What was i thinking...coming back here...HA!

People....i do belive that i have gone insane! Why did i ever want to go back to school?!!?!?! I had a good job. I had a place to live on my own. I had a car that worked. Why, oh why would i desire to go back to school when i hated it the first time?

I have had two days of classes now. I am drowning!

Let's review.

New Testament - love the teacher, however, the information is overwhelming and i don't know how i am going to keep up. She changes the tests and finals so that the questions come from her notes and not really the book, so that means if you don't pay attention and take GOOD notes, you might just possibly fail. However, fail or pass, i do think i will enjoy this class as i learn a lot.

English II - Gonna LOVE IT! Although, we have to write 15 essays throughout the class and each has to be 2 pages and they are a bit hard. You think a two page essay sounds easy, which i would too, but they have RULES you know...that makes them just a smidge harder then normal. My first one that i have to write is "my testimony from God's point of view" and that, as well as the next one, is to be turned in this coming tuesday. I really do think that i am going to like this class as i do like to write, but i don't know if i like structured writting. i kind of would rather just free style it...ya know?

Hebrews - again, same teacher as New Testament so very interesting, however, 3 months on one book of the Bible is pretty intense! We took one whole class, today, just to discuss who the author is and when it was written. The project for this class is intimidating.

Intro to Psychology - Going to be a blast! I really think i am going to like this class. However...all my classes before this have had study guides that were about 150 pages, this class study guide is 432. Also kind of intimidating and i can see how it is going to be hard, but if i enjoy it maybe it will be good.

Soteriology - we have had one class period. I leared how to spell the word, and understood not one other thing the teacher said. I am going to need some intense -on your knee- prayers for this one!

Last semester i took most of my classes as 2 credit courses, and this semester they are all 3 credit ones. Which means, on top of the project each class has, which is usually an 8-10 pg paper, i have another book review on the subject i am taking which is between 15-20 pages. FOR EVERY CLASS!

People...i write a blog....and i have issues with that sometimes! How am i going to write so many papers? I am sort of freaking out here!




I did however get my grades back from last semester....

Man and Sin - C -however that will change cause i have to turn in a paper that i did over the break. Hopefully it improves it.

Intro to Computers - A
How to Speak in Public - B
Introductory English - B
Old Testament Literature - B

So not bad at all! I knew before hand that i was not a straight A student so it was not surprising to not get all A's, however, getting B's did surprise me as i was unaware that i would even pass those classes! I really did think i failed English and Man and Sin...crazyness!

Thank you for all your prayers to get me through last semester...not let's keep it up for this one!!

Legs Two and Three!

This trip was not nearly as interesting as my last trip here. you know, the attempted mugging and all. I will do my best to make the trip sound less boring then it really was.

I got on the plane in Atlanta after my 12 hours of NOTHINGNESS! I had sat in one chair in the club for all 12 hours. Getting up to pee, and refill on diet coke and pretzles.

On the plane, i had an isle seat...which i HATE. I really wanted a window, but there were not avaliable. I was sitting next to a little 5 yr old girl and her dad. I offered him the isle, but he declined, sadly. As i sat down, the little girls said to me "Whew...i'm glad your a girl!" In which i replied "Me too sweetheart...me too!" The flight was good, nothing happened except i don't believe the dad next to me even had a bladder...he got up about 25 times. People around me were giving me sympathetic glances everytime i got up. It was super frustrating. He even asked me before i sat down int he beginning if i was a light or hard sleeper just in case he had to get up. Seriously, if you are like that, don't take a window seat sir!


I got to Jo-Burg fine, got my luggage (eventually) and got through customs. Made my way to the domestic flight area and on my way, guess who i saw? THE SAME GUY...that one that attemped to mug me! Yeah, i totally recognized him and he tried to help me again and i just looked at him and said, "I'm fine. Stay away from me!" and he left. Thank you Lord!

I got all checked in for my next flight and got to my gate. The plane took off an hour later and i made it to Cape Town just fine.

It really was an easy uneventful trip. I like those!

Thank you Lord for getting me here safely!

Leg One!

Today, as I lied on the couch at home, I realized that all I had been wanting the last few weeks is some alone home time. Living with mom and dad has been great, however, with 3 other people living there with crazy different schedules from each other, there is hardly ever a time when the house is empty. There is always someone there.

I like my family.
I like my alone time.

I just was craving a little while to be there by myself, relax and not feel as though I should be talking to someone or helping someone or anything like that. I needed some good ‘ol guiltless couch potato time. Or good book reading time. Or ...well..just TIME.

I got that. The day I left. Which………really……I would have rather spent with a family member then be alone for. Sitting there on the couch in the kitchen, already packed, ready to walk out to door, but not having to leave for another 3 hours, and nobody to talk to. I will be honest…I was a bit sad.

Tiesha, Amanda and Jake were at work, and mom and dad were in Haiti…not exactly convenient for me to bug.

I finally fell asleep for an hour and a half, then got up and decided to leave. I was headed to Jakes house for dinner and then he was going to give me a ride to the airport.

Dinner was great! We had breakfast burritos that he made that were delicious! It was a great last meal! Seeing as I’m headed back to the CTS Diet Plan of eating once every other day, I was in need of some good protein, and I succeeded.

