Autumn

Blogging is my artistic release. When I am most overwhelmed with thoughts, my first instinct is to write about it! Sometimes though, I can’t find time to blog, and my thoughts clog up like an unused ketchup bottle. It takes some pounding on the base of the bottle to get cohesive thoughts to form. So, here it goes:

Fall still hasn’t decided if it wants to come to Chico yet, but I’m praying that it’ll hurry up and decide! Here is a picture of a nearby street; I want to keep track of the color changes through the autumn.

I’ve loved living so near my cousins. We have some awesome moments.

And last blog topic for the day: my cousin Autumn, who is the closest thing to a sister to me, pledged her life to another this weekend. Everything about it was beautiful.

H2O Vs. NAP

Sometimes water is not my friend.

Contentment

In the last three days I have driven nearly the entire length of California! (Twice actually: it was a round trip.) It was a fairly spur-of-the-moment journey home, but well worth it. Not only did I have a wonderful, albeit brief, visit with family and friends, I also was able to accomplish some long overdue tasks. But the best part about this weekend, I think, is the fact that I didn’t dread returning to Chico. I was fine! Happy, even excited to get back to life here! This contentedness has surprised and pleased me. There’s nothing like embracing the season in the midst of living it!

100

This is my ONE HUNDREDTH blog.
To celebrate this momentous occasion, I decided to do a “blog in review” post.

Over the last 100 blogs I have:
moved 3 times
Changed my hair color 3 times
Changed my major 5 times (I am not proud of this one.)
Completed 85 college credits
Driven across the western region of the United States
Lost contact with many acquaintances
Made new ones
Read life changing books
Returned to Jr. High for a year of leadership
Had many, many, many conversations about the future
Critically reviewed popular media
Held 4 jobs – (Pray that it will soon be 5 for my savings account hates me!!)

I know there are more . . . but they are eluding me at the moment. I suppose I’ll just continue to edit this post as I think of additions.
Thanks to all who have actually read my unceasing banter and still love me.
Much Love,
Natalie

Endurance

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2

Un Mes

Tomorrow, September 7th marks the one month anniversary of my move to Northern California. As usual, time has both flown and crawled depending on the perspective I choose to take. The little “College Cottage” as it is named has turned into a fairly comfortable home. It is still sparsely furnished, but comfortable all the same. I’ve even begun to try the word “home” on for size. It takes some effort but it’s not a completely awkward term to use. That’s progress!

I still notice differences between the way of life here and the way of life at home, but they aren’t as prominent anymore. Life has settled into a routine of school, homework, cooking, cleaning, and laundry. I can’t decide if that’s a good thing or a bad thing!
Adria and I are still in the church-hunting phase, but I’m really looking forward to sticking with one and feeling at home there. There’s even a possible small-group opportunity opening up in the next couple of weeks! Yay!
Picture updates:

My sunflower is still alive!

Just for fun

Glamorous ingenuity

My new and improved vegetable steamer includes:

1. Small pot
2. Even smaller colander
3. Two strong metal forks
4. 1 cup vegetables

Oh yea, and a stylish lid:

Yields fairly decent steamed broccoli!

Classics and Coffee

This is how we spent nearly ALL of saturday afternoon.

LOVE

Class: Day 1

Today was the first day of class. Yes class; singular. I only have ONE class this semester! It’s such a change from any other semester! I’ve always carried a full load of classes, and this last summer was the first time that I didn’t take inter-term courses as well. I have every intention of being a full-time student again next semester at CSU Chico, however, that whole dilemma is an entirely different blog post to be written at another time.

I’m currently a student at the local Junior College (yet again, grrrr!)and I am taking one math course. My first impression of my professor is that there is a striking similarity between her and Mrs. Fowl in Jimmy Neutron, the children’s television show! She’s eccentric and animated and has even invented sound effects to accompany several math strategies! I spent a good deal of the class repeating this in my head: “don’t laugh, don’t laugh, don’t laugh!”

In the 50 minutes I spent in her class, she used an entirely new vocabulary to me. A quantity that is squared is called a heffalump! (Example: (x+y)^2 is a heffalump^2. Don’t ask me why! I don’t know.) To “cancel” out fraction and still have a factor of 1 is a Shizzam, and to “cancel” out a fraction to yield a zero is called a poof-gone.

What a character!

Neighbors:

Everyone has read or heard of the verse which says “love thy neighbor as thyself.” (Lev 19:18). Although I am fully aware that this verse does not speak solely about geographic neighbors, I find that it may become a verse which I need to pay special attention to in regard to my new neighbors. Our cute little “cottage” home is situation on a cozy street in Chico that also houses many young men whose pleasures are not what they ought to be.

I’ve had the honor of an invitation to a fake block party, and numerous BBQs. And while it is very considerate of them to extend the invitation to include me and my roommates, I feel like the main dish at these functions is not likely to be meat.

I have hope that many of these guys can be upstanding men that I can respect. But my experiences up until now have not been entirely positive. The guys I have met in passing so far seem to bring out my prickly side. . . and that is a side of me that I’m not fond of. Henceforth I will endeavor to be kind and firm and, well, neighborly!

Week 1

Today marks the one week anniversary of my move to Chico. As I mentioned in my last post, it has been quite a transition! I’ve moved from the barren desert to rich farmland. Everywhere I turn there are orchards of almonds, walnuts, and various fruit. The little peach tree in my backyard was even able to muster up one cute little peach to greet us this week. (Either that or some neighbor jumped the fence and stole all the others! I pray that’s not the case!)
I hadn’t noticed how much I value open space until I came here to find hearty vegetation blocking the view upward and outward. I suppose it won’t be too hard to get used to it because it really is quite beautiful.
Another marked difference between Chico and home is the farmer’s market. I think there’s a farmer’s market going on six days a week up here! It’s just normal to go to the market to buy local produce . . . I love it! My designated shelf in the fridge is overflowing with edible greens! Yum!
I’ve also started a workout regime with Adria and Aunt Penny at a nearby fitness center and I’ve works out several muscles that have been dormant for far too long! I’m feeling sore, but good knowing that I’m actually doing something proactive about food intake and weight loss etc.
Nearly every day has been full to the brim of activity which has been tiring but helpful in that it doesn’t allow me to meditate on any little twinges of home-sickness. When I first moved to San Diego, homesickness hit me around three weeks into the semester, so I guess I’ll get back to you on this topic in a couple weeks!
I also have been trying to get a job up here. So far, the search has been fairly half hearted due to all the newness of life up here. But today I began my search in earnest! I’m really hoping to be hired at a cute little shop in downtown that sells dishes and soap and chocolates and imported cheeses! Seriously, can any job seem more perfect!? I’ll promise to keep you updated about that if you promise to pray for me.

My little sunflower!

Mint

Basil

Transition

It may seem like I've boycotted my blog of late, but it has been entirely unintentional. I have been through a lot of transition in the last couple of weeks: my last week at work, all the goodbyes in the High Desert, a ten hour journey, all the greetings in Chico, moving into my house, meeting roommates, unpacking, job searching etc.

It has been an exciting and exhausting transition overall.

I'll try to write again soon!