Back to school...

After a great summer at home, working, working, working, and working 4 jobs (plus downtime spent with Arthur and friends, and my family of course), I'm back at school, once again. :)

Just finished the first two days of classes and so far I really love them all! Statistics and I will not be friends, but the people in the class and the professor seem really great, so hopefully that will help... :)

This semmester I have...

Interpersonal Communication (it makes me want to be a communication minor)

Statistics with Computer Application (a required Psychology class that will probably kill me)

Statistics Lab (pbthhh)

New Testament History and Literature (the proff is great)

General Cultural Anthropology (it looks like it will be really interesting - I'm excited for it!

Psychology and Christian Thought (taught by two professors - will be very difficult but very interesting and I'm pretty excited for it).

On a side note - I really want to do study abroad in England... purely because one of my Psych and Christian thought proffs is English and I liked his accent and all his stories of growing up in England... So anyways, I'm just gonna store that one for awhile and see if that's possible, but I think it would be amazing! :)

Lastly, I put some photos up of my first few days here. The top shows all the practical things I have to buy these days with my hard earned money... Living is expensive! I'm very proud of myself... The next two are of Mary and I with her new kitten, Mr. Darcy/Charlie/Oliver/whatever else anyone wants to call him... :) adorable kitten. The last photo is of the car and how dirty "Baby" was when I found her. :( Don't worry - she's had 2 washes already ;)

Till next time!

Life =)

Apparently it's way harder this semmester for me to update my blog cause it's definitely been awhile! Well... things have been going well. :)

Right now I'm lying in Mary's bed at her house where Heather and I have spent the last several days. We've discovered that if nobody sets an alarm to wake up, we'll all sleep soundly till 11. I love spring break! We spent Easter weekend here and are heading back to school today till Wednesday morning before we pick Shanna up from the airport (HOOORAYY!!!) and head down to San Diego to spend time with the Tullsens :)

Easter Weekend was great. Friday afternoon Heather and I arrived at the Spagnola's, and then went to the movies so Mary and I could see our new favorite movie, The Last Song. It was amazing, we both cried and just in general loved it. It was kinda cool too because afterwards we got to meet and get a picture with the little boy who played Jonah in the movie. (picture above... us with Bobby Coleman!) He was SO cute - ah! We wanted to adopt him. The next day Heather and I went into town for awhile to have coffee at the local coffee shop here (I love the coffee place - I wish I could live here so I could spend all my time there), and then went into all the vintagy/funky little gift shops in town. If I couldn't grow up in Seattle, I would wanna grow up in here. It's the cutest little town, and just completely beautiful. I'm totally in love with it. Easter Sunday was crazy! The Spagnola's have a huge family and had at least 20-30 people over yesterday for Easter dinner. It was so much fun - so many different personalities around the table, the conversations were always interesting. I love big families and felt right at home all weekend - The Spagnola's are the sweetest people.

Spring Break will be great. I'm going back to school in a few hours to do some homework and pack for San Diego, and to be nearby for when Shanna comes in at Long Beach in less than 48 hours... ahhh!!! I can't wait to see her, it's been 8 months and just far too long. When you spend almost every other day with a person for 4 years and then don't see them for 8 months it's just SO weird, and I really hate it, so I'm sooo happy she's flying down to spend some time. :) We're gonna go to the beach and just relax down there and enjoy being together and with the Tullsens.

School has been kinda intense lately... just mainly because I gave my first speech (which wasn't the intesne part) about Chrysler Corporation and their irresponsibility in the design of certain car models. That was the intense part. But I'm very glad I did it. Other than that it's been pretty mellow school wise. I've done a pretty good job of keeping on top of homework and projects this semmester. I have an interpretation paper coming up soon that should be amazing and a ton of work, but I'm really excited. I want to do it on 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 (I think) which talks about comforting others with the comfort we've recieved ourselves from Christ. I love those verses cause that's what I want to do with my life... so I think I'll write my paper on them.

Future -I've finally decided to officially declare my major as Psychology (which, by the way, I'm still impressed that I know how to spell that), and I want to become a grief and trauma counselor someday. I got to meet with Norm Wright, a well known psychologist in this field, and ask him plenty of questions about how much school I'll need, and just talk about some of my hesitations with him... It was a great conversation and I walked away from it 100% sure and confident that this is not only what I want to do, but it's what I'm called to do at this point.

Whew! Well that's a pretty big update for now - I'll try and update this more often! I hope you all are well - I love you. Till next time!

Trust. Hope. His Joy.

