Introducing...A BRAND NEW BLOG!

Hello all you lovely people! I know it has been a tragically long time since I have written anything here and I am so very sorry. But, there's good news! Some new ideas have been taking place and I am excited to let you know that I have a brand new blog!

This new blog is called Love, Wildflower and I would love for you to stop over and check it out here. It will be a place where we can encourage and uplift one another and share in lots of beauty and joy along the way!

I am so grateful for all of you readers who have stuck with my over the years and I would love for you to join me as I take this step in a new, exciting direction. So much has changed over time and God has worked in my life in so many ways! I have so much to share with you!

I truly hope to see you all soon! Love to you all!

thoughts on beauty.

Lately I've been seeing a "beauty challenge" going around Facebook and Instagram. Basically, you post a collage of pictures of yourself that make you feel beautiful and then you challenge other girls to do the same thing. I was challenged tonight by one of my best friends and figured it was a good time to share some thoughts on beauty. Especially after this week. Being secure in ourselves and our body image has been a major topic of discussion between me and my girl friends this week. So instead of posting a bunch of pictures of myself, I decided to share with you a few things about the average girl's struggle with beauty. Here are two things that really test my self-confidence.

~Being told I look young and the graceless way people tend to address the fact.~ The night before my cousin's wedding, some of us bridesmaids were talking about how people mistake us for teenagers on a normal basis. A week rarely goes by that I don't get told I look like a teenager or people ask me how I got to my destination since I couldn't possibly be old enough to have my license. And honestly, it's frustrating. Being told, "Oh, you'll love looking young when you're older and everyone else is getting grey hair!" doesn't make it okay. The next morning I went in to get my makeup done for the wedding and you know the first thing the stylist asked me? How old are you? I answered back that I was turning twenty-three in a few days. Her response: What?! You look seventeen. Oh, and laughter. Yes, she laughed. Do you think being laughed at for your looks is a build up or a tear down? That would be the latter.


~Being shamed for being thin time and time again.~
All girls should feel confident about their size, especially if they are living a healthy lifestyle and doing their best to take care of themselves. All sizes are beautiful. I don't bash people bigger than me, so don't bash me because I'm small. Comments like- Are you anorexic? You're such a stick! You need to eat something. You need to gain weight. You shouldn't be working out. You're not allowed to feel fat. Size zero is disgusting.- I've heard these comments since I was a little girl. Somehow society has determined that if someone is skinny, you can make rude comments and get away with it. I don't know who decided that's okay, but it's not.


Feeling beautiful and confident in your skin isn't always easy. People can tear you down even when there intentions aren't always to do so. If I left my sense of self worth or beauty in the hands of the world, I would be in a lot of trouble. Sure, there are many many times that I fight insecurities of feeling unwanted, or too skinny, or ugly, or my hair is too big, or my teeth are too crooked, etc. But let me tell you, when I take all those thoughts away---I feel beautiful. Not because of how I look, because we all know I'm no supermodel, but because I was created to be exactly how I am. Why would I want to be anything else? I have one of a kind hair, eyes, skin, and body shape. I am ME and no one else ever will be. And you are YOU and no one else ever will be.


So whether you look eight years younger than you should or eight years older than you should, don't let that change who you are. If you feel too skinny or too fat, don't let that change who you are. If your eyes are brown and not blue, if your hair is too frizzy or too flat, if your feet are too big or too small---just stop. You are beautiful just how you are and please don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

let gratefulness outshine!

My days have recently felt empty and hollow and lacking joy. Lame, right? Tell me about it! But guess what? Those feelings can easily be suppressed by all this beauty around me! My heart is overwhelmed when I think about all these blessings!

I live in a beautiful city. And there is no snow on the ground. Perfection.

My brother is the best. He does things like picks me up from the airport after midnight, brings me a house key when I lock myself out of the house, and makes me laugh with all his weirdness and wittiness.

My sister-in-law is also the best. I'm glad God gave me the big sister I always wished I had growing up. God bless her heart for marrying my crazy brother! She has become one of my best friends. My shopping buddy, the first person I go to about almost everything, my fellow Starbucks/Adrians/sugar addict, and so much more. I love this girl.

