Thursday, December 27, 2012

One Measly Christmas Picture.

Christmas is over??? It never really felt like it was coming and now it's over...how did that happen? As I'm getting older I feel like the excitement of the season is growing fainter. I LOVE Christmas, so don't worry...I will fix this problem! I think it has to do with being away at school and not being around for all the chaos of Christmas shopping, movies, parades, parties, and food. Studying for finals (not to mention being at school in the middle of nowhere) kind of got in the way of all that this year. I'm so glad this was the last year that college will interfere with Christmas!

Want to know something pathetic? I only took ONE picture on Christmas day. One measly picture.


Oh well, at least I got a picture with these two special people. Brianna is in the middle. She is my cousin, but even more so she's my best friend. We're only 9 months apart and we've been super close our whole lives. Next to her is her boyfriend, Danny, who is also one of my best friends. We've been best friends since 8th grade. I don't think I could have gotten through all those years without him. I am beyond grateful to have two such lovely people in my life.

Next up: New Year's. As of right now I'm planning on spending New Year's Eve with my mom's side of the family at the bowling alley and then to my house for pizza. I'm pretty sure we have done this for the past 5 years AT LEAST. For a girl who wants nothing more than to spend New Year's Eve in Times Square...you can imagine spending what's supposed to be the most magical night of the year in sweaty bowling shoes is starting to get old. Oh well, time with family should be held dear I suppose. I do love them after all...I would just love them more if they all got on a plane to NYC with me to see the ball drop. =)

Some day...

Monday, December 17, 2012

Another semester down!

My blog and I haven't seen much of each other this semester, sadly.
Taking 19 credits kind of made things difficult.

But...I'm home now.
Six semesters down, one to go!
My blog and I are going to have some much needed time together.

A whole month of no class, no tests, no projects!

As great as winter break is, it also means missing friends like crazy.
Some of my best friends graduated this semester.
Saying bye to them was one of the saddest things ever.


Even though I have no idea how I'm going to survive my last semester of college without these girls, I am so excited for them. They have some exciting opportunities in front of them and I can't wait to see what they end up doing with their lives!

Have any of you had to go through a time without your closest friends?
...Because I am very curious to find out how you survived it!

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Month of Thanks- part 2

So I'm a little late with part 2 of this Month of Thanks! But better late than never I suppose! Here it goes! =)

11. ICE CREAM. Wow, of all the things to be thankful for...pathetic I know. But hey, I love it and sometimes its just necessary to get through life.

12. EXERCISE. I don't do it nearly as often as I should, but I'm thankful I have the physical ability to work out and stay healthy!

13. GOD'S MERCIES. Every morning they are new. I am forgiven of all my sins and God keeps no record of them. The truth of that just leaves me speechless.

14. THE KINDNESS OF OTHERS. I babysat for a cute little boy from my church and his mom was so sweet. She let me do my laundry at her house for free while I was there, help myself to anything I wanted to eat, use the computer, and basically whatever I needed! I know this is kind of normal for babysitting but I still found her kindness so refreshing. It's the little things...

15. MUSIC. Sometimes turning on some good tunes is the best remedy for anything.

16. WARM WEATHER. We had some warmer days this week compared to how it has been! Such a blessing when you live in Wisconsin!

17. GIRLS' NIGHTS. I love being able to go out, have a good time, and strengthen friendships!

18. MY ROOMMATES. I room with two sweet girls in the dorm. I am grateful I was placed with ladies who are caring, selfless, and have hearts for the Lord.

19. THANKSGIVING BREAK. After classes were over for the day I felt a million weights being lifted off my shoulders. Me and two of my friends were able to take it easy by going out for dinner, renting a movie, and just hanging out and laying low for the night. I am so excited for this break. I made my way home today and tomorrow my parents, my sister and I leave for South Carolina to spend the week with my brother and sister-in-law. So freakin excited to escape the midwest for awhile.

20. MY HOUSE. Sometimes I forget what it's like to live in a house. Having my own room, a TV to watch, a fully stocked fridge...yep, all things I miss while I'm at college in the dorms!

Have a great Thanksgiving, everyone!!! God bless! =)

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Saturday!!!/Month of Thanks Week 1

IT'S SATURDAY, PEOPLE.

