unexpected expectation

i've had plenty of time for contemplation which has landed me here writing this blog. seems strange that the last time I wrote from this location I called it home, now i'm merely a visitor. life has been oddly wonderful and oddly strange in the last few weeks and I can hardly recognize any resemblences to pre-italy life. amazing what a few new experiences can do to you. I don't say that lightly either because life has handed me a stack of changes, some expected others not.

I don't desire to go into any deep of the happenings in my life as of late: mainly to protect the not-so and innocent. what I can say about recent happenings is that I've been left feeling "sucker punched" in the gut. it has made me seek comfort and peace from a familar place but even that relationship has evolved to something new. the comfort I find is that God continues to quiet my heart and teach me thru my circumstances. these have not been easy or painless lessons. in fact, I can't really remember the last I felt this way. its not easy to navigate through uncharted waters....yet, that is where I find myself. as always, I remain positive but can't seem to escape a sinking feeling about certain situations: call it intuition, call it knowledge, call it nothing at all. shifts are inevitable. the courage I once had to delve into the deep appears to be failing me now in hesitation. my fault in that thought is that emotions are fleeting and there is courage to be found in foundations laid strong not in the emotional throes of life. it's easier to be tossed around in the wake of circumstances instead of lowering the anchors from deep within our spirits giving way to stability. being tossed around always leads to disorientation and "sickness." but anchoring allows us to maintain the course and provides stability. it is the harder choice but when the storm subsides we will find ourselves where we should be and not shipwrecked with Gilligan and the crew on a deserted island. that's where I find comfort and peace knowing i'm safe in God's hands.

unexpected

this piece is going to be a bit abstract. bear with me.

kinda of funny since I had a conversation with a close friend about that. how she can read my blog and know what i'm talking about even though i'm not directly addressing something or seem to not say much at all. cracks me up but its a good feeling to know i'm loved and known that well.

so plans changed...story of my life! i tend not to stress about these things because more than too often they tend to lead to some pretty incredible adventures. not to mention that this happens often. you think you're doing one thing to be thrown into a reverse direction. flexibility...its the running theme of the summer.

meeting with friends (new and old) has been such a huge blessing in my life. i've laughed so much over the course of this summer and have had so many great adventures...from the fiasco hotel in florence to change of plans on a boardwalk. its been neat to see God making connections to lessons from several months ago with revelation in recent weeks. its like the light bulb goes off and i say to myself...oh so now i get it. ok so i dont feel like the brightest cookie in the box about then...but sometimes it takes things a little while to soak in or to realize.

its like a john piper sermon...you hear it and now he's delivering an incredible message but sometimes it takes some life experiences to really know the application of his words. its only after time has passed and you've walked through whatever you needed to that you finally say...man, i get what he was saying.

that's been my whole summer. its a relief cause i felt like i had been wandering this barren desert with no relief in site. i mean i knew that was a lie about the "relief in site" part. but i thought when is this season gonna be over cause its not very comfortable. and just when i thought it was never going to end..poof...the new season was upon me.

and it had arrived prior to my realization. that's how i began my trip to italy/greece...walking into this new time in my life. it was kinda confusing kinda confounding...but i stayed the course to trust what i know best and that is that God is always with us, never leaves us, and always works things out for our good even when it may not seem so. (trust me on that one).

so yeah....all of the time i've spent with some of my fav people in the last few weeks has been just...beyond words. i cant even begin to describe what fellowship can do for the soul. hence all the crying, laughter, and potential peeing in my pants-ness...probably not something you want to know but hey...i also almost spewed drink out all over my friend. luckily i caught myself and its happened on more than one occassion. (aye!)

right down to time with bert, jenn, joey, and dawn. its been amazing to see so many old friends and to watch their families grow...or to see how they've changed for the better. like my bro Bert...who never stops making fun of me. love that kid...and still prayin for his son, Aaron, who's recovering from surgery. he has some of the strongest faith of people i know...and yet like the bro he is to me...he can still make wise cracks at my expense...glad i know that he loves me in Jesus otherwise...lol

i was glad Joey and Dawn joined us! super huge blessing and man...they crack me up (well Joey for sure). it was good to reminisce and laugh and joke...and yes lunch was good too. my girls breakfast rawked too. i mean nelda and kristy...that's all i gotta say! BRam thanks for the pizza! as always it was enlightening...there are a few other's i did not get to see...i'm sad but if i receive the news i'm hoping for in the next few days then that could quickly be alieviated. we will see...

just when i think things cant get any crazier...life changes things up. dont worry, its all good stuff just unexpected. but i'm looking forward to take some risks and delving into new stuff. in alot of ways i feel like im returning to my old self but in a newer light. life takes you through some interesting roads but all for the better.

take me there...

i'm back to my old stompin' grounds and its so weird to be here after 7 yrs. hard to believe it's been that long but it has. so much has changed in san antonio but regardless of changes I think a part of my heart will always live here. so many lessons learned here along with relationships w /beautiful people. i'll be forever grateful for those folks who took me under their wings and taught me what they know or looked out for me.

there r so many memories so precious to me. i've gotten to spend time w/some of my fav people. tomorrow will be more of the same before heading out to houston. I wish I had more time here but that is just not the case!

my fam arrived tonight and we occupy to hotel rooms by the airport. the fam will head on to kemah - one of my cousins flies into hobby tonite.

i'm meeting up w/the "girls" tom morn for breakfast...nothing like girl time over pancakes and coffee! then lunch w/other friends before heading to friend's house in houston. will attend morning worship w/them (something i'm excited about). I really relish the opportunity in visiting a church. I love serving in my own church but sometime u need to be in a non-leading role...for me that's in worship because that's where I mainly serve.

over the course of the summer i've gotten a lot of encouragement to really consume myself in that area...strange but i've finally identified myself as a musician...

not sure what my time will be like but def want to hone in on that craft and skill. since i'll have the room...i also plan on setting up a mini studio at the new apt. pretty excited about that.

lots of great and hard stuff happening and still lots of decisions to be made. my only response is "peace." that's how I feel.

not worried bout what's to come just trying to soak in the moments and make them as best I can...working at improving the quality of my relationships. its completely a good thing.

the plot thickens

this quick trip finds me back in LBK...my future home.

i had to make a quick run-thru my new apt and finish up the last minute paperwork. i got to see the actual apartment and i think i'm going to be very comfortable there.

also..the bigger news...i'd gotten a pretty important phone call a few weeks and had been playing phone tag before finally setting up an interview for a job! yes..that's right. a job and not a part-time oh how nice you work job. its a you need a degree/experience job. so, i'm also here for an interview.

my interview is at 2pm..so if you are reading this around then, say a prayer for me! will travel back to san angelo this afternoon in an effort to make it to a funeral service tonight (the cousin of an old friend of mine). will be going with my dad as he also knows the family.

ok...hope you're having a great day!

my life...a willie nelson song...

a friend of mine said my life is like a willie nelson song..i'm assuming its "on the road again."

i haven't blogged in a few days but lots has gone on. i left Lubbock and was a little scared about the weeks to come. i mean, the move finally upon on us...it is here...its happening..there's no turning back. at the same time, i also realized that everything is going to be ok. i left Lubbock with a soon-to-be peaceful feeling. i knew i needed to pray through some stuff and just sit and listen...be still and wait to receive whatever it was i was looking for.

the drives have been long but they've been what i needed. moments to reflect and moments to come to necessary understandings. i've written that nothing about this year has been normal and i suspect that it will be more of the same this coming year.

i left lubbock to dallas where i stayed with one of my close friends from college and who is also one of my best friends, Ginia. it was great to visit with her and her husband and just sit and talk. we got to spend some time together fri morning (ginia and I) and did some shopping together. something happens when girls shop....can't explain it but its a strange sort of female bonding ritual. so it was good to reconnect...we had lunch and just got to share and i think it was good for both of us.

i reconnected with a friend from jr high and really enjoyed that conversation. its amazing how God can provide information and comfort in some of the most unexpected ways but more importantly it was good to hear how well she was doing and to hear her talk about her incredible family. i know she's got a tight-knit family and that was a blessing to hear all about the great things happening to and for them.

i then met up with my other best friend, Smange, and had dinner with her and two other good friends. then we watched silly movies that totally cracked me up. sometimes you need some silliness in your life. i mean...i laughed and totally felt at peace. i didnt get to spend much time visiting with Smange, made me a bit sad.

this morning i made the drive to austin. it was crazy, well traffic was crazy! but i got to austin and met another friend from jr high. had lunch with anthony and his wife Crystal and their daughter Zaria who is just adorable. i was so glad to visit with them and catch up on what was going on. we'd been playing visit tag for about a year! lol. i was glad to meet Zaria! she's the cutest thing...completely adorable and sooo a daddy's girl. so for me it was great to see my friends in parent-mode.

i then made the trek to my cousin's apt. it was awesome cause my cousin is attending Standford Law and is here working for the summer and her sister is also here visiting! so i got to visit with both my cousins that i dont get to see very often. so we made plans for later in the evening and i left to visit another friend from my past for coffee. coffee was great and conversation was even better...glad for the time with this friend. i think our visit was long over due.

so then i left to meet my cousins for dinner. we made our way to baby a's and dinner was good. i enjoyed visiting with the fam and my cousin's kids are adorable. they cracked me up. after we made our way to Amy's for ice cream i seriously did not need to eat. so i feel that KOA is in my immediate future (running). lol... i'm staying with my cousin so that's allowed us more time to visit which is awesome.

