A summer to remember

This is the last summer that I will have to enjoy some of my favorite activities. For one thing, my very last trip of houseboats just ended on Saturday. It was one of my favorite trips and I am sad to see it go, but as I have learned this last senior year, the last things make the most memories. It's been a very hard lesson to learn, and there have been many tears shed, but a lesson I am glad I learned.
However, this summer isn't over yet. I am in the middle of my week off, before 3 intense weeks. Next Monday, we begin our annual VBS. It is an exciting time. I am on the game team again, an elite team to be on. Many people apply for the team, but the participants are usually veterans, and handpicked by our youth pastor. I also happen to be the only girl, which is sometimes a blessing and a curse. The blessing is, I am able to connect with girls and I get to be the one person who gets to put on bandaids and ice packs. The curse is, I'm often picked on by the boys. Not that I don't know them and they know me really well, but i'm often the one who gets soaked first on water day. It'll be a super fun time, and I'm excited to be a part of the games team for my 7th year.
The week after, I get to go be a counselor at Forest Home. This'll be my 3rd year of counseling, but I will be at a different camp center this year. I love Forest Home, and I hope that next summer, it'll be my future employer. I'm excited to spend time with my 7th grade girls, and I believe that we will have a great time. Not to mention, I'll be the only one trusted with this new camp center. All of my other friends will still be stuck at the lower camp center, while I'll be having more fun :).
After that week, I'll get to spend a week on the beach, relaxing before the start of college. And then, I spend the next week on the couch, as I have wisdom teeth surgery. And then, I'll be ready to start college! Its kind of scary, knowing that college is so close. AT the same time though, I can't wait. I'm sure that it will be the best time of my life! 45 more days until move-in day!!!

How traffic teaches you patience.

So, right now, we are in the literal buttcrack of California. Or what us locals lovingly refer to the I-5 as. Seriously, it's a freeway cut into the middle of California. There's nothing that interesting, it's all just farmlands. So-Cal is crowded and busy, and Nor-Cal is the same way, but there is absolutely nothing for about 5 straight hours. Today, we were caught in typical LA traffic, but it lasted way past LA. Our original ETA was about 9:30, but due to extenuating circumstances and the largeness of our caravan, our ETA is about an hour and a half from now, which will put us there at around midnight. Being in a small Volkswagen and so close to other people have taught me at least one thing. There are no secrets when you've been in a car for 9 hours, and your muscles don't like it at all. It's a good patience lesson though, as we are all looking to get through it and we are trying to see the positives in it. We are eagerly expecting a swift arrival to our destination, and hoping this gnarly day of travel will come to an end.

Kicking off Freshman Year right.

Tomorrow, I get to go on my most favorite trip of the year. Its called Houseboats! Appropriately, we (our high school youth group) get to go on a houseboat for an entire week at beautiful Lake Shasta. Lake Shasta is in Northern California, and since I live in Southern California, obviously, it's a bit of a drive. In fact, its a 13 hour drive. This year, we are taking nine cars, 33 students, and 12 leaders. We'll get to stay at United Christian Covenant Church in Sacramento tomorrow, since we are so far away, and the houseboats part doesn't start until Monday. Monday, we'll hang out in Old Town Sacramento, we'll tackle the last 4 hours of the trip, and we'll finally get to Lake Shasta. From Monday on, we'll swim all hours of the day, go on wakeboard runs and banana runs, and play lots of games. 
 Of course, since it is church camp, we get lots and lots of time with the Lord. Every day, we get 30 minutes of solo time. It's time for us to just think, work on our devo book, and pray. After solo time, we have small group time. My group has three girls in it, and our leader is the wife of our worship leader. It should be fun. We also get to hang out with the other churches that come. For one night, and one morning, we get to all be together by Shasta dam. We have a skit competition, and also our 3 hour solo time. It sounds like a lot of time, and it is, but its also the most transformational time. That's Friday morning, but my favorite part of houseboats is definitely Friday evening. Friday evening, we have our communion and send-off bonfire. Its a time of worship, and also, encouragement. All the high schoolers encourage the outgoing seniors (thats me!) and we all get to encourage them through their high school years. Saturday, we leave really early from the marina, and we do all the driving in one day. We'll get home at around 9 or 10, then reminisce for the next 365 days. 
I'm so privileged to get to go on this trip. I love my church and I will definitely stay involved with them during my college years.

