Phew!

Where have I been lately? Hmm I don't know! It bugs me when people don't update their blog because I read everyone's at least once a day! And then I haven't updated in about a week!
Anyway... I just got back from Palm Springs with the family last night. I would say it was a pretty fun trip. Sadly no chance to really lay out by the pool though because we had so many random plans. The first night it was so windy that the power went out in the hotel. Well, this isn't a problem for the Benson family because we are always so overprepared! My mom had like 3 or 4 flashlights in her car and had brought a candle with her. So we had "family time" and talked because we couldn't watch a movie like we planned. I'll post a few pictures when I get back to San Diego with faster internet.
I really do love my family, but after 3 days of nothing but familyness I was ready to get away! So I went to help Corrie pack some last night and ended up staying over at her parents house so my own parents wouldn't freak out that I was coming home so late.
This has been such an awesome Spring Break! I realized last night that I've been out every night that I've been home. And since my parents have had the week off I've seen them during the day! It's so great!

I love Vacations!

Well, I love Spring Break I guess you could say more so, because no vacations yet! I tried to post the other day but then stupid blogger erased everything that I'd done when I tried to publish.
Sooo I just got home a little while ago from Melissa Mae's birthday/sleep over. It was such a blast! Girly sleep overs are the best! I'm going shopping any minute now, my family takes forever to get ready! I really need some new workout shoes, and hopefully I'll get a few cute summery outfits for our trip to Palm Springs too!
I'm in such a great mood right now! The day is soo beautiful! I want to be outside just lying on the sand at the beach, but that's not going to happen right now, maybe tomorrow! I'm waiting for Emma to call me back so we can figure out our own mini vacation and hopefully hang out tonight. Man, I miss that girl so much! I've seen just about everyone now except her!
Yah! My daddy washed my car for me earlier this morning before I got home! It hasn't been washed since Winter break and it was so disgusting, eek.
Ope, gotta go, everyone's finally ready to go shopping! Yah for friends and being home and spring break and soon to be vacations!

Home Sweet Home

Yesterday I made it home after a fairly uneventful drive. I was the first one home, so I relaxed a bit. My dad made it home first and he was definitely surprised. It was nice to get the chance to just talk with him for a couple of hours. I was telling him all about some of the things I've been learning in my art history and philosophy classes. He's always been this wealth of random information so it's fun to be able to talk to him about life. Then I went and drove my car around the corner so my mom and sister wouldn't see it when they got home. I hid in my room until they came in, and then went out and yelled surprise! Boy were they happy. Nice to be loved and appreciated. We went out to dinner to Soup plantation, yum! And then came home and just kind of hung out. Right now I'm being kind of lazy, but hey, it is the first day of break! Later I'm going to go to Emily's badmitton game, although she might not play, but that's ok.
My cute little cat has been sitting on my lap and following me around practically all day, she's such a sweetheart! I missed my kittens!
Yah for being home!

Change of Plans...

Originally I had planned on coming home Thursday afternoon after my art class. Which means I would miss my Geology class, which doesn't really matter since all the lectures are online. And I had work Thursday morning. Well my art class was cancelled, and I wasn't planning on going to my Geology class... so I managed to find someone to take my Thursday morning work hours (thanks so much Cerise!), although I do need the money... oh well, I'd rather go home. So now I am leaving tomorrow after my last class, which ends at noon! Yah! It'll be nice to miss the traffic and surprise my family! They still think I'm coming home Friday afternoon, so I was planning on surprising them anyway on Thursday. Well I'm excited, I'm going to try to pack some now, the sooner I'm outta here the better!

No more 8:00AM Tuesday Class...

So why the heck am I even up then? Well I decided to be productive and go to the gym since I have class and then work til 7:15ish. It seems like it's helping, so I'm motivated! Ok, I'm off, can't wait til I come home on Thursday!

Batboy

Last night I went to see the rock musical Batboy at my school with Cerise and Sophia. It was a really fun musical. The actors were awesome, especially the guy who played batboy. And there were plenty of funny parts to laugh at.
Then we walked back in the rain with Cerise's umbrella turning inside out with every little breeze that came by. That made for some more good laughs!
Good times.

Ready!

I am soo ready for Spring break! It's strange because I really don't have very much homework this weekend, and no tests or papers or anything really due next week. So it feels like it should just be Spring Break already! I don't really have any big plans. I know that my parents want to go on some kind of mini road trip, but who knows where. And then Emma and I might also go on a mini trip (and Corrie if she can) just to be able to get away and actually spend time with each other.
I'm just looking forward to seeing everyone from home! I think I'll come home on Thursday night and skip the 2 Friday classes to avoid the Friday holiday traffic. Plus I won't be home on Friday night or part of Saturday so that way I'll get a chance to see my family for a little bit on Thursday.
Anyway, can't wait!

Happy St. Patty's Day!

Don't forget to wear green!

Talked to Friends.