Jake and I left his house around 8:45pm. We drove to the airport and met Tiesha there. It was odd to have to say goodbye to them without my parents, but also made it a little less emotional. I love them, but not really going to weep over the fact that I’m leaving. I'm not really the "weeping" type ya know...

I got through security, found my gate and sat and read my book for an hour. I decided that I should read one last good book before I start again with my studies and don’t have time to read for fun anymore. I am reading a book called “The Color of Water”. It is interesting so far, not sure if I’m going to like it or not. I am only at chapter 4 so I will give it another two chapters and decide….although, knowing me, I will just read it and be done with it. Good or bad.

My flight was good. Nothing exciting happened. When checking in at Seatac, I was able to change my seat to an Exit row window seat! HA…who’d a thought that would be open? It was great. I was able to get a little rest and have enough leg room. (not that I need much)

When traveling, I have one carry-on suitcase, and one over-the-shoulder bag and then I also had my pillow. I usually put my suitcase up in the bins and then my other bag under the seat in front of me however today, I really didn’t want to…I wanted my feet room….so I put them both up! For Shame!!!

I was all buckled in my seat, waiting for the rest of people to sit their butts down and the whole time thinking “Heidi, really, you should get that other bag and put it under your seat. Not only are you not supposed to put it up there, but you have PLENTY of room for it under you seat and still will have room for your feet.”

But still I sat there.

Finally everyone had boarded, and I figured ok, everyone is fine. They all found places for their stuff. Then…of-course, a guy comes walking up the aisle opening every bin looking for a place for his bag.

I just watch him.

He gets to and opens the bin with my bags, and I look over and see my second bag there…screaming at me…” I’M NOT WELCOME HERE…..GET ME OUT OF HERE!!”

The guy moves on looking for a bin, and I am still sitting there, having a conversation in my head about what is right and wrong and why have I become such a corrupt person and will God talk about this when we discuss my life when I die? Asking me, what made me break the rules and put my second bag up in the bin when I KNEW I was not supposed to.

Then the guy found a place for his bag.

I promptly fell asleep.

Do you ever fall asleep on a place, only to wake up and realize that you still have not taken off? And your 4 hour nap was really just 5 minutes. That is what happened to me. I fell asleep to wake up 5 minutes later thinking we should almost be there…but no…still grounded.

I looked over to see what had woken me up and guess what….KARMA!

Sometimes I think I believe in that mumbo jumbo….sometimes.

A nice lady just two rows ahead of me and on the other side of the isle, complained to the flight attendant that she was being dripped on with water…or something, from the ceiling. And guess what?!??! She wasn’t lying!!! There was a full on drip coming out of the bin above her! The flight attendant asked anyone if they had a water bottle in the bin above her head and a guy got up and proceeded to take down the bag in the bin above her, which was a cooler…RIGHT NEXT TO MY BAG! I saw him use one of the blankets to mop up the water in the bin…kind of secret like….he can’t fool me though…I saw him! He took his bag down and put it under his seat instead. I still said nothing about my bag.

Upon arriving in Atlanta, and taking my bag out from the bin, the handle was all wet. I wanted to be mad…and yet…for some reason, I just smiled and said “serves you right Heidi!!!”

End of story.

The flight went fine. No hic-ups. We took off, flew and landed with no awesome event to talk about. The people around me were really nice, not loud and slept the whole way there. Being evening, most of the plane slept actually.

I arrived in Atlanta and got off the plane. I went straight to the Arrival/Departure screens more out of habit and not so much out of curiosity. See…I have 12 hours in Atlanta….i could wander the whole airport 5 times over and still be WAY early to my gate.

None the less…..i found my gate and went straight there. Why waste time…I don’t want to miss it or anything.

I sat down and did some people watching and then decided that 12 hours is just downright silly so I should most likely just go into the Delta Club. It cost me $50, but I say it’s worth it! Free food and drinks, a quiet place to rest stretch out and work on my homework. SO worth it.

While sitting at the gate and people watching, I found myself evaluating the folks that walked past me. Then, as I was thinking about how many different types of people there are, this thought randomly popped into my head, “I wish I could see a clown here”…and as fast as that it was gone. I think that thought, took my sanity with it. Cause really? A clown at the airport? Ha! What would even make me think about that? I have not seen a clown for real (not counting on tv or the circus) in years I believe….

As I was walking away from that gate, headed to the club, I realized that I really need a nap.

Last, but not least...

I am currently sitting on my bed...starring at my suitcases all packed and ready to go. Dreading making the treck back to school. I don't want to go. I don't want to leave my mom. I don't want to leave my dad. I don't want to leave my sister. I don't want to leave my brother. i don't want to leave my CAR!!!!!!!!!!

But...i do miss all my friends, and i can't wait to see them and am excited for my interesting classes i have this semester. Today is also the first day of classes at school, and i find myself sort of sad that i am missing them. Hugging everyone everytime i see them....i find i miss that.

I have had a wonderful time here at home these past two months, and i will only be gone for another 3.5 months so it is not too bad. I will be returning mid November and ready to have a good 'ol Seattle winter!

I am heading to Cape Town in the middle of their winter. I hear there is snow on Table Top Mountain....not cool. I like snow...but not in Africa. It just...sounds wrong!

As soon as i get back i will pick up my regular blog writting, i promise!

Pray i have a safe flight back!

Thanks!