Laziness...

This is what accumulated over finals.  I take two things from this picture.  One, I have moments of obscene laziness.  Two, I drank so much tea/hot chocolate/mocha during finals. Needed to stay awake somehow!  Rest assured they are now all in the dish washer.

The Quiet

School is finally done.  Finals are a thing of the past.  Everything school related has been taken out of my room, car, and purse, and been neatly organized in my closet.  Mean teachers have been forgiven...kinda.  And I am finally at peace.  Last week was hard.  I managed to get through with only one major meltdown, which is amazing considering the kind of semester I had.  I had one completely awful final, a couple OK ones, and one weird one, just down right weird.  But I have spent little time thinking about school for the past few days.  I've been enjoying total relaxation with great people.  

I am currently in a dark room with lit candles snuggled up in bed with a mocha and a truffle next to me and an interesting book waiting to be read.  But for now I am enjoying the quiet to think.  

This has been such an amazing year so far.  I have been blessed more than I can even explain and it's so great to be quiet and take the time to remember.  This semester has been evolutionary in my life.  I can't put into words how much my world has changed and I'm excited to see what lies ahead.  School's only been out for a couple of days but I already miss the community and the friendships.  January can't come soon enough!

But enough of my ramblings.  It's bed time.  Gotta wake up tomorrow and drive my best friend to the airport.  

My Favorite Failed Homework Assignment

Win.

The Finish Line

We're getting to that point of finally being done!! I can't believe this semester is almost over. It's been crazy. I've learned more this semester than any other one. It's been hard academically, but I have learned so much about myself. It's been a time I will look back on fondly, after I kill a professor or two.

Here's the final breakdown:
15 days (total days, not just school days)
1 paper
1 test
22 classes
5 finals

So much left to do still!! Now back to writing a paper...

Rest

Real rest is hard to come by but I think I finally found it this break. I have not done homework since Monday night and it has been fantastic. My days have been incredibly busy, running everywhere and doing a million different things but I rested in that.

Today was a new type of relaxing. I didn't have a million things to do. In fact, I didn't do anything. Instead of writing a bio paper I made huge progress on the scarf I'm knitting (looks wonderful if you were wondering.) I also watched lots of T.V., and had a couple beers with some friends. Yeah, it's been relaxing. I feel rested, but also kind of lazy. It's time to be productive.

Tomorrow I'm kicking it into high gear. I'm gonna use this blog as some accountability again. By tomorrow night I would like to been done with my paper and all my note cards, as a minimum. I could also do some P Chem homework that I just found out about since my professor likes to be mean and doesn't post homework over break when we have time, but late on a Sunday night. I wouldn't have done the homework over break, I just would have liked to know about it...crazy teachers.

Hope you all had a relaxing and refreshing Thanksgiving!

Whoa Whoa Oh Oh!

Ke$ha read my mind when she wrote "Tik Tok."

I always wake up feeling like P Diddy.

Oh Death

This is how I feel right now.

I have a problem...

I've recently noticed that when I sit down to talk to people, the conversations take about 2 hours.  We just keep talking, about everything and anything.  This is not necessarily a problem I feel I need to fix, I love talking to people, I just don't know how to stop...

I think talking and writing are the ways I process thoughts.  Without them, I get stuck in my head and start over-analyzing everything.  I love hearing other peoples thoughts and I always find myself feeling challenged after I talk to a friend.

So for those of you that have put up with my chattiness, thanks.  And if you've haven't had the opportunity yet, I would love to talk sometime :)

Excuses, Excuses...

Monday:
-Bio Test

Tuesday:
-Thermo Homework
-Thermo Quiz
-P Chem Homework
-P Chem Test
-Spanish Test

Wednesday:
-Work

Thursday:
-P Chem Quiz
-Fluids Test

Friday:
-Rest

There will be no more blogging this week.  My apologies.

Spiritual High

A good way to describe the place I'm in is high on Jesus.  This semester has been amazing and I have been so unbelievably blessed.