My brother and sis-in-law allowing me to live in their home with them. I mean, seriously? Not many people would be willing to let someone live with them. Especially when having a baby in the house and busy lives to keep up with. They do SO much for me. I try to return the favor whenever I can, but I feel like nothing I do could show them how much I appreciate what they are doing for me. And FYI...living with them is a blast.

I have the best niece in the world. She is so full of joy. Nothing puts me in a better mood than being around her. Her giggles and smiles are so incredibly contagious. Even when she is grumpy, I don't mind. Her mommy and daddy like to apologize when she cries in the middle of the night, but I hope they know that I could never be upset with that baby for waking me up with her tears. Baby girl is loved.

I have a job and super awesome co-workers. Those girls have become like a second family to me since moving here. I mean, we do spend every waking minute together! ...Or at least it feels like it sometimes! Work is so much better when you have a great boss and great people to spend your days with!

I have a loving family back in Wisconsin. Even though I can't be with them, it's always so nice getting unexpected texts and calls from friends and family telling me they love me, are thinking of me, and praying for me. I miss them and it's good to know that when I come back home...whenever that may be...they will be there waiting for me with open arms.

I have friends across the globe. Sometimes I hate this because it means I don't get to see them very often. Just this past week I was trying to set up a Skype date with my friend in Ireland...never happened. Dang time difference! Even though this can be a pain sometimes, I realize how blessed I am. And might I add...more excuses for taking trips! I am in the process of planning a trip to Rhode Island to get together with some college friends and I am stoked! Just this past weekend I was able to spend time with one of my best friends from school. I get to have phone dates often. It's fun when friends drop in unexpectedly, and it makes it more special when I actually do get to see/talk to friends...the list goes on. Long distance friendships can be really hard, but they are such a blessing at the same time.

And as always, I am thankful for over-sized t shirts, leggings, fuzzy socks, fluffy pillows, and fuzzy blankets. My happiness summed up right there for ya, folks. Simplicity.

This list goes on. It's so easy to become consumed with life and work and "the norm" that the beauty in life gets taken for granted. It feels good to just pause and think about all the wonderful things in life. The beautiful parts in life do a great job of outshining the ugly. I am blessed...and so full of joy.

alive in our hearts.

There are days in which I look around and all I see is beauty. I can talk to a homeless man on the street and feel nothing but love and compassion. I can walk outside on a rainy day and smile and dance and twirl--just because I can.

But then...oh, but then there are those days that come creeping in. Those days in which I feel nothing but coldness. I have no room in my heart to love how I should. I feel uncomfortable and annoyed and alone.

I have been praying about this a lot lately. Confused about how I can feel so full of joy and life one minute and so worn out and sick the next. I have begun to realize that how I feel doesn't have to do so much with circumstances as it does with the depths of my heart.

What we allow to live in our hearts will become what we live for.

I was driving home the other night; it was late, dark, and rainy. It was just me and God in the front seat of the car. I had the radio on and a song of praise came on that I couldn't help but sing along to--at the top of my lungs might I add. Those moments happen a lot for me. Singing praises to God as loud as I can, dancing around my room with so much joy in my heart that I feel as if I could burst. It has been in these moments the last few weeks that I have really become aware of what I have been harboring in my heart.

Although I have been able to experience the love and forgiveness and hope that comes from knowing Christ, I still have a whole lot of ugly hiding away inside my heart and mind. There are rugged pieces of shame. There are sharp little fragments of insecurities. There are shreds of doubt telling me that I'm not good enough. Negativity. Lies. Compromise. Selfishness. Loneliness. Fear. Bitterness. My heart has had these ugly, nasty pieces hiding away just making me physically sick and emotionally drained. And what made matters worse was that instead of trying to rid my heart of these things, I was feeding them. Sure, I was feeding the good parts too, but it's surprising how much more attention the ugly pieces get than the good pieces.

I want to be sold out for Christ. I want to be burning with that joy and love and hope and peace with every fiber of my being. I want to feed these things so much that there is no room in my heart for the ugly pieces to survive.

Whatever I focus my time, energy, and thoughts on, and what I surround myself with are going to come out in my attitude and mindset every morning when I wake up. It's time to decide, and I choose to go down the path that will draw me closer to Christ. The path that will let others see Himself shining bright through me. Oh, how I will never tire of the freedom God shows to me time and time again...