...that's a basic run through of the last few days.

all that to say that i've had some of the most amazing conversations. just encouraging in so many different ways. i can say that i've been extremely blessed with fellowship and have sensed alot of affirmation regarding the path and journey i've been on. it's done my heart alot of good.

my sis has also been on my heart. my mom left indiana and is on a train to texas. austin texas. so i'm waiting her for her arrival. i know she was a great comfort to my sis and now they are moving forward on their own.

so i.m praying for her constantly. and praying for the health of my bro-in-law. prayin they find the right person to care for their children...just praying for every aspect of their lives right now. so many changes...so many things to deal with.

the travel is not over with this trip. no...there's still next week and for part of that travel, i'll be accompanied by family. so i'm looking forward to it. i have not taken any pics though! i need and hopefully will remember to take some tomorrow!

the plans for tomorrow is to go to church with some close friends, Lori and Milton. i played (piano) in their wedding and just love them both so much. so it will be good to see them. i'll have lunch with them and then probably back to my cousins for a bit. will travel home after picking up my mom. my cousin is awesome with directions so she's really helped me alot!

i also do a walk through of my apt next week in lbk and have a JOB interview...yes that's right peoples...its time for me to go back to work. i know some of you are like huh?

well i've had the last year and some months off on account of school. how i managed without a job (cause im a workaholic at times) has been only the grace of Jesus...but i hear the steady grind of work calling my name! at least until law school...working would be a very good thing and help me stave off any student loans for my MBA.

as for law school...im at peace with going with the flow for now. so no clue what's going to happen or where i'm gonna end up...which could be just about anywhere. just to say - i'm completely open to whatever comes my way and where ever i'm led to. its a good feeling and a nice place to be.

so very excited about the next couple of weeks...life may be crazy and at times intense but as always God is good an as promised He's always faithful.

grateful for the amazing blessings of yesterday, today, and to come.

crazy times

today my baby bro turned 30. the big 3-0...i was like, "where has time gone?" i remember just like it was yesterday playing in the backyard riding our bikes or eating holiday cookies. now, he's grown folk with a house of his very own. i have to say that i'm super proud of this kid. he's done quite well for himself and not just in the material sense but spiritually - i've seen alot of growth in him and am glad for the time we got to share together to celebrate this occassion.

so the drama of the day kept mounting...and culminated in some drastic actions. i cant get into details and it would not be very nice of me to do so - just to say that i became very angry by some things that were done and said. not angry for myself but angry for the injustices done to people i love. i'm a bit territorial that way.

had to pray more than once to keep from doing what my heart really wanted to do and keep my tongue from saying what it really wanted to say. i totally get what paul said about the things "he wants to do he does not do and the things he does not want to do, he does...'

i'll be glad for the drive tomorrow as it gives me an opportunity to sort through some things and pray heavily for some situations. one of those would include my mom's travel back to texas. i'll leave it at that - even though i'd really like to say more. oh jesus help me! no....

my mom will arrive in austin sun evening and i'll gladly collect her and return her home. i've missed her these last few weeks but i know my sister has needed her more during this time. i'm glad my mom took the initiative to travel to be with her. i think we've all learned the importance of family and what it means to us throughout this summer: its a beautifully painful lesson.

but you know to me, being family goes back to:

Philippians 2:3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

placing the interests of those you love above yourself... and not just those you love but others...all others. sometimes hard to do.

i've recently engaged in a stark reminder of my past and have had to face head-on situations i'd been avoided for a really long time. but now is the time to face them...and its the perfect time.

that's how God works...everything in His perfect timing.

over the last couple of weeks, i've had some pretty significant conversations that made me realize how desperate in need we are of God and of fellowship with one another - not janky, flaky, "sure i'll be there then nothing kinda fellowship - but genuine i love you as my brother/sister and want to share this with you" kinda fellowship.

i've been avoiding that connection for a while. not with the people currently in my life but in terms of adding people to my life. i've wanted to be safe and comfortable and selective in whom i chose to be close to me in my life.

i realize that's not an option now and really never was...i only thought it was. no...we are all connected and in need of seeing that love is genuine, its real, and its unconditional. it takes such different forms and is extended in different ways. from praying for someone to just smiling and giving a genuine greeting. hard to believe that something as small as that could turn someone's day around but i can say from personal experience that it is sometimes the most powerful thing.

my attempts to shelter myself from the "fakers" of familiar circles was inept and i found myself being sucked away by a negativism that continually drained me of any optimism i managed to muster.

however, all it took was an invitation, an opportunity, and a yes to turn it all around. i found myself surrounded by real people facing real struggles but very much determined to love and be genuine. yes they have faults, yes they are imperfect...but they are striving and reaching towards a goal of eternity. dont each of us deserve to be given grace because grace was given to us? that's my question to my inner-self.

from that moment, the hardness i've carried with me has slowly deteriorated. i cant say its completely gone but i can say that as it dissolves there is a new resolve and a new hope that replaces it.

it is only fitting given being on the brink and cusp of something new. there are alot of variables still unresolved regarding my future and my path. i'm not unnerved by those questions, i know it will all work out in the perfect timing...

my job is to keep forging ahead listening to the voice that beckons. it is a fine hour to be in. sometimes scary and sometimes uncertain...but i trust in what cannot be seen.

i realize this may all be a bit heavy but given the context of life in the last few days it is so very appropriate. i realize i've not made you privy to all the sorted details but lets say that its not been pretty for some of the closest people in my life. i dont understand why these loved ones are going through what they are going through...but i trust that there's something more to their experience and through it God would be God.

from my own life tragedies and triumphs i can say i know that He is who He promises to be and no matter where we go or what we do, He will always be there because His love is never failing.

people will fail us...churches will fail us...loved ones will fail us...but His love is perfect and never failing. i''m so completely grateful.

i managed to get things squared away with my apt complex to be..though i will need to make a trip back on tues. so much traveling! i'm sad to be leaving my bro but know i will soon be here more permanently. i am so very much looking forward to seeing old friends and best friends.

definitely a time to celebrate so many wonderful things happening in so many peoples lives.

tomorrow or today rather, i drive to dallas. i get to see two of my best friends....so very excited about that...but will write more about those details tomorrow.

just to say that when you think you cant possible grow anymore...life has way of surprising you.

i had the greatest conversation with my bro today. he was telling me how on a drive he realized that God was the living water and how often times you can tell when an area has lots of rain because the grass will grow rampantly and will be green and lush. that when the rain comes we need to give thanks because with it comes new growth. its appropriate that we will face storms and God will see us through but through them...God gives us nourishment we need to grow as people. so no matter the weather tomorrow...i'm determined to thank God for His nourishment and growth.

cucuy weather

the drive up went much faster than i thought it was going to. before i knew it i was in Tahoka! needless to say, i did not get on the open road at the hour i was hoping for. for some reason, i just couldnt get going today. i dont know if it was the whole i-need-to-pack or because i had so many errands that needed to be run but either way, i just didnt feel very productive today.

not to mention, my suitcase is a bag stuffed with cloths. i'm not even really sure what i brought...just chunked it in the bag! its apathy! lol. i'd like to believe its because of all the traveling i've done so far this summer. dont get me wrong, i'm sooo looking forward to seeing friends and spending time with people i love dearly...but packing and putting gasoline in the vehicle are not my favorite things to do.

not to mention that this trip is a trip with a mission. the mission part gets taken care of first so that i can enjoy the rest of the travels. maybe, i'd enjoy it more if someone was along with me...but this trip i'm flying solo. ok so the plan is to stay in lbk till thurs then drive to dallas - staying with friends there, then driving to austin - visiting some friends - picking up my mom in austin and driving back home. i should be gone about a week.

the next round of trips starts the following friday with a drive down to san antonio. my extended family with join me sat night and we'll follow each other down to galveston/kemah on sun morning. i'll be in the houston area until tues morning and we'll drive back to west texas via round rock and a short stop at the outlet mall....we shall see just how short that stop is!

