Internship Report!

I thought I should let everyone know how things have been going on the internship. This update will be in two parts: an update on my work with Next Step and a report on how things are going with Lutherans for Life.

Part 1- Next Step

Its is hard to believe that I only have six full work days left at Next Step! The summer has gone by so quickly! I cannot even begin to describe how much I have learned in the past nine weeks or how encouraged I have been by the words and directions of the staff at the clinic. Nancy, Kathy, Mary, Laverna, Beth, Catherine, Denise, and all the other volunteers have truly been an inspiration to me!

Besides my day to day activities at the clinic, I have had several education experiences in the last few weeks. I have now presented at the Newman Center at the University of Washington for their Respect Life group twice. The first presentation was more of an informational question and answer session about my experiences at the Coalition for Life and how college students can get involved in the pro-life movement. The second presentation was a viewing of the Unplanned documentary. I briefly introduced the film and then gave a short speech on my experiences and how much of an impact students can make in their communities for Life. Over 40 people showed up for the movie and everyone in attendance seemed very enthusiastic about getting involved in 40 Days for Life and volunteering at local clinics. I think that this opportunity was a great start to a pro-life presence at the University of Washington.

I have also gained a greater respect in the last week for our volunteers who actually counsel abortion-minded women. I spoke with an abortion-minded client over the phone for the first time last week and, I have to admit, I was terrified throughout the entire conversation. In my limited exchange with her, I felt the full weight of the life-or-death conversation that was taking place. I was silently praying the whole time. I was able to convince her to schedule an ultrasound, but she did not show up for her appointment and we haven't had any contact with her since. I am still praying for her as she makes her decision and hope that she tries to contact us again.

Part 2- Lutherans for Life

I was officially elected into the National Board of Directors at the LFL conference last week in Dallas. I am extremely excited to begin working with this wonderful group of men and women. I am serving on the Generations for Life committee, working to recruit young people for Life, and the Development committee, working on fundraising and grant writing. Both committees are in such different areas, but I am excited to help in any way I can.

I was extremely blessed to finally meet Karen last week at the conference. She was my first contact with the organization back in high school when I started the Facebook cause page. She and I had remained in touch via Facebook the last few years, but this was the first time we had met in person. She was just as wonderful in person as she was online and I am so excited to get to work with her at LFL. Karen was not the only person I met who was an encouragement to me. There were so many delightful people at the conference! Almost everyone I met was passionate about Life and diligent in their efforts to help the church navigate Life issues. Everything about the week confirmed for me my calling to continuing working in the pro-life movement. I am so excited for the future and cannot wait to see what God has in store for me next!

Karen and me!

I am the WORST EVER

....although I cannot say that I didn't warn you! Since I haven't posted in a VERY long time, I am committing to a new post everyday this week, to catch everyone up on what I have been doing... starting tomorrow :)

Jenn's Northwest Adventure Part 1- "One Short Day in the Emerald City"

The first part of Jenn's Northwest adventure was a trip to Downtown Seattle. We only had one day, so we decided to start early and see as much as we physically could... and we were definitely successful. The key to our success? The CityPass (*disclaimer* this is NOT an advertisement.... I was just really impressed with this wonderful deal and just had to share it will all of my poor college student friends). We paid about $60 and got to see the Seattle Aquarium, go on a harbor boat tour, go up the Space Needle, visit the Pacific Science Center, and go to the Zoo. Not bad, right.... we also did all of that, except the zoo, and a couple more things all in one day... we were quite the sightseers! They have these city passes for several major cities, including Houston... I will definitely use one again next time I go on a big city adventure....

Our first stop was the famous Pike Place Market, where Jenn got a glimpse of the first Starbucks and we shared a delicious breakfast of fresh doughnuts and rainier cherries. We also got to see the famous fish throwers actually throw a fish at someone (she caught it) and watched the flower-sellers put together gorgeous and rather inexpensive bouquets.

After that we stopped at the Seattle Aquarium. This aquarium is kind of small for the size of the city it is in, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in educational value. Rather than simply entertain, I have always been impressed by how this aquarium focuses on education the public on the wonderful wildlife that lives in Puget Sound. The highlight of the visit was definitely getting to watch them feed their giant pacific octopus.

All those fish swimming around in the aquarium made us a tad bit hungry, so we headed to Anthony's for lunch. I branched out of my restaurant comfort zone and ordered fish tacos with mahi mahi... and really, really enjoyed it. Success! Jenn picked the ever popular fish and chips. She tried to get the recipe from the waiter, but he told us that he had to sign a confidentiality agreement to never reveal the secret of the delicious batter.

