HELP!

im totally about to lose my mind and go crazy.. life isn't suppose to be so stressful is it? i don't even really have time to post but i just wanted to document that i am still alive in case in a few days i get sucked into the potters wheel or something ridiculous like that.. ok.. well love all the way around!

Uh? Trying to stay above water??

Gosh I totally haven't thought about posting on here. So life is so hectic and I am finding myself only more and more exhausted and totally overwhelmed as the days go on. Most of it might just be apprehension and uneasiness about what lies ahead of me post December 15th. It's not that I don't have a job because I do, but I need more hourly pay and I'm just not sure the clinic can afford to do so. And it's only 36 hours a week instead of 40 so I don't get benefits. I'm sort of at a loss as to what I want to do and where the Lord has me. I am completely clueless at this moment. I guess I will just keep focusing on the here and now and making it through this semester and he will direct my path from there. He always has so I have no reason to worry or doubt.

Home was great this weekend. It was definitely not long enough. I wish I would have been able to spend more time with family and friends but I guess you have to take what you get. Everyone keeps asking me if I will move home after graduation and although I immediately say no I have this odd desire to. I doubt that would happen because I really don't feel there is much for me and very many stable and not already married people my age in the small town but I do miss "home." The drive back was wonderful and I am so thankful for good conversation and rest. I am so blessed by my family and I don't know how to equate how much I appreciate and love them for being more than enough.

Mom is running another marathon in two weeks and of course I'm apprehensive. I just get worried about her traveling and being ok medically/physically throughout the race. I just leave it in the hands of the Lord and trust his plans and ways are higher and that he will protect and allow her to feel accomplishment proud of her hard work. Be praying in advance for her trip and that he would mark out each step she takes and protect them.

Still no pictures to post. I miss my camera and I miss being behind it and just having fun and being immersed in nature and capturing the beauty of life. Maybe when I'm done with school I will have more time for my creativity and project ideas..

I'm headed to my girls' volleyball game in Springdale so I leave you at this until I can divulge to you about my life at a later time.

Be blessed and enjoy the fall, my favorite season! It just reminds me of God's creativity and love for all things beautiful. Love you all so much.

It's been forever..

So i gave this thing a little make-over.. i might, well probably will start using this thing more. As of now, life is super busy and I am trying to push through until December when I get my $50,000 piece of paper saying I am DONE with my education. No one really even reads this now, or no one has since I went to Italy, but if I start using it more I will post this link in my facebook. So I am done for today-- maybe more pictures to come soon as well! Be blessed and live love.

is it wrong i still think wine is gross?

its our last weekend here in italy :( i know i have been lacking with posting lately so i will give you a quick recap of my days.. last week we went to the Palatine Museums, right above the Forum, we went out to Ostia Antica and saw the ancient ruins of an early settlement outside of the city, of course we went to some more churches where we saw more Caravaggio paintings and to a beatiful church called the "chandelier church" because of its stunning multiple chandeliers.. Saturday we went out on our own to sketch and we wanted to go back to a certain church Leslie is doing a project over. We ended up getting there right before a wedding so we decided to stay and hide inconspicuously under the side arches.. an italian wedding is very different than an american one but it was beautiful and typically roman catholic.. we went back to the chandelier church where we caught yet another wedding in progress! we didn't stay long but decided to go shopping! i of course came out empty handed besides a swift little pasta cookbook im super excited about! Oh yea i almost got pickpocketed on the Metro but the lady only got my bag half open before i discovered she was trying to rob me! All is accounted for and i survived the scary attack.. well sort of. Last night Cassy cooked for all of us and it was wonderful! I don't know why i haven't made cheese and spinach tortellini myself.. it was definately a treat! Tonight we are having a group dinner and going to keep relaxing the day away which we've been doing since we awoke! Rome was crazy the last 2 days with all the President junk, there were more policemen, sirens, helicopters and riots than you can imagine.. I believe bush is now gone so we can enjoy a last week free of swat teams, i hope.. I have a few more items to get for people so i am hoping i will have good luck shopping.. Tomorrow I talk with my teacher about my final project ideas so I hope she likes them and is willing to let me do the ones i want and shape them around my fields of design and photography.. We only have a few more sights to see and a few more pasta dinners to have but the trip has been life changing and definately stretching and rewarding.. Thats about all for now i will try and post tomorrow or tuesday sometime! Hope you are all well and blessed. Eat some chips and salsa for me until i can taste that exquistie cousine for myself! Love you all and will be seeing you, or talking with you soon! Enjoy your sunday!

