Well, I've started my 2nd class for the summer! It's State and Federal Government, and so far, it's pretty good. I enjoyed the class in high school, too. :) We've already had 2 tests- we have 2 each week! Surprisingly enough, I kind of like it that way. Even though tests are back to back, that means they're is less information to cover each time.

I just looked at my phone countdown. There are 26 days until I go back to UMHB, 34 until my dad comes home, and 101 until my 21st birthday! I'm pretty excited about all 3 of those. :)

I got another haircut today... I've finally gotten over the fear of cutting my hair short, and did what I've always wanted to do. I cut my hair short in the back and long in the front. I guess it's an "angled layer" look, and I LOVE it! I wish I had pictures, but I don't... :(

So yes... there's not a whole lot going on right now. I'm excited for school to start back up so I can see all of my friends, and then my dad comes home!!!

My Pugs :)

So I love my dogs sooo much and they definitely make our life interesting! They have been getting the spa life lately, as they have been going to the vet to get their baths. (We are trying to be extra careful about fleas during the summer now...) Here are some pictures to show you their complete joy!

Edith sleeping the day away after a stay at the vet's office. Isn't she cute?


This is Khaki's famous stretch... he always does this when he wants you to pet him and tell him how good of a dog he is. :)


I caught Edith for a pic! Can you see her smile? She's actually pretty photgenic... ;)


My two lovely pugs. They're so great!

Hopeless romantic?

Well here it comes... me writing about the one thing I'd rather not. But a big part of me has to, because I have to get it out. That's right.... the life of being single. I really do hate the phrase, "Always a bridesmaid, never a bride." because you kind of begin to believe it. Now I know I am young and I have "my whole life" ahead of me, but sometimes a girl just has to wonder.

This summer has been particularly hard when it comes to this because all of my relatives call to check on me, and it's inevitable that they all ask "So are you dating yet?" I can only come up with so many different answers: "No, I'm just waiting for the right guy." "No, I'm too busy for a boyfriend." Someone even told me "Good." when I answered. Excuse me for being cynical about this, but if it's good to be single, why did you ask me if I was dating?

I may sound kind of upset right now, but it'd because I am. Even my co-workers, whom I've known for a little over a month, ask me. When I reply, I hear, "You're not dating?! Why not?!?!"

To be completely honest, the answer "I'm waiting for the right guy" is the truth. I really am. And no, I don't know how I will know if he's the right one, but I will. I have so many friends that are getting engaged, and while I am only 20 years old, it's hard not to think why I haven't even been on a date.

I want to feel like I'm special, and I want to be "swept off my feet". I desire to know what that feels like, you know? I want to laugh about things that don't matter, and go on walks with someone because we can. I want to take goofy pictures together. I want to go climb a mountain with him. I want to do my hair for a special occasion. I even want to buy a pretty dress so we can go dancing together, even if we both have two left feet. I want to write mushy letters, too. Yes, I'm your typical girl. But maybe not, because I have never done these things. But I want to. Hopeless romantic it is..

I know it's all in God's timing, but it's hard to not wonder...

Days With Mom

So this week has been pretty great :)

To be quite honest with you, I wasn't really ready to come home this summer. I may have alluded to that in past posts, but I'm just saying the plain truth :) I'm sure it exists with every mother-daughter relationship, but I wasn't ready to come home to less independence, more chores, and being told whether or not my hair looks good that day. :{ So, I prayed before the summer that I would somehow find the strength and wisdom that comes in being a good daughter, and resisting my fleshly wants.

We've had our moments. But this week has been great. We've had wonderful conversations, funny moments, talks about our soldier (dad) whom we miss and can't wait to have back, and just an all around good time. God is definitely giving me strength, and a deeper love for my mom. (Don't get me wrong, I've always loved her, but we are becoming much closer.) I'm excited about this. God is amazing. He is such a faithful Father, and I am so thankful.

Tomorrow, my mom and I will be spending the day out as we look for dresses. I'm very excited about this!! We are also going to look for videos or books that I need to help me out. It will be a lot of fun!! :)

Question and Answer :)

What's new with me? Well, hmmmm...

