A good reminder.

Sometimes I have such self doubt about myself! Mainly about school. I know I'm smart, but I just am always doubting myself as to why I'm in grad school and can I really do this (even though I've been doing grad classes for over a year now)? Tonight in My Utmost for His Highest it was talking about the call of God. When God calls you to live for him and to share Him. I know that this degree is part of my call from God, I'm being called to be a steward of his earth and in the process to share him with others! And I wouldn't be here if it wasn't in God's plan, and everything will come together and I can do this! I am a smart woman with good ideas and thoughts! And I have God on my side, who can be against me if he is for me?

"If a man or woman is called of God, it doesn’t matter how difficult the circumstances may be. God orchestrates every force at work for His purpose in the end. If you will agree with God’s purpose, He will bring not only your conscious level but also all the deeper levels of your life, which you yourself cannot reach, into perfect harmony."

~Oswald Chambers
My Utmost for His Highest
September 29

Food allergy bullying, are you serious?!

I read this article this morning from CNN. First of all how awful that these poor kids with food allergies (especially peanut being that its one of the most common allergies and usually one of the most deadly) have to go through this! Kids are so mean and intolerant of anything different! What does it say about our society that children aren't learning to care for each other and watch out for each other, instead they "tease" others with things that could potentially kill? Its so disturbing! I'm glad I didn't have any food allergies until high school when I could understand my allergy and stand up for myself! These poor little ones can't be expected to know everything about their allergy, sure than can learn what they can and can't eat, but they should be expected to have to stand up for themselves just for a simple thing like a food allergy!

And then I read through the comments on this article. Oh my gosh, I was disgusted by what people had to say! Kids with allergies is just natures way of getting rid of the weak ones?? Are you kidding me?? Kids have no right to be in public school if they have allergies?? Again, are you kidding me?? A child has every right to go to any school! And allergies are recognized under the ADA 1990, so schools have to accommodate. Believe me I know, I had to work with my college to get gluten free options in the cafeteria just so I could eat something besides salads!

Also food allergies are a medical condition that a child or a person cannot help! They don't intentionally say oh I'm gonna be allergic to peanuts or to gluten or strawberries. Its just something their body cannot tolerate! They're not looking for attention! I HATE when people point out that I can't eat something! that is one of my biggest pet peeves, yeah I know what I can and can't eat, I hate being singled out for my diet restrictions! And these poor kids being bullied are just trying to not only deal with normal kids problems but also with diet restrictions which is a very stressful thing, and unless you have them you can't know how stressful sometimes!

I just was so disgusted with what this article brought to light and then I when I read the comments, oh my Lord, I couldn't take it! People with food allergies are not weak or sick, we are just like any other person! We just can't eat a certain thing! We don't want special treatment, we just want to be able live our lives like every other person wants to!

I'm sorry, I just had to have my little tangent about this issue, I just couldn't hold it in after reading all that! And being a person with diet restrictions, this issue is very dear to my heart!

What I wore today: presentation skills

Today was my second presentation this quarter. It was a group one so I wasn't as nervous as I was for my first one last week. It went really well, the class loved it. Anyway I thought I'd throw on something cute since we were up in front of everyone talking, nothing fancy, just cute. 

Top: H&M

Cami: Target

Jeans: !it 

Bead Necklace: hand painted glass beads from Kenya (present from sis in law)

Silver Necklaces: Tiffany (the K was my 21st birthday present and the love knot was Christmas present) (I always wear these two necklaces, they seldom leave my neck)

a quick visit.

Last night my big brother and his wife stopped in Savannah on their way home to Seattle (they are moving back there from DC, lucky ducks). So we had dinner at a restaurant on the river last night. Then this morning we did early breakfast before they took off for their next stop. It was so nice to have familiar faces even if it was only for a little bit; and nice to have people to talk to about stuff other than school! I still haven't quite connected with anyone here, so its still a struggle, but I'm staying positive because I'm here for school, thats what this year is for. I didn't make it to church today because I didn't sleep at all last night so after breakfast I came straight home and fell asleep for a couple more hours. So next week I'll try the church right in down town, I think there will be a lot of people my age there so I might see about signing up for a small group. Anyway, thats all. Just a blog to check in. I'll try and put up some outfit posts this week, I was so exhausted last week for reason so kept forgetting! Hope you all had a great weekend!

I need to see it and do it!

Oh boy, this theories of sustainability class is going to be a tough one. I can't stand theories classes, or philosophy classes. I don't learn by discussing and talking. I learn by seeing and doing something. Hence why I went into a creative career path. I also hate talking, so hate discussing everyday because I can't think of things to say fast enough because I like to absorb what others say around me and think about it, then I might have something to say or I might not.  I don't think I'm the normal graduate student. I think I learn very differently from the others in my classes and this quarter is going to be a tough one. I'll be glad when its over and I can start doing classes that actually use my skills as an interior designer and I'm actually creating something. ok back to this reading that is making absolutely no sense at all.

homesick for my babies

I think the hardest part of not living in Seattle is that I don't get to see my kitties. In LA we got two kitties almost immediately after moving there so I had them to fill the kitty shaped hole in my heart. But I can't have cats where I'm living now. I hate it, I've always had animals in my house so it weird to not have any around! I wish the US had cat cafe's like Japan! Then I could get my fix of kitty loves. 