i'm trying to convince my mom to make that trip with us cause she seriously needs a vacation. i know she's got lots to do when she gets back but she's not had a real, real vacation and i think she deserves a chance to sit and relax. so we'll see....i get back tues night and leave to lubbock that friday morning as in moving into my new apt travel.

bittersweet.

i didnt expect the summer to go so quickly. but here we are nearing my bday! oh yeah..throw that in for good measure. i'm here in LBK to celebrate my bro's 30th bday. not sure how we're gonna do it up...but i'm here to insure he has a great one. you only turn 30 once.

i thought i was going to encounter some cucuy weather driving down but thank you Jesus i missed it all. just had some water on the road way outside of Tahoka...had to slow it down to get through that part of the road but other than that...it was a nice overcast kinda drive.

i'm waiting on my bro to get dressed and then we're headed out for either dinner and a movie or a movie then dinner...or just dinner...no idea what. i'm glad to be here.

tomorrow's order of business. i have to drop by the grad school to take care of some stuff. other than that, its celebration city! Lol. hope you are all having a great summer. i managed to break out the ole skool summer jams. definitely brought back some great summer memories!

peculiar place part 2

ok so i'm back from devo.

actually, i packed up most of my stuff as we're leaving no later than 7:15 am. hard to believe that the week has come and gone but a successful one it was. i'm glad my dad invited me. i've been blessed beyond measure by fellowship and learned more than i could imagine possible from these folks.

the group is a mix of 40 older, mid, and young adults along with a small child. so i got to interact with folks in a wide range of age. i can say that i have met some really amazing people who just blessed me in different ways each.

i'm also glad for the time i've gotten to spend with my dad. i love that man dearly...

we drive home tomorrow which is about a 7-8 hr drive for us. didnt realize that we were that far away from home!

i'm glad for our devotional times. i've heard God speak loudly and clearly as moments and conversations i've had in my life over the last few months are being tied to a purpose. utterly profound is all i can say about the whole thing because it really is indescribable.

it is a new season. one that i'm both glad and terrified of. i say terrified in the most positive manner possible! but i know that this is what i've been waiting for. so i embrace it even with trembling arms.

it has been a journey for sure and i'm certain that this mission trip has been a necessary part of that journey.

the next part of this journey includes the big move to LBK!

given the other set of news i received this week which threw me for a loop...i wasnt quite sure what i was going to do. everything has gone according to plan with the exception of law school and a scholarship which i was told i was virtually guaranteed to receive. uhmmmm yeah, didnt happen and that threw my plans into overdrive.

"not your plans, my plans..." - i was reminded. i realized in that moment that i'd surrendered those dreams and plans and that i very well couldnt just take them back. so i responded, "i know you've got only the very best planned for me and that what is meant to be will as it was destined before time began."

i can't say i wasnt disappointed because i was and i fear that some choices i made in the past are creeping back to haunt me (you reap what you sow). i thought to myself, "am i ever going to get over past decisions?" but here's the deal, that's part of adulthood - dealing with the choices we make the consequences that follow. i knew what i was facing, knew the challenges that lay ahead. the difference is that now i'm at that place where rubber meets the road.

i talked with my dad about it while we were driving back to our "lodging" yesterday. he reminded me that nothing is in vain and there were other solutions to the problem and i just had to trust that God would work them out. doesnt mean there isnt work (and alot of hard work at that) to do on my part and so next week will find me Lubbock exploring some possiblities.

since i didnt get the scholarship I was hoping for....i now need to work at least part-time. if i dont work part-time, it makes my budget for the next year really,really tight. i trusted and continue to trust these things would work themselves out.

i've applied for several jobs in LBK but have not had any success and even in that i thought, Jesus has this under His control too. so i told my dad (jokingly) if no other type job opportunities pan out in lubbock at the very least, i could possibly work in sheet rocking! however, that might not be necessary! thank you JESUS! i got a call today to set up a time for an interview. my bro forwarded my resume to one of his contacts and there we are!

I had reasoned if i got the scholarship then i'd have to go to school full-time (its a requirement) and then could only work part-time but now i'm not "required" to go full-time - so i could potential go part-time which would allow me to stay under the max hour limit in order to matriculate into the joint JD/MBA program next fall.

brings me to the next part....i re-take the LSAT in Sept and am applying for early admissions to Tech law in hopes to marticulate into the joint program in the fall of 2010. if i dont get early acceptence, then i'll finish up my MBA at Tech and look at other options for law school.

the whole issue is dealing with finances which is really dumb. because if i believe God to be who i profess Him to be then i should fully trust that He'll provide all the resources i need. but that's been the question for me. is this really what God wants for me or has planned for my life? i was so completely certain months ago and now it seems like maybe not?

i want to be smart about financing my education as there's a long road ahead of me. i've done extensive research regarding the costs of varying law schools and have a list of top schools that are both reputable, have great bar passing rates, and won't be so damaging to my pocket book upon graduation. the main point is the longer i'm in school, the more costly it becomes....so i've been looking at how can i get through this process as quickly as possible?

at this point, i have no clue how long i'll be in lubbock other than at least a year per my apt lease. for the moment, the focus is an MBA for grad school...that's all i know and won't know much more until sometime around Dec (when I receive an acceptance or rejection letter).

i need to visit with a law school admissions counselor to talk in depth about the strength of my application and also visit with an MBA advisor regarding some waivers that i need to register for class...so i'll be spending a few days in lubbock this coming week.

there's also the stuff going on with my sister and her family. her husband is really sick and of course that would affect the family. my mom is with her now in Indiana and we're not sure when she's coming back. there have been a slew of events occur there...so please just pray for them...they're on my heart 24-7. i really miss my nephews and my sister!it would be nice if they lived closer.

i decided to write about our devo's for the last few days in a separate blog. working on them and will post sometime tomorrow evening. will be glad to be home and not living out of a suitcase! however, with the last few trips on the books...i have a bit more suitcase time coming.

my thoughts for the moment..

uncertainty definitely puts your faith to the test. while there is alot of uncertainty, i can say that i'm at peace. sure the wrench thrown into the plans kinda jolt me and sometimes move me into overdrive...but it would not be my life if it happened any other way. trials and problems have a way of testing and refining us as people and as believers.

but more importantly the what, when, where, and how's aren't as important as the FOR WHO

peculiar place

i thought i'd write this blog before i go lead worship. an odd activity to do but i feel the need to get this out there...so here we go.

this week has been an odd mixture of hard work, pain and suffering (from heat and dehydration!), to beautiful fellowship, unexpected disappointments, strange phone calls, change in plans, and sudden emergencies.

it has been all over the place.

despite all the obvious distrations...we came here on a mission and we've accomplished it. something to be celebrated tonight.

so leading worship, you may ask? yes i know. a bit surprised myself and i'm working out the internal conflict about it. lol. long long long story there (for another time and another place). music hasnt been something really prevalent in my life as of late. for lots of reasons and none that are terrible or scandalous as some might assume.

no...i've been focused on finishing and completing goals and tasks...so that means less time for the things i love so much like music. but its good to be back to what i love. seriously...

ok gonna have to finish this another time...

i need to spend some time with the Master...will finish this when devo is over....lots to share.

when my heart cires out all it can say

Jesus (the way) Jaci Velasquez

Often, I am taken by the World
It sneaks up on me
But, eventually, You draw me back
To form this clay into a masterpiece
Oh, in spite of meYou see beauty

(Chorus)
And Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
Your mercy’s new every day
When my heart cries out
All it can say is
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
You direct the path that seems astray
Assuring us that we will find the way
Help us find the way

Often I am shaken by your love
Oh it releases me
From the bondage of my sin
And through the crossadopted by your grace
You’ll never turn your face
Never turn your face

that's kinda where my heart is today.

won't go into alot of detail but lots going on with our group. all i can say is that i'm praying for God to be God. i know what He's capable of, know who He is and know that He can make possible the impossible because that's who He is. i wont go into alot of detail but i have to say that despite all the things going on there are some really great things happening to.

tomorrow we sheet rock a house. we took a visit this evening and i was completely shocked by the amount of debris outside the front door. really spoke to my heart that people are still displaced a year later. i'm glad that we are able to be a part of this and just feeling really blessed by the whole summer's experience.

i'm up early tomorrow so i'll post about our devotionals then. my thoughts might be a bit clearer by then too!

so blessed to be here now...

a hot mess!

one of my roommates (while Italy) would say "hot mess" all the time.

that's completely how i felt today.

we could really feel the heat. also made quite a bit of progress yesterday. an amazing to see..