I could scream and jump and dance for joy right now!!! This week was definitely the busiest week of my entire semester. I am planning to use this day to do nothing but relax. I might decide to get a head start on some work for next week but we'll see how responsible I decide to be today. I have been a hermit all week (seriously...if you've seen me it has been in class or at meals...that is all.) Why do professors decide to schedule 2 big papers, a big project, and a big test all on the same day? I personally think they are just trying to make sure we don't go out and have more fun than they do. But even though homework has forced me to be a hermit all week, right now I'm just fine hanging out with Monica, Chandler, Rachel, Ross, Phoebe, and Joey...And eating peanut butter and nutella in my pajamas. I have the rest of my life to go out and have fun. I am going to be a hermit one more day. =)

Well as you know, this month is Thanksgiving! If you don't believe me just ask Nicole Westbrook...she is the new Rebecca Black after all...




She's telling me I need to be thankful...which brings me to my next point... 30 days of thanks!!! Here goes week one!

1.  MY FRIENDS. I have been blessed to have friends who can make me laugh, encourage me, and just be their awesome selves.

2. MY SCHOOL. I have grown so much because of this place. I love being a part of a student body who's goal is to serve the Lord and to build each other up. We are a family. We care about each other. We lean on each other.

3. MY FAMILY. Even though all families have their issues, I am thankful I have one. They have given me so much and I love them.

4. KIDS. I work with kids a lot. I do nursery at church twice a week, watch kids while their parents are at Bible study every other week, and babysit often for families on campus. I am thankful that I can be used to help their parents out and to be an impact on their lives.

5. SLEEP. Sleeping can be hard for me to do sometimes. Whether it's homework keeping me up half the night or nightmares keeping me awake, I am thankful whenever I get the chance to catch up on sleep!

6. MEDICINE. I was feeling like death that day. Medicine was my best friend. Which brings me to...

7. MY HEALTH. After waking up feeling a million times better than I had been feeling the past couple days I realized how much I take being healthy for granted!

8. COFFEE. I'm not a coffee addict, but let me tell you...sometimes coffee is just the only thing that has the power to get me through the day.

9. MY SALVATION. The biggest assignment I had due yesterday was a paper for my Romans class on salvation. After spending hours on end digging into the book of Romans, it was impossible not to just stop and think about how good I have it. I don't deserve anything, yet Christ gave me the greatest gift of all. He forgave me of my sins and has given me a promise of eternal life in heaven.

10. WEEKENDS. I would die without them.

Be thinking about what you are thankful for!!! Have a great weekend!!!

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#ohsoblessed

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

You are His Princess.

This week is really crazy for me and it's killing me that I can't blog about the million things on my mind, but I am at least going to leave you with some encouragement I found today while sitting in class on Pinterest. Being single in the midst of so many dating/engaged/married couples can be discouraging. But you know what? God knows what He's doing in your life! This love letter is a truth that all single women should remember. Seek God and He will take care of the rest. His plan is perfect.

wow.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Halloween Week!

This week was Halloween and I took advantage of the opportunity to carve pumpkins, eat lots of fall treats and candy, watch scary movies, and dress up in things I would never be able to wear on a normal day! On Tuesday I had a little party with some friends. To start off the night, we played "Pin the Nose on the Pumpkin." When you're in college, parents sometimes send the most random epic packages. A friend of mine was given a "Party in a Box" from her mom, so we decided that we would put the game to use. It was hilarious, to say the least. We each were blindfolded...some of us were thrown over a shoulder and carried to another part of the room...spun around (I may or may not have fallen down), and then had to find our way back to the pumpkin.

After we all made fools of ourselves we carved some pretty awesome pumpkins. After about an hour of operating on our pumpkins and pulling out their guts, this is what we got!


We then proceeded to watch a scary movie. Bad idea? You could say that. But we had WAY too much fun to consider it a bad idea. We all screamed like little girls and were huddled together as if someone were trying to pry us all apart, but hey...that's half the fun of scary movies. I don't know who was more scared, me or the guys. We all saw each other the next day and the lack of sleep was mutual between most of us! The movie we watched, by the way was The Woman in Black. If you wanna get scared and pee your pants, watch it.

