In which I use a lot of Mr. Darcy GIFs but this post has almost nothing to do with Pride & Prejudice

Hay gurls hayyy!

such a cute, artsy thing to say.

    I feel like this past week has gone on for a thousand years. Between VBS, orientation and training for my job, I have actually been busy. I remember weeping to my mom at the end of the school year about how all my friends were too busy to hang out with me and I wasn't doing anything remotely productive. Fast forward three months, and I have learned the hard lesson that is: be careful what you wish for.
    Ladies, you must allow me to tell you how ardently I admired and loved your posts from last week.

*plot twist* in which my Man Crush Monday is not Jared Padalecki 

(Matthew McFadyen is cute as Darcy, but the one and only Colin Firth at least gets his lines right)

    Mercy- thank you for describing exactly how all of us have felt, at one time or another, about a fictional or famous guy. I had this giant crush on Legolas when I was 7 (when I also couldn't remember if mustaches went over your nose or under your nose;) and I was super embarrassed about it, only to find out that Rosie had a thing for him, and Miss Megan as well. And since Rosie and Miss Megan are two of the most sensible and level-headed nerds I know, I learned not to be ashamed. Feelings like that are 500% natural, and if you didn't feel that way at some point in your life you would be a cactus.
    Rosie- with all due respect, your post was so short and devoid of GIFs and not like your usual masterpieces that I don't even remember what it was about. I'm sorry. Take this as the "your family is garbage, you're garbage, but I'm a condescending rich boy and I'll marry you" part of Mr. Darcy's proposal.
 

and now you look at me like this (IT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE THE FACE NO?)

    Graaaaace- your post. Just...agh. I love the eloquence with which you write, the raw honesty you use to express your feelings. I hope you feel better now, and that all the texting we did about THAT boy on Thursday sincerely helped. I'm glad we can talk about things like that and it isn't weird. This is just a thought, but I'm also glad that you're going into your senior year and everything is going to get awesome and stressful and you'll want to cry and laugh and have a blast before closing the curtain on your high school career. You are going to do beautifully, as always. I believe in and and am praying for you :)

    So, I have a job. A real job. Not babysitting or helping Mom cater a friend's wedding or mowing my neighbor's lawn. A job where I have to wear a uniform (that's at least three sizes too big) and get paid good money to make high quality cuisine. A job where I am one of the youngest, smallest people in the kitchen. A job that will help me get through at least my first year of college and fund my CNA training next summer.

    But, I think I like this job already. I have my third day of training later (hence why I am writing this now) and I'm a little excited to be back in the cramped kitchen, cheek to cheek (and not in the way you think) with my fellow line cooks, learning skills only taught at the finest culinary schools in the country. My coworkers are really, really nice- approximately none of them are creepy, and they all have wonderful senses of humor that make the hours we spend cooking go by a bit faster. My only doubts are in myself- how in the world did I, a teeny tiny church kid fresh out of high school with only a little experience in restaurant work, land a job at what is probably the fastest growing fine dining chain in the world? By the grace of God. I only hope I may learn quickly and prove myself worthy of the excellence He has called me to.

    Basically-

    Pros of working for the Cheesecake Factory:

    -making above minimum wage at a place that is 1.7 miles from home and 1.4 miles from school

    -learning some mad cooking skills that will come in handy later on in life

    -learning time management and multitasking skills that will definitely come in handy as a nurse

    -working with a hilarious group of people who seem to sincerely care about and respect one another

    -working with so many Hispanic people that my Spanish will no doubt improve 

    -employee's discount on the amazing food (hello, Freshmen Fifteen. You come in the form of cheesecake and stuffed pizza bread)

    However-

    Cons of working for the Cheesecake Factory:

    -juggling a job and 18 credits my first semester of college. What was I thinking?

    -doubts in my own qualifications for this amazing opportunity

    -being already labeled as "the good girl" (the girls I work with want to take me out clubbing because apparently I'm very innocent. Ahaha)

    -WORKING WITH THESE TWIN GUYS AND I CANNOT FOR THE LIFE OF ME TELL THEM APART. It's like the VanDine's at THP all over again

    I guess you could say I love my job. My only real worry is in my own integrity- am I the same person at work that I am at home that I am at church that I will be in college this fall? God has been convicting me of that lately, as I branch out away from home and the friends I've known since birth. To be honest, until now it's never been hard for me to be who I am wherever I go. But now, I'm halfway to nineteen (yesterday was my half birthday!). An adult. I am pretty much responsible for everything I do. So what's stopping me from doing what I want and being who I want to be?

    Perhaps I'm crazy, but I feel obligated to be my real and honest and self wherever I go- the hard-working intellectual with a sarcastic sense of humor and deep love and respect for my fellow people. The person I was created to be, although tragically I do not always live up to her. So, do you think you gurls could hold me accountable? Keep me real and aware of any time I'm being two-faced and uncooperative? I would appreciate that immensely.

    Well, that's all I have for today! I highly recommend y'all swing by the Cheesecake Factory sometime soon, to eat the wonderful food (prepared by me) and have a good time. Mercy, I don't really know what you will have to say in reply to this post, but whatever it is I can't wait to read it tomorrow.

one final P&P GIF because Elizabeth and Darcy are just adorable

--Laura :)