No Longer a Teenager.

Last post being 19!

Even crazier, last day being a teenager!

Tomorrow I turn 20 years old.

Which is not an exciting age at all in the grand scheme of things.

Unless you look at it like:

I've been alive for two decades.

Kids I used to babysit are now in high school.

Soon enough it won't be a good thing to be told: "You look so much older than you are!"

And people won't be able to say "You act so much older than you are."

I have lived for probably more than 1/5 of my life already!

Crazy! I'm actually turning into the adult ages.
I remember being 8 thinking "20 is so old!"
HA! No way, I'm just starting life!

On another note:
We are here at school again!
Sitting in my dorm room, again.
Drinking the inadequate coffee, again.
And it's actually been great!
Minus the fact that I nearly had to sell a kidney to buy textbooks...

I'm ready to get into a routine and get along with my degree!
Hope this semester flies by so I can get home and get married!
{Oh yeah that's another way you can tell I've grown in 20 years! I'm getting MARRIED!}

Happy last day of being a teenager to me!

xo/Austin

A Week in the Life.

...of your average college kid.

Friday:

Borrow an extremely kind friend's car for the afternoon and go shopping, job hunting, and Frozen Yogurt eating.

Afterward, go back to my dorm and bake for hours like the little Martha Stewart wannabe I really am. I made banana cookies, those oreo cupcakes I was telling you about, and peanutbutter cookies for Matt (they're his favorite.)

What did I learn from my baking experiences? I have a lot of work to do to become a Martha Stewart.

Saturday:

Set my alarm for 7 am so I can get a good chunk of studying in before the tailgating party. Turn my alarm off and sleep till ten. Wake up and kind of study, but mostly just raid Pinterest.

Go to the tailgate party! Have a blast and eat too much. Lose every game of Bocci Ball I play, meet Jerry Falwell, and co-win the dessert competition.

Go to the Liberty vs JMU football game--front row!

After Matt and I went to dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse!

Sunday:

Slept in until 11! Studied all day. Stressed about a needing a car.

Overreacted over the stress and had a good cry.

Monday:

Went to classes and studied.

Oh and went to the gym.

That's all.

Tuesday:

Woke up sick... AGAIN.

Had two finals before noon.

ROCKED THEM.. kinda.

Slept for an hour.

Studied more.

Went to Hall Meeting at 10.

Studied more.

Slept.

Wednesday:

Woke up still sick.

Anatomy Lab Practical at 8 am (THAT'S JUST WRONG)

Convocation at 10. At Convo, we had Gracia Burnham speak. She was so inspirational and it really made you take a step back and reexamine what is important to your life!

Took my last final in GNED and relaxed for the rest of the day! Thankful to be done with exams.

I got a care package from Matt's mom!

Chruch that night, Clayton King continued on in his relationship series and it was so good!

Afterward Matt and I went to talk to him about how much we appreciate his sermon series and Matt wanted to invite him to ride quads soon!

Thursday:

Sick as a dog still.

In my first class, my least favorite teacher on campus subbed in for my teacher--great start to a day.

Finished through the school day--took a nap.

Read some wedding magazines, since I got 5 in the mail this week! Thanks to Wendy and Cindi!

I wrote some reply letters to the seven people who wrote me this week!

I watched Water for Elephants and part of Soul Surfer.

Then I went to the gym to end the night.

Friday:

Went to Ministry Chapel in the pouring down rain.

Went to GNED in the pouring down rain.

Went to Evan in the pouring down rain.

Went to Health class in the pouring down rain.

Came back to my dorm and changed into the warmest clothes I have!

So needless to say, I've had better weeks.

I'm so ready to not be sick anymore! I feel horrible.

But it was a learning week.

Like I learned that my roomates like to make fun of me for singing in the shower... not cool. ;]

And I learned that I really really really like mail.

And I learned that I think I am going to buy a wedding dress back home.

And I learned about missions and martyrdom since this week is "Mission's Week" at Liberty.

And I am continually learning about myself at my worst, and why I need God's help.

I learned how well Matt handles things when I am in a bad mood.

I learned how much working out makes things better!

Life at Liberty is going well, guys.

I miss home but it is worth it.

Thank you for the letters and the care packages, I love them so much!

Keep praying I could get a job!

Exciting news:

1. Amy Ihde is having her baby today, maybe even has already had him. His name is Isaiah. And I cannot wait to meet him.
2. Free Anberlin concert tonight!

Miss you all!

Chao,


xo/Austin

College is Hard.

I have been in Virginia for a week and a half now.

I've finished a whole week of classes.

I've made friends

I have prayed a whole lot.

I have talked less than usual.

I have laughed and cried.

Summary of college so far: It is hard.

In college it's up to me. Not my teachers to tell me.

In college it's up to me. Not my Mom.

In college it's up to me. Not my friends who have always been there.

In college it's up to me.

And I like that.

I love being treated like I am an adult. Because I am an adult. I am appreciating the fact that I am not back home, because I know I wouldn't grow into the  woman God has called me to be back there. I needed to be taken out of my comfort zone to grow. I needed the push of His promise of provision. I needed the threat of change for my life. I needed the challenege of persuing question of "Who am I?"

Here at Liberty, I am forced to lean unto God for my strength.

College Faves:

1. We talk about God in class!
2. The schedule I am forced to live within.
3. The work is constant and challenging.
4. My relationship with God is growing already.
5. I get to introduce Matt as my fiance daily!
6. Every student on campus is prayed for DAILY.
7. I am challenged in my faith daily.
8. Running on campus.
9. Packages!
10. Constant exercise walking to class.
11. Prayer groups, every Tuesday night.
12. Studying and having dinner with my fiance every day.
13. I am taking bible classes. They're so awesome!
14. The true appreciation of food when you finally get a good meal!
15. My roomates!

College Stinks!

1. I need a job NOW.
2. Liberty is full of rules that I don't always agree with.
3. It is bloody hot and humid.
• With freak thunder and rain storms every couple days.
4. The celings and walls in our dorm are barely there, so we hear every footstep and celing falls on my in my sleep.
5. My Anatomy lab is going to be hard.
6. I'm terrible at math, so that class hasn't been fun.
7. Textbooks are out of this world expensive.
8. I'm super broke all the time.
9. My bed time has been pushed back 3 hours.
10. I am homesick and really miss everyone.

I don't feel like anyone can truely understand the meaning of homesick until you experience it. It's hard to be in a state that you don't have any friends. No one that knows the real you. No one that has seen what you can and will do for someone you love. No one that has seen you at your worst and who has proven themselves through that. No one that knows who you are, who you have been, and who you want to be. No one who you can call at 2 am and ask to come over.

And I have Matt, I can't imagine how I'd handle it without him.

I have learned a few things about myself from my week and a half at Liberty, some I'm comfortable with, and some I am ashamed to admit:

1. I am shy when I don't know anyone.
2. I can be extremely insecure, when I am around people who don't know my heart.
3. I can be judgemental.
4. I hate accents.
• I used to think they were cute, now they're just annoying.
5. I am not addicted to coffee, but I am much happier when it is in the picture.

For now, this is where my total college experience lays.

I really am enjoying it. Yes, It's hard, but I know this is where I am supposed to be. I know I am learning a lot, and I am making friends. I am confident that with each update on here, I will express more and more love for Liberty, college, and the Lord. And that is what is most important.

Love, love, love.
xo/Austin