It was a GREAT night. Look at all these smiling faces! I am blessed to call these people my friends.


On the night of Halloween my good friend, Taylor, and I decided to go out trick-or-treating. We may be old farts, but we both could pass as 15 year olds, so we decided we could get away with it. Arriving back later that night with a bucket full of candy reassured me it was a good idea. PLUS I got to wear a sparkly pink tutu (which I made myself!)...so yes, it was for sure the best idea we ever had!

(And yes...my wings are on upside down in this picture. haha)

It's been a great week full of friends, tricks, and treats!!! =)

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

God is able!

Today, I'm finding joy in that my God is able to do all things!
He will never ever fail us. How awesome is that?!
Our student body sang this song in chapel a few weeks ago and I love it.
Take a minute to listen and reflect on the lyrics...I just know you'll love it too!

Happy Tuesday everyone! Keep on keepin on! =)





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Tuesday, October 16, 2012

alive.


Friends, let me tell you. God is very much alive. You know those days when you feel like you will never make it to the end...but somehow you make it through to the next morning? You really want to tell me you do that on your own strength? No no no. That is alllll God.

This semester is finally starting to feel like school. The school work is starting to pile up and I'm starting to feel the pressure! I truly am loving school though. I love this student body, I love my friends...life has just been good. BUT I really want to put more time into writing to my readers. God has been so good and life is moving crazy fast, so I seriously need to start sharing with you some of the excitement goin on!

Today is a little crazy, but stay tuned...I'll be sharing some things God has been teaching me as soon as I get a chance to sit down and write without interruptions!

Sunday, September 16, 2012

tear down this wall.

Dear God,

Brick by brick
I've built a wall inside my heart so high.
Strong and sturdy,
yet cold and hard.
I thought this was the only way to keep my heart safe.
No heartache, no betrayal, no disappointments.
This must be the only answer.
Stop giving away any of my heart...even small pieces...
and no one will be able to harm it.

My guard has been up for far too long, Lord.

While my heart is what I've been trying to protect,
it's also suffering miserably.
My heart is being stifled behind this wall I've built.
No one has been able to hurt this heart,
but it hasn't received any warmth either.
I haven't given any room for growth in old friendships, and
frankly I make it hard for new friends to get to know me.

I need this wall to be torn down.

This wall I've built is not protecting anything.
It doesn't allow me to love others.
It doesn't allow me to accept love from others.
It doesn't allow me to be Your servant.
It has caused more hurt than it has kept out.

I'm done building this wall.
I want it gone. NOW.
It's blocking me from this world I am called to love.
I need to trust You to be my defender and stop trying to do it on my own.
I obviously don't know how to do it right.

Tear down this wall, Lord. Help me to love without fear.

Love, Your Daughter




Saturday, September 1, 2012

change.

Oh hello, September. I wasn't expecting you so soon. Summer can't be over already, can it?

I suppose it is the sad truth. I made the drive up to school earlier this week and said sayonara to summer. It is good to be back at school, but as usual...it feels weird. Every year so much changes; I change.

With this being my senior year of college, I'm excited...and nervous...and finding myself with an extreme case of senioritis. Graduation day is still over eight months away, but I'm pretty positive it will go by fast. Good thing? Bad thing? I don't know, but right now I'm thinking it's pretty good. If change is inevitable, it might as well happen in a new stage of life.

I know God has a lot to teach me this year. I know there are a lot of things that need to change in my life and deep within my heart. I already know there will be challenges, but I know they need to be faced in order to be overcome.


So here's to a new school year.

Here is to another opportunity for growth.

Here is to God using whatever it takes while I'm here to break me and make me into
who I need to be.

My goal is to reach graduation day as a changed person. Changed more into the likeness of Christ that is. When I leave this place and go off into the world, I need to be founded in my Savior. I am anxious to see the journey He has planned this year for me in order to transform this heart.


Friday, August 24, 2012

Guest-Post & Giveaway @ My Beautiful, Crazy Life!

