So... it's been quite a while now, since I've posted. Here's a little bit, here and there, of what I've been up to...

hanging out and doing homework with my friends...

Here's my suite mate Debbie (left), and my Physics and Calculus buddy Gretchen. Debbie and I have so much fun, all the time... probably too much of the time. We talk about everything, from the important and deep, to the pointless and illogical. She makes me smile, and always puts me in a good mood. Also... sometimes she makes me get out of bed, so I'll make it to class on time :)
Gretchen too, has been a blessing to me. To have a good friend in my math and science class, is wonderful. Usually it turns out that I help her with calc, and she comes to my rescue when I attempt my physics homework. We make a good team. We met the week before school started, we were in the same orientation group together, so we also have the freshman intro class together once a week.

Writing letters, doing homework, playing cards, and baking...

This is my friend Carsten. His older brother, Dathan, is good friends with Carina, so we knew a lot of the same people when we got to Calvin. Carsten and I hang out often, and usually spend our evenings writing letters to people back home (always coming up with new and creative ways of communicating with people through snail mail), playing cards (Gin, Euchre, and Cribbage are our favorites), or baking over at Dathan's apartment - if we're not studying, that is. So far... we've baked three different banana breads, and a delicious apple pie. As well as pancakes, but that doesn't really count.
We didn't have a cribbage board... so we made one out of an old book we bought from the library. We glued the pages of Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography together, then nailed holes in it for the pegs. We left a few pages at the beginning of the book, on which to record our scores...



















Here's a few pictures of my dorm building: Kalsbeek-Huizenga... with Debbie and Carsten.



















I've also been attending some good concerts. I'm going to see the Grand Rapids Symphony again tonight (for the second time), and I've also seen Shapes & Sizes (really good), The Yeasayers (even better), Martin Sexton (really good), and Ryan Montbleau (even better).

Classes are going well. I got my first paper back today, from history class. I got an A!!! That made me pretty happy, so I had a good morning.

Well, I'm off to lunch. I'll try and update this again soon. Love you all,
Kaylee

Some pictures of my Dorm...My room mate, Ana Stutler. Isn't she gorgeous?Our big bathroom, that my room mate and I share with our suitemates. Our awesome building (Kalsbeek Huizenga) has by far, the largest bathrooms on campus!
Ana and I fully equipped our room with a comfy chair, a few nice floor lamps, a large fridge, a television and dvd player, and a telephone!

The view into my room from the door. Beds in the foreground, desks and comfy chair in the background. My bed is on top, resting on our book shelves.


yeah... so that's about it for now. I'll take more pictures, of things more interesting sooner or later.

Tears before the Lord

Having never before been a big fan of poetry, I was surprised as I was moved to tears, moments ago in Chapel.

As I entered the Chapel, I was greeted at the door and given a tasty looking apple. I found a seat in the back, between two friends, and began singing the opening song. After singing, we sat down and the Chaplin, who is new this year, began his first message of the year. He began telling us the story of how he came to Christ...

40 years ago, he set foot on Calvin's campus, not a Christian. He made his way through his first three years still an unbeliever. It was halfway through his senior year, in a literature class, that Paradise Lost, a poem by Jon Milton changed his life. He read to us the portion he had read in class, and as Eve bit into the apple, we all did as well. He told us of how as he took that bite of apple in class, he felt the spirit within him. It was the bite that eventually lead him home. And he's been coming home ever since.

He then prayed the most beautiful prayer, and as I sat there listening, and praying with him, silently, I began to cry. We stood up and sang Amazing Grace, and it was the most passionately I've ever heard it sung before.

Chapel, one in which everyone has chosen to attend and worship, is an amazing experience.

When the Calvin community comes together to worship, the spirit is present, and his power is visible. Every Sunday night, there is a LOFT service (Living Our Faith Together). Last night, the music was good, and the message was even better. Having just discussed the gospel of Ruth the night before with a few guys on my floor, it was great to find that we would be studying the very same book. And many conclusions we drew the night before, were reinforced in the message of the LOFT service. Then as we got ready to leave for the night, everyone held hands. (imagine a circular room, with everyone holding hands...) We sang a song of encouragement to one another, and of praise, with our hands up, in awe, during the chorus.

What an amazing community.

Thanks be to God.