Lunch at Anthony's

After a satisfying lunch, and a quick stop at Ye Olde Curiosity Shop, we went on an Argosy Harbor Tour, a boat ride that takes you all the way around Elliot Bay with wonderful views of the city and the surrounding landscape. All the times I have been in Seattle and this was the first time I ever went on a boat ride in the actually city. Here are a few snapshots from the tour:

View of Downtown right after leaving the harbor

Jenn and I with the Seattle sky line in the background from across the bay

After completing the harbor tour, we caught a bus and went up to the Seattle Center, home to the Pacific Science Center and the Space Needle. We spent a little less than two hours exploring all of the exhibits at the Pacific Science Center. These exhibits were much more hands on than the ones in Houston and we had tons of fun. I think our favorite exhibit was the one the tested facial symmetry by taking a picture of your face and then putting mirror images of one side next to each other.... we came up with some thoroughly amusing faces. :)

After that, we headed up to the Space Needle. This was another Seattle staple that I had never visited. After waiting in line for a bit for the elevator, we were treated to spectacular views of the city and Mt. Rainier, on an unusually clear day for the area. We spent probably close to an hour just taking in the views and taking pictures from every angle imaginable. It was a great way to end our trip.

Jenn and I at the top of the Space Needle!

Beautiful view of the city and Mt. Rainier

All in all, I was extremely proud of the fact that we were able to fit so much into one day. We even made it back to Edmonds in time to see a glorious sunset down by the beach. The amazing thing is though, we never really felt that rushed. I think most of the time, actually, we were pretty relaxed, and took our time to see and experience everything. We were pretty lazy on Sunday, though, so all the activity must have caught up with us. :)

Perfect end to a perfect day!

Internship Update!

I can't say that I didn't warn you that I was really, really bad at this whole blogging/journaling thing..... but I am sorry it has been so long since my last post. Things have been crazy busy (and super fun) with Jenn's visit... but more on that later.

Anyways, here is a quick update on how the internship is going:

I have started observing patient ultrasounds and it has been, by far, the most rewarding experience of this whole summer. It is hard to put into words the intense joy I felt the first time I saw a tiny little heartbeat on a 16 week old baby. The technician was able to make out a beautiful profile with a complete view on the spine, hands, feet, and even individual fingers and toes. It was truly breathtaking. If that wasn't amazing enough, last week I witnessed an ultrasound for a baby that was only 7 weeks along. At that point, there wasn't as much to make out in the way of individual limbs and fingers, but that beautiful heartbeat was still there, pumping sure and strong, a wonderful reminder of the beauty of God's creation and the significance and importance of every human life. It never ceases to amaze me that something so small can be so powerful and that God would so carefully knit together such a glorious masterpiece. I feel so privileged!  Jesus loves us so much!!!!

In the next few weeks I will also be starting to research ways in which Next Step can take their ministry just a little bit further. Two options they are currently exploring are STI testing and parenting classes. The first option, STI testing, would be pretty difficult with the facilities and staffing they currently have. It would require intensive doctor supervision and oversight, with possibly the use of on-site MD's, PA's, or nurse practitioners. Right now, however, we are just looking into what it would take to provide that service. Parenting classes may be a more immediately achievable goal.They already have resources available for the classes themselves, the only difficulty would be scheduling, finding volunteers, and facilities. Their current office is lacking in meeting space, so if more than a couple people show up for a class, finding room for everyone could be a problem.

I will also be starting to organize a viewing of Abby Johnson's Unplanned documentary in conjunction with the Newman Center at the University of Washington, which is the Catholic ministry there. The associate director, Father Raphael, has asked me to make a short presentation about my experiences with the Coalition for Life and sidewalk counseling with some of the greatest warriors for Christ I have ever met. I am truly humbled to be included in such a wonderful group and I hope some of my experiences will inspire these college students to take a stand for Life on their own campus and in their community.

Not quite related to the internship, but wonderful and relevant news nonetheless, I have also recently been selected to serve on the national board of directors for Lutherans for Life! I am extremely honored to be asked to serve in such a position and pray that I can contribute positively to their mission during the next three years of my term. I know at this point that I will be working with the Generations for Life committee to develop ways to energize and empower younger generations (high school, college age, young adults, etc.) to stand up for Life in their churches and communities and educate them about Life issues. I agree with the  current board members that the current generation and the generation after us will be integral to changing the hearts and mind of the world about abortion, euthanasia and other important social and moral issues. As cheezy as it may sound, we are the future of the movement and we can make a great impact if equipped with the right tools. I pray that together we can figure out what those tools are and get them into the hands of the right people. I will officially start the first week of August at their national convention in Dallas, so I will actually be coming back to Texas mid-internship for a couple of days, which should be fun!

As always, thank you for all your comments and prayers! I couldn't do any of this without the wonderful support of my friends and family!

Gig 'Em and God Bless!

Coming soon... Part 1 of Jenn's Northwest Adventure!!!

Getting Settled.... and staying busy!!