however, today, everyone was runnin a bit slower! after giving our 110% yesterday the fuel tanks had little time to recooperate and refuel! in fact my alarm went off at 5:30 and i thought to myself...it can't be, I just barely closed my eyes!

oh but it was 5:30 and i decided to sleep till 6:15. then i laid there before deciding to get up and get dressed. breakfast was at 7am and thank goodness i took a bath last night! planning on doing the same tonight. mostly cause i'm a stinky hot mess for real, for real...

more rooms are enclosed in the building with all our sheet rock progress so the building was way hotter! we were all pouring sweat. though i dont feel that we labored as hard today as yesterday. we did however, make good progress.

i realize i'm rambling but its cause i'm trying not to fall asleep before our devotional tonight and i'm waiting for the shower. did i mention there is one shower for all twenty something of us girls...yeah, dont ask me how that's working cause i've yet to figure it out.

the only rule applicable to this situation is 15 minute showers and as far as i can tell everyone is adhering to that rule. so hence...no purposefully stinky people.

ok, so i should talk about our morning devotionals. every morning at breakfast when you finish going through the line getting what you're going to eat that morning, you get a devitional. its a one-pager and written by our fearless leader, Emmett Corker.

i've known Emmett for a very, very, very long time and he's just a stand up guy who really loves Jesus. he's about my parents age and when i met him was a youth pastor but now is pastoring a church. i love listening to him cause he's very real and down to earth so there's no wonder his devotionals speaking to you in a practical way.

our day one devotional focused on four verses.

Psalm 86:11 ..."give me an undivided heart that I might fear Your name."
Psalm 119:18 ..."open the yes that I may see the wonderful things in Your law."
Psalm 119:36..."Incline my heart towards Your statutes and not toward selfish gain."
Psalm 90:14..."Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we be glad and sing for joy all our days.:

It was aimed at helping us keep focused throughout the day.

Day 2 morning devotion

Emmett shared a story about some birds that built a nest in his house and how the birds had baby birds. His focus here was about how when the mama bird went to get food for her babies, she'd come back to the nest and she didnt have to coax her babies to eat. no, there they were waiting with their mouths wide open waiting for the food their mama had for them.

his connection for us was that God is that we should be the same way with God...waiting eager and with mouths wide open for him to fullfill what we need.

Psalm 81:10 "I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it."

God's reminding us that He is the great Deliverer and that He provides in abundance. The little birds in Emmett's story needed nourishment and it was critical to their lives. The nourishment that was provided eventually led to their first flights! Emmett stated that we need the same nourishment to "fly" into what we were created to be.

The most interesting part for me was the "open wide your mouth." Its that point of eager expectation and anticipation that i'm going to receive exactly what i need and i'm ready to receive everything i'm supposed to receive. i've felt that i've been participating as a spectator recently and that the season of "sit and listen" was coming to a close.

not real sure where that will lead but i can say that i'm ready to be called into the game. i think being here and part of this experience has been about that. i definitely have some different views about alot of things but i think its all with purpose.

i'm so very glad to be here with my dad. he lead our devotional last night, out of John 6 where Jesus fed the multitude. he talked about how it may seem like we have little but how God can multiply our efforts.

i can see what he meant in his words (my dad) as i reflected on everyone's efforts for the day! man...talk about team work and just getting things done. it was powerful.

also quickly a prayer request for my bro-in-law. some of you know he was hospitalized again in the last week or so. he's been in and out of the hospital some 11 times in 2 years. its beginning to take its toll on my sister. his condition is getting worse and worse as his pancreas deteriorates. he has chronic pancreatitis (if i'm not mistaken). well they put in a g-tube and are trying to put off a feeding tube as long as possible. my mom is with my sister now as are my sisters-in-laws. so just pray for that situation.

ok so i'm gonna get out my guitar for a while. i might be leading worship in the next few nights due to our designated worship leader having to leave early. been a while...especially going solo on guitar.

sheetrock 101

i got a fast and furious lesson in sheetrocking. i sooo completely respect the people who do this for a living. the day was hard and grueling but so completely worth the effort and work. we're sheet rocking a church that is recovering from last year's Hurricane Ike. They were recovering from Hurricane Rita when they were hit by Ike. so you can imagine....

we're working on their family center and are responsible for approx 3,000 sq feet of sheet rock. i know this only because i asked my dad. i saw alot of teamwork, patience, love, and dedication today. i saw a whole lot more but just to give you an idea.

took a while to get started but once we got rolling, man - we couldnt be stopped....well except for the fact that we ran out of "gas." we were runnin on fumes and at the end of the day, we were ready to come back to our makeshift quarters to eat some dinner and relax.

i'm headed to the shower to rinse off. that in itself is a blessing cause its a luxury. could be sleeping in a tent somewhere with no shower, not hot water, no soap. its all a luxury and its more real to be now post-study abroad more than ever.

as always, there's more to say and drum roll please! i have pictures...so i fully plan on posting those here. not to many but just to give you an idea of what we're working with. my dad's leading tonights devotion and after seeing him pour his heart and soul into this project, its an honor for me to hear the words he has to share with our group tonight.

its bit bittersweet for me because of the impending move to lubbock. things will change as they always do but i'm glad at the very least, we have these moments together. will definitely post my thoughts after tonight's devotion.

been a very silently powerful moment in my life.

btw - power drills totally rock my socks off...

CLARIFICATION

this was my first time using a power drill and now i see why men love power tools. it was like the heavens opened up and the hallelujah chorus played...it was glorious.

let the crazy times begin!

the countdown has begun.

we went to our "work site" earlier this evening to see exactly what we have in store for us! i failed to get pictures but trust me, tomorrow i will definitely get a pic. i've gotten to meet most of our group and for the most part i've been a bit quiet.

don't know if that's because of Italy/Greece and my experience there or if its the whole getting older and knowing that its better to keep quiet in 99% of instances.

so i've been "observing" and so far its been good. i'm with a crazy fun loving bunch of people who genuinely want to be here. this is my dad's 4th project with the group and while the group has some new members, namely me, there are quite a few veterans who have returned.

in the last few hours, i've heard some of their experiences and why they've returned and i have to say that its been completely refreshing...refreshing in a way that i needed and didnt know. my dad is here but i'm rooming with complete strangers.

i can say that i've fully embracing summer even though i know it arrived before i realized it and before i returned from Italy/Greece. i still have both my online classes but they seem a bit minute for the moment. i say that until my homework is due. i'll be up early in the morning to try and get a jump start and ahead of the game. the text for Laws of Contracts is not an easy read.

ok so back to this trip. we are sheetrocking a church in Bridge City. its quite a drive from where we are staying. i'm most grateful for our quarters and even though i'm bunked on an army cot (thanks to my dad!): it is the most wonderful bed!

i've also realized just how blessed i am to have the two people in my life i call mom and dad. maybe i'm not appreciative enough or perhaps i just dont see it at times and though I call them crazies...i love them deeply and in a way that is completely beyond words.

many of these people have had the opportunity to get to know my mom and dad and the compliments i've received thus far have been flattering. what people say about who they are is because of how my parents live and what they speak. those are rarely contrary to each other and if so done in innocence without knowing. they try their very hardest to live what they speak. what i love about them most is that they aren't impressed with "fancy labels" or "fancy words" but can cut through false impressions and fascades. they see truth in its purest form.

i love them for that because so often they've encouraged me to keep the right people in my life. regardless of choices that i've made or paths i've not taken...they've loved me unconditionally and while i have no children of my own, i've only recently begun to understand the love of a parent through observing my sister with her own children. it is a unique love. one that i'm so glad abounds in my life.

so i'm not sure what tomorrow's post will be. just have to say that tonights devo spoke to my heart in a way that's been sorely missed. it makes perfect sense and being here right now in this time and place makes perfect sense. it may seem insanity to some and why the heck are you there...regardless of what i do or dont receive from this experience i have to believe that what i choose to give will bless those who need it most when given in the right context. that is my aim here...to give with pureness of heart not expecting anything in return and to walk along side my dad in servant leadership.

this trip is not about what i want or what i need...but about a need that exist and saying here's what i have its yours to use as you wish. to some of you this may make no sense at all and to others i know you feel completely what i've got to say. love you all and wishing you the very best week!

what comes most to heart is the following:

1 Chronicles 21:24 (Contemporary English Version)

24But David replied, "No! I want to pay you what they're worth. I can't just take something from you and then offer the LORD a sacrifice that cost me nothing."

