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

Helloooooooo Virginia!

We are here! Here as in thousands of miles away from home!

Lynchburg Virginia to be exact.

It took two plane rides, a 4 hour layover, no sleep, no food, and a lot of luggage to get here, but here we are.

We left late Monday and arrived mid-day Tuesday in Lynchburg airport. Maybe the smallest airport I've ever seen.

Exciting Travel Notes:

1. Both of my suitcases weighed 48. lbs and just barely missed the "too heavy" mark!
2. I got to travel with my fiance!
3. We didn't die!
4. No crying babies.
5. The coolest one.. During our 4 hour (FOUR HOUR) layover in Charlotte, we met some guys that have been travelling on the Dew Tour for BMX racing. They were sponsered by Monster. They gave Matt a water bottle, just cause. And one of them was the one leading the tour! It was kind of cool. Matt was starstruck as can be! The guys we met were Kyle Baldock and Garrett Reynolds. (And you better bet we googled them on my Iphone while we were waiting)

We got to move into our dorms Tuesday night, and I got to meet my roomates! They're very nice, and I definitely had a lot of resolved nerves when I finally met them. I am loving my dorm! Crazy, but I am.

And Liberty's campus is awesome. And gigantic. I swear I have never walked more in my life!

I loved waking up this morning and going for a run around campus! And boy is it hot here! It's wonderful!

Our dorm looks great and I am excited for this semester living with Christie and Amber!

I am learning lots and getting a ton done before classes on Monday!

I'll be around often to update!

Sending my love from Virginia!!

xo/Austin



ENGAGED!

Matt and I are ENGAGED!!

And I could not be any more excited.

How did it happen?

[Matt told me he wanted to take me to a nice dinner before we go to school. So we both got dressed up and went to Issaquah for dinner at the Flat Iron Grill. Dinner was so good! We shared a dish that had steak, jumbo prawns, chorizo, garlic mashed potatoes, and green beans. During dinner, I kept mentioning how I thought we should get one of the amazing homemade desserts from The Flat Iron Grill. But Matt just kept saying "No we have ice cream at home." So finally after he convinced me that ice cream would be the best, we left the restaraunt and walked back to the car. We had a nice walk back to the car by the train tracks in town and gardens and pretty little shops. When we got back to the car, we headed home.]

Now just imagine how I'm feeling.. The entire time at dinner and in Issaquah I have a little hope that he's gonna ask. Then nothing.

[On our way home Matt was flying! So we finally get back to the house and nothing. No extra cars there. No one is waiting. No extra lights on in the house. Nothing. So we get out of the car and are about to walk inside.. Then Matt goes "wait, I wanna show you something." So we walk around the side of the house and there is a path lit with tiki torches going down the hill onto the patio. On the patio, there is tulle hung from the sides so there was a wall to walk through. Inside, there were candles, and lights strung from the celing, and chandeliers, and rose petals on the ground, and an electric fire pit, and music playing, and picture frames hung from the celing with pictures of us, and a table set up with a picture of us, and a letter framed to me from Matt, and chilled sparkling cider, and champagne glasses, and flowers, and chandeliers hung over it.]

It was pretty much the most perfect and beautiful thing I've ever seen.

 

[So we walked over toward the table, and Matt got down on one knee, and held out the ring to me, and asked me to marry him. I said "Yes, yes, yes" and we put the ring on my finger! We hugged and we heard "I think she said no..." And Matt, my ever so subtle fiance, yelled "SHE SAID YES!" And then about 20 of our closest friends and family came out of the woods cheering and yelling! It was so great! I loved having all of our amazing friends and family there to celebrate with. It was such a joyful night. We all hugged and laughed and cheered with bubbly and ate ice cream!]

Matt did such an amazing job, and I am loving being his fiance, and cant wait to be his wife! He's such an incredible man, and so caring. I love calling him my fiance and love telling people about how blessed I am to have such a great guy. He is more than I could have ever imagined and more than I deserve. He is such a strong man of God! He loves people so much better than I do and has already taught me how to love like Jesus. I love the conversations we have. About everything. I feel like I can talk to him about anything. He is truely my best friend. And I really cant believe I get to spend the rest of my life with him!

This year is about to be crazy! New school, new home across the USA, and planning for a wedding. So many joyful things about to happen! I feel so incredibly blessed, and I am just so thankful.

To My Love

To spend the rest of your life with someone

Is knowing that they love you for you

They trust you with all their heart

You love the little things they do for you

That always make you smile

You are willing to listen when they need someone

And be by their side when life is hard

Being 3000 miles away doesn't change the way you

feel about them

But makes your feelings stronger

You know they are the one because they value your

relationship with Jesus most

And you look forwad to growing with them

While enjoying every moment of the present

To spend the rest of your life with someone

Is the biggest decision of your life,

And I've made that choice

I am forever yours

by Matt Huston

Expect many wedding updates.

xo/Austin Jean