Stella

Sven

Tibby (my baby boy)

I wish I had one to cuddle right now. :( 

Do you think I could hide a kitten in my room? 

Or maybe mom will send my Tibby, he'd be happy just lazing on my bed all day!

Peace

source

What I wore today: Sunday best

I hadn't worn this dress yet, and I got it  way back in the winter! I think because when I was in Seattle it was still too chilly to wear it and then I forgot about it! I love it though!

yeahhh I don't know what that face is...

dress: Modcloth

Shoes: Nine West

The beach is always the answer.

After feeling discouraged all week, I took myself to the beach today for a few hours! Being at the beach always clears my head, and today as I was sitting there thinking I realized that this next year is going be a year of learning to be ok with myself. I've never really had to truly do everything on my own before. When I lived in LA I always had the girls to go do stuff with, even simple things like running errands. And before that in college of course there was always someone around! I've never had to always be with just myself before. So I think that is my challenge from God for the next year, learn to be ok being by myself.

I think it'll help me in the future as more and more of my girlfriends get married and start having kids because I'll have to be ok sometimes just being with me. I don't foresee myself being married even within the next 5 years. And not like I'm choosing not to be, I just don't foresee that in the near future, one day, but not soon. And thats ok, I'm learning how to do things on my own! I took myself to the beach today which I would have never done even just a month ago! And I was fine just sitting and reading my homework and listening to my ipod! I was ok!

This will be a challenge though, not having people always around, even though I'm quiet I thrive off others around me! And I'm not saying I won't try and make friends this year. of course I hope to! But the main thing I'm focusing on is getting this degree done as fast as possible and getting good grades, so that won't leave a ton of time for socializing. So I'm starting this next week with a positive outlook! And my goal is to go sit at one of the coffee shops in town for an afternoon while I work on homework! One way to keep my spirits up is to just get out of my apartment!

Hope your weekend is starting out nice!

p.s. commenters, if you don't have anything nice to say, please don't say anything at all! I don't care for your opinion on my life, because you obviously don't know me at all!

one week down...nine more to go.

Is it bad that I'm already counting down how long it is until I go home for Winter break? Its fine here (I think I like the classes, although I wish the program was geared a bit more towards just architecture/interiors and not general design but what can ya do), I just don't know anyone and its been really hard to meet people, even having small classes and being in the same classes with most people hasn't helped much. I try really hard to engage people in conversations but I'm not the greatest small talk/chatty person, so putting me in rooms with totally new people isn't just outside my comfort zone its like twenty thousand bagillion comfort zones away!
And I just haven't connected with anyone in the classes, you know how usually there's like one person you just kinda click with, but that hasn't happened. So anyway I'm feeling terribly lonely at the moment and missing everything familiar! I have moments each day when I just start crying for no reason really. I think I'm going to be brave and go to church alone Sunday, hopefully there will be people in their mid twenties there that I can connect with. I'm planning on going to the beach tomorrow because I just need to get out of my room! If its not a good beach day I'll head downtown and hang out at a coffee shop for a bit I guess and do some homework.
I'm just feeling so lost and don't know what to do with myself! I only have one class each day so my days don't get filled up and leave lots of time for me to just sit in my room all alone. At least I'll have good grades this quarter from having tons of time for homework! heh. I'm trying to stay positive about all of this, and I know this is the right program for me, its just hard being somewhere with anyone you know and with nothing familiar. But I'm here, and I'm trying.

What I Wore Today: 2nd first day of school outfit

Today is my second first class...if that makes sense. So here's what I put on today!

Top: Forever 21

Shorts: Ruche

Sandals: from Florence, Italy (present from mom)

What I Wore Today.

I want to try and start posting more of my outfits on here! One of my goals this school year is to dress cute everyday, or as much as humanly possible, I'm sure I'll have my jeans and tee days. I also thought it'd just give me something to do while I have nothing to do until I start meeting people and what not.

So here is my first outfit. Its my first day of school outfit. (when I was in elementary and middle school my mom always took a first day of school picture in the morning, so I thought this was a nice nod to her).

dress: Marshalls

Shoes: Bellagio Italy (present from mom)

Bracelet: hand crafted in Whistler, Canada (also present from mom)

Sorry for the bad pictures, but I only have myself to take them...I'll try and figure out a better way to do it. :) Oh and sorry for the messy room, I'm still organizing it all. Hope all of you who are in school like I am are having a great time! I'm feel overwhelmed and excited and scared and lonely all at once here in Georgia. Hopefully in a couple weeks things will fall into a routine and I'll find my place here. For now its all new and I don't have anyone I know here so its all feeling very big! But I'm staying positive because I know this is where I'm supposed to be!

