Saturday, June 6, 2015

{last} super sappy & emotional post til august

My morning began at 5:12 a.m., when I rolled over on my side, still dreaming with my eyes open. (Does anybody else do this right before consciously waking?) Since today is the day I leave for my next nine week gig as a camp counselor (one week of training & eight weeks of counseling, to be exact), I couldn't get my mind to slow its racing enough for me to fall back asleep. So I got up and fixed myself a bowl of cereal, lit a candle and starting reading blogs as the sky turned from stormy grey to the pale blue of morning.

I didn't want to write one of those super nostalgic posts where I ruminate on the past and marvel at the present and future, but I'm really in awe of how full circle God has taken me. I began this blog with the purpose of documenting my year at Bible college, and now that year is over. My exit requirement before graduating in early August is camp counseling. And then a whole new crop of students come for school in September. Bizarre! Life is all about seasons.

This will likely be my last post until August, unless I can find a (rare) spare moment to catch up, provided I can find a computer. Til then, please enjoy these favorite shots from my year at Word of Life, starting with last summer and ending with this current moment.

Have a great summer! Keep camp in your prayers!

Summer.


A still from the Staff Video. You know, just staring down Germ-X and what not. The usual.


These were my wonderful, silly & Godly roomates for the entire summer last year! Jibbles & Bits, Big Ang, Stephanie, Jena, Usher & Wigs. #summer2014 #neverforget



How I wish I would get to spend a 2nd summer with Maddie, working the front desk, cleaning out the men's restroom (ok, maybe not that!) and living up #thatcamplife. I know God has great plans for her, but I really do wish she was coming to camp this year cuz it won't be the same without her! Love ya, girl.


This was our summer band for the year, minus a few folks. Our electric guitarist will be counseling along with my sister and I this summer, and our band leader is coming back as a video supervisor. Our pianist lives only a few minutes away, so it's safe to say that nearly all of the band will be back again this year! So excited.

First Semester. 


This was the very first day of classes. Kind of insane to look back on now. These were my suite mates at the start of the year. My suite gained and lost a lot of girls over the school year (there's a final photo at the end of this post) but it has been a great experience growing with them!

Mini McDonald's in Safetytown. Nuff said.


These three folks became some of my closest friends this year. Aaron, Malcolm & Adeline. God certainly knew what He was doing when He blessed me by being part of such a great yearbook staff. There was laughter, and there were hard times, but we got that yearbook finished!! I'm so excited to see what our final product looks like. It's been awesome to get to share such fun times working and chilling with my studio family. I love them all!


God also really blessed me with learning how to use a camera. I wasn't that great of a photographer before learning how to use a Canon for the yearbook this year! I still have a lot to learn, and am not super proud of a ton of the pictures I've featured on this blog, but I'm excited to see how I've grown. And I've gotten some rad shots. Particularly of my sister Kaylie at one of our favorite nature spots on campus. 

Record sharing day 2014. Bethany rocks.




There really is some wicked awesome golden hour light on our campus. Grateful for friends that let me shoot them, haha. 

Santa stayed there the remainder of the year. 





My sister & cousin & I got even closer than we already were this year, and we were pretty tight to start with. So grateful for God's timing and the fact that we three got to attend Bible college the same exact year. That's going to be a story for the grandchildren! 

Second Semester.



The view from the studio is pretty stellar. 
Poncho days with my roomie, Baby E.

This girl is my very best friend. Sometimes it feels like we are the same person. We have grown so much together and on our own this year at school, and I can't wait to see how God uses Kaylie as a camp counselor. So glad to have someone who is going through the same things as me this year. 


Feeling judged by the hipster people on Valentine's Day at Oxford Exchange. Loved getting to know Malcolm this year! He is truly talented, driven and transformed by the power of Christ. Cool guy.




Blessed to get to know my friend Aaron as well. (A different Aaron than the one I mentioned previously. There's a lot of us Aaron/Erins!) He has a gift for poetry, words, wit, and is compassionate and understanding. Not to mention, hilarious! Privileged to get to know him and serve alongside him with my ministry team this year.
 



My sweet suite! Beautiful, every last one of them. God has a plan for us, and I'm glad it included being in the same dorm family. Shout out to my awesome RA, Kayla, for all her hard work!

By far one of the sweetest and fun-loving souls on campus! It was a blast getting to know Kyle Steven this year. He definitely livened up the school. On a deeper level, I am inspired by his heart to serve others, specifically on the missions field in South Africa. I know God has massive plans for his life, and I can't wait to see how He accomplishes them! 



One of my best buds this year and frequent dinner accomplice, Chris Smith. (I don't know why I always include his last name. Also frequently referred to as "Rock Wall Chris", his nickname that still endures from two summers ago, haha.) Chris has encouraged me so much this year and has been a great listener! He is a truly rad dude who seeks to be used by the Lord in all he does. He is talented, friendly, funny and is definitely going to be a great camp counselor. Chris, if you're reading this, I still have to post the rest of your pictures. I did not forget!

That's all she wrote~

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