The Past Two Weeks

Here are some highlights from the last two weeks...

Two weeks ago, for my friend Jacqueline's birthday party we were going to carve pumpkins. Jon and I decided to hollow out my pumpkin the night before and have him carve one as well.

Jon's pumpkin...



I love it because it looks happy.



Here are all the girls, all of whom are from my program:



Alex and I attempted to do a pattern that had this cute owl... it proved to be kind of difficult. But we had twin pumpkins.



Jon and my pumpkin outside our door, ready for Halloween!



This past weekend Jon and I were able to go home. It was so nice to get a quick visit in with our parents, Amy, and we even got to see Rory!

I was able to attend Chelsey Neeley's (a life-long fiend) bridal shower. It was so beautifully done and I was glad I could attend- we had a good time laughing over all of the "dirt" we have on each other's families from knowing them for so long.

Jon is still being amazing by studying for the MCAT and is doubling-up by also studying chemistry in order to tutor more kids. He is also studying to tutor SAT prep (he has to re-learn all of that vocab, yuck!). He hopes this will create some more hours for him, also help him in his future test taking and make him more helpful at Merigroup.

I am still plugging away with school- we are already applying for trainee sites, which might start as early as January. That means I will start meeting with clients and attempting to do therapy. We already have midterms next week! The quarter system flies by, it is amazing how fast it is going. But I am loving what I am learning and am growing as a student.

This weekend we get to attend a devotional at one of my professor's homes. It will be about Christian counseling. We will get dinner and are able to bring our families, I am excited to attend.

We will also be going to trunk or treat at the church. I am excited to see our little primary kids all dressed up and having fun.

And then of course, Sunday is Halloween. I don't know if any kids will come to our apartment (there are definitely kids in the complex) but I hope they do!

Happy Halloween to all our families and friends!

This Week

I think it is about time this little blog gets an update. I have a hard time thinking of what to write when things are busy but nothing monumental is occurring. So... I will do my best to let you all know whats new.

I am two weeks into my grad program and am totally loving it. I think one of the greatest aspects of going into a program that requires you to be sensitive and kind is that all of your peers are sensitive and kind. I have made some fantastic friends that truly inspire and encourage me in this field.

It is, of course, a lot of work. I am trying to make myself read all the time. I also should be writing every day- in the course of a ten week quarter I will be writing a minimum of 75 pages in papers. One twenty pager, four ten pagers, and some other smaller ones in the mix. I am actually looking forward to it- I prefer papers to exams anyway. Also, almost everything I read and write is interesting to me (another huge benefit of being in a field you love).

Jon is a super-tutor at Merigroup, he loves this job so much. He has a great time explaining physics to his students and sometimes laments about how he wishes they wanted to accomplish more than just their homework, but actually learn the concepts. Nevertheless he is helping them be successful and get good grades at the same time.

He is also studying everyday for the MCAT (the exam you must take to apply to medical school). He has a detailed timeline written out for when to take his exam, when he should put in applications, etc.

Unfortunately we are still crossing our fingers for a full time job. Jon has taken the CBEST in order to qualify him to be a substitute teacher. He will get his scores in 10 days, and if he passed, then he can apply with the San Bernardino school district. We are really hoping this route works out- he would be able to work full time and still keep his tutoring job on the side.

Meanwhile Jon and I got a calling at church that we are very excited about. We are co-teachers for the 6 year old primary kids. This means we get to be their Sunday school teachers and we get to sit with them during primary, singing songs and trying to keep them reverent. We have TEN kids in our class, which feels like a lot! But I am really excited for Jon and I to do this together. The class is mostly boys so Jon will be a really great influence.

That sums up our week in the Van Wickle home. We are loving Redlands and know that we are meant to be here. We also feel incredibly blessed to be affiliated with Loma Linda- they are such a positive, Christian community. It really is an amazing school, I didn't know half of why it was so great when I chose to come here. So all in all, we are very happy. We are hopeful for the future (especially regarding a job!) and look forward to many new adventures.

In Loving Memory

Willard Richards Tate
June 24, 1925 - September 28, 2010



What a great grandpa I had, I never heard him speak an ill word or have a single moment of contention. He raised 7 fantastic children who then gave him 46 grandchildren. He has left a positive imprint on the world with his posterity and with his life. He lived the gospel through and through and was a true follower of Christ.

It is such a blessing to know that families are forever.

I have been MIA in the blogosphere. Sorry to my friends, I still love reading about you life and seeing what you have been up to. My one week intensive class for my program sucked up my time, my sleep, and my knowledge of the outside world. But it was oh-so-worth it.

My one week, 8am-4pm, case presentation class allowed me to get to know the other students in my class as well as the instructors, learn all about ethics, culture, spirituality and the field of psychology, and get information on how the next two years of my life will be. We listened to lectures in the morning, got in small groups in the afternoons and spent our evenings trying to do all our reading and assignments.

But it was more than just normal school. In our afternoon sessions we started doing faux-therapy sessions with our class mates. Sometimes the issues were real (yet benign) and other times they were our friend's problems or things we made up. We practiced being the client and being the therapist. We listened and learned to "join" with our clients. By the end of the week we were being video recorded and doing 20 minute sessions with our delightful "clients."

This was far more than I ever would have expected out of one week of class. It took me far out of my comfort zone. And yet, there is only one quarter until we will actually meet with our first real client. So I guess my comfort zone has been long forgotten. That comfort zone hasn't been seen since last Monday so I don't expect it to come back now.

