the old woman

i was driving to school the other day at the Polytech campus. The ASU Polytech campus is about a 40 minute drive to the middle of nowhere. Half of the University property is still government land and the rest is under construction. Anyways, I was about halfway through my trip and I was caught in traffic on this road in the middle of nowhere. The sunset looked awesome over the wet desert as we've had storms the past few days as a foreshadowing of the soon coming monsoon season. What I noticed was a lady walking in between the two lanes. She had a bag flailing with her arms and she just looked lost, but as if she knew where she were going. I am going to call her Shannon.

So Shannon stopped for a minute and with a deep sigh embraced the sight of the sunset. Just cocked her head slightly and looked at it. Then she was back on her way. Arms flailing to the music in her head. And then I thought...maybe that's what resting in the LORD is. We all have our our beat and style on our journey, we have a mission and a way to go, and yet; we get times to rest with God and sigh while staring at the sunset. Needless to say, although it's been a long weekend full of hurt and too much trusting in humans, class wasn't so bad last night. And for a little bit, I felt at peace with God.

One more thing...HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMY!

why does rush hour have to go east on the 60 when i am going to class?!?

I had a pretty amazing end to winter break. After two weeks in Texas, I went to EDH (a town just outside of Sacramento) to spend some good quality time with my friend Katy. We got to tour the jelly belly factory, get scared by the infamous Bush man, and just chill.

After 5 days in Nor Cal, it was back to Tempe, AZ to spend 3 days cleaning the house and getting ready for school to start back up. So here I am. Day 4 into my 6th semester at ASU. This has been a crazy run so far. Normally you at least have one class on the first day that just hands out the syllabus and sends you on your way. Not so much this semester. Normally you also have a few classes that are purely test based. Again, not so much this semester. Sure there are tests, but there are also papers, journals, quizzes, discussion boards, readings...all for one of my six classes!

As of last night all of the roommates are finally moved in AND i officially changed my major to Art Studies. It's good because it allowed me to take one less hour and i may drop another class to get down to 16 for the semester. School is truly my main focus this semester so not much more is going on.

I miss my best friend so Tempe is different without her but I'll be ok.
A lot of friends got engaged over winter break..and i mean a lot of friends.
I plan on going on a 5 week mission trip over the summer that I am excited for.

New Year:: New staff photography site!

http://alicia.d.garcia.googlepages.com/home

i'm playing around with themes and such before i change the link to staffphotography.com again. Let me know what you think. also, if you have any photo storing and showing tips!

Oh yeah...Happy New Year!

playtime

52-34 suffication

We just couldn't handle them.

Next year.

Feliz Navidad!

Merry Christmas one and all! And congrats once again to Ryan and Val! glad i could be part of the grand occasion!

world traveler

Let's see, we were off to the Grand Canyon, climbed over the ledge. Then we dropped by the four corners and crossed into Colorado. Blew a tire in a small town, and still made it to the Glyn Eyrie castle in Colorado to talk to other Navigator student about the possibility of EDGE and what God is doing in our lives. What a busy three days!

What if Patrick Henry's famous words were really, "Live Free or Die Hard?"

The lights hang on the Christmas tree as it is flooded with candy canes, ornaments and polaroids of friends. We had our roommate Christmas on Sunday. It was a good time to just chill and spend time with each other. When did I become old enough to celebrate Christmas outside of Texas and my parent's home?

A lot of change is coming in this next semester. It's like the clouds in the Arizona sky. You know a storn is coming, but you can't tell if it is a gentle rain or monsoon on its way. I'm excited for it I suppose, yet like numerous other human beings i'm not always fond of change. I've got into a routine of things. I'd like to know if i'll be in seminary after college or even in the country.
I guess the reason i don't know is solely that I want to know and don't need to know. I never was fond of that phrase..."it's on a need to know basis." But that's how God works. He knows, we don't yet. deal with it.

But Christmas with the roommates was good. There was Christmas noodles and exchanging of gifts followed by Mexican train. couldn't ask for much better than that.

t-shirt idea

so one of my friends from high school is involved in this company and i pretty much think this is an amazing t-shirt!