I have enjoyed my day off, and am excited about another one tomorrow! I had a test in my History class today, but it wasn't bad at all. Then I tried to go to different bookstores to find a book of skits, with no success :( This is going to be really hard.

Stephanie- to answer your question about pageant. I can't believe I haven't told you!! Well, MHB has a pageant each year, and I will be representing the Student Foundations group on campus. Student Foundations is an organization that helps out with different events for the alumni. It's very fun to talk with them and hear their stories about their time at UMHB, too. :) Anyways, the pageant will be held in November, and I think there are about 25 girls that participate each year. We have a platform, talent, evening gown walk, and a private interview with judges. Before coming to UMHB, I remember seeing pictures of it, and thinking, "Wow that looks really neat, but I would never do it." When I was given the chance to participate, I hesitated, but decided to do it. It's going to be a long journey, but I am very excited about meeting all the other girls and seeing what God has in store. I know there will be a lot of growth, and I look forward to it. Oh, and guess what I've chosen for my talent? Mime! I even have a "mime coach"! Finding skits is the hard part though... :)

Hawaii, Pageant, House, and High School! :)

Well I'm awake at 11:28 at night and I'm writing on my blog. For some reason, I haven't had any desire to blog lately, so this post may be a little random.

Tonight we had Hawaii night at work, and I got to dress in something besides my uniform :) I wore a purple Orchid in my hair, and it was very fun! We even had Hawaiian dancers perform for all the old people. Some of the old people even got up with them and learned a little dance. It was very cute and fun to see them in a different setting! However, the Hawaiian theme really made me want to get away and have a vacation. I'm not even that busy! I have a feeling that adjusting to college life will be a little hard for me when I go back...

I'm still excited about going to MHB. Lauren and I got into our house that we wanted, and we are very excited! My mom gave me a couch that is quite comfy if I do say so myself. We have everything we need for the house except for a dining table, which is especially important because we have a nook, and every nook needs a dining table. Well, I need a dining table, too, but a nook is all the more reason to have a dining table. :) Here are some sneak peeks of our house that is just waiting for us to move in:



Now how cool is that? We have a loft and a fireplace. I'm just so excited!

About next year, I have a wonderful feeling about it. I know this is probably natural since I have so many things to look forward to (like my dad being back!), but I really do have a good feeling. I know God has big plans and that a lot of growth is in store. I'm very excited!

Lets see.. what else? Pageant planning is making me a little nervous. My mom and I are supposed to go look for dresses soon.. I have one in mind, but I want to look at all of them. I'm also still trying to find the perfect skit for my talent. Who knew that I'd ever be a part of this? I'm excited, but very, very NERVOUS! :)

This probably should have been one post in itself, but I am definitely teaching high school English now! How exciting! Everything fit perfectly on my schedule, which is very important since I'm trying to fit in my last year. I always hear that it's hard to do. In a year from now I will be preparing to student teach, which is just a tad bit crazy! This upcoming semester I will be taking:
-World Literature
-Shakespeare
-Advanced Composition
-American Literature to 1890
-Students and Learning

It is going to be quite the busy semester, but after that, I only have to take 12 hours in the Spring! I'm excited about that break! I will have to be diligent with my schedule this fall. I will have to say no to things when I need to, and stay on top of my studies. I mean, look at those classes! As intriguing as they sound, they will require a lot of time and studying. I think I am most excited about World Literature. :) We shall see!

Not much else is on my mind :) I've just been doing summer school and work lately! :) I hope you're all doing well. If you read through all of this, you are awesome!!

Decisions, decisions...

So, I haven't told any of you, but I'm thinking of certifying for English 8-12, instead of 4th-8th. I know I sound crazy, but lately I have been thinking of how much I'd rather teach more in depth literature, rather than the difference between a noun and an adjective. I have e-mailed my English Advisor, and we are talking about possibilities right now. I'm also still in the process of praying about this big decision, especially since I was so set on teaching middle school. I haven't fully made up my mind, but here is my reasoning so far:
- High School students are like mini-adults. A friend pointed out to me that many of them are taking their first big steps into the "real world". What a wonderful time to help guide them and encourage them!