Love <3

Ps. I am already starting to miss my friends at Pizza Family and the Internet cafe.... cant i bring them home with me? we know how to communicate now.. we've got the hand signals and the regular orders down.. they are my daily fix of food and the web.. :(

Dubya

Bush is coming to Rome today.. we were down where he is coming in.. its a little church at the Piazza del Popolo where we were shopping and like a gazillion policemen and swat teams were there.. i could have met him im sure :) its about to rain like crazy so im going to walk home quickly but i will add more to this post tonight. .all is well in Italia and i have enjoyed the week back "home."

love to all

my Roman home!

We finally arrived back in Roma after our excursions to Florence and Venice.. we stayed 3 nights and 3 days in each city..its crazy how each city is completely different from the other in the same country! i absolutely loved Florence.. i dont know if it was because a lot of people spoke english and there were so many american tourists that you heard english chatter rather than italian.. the shopping was great there too! i spent more money in 3 days than i had the whole trip i think! the art is so great in Florence too.. Rome has some notorious buildings but Florence is so rich in art that I think I liked it better! Our hotel in Florence was literally right on the Duomo square and yes i did hear the bell tower chime every half hour.. grr..the food was pretty much the same excpet i finally found some white cream sauce(what we call alfredo sauce) on a menu and it was the most amazing thing i have had all month! Then came Venice.. and is it the strangest city or what! Its really neat that there isnt 1 car in the whole city.. all the streets are either paved or you take boats through them... It rained the first two days we were there but it was an adventure.. It was super cold those 2 days too! We explored the little islands there.. we went to Murano the little island where they make all the Murano glass! it was awesome! We saw a demonstration of glass blowing.. thats art and talent if you ask me.. The food in venice is a little different- the pizza looks american in the triangle slices and there is more pesce or fish on the menu than a non-fish lover could dream about! I had some good pesto pasta and a lot of pizza.. We took a 5 hour train ride back to Rome yesterday and we got in around 7:30.. traveling is fun but a little hectic with a group but we all made it alive and safe back in our Residence.. we have the day off today so we are going grocery shopping and washing clothes! Im starting to get just a little homesick but i think its just because im tired and this is like the last leg of the race and i can see the finish ahead.. but i am going to enjoy every last moment here before its gone! Continue to pray for me while im here and pray for a heart to love the people here and to unconditionally love the group im here with all the time! Also pray for the staff at Pine Cove as they are in their first full week of campers! I love you all and will post again soon.. i will put picutres up again if i have a few hours to do so! Love you all so much and thanks for all your support and love!!

ps. i totally forgot to tell you i went on a gondola ride at night! it was super amazing.. its so quiet and serene at night because there really arent many people whoh live in venice.. its too expensive so they live on the mainland across the ocean.. giovanni was our little paddler man and he was very sweet and kind.. we spent most of that day with our teacer Jacque and she is a lot of fun to hang out with.. she just has this goofy personality and she lightens up a lot when in small groups..

this post is uber long but i thought why make a new post when i could modify this one.

today we had a short day and we went to a few churches and the pantheon.. the pantheon is really neat.. i know dad would love most of the buildings i am seeing..

i am so ready to be able to drive a car because everyday the public transportation really scares me more and more.. plus i miss florence and venice where i felt more safe from the people and surroundings. but its teaching me that its my job to change the way people are by being an example of Christ because they are so oblivious to his grace..

well im going to get some pizza and fold my laundry.. i really miss washing machines.. this whole turning my bathtub into a laundromat is hard work! plus our room is strung out with clothes lines.. it just makes me appreciate them so much more!

im doing great and enjoying the time here! wish you all could jump over here for a bit! take care and ill post soon.. love you all

Cheese

im trying this out.. here is a link to Flickr where some of my photos are.. these are just a few but.. you get the idea!

http://www.flickr.com/gp/8052644@N03/70GyU6