Bible study has been the source of most of my blessings.  I have an amazing co-leader and such a great group of people.  All of my fears have been proved insignificant.  I was scared to lead alone, turns out it was nothing to be scared of.  I was scared to invite people but we have an average of 12 people that come every week.  I was afraid to be asked questions and not know answers, but instead our freshman answer each others questions.  And I was afraid to pray, and God has worked through that also. 

Me and Daniel were talking about bible study one night and we decided to switch it up and each face one of our fears.  So I was opening the bible study in prayer and Daniel was bondly praying for healing for the mother of one of our bible studiers.  We prayed, and the cancer that had spread into her bones is no longer there.  I don't care if you want to explain it by coincidence or whatever kind of excuse you want to come up with.  We believed her to be sick, we prayed, and the next week she was better. 

God rocks.

At A Loss For Words

This is a bad place to be in on a Tuesday night for me.  This is the second official week of the large group blog that I have been writing, and I've been loving using a blog as a medium to reach out to people.  It has been a blessing to have the responsibility to reflect and to encourage others to do the same. Week 2 seems like a pretty important week in the scheme of "marketing" the blog.  It is still new enough to spark peoples interest and they have now heard about it from several different sources.  Facebook brings 40 page views, emails bring 80, so as time goes on, people are starting to notice.

Unfortunately they are noticing the same week we have a sex and relationship talk at large group.  Don't get me wrong, I love relationships.  Relationships are how I see God.  I can see the beauty in a relationship that is striving towards God and I love how the relationship between God and the church is described by a marriage.

This topic does not make me uncomfortable at all, in fact it's a conversation I think I have had with almost all of my friends.  But I am scared to write this post for all of Intervarsity and Facebook friends to read.  How do I write broad enough to make everyone happy, try to limit making people uncomfortable, and still get the point across?

Monday!!

I differ from most in that I look forward to Monday.  It has become my favorite day of the week.  I always wake up early (6 am early) for work on Saturday and then 9 for church on Sunday.  Both days consist of work and homework and it generally isn't very restful.

But Mondays...Mondays are wonderful.  I don't have class til 2 and it's not a difficult class at that.  Just have to sit there for an hour and learn some bio. And Mondays nights are free.  This has been a rarity this semester and I love having the night to do whatever, generally homework, but still, I'm not required to go and be nice to people, which is sometimes hard.

This morning I actually set my alarm so I could finish homework but I was really productive.  Even after going to bed pretty late and not getting as much sleep as I would have liked I woke up refreshed, happy, and ready to start my day.  Homework got done quick and since I had a few hours I went shopping, not for myself this time :)  I had a few presents I needed to buy for people so I got to feel like I was accomplishing things.

Then, bio was canceled!!  So I relaxed, did some homework, cleaned my room. It's just been a really great day.  Three things checked off my To-Do List and its not even 5:30!  And now that I say that, three things doesn't seem like a huge deal, but it felt really great to get them done.  Now back to homework.

...Excel...

Better known as the spawn of Satan.  I hate anything computer lab related...so this lab is not enjoyable at all.  But what makes it worse is we're supposed to remember stuff from last year.  Worse assumption ever.

An Attempt at Focus

Right now I need to be writing a post for my large group blog (found here) but I would much rather dance around in my new adorable underwear. Unfortunately it is far to cold for that :(  But I guess I'm just here to get out some kinks before I write things that other people are going to read.  People that don't know me well and will judge me on my writing skills.

So I was just reading what I had written so far and realized that I started the paragraph with write instead of right.  Ya, getting kinks out here first was a good idea.  

Anyway, like I was saying I'm rather distracted right now, just with life in general.  Focus Rachael, focus!!

Random side note, I don't like Koolaid at all, but everyonce in a while my body gets in these weird moods where I can drink nothing other than Fruit Punch Koolaid.  I somehow manage to drink close to 2 quarts while doing homework. Seriously one of my weirdest phenomena ever.

Ok, I'm going to go try to do this...

