Too long

Hi everyone! I sincerely apologize that I haven't updated in like forever. My life has just been so stressful and busy it's not even funny. So many things have happened in my life these last 11 months. Things happened to me that I couldn't even fathom would ever happen to me. It's so hard to think back on all the things that have happened...the good and the bad. It started in August of 2005 that my life really started to change. My mom informed me only a couple days before my birthday and only a week before I left for my sophmore year at Spring Arbor University that she and my dad were separating.  I just started to ball my eyes out and couldn't stop. I had so many things running through my head, I couldn't keep track. I didn't know what all of the sudden made my mom tell me they had decided this. She informed me that my dad had been deceiving her for the entirety of their marriage and that she had finally had enough and was separating from him to relieve herself of stress and hurt. I was kind of upset for what he did, but I still loved him and he was still my daddy. I couldn't find it in myself to hate him. I forgave him almost instantly and wanted things to get better. Well, unfortunately things only got worse. When our whole family sat down and had a conference, my dad explained what he had done and apologized profusely for what he had done and wanted to do everything in his power to make things better. Of course I believed him and wanted to help him in every way I could to get him through his struggles. My mom wasn't so forgiving and willing. She always talked bad about him in front of me and my brother and I couldn't take it much longer. I was kind of glad I was leaving for college soon. But things were just as bad when I was at college. We were going through bankcruptcy, selling our house, and my parents getting worse and worse. My dad would call me at college just in tears because my mom wouldn't listen to him and wouldn't be forgiving in any way and would just be making things worse and worse for him. As time went on, I knew I wasn't going to be able to stay at college. It was too much money and I was too far away from my family when all of this was going on. I was also too far away from my boyfriend and it was affecting our relationship. We even broke up for about a month. So, about the beginning of January I had to leave all my friends at college to come home.  That was probably one of the hardest things I have ever had to do in my entire life.I had gotten so close to all of them and they meant the world to me. They were all so helpful and encouraging to me as I was going through this huge family crisis. I don't know what I would have done without them. I owe everything to them and I love all of them with all of my heart!

So the new year had started and I was bound and determined to get my life back in order and put all of my troubles behind me. I decided not to live with my mom or my dad because it was easier on me that way and that way neither one would feel bad. I started living with close friends of the family-Steve and Dee-and this way I could live in the same town and be close to my boyfriend and close to my friends. I then started going to cosmetology school in East Tawas. It was something I had thought about doing for awhile and I finally decided to try it. I started going on January 17 and I loved it from the minute I started. I've been there 7 months now and I know it's what I was meant to do.  Then only a month later on February 14th, my boyfriend of 3 years and 3 months at that time proposed to me!!!  The minute he got on his knee and told me he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me, I knew from then on my life was going so much better than it had been and I had never been happier in my life! I was going to be getting married to the man I was so deeply in love with!! It was such a great feeling!! 

I need to leave work soon so I will update in a few days and tell you more about what's been happening! God bless!!

What a weekend!!! This last weekend has been so crazy it's not even funny! I've gotten little sleep, little food, and lots of work. The bad thing is....the reason I had so much work to do is because I am a big procrastinater and I left all my work to the last minute.  Oh well. At least I got it done! In order to do that, I had to pull an almost all-nighter in order to get my work done. I only got two hours of sleep last night! 

This weekend we had a lot going on besides work. My friend Danielle, (also known as Brownie), had her boyfriend Josh and his brother Nate up for the weekend. So, I helped her get all prettied up Friday night before he arrived! The next day(Saturday), we got up around 11 and went to lunch. Then we had an AMAZING Bible study for 2 1/2 hours!! It was sooo awesome and so moving! We had a blast! God is good! After that, we went swimming for only 45 min or so, because that's all the time we had before the pool closed. But after that we had dinner, and started watching "Monty Python and the Holy Grail." It was pretty stupid, but soo funny! Then Josh and Nate had to leave for a 4 hour drive home. Poor Brownie was devastated! But they got home ok and had a safe trip.

Then last night was the night to work on the piled up homework! But I also had a nice long but deep conversation with Jessie. We ended up talking for 2 and 1/2 hours!!! But it was a good discussion and we haven't been able to talk for quite some time just the two of us. So it was good. When I came back to Lowell, I found Brownie, Angie(my roommate), and Paul sitting in the lounge laughing hysterically!! It was pretty odd, going from a deep conversation to friends who have lost their control. But it was pretty funny watching them try to keep their composure! But even though we didn't get a whole lot of sleep it was loads of fun!

I really miss home right now!! And it's more missing John than anyone else. It's so hard to have a long distance relationship even when our relationship is hard at home. So right now, we just need a lot of prayer and encouragement. 

I love you, John! I'm always praying for us-and I want you to know that I'm not about to give up! I'm willing to do anything to keep us strong and close no matter what it takes! 

Hello! Boy am I glad Monday is over!  Mondays are so busy for me that it's not even funny. Even though I only have three classes throughout the day, I also have chapel and I work out after dinner for my ESS class. So, when Mondays are over, my week goes pretty smoothly.

Why does life have to be so complicated?  I have just been so stressed lately. On top of my school work, my home life has sucked. My parents are giving me a really hard time not only about my college life, but about my relationship with my boyfriend. He and I have been talking quite a bit and trying to deal with it, but it keeps getting harder and harder. It also makes it worse when we are so far away from each other and we can hardly see each other.  

But God works in mysterious ways, and He'll get us through this one way or another. All we need to have is patience and courage. And thankfully, God can give them to us if we just ask!  So every night before I go to bed, I pray to Him to look over me and to help me through these hard times. Just recently, He has been really working in my life and helping me through all the stress. He is sooo good!!! 

Only 30 days of classes left and my freshmen year of college will be behind me!!!  I'm so excited. But my summer is going to be really busy just the same. I will be working quite a bit at KFC/Taco Bell in my hometown. In the summer sometime when I'm not working, I plan on going on a white-water rafting trip to West Virginia with my bf and a bunch of other friends, family vacation to the Upper Peninsula, visit my pen pal for the first time, go to two graduations (one is my bf's and my best friend Laura's), and go to Bay City for July 4th!!  Yeah my summer is going to be hectic!! But it should be fun.

But today I have a survey of the book of Luke for my Gospels and Acts class, so I better get to it.  Oh well. Have a great blessed day and may everything go well for you.

John, you are amazing!  I love you!! 

Currently Playing Keep the Change By Apologetix see related

Hello my name is Grace Burch!  This is my first Xanga site and I'm excited!!! My good friend Danielle helped me start it and now I think it is sooo awesome!!! Later she and I are going to have fun and I'm going to put pictures and all sorts of cool stuff.  

I'm looking forward to keeping up this website and communicating with many people. I hope you like my site and have a great day!!

John, I love you more than you could ever know! Your always in my prayers and my thoughts. God bless you honey!!