Freedom to twirl and dance and sing and be

full of joy.

Let now our hearts burn with a flame, a fire consuming all for your Son's holy name.

-Hillsong United, "Saviour King"

embracing change.

There have been days I found myself dragging my feet because of all the weights I was carrying. A pound of doubt on one shoulder and a pound of inadequacy on the other. Add to that a few pounds of loneliness and a constant search for belonging and there is just a fraction of the weight. Life has had it's share of changes lately. Moving to a new state, a new home, starting a new job, and making new friends. Wonderful changes, but change is still change. It's tiring and brings out all your weaknesses. If I wrote a guidebook on life, I would put a giant warning sign on the chapter on change:

"Beware of twists and turns and ups and downs around every corner! Approach with caution!"

The chapter would be terrifying and most people would probably choose to avoid change at all costs. They would probably decide to take the safe, cozy, comfortable route. Stay where you are all warm under the covers and do not move. Ever.

But that would be a devastating mistake.

The first part of the chapter is exhausting and terrifying and can tempt you to break down and quit. It makes you feel uncomfortable and forces you to see parts of yourself you would rather deny. But don't close the book yet. Keep reading. You see, exhaustion teaches endurance. Being scared teaches dependence on Christ. A lack of comfort teaches you to try new things. And seeing the worst in yourself, well, that is the best part of change...the whole purpose of change. It forces you to grow and understand and develop. The change going on around you is a small thing compared to the change going on inside you. Chances are, if you're not feeling a little scared, inadequate, lost, or uncomfortable right now...you're probably not doing a whole lot of living. If you want to go anywhere, you have to push yourself. Discomfort is not a sign to give up, but rather a sign to keep going...pushing harder than ever.

Life right now is feeling a little uncomfortable, but honestly...I'm loving every minute of it. It is an exciting adventure and that is exactly what I wanted. There are moments I want to hang my head and just quit, but there are twice as many moments of blessings and laughter and joy. Those moments are found in new friendships and strangers I meet on the street and worship I sing in church and trying new restaurants and spending time with my precious niece and her fantastic mama and daddy.

Change is terrifying. But even more so, change is exhilarating and vibrant. It gives you a chance to live fully and freely.

Embrace it; you won't regret it.

Onto the next thing...

Well folks, I made it through college! Seven semesters of classes, tests, projects, and papers are all things of the past! I am so excited about being done with the work part of school, but I already miss being at school...and I've only been home for a week and a half. Maybe it's just that summer hasn't really kicked off yet. I'm sure once the hot weather comes (and stays) it will feel more like summer and I can start really enjoying it. Being done with school is weird. I don't think it will fully set in until the fall comes and I'm not packing up the car for another semester. I do have some exciting news though...

I'll still be packing up the car, just not for school. I'm moving south!!! =) South Carolina to be more specific. I'll be moving in with my brother and sister-in-law...and very very soon to be niece! I am so excited to finally have myself a grand adventure! I have lived in Wisconsin my whole life and even stayed within the state for school. Moving to a different region over thirteen hours away is going to be crazy. It will be hard leaving my family, friends, and my hometown...but I need this. I need to fly. I'm craving it.

I can't wait to find a job, a church, and settle into my new surroundings. I also have some friends who live in the area so it will be awesome getting to live near them!

As for right now, I want to soak in these next three months here in Wisconsin. I'll be going down to South Carolina in a few weeks to see my niece once she is born and as soon as I come back I will start work for the summer. I want to have as much fun as possible (on a poor girl's budget, that is). Beaches, concerts, fun-runs, fireworks, parties, bonfires, late nights...ahhhhh summer is here. =)

beautiful chaos.

Life consists of extraordinary chaos. On the surface, chaos appears as a dirty film that we desperately try to wipe away from our safe little lives. We seek a way out of the confusion, the busyness, and the uncertainty. Panic enters into the depths of our hearts and we soon begin to slip into a blurry abyss of confusion.

We find chaos around every corner. Life is a continuous merry-go-round heavy with shifting plans and perplexing decisions. Security drifts into something of the past and a mandatory vulnerability takes its place. 

