Senioritis

Well it's official...senioritis has definitely set in.  Thanksgiving break gave me just enough of a break to make me not want to be back at school.  It's hard to believe there is only a week and a half left of classes, and that my projects are all due next Tuesday.  Where has this semester gone?  And why can I not get my brain back in work mode?   I have a TON of stuff due this Thursday and I really need my brain to start functioning in design mode again.  I was talking with Jodi last night and we decided college would be perfect if we could live this life minus classes.  Then we decided every student in a major other than Interior Design does live that lifestyle.  We've all decided we are crazy for choosing this major.  No one warned us going in how hard, time consuming, and stressful it would be.  I've been at it for 3 1/2 years now and my brain is beginning to shut down.  Unfortunately for me however, I cannot give into these senioritis feelings.  I must get back to work and finish these projects.  (I just don't want to!).

Sigh.

I can do this.  I will make it.  I can do this.  Right?  Oh I hope so.
This is what my to do list looks like for the next 4 days:

• Draw 3 perspectives
• Render those perspectives
• Finalize 4 elevations
• Render those elevations
• Draw an axonometric
• Render that axonometric
• Draw my ceiling plan for the Wrenn Room
• Choose lighting and other accessories for Wrenn
• Put all my programming and budge information into a spec book
• Finalize my kitchen elevations
• Draw a perspective of my Kitchen
• Put together 3 boards for my store project
• Present my store project
• Draw my sections and details for the kitchen project

I'm officially stressed out.  Funny thing is, I'm on top of all my checkpoints and deadlines for each project and I still have all of that left to do.  I can do this?????   I can do this.

On the bright side, after I turn all of that craziness in, I will get to spend a relaxing weekend with Cassie, Todd, and Kevin. Along with Meredith's boyfriend Jack, and Jodi's guy Ryan.  Hotel Motel 409 is officially booked with 5 guests, we are no longer taking reservations! Ha!  It's going to be a CRAZY fun weekend in room 409!  (I just have to make it to Thursday!)

Norton here I come!

Thursday Thoughts: Happy Thanksgiving

On this wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, I can't help but find myself thinking about how thankful I am.  This season calls us to remember the things in life that we are given, and it reminds us all to be thankful.  There are so many things in my life I'm thankful for this year, and I am truly blessed with the life God gave me. Here are the 10 things I'm most thankful for (these are in no particular order).

1. I'm thankful for my family.  For the Christian upbringing they gave me, the values and morals they instilled in my life, and the love they have always shown me.  I'm thankful for their never ending support in all aspects of my life.  I'm thankful to have a family that loves me unconditionally, encourages me to follow my dreams, and trusts me.  I have been truly blessed by the most wonderful family in the entire world and I love all of you dearly.
2. I'm thankful for my friends. I am so thankful for all the wonderful friends the Lord has put in my life. I'm thankful for the good times and laughs we have shared together.  I'm thankful for the tears we've cried together and the memories we've made.  I'm thankful to have so many wonderful friends I can trust unconditionally and lean on when in need.  I'm thankful for the support they give and the love they show.  I'm thankful for how they challenge me to grow, and for the comfort and joy they provide.  I love you all! 
3. I'm thankful for my relationship with the Lord. I have been blessed with an amazing upbringing where religious morals have always been instilled into my life.  I'm thankful for the amazing gift God gave when He sent His son to die for us.  I'm thankful for the forgiveness, guidance, love, comfort, and strength he provides every day. I'm thankful for the gift of Heaven and the chance to become a better me.  I'm thankful for all the opportunities God has provided me with and all the mission trips I've been able to take part in.  My relationship with the Lord has been my strength and guiding force in life. That gift is simply irreplaceable.
4. I'm thankful for the gift of laughter. There is truly nothing more refreshing in this world than a good laugh.  Everyone says they always see me laughing, and that's because I truly love to laugh. I'm thankful for how such a simple act can uplift one's day.  I love the impact it has on me and others.  I love the joy and closeness it brings to everyone.
5. I'm thankful for my parents. I'm thankful that they love the Lord, that they love each other, and that they love me. I'm thankful that they care for others and have instilled that quality into my life.  I'm thankful for the care they give and the things they provide even in the hard times.  I'm thankful for the unending faith and strength they place in the Lord. I'm thankful for their guidance, support, and love.
6. I'm thankful for my sister. I'm thankful for all the memories and laughs we've shared. I'm thankful that she knows what I'm thinking when no one else does.  I'm thankful for our inside jokes and times spent together.  I'm thankful for the man she married and the example she sets through their marriage. I'm thankful for her walk with the Lord and her encouragement she gives to grow in mine. I'm thankful that no matter how much we may frustrate each other that at the end of the day she still loves me and will always be my sister.
7. I'm thankful for my dog. Oh my sweet sweet Coconut.  I'm so thankful for the joy I feel when I'm around him.  I'm thankful for his sweet kisses and hilarious tricks. I'm thankful for his occasional cuddles and late night barks.  I'm thankful that he loves to sleep in my room, gets excited when I come home, and cries when I leave.  I'm thankful that even as a dog he has a personality and lights up anyone's day when they see him.
8. I'm thankful for the simple joys in life.  Things like the joy you feel after turning a large project in, the warmth on your skin from the sun when you first go outside, the peacefulness you feel when you lay down at night.  I'm thankful for good stories, pedicures, relaxation, holiday spirit, and inside jokes.  I'm thankful for fall colors, spring flowers, home-cooked meals, and comfortable clothes.  All these little things, remind me daily to be thankful.
9. I'm thankful for our freedom. I am reminded, especially the last few weeks, of how precious a gift the men and women that serve our Country are.  I'm thankful for their sacrifice and willingness to protect people they don't even know.  I'm thankful for the freedom that results from their love and sacrifice.  I'm thankful for their families and the support and love they show to their children serving. I'm thankful for the ability to live in a place that allows us the freedom to make our own choices and encourages it daily.  Today I'm thankful for all the men and women out there serving our Country.  Your efforts do not go unnoticed and I am truly grateful for you and all you do!
10. I'm thankful for my creative skills. My creative abilities have made me who I am today.  I'm thankful for my calling and my ability to utilize this skill.  I'm thankful that I'm challenged daily to try new things and push my abilities even further.  I'm thankful for the joy expressing my creativity brings to others and myself.  I'm thankful that I can use this quality to help others and change lives.  I'm thankful for such a seemingly small quality, that has truly changed and shaped my life.