I finished my second lesson and last midterm today. So nice to be done with that one. I had a little free time so I had the chance to talk to Corrie for about an hour in the afternoon. And then I just got off the phone with Emma who I talked to for an hour too! It was so great. I haven't talked to Emma too much in a little while so it was great to be able to catch up and just talk. It took some of my loneliness away for now.
I think that part of the reason that I am lonely is because it's God's way of letting me know that I am missing and need Him in my life. I have been praying alot lately, just pouring everything out to God, and it helps so much. Just to be able to talk to Him, and cry to Him, and let my frustrations out to Him. I'm taking everyone's advice and working on finding a church that I can go to. The few times that I've been to the Flood it's been so awesome. But it's such a huge place that it's hard to meet people. However they have smaller groups that meet throughout the week, so I'm going to go to one of those hopefully this week. I know I have so many people who love and support me back home, but sometimes that is just too far away and it makes it hard. So hopefully I can find a group here who can help me to grow spiritually and who can help me to be strong in my faith and help me with accountability.

Another Week...

Another .8 pounds lost. Still truckin along, it feels good! 5.2 altogether to be exact!

Alot to Think About

It's strange/interesting/scary/overwhelming/sometimes sad how much one can change when they move away from their family, friends, familiar, safe, comfortable life. Opinions that I had, ways that I felt about things and ideas and actions before I moved away to school have all been changed. Some of this has been for the better. But some of it has not. The 16 year old version of Laura would not approve of some of the actions the 19 year old Laura has chosen to make.
Why have I changed? Why have my values been distorted, twisted, and not followed?
I could make excuses, as I have done. Well, no one that I'm around feels that doing this is wrong, and so that makes it difficult for me to keep my values. Eventually I don't see problems with these things anymore either. But what's the point of excuses? When one day I am standing before God on my Judgement day trying to explain why I chose to make those decisions how is that excuse any good? Or any excuse for that matter?
I have been thinking alot about who I was before I came here. When I was first at school I was so excited that I could be whomever I wanted to be. I could make my own decisions, be strong in my faith, because that's who people knew me as.
Now I find myself molding more and more to the "Norm". I have been a hypocrite and poor example of what God's daughter is supposed to be. Why?
What happened to the strong Christian who a year ago whole-heartedly committed her life to live for God, whatever that would entail? To the person who was baptized as a proclamation of her faith to her friends and family around her. To show that she was commited to living her life in God's will? Who felt God was with her?
Why have I shunned that feeling? Pushed God into a back corner where I pray rarely, and only when I need something from Him. Have a hard time admitting to God when I have done something wrong, because that would be acknowledging that it really is wrong and shouldn't be repeated?
I know that I am capable of better, of putting God in such a higher place than I am allowing Him to be right now. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, I disappoint myself.
I am slowly slipping.
Once the hole has been created it's so much more difficult to climb out, to choose to do the right thing than it was if I had made better decisions in the first place.
Lord, I don't want to keep pushing you away. I want to climb back up to you. I know that I need you. Help me to be strong, because I now know that I sure can't do this myself.

Roomie Bonding Session

What do you do on a Friday night when you're bored but just don't feel like going out? Dye your hair with your room mate!



Careful not to accidentally grab the other color though when you are dying the other persons hair... I'm not naming any names... Sophia!! :)

No way!

I'm not normally one to brag, but really this is a historic moment. And I'm just so excited!
After studying all day yesterday for my geology test and well into the night I took it today. 60 question multiple choice test. The last one we had I got an 81%. I just checked my grade online (the joy of easy to grade scantrons and the internet), and I got 100%!!!!!! That's my first perfect score on a college test yet! I think also one of only a couple of A's as well!! Oh yes, and now my grade in that class is exactly 90%!! Yah!
Ok, just thought I'd share my joy :)

Delirium:

A temporary state of mental confusion and fluctuating consciousness resulting from high fever, intoxication, shock, lack of sleep, or other causes. It is characterized by anxiety, disorientation, hallucinations, delusions, and incoherent speech.

Nothing Much Going on Here...

Not much to write about. I'm studying for a Geology test I have tomorrow. You know rocks and earthquakes and volcanism and plate tectonics (all in one test), so fun.
Next week gets a little busy. I have a Philosophy midterm Monday as well as an 8-10 minute P.E. lesson I have to plan. Tuesday I have an Art History midterm and a half hour fractions lesson I need to figure out and prepare to teach to a 5th grader. That should keep me busy for the next week!
Oh yes, and the family is coming on Sunday to look at apartments with all of the room mates and their folks.
So that's what's going on in Laura's life, not too interesting really.

Finally Actually Doing It

I am finally on track with this whole eating healthy working out thing. And it feels great! I know, I know. I feel like I keep writing about this alot. But really, I'm finally doing it. I started being completely on track exactly a week ago, and I weighed myself today and I lost 4.5 pounds!! Whoopi! Now I'm even more motivated than before! I definitely don't expect to lose that much next week, but just a pound or 2 a week is fine with me! Man though... I still have 9 pounds to go just to be at the weight I was when I first came to State. Scary how fast that one happened. Oh well though! Now I'm putting it in reverse! Wish me luck! Help to keep me on track!

Officially Addicted

To Myspace. I was so against it before too! Although it is nice to be able to say hi and keep up with friends. But sheesh, as if I don't have enough distractions already!