-The type of Literature I would be teaching is more the the kind that I love. Stories full of symbolism, biblical references, and different interpretations. Wouldn't it be awesome to have a class where you discuss each other's perspectives on a character in a novel? These were the classes I enjoyed most in my schooling, how great it would be to teach them.

-The kids are more mature! This would especially be the case if I taught Advance Placement.

Please pray for me as I make this decision! Also, if you have any advice, just let me know. Yes, I know that most of the students would think I'm in high school, but I'm not going to look this young forever! :)

Summer days, driftin' away...

"to, oh, oh, those summer nights!"

Sorry, had to drop in a Grease quote. I had my first summer school test today in U.S. History 2 today. I think I may have aced it! I finished the 50 question test in about 20 minutes, which is always nice. I kind of like this summer school idea... our teacher gave us a study guide and everything. 'Twas nice!

Today was my mom's birthday. I "built" her a cake and wrapped up the present my dad sent for her. I also took her our to eat at the Cracker Barrel, which just so happens to be the best country restaurant around.

My mom bought me this really neat water bottle that supposedly holds 8 glasses of water inside! She has been trying to get me to drink 8 glasses of water a day for the past 21 years, and I think she may have found a way to get me to do that. I really like it! :)

These are the classes I am taking next semester:
- Classroom Management
- Contenet Area Reading
- Reading & Language
- Advanced Composition

I'm going to be the best 5th grade English teacher ever! :)

Life lately...

So, I have completed my first week of summer school and I have my first test on Monday! I hope that I do well on it... I'm beginning to realize how much quicker summer school is than a normal class!

Other than that I've been working lately and staying with mom. We got to talk to my dad last night on his web cam and on yahoo messenger phone calling. It was the neatest thing ever and his friends in theb ackground couldn't believe we were talking on a computer! I'm very thankful for technology right now!!

Today I will be studying and cleaning. This is a very uneventful post, but that's okay ;)

Wisdom...

Tonight I met the cutest old couple ever. Mr. and Mrs. Haney were so cute. They came in 10 minutes before we closed, and tonight was our buffet night, where everyone serves themselves. But the Haneys have some health issues. One is legally blind, and the other cannot walk too well. I introduced myself and took their orders so I could go get their food. They were so happy and so cheerful, even though one could hardly see and the other could hardly walk. I love that they have chosen to not let certain limitations control the way they view life. They were 96 years old. They made me smile the moment they started talking. :) They immediately asked what I was studying, where I went to school, etc. We had a nice conversation, and I was so thankful that they came in late so I didn't have to leave them.

Don't you love those people you meet that have so much to offer, and they don't even have to say all that much? It's just about the way they carry themselves, and the way the overcome obstacles. I hope I get to serve them again! :)

Wanting to Learn!

So I start my class in a week! I'm actually excited about it even though it's a history class. I'm very hopeful that it will be extremely interesting to me... I'm even expecting it to be! :)

I left all my books in Belton :( So does anyone have a good book they'd recommend that I buy? I get paid this week and I want to spend 20 on a good book. Any suggestions???

:)

All Good Things

With my dad being gone in Kuwait/Iraq, life is always different when I come back to SA. These past couple weeks have been weeks of transition. I moved out of my apartment in Belton and came back to San Antonio. I've been back for breaks, but I haven't lived here in 3 years. So it's definitely a change for me.

I started my job at the retirement home. The average age of the people dining is 82. It's very fun to see them every day and get to know them some more. They are extremely nice and understanding, and even tell me that I am beautiful. I love that, because who gets to go to work to be told they're beautiful? My biggest task to overcome was lifting and balancing trays of food on my shoulder. It's definitely an art I am still trying to master, but I have become more confident that I won't drop anyone's meal... that's actually my biggest fear. ;) This job has proven to me that I can do anything I set my mind to, because I was not expecting to be waitressing this summer! God provided a wonderful working environment and I am so thankful.