Something I have learned--and continue to learn--each and every day I am privileged to experience, is to find beauty in the chaos. Beautiful chaos is something that has always captivated me. Rainy afternoons compel me to do nothing short of letting my hair down and dancing barefoot in the misty air. I could look at the pouring rain and sloppy puddles and let the chaos overpower me, but instead I choose to embrace the chaos. I am in constant pursuit of turning chaos into something beautiful.

Sometimes this pursuit puts a guilty weight on my shoulders. I feel like when the world is hurting, I should hide away and give in to the chaos--almost as if shedding a smile would prove myself insensitive and inconsiderate. I have decided that if chaos cannot be avoided, it might as well be transformed into something lovely and beautiful. Chaos might be a dirty film that overtakes our peace and quiet, but under the mire is something so unbelievably wonderful. I am determined this is true.

I'm not trying to state that chaos doesn't hurt. Life throws curve balls. Even when the chaos is expected--like the fact that I am graduating in a week and I have to make some life changing decisions--it takes a toll on you emotionally, physically, and spiritually. It is okay to hurt and it is okay to wrap yourself up in your giant blankets and plushy pillows and tune out the world for a few moments. I am simply trying to say that there is always always always something beautiful in the works. We might not see it through the dusty mire, but it's there--we just have to discover it. The hope, the bigger picture that is coming, the blessings surrounding the present situations--it's all right there.

We can let the chaos bury us or we can shed some light on it and discover the beauty that is sure to follow.

I choose beauty.

The truth of it is...

I have a major case of Senioritis. Graduation, please come soon.

I miss the warmth and the sunshine and the beach and flip flops.

I got a package today from my Grandpa that I can't open until Easter. It's hiding under my bed and the temptation of opening it is killing me...mostly because I'm sure it's full of candy.

I really really miss some dear friends of mine. So many of them are either back home, graduated early, or transferred schools. Growing up and moving separate ways shouldn't be legal.

I need to stop watching so many scary/suspenseful shows. I can't tell you how many nightmares I've had recently about being chased by zombies, the Grayson's plotting my death, or "A" causing me some sort of chaos.

It is ten times easier for me to sleep during the day than it is at night. Naps are never an issue...going to bed at a decent time at night never happens. Seriously. It's after midnight and I'm sitting here blogging and eating chocolate animal crackers.

I am super excited about watching American Idol tomorrow while eating a pan of warm brownies. It's the small pathetic things in life, people.

Today was a good day. I was feeling a little discouraged, but I have been surrounded by so many great people today that things turned out fine. A genuine smile and kind word can honestly make such a difference!

Lies.

You're not worth anything.

Physical beauty matters more than inner beauty.

You can't be forgiven.

The way you feel must be true.

God doesn't love you.

Do you believe any of these things? If your answer is yes...STOP! ...because they are all LIES.

I have gone believing these lies for way too long. The thing is, I still find myself being deceived into thinking these things are true. It's a daily battle for me to believe what is real truth. I have to confess, I struggle daily with insecurities...more than people might realize. I let what other people think and say define me. I know, I know...letting other people define you is one of the dumbest choices we can make...but for some reason (the mere fact that I'm human) I still let it affect me.

When these lies began to engrave themselves into my heart, I found myself running from God. Instead of realizing that I was being fooled into believing these false emotions, I decided to hide--from God and from everyone else. I was ashamed of this image I had of myself. When I looked in the mirror I saw scars. Scars telling me I was unlovable and worthless. Did I know how false my thinking was? Yes...but not really. My head knew the truth but my heart didn't.

My insecurities took me on quite a journey. One that took me from my all time low to an indescribable feeling of freedom in Christ. It took me a while, but through God's grace I eventually realized something.

God loves me. Like, He really really loves me. It's not the kind of love where you say you love a person but half the time you don't even like them. It's a love that is never changing and never ending. I thought God wanted nothing to do with me...so I had nothing to do with Him. That was the WORST thing I could have done. God doesn't just want me when I feel like I deserve Him. He wants me all the time no matter how I feel. The truth is I am worthless on my own. It is only by God's grace that I'm able to do anything good. The song "Every Good Thing" by The Afters comes to mind. It says, "You're the reason for every good thing...There will be days that give me more than I can take but I know that You always make beauty from my heartache."

