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| Hello friends, I am sure that some of you think that I have fallen off the side of the earth. Not true! I have been a busy person doing a ton of school and living in a house without internet. Also, I have been introduced to facebook and like it. I have the craziest thing I have ever done to tell you all about. The weekend of March 1st I was going to fly to Aaron and Christine's in Dallas and then drive down to my good friend, Jules wedding. It was going to be great, one of my friends on staff at Northland was going to drive me to Green Bay's airport and then I was going to fly to Milwalkee (I have no iddea how to spell Milwalkee) and Milwalkee to Dallas. The only problem was that there was a huge storm that moved through Wisconsin that week. As Anna and I left school there seemed to be no big problem. I was told on Wen. by staff at school that I might want to leave that night and spend the night in Green Bay (you must understand that GB is an hour and a half south of my school) I did not have the money for the hotel and no ride, so I decided to stay at school and continue my plans. When Anna and I reached Green Bay it still seemed like no big deal, the roads were fine and there was no real snow falling. I was so relieved! We got something to eat and then went to the airport. As soon as I got inside the airport they canecaled my first flight. I talked to the ticket counter and they told my they would put my on a flight later that day so that I would still make my connecting flight in Milwalkee and still arrive in Dallas at the correct time. I was calling all kinds of people asking them to pray that I would be able to make that flight because the airport was like a ghost town. Nothing was coming in or going out at that point. So, I waited around the airport for a couple of hours, Anna was still in town because another friend was flying in that night. Anna had heard from school that if I did not make a flight out that night all of us would need to stay in Green Bay. Knowing this was good, I would be close to the airport if I was unable to make the flight out at 5:20 pm. Well, at around 4:30 they canceled the 5:20 flight. I started talking to the airline people at the airport and the earliest flight they could get me on put me into Dallas at around 4 pm the next day. That was not going to work because I was going to need to drive for 3 hrs after arriving in Dallas to the wedding and I was supposed to hand out with the girls before the wedding. I know that there was an earlier flight but it was over booked from Green Bay to Milwalkee. I found out that the flight from Milwalkee to Dallas still had seats open ( another thing that you need to know is that Milwalkee is only a two hour drive from Green Bay) I could fly and get to Dallas mid morning if I could get to Milwalkee before 7:40 am the next morning. As I found that out a guy at the next ticket counter said to me "I know that you don't know me from Adam, but I am driving to Milwalkee tonight if you want a ride" I knew that I really needed to take him up on this. Now I know that you all think that I am crazy for even considering it but just wait it gets better! So I called my Dad and asked him for permission to ride with this complete stranger for two hours in his car, just the two of us. My dad after some hesitation told me that it was a judgement call and I had to make the call. I told him that I was going to do it then. He told me to text him the licence plate number. After hanging up with Dad, I called Aaron to find out if someone could come pick me up at the time of arrival in Dallas. I told him the situation and he was unsure. Aaron handed the phone off to Christine and she told me that if this guy was any kind of gentlemen that he would not mind if my family had his full name, licence plate number, make model and color of his car. Her Dad is a cop and if need be she would have him run a background check. With all of the phone calls over I turned to the guy and told him that I did want a ride and went and got my ticket. While we were walking out to his car, we introduced ourselves to eachother. At that time Andrew told me that if I needed to be on the phone with my family the whole way down to Milwalkee that would be fine. I thought that was very nice and thoughtful considering we did not know eachother and the fact that this could be dangerous for me. When we got to his car I was intently intimidated because it was a sweet car. I have no idea what it was but it was kinda sporty and defiantly new, meaning this guy had money. I called Aaron back to tell him the licence plate number while Drew was clearing the car of snow, but he was back in the car before I could tell Aaron, so I gave Drew the phone. They talked for a minute and Aaron got all of the info that he needed and then he got back on with me and told me that he was going to call every 45 min. After I got off the phone I started to apologizes to Drew but he told me that my family was just being protective and that was good. Early on in the conversation we discovered that we were both Christians and he leaves 45 minutes away from where I go to church at school. We ended up having a great time talking about everything you are not supposed to talk about with strangers, religion, politics and other things. It was fun to get to know someone randomly and discover that they are a truly nice person. Once we got to the airport Drew dropped me off, he was headed to his brothers house in Milwalkee and I was going to stay the night in the airport because I did not have the money for a hotel room. I was going through my things to try and find my boarding pass and could not find it, Drew helped me look but soon I just told him I would find it and so he left. I of course called all kinds of people to tell them that I was safely at the airport, they were all relieved and happy I was fine. (no suprize to me, Drew was a nice guy) I went to the ticket counter to ask about my boarding pass and the told me that they would not be able to issue me another one until 4 am the next morning. That was fin with me because I was not going anywhere and I was sure I was not going to be getting much sleep on top of my suite case. I called my best friend at school and told her what I did. She thought I was crazy. I was calling all kinds of people just to talk because I was bored. Then I got a call from a number I did not recognize and it was