heaven & co

Challenges
1. Complain less this week ... even about the little things.
2. More of Jesus, less of me.
3. Choosing to love others no matter the circumstance.


Prayers
1. Please pray for this week ahead of me [us]. I habitually think about the week to come when I'm still in the week before and I don't know if it's a good thing? All I know is that I scare myself when I think too far ahead.

Some days, I don't want to be around people .... like today. Its nothing bad but seriously, I should get away before it gets bad. Ha ha...

The weather today was a lot cooler than usual. People started pulling out sweaters already. It's the weird transitioning time between Summer and Fall. I think I like it ... but I just don't know if I'm prepared for it, both mentally and physically. I got a little cold today so I suggested that we try using our heater. It probably hasn't been used since last Winter so when I turned it on, a nasty burning scent came out and boy, it stank. Before I knew it, the alarm in our room was going off. What in the world! I didn't know what to do so I just freaked out. I was like, "Maiya, we have to go!" I was running around trying to grab my sandals while plugging my ears at the same time. Luckily enough, it was only the alarm for our room and not for the whole building. Boy, these girls would've been mad. haha! I'm glad we have windows as well. We were able to air out the air and all is well. So yeah, story of the day!

On a different note, I finished writing one of my papers and I'm almost done with the other one. Feeling quite accomplished, I should say. :)

I found a song today that encouraged me so much. It truly makes me smile knowing God is in control.

Nothing I Hold On To - Will Reagan and United Pursuit


Thanks for reading!

I actually love it a lot, regardless of the "fun." ;)

My daily schedule goes something along the line of this ....
7:00am - Wake up!
8-3pm - Classes all day, everyday! Lunch at 11-12pm.
3:30-5:00pm - Homework
5-5:30pm - Dinner
5:30 - 9pm - Homework, yup.
9pm - Running with Maggie
10:30ish - Shower and prepare for bed
12am - Hopefully laying in bed.

My roomie and I are literally laying on our beds with our laptops on our laps. It's just that kind of night and man, I sure do love it. I love the fact that I get to sleep in tomorrow, that I won't have to wake up until 11am, that I didn't have too much homework tonight. It's the little things .... :)

It's been a good week, guys.

I'm finally getting around to an "update" on this college craziness. Can't believe I've already spent three weeks here. Every time I begin an update blog post, I'm always at a loss for words, because I just don't know how to describe my time here so far. It's been good? It's been nice? What about bad? ha ha. I just don't know. So I decided that I was just gonna update with pictures starting from the most recent events back to move-in day! This may or may not be a long one...













- I always feel so warm when I get back to church and see all the youth. Reason has gotten so incredibly tall. So so tall and he's growing up so fast. I looked at him today and he was so handsome. The girl in his future is goin' to be one lucky gal!
- I've taken too many selfies ... more than I can count.
- I ate Hardees for the first time in my life the other day. Last week as we were driving back from church, I saw a new Hardees being built and I said, "What the! Who eats Hardees anymore?!" haha. Apparently, me. The best part? I got a combo meal for only 2 bucks.
- Gaoshouaaa .... she's so pretty. I was so scared to get to know her 'cause she looked mean, but she ain't! I truly love all the people here.

- That's a typical desk top for me. I find myself having to tidy it up often because I guess I'm a messy girl?
- Another unexplainable selfie. Just because!
- The pineapple! Such a nice gesture! Sheur bought me that pineapple as a graduation gift - as he does for everyone that graduates. I love random acts of kindness.
- HSF girls' get-together. We made prayer bracelets and just laughed a lot. I loved being with them. They're such funny girls with big humor.













- Rebekah and I at Waffle House. Our first Waffle House trip as official college students. T'was good!
- Mengy .... he's cool and super nice!
- Toudo, it's just Toudo! hahah. He's cool, too!
- And, I'm trying to spruce up my dorm room with little things, so I painted!













I really loved spending time with my siblings. We tried a new froyo place and it was the same as any other froyo place, but it was only better at Swirlz because of family. Time does a lot to a person, I tell ya. And time away from family means that you'll cherish the times you have together even better and more.













Our quick and quite unexpected hike to Small Falls. It was actually really good bonding time with some of the older guys and the freshmen girls. Some of them literally laid out and watched the stars and we just talked about random things like where you see yourself in 4+ years, how to say sentences in Madirin and Cantonese, and life. The evil mosquitoes had no mercy, though!













- The initiation for the Fant ladies was so nice and we left our marks on the wall as a record.
- Some of the girls chillin' in our dorm room. :)
- Kao Lee and I. Seriously, love her. I love that she invests so much time in us girls - not just the freshmen girls, but all of us in general, regardless of her busy schedule. I could learn a thing or two from her!













- The night before the first day of classes, I was freaking out so bad. Literally freaking out because I had no idea where any of my classes were. haha! I was so unorganized. It was bad. Fortunately enough, I found my way around to classes. I've been here so many times, but it's different when you have to go to classes and buildings. haha!
- Maiya, my roommate .... on the morning of the first day.
- Playing spoons with some of the upperclassmen HSF ladies. Spoons is so fun and intense!
- We made buns and they were so so good.

- Some of the ladies and I headed to church.
- Hangin' out at Kao Lee's place and filling out applications for jobs.
- Making a big birthday card for Hazel!
- and the big water slide for SGA's "Around the World" event during orientation week. 


 Move in day was such a breeze! I thought it'd take me forever, but it didn't even take an hour to move in! So thankful for such hard-working people!

So that's how my past three weeks have been spent - in a nut shell! If you've read this far, thanks! I'm really excited about being here and so thankful for this opened door to awesome opportunities. If you could, do pray for me as well, to continue to yield to all that God has planned in this life and that I may not be side-tracked as I'm being equipped here in this place.

Okay, that's it ... now I really have to get my homework done. I've pushed it off for far too long.