One week later, still going strong...

A lot of work this week. A lot. BUT some cool stuff went down. The other intern, Kristina (Mimi) and I bonded like crazy until 2AM Monday and 6AM Tuesday as we built a HUGE site model for a new project in China. She is precious, and I'm so glad she was with me. I also got to meet the main guys from Arup engineers, who are like THE engineer firm to work with. I thought it was awesome! You may not...

It's been pretty hectic never being home until way after dark. I feel like this week was an endless reel of dirty subway stations (that are not reliable) and dark, cold walks through snow. That sounds really negative, but that's just what it's like sometimes. It's frightening sometimes how easy it is to fall back into the "I can pull through on my own mentality." I had to check myself when I started thinking of tangible ways to stay focused and positive. The Lord stuck his little hand under my foot though, and kept me joyful through the whole week. Hopefully Mimi will wonder why I didn't complain about the late hours behind our boss's back. If you're praying for me, be praying that I get opportunities to real talk with her, that we can discuss spiritual things to get her thinking about the Lord...

I love weekends now because they are actually weekends! I have no homework and can actually have a sabbath. Last night, Christine and I introduced fishbowl to the Upper East Side at game night at Trevor's. Of course it was a hit (almost as great as the queso). This morning I went to my first community group (Bible study through Apostles)! There were about 20 of us crammed onto three couches, all around the same age and most going through a similar stage in life. Granted, that can be detramental to a community, but it was great. We talked about contentment- what it means, how we find it, where we're trying to reach it now. I'm sure it's obvious that this city is constantly striving for greatness. It's constantly humming with anxiety and darting eyes. At the same time, it has come to accept that as a way of life. 12 hour work days are totally normal here. People, like we tend to do, have settled to be discontent, maybe because no one ever pointed out that it could be different. This morning we read through Phillipians 4, when Paul talks about an unconditional, secret contentment, or peace as I relate to it. We touched on the difference between contentment and complacency, and something Jeff said resonated with me: Don't strive for the best, realize you have the truest. The truest meaning the greatness of the Lord and His love for us. It's like being a millionaire and winning a free car wash. It's great, but you already have so much more.

If everything were taken from you, would Jesus be abundantly enough?

I've enjoyed reading through Daniel and 1 Corinthians since I've been here, and I can wait for the morning so I can sit at Prospect Perk and meet with Him.

Off to karaoke! Hugs and kisses!

So nice, they named it...

I know I only agreed to at least one entry per week, but there is no way to convey a week's worth of life in one blog... Instead of attempting to make a coherent story of the jumbled still frames in my mind, I'll leave the series of first lines that I have already written tonight.

Brooklyn, Brooklyn, Brooklyn...

My subway ride used to be as follows: Walk to the 6. Get off at Spring. Walk 8 blocks to work.
Then it was (when the icy wind got inhumane): Walk to the 6. Transfer to the L. Transfer to the C. End at the corner of Van Dam and 6th.
Now it is this: Walk to the C at Clinton-Washington through the snow. End at corner of Van Dam and 6th.
(I also used to wake up in time to get to work at 9:30)

There it was: that subtle spark that made everything clear. This is a girl's shower. An ambiguous quality, though it was, it was simply fact. The realization that I now lived in a girl apt felt like coming home.

I have to sit back on my heels a lot and remind myself that I'll be here for 6 months. I will see the spring and summer. The snow will melt. It will get colder before it gets warm. And the friendships I'm just finding will be crafted into something unimaginable by the end of my stay.

I love it here. I feel at home. I feel loved and known. I feel unafraid.

Worked til 10pm last night. Was supposed to get free dinner and a cab ride, but didn't have the guts to ask for them...

I NOW LIVE IN BROOKLYN! Did I mention that? Logan from Apostle's church forwarded me Amanda's email. Mind you, I had just prayed for an apt to pop up that was available immeadiately (couch hopping wasn't too appealing) and boom. At the same time I was praying, Logan was forwarding. I got the email. Screamed. Went to see it on Saturday and moved in Monday.

First weekend in NY: Went to friend's of the boys' to watch the aggie game (what?). Saturday!! Trev and I ventured to Brooklyn to check out my potential roomate! walked around Prospect Heights! (kids sledding in the park, dogs, snow, the whole shebang) Went to the MET...went to their friend's to eat some pizza. Sunday--laid around after helping out at church (got to thank Logan for sending me Amanda's way), went to Apostles and ran into MARIA CALADO! had a last night with the boys including cookie dough and homemade queso...

My roommate is Amanda Tyler- she's 24 (for sure, she just told me), studied interior design at LSU and has been up here for 2 years. We just went to dinner, bought ben and Jerry's and watched a Jane Austen flick on our unfurnished living room floor. Love.

"No one stops to think,
no one has the knowledge or understanding to say,
'Half of this wood I used for fuel;
I even baked bread over its coals,
I roasted meat and I ate.
Shall I make an idol from what is left?
Shall I bow down to a block of wood?'"
Isaiah 44:19

Trying to learn from Daniel up here. Man, that man had faith like...

My first night with a radiator in my room, I woke up terrified. I got out of bed to see why Amanda was screaming bloody murder. Then I realized it was the beast of a machine at the foot of my bed leaking heat into my room.

I have been sleeping on a couch that Trevor found on the street. I was not aware of this until recently. New York has a legitimate bedbug infestation.

bedtime. I love you. God has blessed me big this week! My room in Austin is still available (as of yesterday) PLEASE spread the word. Word.

First things first

I need hours to write about my past three days here...actually about the emotional roller coaster that I've been riding since Thanksgiving because of where I am right now...and how the Lord was there the whole time.

Flashback for those who never heard the story:
Architecture students at UT can do an internship for 6/7 months instead of taking a semester of school. Since freshman year my plan has been to do it in the summer and fall of 2011, hopefully in Africa or South America for poor children. When the semester began, I started praying regularly and desperately for some direction about residency because one day I would think I was supposed to be in Austin, Berlin, Seattle, Uganda... I got nothing definite, but I was okay with that. God had it under control. I stopped praying about it. He had heard me, and besides, I had a whole semester and a half to figure it out. One day, Katie Palmerton encouraged me and reminded me to pray without ceasing. So I plopped down in the union between classes and started praying. Please, God, tell me what to do about residency SOON... In the middle of my sentence I felt moved to check something online, and my friend Justin had messaged me that the firm he was working for wanted to hire for the spring. boom. After MANY hours of prayer and tears (shout out to K Tarv) I decided that it wasn't a coinsidence. I made sure I could still apply, sought some wise people's thoughts and set about making a portfolio to send in...and now I'm here (because I got the job). "My plans are higher than your plans" anyone?

Day .5 (leaving Dallas and arriving at Trevor, Charles and Clayton's apartment 12 hours later)
Was hard, made bearable by my sweet friends that I got to see the night before, and made unbearable by how sweet my dad and brother were when they dropped me off. Shaking, tears and frustration.

Day 1 and 2 were great! I like where I work and what they ask me to do and who I work with.
A few other people are staying in the boys' apt too, so it's been fun to have a lot of people to hang out with after work! All these lovely new friends are so friendly, and I've loved being here! I'll talk more about the actual city and answer all the questions I can imagine you're thinking right now.

Still looking for a permanent place to rest my head! But still hopeful! Love you, not homesick yet!