October

October comes with its ups and downs.

Ups:
We are over half way through the semester!!
Fall has been exceptionally beautiful this year
It's finally sweater season :)

Downs:
So many political phone calls and commercials...
Sweater season is very rapidly turning into coat season
Wind

I love fall because I get to snuggle up under 4 blankets when I go to sleep but waking up turns into the hardest thing I've ever done.  Getting out of bed has never been such a mental argument.  Bed = warm, World = cold, harsh, and unwelcoming.

Homework also gets hard.  My hands and feet get so cold just sitting at my desk.  So today, I bought adorable gloves, the fingerless kind with the mitten thing that can flip over.  They're perfect for computer work!!  And they are cute, so win win.

And Thanksgiving is in a month, and that is one of my favorite holiday's so I'm getting excited!!

Inertia

Words of wisdom are not something I usually take from Fluids.  Dorgan's random tangents don't relate to me and are generally not very important at all. But class yesterday was different.  In usual Dorgan fashion, he decided to explain a simple concept in detail.  This week that simple concept was inertia.
Inertia is the idea that a body in motion remains in motion and a body at rest remains at rest.  Not a terribly hard concept to grasp, but like I said, Dorgan likes to elaborate.  Dorgan related inertia to a person in a restaurant drinking a beer.  He is far more likely to order another rather than pay and finish the rest of his day.

I've never had trouble making sense of inertia but I've also never related it to my life.  I feel like lately I've been living at rest and am therefore scientifically more likely to remain at rest.  Although I enjoy resting and think it's important, I've been driving myself insane.  I don't being so lazy but the energy to change my inertia is a deterrent to doing work.

I don't know how to change the way I live easily.  It's harding thinking I'll be giving up my laziness but this will prevent me from having a build-up of having to do everything at the same time.

Eventually I would like to get to the point where I have planned time to be spontaneous.  I would love to always be able to say yes when friends want to hang out or if someone needs to talk.  So I'm using this as accountability.  I'll let you know how my changing inertia experiment is going.

Busy Bee!!

Procrastinating does have it's benefits sometimes.  For instance, tonight I was incredibly productive.  I just had a massive amount of stuff to do and didn't really have time for sleep.  Oh well, we'll just add this to my list of all-nighters.  It's not the first and definitely won't be the last!
I've been really lazy lately.  I find every possible thing to do other than homework and studying.  It's really getting to be a problem.  Most of the time I'm doing really good and important things rather than school work and I am fine with devoting more time to people and relationships.  What is starting to bother me is when I procrastinate out of pure laziness.  I have too much on my plate to waste time procrastinating.  So here's to change?  We'll see how productive and motivated I can make myself.

The Hotel Chronicles

This summer I got a new job working the front desk at a hotel.  I work with wonderful people and truly enjoy spending time there.  It's such a blessing to have a job you don't despise.
But sometimes there are stupid people.  And sometimes the crazy comes, usually in a mass amount all at the same time.
Tonight was one of those nights.  It started out with stupid people.  2 different guests couldn't figure out how to get the phones to work in their rooms.  Turns out with cordless phones you need to turn them on first.  I know, pretty mind blowing right?  Then there was 209 who needed to be talked through the process of retrieving a message on his phone...twice.  This process is also written out on a piece of paper, attached to the phone!  And of course there are always the people that have problems connecting to the internet.  Most people are just having problems with their individual computers and love to blame us for inconsistent internet connections which is always enjoyable, but tonight it was a special kind of stupid.  People needed to be walked through the connection process as though they didn't even know wireless internet existed.  Example:
Jessica: Ok sir now do you see a list of networks?
            Ok so now do you see Table Mountain Inn?
            Is it at the bottom?
            So now connect to the network.
            Do you see the button that says connect to the internet?
            etc.
See what I mean, a special kind of stupid.
But stupid people I can deal with.  It's mean people that I have no patience for at all.  Tonight a woman called asking for a manager, always a scary way to start the conversation, and then proceeded to cuss me out because someone charged a debit card that she never gave us.  She literally suggested that someone at the front desk "looked up" her debit card number and has been charging it freely with no regards to her account.  I don't even know how to respond to that.  Luckily my boss is the most amazing person ever.
Anyway, I don't want to focus on this crazy person any longer that I already have, but it makes for some fun stories.  I don't doubt more will come from TMI.

