Where Do I Go From Here

But where do I go from here?  So many voices ringing in my ear.  Which is the voice that I was meant to hear?  How will I know?  Where do I go from here?     -"Where Do I Go From Here," Pocahontas 2: Journey to a New World

I've tried to write this titled blog post for a while, but it always sounded depressing.  I think I've got a handle on it now, though the song still fits my present living.

A lot of good has happened in the last... while since I've last written.  I can't even begin to express how better this year has been compared to the previous one.  While talking to my mom, she condemned me for saying it, but I've kinda been waiting for it to go bad.  I usually don't go this long without something unfortunate happening to me.  Blessings, blessings!

Most recently, I got a job!! I went in to an interview with Hobby Lobby yesterday, and I didn't expect him to hire right on there, but he did!  As soon as he started going over my availability, I thought it was doomed, but he said I seemed to be a good enough girl and with my skills in the arts and crafts area, I was sure to do well there.  He was a really nice guy, and I am so glad I got the job.  I needed a better income.  Yet, there are downsides.  I have to work Black Friday and that next Saturday. Saturday is the day I have the tickets to see Beauty and the Beast.  While the employer, Darrel, said that he'd try to make that work out,  I still live 4 and a half hours from Sioux Falls, and my grandma lives an extra 2 and a half past that... Ouch.  And then to drive back?? I'm really hoping this works out.  Also, this next coming weekend is the 4 State retreat.  I might have to work.  I'm also hoping we can work something out, but during my interview Darrel did say he couldn't make too many exceptions... Oh Lordy! I really hope it works out! It takes 5 and a half hours to get to camp from here, and I've been looking forward to this retreat for MONTHS.  I don't count these situations as bad things.  After the ear issues I had last year, it takes more than a few missed entertainments to make me really upset.  I still hope it works out.

This leads me to a special thing that Autumn has set up.  She made a prayer group on Facebook with a couple of her close friends, me included.  We post our prayer requests, and she added a thing she learned at camp this summer, of commenting the exact time you prayed.  I think it's helped all of us out a lot.  I can't wait to see her! She's one of the most caring and beautiful people I've ever met!! She is a star :).

Another great thing that has happened is that I got a painting job! The athletic department needed the school logo painted on the wall above the bleachers in the gym.  The pay is great and I'm doing something I love, though my poor neck doesn't love the angle.  It's going well, and I hope to be done with it sometime next week.  The paint is really cheap though, so it will take a couple layers.  This is what I had after finishing up last night.  I still need to outline the white in black, and fill it in with purple.  And finish spelling 'Sioux Falls' of course.  Plus layers... a lot of work.

I also have started on a rather awesomely huge project.  For Art History we have to do a massive research paper, and I'm doing 'Art and Disney's Sleeping Beauty.'  Laugh all you want, but I'm quite serious on it.  I spent hours this week reading up on Walt Disney, and I'm even more sure that my future husband needs to be like him! I've also realized I'm quite a bit like him.  That's a whole other blog post, however :).  I'm slightly frustrated with my professor though, because she isn't very supportive of it.  See, there's something called the Undergraduate Research Conference, and I want to present my findings.  It looks great on a resume, and it will happen next spring.  I'm beyond excited, but my professor has made it known that she doesn't like Disney.  I'm going to present that Disney movies are true artworks, by using the movei that relates most to art history, Sleeping Beauty.  Not my favorit princess movie, but a good one none the less.  Every time I talk to Nancy about it though, she keeps telling me I have to have scholarly sources.  I have 5 books on the subject! "Well, they have to be scholarly." THEY'RE BOOKS! Gosh, she drives me nuts.  One of the authors was a Harvard art professor! How much more scholarly can you get!? I hope my presentation will help her to open her mind.  She's ripped mine open all the time about modern art, so it's about time I return the favor... in a kind way of course.

I feel like I'm missing something... Ah! The meaning of my title!! Where do I go from here?  It's a song that pops into my head quite a bit when I'm beyond overwhelmed or lacking direction.  The first time I tried this title I had a lack of direction.  Once I again reminded myself that God's got my life on a direction that's better than I could ever imagine.  This time I'm overwhelmed.  With the week I've had, it's no wonder.  Monday night/Tuesday morning I was up til 3:30 studying for Government, failed the Art History quiz that next day because of government, started the painting job, had my interview, failed twice at my print in Printmaking, sang for departmental, did a lot of research... Long week.  The overwhelmed part comes into play when I realized how full my schedule now is.  It brings forth feelings of panic to look at my calendar that, if it included everything, would be so colorful you'd think I drew a rainbow.  How am I to do all the things I could do but didn't do before? I now have a job that's not near as understanding as my Events Team job. (which I still have, by the way) I have choir performances, musical performances I HAVE to attend for points, homework, studying, general cleaning, painting the gym, trying to be a better artist for Disney's Internship Program, and while also trying to grow in Christ. There's tons of things I haven't mentioned, but I'm not going to try to list everything that worries me.  God's got that taken care of, but it wouldn't hurt to have the prayers of my friends and such.  For calmness. For my boss to understand my commitments.  For joy in my blessings.   It's all helpful.

I love you guys and I can't wait to see many of you soon!! Hopefully!

PS: Katie, just thought you should know, my butt went to sleep typing this.  Are you proud?!