The last seconds before my 2nd semester

Sunday night:

Spring has started .. or so I thought. Well, I always know it starts on my birthday, the 22nd of march - with all the sunshine I have worked  on getting all year round;)

Going to bed, exhausted in body and needing rest for my mind - from plotting in appointments for the next couple of months and preparing for the next semester, I am finally allowing myself to swift into bed and with a delicious hot cup of tea.
I found some tea in the laundry room, where there has been put up a table with leftover stuff from residents leaving the markle. In this case clothes, tea, shoes, movies etc were left behind, for all that space they didn't have more of in their suitcases returning home.
The tea was a delicious yogi tea (the special herbal/medicine tea that calms you with all sorts of different strenghts.. some hlep you to fall asleep, some calm your muscles etc)
This one was a tahitian tea that soothes your body.
And I just LOVE how my tea spoke to me: on top of the tea bag it said "A relaxed mind is a creative mind".. my thoughts exactly.

I have had such a relaxing and lovely weekend, seeing family from Denmark and Wittenbergs.. watching Friends, taking walks, being back home at the salvation army in Hempstead citadel, working out and dancing with my new ballet shoes, eating and sitting by the cozy fire, getting my ipod to work - meaning I sing all around the city now, performing my showcase, having time with class mates afterwards, going to yoga class, going swimming at the gym, going ice skating, finishing my grandma's cross stitch project.
Somehow, all through these numerous appointments and things I have done, I have managed to vary it with things that I love to do, and things that relax me. Dancing was a relief and beautiful part of my days, not a burden I had to do to be better at the subject I'm weakest in anymore..

It is the beest feeling ever to have a day off tomorrow. I feel like I've managed so much already.. and getting an extra day just to put my feet back on the ground is just what I need.
Back to school with a brand new class and brand new subject, brand new books, brand new expectations and hopes and dreams and goals. Well maybe not goals.. I am still living this one big goal, for sure .. maybe just slightly realizing the truth and awesomeness in it now;) But new devotion and encouragement for sure!

Can't wait to see how this next chapter of my blog will turn out! (or more likely the 70th chapter of the book.. if I ever get to publish it. It will be humongous!)

Monday:

I woke up around 8 and read the daily scriptures. I could have slept for longer, but I had things ahead of me I needed and wanted to do.. so I will make sure to get that extra sleep tonight :)

I think I will sleep really well.. after a quick breakfast this morning I went swimming for the first time in New York. I love swimming, so it's silly I haven't done it before.. makes sense I haven't found the time till now though!
I swam 50 laps non-stop in 25 minutes. I surprised myself. I could really feel how my body condition had gotten much better since the last time I swam in a pool.. I would get tired and need to stop after maybe 10 laps. The pool was tiny.. only 70 feet long.. but still. I felt good about that.

Walking home from 23 East side, where the recreation center was, I was reminded that NY is indeed a very cool city to live in! I am lucky. Nothing much, just walking on the street and taking in the small things around me.

Also on my way I found a food store, which was reeally cheap. Instead of paying around 40 dollars for bread,hummus,milk,fruits,cheese,soups,crackers, beans etc. that I need for a school week.. I paid 25. And I felt like I got a lot more than I usually do. That was kind of a triumph!

Feeling very hungry and basically just like my body needed to be filled with energy after using it all for my swimming, I looked for a place that had refreshing smoothies. I bumped into something more awesome.. there was this special green store, only selling green drinks. There were smoothies and juices with lemon,ginger,carrots,cucumber,watermelon and tons of other green things I don't remember.
I got a mixture of a few different ones mentioned above. It was soo good!
More expensive than a starbucks.. :/ BUT 10 times more healthy.. or wait .. 50 times more healthy. And that tiny drink was like a lunch for me. I am not hungry.. and I'm happy I'm not because otherwise I would probably have a dish with sugary sauce from the Markle. I should kindly talk to the chefs and ask if they could make an option without the half bucket of sugar it seems they pour in the sauce.

Now, time for devotion. Jessica gave me a prayer journal. Actually something I hadn't heard about until Susan told me about her journal through her fasting period. Now - like a sign from heaven a dear friend has gifted me with one.. and I think I should get started on it!
We have found the date for my soldier enrollment in the Salvation Army - the 30th of March. Before that I will have 2 weekends with the Wittenberg couple to go through the lessons I've been taken through a book by myself.
All through this period before the enrollment, I think it would be a good idea to keep the daily journal. I believe this time before is when I will discover many things, and also have many questions.

Before long.