You call out, "Darling daughter
Won't you please draw near?
I'm your heavenly father
You have nothing left to fear

Fall into me
And accept my sheltering arms
Trust and you will see
I don't mean this trial for your harm
Let go and give me all your pain
Don't carry this worry on your own
I promise this is not in vain
You're not meant to bear this all alone"

I cry out, "Heavenly father
I really don't understand
But you want the best for your daughter
So I'll trust you have a plan

I'll fall into you
And accept your sheltering arms
I trust and I can see
You don't mean this trial for my harm
I let go and gave you all my pain
I won't carry this worry on my own
You promise this is not in vain
I don't have to bear this all alone."

Second Semester...

I am loving this semester of school... I love my friends, feel more comfortable in my environment than I was last semester, and I absolutely love all my classes. I'm taking English 110B (we get to read some Poe, Brother's Grimm fairytales, poetry, and The Importance of Being Earnest in that class, so I'm basically in love), Nature of Mathematics (super easy and my prof is really funny... and totally nerdy... he actually spent the time to figure out that his social security number is a prime number, and that's his favorite prime. he couldn't tell us that number, obviously, but he did tell us his second and third favorite prime numbers instead... oh my gosh! People actually spend time thinking about that??? it's a whole nother world...), Biblical Interpretation and Spiritual Formation (otherwise known as BIFS cause that's easier to say... great class about interpreting scriptures), Intro into public speaking (my prof is so great for that class... really funny and entertaining), Music Appreciation (my prof is from Seattle and we got to have a talk about Bellevue, Renton, and Everett where all her family lives), and finally, Intro to Guitar. I love learning how to play guitar. LOVE IT. can't believe I never learned how before.
A couple other new things as well... Mary and I totally rearranged our room and it's SO HAPPY in there now! We went dorm room shopping the first week and bought a rug, a mirror, and brought in a lamp from mary's house... it's all very bright and happy.
Alfred is a totally new fish this semester! He swims around all the time, is orange in color again, and eats 3 times a day! Such a change from him sitting on the rocks all day, turning white, and eating every 3 days... we don't know what happened. We think maybe he took on the spirit of Ducky (Anna and Hannah's fish who was left with Alfred in Mary's care over break... he died after a few weeks, and Alfred has been a changed fish ever since).
Mary and I have updated our youtube channel a bit, and posted a couple different videos... our latest one is a music video we made on "supernova day" last sunday. we have such fun together... oh! part of our new room arrangement is so that our beds are headboard to headboard against the window, and we sleep with our heads facing each other so it's like a sleepover every night ;)
The car has been in the shop for the past week and a half... poor baby. she needs a new throttle body. that's the short version of the story. it's was really scary to figure that out and find a good auto shop that wouldn't rip me off... oh man. but it should all be ok now... the part it needs is being shipped to the local Honda shop as we speak (it's a discontinued part because the car is "so old" so we had to buy the part on ebay), so please pray that it will get there safely and WORK in the car!
The past two nights I was tryin out a hip hop dance thing with my friend, Anna... oh we had so much fun! It's actually an audition proccess to get into the school dance team (why a school who doesn't allow dancing at campus events has a dance team is STILL so confusing to me). monday night we learned the routine, tuesday night we practiced, and tryouts are tonight. I just went for fun, but oh man, I loved it!
Okay, well I should probably hit the books... love you guys! Till next time :)

Catching up...

Finals Week
Well I finished the end of the semester very well. I think finals week was seriously my favorite week of the semester! The girls and I kicked it off with a game of marco polo in the Hope dorm =D. Later that night the cafeteria was opened from 10-12 with breakfast foods and a karaoke party... amazing! =D I had a great time. Besides all that great fun (and only having to go to class for the finals) Mary and I had dance parties in our room every night.
Now all of that may make it sound like I left no time for studying or doing well on my finals, but I just checked my grades and it's quite the opposite - all A's and B's! I'm quite proud of that.
Christmas Break
Break has been so amazing! I've been able to spend almost all my time with Arthur and my family, and I've really been able to reconnect with some of my good girlfriends... and guyfriends! Going away was so wonderful and perfect for some of my friendships... it really saved some of them. It was also good to find out who my real friends are... who I missed, who missed me, who I can count on being there for me when I come home. Good things to find out... =D I also got to spend lots of time with the Finks - we've had some great times this break! Playing Uno, going shopping, and going out to eat with my family... it's been great - I sure love that family!
Church & Youth Group
While I've been home I've been able to go back to youth group for a few weeks =) I got my name (and all the old student leaders names) back on the BOB boxes, and I enjoyed catching up with all the girls last Saturday night when they came over for a sleepover. The youth group kids were some of the people I missed the MOST while being away, and I'm so happy they all love me still and are happy to see me return. =) I could never not go back... I love them all so much!
Returning to Biola
Heather my mom and I leave next Monday to begin our road trip down to Southern California =) I'll be sad to leave my dear ones, and it's ridiculous to think that Shanna comes home in less than a month after I leave and yet I won't see her for another four... (BTW that makes 10 months that I will not have seen my best friend... yeah, that kinda SUCKS and I think it should never happen AGAIN!!!) but part of me is excited to get back to school and see all my college friends again =D. Mary and I are hoping to get to a Joe Brooks concert next week... I sure hope we can get tickets! Anyways, I'm very excited about this time of my life so far... there's so much left to say, but I won't, haha =P
Till next time!