Italy/Greece Grades

I realized that I completely forgot to post my course grades for my two course. So proud to say that I made "A's" in both History of Freedom and History of Trade! yips!

here's a slideshow of some of my pics from the trip!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21157493@N07/show/

a travel of different sorts

another day of travel....another hotel room.

this trip is quite different. i'm on a mission trip with my dad...back from visiting my sister in Indiana for a week...we're now headed to the Houston area for a mission trip with our assocation (CVBA).

the week in chicago was about visiting my sister and nephews.

this trip is not about engaging in the self-indulgement. no...this trip is about others and supplying a need.

we arrived in Tomball this evening with a bit of drama regarding our reservation. I'm hoping it will be all sorted out tomorrow morning. If not, then not.

so tomorrow, we part ways with my mom. she will be heading to chicago to help my sister with my nephews. she's traveling with my sister's-in-laws. a long 18 hr drive! so pray for her and for their safe arrival.

my dad and I are meeting up with our group, Concho Valley Baptist Association (CVBA), sometime tomorrow. not sure exactly where or when as my dad has made all those arrangements. i'm not exactly sure what my job will be on this trip but i was told it was something between two options - lunch lady or dry walling! lol. ok so working in the kitchen or dry walling, i'm excited to be here with my dad.

i'm not gonna lie, i'm a bit exhausted but i know my dad wanted me to be here and so here i am. besides that this is the first time in a few years i've been able to join him because of my insane schedule. i'm not sure what this trip will bring but i know there are things to be learned and service to give. i have no expectations and no requirements. just here to work and to listen.

at the encouragement of my dad, i brought my guitar. i was excited about that. its nice to get back to the things i love. i stilll have school work to do while i'm here so every spare moment will be spent reading or working on homework. i have a couple of quizzes to complete so i'll hunt for an internet connection as i get the opportunity to. other than that, i'm not sure how frequent the posts will be. i have my camera in tow and hope to get some pics up. i actually remembered to bring all the cords to upload this time!

will update as i get more info. just know that we are staying in Beaumont and working on a church in Bridge City.

i can say that i've been blessed by the conversations thus far. just know that my parents are thinking about my sister and her situation with my bro-in-law. from what i know, he's doing better and might come home tomorrow...though again i'm not certain what they've done to him. my sis updates my mom but getting a correct translation from her is a bit tough! LOL.

so keep praying for them as they are far, far, far away from us. we love them and miss them but have to keep doing what we're supposed to be doing here. hope you all have a great week. hard to believe we're in mid-july!

oh yeah might get to meet up with some old friends tomorrow. hopefully plans will pan out. excited about that too!

αποχαιρετώ, arrivederci

I go home tomorrow. sad to be leaving as i've learned so much and seen so much. hard to take in and i fear that when i get home i'll forget the feel, sight, and sounds of Italy/Greece.

i am excited to go home and ready to see family. though there will be little breaks in the travel schedule. can't wait to see you all and working on posting my kabillion photos! too many to count!

one more day accompanied by random thoughts

today, i did not die or have a near death experience. i baked in the sun instead. plans fell through with the trip to Hydra but all the same we quickly found a new island to visit - Aegina which reminded me of West Texas.

We took an hour long ferry to the island and then a 20 minute bus ride to a rural part of the town. we headed down to a private beach and quickly got settled on our sunbeds accompanied by umbrellas. i almost go to finish off angels and demons a few pages short...but i did get a few hours in the sun.

ok so let me just say that it was probably one of the more beautiful beaches i've ever been too. i'm not a super duper beach kinda girl though i do love the water and love the sun. but this place was breath-taking. the water was clear and just amazing shades of blue and aqua-marine.

we managed to make it back in time for me to get in a shower and change for tonight's family dinner. traditional greek food which was pretty good.

i cant believe that a month has come and gone. i've kept a written journal while i'm here and yes i've been faithful to write in it every day. i can say that through this past month, i can say that i have a completely different perspective of so many different things.

more than anything, i feel the timing of this trip has been absolutely perfect. who knew that all those decisions and events in my life in the last three years would lead to this. of all the places in the world, i have ever wanted to visit - italy and greece are the top two.

with the end of this trip closing in, i'm reminded of home and all the new changes that will occur over the summer. good changes but nevertheless bittersweet. the move to Lubbock is coming soon and i'm excited for sure. i'll finally join the long list of family alum. as for my law school future, only God knows the answers to those questions.

i have had to think about the next few steps in that journey. more out of necessity and time moving so quickly. will have to get working on LSAT prep and will be taking it again in Sept' i'm hoping a higher score, an improved GPA, and an early application will at least make me viable candidate for acceptance. we shall see. if not at Tech then i'll begin the process of applying to other schools to start once i finish my MBA.

i'm not worried not anxious about it. all things have worked out for the best. i look back and can see that now. dont completely understand the process but its not really for me to understand. just know that it makes me stronger in what i believe and the pursuits i follow. that's enough for me.

if anything, i've learned just how precious time is or rather our time here on earth. times is a respector of no one, not age, race, or even position. it keeps marching forward and waits for no one. so with that in mind, i've tried to make the most of every opportunity and every situation.

i dont have any negative impressions of my time here. things are different here. normal conveniences we often take for granted are not as readily available. its been to be without a phone. though i didnt really test the whole no internet theory. managed to find connections here and there which accounts for the lack of blogs. but at the same time, the only other time i've had to rely on public transportation as much as i have was when i was in London.

we've walked more miles than i care to think about and yes did on occassion use the bus and subway system, most especially in Rome and Athens. After figuring out the tube in London, wasnt all that difficult to figure out these systems which have 2 - 3 different lines.

the whole experience made me appreciate my car back home. something as simple as going to get groceries can be magnified when trying to figure out how to get all the groceries home.

overall, i can say that the Greeks are so very friendly much more so than the Italians I encountered. though i have meet some really nice people along the way. people willing to share info or wondering where we were from. its pretty obvious we were tourist. travelling in packs and with our backpacks in tow!

only one more day left here. tomorrow, i'll be visiting the Bodies exhibition which is here and then a bit of shopping to finish off the last of my euros! one of my professors is flying home early so we.ll be left with Dr. Olsen to fly home bright and early on thurs. our charter arrives to pick us up at 5am and by 8:15am in the air to Heathrow we will be (about 2:15 am your time). amazing, no?

about 24 hours of travel from Athens (Athinia) to London to DFW to finally home. i'll be so happy to see my parents faces at the gate when we come in. no matter how old i get or where i go, i can always find comfort in my parents. have to tie up a few lose ends before heading back out on the road again! the summer will be lots of travel for me.

i will spend a week in Chicago visiting my sister, hopefully a week in Galveston with my dad, a texas tour to San Antonio, Houston, Austin, and Dallas to visit friends i've not seen in a while. Then back home to pack everything else up and prepare for my move to LBK the first of August.

the ending of one journey only leads to the beginning of a new one!

life saving experiences/amazing dinner

i almost died today. i'm being dramatic i know but i did slip on a huge rock at the Parthenon. we were climbing up the older steps instead of the new modern ones and i just happened to wear chanclas today. not so smart. so i slipped on the slick marble and my good friend Kaysi saved my life. she caught me and though the way in which she caught me might have been in appropriate in any other situation, i was glad because i woulda slid 10 feet down the side of this mountain we were climbing.

the damage? scrapes, bumps, and bruises to my knees and shins but it appears to be merely cosmetic in nature. only hurts if you press on it. so i'll survive...i was grateful though and after we got over the initial scare, i couldnt help but bust out laughing at how ridiculous Kaysi and I looked standing there...me on all fours and kaysi with her arms around me...it was hilarious...so i look at her and say " i was trying to get my footing when you caught me...i wouldnt have fallen but you caught me and hung me!" and everyone was crackin up by then. it was funny...painful...embarrassing but funny.

as for dinner tonight. we went to a swanky mexican restaurant in a sorta sketchy part of town which turned out not to be so sketchy. the food - absolutely amazing and what more, we were on the terrace rooftop of this joint, so the ambience was incredible. from where we sat we had a nights view of the Parthenon which was lit. It was in kjisten and kaysi's words "AMAZING."

we've been working out our plans for tomorrow and think we're headed to one of the islands. it was going to be Hydra but plans fell through with that and now we've discovered another place to visit. its been a journey for sure...but as always things always work out and i know tomorrow's day at the beach will find itself to be peaceful and full of sun! once we get there...

ok off to sleep....

two more days and then on a plane home i will find myself. i miss my family but each day here is a new adventure. i'll be sad to leave it but at the same time am ready to be home. after all, Dorothy got it right when she said "there's no place" like it.

for the love of internet connections

finding an internet connection around here is like trying to find a needle in a haystack! ish...ok so not so much difficulty in Greece as it was in italy. i'm not a particular fan of the "internet cafes" cause they always seem a bit scrupulous unless you find a snazzy one in the city center or near big tourist spots. But since our professors love to place us at these random crazy hotel locations that has not been the case for us. instead, we are left to hunt/find internet connection as we walk towards landmarks etc. i suppose that is the fun of being a foreigner in a foreign country.

