atrás a escuela. [back to school]

Yes, it's that time of year again where I attend classes and hit the books. School starts this Thursday for ASU students [in the middle of the week, weird huh?]. I can't believe how fast the summer flew by. It seems like it just started. I feel the need to re-cap my summer before I get too busy with buying books, going to classes and the general back-to-school mayhem that is bound to ensue.

Back in May, I moved into Las Casas, the West Campus dorms, which was a move I was very excited about due to the fact that it meant getting away from downtown and having a change. Also, Lars just happened to have accepted an internship at New Life Community Church, which is literally right down the street from the West Campus. I feel like God planned our move to the West side in ways that we could not have foreseen, and it has worked out perfectly.

Living in the dorms over the summer allowed me to get to know people from New Life, a church that I now call home. I have made so many amazing friends through bible study and volunteering with the youth group. There was never a dull moment in my summer because of them and I praise God for that.


In June, I went to Seattle for 2 weeks. I extended my stay by a week because there were so many fun and exciting things to do and 1 week was just not enough time. I caught up with old friends, some of whom I have not seen in years. I learned to knit & got in touch with my crafty side, and I have been on a creative roll ever since.

In July I started my job at the Teaching Resource Library, another blessing from God that was an answered prayer. I had been looking for a job for over a year and had lost all hope when I got the position.

And in August, only 1 week ago...I GOT A CAR! My grandma was kind enough to fix up my Uncle's unwanted Chevy Blazer for me and ship it out to Arizona without me knowing. Having a car will change my life in so many ways. I can drive to the grocery store whenever I need something, drive to church, drive to Lars' host family's house to visit him, and drive to my internship. The mobility is so freeing and even though I was 20 years old when I got my first car, it was worth the wait because it's such a great car! Lars & I have named her "Henrietta", after the town my grandma lives in.

Looking back on my summer, I can see so clearly all the ways that God has blessed me and answered my prayers. I can't wait to see what this upcoming school year will bring, and I am looking forward to updating you all about my adventures!

Always On the Move.

Today I moved to another room within my dorm building. Down the hall, down the elevator 1 floor, across the skybridge...I made this trip about 50 times today as I moved all of my stuff from one room to the other. Moving is exhausting business, I tell ya. Not only is there the physical exhaustion of heaving everything you own to a new location (actually, I used a grocery cart that was sitting in the parking lot), but there's the emotional exhaustion of leaving a place that you've gotten so familiar and used to. Even though I only lived there for 3 months, I really liked my old setup and so it is strange looking out the window and seeing a different view.
I am the only one here so far. My other roommates haven't arrived yet. It's nice being able to relax and set up the place without worrying about everyone seeing the messy process of it.
In a way, moving is very thrilling. The sense of moving on to a new place inspires you to shake things up a bit, to get rid of things you don't use or don't need, and to rearrange your life while you have the perspective to do so. I have done a lot of moving in the last 4 years (11 times if you count moves between rooms in the same building). So it's a good thing I enjoy it, I guess.

a cloudy day.

Sometimes...



all you need



is a little silliness.

A few of my favorite things

1. Succulents - They are my favorite plant. I don't usually like desert-y looking plants, but these look so modern and plump and adorable that I can't help myself.



2. Etsy.com - I am browsing on this site every time that I get the chance. I just bought these lovely stickers from the etsy shop 1canoe2:


3. The Cookies and Cream Chick-fil-A milkshake - You seriously can't beat it as a frosty and slightly textured treat.


4. Sunday Afternoons- Usually it's my baking day and the day that I hang out with Lars after church!


5. The slightly cloudy days we have been having lately in Arizona.


And...a few of my least favorite things (they don't get pictures because I hate them so much):

1. Messy kitchens - I am a bit of a clean freak.

2. Tuna Fish - I can't stand the smell and I will never ever EVER like it!

3. Getting up early - I am NOT a morning person.

4. Loud people - I hate excessive loudness, or being able to hear my roommate from across the apartment or clanging around in the kitchen. I value my space, and peace & quiet when I'm trying to focus on something.