Hello lovely readers! Today I am guest-posting over at My Beautiful, Crazy Life. Head on over and check it out! While you're there make sure to look around on Breanna's awesome blog and say hello! She is a sweetheart, so you all better be following her. There is also an opportunity to win a book by John Piper and a $5 Starbucks gift card. So if you want some free caffeine and a good read, you should probably go and enter it...like now! =)

 


On a side note, today was my last day of work. I think the best part was when they stuffed me full of cookies, brownies, and ice cream at my going away party. It was hard saying bye to all my beautiful clients, but I am also getting excited to get back to school next week. I can't believe how fast summer has gone by! One more year of school and then I am off to do heaven knows what in this big crazy world! Yikes!

Happy Friday!!!


Monday, August 20, 2012

His mercy is greater.

The number one thing on my mind lately is nothing less than
God's mercy.
How? How can the most powerful Being ever to exist, love me? I don't think anyone is capable of comprehending something so
incredible.
He knows every single detail of my life. All my mistakes, all my half-hearted attempts, all my unloving thoughts. When I think of pieces of my past I literally feel sick, yet the God of the universe loves me all the same.

I think I'm pretty much the definition of undeserving when it comes to God's love.
But he
chooses
to love me anyways.

Sometimes I feel trapped in past mistakes. I know I have the ability move forward, but some days I don't feel like I deserve to. But you know what? I need to anyways.

Dear Michelle,
You are forgiven and you are loved more than you will ever know. You might not deserve it, but I'm God and loving people is what I do. Your past will always be there, but it doesn't have to define you. There will always be things about the present you don't like as well, but the present doesn't have to define you either. Let ME define you. Circumstances are only circumstances. I am not a circumstance, I am a constant. Abide in me, trust in me, live for me.
                                                                       Love,
Your Savior, Creator, and Father

Insert your name where mine is. I can guarantee, this applies to you too.



Goal for this week: live in God's mercy and redemption and do NOT let my past hold me down!
=)










Friday, August 17, 2012

twenty one...and a little bug spray.

Last night I went camping with a group of friends to celebrate my 21st birthday! It went by way too fast, but it was a blast! It may have taken a year and a half to put up the tent and twice as long to get it down, but hey...it was good bonding time. I honestly thought we might have to just sleep out on the wet grass, but eventually we did get up our tent...as lopsided as it may be! And the guys barely had to help...go figure!



Once it got dark out and I was finished pigging
out on my birthday cupcakes, I started to remember
I was afraid of the woods at night. Call me pathetic,
go ahead I dare you. Usually I have my superhero
dad there to keep away all the bad guys hiding in
the woods, but this time I just had a bunch of friends
who liked to make matters worse.
But hey, I survived!



This morning we faced yet another challenge...taking the tent DOWN. You would think this would be a fairly easy process. But my friend, I'm sorry to say you are wrong. At least if you're with my crowd that's the case! I may have went a little crazy pounding in the stakes with a rock. They were NOT wanting to come out of the ground! Luckily we could count on our good friend Ty to get them out after a good 20 minutes of prying.

We finally got to have some breakfast...if you consider breakfast STUFFING our faces with donuts.

All in all, it was a fantastic mini trip with my beautiful friends. Campfires, s'mores, nature walks, smelly bathrooms, bugs, mud, chilly nights, hamburgers and brats, cupcakes, tents, balloons, scary stories,

birthdays,

friends,

fun,

memories.



Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Strength to the Powerless!


Tomorrow will be the longest day of my life. I have this theory that if I don't go to sleep, I won't have to wake up and face tomorrow. My research paper will not have to be written, my room can stay a disaster, I can call in sick to work, the garage sale items can go unpriced, and who really needs to go grocery shopping anyways? Basically...my theory is nothing but wishful thinking. Luckily, there is a bright side of things!

He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.
-Isaiah 40:29

Now isn't that good news? =) I suppose tomorrow will have to be faced...but I know I can count on my powerful God to sustain me! If you have a long day ahead of you, don't forget to seek the Lord's strength. Do that and you can get through anything. And it probably wouldn't hurt to get a good nights sleep either. haha on that note...I am going to sleeeeeeeeeep.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Birthday Eve.

I only have a few more hours left of being 20 years old.