An Apology...

I have blogger's block.  Sorry for the lack of posts.  This will get more exciting once my life does. 

Leaps of Faith

So far, this semester has not been a normal school year.  Yes, I've been busy with classes and hanging out with friends a lot, but things have been different.  I attribute it to God.
At the end of last year I was asked into leadership with Intervarsity.  My initial response was "Are you sure?"  but after lots of talks with people that I respect and love I decided to give it a shot.  My only emotion was fear.  I was so scared to lead a group when I felt like I didn't have a good basis in bible knowledge or prayer.  What if I couldn't answer questions?  What if I looked like an idiot?  These thoughts were constantly in my mind.
I felt a little comforted after leaders retreat and as I became much closer to Daniel, my co-leader.  I began to realize that no one ever has it figured out or has all the answers.  As I grew comfortable with the idea of leading, the thought of gathering people made me shake in my boots.  I am not an outgoing person, at all.  Especially when it comes to religion.  I think I project my assumptions onto those I'm talking to.  I feel as though they'll be insulted that I invited them to bible study or large group.  They're not.
So, I never actually made a conscience decision to stop having these feelings hold me back, but I never thought of them after school started.  Me and Daniel attacked our dorm.  We met so many people in the course of a few days and starting developing really great friendships.  We continued inviting constantly, called people and talked to them all the time; we just didn't stop, and energy came from no other place than God.  It was incredible.
Then I broke.  Turns out you can't spend all your time devoted to a group of people and juggle school not including your normal life and relationships.  It was really hard.  I felt like I let so many people down and I was disappointed in myself.  So I let myself rest, but I didn't stop.
Am I completely exhausted?  Absolutely
Am I emotionally drained?  Constantly
Is it worth it?  Yes.  I have never felt so encouraged, so loved, and so supported in my entire life.  I have been terrified to do every single thing I've done this year but I've decided to push my fear aside and trust and I have never been so rewarded.

Any Takers??

I have 4 coupons to the California Pizza Kitchen if anyone wants them.  They expire Oct. 8.  They are kind-of a scratch off coupon thing except someone at the CPK has to open it for you to see what your prize is.  Let me know if you want them!

Someone please help us, us college kids!

Quick hello,

My week is crazy busy.  I've never had a week thats been so packed with work so it will be interesting to see how I come out of it.

I have an exciting weekend coming up.  It's Fall Conference and we get to spend a few days away from school, work, and homework, and relax up in Estes.  I'm so ready to let go of this stress.  I'm also really ready for a break from the hotel.  I was not made to work in customer service...

I've discovered a few things about myself lately.  Mainly, I am a selfish and greedy person.  Especially with my time and money.  It's something that I've known and tried to work on but this past week those two faults have become overwhelmingly apparent.  It's something I'll talk more about later...probably.

Here are some fun pictures from forever ago.

This was from Spaghetti Dinner and Field Day that we (Intervarsity) put on at the beginning of the school year.  I believe I made 10 lbs of pasta for that.  We had left over pasta for at least a month after that.

These flowers were a birthday gift from one of my favorite people ever.  Unfortunately she was sick the night we went out and partied up Golden and I didn't have a chance to see her until a week later.  In her defense, the flowers were alive on my birthday, just not when I got them.  Little does she know that dead flowers are one of my favorite things.  :)

In an effort to make weekly bowling nights more exciting, we decided to play a way where we switched bowling strategies every frame.  This frame was the most fun.

Derive This

Warning:  I am feeling slightly over-dramatic about homework right now.  I apologize.

