T-minus One Month

Mamma mia......today marks three weeks until my orientation, and four weeks til I move in to my new digs at U of Houston.
I have a lot on my mind today, so it's perfect for an IT'S OK THURSDAY linkup with Amber and gals.

It's ok...


That I got my wisdom teeth out on Monday and still have puffy face today...


To cry because of overwhelming circumstances


That I'm listening to Demi Lovato right now (I really like her music, and she's an excellent role model for young girls)


That I said goodbye to Dad again today...I won't see him til Thanksgiving probably (he got to visit home for two weeks, but is heading back to Afghanistan til October) 


That I am moving in four weeks


To just need a hug


To blog to get all these thoughts out 


To make silly faces to distract myself (yup, I'm apparently 3 years old)


That I am turning 19 in less than 2 months (I just realized this the other day when mom referred to me as "almost 19." Huh. Last year as a teen. That'll be nice)


That I "stalk" my favorite bloggers :)


That I am longing for a good shopping session, and I'm not a shopper...it's strange. I'm the oddest female. 


That I love the nickname: Allie Anne (I really love any nickname if it is given in love)


That I spent three different times trying to get to the next level in Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness (I haven't played this one before, so I recently got it on Amazon.com, and got stuck the other night, but as of last night I'm on a new level!! Currently running around Paris, but in the sewers....hmm)


That I could do nothing but listen to music all day


That I am leaning on God; that's always ok :) 

"Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving."- Colossians 4:2 

Dear Monday...Yikes

I'm stuck in bed, so, I feel a blog post is necessary ;)
First, let me give a disclaimer: in my idiocy, I did not write anything on my last post to tell ya'll that Emily (my July sponsor!) wrote it! Ohhh I feel terrible :( I just copied the html she gave me, and added nothing else. *facepalm* So, I will edit that right quick after this post (yes, I am southern, I get to say right quick, ya'll, yonder, reckon, fixin, etc ;) )

So, today is a Dear Monday and a Mingle Monday :) Let's go!

*Dear mouth; I'm sorry I had to get wisdom teeth taken out of you, AND a bad cavity tooth extracted. As I write this I am in immense pain (left side, and my tummy, yup) but am trying to keep the ice pack on you as much as possible. Anyway, thanks for letting me eat melted ice cream and cake.

*Dear music: oh my goodness we had such fun yesterday! My senior recital was like a cloudy dream full of love, happiness, and joy joy joy! I can't wait to see the pictures of my wonderful friends who came to support and celebrate with me. I couldn't be more grateful. Plus we had fun going out to Maggie Moo's for ice cream after. Anyway, music. You rock.

*Dear blogworld, thank you for making me feel welcome! This community is so loving and supportive. I'm still a tiny blogger, but I love to write and connect with new people. So so neat!

*Dear Elise; thank you for nominating me for the Liebster award! My first blog award!! :) I'll get on that in a bit, super fun! I've really enjoyed getting to know you via email and texting :) Again, the blogworld is just such a neat community!

*Dear Daddy, I'm so glad you are here for a few weeks on leave from Afghanistan. Thank you for taking me to my surgery this morning and getting me a milkquake from Krystal. And thanks for being pretty legit and cool. :)

Dad and myself right before my recital. I just love to take goofy pictures, and he is nice enough to let me ;) Ok, we're both goofs haha. 

*Dear Mom, thank you for your never-ending love, support, wisdom, hugs, and crazy sense of humor. You're a light, and I cannot ask for a better mom! You're MY mom. I had you first of course ;) Just me and you against the world. I'm gonna miss you when I leave, but we're gonna have super fun moving in and decorating together. And hey, I can still call you every night at 9:30 and chatter away about random nonsense ;) I'm so glad you're my Mom. You truly inspire me! (I wanna be like you and Dad someday. Ya'll are way too adorable for your own good ;) hehehe).

*Dear ice pack, keep it up. You're doing your job.

*Dear Houston, I can't wait to become your newest resident! Heck, with all this gun-rights garbage talk going on, I'd love to become a full resident, then Texas can secede and life will be great. ;)

*Dear Shabby Apple, and Etsy, please stop being so irresistible. I have no moneys, but your products look so lovely and beautiful and really soothe me when I'm stuck in bed and can't move. :) So, ya'll should have an Alexandra Anne sale ;)

*Dear Michael, thank you for loving this crazy goofy opera chick. I'm wearing my ThinkGeek.com shirt right now, and thinking of you. If it weren't for Firefly, we wouldn't be together ;) I'm super jealous that you're going to DragonCon, but I will get over it ;)

This picture is from when I lived in Naples; the shirt was my first online purchase ever! Says "Also, I can kill you with my brain." ;) (I'll give you a big fat hug, or a virtual one, if you can get the reference) 

*Dear friends and family who came to see me yesterday: ya'll rock!!!!! I will admit, when I first saw how filled up my house was, I did have a bit of a freak out ;) "All these people are here......for me????" (basic thoughts, honestly). But once I started singing, I was so grateful that you were all here. It was a pleasure sharing my joy with you.

*Dear Italia, I miss you...not gonna lie. I really really really miss you. You changed my life :)

*Dear God, Ok. I'm bedridden, so, I'll get the Bible out. Sorry.... I need to be a better witness than that. Thank you so so so so much for your never ending grace and true love. You're the reason we're all here :) You're the creator of This Journey.

