Day to Day

I apologize for the relative quiet-ness around here.

Sometimes things are more difficult than I imagine them to be.

Sometimes just life in general is more difficult than I imagine it to be.

And right now I am just getting by.

Day to day to day.

My Life in Pictures

Here is what the most recent piece piece of life has looked like for me.

I learned to curl this short hair of mine. Woo! 

I then headed back down to school, for sunsets like this one.

Spent many long hours at the office, finishing up Cancer Biology.

And many long hours in the lab.

Got to spend time with much of my Nepal team. Like Kalah!

And much time with this newlywed, also Kayla!

In this photo, she had just purchased her #mugswap goods!

Had many a great late-night chat with treasured friends, like Paul, about what God did this summer. It is so humbling to learn the same things of God's character, one from the perspective of Nepal and one from Minnesota.

Housesat for a few nights. Lived the dream in Glendora.

Was sure to send many OOTD (Outfit of the Day) pictures to Kim before she fled the country.

Sent this to my mom the minute I finished my final paper.

Took this when I walked out of the final, signifying my finishing of Cancer Biology. 

Can we take a moment to reflect?

Woo!

Spent a few more days with some of my favorite people down at school, under evening skies like this one, before packing up and driving home. 

Spent one late Sunday evening organizing the details of Fantasy Football for this season. Including phone calls to the late night support staff at ESPN Online. 

I love nights like that one. 

So very very random.

And early Monday morning Fantasy team drafting at Starbucks, while one particular team owner worked slinging drinks while picking players. 

#bestdraftever

Lastly, I was caught looking to Rob Gronkowski for a little team inspiration. 

It is good to be home.

NorCal

Here's to the next four months up North.

And a song that's helped carry me through the last week of insanity.

And somehow I convinced myself that playing Fantasy Football again would be fun. 

When in reality, I have just committed to having to care about football for another season. 

Help.

In-Between-Ers

There are a few of us that are in a real weird season of in-betweens right now. Where you're kind of like, "hey, I have a lot going on!" while saying "hey, I feel like there is NOTHING going on in my life these days..." It's a weird place, let me tell you. 

But there is hope for us in-between-ers. We have come out of a season where so much learning has been done, and it is easy to jump right to regrets. Like, I regret not knowing what I know now back then. Or, I wish I had been shown just how to love people four years ago instead of just in the last few months. 

But in reality, us in-between-ers are being prepared. We have been shown, we have learned the hard way, and we have been made aware of things that our age and our pride try to keep us from seeing. But by the grace of God, we have been shown. 

Do you know someone who is in an in-between season of life right now? 

Remind them that our God is one of purpose and direction, and that even when we may feel like we are dilly-dallying the days away, He is at work. 

Do you know my old roommate, Kayla? She's great. She got married this summer, so she is looking at this in-between season from a little bit of a different perspective than I am, but it is a GOOD one. Check out her blog, it's a keeper. A cute keeper. 

She has been wrestling through 1st Peter 2:9 recently, and we got to have some real good discussion over that passage and some good wine last night. 

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." 1 Peter 2:9

Excellencies. The excellencies of God. I don't know that I can even digest all that that word entails. 

We've been called out of darkness into a marvelous light. 

If we are to dwell in the light, may we always keep a constant awareness of the darkness and He who called us out of it, and proclaim constantly the glories of His name. 

Tuesday Night Ramblings

Yesterday was challenging. It was a blessing to get to catch up with a teammate, and discuss the possibilities of what next summer may look like for the two of us. It was a delicate balance between getting caught up in planning and day-dreaming, and being in touch with reality and what is going on in front of me. I'm overwhelmed.

All I know is that I would give almost anything to be able to be in Kathmandu tonight. I would love to just be there. I don't like that there are two days of traveling between me and that place. 

It is good to be able to seek the Lord and what He has for the future, but it is so hard to then bounce back from those conversations and be completely content with where He has me. 

My class on the Biology of Cancer finishes this week. It's crunch time. 

Back to the Bay Area this weekend or beginning of next week. 

It's been wonderful to catch up with friends, and tell them about this summer and this year. It's been hard to tell them about Nepal, but it has been a great blessing to have peers that are so eager to hear everything, both the fun and the hard things. 

Join me in praying for our world tonight. For the places with such basic, visible need. And for the places that want not for survival, but need so much of Jesus. 

Happy Birthday BFF

Here's to you, my wise friend, Kim.

You've been the greatest over the years.

Miss ya.

The Icarus Account

Check this brother-band out. They are absolutely wonderful.

PureVolume is currently streaming their whole new album that has yet to be released.

Head here to check it out!

I personally recommend "Too Young For This Love".

And all the others.