to me its says i'm spoiled because i'm used to my hotel locations with easy access internet which is usually free for me because i'm a member of the said hotel's frequent traveler club. with that, i can say i've learned to appreciate the minute things in life...makes me realize just how dependent on technology i am/was.

i've used my "resourceful skills" plenty of times while being here along with my "problem solving skills"...today i performed a surgical procedure on my suitcase because after yesterdays half a mile walk to the ferry ramp on the firey asphalt in Brindisi my wheels had a serious meltdown slash blowout.

after examining said suitcase today (after enduring a grueling trek to get to Athens which i'll discuss in a bit), i realized that my wheels were actually one tough sturdy wheel surrounded by a more flexible softer wheel...maybe that's for airport ramp impact..who knows? needless to say, with my surgical tools in tow (aka my scissors) i removed the excess wheel leaving the smaller wheel. yes i know i probably needed the outer wheel but they were long gone and only causing more damage. my solitary goal is to make it to the airport in Athens...if my luggage can survive that trip and get checked, i'll be in good shape.

so this little trip to Athens i mentioned earlier, not fun at all! grueling and exhausting. my sole comfort was in the fact that i rode this ferry across an extremely large body of water (which those of you who know me well know exactly how mesmirized and fascinated i am by such things). it was beautiful and amazing...but let me back it up a bit.

we started the day by hauling our luggage down four flights of stairs because we lacked elevator access to our part of the hotel! yea...just the beginning. let me remind you that my luggage was over the weight limit and because my dad loves me so much he paid the overrage fee so i didnt have to rearrange stuff. not to mention that i've since aquired many souvenirs and such...

so i haul down my luggage have breakfast by 6:30 am and am boarding the bus by 6:50 am. we get to the train station and have to get on the train and get situated with 30 students and professors all carrying large suitcases. ok so the train we got on had very little luggage space and we were supposed to be on car 8 which the train only had 7 cars. yeah...what the heck? so we spent the first part of the train ride trying to sort it all out. in the end most of us ended up moving to another cart thanks to the conductor! and we finished out the ride in that condition. now imagine having to unload all 30 students and bags and boarding a bus to the ferry station.

we get there and we cant check in until 3 pm and cant board until 4pm. so we eat lunch in the little cafe and wait and wait until finally we start making our way the half mile to the boat. ive got picks which i'll post later. ok so by the time i get to the boat i've lost two tires on my suitcase...we finally get to board and get situated and i was just feeling miserable.

due to several reasons...the first was the grueling travel schedule...the fact i got little sleep the night before and have been eating lots of carbs on account of pizza and pasta. yea...ive tried to eat more protein but italy is not conducive to protein! (for those of you who dont know i have hypoglycemic tendencies). so i.m trying to keep everything in balance and i just felt like my body was giving out on me. so while everyone explored the boat, i took a nap. a very much needed nap. i slept about an hour or so and finally got up and freshed up and joined everyone on the deck. from them on it was peaceful sailing.

i sat on the side of the boat staring out at the water with the cool breeze blowing my hair around and was just in awe. it was beautiful. i got to see the sun set on the horizon of the water and just realized despite the crazy travel to get there...the moment was totally worth it. i.ve been afforded alot of introspective moments on this trip...moments that i hope stretch me as a person and will leave me in a better place than when i started. its been eye opening for certain.

so i headed to bed at a descent hour and got up and was in the shower when i got a knock on the door that we were disembarking on 20 minutes. apparently my professor thought it was 10 am Greek time but in fact was 9 am Greek time. so we thought we had another 1.5 left to get everything together. talk about pandamonium and panic not just in my room but across the rooms we occupied as a group!

some people got showers, others did not. i was one of the lucky ones.

so we walk from the ferry ramp about 200 ft to the train station to wait 2 hrs for our train since we arrived so early. the train gets there and has 4 cars so we had to load everyone and luggage back onto this train. we managed to make it but find out we had to change trains in Kiato. i had looked at the eurail book and new our connection to Athens was scheduled to leave at 12:36.

we arrived at Kiato at 12:30 and had to make it down three flights of stairs and then back up two flights to make it to our train ramp...which i was the first one to arrive at the train and the doors were closing at the five minute mark..meaning we had five minutes to get 30 people and luggage on the train. i've never seen such craziness in all my life. we worked well together as a team...for the most part pulling luggage over and stacking it and tossing it and trying to get everyone on. and with 5 seconds to spare we made it. so we get to Athens and find that we have to walk a block to our hotel...i was so happy to arrive.

we figured out rooming details and headed up stairs to freshen up before meeting with our professors to get an update for the remainder of the week. then a group of us headed into Athens to begin our ritual discovery venture. we found an awesome place to eat a late lunch/early dinner...so i got a gyro with some potatoes and a drink for 5.8 euros. by far one of the cheapest meals i,ve had here....and it was MEAT! lol....anyhow...i think i'm going to like Greece by far! a friend of mine had a salad and i was reminded that yes other people in the world love vegetables...and i got to eat some watermelon so i was at least for a moment in a comfortable place!

we're here for a very very short time. only a few days. tomorrow is the official touring day with tues left for a visit to the beach and wed left to do whatever you wanted to do but didnt get to do the days before.

then come thurs...we depart from the hotel by charter to the airport at 5am. our flight leaves athens to heathrow at 8:15 am. we arrive at 10:10 local time (5 hrs ahead of you) and then depart at heathrow 2:30 pm and arrive at DFW 6:50 pm. depart dfw at 8:35 and be home close to 10 pm. not looking forward to that leg of the trip but getting home will be bittersweet.

hard to believe that a month could go by so quickly! will try to post as many pics as i can before getting home though i need to figure out a new place to post them at. i realize i,ve completely left out what i saw while in Rome but hope to post a blog about the things i saw while travelling home!

when in Rome...

our hotel has no internet access! i've not been able to post like i had hoped but I am blogging offline.

Rome is just amazing. We've done a hop on hop off tour which was awesome. Yesterday we did a walking tour of the Palatine Hill, the Forum, the Ruins, and the Colosseum. Today its a tour of the Vatican, tomorro a tour of Napoli and Pompei, Sat we leave to Athens with a grueling travel schedule.

We leave for the train stations bright and early Sat morning with an approx 6 hr train ride to Brindisi. From Brindisi a 15 hr overnight cruise to Patras which arrives Sat morning at 10:00 am. Then another 4 hour train ride with a transfer and another 40 minute train ride to Athens! all with about 60 lbs of luggage in tow. I'm thinking of leaving some articles along the way only because i dont want to haul super heavy luggage! we'll see....

i keep accumulating stuff!

I've had alot of fun and am rooming with two other girls Kjisten and Kaysi. They are awesome and we've had alot of fun together. The good part of being with a big group is that everyone can find someone to do something with. So many different groups going in different directions. Apart from the "mandatory" tours, we're pretty much left on our own to explore the city.

We've managed to learn the subway system and are getting around pretty easily. also, i discovered a love for hazelnut and gelato! its awesome. ok so I posted more picks on flickr.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21157493@N07/3613716990/

you should be able to see some from this link. gonna try to post more when I get a solid internet connection. possibly in Athens.

I'm at the point where i'm starting to miss home. I think by next week i'll be ready to head back home! so much to do and yes i have started thinking about my move to Lubbock. its exciting and sad all in one. things are changing more quickly than i expected but that is life!

will post later.

...and its over!