Say what?! It seems like just yesterday summer was starting and my birthday was nowhere in sight. Now my birthday is less than 2 hours away! Honestly, I keep forgetting about it. Most people look forward to their 21st birthday for such a long time. I guess I'm just an oddball like that...forgetting my birthday. It's probably because it feels nothing like my birthday. Tomorrow will consist of waking up at 7:00, heading to work til 4, and then coming home and working on a research paper due next week...that I have yet to start. I'm starting to feel like a lame responsible adult!!! But, before you go thinking I don't have ANY fun...you should know that I am taking off work Thursday and Friday to go camping with a bunch of friends and I will finally be able to party it up! I just have to wait a few days. In honor of the eve of the day of my birth, I decided I would take you on a trip down memory lane and share a few pictures of my epic birthday parties back in the day. Enjoy a few laughs!


Honestly, I've had some of the most epic birthday parties ever. I insisted on having a sleepover party every.single.year. My poor mother. Deep down, I know she loved all of them. Well, here is my last time signing out as a 20 year old, I'll let you know if I feel any different in a few hours. Have an amazing week!!!

Shirt: Maurices//Pants: Gap

Friday, August 10, 2012

dear, friday and what china sent my way!


Dear Friday,

       I can't believe you are already here. As much as I love you, you are starting to upset me. Oh sure, you can be fun and all, but do you realize the more often you come around the sooner summer is going to end?! I just thought I would fill you in on that little secret. So please stop coming around every 5 minutes. Ok? Thanks.

                                                                                                                                         Yours sincerely,
                                                                                                                                                      Chelle

Dress: gift from China//Shoes: Payless//Bracelet: American Eagle

A few of my lovely friends recently got back from a trip to China and this beautiful dress I'm wearing is what they brought back for me! I was so excited when it was given to me and it definitely made me feel special! I have some awesome friends with excellent taste in clothing! =P

I hope you all had a fabulous week and enjoy your weekend!!! =)



Thursday, August 9, 2012

Caprese Pasta Dish

I have been on an experimental kick in the kitchen lately and it has been a blast! I love trying new recipes and my family is usually more than willing to be my personal taste testers! Tonight I tried a Caprese dish over angel hair pasta. I found it here via Pinterest, but I tweaked it by making it into a pasta dish. It's super easy! 

All you need is:
-1 large log fresh mozzarella cheese
-Cherry tomatoes
-Fresh basil
-Angel hair pasta


And all you have to do is...
1. Cut the mozzarella into cubes and put into casserole dish.
2. Take a handful of basil and cut it into strips; add to dish.
3. Cut tomatoes into halves (or smaller); add to dish.
4. Bake at 350 degrees (approximately 15 min.) until cheese is melted and bubbling as so...


5. Boil the pasta and drain.
6. Place a scoop of the cheese dish onto the pasta and enjoy! This is especially tasty with a few slices of french bread!


Tips: One problem I found was that the cheese settled too quickly, making it a little hard to eat without cutting it up. I used a generic brand cube of mozzarella cheese, but next time I will definitely use a fresh log and hopefully that will help with the consistency. However, it still tasted amazing using this method!

Monday, August 6, 2012

lessons from dennis.

Today was a long day. A lovely day nonetheless, but long. Long enough for me to come home and take a nap at 5:30 and not wake up until my dad came marching in telling me the hamburgers were ready at 7:45. It was a typical Monday I guess you could say. I'm lucky though, because unlike a lot of people who dread Monday mornings, I love heading to my job every morning. Being there just makes me happy and teaches me so many lessons. I work with disabled adults and they are the best teachers in the entire world. Their joy is contagious. There is one particular sweet man who I have the privilege of working with and I want to share with you some of the "lessons" he has taught me in the last few weeks.

Dennis is ALWAYS happy. Even though he has endured things most people couldn't imagine, he just has this joy within him that shines so bright. He finds a reason to smile no matter what. We usually go around in the mornings asking everyone if they would like to pray for anything. Dennis is always eager to do so. This was his prayer the other day:

"Dear Lord, thank you for this special, special day you have given to us. Please help us to glorify you in all that we do and to have a wonderful day. In your precious holy name, the ONLY holy name, Amen."

Now, this might seem like a simple prayer, but let me remind you that this sweet man has a hard time remembering things and a lot of what  he says doesn't always make a lot of sense. It doesn't matter if he can't always think clearly with his head...his heart isn't affected by that one tiny bit.