Shadows and Dust

This title is taken from a line in my favorite song, which also happens to be called "Shadows and Dust." I love this term, because I feel like this encompasses my journey to APU.

I always grew up around APU. My grandparents went there, my parents went there, and I was convinced that I would be going there too. I didn't know what for, and I didn't know until this year that the journey would be rough and tumultuous. 

My senior year, I decided that I would apply to the nursing program. The nursing program at APU is extremely difficult to get into, considering over 500 apply and 40 get in. I definitely don't mean for this post to be prideful. (I'll explain more later). I also applied to other schools with nursing programs. I got into APU pretty easily, but the nursing program didn't tell you until 5 months later. So, I went through most of my senior year preparing to go to a different college. Teachers told me that I would be extremely lucky to get into that program, and most of them said I should be prepared to be rejected. They weren't trying to discourage me, because they knew that I knew that was the reality. I went into Spring Break having filled out all my acceptance forms for my second choice of college. 

My favorite song also has another line. "Light of the World, Your glory shines on us." This line builds into a dramatic crescendo that ends the song. I feel like this was exactly what was happening on March 27th, 2013. That was the day I got my acceptance letter. I didn't at first think I got in, because the letter was shorter than I thought an acceptance letter would be. But, as I read the first word, CONGRATULATIONS, I knew all my work during high school had paid off. 

Now, as I stare college in the face, I realize that I will be a part of the campus that I dreamed of being on when I stood in the end zone of the football field, a mere 5 year old. I will be carrying on my family's APU legacy because my brother most likely will not.  I will carry on my determination from high school in academics, and I will be the top of the nursing class. I'll make sure of it. 

"When pain collides, with no soul to trust,
and dreams fade, like shadows and dust, 
when tears pour down, and all falls apart,
Your Glory shines, and opens our hearts."

"Light of the world, You're shining, You're shining."

-"Shadows and Dust" ~ Urban Rescue

Here I am, this is me.

My name is Brenna Martinez. I am from Southern California, and I am a recent high school graduate. I will be attending Azusa Pacific University in the fall, and I am looking forward to being one of only 40 students in the class of 2017 Nursing program. This blog will serve as my place where i can tell you about different patients, the stress (and joy's of college life) and my life in general.

Let me start a few months before graduation. Before I knew I would be attending APU. 

My high school changed my life. If it wasn't for God, certain people at Western, and the entire graduating class of 2013, I would be a completely different person. I was able to enjoy many different experiences, including two varsity sports (Volleyball- 4 years, Soccer-1 year), two years on ASB, one year on class council, four AP classes, and three honors classes. God has richly blessed me and has provided me with lifelong friends, many from the faculty as well, that I hope to keep for a long long time. 

But now, high school has ended, and though there are many fond memories there that I will always treasure, it isn't my home anymore. My home, literally, is APU. I will be living in Adams Hall, a residence hall for only women. It'll be crazy, but fun. I'll have to attend chapel three times a week, as opposed to Western's once a week, but I've looked at my schedule, and I can manage it. Oh, and I only have one roommate, which is pretty cool, seeing as many people from APU have to have two or more. She seems pretty chill, and she's also from Hawaii! It'll be nice to incorporate her into the daily living of Southern California. 

Right now, we are in the waiting period. We have gotten our housing assignments, and we have registered for classes. All that's left now is move-in day and Orientation, which begins August 30th. I can't wait, but at the same time, I don't want to grow up. Growing up is hard, but I know God will always be with me, and with Him, I can't lose.