Happy Thanksgiving!! I hope yours is as wonderful as ours!!!

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever."  Psalm 107:1

A View Through My Eyes Part 2

I think it's official.  Yep, I've officially gone cross-eyed.

On the bright side....my electrical plans are now done! 

Quick Update

I've still got a lot of work to do, so I'm going to have to make this post a quick one.

Last night I finished:

• My reflected ceiling plans
• The Wrenn Room elevations (I just need to key them now)

Today my goal is to finish:

• Electrical/Switching plans for Wrenn
• Kitchen Elevations
• Cabinet plans for the kitchen project

Haiti update:  I got another $300 in this week, so I'm only $200 away from my final goal!  I'm hoping to get a little extra in to give to Dorothy for a Christmas present to support her ministry and any after that will go to help Cassie finish raising her money.  It's getting SO close I can taste it!  Thank you to everyone who has supported this trip so far!!! And thank you for all of your prayers.  They are greatly appreciated and still very much needed.  Thank you everyone!  Your support has been incredible!

Dorothy and a couple of her kids in front of her house.  This is where we'll be staying.

A couple of the babies Dorothy takes care of.

A glimpse of Haiti.  Dorothy rescues her children from these conditions.

A View Through My Eyes

I'm trying very hard to be productive in Norton today.  We've got a LOT of stuff due on Tuesday and I've only got part of it done.  Megan and I came over here this afternoon around 1pm only to find that the power was out on main campus and they couldn't let us into the building.  We lost 3 hours of productivity time, but I'll be honest I enjoyed having a few hours to relax.  We finally got into the building at 4pm and have been working non-stop since.  A dinner break will happen soon, but we'll be in here all night weekend.  Here, take a look at what I'm seeing for the next 8 hours:

My work area.  Orderly chaos as always.

An overview of all the plans drawn on my CAD file at this moment.

Make you dizzy?  Yeah I think I'm going cross-eyed or will be by the time I do this to the other 3 floors.

Oh Norton.  We have a love-hate relationship.  I will love it again when I turn this project in and have the satisfaction of finishing another project.  Until then, we are not on great terms. 

This is my to do list for Tuesday:

• Wrenn Room Elevations
• Key elevations to my floor plan
• Reflected Ceiling plan of all 4 floors in Wrenn (that'd be the dizzying picture above)
• Electrical/Switching plan for all 4 floors in Wrenn
• Finish cabinet plan for kitchen project
• Draw the rest of my elevations for the kitchen

Sounds like I've gotten nothing done but the other parts due for Tuesday that I've finished are:

• Finalize my Wrenn budget and key all furniture to my floor plan
• Finalize fabric choices for Wrenn
• Finished my new construction plan for the kitchen project
• Part of my kitchen elevations are done
• Part of my reflected ceiling plans are done

Whew! I should get back to work now.