Today I was chatting with him as I was getting ready to head home for the day. He was asking me if there was anything special going on tomorrow. (This is a usual question for him. He loves when anything out of the ordinary is going on.) I told him tomorrow was just going to be a normal day and he proceeded to ask me what day tomorrow is. I told him tomorrow is Tuesday and his whole face lit up. His reply: "Tomorrow is Tuesday?! I work on Tuesdays! I work EVERY day! It is just so wonderful; I can hardly wait!"

This man can take the most ordinary things and find joy in them. I can't begin to tell you how much I admire this about him. Every day to him is special. He gets excited about "working." He gets excited when I tell him he can have milk with his dinner. He gets excited when he gets to write with an orange pen. Most of all, he gets excited about God. He is constantly reminding everyone that those beautiful flowers outside, ya they come from God. And if you ask him what his favorite book is he will tell you it's the Bible.

Every day I leave work with a new flame in my heart. A flame that makes me want to be as excited about life as Dennis is. He never views himself as limited. I want to find joy in going to work and drinking milk with my dinner and writing with colored pens.

Beauty in even the small things.
That's what I want to live for.



Saturday, August 4, 2012

Liebster Award!

I am so excited when I saw that Deidre from Nowhere To Be and Forever To Get There nominated me for the Liebster Award! This is an award given out to bloggers with less than 200 followers. Bloggers can nominate each other to help spread word about their blogs. Deidre, you were so sweet to nominate my little old blog! =)


Here are the rules!
1. Each person must post 11 things about themselves.
2. Answer the questions that the tagger set for you.
3. Create 11 questions for the people you've tagged to answer.
4. Choose 11 people and link them in your post.
5. Go to their page and tell them
6. No tag backs!
Sooooo...let's do this thing! =)

A little about me...

1. I am a city girl stuck in a small town. As much as I love this place, I crave the city. I can't wait for the day I can move to NYC. I'm having a hard time comprehending how anyone on the planet can afford to live there, but in the meantime I'm crossing my fingers I win the lottery soon.

2. I only have one more year left until I am done with college! I have no idea what I'm going to do after I graduate, but I'm hoping to save up for at least a year and eventually go to grad school. I am a counseling major and I hope to get my masters in social work. I want to work with adoption or foster care and help kids find a place where they are loved and appreciated!

3. I'm almost 21, but I'm often told I look 15 or 16. Everyone says I'll appreciate this dilemma when I'm older, but unfortunately I don't appreciate it now.

4. I am a sugar addict. I try staying off the stuff, but I usually don't last more than 3 hours.

5. My favorite days are sunny ones, buy rain is always welcome! There is nothing like a summer storm to cheer me up!

6. I mentioned I want to work with adoption, but even more I want to adopt! And be a foster parent. There are so many kids out there and if I was capable of taking in 150 million kids, I totally would.

7. I have a puppy named Hollywood Estelle...but usually I just call her Holly. She's not really a puppy...she's 5 years old. She is a Shih Tzu/Bichon mix and I love her a whole lot. My parents let me take home a puppy for my 16th birthday and I've loved her ever since. =)

8. I grew up in gymnastics until I was 14 and I miss it a whole lot! Watching the Olympics really makes me wish I would have stayed in it a little longer. But now I'm just an out of shape 20 year old who can barely touch her toes anymore.

9. My favorite job is probably nannying. Getting paid to hang out with kids all day is awesome. It's not a cake walk, but it's fun! I'm hoping after I graduate I can find a more permanent nanny job since it's hard find one just for summers. Beverly Hills Nannies, anyone? =P

10. I'm a daydreamer. My class notes are always filled with more doodles than information. There are so many things I want to do and I usually try, but then I realize I can't be a ballerina if I can't touch my toes, I can't be on broadway if I can't sing, and I can't fly if I don't have wings. But it's fun to dream. =)

11. Last but definitely the most important...I live my life with one goal in mind and that is to glorify my Savior, Jesus Christ. He gave me this life and I don't want to waste it by living for temporary things. He is my strength, my purpose, my everything.

NOW...for Deidre's questions she left for me!