Life at home has been interesting. My pugs have been a little high maintenance lately. We still give Edith daily eye-drops, and both her and Khaki have recently been attacked by fleas. I bathed them twice, but we eneded up taking them to the vet. My pugs are seriously like my children, because I worry about them when they stay at the vet all day, and I get so excited to pick them up. I have always been very protective of them, so it should be interesting to see how I am when I have kids one day!

Summer school starts in about a week 1/2. I'm a little nervous. Nothing is like UMHB, but it should be fun to meet some fellow San Antonio students. Although I must say that I really hope I have a good teacher... I'm taking a History class, and I NEED a good teacher to stay awake!

My dad comes back to the states in 91 days, as of right now. He is definitely retiring once he gets back, and I am so excited that my family can be "civilian normal" for the first time in my life!

Guatemala plans are happening! My adopted mom, Shanon, and I are looking at different venues and talking to our missions team at our church. I am so excited about this. We have a chance of leaving in December, but we are leaning towards next summer. Yay!

Oh, and if you read all of this, good job! ;)

Day 1 - The Life of a Waitress in a Formal Dining Room

I must say that I absolutely loved every bit of tonight. I was honestly overwhelmed by everyone's kindness. Not only were my fellow employees nice, but the wonderful people I served tonight as well! They completely blew me away with their consistent curiosity as to whom their new waitress was. They truly care, ever for their waiters! Now I know that not every single person I serve will be as nice as they all were tonight, but I think I can handle it when the time arises. This is (aside from my jobs with children) byfar the best part time job I've ever had. God knows what He's doing!

The co-workers are a blast so far :) Luckily, I was not the only new girl tonight, as a girl named Morgan was starting tonight as well. Her brother, Cameron, who is another waiter, got her in. We shadowed him for part of the night, which was quite hilarious when we went to take the single men's order. One of the guys told Cameron, "You have these 2 girls following you, aren't you just lucky?" to which Cameron replied, "I know, they won't stop following me." It made me laugh. Senior adults always manage to say a joke that makes me laugh. :)

I'm looking forward to the summer. While I am still a little bit scared, and "a lot a bit" rusty in my skills still, God has provided graceful management who want to give us a week long training. Hopefully by then, I will have it down ;)

Blessings and Anxiety

:)

I got the job at the retirement/nursing home! Now I will finally be doing something productive and making a little bit of money! Woo! :)

Although, I must say that reality kind of hit today when I registered for my summer classes. All of the online classes ended up being full, which is mainly my fault for registering so late, and so I'm now enrolled in one class for each session. It should be an interesting summer as I have no idea what to expect with the pace of the classes and a new environment. I'm sure it will be fine, but sometimes I just wonder what I'm doing!

Speaking of which, I've been feeling a little overwhelmed by the future. While I am so thankful for the blessings God has given me- a job in less than a week, the opportunity to take classes for much less than UMHB, a loving mother at home- I'm still anxious about it. I feel like I have never been as scared by the future as I do now. I guess I just never realized how uncomfortable I am with unfamiliarity. I'm worried about the classes, the job, and especially next semester. I really need to completely trust that God has it under control. Isn't it odd to know that but not trust? Isn't even more odd to be thankful for what you are worried about? Have you ever felt like this?

Yay!!!

I have an interview at the nursing home tomorrow!! I'm very excited about it because it seems like such a great environment and an opportunity to make some friends. Not only will I get to listen to the wisdom that so often pours out of senior adults, but the staff they hire is all college age. Wouldn't that just be neat? It sounds like a fun job opportunity and I hope it all works out! My interview is tomorrow, so please pray for me around 2:30!

Other than that, everything has been going good. Except I accidentally tore a page in my Bible. I don't know why I feel like sharing that but it really upset me when it happened. *sigh* But it's okay.