Xoxoxo,
Alexandra Anne

Doin' Alright

Today I am linking up with.... 

and 

The good:
My Daddy is home! It's so awesome to wake up, have breakfast, and just talk with my Dad about anything and everything :) He's the coolest, and as my friend Maegan says, he is a legit adult we like ;)
Also good, he met Michael! It's a little strange introducing my boyfriend of 9 months to my Dad....after the 9 months of dating. But I guess that's how it goes when your dad is deployed for a year and only gets a 2 week visit in the summer.
Quite good: I had an INTENSE voice lesson yesterday. A normal lesson for me is 45minutes to an hour. Yesterday I sang from 4:30 til 6:15; yowza! And don't be fooled, singing is definitely a workout of the body, mind, AND soul. (It's a really neat experience when I get emotional during an aria or art song).

The bad:
I am freaking out that my recital is this coming Sunday.
Dad leaves next Wednesday.
I have oral surgery next Monday (gotta get a tooth extracted, super bad evil cavity)
I'm feeling really guilty about my faith life, I haven't been seeking God regularly, and I have not been in the Word. I am, however, praying God brings me some new accountability soon. I am confident that He will, in His timing. :)

The ugly:
I need to shower, and right now I have ridiculous bedhead.
I need to be healthier...I need to eat better and exercise regularly.
I need to stop judging others, getting my feelings hurt easily, and being so defensive and mean. I've been working on that...but I really don't like how ugly I can get. Again, I am praying for accountability. On my own I am just a meanie poo and I don't like that person at all!


I've enjoyed this perspective post! You should link up too ;)
Have a great week!

I Wouldn't Change

Today's challenge from Life of Love  is to answer this:
What's one thing that you would never change about yourself?

I'm pretty sure every female wants to change something about herself physically, and probably emotionally too.
But I will vanquish my self-deprecation even if just for a moment; I am determined to find the love for myself in this post! Huzzah! ;)

Let's start with physical, because that means less (gotta save the best for last, right?): Something I would never change about myself physically....my smile. I love to share my happiness and general positivity with everyone, and a smile can do so much for someone else. I can love others with a smile, and I can appreciate life with a smile. I just love to be happy!

Which leads into personality; I wouldn't change my love for others. I'm a good friend I think. I always listen, always hug and support and offer what bits of advice I can. Even if I cannot change a situation, I can be there for the people I love. I'm loyal. I'm loving. I try to show love in service and words of affirmation. I know I'm a flawed human being, but I am confident that I can love others. And that's my favorite thing to do :)

I'm also linking up with What I;m Loving Wednesday ;)

Sunny days with cooling clouds 

My voice recital is in 11 days; yikes! But I'm enjoying practicing every day :) 

I love this beautiful blue topaz ring from my Daddy! (It has matching earrings and a pendant for a necklace; so lovely!!)

My little brother is super cute, especially with those big blue eyes :) He looks a lot like Daddy sometimes, and I have to tell him every day that you're never too old to hug and kiss your big sister ;)

Another gift from Daddy; yeah, this is pretty much everything I love about life XD

Have a lovely week! 

Xoxo, Alexandra Anne

PS. Follow me on twitter and instagram! AlexandraAnne27 

<3 

What's in a name?
Here are some nicknames I've earned over the years (and some funny stories to go with!):

Alex- this is probably the most obvious nickname, and the majority of my family and random people in my life call me this. It's simple, logical, and I respond to it. (I probably respond to "hey you" as well =P). BUT, for years I detested this name because of its androgynous ways; I still remember being a little kid and hearing a kid at the pool tell me that "Alex is a boys name." Well, poo on you, mister. I will respond to this name, as I have no control over what people call me ;)

Allie- originally from the grandparents, who called me, from birth, Allie Bird. No idea why I'm a bird....perhaps they want me to fly? Well, if my family isn't calling me "Alex" they are usually calling me "Allie." Especially my siblings. (little kids can't really say "Alexandra," not to mention "Alexandra Anne;" it's too much for a kiddo!)
Allie Anne- this first came from two of my best friends, and now my boyfriend calls me this as well. I love it because it is special, and those three are the only ones who call me that. Plus I think it sounds cute. :)

Alejandra- from Jarrod, and random individuals across my life. People just like to say my name in funny accents, I suppose.

AAA- This is easy to type, and people DO indeed call me this to my face. "Hey Triple A, how's that coming?" Etc etc. If other people in the room don't know my full name, they look at me reallllly funny. But once I explain my initials, they think it's pretty cool (ok, I'm just assuming they think that ;) I think they are cool initials!)

Alee- From my Brazillian friends whom I met (funnily enough) in Italy of all places.
Alessandra (bionda)- what my Italian friends called me; in my class in Milano, there was another Alexandra (she was from Germany!) so she was Alessandra Marone (brown, because she had brown hair) and I...well. I think you can figure out why I was called Alexandra Blonde ;)

Boo- This is from my Daddy. Ever since I was little, he has called me that. He still does :) He's the best Dad I could ask for. <3

My full name is: Alexandra Anne Austin (please note: alexanDRA, not alexanDRIA; there IS a difference ;) I'm a girl, not a city)

What nicknames do you have?