1. Why did you name your blog what you named it?
     -I named my blog Step by Step because that is how I try to live my life. Not to look to far ahead, but to           focus on the here and now and make the most out of it!
2. If you could trade lives with any celebrity for a day who would it be and why?
     -Jordyn Wieber! She is amazing at what she does!
3. What is your go to website when you are bored?
     -Facebook or Pinterest!!!
4. If you could have picked your name when you were born would you keep it what it is or would it be different?
     -For years I wished my name was Alyssa. My parents had originally picked that name but then my dad decided he liked Michelle at the last minute. When I was little I thought it was boring, but it's grown on me.
5. Why did you start blogging?
     -To share what is going on in my life and encourage anyone else who might be facing the same things.
6. What was the first job you ever had?
     -I worked at a grocery store bagging groceries, stocking shelves, cleaning, and bringing in carts.
7. Who and where was your first kiss?
     -A boy. In a place. =P
8. If you could make one wish for the future generation what would it be?
     -To use time wisely! If there is something you want to do, do it! And do it wholeheartedly.
9. If you were an Olympic athlete what event would you want to partake in?
     -Gymnastics
10. One thing you would never ever do, not even for a million dollars?
     -Skydive. I would die of fear before I ever saw the million dollars!
11. Your dream job?
     -Social Worker in an adoption agency!

MY QUESTIONS FOR YOU!!!
1. How many siblings do you have and where do you fall in the lineup?
2. What is your job/what is your career goal?
3. What is your favorite thing to do on a Friday night?
4. Do you have any secret talents?
5. What is your favorite TV show?
6. Who is your favorite band/artist?
6. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
7. What is your favorite event to watch in the Olympics this year?
8. What is the number one thing on your bucket list?
9. Is there anything you are deathly afraid of?
10. Do you play any instruments?
11. What is one book you would recommend?

THE WONDERFUL BLOGS I'M NOMINATING!
-Angela @ Ladyhub
-Kajal @ In the Blue
-Aissa @ Love Tenfold
-Shannon @ More to Hollywood
-Jessica @ Preppin' Postgrad
-Amanda @ Rasberry Beige

Please check out these blogs! I love catching up on what they have to share! =)



Thursday, July 19, 2012

p.s. I'm a workin' girl again.

This summer I started babysitting for a particular family and have been privileged to get to know their three beautiful little girls! The parents asked me if I would come along on a week long vacation with them. As soon as they mentioned the word vacation I automatically was thinking Florida or somewhere else beautiful and full of sunshine. Well, turns out the grandparents have a vacation home up near Lake Superior. A little too close to the Canadian border if you ask me! No offense to any of you Canadians, but if I ever invest in a vacation home, I'm going as far south as I can go! As we were driving to our destination I started to realize we were getting farther and farther away from civilization. The busy interstate slowly turned into back roads with horse drawn carriages lined with Amish stores. For a girl who dreams of the city, a town with a population of 88 frightened me a little bit. Luckily the week wasn't as quiet as I thought it would be. I was responsible for three little girls, ages 5, 2, and 2 months. The two oldest love their candy, which means they were rarely without energy! The week was full of swimming, boating, swing sets, and snuggling. I wish I would have brought my camera along, but unfortunately I forgot to grab it before I left. There was very little time to stop for pictures anyways...with two little girls running around and a baby to entertain, I was busy to say the least. After a long week of fun and meeting lots of new people, we ventured back home. After cleaning potato chips out of my hair and wiping off all the spilled juice, I made it home with new memories, new challenges overcome, a closer relationship with a lovely family, and a terrible burn on my elbow that won't seem to disappear. {That's what happens when I try to have a little fun and go tubing!} By the last day, I was looking a little exhausted and ready to go home! The pathetic face in this picture explains that I suppose. =P


BUT...I am home now and I have some exciting news to share with you all! I GOT A JOB! I'm only home for 5 more full weeks before I have to head back up to school and I was done even thinking about the possibility of anyone hiring me, but this employer needed someone to start right away so they decided to hire me! I'll be working as a caregiver in an assisted living organization for adults with developmental disabilities. I actually worked with this organization a few years ago for a summer and I absolutely LOVED it. And what's even better is that the 32 hour/week job is squeezed into 4 days per week so I still have lots of time to continue babysitting for the family I was talking about before. So basically I have two jobs right now and I'll be able to put some money towards my school bill finally. I can't express how relieved I am. Now I don't look pathetic, but I look like this>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


That is my best friend, Kelsey, by the way. She is another reason I am smiling so big in this picture. =)

So basically...I got to go on a week long vacation, hang out with cute kids, get to know a family better, got a job I know I will love, and I have beautiful friends like Kelsey I get to hang out with the rest of summer. You could say I'm content with where this week has taken me.