5. The gym - I hate working out in a gym. I feel like everyone gawks at you. I would rather be out in the open, doing an activity like biking, hiking, walking or swimming.

Random July Update

So...I finally bought one of the swimsuits mentioned on this post. I got the black one :) It's classic, black, and oh-so-retro! I consider it an investment piece because I can see myself wearing it for many summers ahead.

Lars is finally back from High School camp in California. I definitely missed him while he was gone. It's just not the same when he's not around. I love my bear so much <3 While he was gone, I mostly just worked, did some knitting and cooking. I also got to see some friends, such as Alyssa, which was a ton of fun. I got to see her apartment and meet her little dog, Margot!

Work is going pretty well. I have been there for 2 weeks. Please pray that my coworkers and I will continue to get along over the course of this year. Our personalities have been clashing occasionally and I really want to put differences aside and make our work environment a great one :)

Can I just say how much I love stand-up comedy? I just watched Steve Byrne on Comedy Central and I was laughing so hard I almost cried. There's something about a great comedy routine that reminds me of a great sermon, because in my opinion a great sermon needs to include some humor. That's why I love Mark Driscoll, he always makes me laugh.

New job + Creativity

Yesterday I started my new job at the Teacher Resource Library on-campus. It's only a 5-minute walk over there, and the job is exactly my cup of tea: organizing children's literature and reading a few books here & there as I go :) The library isn't open for customers right now since it's summer and all, but come August I will be giving tours of the library for class groups that come in, and checking out camera equipment for those who need it. It's a great job and I feel so blessed to have it! It's going to prepare me really well for teaching and since most of the teacher clubs and honor societies meet in our study area, I will probably end up joining a lot of those clubs!

I have discovered that I am a creative person. I guess I always have been, but lately I have this unquenchable need to do creative things. They make me feel more alive. They are great way of preventing boredom & I feel like I am doing something productive rather than just watching TV all day. I went through a cooking phase for a long time, and currently I am in the thick of a knitting phase. Here's a hat I recently knitted for Lars:



Next on my creative hobby to-do list (in no particular order):
*Drawing (with some really good markers and quality paper)
*Pottery
*Sewing
*Cake/cupcake decorating

I have been browsing on Etsy lately, and I really love seeing some of the creative work that other people are doing in the world. Here are a few of my favorites:






Lace Bag by tortillagirl













Set of 3 Micro Tiles by elementcaystudio











Cute drawing by ashley g.









Baby Skull Necklace by Michelle Chang Jewelry


















Inspiring photography by urbandesign











Penelope the Empathetic Monster knitting pattern by dangercraft









So....what are YOUR latest obsessions?

First week back

I've been back in Phoenix for about a week now. Funny story...as soon as I got my baggage and gave Lars a big hug upon his arrival, we walked out the sliding doors into the parking garage and WHAM! A huge blast of oven-hot Phoenix air came at me and Lars said my eyes got huge. I said "Oh. Em. Gee." I was just not used to it after 2 weeks of cloudy weather in the 60's.

But I have gradually gotten used to it. It actually feels sorta nice to walk out in the hot weather after being indoors in the A/C all day. I have also been getting back into the swing of things with my life in Phoenix. On Friday, I saw Eclipse for a second time with Lars and our friends Alyssa and Phill. Then, the next day we went to night church, saw his parents, and then out to the Cheesecake Factory with a big group of people celebrating our friend's birthday. On Sunday we had a more chill day, but since it was 4th of July we decided to go over to Jon and Cherie's apartment for some yummy BBQ and a rousing game of "Settlers of Catan", a game kinda like Risk. We all got really into it and made enemies, it was hilarious!

A book that I read recently and really enjoyed was "The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner", lent to me by Heather, a really nice girl in my bible study. For all you Twilight fans out there, it's a must-read because it shows a different perspective than Bella's on the events that happen in "Eclipse":Now I better get back to studying for my big test this weekend. I keep getting distracted because of reading the above book (in one sitting), working on knitting a hat for Lars, cleaning my apartment, and a plethora of other excuses. There's always something ;)