Just got out of my last exam! talk about unrelenting relief! i'm waiting on some friends to finish up and then going to take a nap this afternoon. Have to start packing soon as we leave bright and early to Rome on sunday morning. Should be there somewhere around 2pm our time...that would mean 7am your time. so odd to me. i'm going to bed and my bro is just finishin up a day at work back home!

so i started a blog earlier and had to quickly wrap it up.

i've got just under 2 more weeks here. i do miss home but i really love it here. the country is just beautiful. i've definitely learned alot from new people that we've met along the way. each eager to share some bit of knowledge or to ask us questions. we are a loud group and i'm sure we appear very "American" to those around here. you can hear us coming a mile away.

it really made me stop and think or rather question "why do we have the insistant need to gab all the time?" its something i've noticed on this trip. some people are uncomfortable with silence or maybe some people just want to be heard. i guess its more apparent to me because i can sit in the same room as my best friend for 30 minutes and we dont have to say anything to each other. i would say that i talk more than she does. or when i'm in the car with my brother or family...we can be silent and dont have to talk 24 - 7.

i can say this experience is by far different from all my experiences. i'm glad that i've waited until now because i dont think i would've been mature enough to endure the circumstances a few years ago. strange how that happens?

if anything, i've been really blessed by the friendships i've developed on this trip. i've learned so many new things and feel my life has opened up in a new aspect that will help me in the next leg of the journey.

i can say that the impending move to Lubbock, finally hit me a few days ago. i'm not sure why it waited until now or why so far from home, but i think it was reality setting in. i'm excited for sure and while things did not play out quite like i hope, i know where i'm headed and how to get there. just going to require a little more hard work. its ok with me. i've learned that hardwork and perseverance develop character.

i cant believe i'm going to say this but the one "educational" lesson i'm taking home with me is that of "Civic Virtue." it has changed my perspective and attitude regarding my actions in a profound way. i'd go into detail but i do not want to bore you! only i could be excited about something like that i fear....lol its ok, i embrace my inner nerd.

ok so i gotta go meet some friends who are in a different lab due to miscommunication. seems to be happening alot lately! LOL. hope you have a great week and will try and post more pics soon.

the last and final

have my last test today. presentation was complete yesterday and this morning i feel like i'm running around like a chicken with its head cut off. finally finished my summaries and analysis of our assigned text.

on the agenda this morning is our final test in the History of Freedom. i hear its going to be tough and i'd like to say i feel prepared. i'm probably more prepared than i think but i dont feel like i gave enough study efforts so we'll just see out it goes!

the next few days are our last here in Verona...the place where the story of Romeo and Juliet originates. its been a beautiful, laid back and somewhat traditional city. A good place to get our feet wet but i fear we're getting stir crazy here.

last night we had a group dinner which was an attempt at mexican burritos via italian tortillas (piadine style). it was fun but with so many of us trying to finish up work and study, it was short lived. tonight we have another group dinner which should be interesting. we'll be done with all our coursework so for now all its a bit of a vacation. its a relief!

we have to pack everything up and get ready for the train ride to Rome. trains are the way to go around here. i've ridden the tube in London and the sub which is partially above ground in Atlanta but never a "train-train" per se.

you learn quickly the signs that indicate the train is departing the station. there's this familar buzz that sounds and the doors quickly close meaning you have 2 minutes to get on the train before it departs.

i think we're ready for a new place and new adventures. we've had plenty for sure up till now and i'm sure more are to come. i started missing home...though there are some conveniences i do not miss. for one - my phone. i also realized how differently we live our lives back home.

i'll expand on this more gotta run to class! test in a bit.

chapter summaries

Thought I'd take a few moments to post a blog before I head upstairs to re-charge my laptop. Love it but the battery life is only a few hours because of the size...not bad I think.

This morning we started a grueling week of tests, presentations, chapter summary, and a test to end up the week. The complex is buzzing of students reading, writing, and studying or at least most of us anyway.

Today is a National Holiday here so everything was closed or mostly everything. As a result, I spent a much needed day inside. Needed because I have lots of work to finish. I'm going to Venice tomorrow with some friends so I wanted to get laundry, reading, writing summaries, and my part of our presentation finished.

Summaries are taking longer than I anticipated but part of is from the lack of motivation. The text while it makes interesting points is a bit bland to an normal student. To be fair, its not an easy read and the content itself is not exactly clear and precise. Its an abstract topic concerning liberty and democracy. So we've gotten alot of history concerning the subject.

ok my low battery buzzer just went off...will try and finish this in a few hours.

no place like home...

as odd as it may sound, i was glad to be back in Verona. Florence was amazing but when you try to go it alone (as in no guidance from your professors), it can be a bit rough and tumble. despite some of the major bumps in the road, we (my two other friends and I) managed to overcome our obstacles and had a great time.

from the looks of things, our group appears a bit worn from the hectic schedules and as we make our way into the last week of school, things will only get a bit more stressful. the up-side is that once we finish up the week, we're done with school and can enjoy the trip without the worries or hinderances of reading and studying! so glad about that.

Ok so Florence started out a bit rocky and we had some moments through the trip that were a bit rough but overall I really enjoyed the trip and am glad I was with the two other girls I went with! A large number of us went so we broke down the group into smaller numbers. Another part of our group was at the hotel we stayed out so that worked out well for us.

Some of the things I got to see uhmm..well cant remember exactly at this point without looking at my map...but we did the hop on-off tour bus which had two routes. so I SAW alot! did some shopping and picked up some souvenirs, saw David at the Accademia, and traveled to Pisa to see the leaning tower and cathedral. AMAZING!

I really love renaissance art so since Florence is credited with the start of that period, I was in ART heaven! The city itself is pretty amazing but going out into the country side was just breath taking! we made a trip up to Fiesole during our tour and the lush mountains and gardens were beautiful. Pictures just do not do justice to the scenery there....

ok so the train - ive decided that while convenient in terms of getting around from place to place is just not my preference. that has probably been the most frustrating part of our trip since we were provided with Eurorails that are not global passes meaning we have to travel on regional trains. uhm yea...after getting back from Pisa yesterday we developed a plan to get back home which we so successfully executed! i'm so glad too! i bought the upgrades to the eurorail on a direct train back home cutting the trip down by an hour...and the girls picked up our bags at the hotel. perfect timing....

so we grabbed a quick quick dinner at mcdonald's...yea i know... and then made our way to the train station. we already knew when we arrived that something had happened to the track just north of us causing huge delays...so we just waited patiently...and at about 6:30 or so we were headed home! we got back just around 9pm and the group staying at our hotel were the only ones back. so we shared stories and showed our purchases and got to bed a bit late but knowing this was the last week of school! i feel like finals week...ok gotta go meet my group for class...hope you are all enjoying the start of summer!

better than today.

we're in florence...safe and sound...and i'm so glad too! it was an adventure for sure and while i've never done a trip with just a backpack (stop laughing for those of you who know me well!), i can say that it was adventurous for sure!

we made it to the train station and got through the information center with exactly what we needed to know. the trains that we could use on our dumb europass "que sirven para nada"! hijole! so a stop in bolonga and change trains...our next train was something like 30 minutes delayed. was a regional train..ish...and only standing room! yeah..not pleasant by any means since the travel time was 1.5 hrs. ok so we get dropped off at a station outside of town. so we had to find a bus to bring us into town.

ok so we get here and truck a mile to our hotel...get there and find the thing boarded up! uhmmmmm yea...so a sign directs us down the street. so we go in to this other hotel and the guy looks us up and says "oh we've had problems" but you are going to stay here and sends us back the way we came from...to this super sketchy joint...uhm...yea.... and the three of us all exchange glances not sure of the place...so we ring and ring and ring the bell....no answer at all...

luckily for us, we had stopped in at one of the hotels for the other group of girls coming from our group. so we went back to that hotel and quickly booked a room and then the madness insued. so one of the girls spent the next couple of hours on the phone trying to get these straightened out...and we finally got things sorted.

so we were downstairs when the next group of gir
ls in our group walks in the door and they were attacked by a homeless guy in bologna! yeah....so i realized...things could totally be worse....so we grabbed some super late dinner and the ladies made their way to the hotel bar. it was fun..though i did not join them in the round of drinks...so now i'm listening to the crazy ramblings about awkard turkeys...aye! they need sleep...btw - Grappa in italy is dangerous stuff! i have a feelin the girls are gonna feel it in the morning!

tomorrow...an all day tour and some shopping! oh....the things that make us feel better...definitely have seen some leather shops and just cant wait! tomorrows gonna be better than today!

by the way, i love you people who have been praying for us! you've definitely intervened on our behalf and we're soooo grateful!

reminiscing

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21157493@N07/sets/72157618792111129/

here's the link to see some of my photos. the first round of photos, i left on my jump drive upstairs and deleted them from my hard drive so they will have to wait for another time to post!

ok other update - cant remember if i posted it. i cant access my regular email so you can email me at: loudaleyva@yahoo.com

saw some super old pics that a friend of mine posted on facebook a little while ago. doesnt have much to do with italy...but it took me back to some old days! broke my heart thinking about the situations of the time and just things that happened. i know you cant go back and change anything. all you can do is learn from the experience. just glad to see that things are not the same today.

today we had classes later than usual and the weather was incredibly awesome today. we had a rain shower while we were in class so it made it nice and fresh. really breezing and major change in temperature. after class, one of the guys took us to this place where we had an italian version of a quesadilla. it was delicious and communicating with the non-english speaking attendant made things really interesting. you learn how to communicate in the strangest ways!

id seriously like to write more, but ive got homework and reading calling my name. we have to write summaries for each of the chapters in one of our texts. i'm trying to get done early so that i can enjoy the rest of my time and also make sure i have time to study for next weeks exam.

we're headed to florence this weekend...so excited about that. not sure about any other details...but i'll find out soon and post.