So I Still Have Yet to Unpack from Thanksgiving

I have been so busy these past few weeks. This weekend I have been working loooong hours with the Rockettes. There are worse gigs out there i suppose, but now my feet ache as i prepare for bed. I have one final down and four to go! *whew* I haven't had the chance to catch my breath since Thanksgiving.

But as for work this past week, I was lucky enough to get to sit in on the Christmas Spectacular show a few times. It is amazing. I love watching theater. Someday I'd like to take my mom to New York to see the show. I think it is so amazing and how these people have the energy to keep going as they do is crazy to me. I think it is so cool how they briefly tell Christ's story at the end though. It gives me a reminder ever 2 hours and 50 minuates why I live how I do. Dance on Rockettes...dance on.

sweetness

tonight i ate a serving of pixy stix. In case you don't ave a bag by to look at...that is 7 pixy stix. and i wonder why my paper isn't done..hmmmm.

when being tired feels good

So I just returned from my 5th trip with Amor Ministries yesterday evening! I still remember Craig years ago constantly counting down immediately after finishing a trip until the next one out of his excitement! This trip was not with CBC as I grew accustomed to, but instead my new family of the ASU Navigators. We went on our annual road rally with brothers and sisters from the U of A, our rival school. It was such an amazing trip. God is constantly reminding me of his goodness and providence. After a last minute issue and us needing 3,000 more than originally planned for, God paid the bill. We had an amazing team working on a double house including two of our foreman below! (Drew left and Brian right)The house went fairly smoothly. It was funny to hear the Amor staff talk about "Army tent palace Crossroads" when they heard of the church I traveled to the Juarez location with. Erica and Jose Luis cooked a meal for our entire 60-man crew one day and I got to talk with my Bible study girls among others that i truly cherish. There is only one week left until the much needed break Thanksgiving provides, and i can't wait!

just call me jack

With halloween just out of the picture an illustration came to mind as my dad was talking to me on the phone earlier. he was talking about Chuck Swindoll's radio piece for the day and how God's grace presides over our trials. But there was one thing in particular he said. He said sometimes God has to carve out of us what he wants and uses those he breaks down the most later on.

It was this concept of carving that struck a thought. Carving isn't bad. You have a pumpkin and want to make it a jack-o-lantern...so you cut off the top (or bottom in some cases) and begin to carve out the seeds. You can use the seeds for other things later on, such as, baking them to eat and nourish one's body. And then once all of the seeds are out and you think you are done, there is the excess pumpkin inyards that still have to be removed. So you take the large metal spoona nd scrape the side of the walls, sometimes accidentally taking more of the wall than the goop, and keep going until it is all cleaned out.

(this is our house's pumpkin: Dierks Groban)

I feel like this is the process God is putting me through right now. I've been blindsighted by a few things these past two weeks from my best friend moving to health to not getting into the photo program after the head of the program told me i should be fine.

One thing after another. Seeds removed and then the walls scraped. I don't know what God is trying to teach me, but i'd be happy if he sped up the process a bit! haha.

The cool thing is...once all of the gunk is removed, the masterpiece begins and you carve out a new face to the pumpkin. Letting go of its old identity, the pumpkin has a new face.

On a good note i got an "A" on my Hebrew Bible essay!


Selah.

sparing meat

I feel like we can learn a lot from Rocky.
In the face of adversity:: he persevered.
.
With school lately I feel like I'm entered in a marathon leading in circles. I get lapped at times, but there is always the one kid with a cast and asthma behind me giving me the confidence to continue on. College is rough...but it is also four years of my life! this block of time is filled with questions after. What to do and be...I have no idea. I am 54 school weeks away from recieving a degree. That's insane!

*cracks open a few eggs and chugs them from a glass. Puts on biking gloves and beanie to go for a jog. Stops by the meat locker to punch a few cows and heads home to do the same the next day in preparation for the big duel. *

antsy

My head is full of thoughts...
My tummy is full of popcicles...
My fingernails are full of left over clay from my ceramics class...