Going Home

Last weekend (ok so now it's been more like 3-4 weekends ago)I went home from Friday to Monday, and I cannot describe how wonderful it was to fly in and see the space needle from the plane window. I've seen that beautiful sight much more than once, but never after being gone for three months. I love living here in SoCal, I'm not going to lie, but Seattle is still my home. It always will be, of that I am sure.

I originally decided to go home for Arthur - to surprise him at his show, and then God worked in that my sister would happen to need me and I could spend time with her that weekend as well. I spent a little of Friday afternoon and all of Saturday with her, and it was so great! I miss both my sisters so much, and I was glad I could be there.

The first morning I was there, I woke up in one of my own beds, went upstairs, climbed in my mom's bed with her, and we talked for at least half an hour. I've missed that so much! I also got to see both sets of grandparents this weekend - it had been too long since I'd seen them! I miss my family so much!

12/10/09
Well I wrote all of that a while ago but things have been so busy that it's been hard to post lately! Life has been very busy, and now it's only 8 days till I go home again! This time it will be for 6 weeks! =) I'm very excited. I'm really gonna miss my Biola girls though! God has blessed me so much with my friends here...
The past few weekends have been fun... a couple different random Disneyland Sprees =) It's decorated for Christmas now and it's SO MAGICAL! It's always magical, but the Christmas decor only makes it more so. When I went with Anna and Hannah a few weeks ago they made me go on tower of terror - ahhhh!!! So scary! But it was great fun too =) I know that probably doesn't impress all of you, but it's a pretty big deal for me... =P
Last weekend I went on Anna and Hannah's GYRAD (Get Your Roommate A Date) as Anna's date. We went to the beach and had dinner on the pier.. pretty great date! Plenty of the fun kind of awkwardness... =) haha =P
Thanksgiving break was such a relaxing and MUCH NEEDED break... I got to stay with the Tullsens and it was wonderful =) Lots of relaxation and quality time with some of my favorite people, and I even got some homework done as well.
The homework has picked up... but shouldn't be too bad now that I finished my 8 page biography paper for history - HOOOORAYY! I have a final tomorrow in English (an in class essay), one to hand in next Wednesday (it was a take home, open-book - how awesome is that???), an exam on Monday in Psychology (it's our 5th one of the semester, so pretty routine for me), one Tuesday in Old Testament (our 3rd one of the semester, so not stressed about it), NOTHING next Wednesday =) and a final on Thursday in my Foundations class. The end is sooo close! I can't believe I've almost finished my first semester at college and away from home.
Saturday is the gospel choir performance. I'm looking forward to that if I can find a ride... things are looking pretty bleak right now (so far only three students in a class of 25-30 can drive) and I REALLLY would love to go... Pray I can find a ride? If things all work out we will be at the church (it's an hour and a half away) by two so we can take pictures with our director, there's a VIP reception for us at four (sounds way cooler than it is - I think the choirs performing are the VIPs... he didn't really say), and then the recording starts at six. CDs and DVDs should be available after the show, so I'm happy my family can still hear it/see it!
Well. Seeing as my final is at 8, and it's 12:30 now, I should at least try to get some sleep. So goodnight for now, friends. Till next time. I love you all.

Dreams

I don't understand why God allows dreams to affect us so much. The past four years I've suffered from sleepless nights because of dreams. Any trial, any loss, any sadness in my life and it visits me in my dreams. So I've become afraid to sleep. But this isn't just me it's happened to... I haven't had sleep issues nearly as bad as some of my loved ones have who've been closer to some of the trials. And now it's happening to one of my dear ones. And I hate it. It makes me so angry.
I understand that life will be full of trials... I've accepted that fact. It's gonna happen to everyone, and I know that good does come out of it. But if you're going through a struggle, WHY must it invade your dreams??? It feels like a slap on the face, quite honestly. In psychology we've been learning about dreams and the different theories for them, and as far as I can tell from what I've learned and my own experiences, dreams involve unresolved problems or things from your day. So from that standpoint I can understand why you dream about the hard things you're going through. What I don't understand is why God allows that. There have been so many prayers for me and this dear one experiencing the dreams now... prayers every night before bed, "God please protect her mind and sleep from these dreams..." and yet they persist. Why?? I don't understand. And it makes me angry.
I love you all. Till next time...