Sorry it has been so long since my last update!! So much has happened in the last week, I'm not sure where to begin!! But first, as promised, I finally have some picture of the beautiful mountains that make me love this place so much:

See? I told you! Absolutely beautiful!! Beautiful days like this make all the rainy days worth it, which is true in a lot of circumstances, actually. In all honesty, the weather has actually been pretty nice since I got here. It has been mostly in the mid-60's and not too rainy. Nothing really to complain about and much preferable to the triple digits back home in Texas. :)

Weather aside, I am finally starting to settle into the neighborhood. I have mastered the public transit system (with only a couple minor mishaps) and am starting to feel more comfortable driving around on the hills. I have established a nice routine during the days and evenings with my grandma. I was a little concerned about this since both of us are used to living alone, but it has actually been really nice having someone to talk to after work and to share meals with. I am looking forward to getting to know her better, since this is the longest visit we have ever had together.

On the internship front, I am definitely staying busy! It is amazing how much work and activity you can fit into just four hours a day. Work at the clinic is definitely never slow. I am part receptionist, part retail worker, and everything in between. I am really enjoying working with the clients, getting to know their stories and helping meet their needs. One of the best parts of my job so far is seeing all the different children who come into our office. It is so rewarding and humbling to know the the little bit that we do, with God's help can make such a difference in their lives. It is also wonderful to hear the women and men who visit share how much our service has impacted their experiences. I am so blessed to have found a place to volunteer that is making such an impact in the community.

As I said earlier, most of the last week has been devoted to preparing for yesterday's annual Auction of the Angels, the organization's biggest fundraiser of the year. I spent quite a bit of time last weekend creating display boards for live and silent auction items. I got to brush up on my cut and paste skills and learn a little bit about fundraising in the process. The auction was, from preliminary results, very successful. It was definitely a challenge trying to navigate an event where everyone knows each other and you don't know anyone, but as the night when on, I started to make a few connections and had several great discussions about the future of the pro-life movement in the area. The most meaningful part for me was seeing how passionate and active the pro-life community is in the area. I was warned by more than one person that the Pacific Northwest would be a very difficult place for a pro-life conservative, but here I saw that even though we are the minority, the movement is strong and that great strides for life are being taken here. It was all very encouraging.

Here are a few snapshots from the evening:

The center director, Nancy, was amazing last night! Here she is working with the caterer and a volunteer.

One of the board members and a couple other volunteers working the Binky Wine Toss.

Mary, our nurse manager, put in long hours organizing all the display boards for the live and silent auction. She definitely kept me busy!

I took a few more pictures for Kathy, our executive director, on her camera and will try to add a few more pictures on my Facebook page.

There is a lot going on this next week, both a work and at home. I will hopefully start assisting in some ultrasounds this week, something I have been very much looking forward to. I am also going to be starting to plan a couple of public viewings of the Unplanned documentary, which should be challenging but a great experience. Also, my lovely friend Jenn will be coming to visit this Thursday and staying for a little over a week. We are planning a trip to Vancouver next weekend and various other excursions, which I will be sure to share with you.

I appreciate all the prayers and words of encouragement! Until next time, Gig 'em and God Bless!

Laura

A little bit about Edmonds.... and my first day at work!

This summer I will be staying with my grandma in the lovely town of Edmonds, WA. My first day here was typical Pacific Northwest weather: wet and cold.... such a nice change from Texas! :) Here are some pictures I took to give you an idea:

View from the jetty

View of town from the jetty

Railroad tracks that run right along the beach

Kingston Ferry

On a clear day, there is a great view of the Olympic Mountains from across the water. I have only had a short glimpse of them so far, but as soon as I get a good picture I will post it here!

Wednesday was my first day of work at Next Step Pregnancy Services in Lynnwood, in which I basically got a crash course on where everything is, how everything works, and the procedures for greeting and directing clients. I spent most the afternoon sorting baby clothes and putting together layettes for expecting mothers. I must admit I thoroughly enjoying all the adorable baby clothes and imaging how cute they would be on my new niece or nephew!

Executive Director, Kathy in the sorting room, where I spent most of my time on Wednesday. Source: The Herald, Everett, WA

 

Everything at the clinic is kinda hectic right now as they prepare for their annual auction fundraiser next weekend, so I will be learning a lot on the fly. In fact, today the center director and another intern who has been here since the beginning of the year have to meet with a caterer for the event. This will leave me as the only person at the desk. On my second day. I am a little nervous and it will definitely be an adventure, but I'm sure, with God and the nurses' help, I can handle it and I'll let you all know how it goes as soon as I can. :)

That's about all I have to share today. My first impressions have been very positive and I am looking forward to learning more about this awesome ministry and serving those who come to our doors looking for help and understanding!

Gig 'Em and God Bless!

Here at last!!!!

Well, after three long years, I am finally back in the Seattle area. My grandma and I got in late last night after a thoroughly enjoyable first-class trip. We got an awesome view of Mount St. Helens as we were coming in... it was nice to finally see some mountains again (pictures coming soon)!

Today's agenda included unpacking (its amazing how much stuff you can fit into two suitcases) and exploring downtown Edmonds (the suburb where my grandma lives). Tomorrow is my first day of work, so I expect to have a long post this week explaining the ins and outs of my new intership.

As always, have a great day and God Bless!