I feel like redesigning the site.

Amsterdam's buyout offer bothers brothels

you gotta give a thumbs up to the mayor for trying. the people's reaction saddens me. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2007-10-07-redlight_N.htm

insomnia

Sooo....you know how you go to bed around 1 and then at 3:30 you give up going to sleep and update your blog? tonight is that night for me.

This is a very common site in our house (Casablanca). Vegas and Katy on the bed chilling as Katy plays maj jong.

A few nights ago we were all actually home and decided to take a family picture. We have one where we are all looking, but i felt like this more accurately displays our house at any given time. I love my roommates!

I bought a waffle maker finally! This is Wally. He is very happy here.

This was my first batch of waffles from Wally. Look pretty good if i say so myself (which i am). I even made the batter from scratch!

Tonight began the weeklong tradition of Katy's birthday celebration! My bible study came over plus the roommates to have dinner and dessert.

This is Katy's cake. Look closely...it's her face in the sprinkles!

And finally, here is Becca and me. I had a friend from Texas illustrate my idea for the Nav shirts and this is how they came out! I like them!

things that made me smile today

• i was pretty sure my bike tire was going to die on the way to school but it made it there and back.
• the weather today was 95 and beautiful. It was more of a pleasant bike ride.
• continuing with the weather, i had a test and finished fast so i was able to read my TanaKh (Hebrew old testament) with some Einstein's breakfast
• at breakfast, i saw Heather, Carol, Tim, Leila, and Steve
• i slipped and fell on my bottom in the middle of the between class rush. no one even noticed!
• class got out 30 min. early
• my photo professor actually likes my thesis photos!
• vegas attacked the UPS guy...a few weeks ago she attacked the mail-lady too! i'm beginning to think we need one of those 'beware of dog' signs. the mid-20-yr-old screamed and threw the package only to come in a minuate later laughing at himself as vegas continued to lick his calves.
• Vegas ran down the stairs but forgot to turn and rammed her face right into the wall. i felt bad, but that's pretty funny!

stream of consciousness

i know i haven't blogged in a while and it's not becasue i haven't wanted to but merely that i don't know how to verbalize life lately. My memory is starting to fade me. I don't remember things that went on in my life by the end of the day anymore!

All i know is my photo thesis to officially graduate as a photo major is due on the first.

I stink at ceramics. I come home two days a week covered in red clay.

I am a security guard but i may be looking for a new more consistant job.

my family went to Italy last week while i was stuck in class.

I turned 21 on labor day...it doesn't feel much different.

I miss Holland.

I am so excited to go back to philly and NYC.

max brenner.

the Bible study i'm leading started tonight and i am really glad about the girls that are in it

work schedualed me on friday when the navs meet...grrrr

i love Katy's dog Vegas. taught her a new trick today too.

there is nothing like a texas sunset at lake grapevine.

i miss lakes.

I think it is awesome my homework for my OT class is reading genesis and exodus!

i stink at painting.

i rant a lot.

i'm hoping the diamondbacks make playoffs.

i need to finish my reading for class.

goodbye.

Stripes

I painted for our kitchen today.

Rolly, Patch, Lucky, Pongo...

Tonight there is a monsoon in Arizona. And all i can seem to think about lying in my bed listening to the thunder is 101 Dalmatians. My sister Diana and I used to sneak out of our rooms whether we were sick or just couldn't sleep and always put on this same Disney film. We have fallen asleep on the old cracked green leather sofa more times than i could count waking up to a blue tv screen the next morning. I wish my sister were here to stay up for no apparent reason together. Out here is Arizona I find i miss my family more as time goes on. I think i just miss that aspect of still being a kid and not having rent or gasoline or food expenses. It's like when Christ takes us off the milk for solid food. Sometimes we want to go back to when we had it much easier, yet we all know we must move on. But still...we have some time to be a little ridiculous yet.

Happy Birthday Mom!