So lots happened since I last posted.... had a great night with Sam on his Birthday - stayed up till about 4 that night talking to Beau and we were both pretty much exausted from the coversation we were having.  My heart has been pretty heavy for most of the week because of it - I wish I could tangibly see my prayers working - see them moving.  It would ease some of this heaviness.

Had a couple buds come up from San Antonio this past weekend - it was good, but short because I needed to work muchisimo in order to get some things done before my trip to Mexico - yep, I can't wait for these next two days to be finished... two work projects and two tests...  but the beach is calling.  So I'm pretty pumped.  It was actually just this time last week that Jonathan Gibson contacted me and asked me to go to Puerto Escondidos with him.  Couldn't pass it up - so I bought the plane tickets last Friday after many hours of fare searching and found a ticket that's actually cheaper than the one Jonathan bought in December - woo hoo!  The plan is to have no plan - and boy I can't wait to have no work - no school, and nothing but beaches, surfing, fishing, and looking for the next place to go.  Gotta add a little hammock time in there too.  I'm stoked and can't wait to spend a little time with my bro Jonathan too.  It's been too long.  Yall have a great Spring Break -  I leave for Houston Wednesday  to stay at Barbi's before my early Thursday flight and will drive back to CS on Monday the 21st.  Retreat, here I come - I think Jesus will enjoy our beach time!!

TODAY IS SAM"S BIRTHDAY!!!!!  WooooooooooHooooooooo!

So, as most of you know Sam is my roommate.  That means he's a pretty special guy.  What makes Sam so special?  Well let me give you some examples of my enjoyment of Sam over the past 3 years:

1. Sam is wonderful at natural noises - you know - those special kinds that we as humans make after eating or drinking.  Well in case you didn't know, Sam is like a 40 piece wind orchestra.  If at some point during our day Sam isn't composing a bodily melody, I have to ask "Sam - you feeling alright?"

2. Everyday Sam jumps off his bed onto mine (he's in the loft above me).  This has been very useful over the years as a more effective alarm system.  I tend to push the sleep button for hours.  But with Sam  - the nice little jump with the occasional landing on my legs really gets me going in the morning.

3.  Sam can paint and do wacky creative stuff.  We're kindred spirits - enough said.

4.  Sam makes more funny noises while we drive places together.  These usually involve crazy songs that don't make sense.  Like the other night after 635, it was raining and we starting singing about his new windshield wipers - went something like this: 

I love my new windshield wipers... dew...dew...deeeew!

So I can see where I'm goin'... deeew... dew...dew...deeeew!

I love my new windshield wipers... yeah, yeah, yeah!!

They're so shiny and neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew!!! eew... eeew... eeeeew!

GO Wipers - Superstar!!

5.  Sam buys crazy things on a whim.  Sometimes he asks me to go places with him so that he won't be tempted to buy stuff he doesn't need.... for example:  we have enough samurai and other swords of mysterious origin to start our own ninja training school - hmmm, maybe that's what he's been up to. 

6.  He's passionately intense about relationships - this can get the guy in trouble sometimes.  But overall a great quality - especially when applied to Jesus.  I admire Jesus in him.

7.  Sam plays the drums pretty stinkin well  and therefore inspired me a couple years back to start playing the djembe.  Thanks Sam!  Wouldn't play it if it hadn't been for you.

8.  Ahh, the front porch of 26 with Sam.  Many a good conversation out there watching the world pass by.  I think we all need a front porch roommate.  Sam has been a great one.

9.  Sam can skateboard.  I can't.  But I do like dragging Sam behind me on my bike while he's on his skateboard through campus.  Oh how walking pedestrians love us!

10.  Sam is a bucketfull of questions when it comes to cooking - but he tries. And over the years, he's progressed from microwave Ramen to now a Chicken Marsala pro - well, maybe not pro - but ladies, he's movin on up!

So as you can see - Sam's a pretty special guy.  He's got his quarks, his burps, his crazy dances, and a great heart for Jesus.  Happy Birthday Sam!!  I'll miss you next year, bro.

So I added a couple pics.  The middle one is on the infamous river in Romania that flooded while we were sleeping in tents on the banks.  I miss those awesome mountains of Transylvania.

The other is a shot of me holding baby Michael in Uganda.  His Father, David, named him after me because he's also the fourth born son.  Due to the extreme conditions they live in and the strain of already having 3 young mouths to feed, Grace - Michael's Mom - was planning to have an abortion.  Knowing this, my Mom intervened and offered to help support a few of the children so that Grace would not abort little Michael.  I was extremely happy on that day that I finally got to meet him.  Life is precious.

Mistake numero uno:  why did I put michelleminer as my user name?  Every time I sign in I unconsciously type Michael instead of Michelle... what a pain!!

So I got my Business exam back today... considering I don't have the book, have gone to half the classes, and read through the class notes about 45 minutes before the test... I figured I'd get by with a passing grade.  Well ladies and gents, I'm shocked - even mystified - by what I saw written on the top of my exam.  A nice score of 103!!!  I had to do a double take on that one - highest grade in the class and I'm rarely there!!  Oh the joys of Blinndergarten!!  Is this legally considered College?