Hungry for Knowledge... and Chicken!

Alas, I finally cooked a complete meal!  I had been eating plenty of veggies, but it's a huge relief to know that I finally would be eating meat :)   I didn't realize how many calories your brain burns until I sat all day in really interesting classes and didn't have a full meal plan for the caf.  Part of the reason for my hunger though may have been that I forgot to defrost some meat to cook.    However I like what one of my FB friends put on my status about being hungry, stating "You're Hungry for Knowledge!"  

Believe it or not. I think she's right!  I remember last year trying to short-cut out of as much hw as possible, using sparknotes, just not reading assignments, or procrastinating (my worst enemy).  But this year something different happened.  I've so far read about 80 of literature without the slightest thought of using Spark Notes, and it clicked!  With my new comprehension skills (or so they seem new) I feel like I'm on top of the world and ready to nail the other 30 pages for tomorrow's classes!  And the more I read, the less work it seems to be. :)  

The Life of an English Major....

 

So as I mentioned the semester before I switched from Music to English: Creative Writing.  However because I did not take any lit classes yet, I am now taking 3 lit classes and creative writing all in one semester! eek!  But so far it's been pretty good. I finished all my reading for my Monday class and am 30 something pages into the reading for my Tuesday class (unfortunately there are two lol).  

So during this week I've been doing my best to "understand/comprehend" what I've been reading, cook, attend classes, maintain a social life (by going to the Week of Welcome events), and get a good amount of sleep. So far I've been keeping up.  and it's awesome!!! Though I know that as the semester goes on I will eventually prolly be overcome by extraneous amounts of reading lol. 

So as school starts and life becomes hectic again, just remember it's all about prioritizing and time management.   So if you start tackling all those assignments as soon as possible you can spend the rest of your time having fun and meeting new friends.   God Bless You All on Your First Week of School and Enjoy It!!!

Apartment Living

Hey so I am back at college, and I'm LOVING it!!!!   I have officially moved into my new apartment on campus with 7 other pretty chill girls.  And in the pic below you can see my roommate for this semester, she is amazing.

Anyways, school's back in session and I've been so busy trying to keep up with all my reading assignments and the school events ;)  On top of that, I've also had to learn how to fend for myself when it comes to eating. lol.  No more full-meal plan in the caf.  however this also means no more freshmen-15, which thanks to my mama's good cooking I was able to lose over the summer! 

So school's definitely off to a way better start than last year, though I've been feeling kind of down due to a totally different issue.  So if you guys could pray for me, that I'll just have the energy to push through and not get depressed that would be great! though I must say God has helped me a lot already by sending miraculous friends to support me during this rough time in life. 

I also ran across this verse the other day and it's helped me so much as I've encountered some very important decisions I had to make.  Hope it can help you too. :)

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord directs his steps." 

Proverbs 16:9

Morning Milkshake

 

Hey!    It's summer time and fruits are definitely sound good with all that sunshine going around.    So here's a recipe for what my family calls "licuado de platano"  in English, banana milkshake. 

Ingredients
-   eggs
-   milk
-   bananas!
-   protein powder, vanilla, sugar (opt)


So to make this delicious milkshake you need a blender.   Then you just pile up all the ingredients in, no order in particular.  The measurements vary from time to time for me lol  More milk for more cups, more eggs for more fluffiness, more bananas for more flavor, sugar and vanilla if you don't think it's sweet enough, etc.  Though if you don't want to much milkshake I'd recommend about one cup of milk.   If you don't like bananas or want a different flavor feel free to switch up the fruits.  You can do strawberry, apple, cantaloupe, anything!  (Note: The older the bananas = the sweeter)  You can even add some Nesquik chocolate if you want chocolate flavor.   When you're done adding the ingredients just blend it up and ENJOY!

Psalms 20:4 & Jeremiah 29:11

"May He give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed."

Psalms 20:4

Wow, now I've really been gone for forever.  Not really, but from the blogging world, yes.  Mostly because we lost the network code for the wifi access at my home and all my pics are on my laptop. lol

Anyways on top of that I was practically gone all June.  I got to go to Disneyland (for the very first time ever!), and after one week at home I went to two Bible camps back to back.  On top of all of this I finally got a job.  It doesn't pay a lot, but it is definitely life-changing.   I'm serving at my home church as the youth intern. Meaning I help in the church office, accompany the students to all their events and camps, and serve as well on Sunday mornings with the middle-schoolers.  I LOVE MY JOB!  Not only do I get to be involved in the lives of our students, but I've gotten to grow so much in my own faith, and connect with the other church leaders.  

Another thing, my music is finally starting to take off.  While I was at the MS camp as a counselor I got to use some of my original compositions as a ministry, and when I went to AWANA camp the week after I got to share my music with fellow campers, and just last Friday I got to record the piano for 3 of my songs :)  God's definitely granting me the desire of my heart.

Lastly, God definitely rerouted my life, once again.  I had finally gotten to a point where I felt I knew where life was headed and had kind of stopped looking to God for guidance.   So he threw a curve ball in my path.  As usual.   The AWANA camp theme this year was "In God We Trust."  He was sure trying to tell me something.  So anyways God finally saw this as the suited time to bring romance in my life. After my commitment last summer to not date anyone for my first year of college so I could focus on Him and school, He decided now was the appropriate time.   Never in my life had I ever gone out with a guy and I had given up on the whole dating game, thanks to Joshua Harris ;)  However now I'm entering a new phase in life, where through God's guidance and direction I've decided to enter into a relationship with one of my good guyfriends I met at AWANA camp 7 years ago.  Though I must admit I was very nervous at first and wasn't sure how to react, this brought me back to the reality that we must learn to Trust God!  Since my guyfriend asked me out, I've been faithfully diving into God's Word and asking advice from Godly mentors, trying to hear God's decision on the matter.   And since last Tuesday after he met my family, he officially become my first boyfriend ever. 

I must say, few years ago I never thought I would be anywhere close to where I am in life right now.  God's blessings have just been raining down on me.  Trusting God is definitely not an easy task, but one well worth it.  

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11

 

Medford, Oregon

Hey Everyone, it feels like it's been forever since my last post.  First there was finals, then choir tour, and since gotten home for summer, I've barely even touched my computer.  I've been up to a lot.  So anyhow here are some pics from our Choir Tour in Oregon.

While on our way there, we got to stop for lunch in front of Lake Shasta.

 Our first concert was at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Medford, Oregon!

It had some of the prettiest plants ever. I loved their gardens.

 

The host home three of my girlfriends and I got to stay at was gorgeous as well.

More pics to come soon!

School's Out! Summer Is Here!

Wow, this entire year has blown by so fast!  I can't believe 9 months ago I walked into this dorm room, a frightened young sixteen year old.  The people were new, the rooms empty, and there I stood not sure what would come.   This year was not what I expected but better than I hoped for.  I thought I'd be best friends with my roommates, score perfect grades, be super fit, and just love every moment of college.  Haha Yeah right.  I definitely had room troubles, lowered my GPA a bit, gained the freshmen-15 (thankfully I lost it too!), and went through many hard times.  Though in the end, I'm very glad to be able to look back and say I don't regret a moment of it!  Through all these experiences, I've learned and grown so much.  I'm a completely different person than who I was, but I can say it's me. I've made true friends, developed new passions/hobbies, learned to love and forgive, and how to be myself.

My Wing Family :)  My year would never be the same without them.

My Roommates and I

My Big Sister, Elika <3

My Best Friend, Kayla

My Big Brother, Dalton