How it's going..

Good, really good. And super busy. I almost don't know where to start it's been such a full week...
I am slowely getting used to the three hour travelling I am doing each day, when for the past two years I have been lucky enough to work 5 mins from home and am used to coming home at lunchtime. I know I am lucky as I don't have to leave till almost 11.00 am but it's still tiring. I try and use this time to study through class notes (I already have half a folder full - phew!)

I have met tonnes of new people from all over the world. There is quite a few international students in my class from places such as Brazil, Laos, South Africa, Poland & New Zealand..

I have had to negotiate myself through the city and on the city transport (quite a daunting task for a 'country girl' like me. Yeah I catch the 'country link' trains - we are SO not even near the country!! Am feeling much more confident with this now.

Got a HUGE art kit (YUMMY!!) - this was so heavy to take home I actually put my neck out dragging it onto the trains! I was really lucky that dad was in the city my first day and I was on the train waiting for it to leave the station when he gave me a call and said he could pick me up - soooo awesome! what are the chances of that - seriously.

Eased into class with silly little drawing excercises.
learnt how to mix gouchace paint to the right consistency.
started colour theory (a little more indepth than high school).

Found a sushi place near the station - yumm!
Have started to explore around - it is so pretty.

Am realizing just hot busy this year is going to be. I'm going to try and keep this little spot going but if you don't hear from me for awhile you'll know I'll be head in the books (or paint and other fun mediums) and bum up studying!

the view from the train station (lucky it is a two minute walk for me to class):


View from my classroom window (when a ship is not in the way) - something like this:

And here's a silly little video Morgan took (along with the pictures) last Saturday when we went down to see which trians I had to catch and where the college was in relation to the train station. a little embarrassing but gives you a good look around..

back to school.

Jer 29:11 (NIV) "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Lord,
Thank you for blessing me. Thank you that I live in this amazing country and have the opportunity to gain a higher education (in my chosen career path) and thank you for the job and funds you have blessed me with which have enabled me to do so.

I commit this year of studying to you. Learning to go against my 'stressful' nature and to not worry about what the future holds or whether I will have a job at the end of this time. But instead confidentially rely on you for these things.

May I be a seed in the many lives that I will encounter this year whether in class, on the train or just passing in the street. Shine through me God, so that people may look at me and know there is something different & desire it themselves.

and thank you lord that I may one day be able to use these talents and the skill I will learn for your kingdom.

Pslam 37:4-5 "Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him(lean on, rely on and be confident) also in him and he will bring it to pass."

Yes, tomorrow is my first day of college. And I am a little nervous but also very excited. I can't believe this thing I have been thinking of and planning and praying for two years is finally happening!

And now I'll leave you with some pretty eye candy of images that have been inspiring me lately and be back tomorrow night to let you know how it all went, and possibly with a Kt & Cm video!

from paperpony:

next three images from hulaseventy.

next two images from sfgirlbybay:

A year of...

Change. So much change.
Change that is just as daunting and unknown as it is exciting and inspiring. Yes I really can't make up my mind how I feel about it all at the moment. There are quite a few big changes happening over the next few weeks and months in the Mac Household...

A massive change in the direction of my future, as in now I have a plan and goal for my career. On Monday I handed my four weeks notice of my resignation to the head of my department (my boss is away so i still have to tell her!). It was a slightly scary process but my boss was great, understanding, excited for me and happy that I was pursuing my goal (which they have known about ever since they hired me) . So the 7th February 2009 will be my last day as a legal secretary and as of the 23 February I will be become a full time student studying a diploma of Interior design (yum yum!) here (as previously posted about here). Hopefully this space will only grow during this time and that I will be able share my some of knowledge and work with you all. Oh and that I can get used to commuting into Sydney and going back to studying after almost three years of not having to think too much :P

a change of scenery. After three-four years of our house being on and off the market without selling we are finally moving!! The phone call from the real estate agent (just after we had eaten an amazing breakfast in a glorious private bay on our boating holiday) to say we had an offer topped off the holiday for us (photos to come). The contracts are to be exchanged tomorrow and then we have 5 weeks to find a place and move. It's safe to say the house hunt (and box hunt) is in full swing and we spent all day Saturday browsing through houses. Due to large changes in dad's work, getting rid of his factory and my brother and I going to school in Sydney this once again brings with it much more change. We are looking at properties in a different area than which we live now, which will mean a new church, new friends and a change of lifestyle. We may even all be moving into morgan's house (they have a separate granny flat) if we end up without a house for a time, which in itself is a crazy thought.

We are also busily preparing my brother for a his new school. Not just any school but a 160 year old boarding school where he will be boarding Monday to Friday. It's funny when people ask us what he has done wrong to be sent there and if he is really that bad a student. The only thing I can think that he has done to seal this as his fate is to be born into this family and to be the third generation of Mac boys to attend said school. Fortunately, he is very very excited about the prospect of a new school and unlike his older sibling who is slightly daunted by change and new places is embracing it with vigor. He is also off next week to the schools rowing camp (his chosen summer sport) and to meet some new friends while mum, grandma and i will be frantically sewing the labels with his name and laundry number onto every item of clothing. I just know weekends will have a special meaning for us next year when he is home.

oh and did I mention all these changes will probably be happening within a few weeks of each other - crazy thinking how life can suddenly change so much!

Of course when life becomes like this, blogging seems to take a back seat but know that I am still logging in almost daily to check up on life, to smile at the posts you all write and that I have missed you all.

and...
HAPPY NEW YEAR friends! may God fill it with blessing, prosperity, many laughs, happy moments and tonnes of friends!

kt x