Can't you just hear His belly laugh now?

Have you ever been waiting for a phone call or an email that you know is going to change things? I've spent a great deal of my summer waiting on two - an email whether I got CLUES mentor or not and whether or not my second major (International Studies) had been declared or not. I got both forms of communication this week. While I did get the opportunity to be a CLUES mentor (yay!), I was informed that no major declarations are being put through until October. How uncool.

All summer I've been doing a lot of questioning about this whole declaring a major thing. It just seems so definite, unchangable. I was hoping to take the easy way out with this decision as I've been hoping it just going through and my advisor would put me in a certain class I really need to take this semester but most likely won't. Then I wouldn't have to worry so much...

I do though and now I'm stuck scrounging around to figure out what I'm going to do this fall. I'm stuck. Howdy has just bailed on my search by letting me know at 7am it will no longer work until it opens Monday for registration. Okay, well, at least it can still help me for the next few hours. No. Howdy just turned its back on me by not loading. I've got some options I researched last night, but it all comes down to if I really want to stick with these majors or not.

Options:
Spanish & International Studies (Government & Diplomacy) majors
Spanish & International Studies (Communications & Media) majors
Spanish & Journalism minor
Spanish & Journalism & History Minors*

*If you're wondering, I'm not really planning on dropping any classes that I already have for this semester due to me having to add more classes already and I'll be 3 hours away from a History minor no matter what.

The "plan" (Man, I love when I can practically hear God's deep gut-wrenching belly laugh whenever he hears me say that. It reminds me that I'm not really in control.) is to get my teaching certificate after I graduate no matter what which will take about a year. Then I'm hopefully going to grad school for Journalism.

If I declare both majors though, I'll be in undergrad an extra 6 months causing me to graduate in December. That's not bad. Then there's the year of becoming teacher certified which is kind of my back up for everything (although if I chose the Span/Jour/Hist option, I'd have more choices). Grad school looks like it's about 2 years for a MA in Journalism. Sigh.

This is mainly just a written flow of the thoughts that have been weighing upon my mind this summer as I question everything I've done for the past 2 years. Having said that though, if you have any advice, I'd love to hear it.

Needing a Good Read? Great!

The last few days have been really sweet with seeing some amazing friends of mine. However, I have something different to share with you today.

I was just reading the latest blog on Blood:Water Mission's site. It got me to thinking of a novel I read earlier this year. I've been wanting to do some book reviews for awhile and I think this is a good time to start and a great novel to start with.

The Calling by Elizabeth Hankins is a book that captivated me on my December travel to Acuña, Mexico. Here's the synopsis which you can find on the authors website:

Chicago Tribune columnist Mera Kaine has overcome tremendous abuse and pain — experience that’s made her a passionate champion of human rights. But when her best friend’s religious ambition turns to violence, Mera is left with a dark secret that keeps her running — right into the war-ravaged villages of Southern Sudan where she uncovers an epic conspiracy at the hands of a militant government and its sponsoring energy consortium. Then, just as unexpected hope finds her, Mera must choose between the life she’s always dreamed of and a final, deadly act that could help liberate a people.

I strongly suggest that you go read this if you have any interest in Africa for sure. I really enjoy reading, but rarely get drawn into the point where I'm captivated in such a way that I can't put it down. I must attempt to do every other daily routine action while engulfing myself in the literature. That is how I felt about The Calling. I finished in January. It is almost August and I'm still seeing the images I conjured up in my mind as I was reading and meditating on the words Elizabeth Hankins penned that cut down to my soul. Incredible. Go, grab a cup of tea and sit in your favorite comfy chair and read this. You won't regret it.

Surviving Life as a Princess is Hard Work!

I survived both Princess Parties with 30 minutes of sleep going into the first. I'm not going to be talking about them here. Something happened at one of them that literally breaks my heart. Please pray for that. Please pray for the situations that daughter of the King is in.