This homework should be titled death.  My new least favorite phrase is "derive an expression."  These problems are so frustrating because we won't ever do them again.  The test will be problems using the equation that we are currently deriving.  I don't know about the rest of you, but it helps me more to practice applying the equation rather than deriving it...
On a happy note, fluids is not due Friday!!!  This brings me much joy.
Ok, off to finish this homework.  If you don't hear from me for a few days I might have died.

When Life Gives You Lemons

I think most people tend to bite into lemons and just accept the bitterness that comes with them.  I've been there, many times before.  But I have moments when rather than biting into the bitterness, I make lemonade, and whistle while doing so.  In reality I can't whistle, but in metaphors I think pretending is allowed.
Life will always give you lemons.  I believe the only way to handle them is with joy, not happiness, joy.  Happiness is temporary.  It can be changed depending on how many lemons you are trying to juggle.  Joy cannot be shaken.  I can't tell you how to live with joy, how to push aside the stress and worry and live with an inner peace, but I think one step is recognizing what in your life is sugar.
I have some lemons that I was given tonight.  But my life has also had an abundance of sugar this past week.  The perfect recipe for lemonade!  I just want to encourage those of you with lemons, you can do something other than bite into the bitterness.  Find the sugar in your life.  Let it permeate the lemons.  Let it give you peace.

Sweet Tooth

Lately the weather has been a lot of heat and not a lot of fall.  I'm a sweater and jeans girl so I'm ready for some cooler weather.  But the heat has given me a reason to snack on some delicious frozen treats.  One of my personal favorites: frozen Mars.  I like any kind of frozen candy bar actually, but Mars is the front runner.  I've also discovered a Peanut Butter Chocolate Shake that is way too good to be true.
My favorite though is Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream...see a trend??

Haagen-Dazs has the best.  It's the closest thing to heaven in a spoon.  You can thank me later.

Rupert

For those of you that don't know, I have a pet snake.  He lives in my bathroom window and occasionally will say hello.  Seeing as he was on the other side of the glass, Rupert and I were friends.

He's in the middle with his head resting on the stick.

One morning I was getting ready and while brushing my teeth, turned my head towards the window only to see Rupert's head on my window sill...INSIDE the bathroom.  Rupert and I's friendship was based solely on the fact that he was living outside of the window so at this point, it was survival of the fittest.
I quickly ran out of the bathroom, grabbed my camera for proof, and then proceeded to finish getting ready...outside of the bathroom.  Before leaving, I went into the bathroom to check on him and make sure I was leaving him were I could see him...only I couldn't.  Rupert had disappeared.  I only had a few minutes left before needing to leave and I spent that precious time booby-trapping my room.   After my friends had fun telling me all the places he could show up (my bed, shoes, etc.) they came over to help me snake hunt.  We found him outside again but he hid in the wall before we could get him.  Needless to say, now there is tape over the crack in the window and me and Rupert are friends again.

Show You Love

I've been a less than exciting blogger these past few weeks.  It started with bloggers block, and then life got crazy and blogging was one of the first things to go.  So I apologize, but I feel up to it again, hopefully this time it will stick.
Life has been keeping me busy lately.  I'm taking 16 hours this semester, and hard ones at that.  I'm also working  part-time in a hotel, crazy stories to come, and then leading a bible study as well.  Even though I've been running at about a million miles an hour, life is great.  I'm greatly encouraged and surprised at changes that I've seen in myself and others this semester.
Staying busy doesn't come without consequences though.  This past week was really hard.  I had two tests, not extremely difficult, but they did add additional stress.  I was working mornings which is not normal, and work was really mentally draining  I had to get to work at 7 on my late days at school, and then school at 8 on the days I wasn't working.  Sleep was a rare-find and the accumulation of all of these things added up to one emotional wreck.  I've never felt like such an emotional roller-coaster.
The stressful week wasn't all bad though.  Friends noticed what I was going through and surrounded me with support and love.  I've never been so encouraged.  It was really uplifting and reminded me how important these wonderful people are in my life.
So to everyone that loved me so well this past week, thank you so much.  I don't think you realized what a true blessing you were.