Happy Birthday!!

To Tricia Pollard! My first SDSU friend. Yah! You're so awesome. I'm so glad we randomly sat together in class last semester and decided to spend 2 hours at lunch that first day just talking! I love fun instant friendships! Haha.

Night Out On The Town

Tonight my friends Danielle and Cerise and I hung out and ended up going practically all over San Diego. First we went to Hillcrest where we were going to go see some random Indie film, but that didn't happen because our timing was kind of off. So instead we went to downtown and ate at Ghirardelli (yum!) and just walked around. It was the first time Cerise had been downtown, which is kind of crazy. We ended up driving to Mission Beach and met up with a bunch of Danielle's friends and hung out for a little bit before driving to El Cajon to go bowling around midnight! We decided not to bowl though, Cosmic Bowling can be a little expensive. So we left there and drove around for a while, just talking and listening to music. I didn'ty realize how many different freeways there were in San Diego! Good times. And definitely good to have a friend who knows her way around! Thanks for a fun night girls!

Homesick Day

I haven't really had one of those yet this semester, until today. Maybe because it was a busy day, or maybe because it was Friday and I'm not going to see anyone from back home this weekend. Or maybe because I had time at work to just stand there and think about things. Or the fact that I wasn't able to check my email all day because apparently there was some violation on aol that I just got fixed, and I knew my mom had sent me an email, and Corrie had sent me something too. Maybe because my room mate is gone all weekend and I am alone in my room again. Or possibly because I am stressing a little about this whole getting a new job idea and I just want to go back to an easier time where I didn't have to think about money so much. Or the text from a friend that she wishes I was around. That time of month could be it too. That I talked to my mom and she really misses me too I can tell.
Most likely a combination of all of these things.
Either way, I miss you guys and I love you all.

Music

My friend Danielle is an awesome singer. I was just checking out her music on myspace. She did covers for a couple of artists. Check it out Danielle .
Another awesome band on myspace is Dave Macomber's band A Moment After.

7.25 hours

That's the amount of work that I am scheduled for next week. What does that mean? Time to look for a new job! I have been thinking about this alot lately. I figured that I would wait until the summer to work somewhere that I could transfer over to when the school year started up again. This week I was scheduled for 12, the most in a while, and I managed to pick up another shift. If my school schedule was more hectic like it was last semester, then I would be fine with not getting too many hours. But honestly, I have the time on my hands, and I need the money. I just reworked my resume a little with help from Corrie, and am in the process of emailing it to different jobs that I found in the Help wanted section of the Daily Aztec. Here's what I'm applying for: Caregiver to work with the elderly, it says part time flexible hours and that sounds about right to me. Part time cashier/ smoothie maker at the San Diego Sports Arena for nights and weekends. Tanning salon (although I doubt they'll hire me after seeing how white I am! But it's worth a shot at least). And a few telemarketing jobs, that are good because they are evening jobs. Although I don't know if I can handle all of the rejection from people! However at $10/hour plus commission? Oh yes, and I already have my name in a Nanny Service that I've been getting emails from people about. That's just difficult because most people want someone during the day, when I have class. Well we'll see.
The more jobs that I have the better I get at figuring out how to interview and what kinds of questions that I can be asking as well. I like that my resume includes different jobs like Day Camp Counselor, Subway Sandwich Artist (that's what they're called!) and Cashier, you can do alot with those different skills I think. We'll see soon if I'll be adding anymore!

Missing Sports

It has been a REALLY long time since I've played basketball. Today I went with my R.A. Mari and friend Jackie and another R.A. Greg to go play today at the ARC. The first shot I took was a 3 pointer and I made it, which was seriosly hilarious because I don't think I've even shot on a basket since middle school. It ended up being a lot of fun. We played 2 on 2, me and Greg against Mari and Jackie, and Greg and I won. Sweetness. Although it kind of makes me sad that I never kept playing basketball. It really wasn't all that possible since I was playing soccer year round, and basketball and soccer in high school were the same season. All the same I still miss it. I was actually pretty good in middle school, just more serious about soccer. Plus the fact that I am only 5'3" doesn't help too much. Good times. Now I'm beginning to miss soccer too. I always loved that sport. Next year I'm going to try and get onto a woman's Rec team here in San Diego, just for fun.

Encouraging

I came across this verse while going through the Foundational Fifty (which 3 weeks ago, sadly, I didn't know what these were until Tim explained). Once a week I have a different verse I look over. I thought I'd share this weeks because it is really encouraging for me and I thought someone else could possible benefit as well.

1 John 5:11-15 (New Living Translation)
"11 And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 So whoever has God's Son has life; whoever does not have his Son does not have life.
13 I write this to you who believe in the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. 14 AND WE CAN BE CONFIDENT THAT HE WILL LISTEN TO US WHENEVER WE ASK HIM FOR ANYTHING IN LINE WITH HIS WILL. 15 AND IF WE KNOW THAT HE IS LISTENING WHEN WE MAKE OUR REQUESTS, WE CAN BE SURE THAT HE WILL GIVE US WHAT WE ASK FOR."