I was looking around our local Family Christian Store yesterday, and it brought back my memory of when I was in the store with my mom because she was about to buy me my first Bible. Aside from my children's bible growing up, I had never owned one before then. I was about 14, and I can still remember how excited I was, and how I was so particular when choosing it. I ended up getting a black, thinline NIV Bible. I used it all throughout High School and my Freshman year of college. I love those memories. :)

I hope you're having a fantabulous day! :)

It has been a crazy last few days! I've applid for a lot of jobs and am waiting for a reply. I got one offer but I knew I wouldn't be happy there... I know I can't be too picky, but it was quite obvious. I applied at two restaurants today, one at I-Hop and one at a local nursing home. So, we shall see!

Other than that I've been unpacking and organizing things. I'm trying to get things thrown out that I don't need anymore, too.

Not much else going on. My church college group is in England right now for about 2 weeks. Pray for them if you can! :)

I'm tired.

Crazy Weeks

Wow! It's so hard to believe that it's already Mar, and that tomorrow I take my last final of the semester. I'm excited about this because I'm able to take a break! :)

So much ahs happened since I last wrote... Many areas of life changed that I didn't think would. I was going to work an after school program next year, but now I will be babysitting for the people that live next door to the people I babysit for now. They have one little boy, and I'll be doing that on the weekends. This is because I'm going to be in the MHB Pageant....

I know. IT'S CRAZY. It's a long story on how this happened. I'm sure it will be something that will hold a very special place in my college experience. I'm excited about meeting the other girls and getting to know them more. I'm excited about God stretching me, especially since I've never performed solo on a stage before! I'm looking forward to it. You can ask me more about it in person or on the phone if you want to. :) So this summer I will be working, taking online classes, and preparing for that. It should definitely prove to be an eventful summer! :)

Classes have been okay this semester... I'm pretty sure I've made all B's, but I am totally okay with that because the classes were tough. Especially my upper level English courses... ask me a question to do with Linguistics, and I should be able to answer! :)

I go home on Saturday. I'm excited about the vacation. I never thought I'd say it... but I'm looking forward to getting away from school life for a while. I need a change of pace, and I'm excited to see what it brings.

Oh, and about that weather... it's crazy!

Oh, and I also cut my hair! I gave in to my hair temptations and cut it shorter than usual- right above the shoulders. I like it! :)

Reflections on Psalm 34

Life feels as if it has been flying by for about the past week or so.God has been teaching me a lot lately, and I'm striving more and more each day to be completely satisfied in Him. He really laid Psalm 34 on my heart in a new way this week. I started thinking about all of these different parts of my future that I absolutely have no control over, and knew that I needed His guidance. His gift to me that night was Psalm 34. To give you an idea of the thoughts of the future that have been running through my head, here's a short list:
-This summer in San Antonio
-Graduating
-Friendships
-Every day decisions
-Guatemala trip
-Life after graduation- Singleness, etc.

So often I feel as if my thoughts are consumed by questions on the future. I worry so much about it to the point that it's ridiculous. Suddenly I realized that those thoughts were taking away from my present time, and that it wasn't my life to worry about anyways. My life is His, and good thing, because He has it all under control.

There's one verse in Psalm 34 that really struck me:

"The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing." - Psalm 34:10

How many times have I wanted and hungered for something in my life to just happen? Like the answers to all of y questions to just appear. I hunger for the knowledge of little things, like "What will this summer bring me?" etc.

But it's not about me. "Those who seek the LORD lack no good thing." It's about seeking Him, and not for any benefit, but because He's the only way!

"The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit." -Psalm 34:18

He guides, He comforts, He knows so much more than I do. This is why I cannot worry. This is why I cannot be consumed by the maybes of the future. Because my King has redeemed my life.

I have to constantly remember this as my hopes are let down. When friendships don't always meet the expectations I had for them, when certain things turn out to be not for me. I can take comfort and relief in the fact that God does have a plan that is so beyond me. It's not about me.

Energy!

I woke up this morning after I spent the night at my friend Allie's and while it took me a couple minutes to get going, I was all ready for the day afterwards! I went to work, I'm about to go to class, and then I'm going to find a job for next year in the Career Services building. I won't include everything I'm doing today, but it's a lot! So it's probably a good thing that this kick of motivation came today. :)