I feel like I've been on hiatus throughout January, ergo I wanted to type up a quick tidbit highlighting what's been going on in my life and give a prelude to the posts you'll be seeing in the coming months. Here's the tea – my last 2 months of living in a nutshell:

I'm an aunt again!! This happened around the same time my roommates and I cracked down on our budgets, so unfortunately, I won't be able to haphazardly spoil my first niece. But I'm thrilled for my little sister and can't wait to meet little Malea in person - we've already Facetime'd.
Downton Abbey is coming to an end after this season and I'm utterly inconsolable. On the bright side, I wrote about all that I've learned from the Downton Abbey clan - here. More than anything, I think I'll miss the Dowager Countess' mannerisms.
I started a writing internship with a start up called Ambitious. It's been very beneficial and just shows me that I'm not as effortlessly awesome as I thought I was. This is taking a lot of work, but I'm enjoying the challenge and all that I've learned thus far. You can read my work and track my progress - here.
Speaking of writing, a friend of mine is letting me write an article for the first issue of her magazine. I couldn't be more honored and proud to call this entrepreneur my friend. Check out (and subscribe to!!!) The New Territory - first issue to be released this Spring.
The Brook Miami has a blog! We're still updating the website, but you can check out last month's posts by clicking the links.
1. Imago Dei: The Dignity of Humanity
2. Imago Dei: The Dignity of Diversity
3. Pardoned (by Diamone Ukegbu)
4. Imago Dei: The Dignity of Work
5. For Freedom: Distortions (by Joel Blanco)
6. Come (by Diamone Ukegbu)
I started my first retail job at Anthropologie, and it's awesome! The discount is incredible, it's easy because I have the "Midwestern Nice" thing going on in Miami, plus I get to spend my work hours in a fairytale land, being inspired and taking in the most pleasant scents known to mankind. Please pray that I don't spend my paychecks on their books and home items.
I woke up, went to sleep and became a music teacher. I have a small string ensemble at a private school in Miami - it has its challenges and many joyous moments. I am, after all, working with children - who aren't as innocent as people make them out to be. Children are basically the epitome of the Fall of Man, but I love and guide them through the sounds of music....literally, I quote lines from the Sound of Music throughout class time as life lessons. I'm a bloody cliché. However, I absolutely love it. It's been a goal of mine to start a performing arts center for youth since I was still in high school and, after speaking to my director, I'm in the perfect place to work on the beginning stages. Y'all, this dream is becoming a reality...and it's much more difficult than I expected. Movies like Freedom Writers, the Sound of Music, Take the Lead, Lean On Me, Mr. Holland's Opus, and the like make education superhero-ism look strangely easy.
Having roommates makes me realize I'm such a sinner. Like, I seriously need grace. I'm not always a team player and it's uncomfortable. I just want to do me...and eat my super healthy, organic foods. It's a beautifully painful experience. I'll dedicate an entire post to this in the future.
I'm taking a course on Theology and Culture....for free....through Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. One, I'm not even baptist; Two, it's nothing major yet - I'm just excited to continue my education.
I started drinking my coffee black and I feel like a boss. I just thought y'all should know.

That's essentially my life at the moment. Until next time...

In Christ,

<3 LySaundra Janeé