Yes, you could DEFINITELY say that.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Running to Reality.

Today I decided to go for a run. It has been way too long since I've ran and I am determined to get back to running consistently! As soon as I turned up my music and started to run I realized how much I had missed it. Running is simply an escape from reality. The stresses and demands of life are momentarily erased from my brain and I can run far, far away from everything. But then I was hit with a thought.

If I'm running away from reality, where am I running to? I don't want to run so far that I find myself lost in the midst of nothing but a whole lot of emptiness.

I closed my eyes (this is probably a good time to mention I was running on my treadmill) and listened to the music coming from my headphones. I was no longer focusing on running far away from the realities of my little world, but instead found myself running harder and faster towards the reality of my life in Christ. I usually make it a point to listen to upbeat positive Christian music when I run. That way not only am I being motivated to keep going until my run is over, but I'm also being motivated to push myself harder to be the person God wants me to be. I realized that my time running shouldn't only be a time to escape the realities of daily stresses, but more importantly it should be a time to run towards and reflect on my ultimate reality; and that is living a life pleasing to God.

How do you spend your time running? Do you listen to certain music, think about important decisions that need to be made? I challenge you to use it as a time to reflect on how you can push yourself to live a life that will further please the Lord! Spend time in prayer and talk to God. You'll be happy you did!

Sunday, July 8, 2012

circumstances of the day.

Trying to hold on to the bigger picture of life can be a challenging affair. Circumstances are often not within one's control. I know I have experienced the truth of that. I expected to come into this summer with a full-time job so I could earn some money to go towards my school bill and be able to provide for myself a little bit instead of having to depend on my parents for every little thing I needed. Well I came home and there was still no job. Even after multiple interviews which seemed promising, nothing happened. I have a few babysitting jobs here and there so I am grateful I have at least that. Yesterday, I would have been leaving for NYC if only I had the money. I was so looking forward to going and teaching summer school like I did last year and I am still crushed that I'm here and not there.

Trying to be content with where I am in life is no doubt a battle. I constantly feel stuck. I just want life to progress but instead I feel like I'm taking ten steps backwards. Looking at my life a year ago compared to now proves it.

So I guess my goal for today is to remember that even though life isn't necessarily progressing how I would like for it to right now, God has a big plan for my life and I just need to be patient until He reveals what it is. Today I am heading out to babysit. I am one of 5 babysitters for 17 little kids. Definitely not the life I want to have forever. Love kids, just not 17 at once. Ha! But basically I am reminding myself as I am reminding you, that the circumstances of today do not determine the reality of the rest of my life. Things will progress how God intends them to, we just have to keep doing the best we can at whatever we are being dealt right now!


Saturday, June 16, 2012

catching up!

So, one perk of not having a job is getting to spend time with friends and make new ones! This week I took advantage of the opportunity!

I got to spend a whole day with my good friend, Katelyn! She lives all the way in Rhode Island so it was a treat to get to spend some time with her and catch up! =)
I spent the next two days with my friend, Lydia. She lives a little closer but I still don't get to see her as often as I would like! We went to 3 different Goodwills in one afternoon and found some good stuff!
Thursday and Friday night I got to babysit two of the cutest, sweetest little kids ever. It was the first time meeting both the kids and their parents. They were such a sweet family! I babysat them at a resort since their parents were there for business. Babysitting is even better when you get room service, free wi-fi, movies on demand...and a TV in the bathroom mirror! I mean, seriously...who thinks of these things???

Well, another week of summer has quickly flew by! More memories made, and now on to making even more! I can't wait to see what this week has in store. A job maybe? Still crossing my fingers!!!