Life's Little Mysteries #2

If Pandora is so good at knowing the music I like, why are they advertising Justin Bieber concert tickets?  No, thank you.

A Strongly Worded Letter

Dear Financial Aid Office,

I have a bone to pick with you.  When I call you, I expect my question to be answered plainly, not to be sent on a wild goose chase unrelated to the afore-mentioned topic.  I do in fact, know what I'm talking about and am not a complete idiot.  Along that line, I do not need to be talked down to because you think I am oblivious to all options that are open to me.  Believe me, other options have been pursued.
Basically I just need you to answer my question.  If you feel like I have missed something then please mention it but do not refuse to answer my question.  I only need you to do one simple thing for me but that has turned into 4 phone calls and two days worth of work for me.

Not appreciated,

Rachael

Experiences From The Waterpark

After hitting up Water World a couple of times this summer I have compiled a list of lessons learned and experiences I've had.  

• Feet were not meant to walk on 100 degree concrete all day.
• Crush is delicious and refreshing.  Only the orange flavor, non of that grape stuff.  Pizza is not so refreshing.
• Bikinis do not look good on everyone.
• So many people have tattoos!  I guess you don't realize it normally since they are usually covered.  Except for you Mr. Goatee Tattoo.  Bad decision.  
• Deep conversations happen while waiting in line.  
• Spit takes approximately 2.5 seconds to drop 20 feet and 3 seconds from 30 feet.  
• You should already have a base tan before spending all day in the sun.  Otherwise you look like a lobster.  
• Sunscreen is not as water-proof as they say it is.  
• It is innate to try to cut as many people as possible in line.  
• At one point in time, there are at least 3 different songs playing in different places in the park.  
• You will always be dripped on while standing in line.  It's unfortunately unavoidable.  

I know there are lots more that I missed but it's what came to mind now!  Water parks are really interesting places to watch people and as an expert person watcher, I was occupied all day.  Aside from sore feet and being exhausted, I have had a wonderful time playing in the water with my buddies this summer.  

Life's Little Mysteries #1

Who thought fast-burning matches was a good idea?  If the flame is reaching my fingers in less than two seconds, it's burning way to fast!!

Blank Slates...and Hard Drives

I have restarted my computer an estimated 17 times today in an attempt to restore it to the default settings.  This is the third time I've had to go through the restoring process but it still takes me two hours to remember how to do it.  You would think I can learn.  I'm restoring my computer to get rid of the junk thats slowing everything down.  I'm a fan of fast-working, stream-lined systems.
Yesterday, my world was turned upside-down.  Not in a bad way at all.  I guess you can say my mind was blown and I'm still in awe.  I feel like my life was restored to its factory settings.  My mind is clear, I'm refreshed, and I feel cleaned of junk.  I am filled with joy that cannot be shaken and I am overwhelmed by blessings.  My computer lasts a year before slowing down.  We'll see how long I can last.

Stressful day at work = Relaxing night at home

I work at the front desk of a local hotel.  These means I get to work around really happy people enjoying vacation, really angry people upset that things aren't going perfectly, and everything in between.  Today was tough.  It could have been just fine but I overlooked a few things and made an easy situation get really confusing.  So I got frustrated. Frustrated at the guest, frustrated at myself, just frustrated at everything in general, and I feel for the poor people that had to deal with my bad attitude after all this went down.  I calmed down though.  Finished the night off happy and calm, although that situation was still in the back on my mind.  I came home and figured the best solution was to lay down in bed, light some candles, and spend some time in the Word.  I'm feeling refreshed and ready to go back to work, something I was so not ready to do earlier.  All I need now is a back massage and I'll be a happy camper!