I feel quite official, being registered for fall and given access to the behavioral health clinic. This is my new ID:



And of course, my first owned copy of the DSM. The book with every mental illness and diagnosis currently recognized by the American Psychological Association. Sometimes I open up this book just to see if I have heard of the disorder:



And while I have been at class, Jon has been working incessantly to find a full time job. He has so many different things going it is hard to keep track of everything he has applied for. But he is a trooper, and is thoroughly enjoying working as a tutor. He is also developing a great method for studying and prepping for the MCAT.

He has been an excellent support while I have been at class. I would come home tired and worn out and he would listen to all of the things I've learned. He will probably have earned a degree in MFT by the time I am done- with how much I tell him about everything.

Now I have one week off- my plan is to read Mockingjay, swim, get some sun, enjoy my freedom and then get to work. I am excited for this new experience to begin- I am looking forward to more school and more learning. I feel like a different person (in a good way) from only one week of instruction and I am curious to see who I am at the end of these two years. Hopefully Jon will still like me (ha ha).

I have a really nice mother in law who gave us this table.

I also have a really nice husband who bought me these flowers, just because.

Which comes back to my really nice mother in law who bought us a gift card to trader joes and said we should buy some flowers for our table...

which ultimately lead to my really nice husband doing exactly what his mom said.


So really, I am thankful for a really nice mother in law who raised a really nice boy.

Moving Moving Moving

Here are some pictures from our recent moving adventures- I know there are some anxious family members out there who want to know how things are going. We are not totally moved in yet, but some rooms are getting settled into. We have some small additions to add here and there, but you will get the gist of things. So here you go!

Jon and Dad were fantastic movers! All of our belongings in a 10 foot truck... (minus a box or two unknowingly left at home, oops!)



This is our little kitchen [dishwasher not shown], I love it already.



This is the start of us organizing the closet. We bought 80 hangers and are still in need of more- luckily there is a lot more space for us to utilize.



One side of our living room.... please note the cute shelves Jon put up. It took a few tries and patches, and was originally very discouraging, but now we are so glad we have them up. We will be adding some color to this beige room, it looks a little bare right now.



Other side of our living room- I love this mantel and fireplace. And the temple picture looks so good up there! Once we get our missing box I will put a wedding picture or two on that mantel. (PS we made those name blocks, we are pretty proud of them)



This is our ikea desk that we bought and put together. We think it is pretty fantastic. It is currently in our bedroom and that seems to be just the spot for it. It is a nice big size (to us) and will be perfect for studying.



Well, thats all that is finished at the moment. More pictures to come later, and hopefully updates of small improvements along the way.

Thanks for taking our tour. Hope you enjoyed it!

Power of Prayer

As we've gone through this recent move one main thought has occurred to me over and over again. Mainly, that it took many small miracles to get us where we are right now. Those small miracles were direct answers to our prayers and have been tender mercies of the Lord.

Today as I pondered what I was going to write about, it felt very clear what I should share- first, as a record for myself, and second as a testament to others. The power of prayer is real. It can change, influence, and improve our lives.

Here is a small prayer journal- some things small, some big, that have occurred in the last few months, weeks and days.

Prayer #1: Please help us appreciate our time at home and make the best of it.

I was so concerned about moving home- I was afraid that we would become bad company too quickly, our families would tire of us or we would tire of them, that there would be conflict or concern where there shouldn't be. I thought that Jon and I would get lost trying to balance two loving families at the same time.

What I discovered was that being home at this point in our lives was a gift from our Heavenly Father. It came into my mind that this opportunity may never come again, especially not at the same time that Jon's brothers were home for the summer. Jon and I grew closer to each other's families, we understood each other better, and we created a strong foundation for our future relationships. My mom mentioned that she always thought I left home too early- being only 17 when I left for college. She thought this time at home made up for that loss.

Prayer = Answered

Prayer #2: Please help us find a job.

This one has been difficult and still is difficult. But Jon has found a job, and while it is part time we are so incredibly grateful for this opportunity. It has been a humbling experience and has taught us to rely more fully in God.

Prayer = Answered

Prayer #3: Please help us find a place to live.

Jon and I went apartment hunting a few weeks ago. It took all day, was incredibly hot, and it became very tiring. All of the apartments we looked at seemed to mush together and it didn't seem there was anything that was terrible, but there also wasn't anything great.

The next day Jon went to an all day employment workshop and I was going to continue apartment hunting on my own. I don't know why, but I was really nervous about this. I felt I seemed vulnerable, people wouldn't take me as seriously on my own or I wouldn't know the right questions to ask. I popped in a CD of hymns as I drove around looking- it calmed my nerves and I felt as though the Savior himself was nearby as I searched for a home for us.

Of course, we found an apartment we are very happy with. It took a lot of paper work, a lot more prayers, and we were crossing our fingers that Jon would get the job so that we could also get our apartment. It worked out perfectly, and in a timely manner.

Prayer = Answered

Prayer #4: Please help us find a way to furnish our apartment without spending all of our savings.

The answer to this prayer comes in many parts.

A. We were able to sell our furniture in Utah due to a small miracle- we planned on reusing that money for our new furniture.

B. I searched craigslist endlessly, and felt guided to not to respond to reasonable ads, and to take a certain interest in some that I may not have due to the influence of the spirit.

C. I saw an ad for some couches that looked decent, upon arrival the man selling them asked what we felt comfortable paying, I offered the price that we had gotten for our furniture in Utah. He offered us $50 less. It was a blessing.

D. We needed a bed but were not finding anything that was working out, and one of our offers fell through. The day of our move we found a bed that we could buy at the very same price that we had sold ours.

We came out even with the furniture we sold and bought.

Prayer = Answered


These things may seem small, or maybe coincidental rather than small miracles, but to us they are very very real.

We have done our best to establish our relationship on good principles and making our home a place that reflected those principles has been very important to me. We are ready for our new start and our new way of life.