full circle...

Seven years ago, I was pulling onto the Bethany campus for the very first time.  The back seat and trunk of the car were packed full of the only things that would be familiar to me the next morning when I woke up.  Clothes, bedding, school supplies, computer, books...my little brother was back there too, somewhere, but he was part of the empty car returning home without me.  Meanwhile, I was "nestled" in the front seat of the car between my mom and dad in what was my favourite place throughout childhood: front in the middle.  (What an odd way to start my college life...reverting back to childhood for a 4 hour drive between my parents)

When I started at Bethany, I had never seen the campus before and I knew no one.  How did I choose Bethany if I knew so little about it?  Well, I started my search with a list of Bible schools from across Canada and the US.  When I'd started looking for Bible schools (after deciding not to attend university in January of my grade 12 year), I was not someone who wanted to play it safe and stay close to home.  Translation?  The further from home the better.  I was convinced that I was NOT staying in Saskatchewan after grad, and for sure not moving to Saskatoon.  After all, that's where far too many grads from my hometown end up.  Well, I learned to never say never.  In the end, I applied to two Bible colleges, both of which sounded exactly the same to me and both of which were in Saskatchewan: Millar and Bethany.  I had no idea which one to choose, so I decided that I would attend the first one to get back to me with an acceptance letter.  Bethany won.

Surprisingly, I wasn't nervous on that first day at school.  It was my first time living away from home, my first time moving somewhere where I knew absolutely no one.  But I saw it as a big adventure and I embraced it!  I didn't feel shy or afraid of being alone.  The first evening, I had 5 or 6 other girls in my room and we became quick friends.  My first trip home from school was for Christmas break and then not again until the end of second semester.  I loved my new life of independence (though for the first time I had a curfew, which I thought was quite strange for this stage of life...).

Today many nervous, excited freshmen are moving out of their parents' houses for the first time and have no idea what to expect here at Bethany.  There is a steady stream of vehicles pulling onto campus, parents unloading their beloved children, and empty vehicles leaving.  There is an excited buzz around campus today and I can't help but remember my first day here.  I never would have guessed that years later I would be married and living on campus again, getting ready to raise my first child here.  Life sure can be unpredictable.  I wouldn't even have guessed a year ago that this is where we would be now!  Makes me wonder where we'll be in another 7 years...