So much blue :)

"I suggest traveling light
It's the only way to go
Whether you take the highway
Whether you take the byway
We'll always take the narrow road
Whether by sunshine
Whether by moonlight
Enjoy your view
That's something that
No one else can do for you

There are rolling green
Helps you've never seen
And there's so much blue
Waiting around the corner for you
So don't be too long
'Cause you're almost home
Just sing a pilgrim song
As you travel on

And put one foot in front of the other and
Pilgrim, you will soon discover that
There will be cold streams
When you're thirsty
There will be sunshine
Even in the clouds, so
Don't look back
Don't get side tracked
Just walk on

(chorus)

And pilgrim when you- you walk alone
Think about, sing about, dream about home
And pilgrim when you- you walk alone
Think about, sing about, dream about home"  --Pilgrim Song, by Josh Bales

So. Things are so good. It's my 2nd year of grad school, and I could not be more hopeful. Let me just name for you all the blessings the Lord has poured out recently: 

• I have a clinic placement at a hospital this semester, yay! I have been wanting to work in a hospital since I first decided on my major oh, 4 years ago. and I love it! I was a little nervous because I absolutely adore working with children, and honestly, adults make me a little nervous. But today was my 3rd day at HealthSouth, and I'm really enjoying it. I'm learning so much, and its all so interesting. One of the coolest things was last Friday I had to see this patient for a swallowing evaluation who had VRE, which is apparently some kind of antibiotic immune disease which is highly contagious, so I had to dress in a full gown, booties, gloves, face mask AND goggles. I felt so Grey's Anatomy. It was great. 
• My classes are GREAT. I'm taking Communicative Interaction (talking about how communication works, and mooshy gooshy feelings), Dysphagia (swallowing), and Autism. If you asked me last semester, I would have told you that I was so sick of school and temporarily hated my life. But now I have fabulous professors and interesting classes, and that makes school 8,000 times more enjoyable, PTL!
• I joined at 20's life group at Hope, the church where I've been going since the spring. I have absolutely love love loved this church, but it's been a little hard not having anyone to go with. But after attending a women's bible study this summer, the women's director connected me with this group and I'm pretty ecstatic about getting to know these girls better. 
• There are 3 new 1st years who have decided to join Laura & Mary Frances' and my bible study. It's just such a blessing to know that this small idea the Lord placed in me back in the fall last year has now just multiplied. I am so thrilled to be getting to know these girls better and growing alongside them. It makes me so happy to have these precious girls to fellowship with and to encourage and be encouraged by. The Lord is so good. 
• I went to dinner last week with a whole group of AUBURN people. WAR DANG EAGLE! It was all fellow believers, and it was so encouraging & reassuring to be around people who just know where you come from. And I got to reconnect with Cile, a girl I attended a freshman bible study with, and we also had dinner this week, which was so great. 
• I went home this past weekend for labor day, and got to spend 3 fabulous days on the river, soaking in the sun and spending time with my best friend Callie. She and I hadn't gotten to catch up in forever, so it was just such good time with her. 

I could probably go on and on. But those are the main things. All this to say, God is so good. This past year in Memphis, even though it was really tough, was necessary. It was not easy being away from my best friends in Auburn while they were all enjoying senior year. But now I'm seeing that the Lord was calling me to go through the desert land so I could get to the good stuff. Pilgrim Song by Josh Bales is one of my all time favorite songs. I can blast it in my car or dance like crazy in my room and it never gets old. It just absolutely speaks to my heart, and especially right now. I feel like this is the blue i've been waiting for. This is the sunshine after the clouds, the cold streams to quench my thirst. 

Praise be to God, I'm so so thankful.