Day 13

Never has a number looked so beautiful on a scale.  I'm getting excited!  I was at 135 this morning, but I figured close enough.  So this is 10 pounds in two weeks.  Last weekend wasn't a diet weekend though.  Between a bachelorette party, day at Water World, and then a wedding, healthy eating was not a priority.  But Monday I was able to get right back into the swing of things.  It's hard to stick with the diet while at work.  I work the front desk at a local hotel and there is a restaurant right across the lobby that we can order food from for 50% off, and its good food!  Aside from that, my coworkers go and get tasty drinks all the time: Shirley Temples, Italian Sodas, not the mention the free pop that is available.  So far I'm doing OK but it really is a daily struggle.  Though I'm at my goal weight I'm going to continue the diet for a couple more weeks...at least one.  We'll see how motivated I can keep myself!

Day 1

Today is the first day of my diet.  The goal is 10 pounds and I have until school starts, so about a month.  In December of last year I weighed in at 165 pounds.  I started the HCG diet, which is INTENSE, and was down to 145 by March.  I'm hanging around that weight right now.  I feel awesome, happy, energetic, much much better than I did back in December but my goal is 135.  I am not unhappy at my current weight.  I feel good, and I feel like I look good, but I know I would look and feel even healthier at 135.  So heres to accomplishing things you set your mind to!  Let's do this!!

Family Matters

I have learned so much from my family.  They are my support and encouragement.  I honestly don't know where I would be today without them.  

My dad is just like me.  We think the same and it's nice having someone so similar to me.  He went to Mines and is able to understand what I'm going through and is being incredibly supportive in whatever I choose to do.  He's not the kind of dad that forced me to do what he thought was best and I am so thankful for that.

My mom is one of my closest friends.  I have a great relationship with her even though we butt heads often.  I can talk to her about anything and she always has great insight and advice to give.  I got my brain from my dad but I got my looks from my mom.  Dark skin, hair, and eyes are all traits that I got from her.  Among the high-school football team, she is the "hot mom" and I will be blessed if I get to age as gracefully as her.  

My brother is the opposite of me.  I enjoy sitting and learning and doing homework where-as David needs to be outside doing something active.  All sports come naturally to him.  He was a star football player, wrestled, and now is golfing.  He is always active and loves snowboarding during the winter and being out on the lake during the summer.  He is quite a ladies man but doesn't take advantage of that.  He knows what he wants in a relationship and is waiting out for that.  

My sister is as different from me and my brother as can be.  Rebekah has an incredible voice and loves theater and acting.  She is unbelievably talented for her age and people do not believe that she is only 13.  She is so mature and so wise for a 13 year old.  I love going home and practicing make-up, experimenting with new cute hair styles, and painting nails with Bekah.  

These are a few of my favorite things...

Two of my favorite things are peanut butter and giraffes. Peanut butter I eat out of the jar on a spoon. Nothing to supplement that pure joy. I once went through a 3 pound tub in 3 weeks. I shouldn't really be proud of that fact but I kind-of am. It was finals, I blame that. Another thing that always brings me joy is a giraffe. There are several reasons I love these awkward creations. For one, they should not work but do by God's grace alone. They are also adorable. And they are tall, an area where I fall short. I remember passing time in English by drawing giraffes with my friend Briana. She is impressively good, a talent I am not blessed to have. Another thing that I will never tire of: the smell of laundry. There is nothing better than that smell and I am probably the only person you will meet that enjoys doing laundry.

Now that you know my favorite things, introductions are in order. I am Rachael, a 20 year old college student trying to find herself. I am in love with my Savior who continues to bless me despite my sinful ways. He has given me a wonderful family and an amazing group of friends that continue to support me in whatever I am doing at the moment. I am a junior at the Colorado School of Mines, a school that I love despite everything it puts us students through. I am getting a degree in Bio-Chemical Engineering. I love engineering and especially the bio-chemical side of it and would want a degree in nothing else. This begs the question, why am I writing then? Learning engineering has severely hindered my spelling and grammar, but although I don't generally enjoy writing, I figured I would try blogging out, mainly as a way to talk through things with myself. I hope that you can get something out of this along with me.