Coming out of them though, I feel like I have a lock-in hangover. I spent the greater part of today curled up on the couch watching Monsterquest on the History Channel. I was perfectly content to sit there unmoving for hours on end as I rested.

Better rest up, I'm going shopping with Maryum tomorrow and I'm falling asleep writing this. Goodnight.

I Really Should be Asleep...Why Am I Awake?

Edit: It's 4:08AM and I can't sleep. This just can't be good.


I'm working two Princess Parties (Girly Lock-Ins) back to back. Exciting. Will I survive? We'll find out Friday morning at 6AM.

If you haven't been to a Borders lately, go. I've got some great book suggestions if you need a good read. Also, try their Cold-Brewed S'mores Mocha. I'm not always a fan of iced coffee because like most beverages with ice, the amount of ice versus the amount of beverage is wildly unequal. I enjoy a good Cold-Brewed S'mores Mocha though. It's currently my favorite coffee beverage.

I'm slowly succumbing to the idea of getting Twitter. To tweet or not to tweet? Thoughts?

Also, I finally added all my Nicaragua photographs to facebook. You might want to check them out. I miss it there.

Breakfast Cereal Breakup

Dearest Fruit Loops,

As you know, my favorite time of day are the wee hours of the morning when no one else is awake except by force of having to go to a class. During this time, I meet you with a tea in the 12th Man and usually my planner to go over what needs to be done. Well, over the past month I have met a new friend. I know some mornings I wouldn’t eat breakfast with you and you’d get jealous of my other choice, Cheerios. Well, Cheerios and I met at Target a few weeks ago. Since then, we’ve been inseparable.

Don’t get me wrong, your fruity taste is still great. However, Cheerios has made me an offer I can’t refuse. Cheerios has changed for me and gotten a fabulous new fruity taste itself and is winning my love like no cereal ever has before. I know you have put up a good fight with your golden bars, but it just didn’t resonate with my taste buds as much as we both would have liked.

Don’t think of this as the end of all breakfasts together, but know that there is a new cereal that is satisfying my taste buds for the time being. Fruity Cheerios and I are great new friends.

A Firm Believer in Breakfast,
AKarlen



Is it weird that I really do feel like I’m cheating on Fruit Loops?
Fruity Cheerios are just so good though!

Sunshine through the Rain

The last couple of days have been really good:
+ Enchiladas Verdes at El Dorado with Mom, Lori and Aunt Pat. Yum!
+ "24th" Sleepover with TeeJay, Lori, Angie and Erinn. Painting, White Elephant and The Long, Long, Trailer. Oh, and quite a bit of food.
+ Mom and I have been cleaning out the "baby" toys from Lori's closet. She's been reading us stories like the 6 Chinese Men that she finds in there. It's been fun(ny).

Went up to CS today to check on two potential roommates. I had a peace leaving CS, now the peace has subsided. There is a lot of prayer in its place though as I am anxious to find out who will end up in the room.

On the bright side, it was sunny and rainy when when we were driving into my neighboorhood when we got home. There was even a rainbow. How beautiful!

My Heart Has Been Stolen By The Band

Things lifeplanwise are looking up. I still don't know what I'm doing, but I'm more okay with that tonight. Coffee, friends and a bit of Jesus are all great things.

Some of y'all know, or do y'all?, that I am a David Crowder Band fan. [As well as a fan of blogspot and the way that your internet can shut down on you in the middle of writing something, but it saves your entry, so you don't have to start over. How thoughtful.] They are just plain cool. They have a xanga and a keytar. Need I really say more?

I'm even a fan of theirs on facebook, which is saying a lot because I'm not a facebook fan of just anything - although I do enjoy hot showers and chocolate chip cookies. I think I'm a fan because of their humor. It's very me. I'm going to stop rambling with how I love DC*B so much, because it's starting to be a tad embarrassing. Almost as much as me just going to look up the spelling of the word "embarrassing" to make sure it's correct.

Either way, you should really watch this video: DC*B's Rockumentary 4: Twitter Will Kill You:


Ironically currently listening to: Home - Shawn McDonald