'Tis the season...

The holiday season is in full swing, and I must tell you all that I'm excited. About many things. Here are just a few of them:
-School being over (4 more days!!)
-School starting (last semester of undergrad!!)
-Going home for Christmas (I get to see my best friend of almost 20 years AND I get to see my amazing family!)
-January 11 (Heading to Utah to see another of my very best friends!)
-December 24 (my 25th birthday!)
-January 1 (the beginning of a whole new year!!)

I realize that most people dread their birthday coming, but for some reason I've ALWAYS loved celebrating my birthday! I love looking back on the previous year and seeing all the growth. I love recognizing God's work in my life. This year has been the best of my 24 years so far. I truly blessed, and can't wait to celebrate that on December 24th! What's even better is I get to celebrate it with Annette, my best friend since Kindergarten and my family. Although I can't always explain EXACTLY what it is that God's doing in my life to my family, I know they can see a change in me. A change in my attitude, in my behavior, in my LIFE. And I know this change is because of God... they may not know the Lord, but they know me, and HOPEFULLY they see Him through the changes in my life.

Along with the many things I'm excited about, there are a few things I'm NOT so excited about. Although this list is MUCH shorter, it exists none the less.
-My 5 finals (boooooooo)
-Driving 299 to the coast during the snowy-est time of the year
-Saying goodbye to some of my favorite buddies from English class

I'm now off to study my life away for my 5 finals. Hopefully the next time I blog I will be done with at least one of these dreaded finals!!

Adventures in Chico

What a fiasco today has been already. Every Thursday, I rise at the crack of dawn and drag myself to Chico for a full day of academics. I have three classes that span from 9:30 am until 4:00 pm. I usually try to leave the house by 7:30 to ensure I get a parking spot in Chico. Today, I hit the snooze a few too many times. By the time I was ready and out the door it was close to 8:00! In a panic, I jumped in my car and hit the road. Right outside of Anderson, I noticed I had just hardly a quarter of a tank of gas left. My plan was to stop in Corning and grab coffee (much needed) and fill up the tank. As I got off the freeway at Corning, I began digging around my purse for my wallet. After a good 5 minutes of searching the contents of my purse close to a MILLION times, I came to the conclusion I had left my wallet at home. At first, I was super bummed I couldn't get my latte.... but soon the reality of the matter set in: without my wallet, I was without any money. Without any money, I was without any gas. Without any gas, there was NO WAY I was going to make it to Chico and back. So, I got back on the freeway and zoomed home on fumes. Just my luck!

isn't it lovely?!

Top Ten Reasons Why Life Is Good:
1. Finals are over
2. Finals are OVER!
3. I'm off work for two weeks
4. I'm going home (to Arcata) for Christmas
5. I turn 24 on Wednesday
6. The pressure's off
7. I get to see my best friend in two days
8. It's finally Winter weather out!!
9. I have THE MOST amazing team of helpers for the Stirring Kids
10. I got a french press for my Birthday... hellooo amazing coffee!!

So check out the Nativity scene the 1st-3rd grade class from the AM Stirring service made. Ava and Elizabeth are showing off their hard work. Great idea Erica. Seriously, so creative! I'm so lucky to get to work with such smart and inventive group of kids (and adults too!!). It's funny because they aren't even my kids, but I love bragging on them.

my rant.

Why do they make online classes
so
darn
DIFFICULT.
-sigh-

Hopefully I pass.
Can't afford to retake this silly
class

Rules
are
Lame!
-longer.sigh-

I drank
SIX
Diet Pepsi's today.
Yup- six.
Lecture me later.
Bad day.
Long day.
Off to bed.

Alive again!!

Yikes, 3 days with no internet... who ever knew I would become so dependent upon the internet. I guess I have an excuse: 3 online classes at Chico... but still, I felt like I was a kid on Christmas morning today when the Charter guy showed up at my door step. I nearly threw my arms around him in appreciation! HA. Well, it's nearly midnight, and I still have 4 chapters to read for my English class tomorrow. Better get to it! Isn't school just lovely?? I'm going to leave you all with a recycled picture of my dearly loved cat Rocky. I've posted it before, but it deserves some more attention because he's just too darn cute!

Life is good!

I'm officially done with finals. It has got to be the greatest feeling on earth! I passed all of my classes this semester, and now I'm officially a CSU Chico student. Nice. I'll buy everybody a Chico State license plate holder, sweatshirt, or some other lovely souvenir! I now have piles of dirty dishes in my sink, and a floor that is in desperate need of sweeping due to my die hard, week long study session. I can now lay out by my pool, clean my house, watch t.v., sleep in, go running and enjoy my life stress-free. It's an amazing feeling. I'm on vacation. Who's coming over to celebrate with me?!

Oh yeah!

One down

Two to go!

I'm so almost done with finals. 

Ug.. school... so lame

Wednesday = LONGEST DAY EVER

YEP! This is me with my Anthropology midterm THAT I GOT A 98% on! HECK YES! My professor, he's hilarious. I have my anthropology class from 7-10 p.m. It's basically torture, but Dr. Tate (he insists we call him James) is such an awesome professor, the time seriously flies by. I actually look forward to going to his class! So we got our tests back today in class, and when he hands mine to me, he folds it in half so that nobody near me can see my score, and tells me "Um, Miss Branca, I need to see you after class... I'm really disappointed with your score!"

When I open it up?? Oh yeah, I got an A. He was cracking up at the expression on my face. I mean, this guy is just great. I wish ALL of my professors had the attitude he does... maybe I can invite my Geography professor to one of my Anthro classes to give her a taste of what GOOD teaching is....

Okay, well I have to go get some homework done. Praise the Lord for my good score! He's been so good to me this past week.