Early Bird Gets The Worm

This morning came all too early. At 4:30 to be exact. I tried to set my alarm as a fun ring tone before I went to bed last night in hopes that it would help ease the pain of waking up so dreadfully early, but I found out that 4:40, regardless of whether or not you have an upbeat ring tone, is still just early.
I absolutely loathe door duty. It's one of the most, no, it is in fact the most awful part of being an RA.
I would really like to hear the logic behind having sleep deprived college students responsible for opening doors in the middle of the night. How they expect me to go to bed at 12:30 after checking rooms, and wake up happily 4 hours later in beyond my comprehension.

Somehow I tried to manage a measly 4 hours of sleep, and be able to function clearly for my Earth Science test this morning.
Speaking of the test, it was a total fail. I would blame it on the lack of sleep, but it probably also has something to do with the fact that science just isn't my cup of tea.
It's even less appealing after only sleeping 4 hours.

A phone call to my mom made things a lot better.
God, thank you for my mom and her understanding that Science completely frustrates me.

Now I'm attempting to stay awake, finish reading through 89 pages of homework until room check, and complete the vicious lack of sleep cycle all over again ::sigh::

Weekend Highlights

Friday:
The weather today was amazing. So amazing in fact, that I pulled out one of my favorite spring skirts to wear =) I turned in all my paperwork for Scotland, so it's official, I'm pre-student teaching there this summer...EEKS, so excited! My friend Chris bought me lunch today which was awesome, especially because it was Chinese, which is one of my favorites! I ate it outside by the fountain with friends. Also extremely wonderful.
For dinner I went to Lauren and Abby's room with about 7 other girlfriends. I had to leave early to go to a jewelry show, where I proceeded to eat more junk food (I guess it's a good thing I ran a few miles today,hahaha). Afterwards, Allyssa and Meaghan talked to me all about Scotland. I'm SO excited!
Then I went back over to Abby and Laurens to watch a movie with the girls, but it turned into us eating cookies, talking, and laughing uncontrollably, all of which I love to do =)
Between eating a ridiculous amount of junk food and running around all day, I was more than ready for bed after I finished checking rooms at 12:30.


Saturday:
Woke up early this morning to hike Pinnacle Mt. with 12 of my friends. It was a BEAUTIFUL outside! I just love hiking, and it's even better with such great company!

After we got back I rushed over to our African party. Meaghan and Louisa were in town(they worked in the clinic and orphanage in Zambia for 3 years), so it was wonderful to see them, as well as everyone else from my old Zambia team!
After that party, I headed to one of my African friends baby shower. It was SO much fun! I just love having friends from other cultures!
After the baby shower I rushed back to go out to dinner with my dear friend Christin. We went to McAllisters, so I of course had to get their ridiculously addicting sweet tea(I cut myself off after 2 glasses).


Sunday:
My legs were ridiculously sore when I woke up this morning. Between hiking and running, my body is completely rejecting me. But I forced myself to run, and I made my 3 mile mark..YIPPEE!
Spent all afternoon at underground reading, and came back to make a stir fry dinner before my night class.
I absolutely LOVE my Scotland night class. Mr. and Mrs. Wood are just phenomenal. I love them already!
Now I'm working at front desk, and should definitely be studying for my Earth Science test tomorrow morning, but instead I'm procrastinating by making a weekend highlights blog post ridiculously long and detailed so that I can avoid memorizing winter constellations....

Cancer Free =)

I am SO incredibly happy to announce that after a year, my daddy has now been told he is cured from his cancer!!!!! I am so blessed to have two of the most incredible parents a girl could ever ask for, and having them healthy is the best answered prayer!
God takes care of His children. I just love that about Him =)

Surrender

It's still so strange to me to think that Matt and I are no longer together....
::Sigh::
He was not only the first man I have ever loved, but he's my best friend. It's the little things I miss about him. He was the first person I wanted to call after my first day training for the half-marathon, or the first person I wanted to call to tell him about this amazing thing I learned in Earth Science class yesterday about the days of the week being named after the planets, because I knew he would get excited about it (Sun=Sunday, Moon=Monday, Saturn=Saturday, etc..). I know that might sound lame, but they are my honest thoughts and feelings at this moment in time.

Having a broken heart must be one of the worst things someone can go through...but the peace that God has been filling my broken heart with this past week is one of the most powerful and beautiful things I have ever experienced before! Through the hurt and pain, I know I can trust in the Lord and His plans for my life. I just know that they will be SO much better than anything I could have ever imagined. It's so comforting to know I have a God who keeps my best interests in mind.


 I've been thinking a lot this past week about surrendering. What does that even look like, to give everything up and lay it before God's feet?This is a song I've listened to over and over. It's called "Something Heavenly" by Sanctus Real.Enjoy =)

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jer. 29:11

It's comforting to know that the God who created this holds my future in His palm

 

It's time for healing time to move on
It's time to fix what's been broken too long
Time to make right what has been wrong
It's time to find my way to where I belong
There's a wave that's crashing over me
And all I can do is surrender

(Chorus)
Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but somehow there's peace
It's hard to surrender to what I can't see
but I'm giving in to something Heavenly

Time for a milestone
Time to begin again
Reevaluate who I really am
Am I doing everything to follow Your will
Or just climbing aimlessly over these hills
So show me what it is You want from me
I give everything I surrender...
To...
(Chorus)

Time to face up
Clean this old houseTime to breathe in and let everything out
That I've wanted to say for so many years
Time to release all my held back tears

Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but I believe
You're up to something bigger than me
Larger than life something Heavenly

Whatever You're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but now I can see
This is something bigger than me
Larger than life something Heavenly
Something Heavenly

Atwende Ku Zambia

For those of you who are a little rusty on speaking Chitonga, the title of my post translated means something along the lines of, "Lets go to Zambia". (Thanks to Ba Siazzu for my Tonga 101 lessons).
Today I received two letters from dear friends I met over 2 years ago during a semester spent in Africa. It's amazing how holding a crumpled piece of paper with ink marks on it can bring so many tears to my eyes and immense joy to my heart. Any day I get a letter from Zambia is a good day. Correction, a great day =)
Atulabanana (Talk to you later)


Here are just a few snapshots of incredible memories during my time in Africa.

The start of something beautiful

Today is a monumental day. This is not only because I have created my first blog (which is rather exciting, I must say), but because today marks my first day of my training for a HALF- MARATHON!
Now, I realize this might not seem that exciting to some people, but for anyone who knows me they will be able to tell you my thoughts about running, and they are not pleasant thoughts I might add. I have been known to say on several occasions that the only 2 conditions I would ever run under are:

1. If a burglar is chasing me, or
2. If there is a piece of chocolate cake within close proximity waiting for me to devour.

Why am I doing this to myself you might ask? Well, that's a really great question, and one which I'm not even sure I can answer fully. But what I do know is that the words "Run a half-marathon" have been leaping off the front page of my bucket list for far too long, and it's about time I step up to the challenge. After all, I really do love a challenge =)
So it's official. On April 30th, I will be running in the Country Music Marathon in Nashville, TN.I started with running 2 miles today. After I finished and was panting heavily and craving a chocolate chip cookie, I wonder how well this is going to work out. The thought of running 13.1 miles is quite daunting to me. But It's all about taking things one day at a time, and that I believe, is something I can manage =)