Ventation

I’m almost done with week-one of school. :-) I’ve wanted to post a blog almost every night this week but when I would sit down to write, words wouldn’t come to me. I have had a much harder time adjusting than I expected.
Even though I’ve known that I’d be attending VVC this semester, it has really “hit me” now that it’s a reality. The reason for me staying home seemed so logical to me before, but now I am constantly trying to rework my decision. Hindsight is always 20/20 right? Life certainly does not go according to plan. I think that should be the theme of my blog as it seems that every few blogs I post have something to do with plans and expectations!
It’s hard to put raw emotions into written form, especially when it’s on the internet. Basically here is the gist of my life for the past week: I attend VVC. I’d rather not. I have applied for many jobs, none have worked out. I feel kind of lonely. I’m a little on the angry/discontent side even though I know that God has me here for a reason. I’m slowly learning that God really needs to be enough. I need to rely on Him first and foremost. :-)

Wow, this is great therapy! Thanks for reading my venting post.
Much love!
Natalie

P.S. after a quick edit of this post I realize that 10% (I did the math) of the words used include some form of the word “I.” Ugh, perhaps (I) should work on being a little less concerned about (my)self!

Road-Trip! (Apple Valley -- Odessa, TX)

I am currently sitting on a nice clean hotel bed in Odessa, Texas. The road-trip has been a delightful experience so far! It’s my first road-trip with people other than my immediate family or grandparents, and also the first trip in which I have been an active participant in the decisions and responsibilities that go along with traveling. Yesterday was full of talking, laughter, singing, and music. We traveled from home to Albuquerque, New Mexico which took about 12 hours total. That’s including stops for gas, restrooms, driver swapping, and a few wrong turns thanks to Maggie the GPS who decided to take a vacation from functionality.

Along the way we have collected quite a variety of splattered insect intestines and have created a thorough video commentary to be published at a later time. We’ve also tried to document the every changing terrain. Some plants have been quite astonishing: a certain shrub that can be found thickly along the highway just south of Albuquerque is quite unique. When I was finally able to focus on these shrubs (during a lull in the usually excessive speed of a certain cousin of mine) I was able to discern that these plants are not shrubs at all! Instead, they are black cactus! Quite an astounding thing to realize! Perhaps this discovery means more to me because I was, at the time, quite trapped in the back of a Ford Focus.

Another discovery that was made by Autumn and I is this: breakdowns in communication are likely to occur after excessive amounts of time spent in such close quarters! A quick anecdote to prove my point: While discussing the stupidity of drug use I jokingly admitted to secretly doing meth in my “underground laboratory.” Unfortunately this phrase was taken as my “Undergrad Lavatory!” After we deciphered our communication error, we had a great cramp-inducing belly laugh. These communication flubs, among other things have been the source of many laughing spells which include snorting, eye-watering, and muscle spasms.

I am full of other comments but must refrain from writing more as it is now about 1am Texas time and my slave-driver cousin insists we leave by 8am. I have been taking many pictures and videos of the trip and hope to have a video posted shortly after I return home.

Much love to all my friends who are moving back to college this weekend!