Things to be thankful for today:

I get to have slow mornings getting ready for class!
My classes are in the building right next to my apartment!

First night in my new place.

I am so exhausted from the past week of craziness!!! Driving for 5 days then getting into Savannah and exploring and shopping and moving in yesterday and finishing today! I just hope I sleep well tonight in my new room! I'm glad classes start tomorrow, I wouldn't know what to do if they didn't! Mom and dad flew out tonight which was kinda scary just because being left all alone in a new place is always scary! But I'm going to meet all the people in my program tomorrow so hopefully there will be some friendly ones! And in just two weeks my brother and his wife are coming to visit for a day or two on their way driving back to Seattle! And then in just a month and half Ashlee and Heather and Janelle will be here! yay! Then I'll be flying home two weeks after that! phew! It'll be a busy quarter, but thats good, hopefully I won't be lonely at all! I'll try and get pictures of my little room up soon, its looking about as good as it can I think. Well anyway, I'm probably going to crash soon, at least I don't have to be up super early for classes (my 8AM was changed to 11AM)! hooray!!!

Goodnight all, hope your weekend was awesome!

Finally some pictures...

But my mom's camera has all the exciting ones...and it won't let me download her pictures. humph. Anway tomorrow I move into my apartment and have my orientation for school. Its still all very surreal, it won't sink in until my parents leave on Sunday, then I'll freak out! lol.

Montana

Montana

Uhhh Kansas City?

St. Louis

Tybee Island (Savannah)

yeah I'll be at the beach if you need me! ;)

Once I can get mom's pictures I'll put up the good ones! 

Hope you all have a good weekend, mine is going to be crazy! And then classes start Monday! Oi Vay!!!! It's been three years since I've sat in a real class room! This will be weird!

road trip pt.1

So we've been getting into our stops rather late each night and its just wayyyy too much work by that time to upload photos. Lol. Hopefully I'll have the energy/brain power tomorrow to put up some pictures. We'll see...

So far we've come through Washington (duh), Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Iowa and now Missouri. Tomorrow night is Nashville then onto Savannah Wednesday! yay!

Hope you all had a great Labor Day weekend!

Road trip!

Have I mentioned lately that I'm moving? To GEORGIA!!!!! We leave bright and early tomorrow morning for our five day drive across the country. I'll try to put up pics each night when we stop, hopefully all the hotels will have internet!

I've been so busy packing and cleaning these past couple of days! And I think everything is going to fit in my car! I was super worried I'd have to leave a bag of clothes behind, I would have cried because yes my wardrobe is that important to me. But dad and I got all the major bags in last night, so now its just last minute things and a few other odds and ends here and there! I'm hoping the trip will be nice, I'm sure there will be moments when I'd rather get out of the car and walk than ride with the parents; but what kid doesn't have those moments? Mom and I do well on road trips together, I haven't been on one with dad since I was little, so we shall see.

I'm already getting sad about leaving my baby kitties. Yes I know I total cat woman, but I seriously don't care, they're my babies and I'm not ashamed! I will proclaim my love for my cats anytime! I really wish I could bring Miss Stella with me, but no animals in my apartment. :( I always miss my Mr. Tibby, I'm the only one who truly understands him (she's says as he attacking her hair). And Sven and I have become quite good friends this time 'round (we used to have irreconcilable differences). I'm an animal person so hate when I have to live without them.

Well anyway, off to run last minute errands then back to pack up the rest of my stuff! I'll hopefully be back tomorrow night with a run down of our first day!

Georgia here I come!

Mom's baby quilt makeover.

So when we were cleaning out the attic this past weekend we found mom's baby quilt. It was so sad and the quilted front was falling apart and the back had huge worn out spots, but I figured we could find new fabric and applique the old patches to it and then just sew it on as the front! I couldn't let all that awesome vintage fabric get thrown away! So we found some really cute fabric as the front and then got some more to patch up the back with. Unfortunately I forgot to take before pictures because I'm a total space case this week with packing and everything, but just imagine the front of the quilt with poor sad little squares hanging on for dear life and huge, gigantic holes everywhere! The back wasn't as bad, it just had some holes but we kept that fabric since it was still in pretty good shape.

It's not perfectly sewn, there's some wonky areas because I haven't really sewn something this large before so had a hard time keeping it straight! oh well, it still looks way cute and it saved the quilt from getting thrown away! I LOVE the cowboy fabric on the back, I think its hilarious that mom's great aunt used that for a baby girl! Plus its just plain awesome. And I think the cloud patches on the back look cute, and the blue fabric really sets off the red well and works with all the old fabrics well too. Anyway, that was my project this week before moving. I think I'm really starting to enjoy this whole sewing thing! I'll have to buy myself a sewing machine after I'm done with school next year!

Tomorrow we finish packing everything up (that God it's all going to fit in the car) and then Saturday morning we are off! GAHHH!!! Its so crazy, but I'm excited! Hope everyone's week is going well.

Happy Project Runway night (Thursday)!