 hours. My therapist said a lot of patients as bad as him die from their symptoms. This happened to him over 5 months ago and he has been in the hospital doing rehab ever since he reached a stable condition.

Today, when we went to therapy with this patient, he had something he was really excited about showing us. He gathered us over, had us lift up his hands and showed us how he is now able to move his two pinkies and right thumb literally a centimeter, if that.

This guy lost his total independence in a matter of four hours. He had a life and a job and a family and everything changed in a matter of 4 hours. He has been working so hard for the last 5 months, all for some centimeter movements in 3 fingers. 5 months.

If you could have seen the look on this guy's face, you would have thought it had just won the lottery. Over a centimeter. Incredible.

I sit here and whine about how my life is hard and school is boring and God takes to long to answer my prayer requests, and then when He does answer them, I don't do enough to appreciate them.

This patient sits in the hospital and works is but off for 5 months for a centimeter. And then he is overjoyed at his progress, instead of getting frustrated that things aren't moving faster.

I am such a brat.

Admiring the determination of the human spirit,
Jenna

Quiz Results

Normally, I'm not into quizzes, but I have two papers to write, and I am doing my best to put them off for as long as possible. I got this from Pam, you can check out her blog here. You can also take the quiz for yourself here.

I'm posting my results because this quiz is the most interesting thing that has happened in my life over the last couple of days. Also, its depressing how accurate the results are.

Here it goes:

You are a Doris -- "I must help others."

Dorises are warm, concerned, nurturing, and sensitive to other people's needs.

How to Get Along with Me

* Tell me that you appreciate me. Be specific.
* Share fun times with me.
* Take an interest in my problems, though I will probably try to focus on yours.
* Let me know that I am important and special to you.
* Be gentle if you decide to criticize me.

In Intimate Relationships

* Reassure me that I am interesting to you.
* Reassure me often that you love me.
* Tell me I'm attractive and that you're glad to be seen with me.

What I Like About Being a Doris

* being able to relate easily to people and to make friends
* knowing what people need and being able to make their lives better
* being generous, caring, and warm
* being sensitive to and perceptive about others' feelings
* being enthusiastic and fun-loving, and having a good sense of humor

What's Hard About Being a Doris

* not being able to say no
* having low self-esteem
* feeling drained from overdoing for others
* not doing things I really like to do for myself for fear of being selfish
* criticizing myself for not feeling as loving as I think I should
* being upset that others don't tune in to me as much as I tune in to them
* working so hard to be tactful and considerate that I suppress my real feelings

Dorises as Children Often

* are very sensitive to disapproval and criticism
* try hard to please their parents by being helpful and understanding
* are outwardly compliant
* are popular or try to be popular with other children
* act coy, precocious, or dramatic in order to get attention
* are clowns and jokers (the more extroverted Dorises), or quiet and shy (the more introverted Dorises)

Dorises as Parents

* are good listeners, love their children unconditionally, and are warm and encouraging (or suffer guilt if they aren't)
* are often playful with their children
* wonder: "Am I doing it right?" "Am I giving enough?" "Have I caused irreparable damage?"
* can become fiercely protective

That's all

Wishing my life was more interesting at the moment,
Jenna