callused feet

i do believe we're spoiled americans with our cars and conveniences. i've been on mission trips and such before and know we are privileged in america but i think the notion of conveniences had escaped me. our only form of transportation here is walking, bus, and train.

the first few days were a bit painful. painful for my feet! i'm sure i'll be coming home with callused feet. the amazing part is that at some point during the tours/siteseeing, you forget about how your feet may feel and become captivated by the sites and sounds of whats going on around you.

i'm still trying to take it all in and trying new things. like gelato or focaccio's. things are done very differently around here. in alot of ways, it reminds me of mexico - though mexico it is not. if anything, i think what's been most apparent is that you can find beauty anywhere. its not about where you go or what place you visit but about you, as a participant, being willing to see and experience something you have not yet experienced. not every part of this city is what most would consider beautiful but it makes this city what it is. so to those cobble stoned roads that have killed my feet! thanks for the memories...thanks for making me more appreciative of the conveniences i have back home.

eating here is so very different. i've had little in terms of protein and have tried to find ways to get protein in my diet. peanut butter is rare here but you can find all kinds of olives and canned salmon on the shelves! water is another difference. depending on where you buy it, it can be quite expensive (talking about bottled water) and given that we know little of the sewages system here...we'.ve been told its safer to consume bottled water. i'm sure we look like tourist.

if you're from west texas then you know we load up our drinks up the brim with ice. my grandmother (who's from mexico) always ask for no ice in her drinks (ice isnt common there either). here...if you are lucky you may get three cubes of ice. no grocery stores sells bags of ice, you cant find ice trays because the fridges are super tiny...and they do no service ice in drinks unless they assume you are "americanos" which often they pick up on that quite quickly.

adapting to luke warm water is easier than i thought it would be and i even found fanta zero here! no diet dp for sure! lol...

i've now been here a week officially today and will be gone for another 3 weeks yet. the group dynamic is interesting. 4 guys and 22 ladies...yeah...you can imagine. i can say that i was a bit prepared. there are some really great people on this trip and folks who really want to experience the most of it.

i can also say that ive been blessed with a studious group whose members are genuinely concerned with earning good grades. its a nice setting to be in.

as for the weather...it was extremely hot when we first arrived. however a cold front seems to have blown in and its a bit windier and cooler. its nice/a nice break from the heat. if you stand in the shade on a hot day, its not so bad...but stand in the heat and its killer! then throw in all that walking.

ok so what i,ve seen so far is the arena in verona, the piazza's, juliet's house and balcony, a tour of verona of many significant historical sites/buildings...and the university along with portions of bologna.

today we have class from 2:30 - 6:30 due to something going on on campus and there's a national holiday here on June 2. we've been working on chapter summaries for text required by Dr Olsen. The text we're reading are "The origins of the Modern World," "The Future of Freedom," and "The World That Trade Created." we have presentations starting next week from the "world that trade created" text. so we're a little consumed with class rightnow. the upside is that we only have 9 days of class while on the trip, we had several before we left.

ok gotta run and hang up some laundry! oh yeah...i miss electronic dryers!

first day of classes

today was our first day of classes or class i should say. one of our instructors got a heat stroke and was out of commission for the day. our first class the History of Democracy is actually pretty interesing. History of Trade - we will see...i gather that since i'm a business major it will have some major relevance.

im trying to post as much about this experience as i can but finding the time has been a bit challenging. still working on getting photos uploaded and hoping that tomorrow at the university, i'll be able to do that. Its the University of Verona, by the way. We've pretty much gotten a feel for the town and our little area surrounding where we're staying. Apts! nice...

I had the most delicious pizza and while in Bologna had my first Kebab not like the meat on a stick kind. as in shaved meat in a pita bread kind. i had my second one today and they were both delicious. so yes i'm trying new things and being patient about all the challenges we are facing. trust me there have been plenty. like today at the university when we couldnt figure out how to access the computer labs or the canteen as they call it (cafeteria).

its an adjustment for sure but im trying to embrace every moment of it. its been hot as in west texas hot with a bit of humidity...maybe more like san antonio hot. either way, we're expecting a cold front to roll in and for the next few days to be cooler.

i also have to say that there are convenciences in America that i will never take for granted. like my car or drive thru windows! or even being able to drive to the supermarket (supermercarti) as they say here...

spanish is helping me lots to communicate and even to understand. that in iteself is just amazing.

we went to the supermercarti this afternoon (it was my first visit). Eating out is super expensive here. A slice of pizza with a coke (fanta) and not the super size we're used to can cost as much as $8.00 when you figure the conversion rate of Euro's which gets worse and worse each day. before i left or really during finals the rate was 1.21 american dollars to every euro...its now up to a market rate of 1.40 and higher when you use a conversion store. ish...

so i.m trying to make every dollar count. plus going out equates spending money. so we're tryign to eat at our apt during the week and save our money for the weekends. i've yet to visit venice though i think we may be making a visit something this week or next. trying to figure out what we're doing during our free weekend. would like to take a trip to florence/pisa.

so the experience so far has had some really great moments and some really crazy ones. but i
m glad to be here. glad for the experience. i.ve gotten to meet some really great people. i dont know what Rome will be like but that.s still two weeks away! hard to believe. we.re now into day 5 of being gone. ive been able to talk with my parents via Skype...so if you have it let me know...

also i can't access my suddenlink account. has to do with the security here. going to try at the University but you can email me at loudaleyva@yahoo.com.

miss you all much, but having a great time!
louda

24 hrs of travelling

i dont have alot of time. i'd love to write about all the things that have happened so far but i dont have direct internet access in my apt. i have to come down to a community room to gain access. its kinda interesting and we're down here with other students. turns out we're not the only international students here.

the trip down was a grueling 24 hrs. we spent most of the afternoon getting settled and we hit the pavement running. we got a brief tour of the city and then we were turned loose to find what we needed. after getting back a short while ago, we were all dying to take a bath. ok so i dont know about you but that had to been the best shower i've ever had and i'm basking in the scent of italian shampoo! its awesome.

ok so how did i know that my law school app decision would come right as i arrived in italy?

my mom has instructions to open the letter so hopefully i'll have some news soon. as of right now, i'd like to know but i am sleeeeeeepy. so off to bed i go. hopin to post pics tom.

Schedule

2009 - International Studies Program - Italy/Greece

Wednesday, May 20 - Departs San Angelo
Thursday, May 21 - Arrives in Milan/Verona
Friday, May 22 - Class begins
Saturday, May 23 - Verona - Walking tour of the city center
Sunday, May 24 - Verona - Bus tour of the surrounding area
Monday, May 25-29 - Verona - Class 9:00 - 1:00
Saturday, May 30 - Verona - optional excursion to Venice
Sunday, May 31 - Verona - Free time
Monday, June 1-5 - Verona - Class 9:00 - 1:00
Saturday, June 6 - Verona free time
Sunday, June 7 - Departs Verona for Rome
Monday, June 8- Rome
Tuesday, June 9-12 - Rome
Saturday, June 13 - Depart Rome for Brindisi
Sunday, June 14 - Arrives Patras - Athens
Monday, June 15-17 - Athens
Thursday, June 18 - Depart Athens

in a few days

in a few days, i'll board a plane bright and early leaving my quiet small town of San Angelo, TX where i'll spend the next 24 hours or so travelling half way around the world to Milan, Italy. most of the family and friends from out-of-town have now left, so its a bit quiet though i dont expect it to stay that way for long. 

i've got the arduous task of packing for my trip and for my big move to Lubbock a short month later. i have a feeling the summer is going to fly by. 

i had such a great time this weekend. there are so many things to say, but for now i'll just say i'm so thankful for those that celebrated with me and my family. 

our Mayor delivered our commencement speech. a bit ironic for me since i went to elementary, jr and high school with him. he's a great person and so i found it fitting when he said, "this accomplishment is not just yours, but also that of those who have supported you and helped you through this process." he's absolutely right. 

i was all smiles though the entire ceremony and with good reason. i've never worked so hard as i have to obtain my bachelor's degree. i can honestly say that i've poured all my resources into this goal. completing, walking across the finish line, is one of the greatest moments in my life thus far. it is something that i will always have that no one can take away from me. it is with that understanding that i gladly forge ahead in my graduate work. 

i'm excited about Italy. excited to post pictures and thoughts of my journey and experiences. i'll post most of them here. so please check back for updates. will try to keep it updated daily, though i can't make any promises! i'm not sure what our technological availability will be like.

while my undergraduate work will not be completely behind me until I return from Italy/Greece. I can say that i'm hoping to learn more than just about history and to bring back a bit of the culture with me. i'm so very excited to see some of the places i've always wanted to see and since i also love renaissance art...will be so glad to see where it all started! can't wait to read your comments!