my best friends parent calling to find out if I wanted to spend the night at their house. Of course, I wanted to sleep in peace and get a shower, it was great! They picked me up and took me home for a couple hours and then took me back to the airport and helped me with everything. As soon as I got my ticket the next day and turned around there was Drew. We were able to hang out at the Milwalkee airport until both of us took off on our separate planes (he was supposed to be on all of my flights until they canceled the second one from Green Bay) I made it safely to Dallas. I wish I could tell you that my story stops there but it does not, I called my mom from the runway and she was on her way to pick me up. She had flown in the night before, when I was supposed to arrive. She was also in town for the wedding. I got off the plane and headed through security to the baggage claim area. I went to call my mom again and could not find my phone. At this time I started to panic, I had lost my boarding pass out of this purse and now my phone was gone also. I was afraid that someone had stolen it out of my purse and then decided that could not have happened. I turned around and there stood my mom. It was great to see her! She continued to look for my phone through my backpack and I went to talk to the ticket counter. Praise the Lord they were able to quickly find my phone on the plane floor and returned to me! Then I was able to get to the wedding and nothing more really happened! The wedding was beautiful and I had a great time being with Jules, Ann, Christina and others from my much younger years! It was a crazy trip and I am an idoit for riding with a guy I did not know, but God knew what He was doing! Hope you had fun reading all of this! It was exciting! Here are some pictures 
This is Drew and I waiting for our planes in Milwalkee  The girls at the wedding. Me, Jules, Christina and Christine Well, I have got to go to bed! Hope all is well with you! | | |
| So on my drive into school today, the temp according to the bank was 2 degrees! WOW! It is cold here and it feels it. Then I was listening to the radio and they said that we were going to be getting Artic weather this weekend lasting into some of next week. This concerns me because I thought it was cold and now it is going to get colder! Oh well, God called me to Northland and so I know that I am supposed to be here. We just got done with Heart Conference where we have like 200-300 pastors come in for a week. It was great meetings. We don't have classes for a couple days so that we can sit in on the teaching and this year was very good. I needed this week and am grateful for the lessons God is teaching me! He truly is amazing! I am sorry I still don't have pictures of the snow, it really is not pretty right now anyway. I will be taking pictures soon. Love to all! SJ P.S. Go Colts!!!!!! | | |
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These are the Stone girls, their dad used to be my youth pastor both in Texas and then again in Indy. They com over one night after work and stayed until 3:45 am. The picture was taken around 3:45, don't I look good for that late? JK! 
I was able to get together with Sara and Lisa, my two best friends from high school. It was kinda a 5 year anniversary. I can't believe it has been 5 years since I graduated from high school. I am old but don't feel it most of the time! I hope I don't act that old. 
This is Mark, I babysat him and his two brothers because he is my boss's son. After I left he told his Mom that he liked me and that I was his girlfriend. So I guess that I have a boyfriend but I will have to wait for a LONG time for him! Oh well, sometimes the best things in life you have to wait for. (for all of those who don't know me very well, I am kidding) 
Cedric and Erica, I love hanging with you both! I miss you and hope that you are being good. You are both beautiful people from the inside out! 
William is one of the kids from the youth center and he thinks that if he smiles like this he can get away with anything. Well, most of the time it works! 
Great times and memories! I love and miss you Indaishah! Well, soon I am going to put some pictures up of the snow around here, but so far I have not taken any pictures of it. I hope that life is good for all of you. Know that I love and miss you! SJ | | |
| Well, I am back at school. I can't believe it but it is true. I am in the freezing Northwoods of Wisconsin and am taking a History class in one week. I am in class from 8am until 5pm everyday and we have a test every morning first thing. I have been eating, sleeping and drinking history the last couple of days. Oh well, it will soon be over and I will have a class out of the way. Well, I need to run back to class. I will post pictures later because I am living off campus now! Love SJ | | |
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These are random pictures of my year, this is one of my favorites because of the cute children I am privileged to babysit! They are so sweet! 
This is a picture of my weekend sisters! We go to church together on the weekends 3 hrs away from school in a small Wisconsin town, I love and miss you Kristen and Nikki! 
This is me and my girls sitting on the schools entrance sign! Wow, it was great having them at school! Well Everyone, I have now been home for long enough to get enough sleep and become tired again. I have been working at Good News Ministries Youth Center which is the inner city youth center that I have been working at for the last 5 years. It has been good and I have enjoyed it alot. I love the inner city and am counting down the semesters until I can work with inner city people full time again! God has blessed and this past week I have been able to have several meaningful conversations with some of the kids. Some of the kids and teens this year are really thinking and looking to grow, that is very exciting! Of course, it is only like 2 or 3 of the 30-40 kids we have a night but if one life is effected for the Lord than it is worth all of the time and effort put in by the staff. I am so thankful that I am not in charge of the out come of these people's lives but I am only responsible for the proclaiming God's truth to these people. (No, I am not preaching, I know that is what some of you are thinking.) Well, I am going to go. I hope that you all have a great New Year! Love ya! SaraJo | | |
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