God deserves all of me...the good, the bad, and the ugly. He simply just wants a heart willing to love Him, serve Him, and learn from Him. It's a win-win situation, really. God gets every. single. piece. of me; and I get the freedom of knowing that these lies are just that...lies...and never again will I let them blind me.

breathing in these 74 days.

Seventy-four days.

That's how long I must wait to meet graduation day.

I have this dilemma. One of which I want to make the absolute best of these next seventy-four days but I can't help but wish they would speed up. In seventy-four days I am going to miss this place that has become a home to me. I have made so many memories here and have learned more about life than I ever thought I needed to know. Though I know how much I will miss these days, I am getting bored.

This is my seventh and last semester of college. I have been here for what seems like forever. I am just ready to wake up in the morning and not have to run to class. I am ready to end long days in the comfort of a home. I am ready to find a job and have a steady income. I am ready to eat real food. I am ready to live somewhere that is not the middle of nowhere. I am ready for a change of pace.

I'm craving adventure. I want to face the unknown in life. I want to sail away to uncharted waters and see where the wind takes me.

With all this said, I am truly convicted about not living in the moment. I'm afraid that if I keep wishing my days away that they will truly do just that...disappear. I don't want to look back ten years from now and hit myself in the head for not making something of this time I have at my fingertips. I am a curious wanderer who just wants to keep moving, but I am trying to realize that the adventure I crave is happening right now.

Life doesn't start and stop. It's a constant. Although I might be starting a new chapter in seventy-four days, the chapter I'm in right now plays a significant role in the overall story. So maybe this is the slow part of the story, but it is after all a

part of the story

that should not be taken for granted. My curious bones are still itching to move forward, but I have to learn to enjoy the moment I'm in. There will always be something down the road; a road that doesn't seem to end. Satisfaction in life shouldn't come from running through it as fast as possible, but by taking things slow, breathing them in, and making the absolute most of every moment.

Love 24/7.

I'm not going to lie...I love Valentines Day. It's a time to let others know they are loved. Not to mention, I get to eat abnormal amounts of chocolate and wear pink...honestly, there is no better combination.

Even though Valentines Day can be fun, it's also that time of year where everyone seems to be measuring their worth by how much chocolate they receive or how many heart-shaped cards are in their mailbox. Ridiculous right? Maybe...but so incredibly true.

I've been there...that 16-year-old girl who was the only single girl alive. All my friends walking around with their boxes of chocolate and new jewelry strung around their necks. Oh, and of course their men right at their side. Nothing changes as we get older...I mean heck, I'm still that girl...just a few pounds heavier and with more wear and tear on this heart. Even though girls go the extra mile to make sure everyone knows how much they hate this holiday, we all know honey, that if your boyfriend doesn't buy you flowers tomorrow you will probably never let him live it down.

Some of us are in relationships...and celebrating Valentines day with your loved one should be special.

Some of us are in relationships but may be having problems...and in that case Valentines Day might cause an unbearable ache in your heart.

Some of us are single and Valentines Day might cause feelings of worthlessness.

People, I have experienced all three of these varieties. Which makes me wonder...if Valentines Day causes all these different emotions for people, something isn't right.

Why do we feel like February 14th is the only day we can celebrate love? Why do we feel that if we can't show love to a man than we can't show love to anyone?

There are 364 other days besides February 14th and whoever proclaimed that love was not important on those days is an idiot. Whoever proclaimed that love can only be celebrated between couples is an idiot. Whoever proclaimed that you're unworthy of love if you don't receive flowers or chocolate is an idiot.

Valentines Day is a great reminder to celebrate and show love, but we shouldn't let is burden us. If you're single like me, don't despair. I have a date set with one of my girl friends to go see a chick flick and get some dinner. I'm making cute cards for some of my friends to let them know how much I love and appreciate them. I may not have a special someone in my life...but I have plenty of other people I love dearly and I plan on letting them know it...not just tomorrow, but every day. Don't let the words February 14th scare or nauseate you. It's just a day. Enjoy it.

Go love.

Go eat chocolate.

Life, lately...

January was a whirlwind! 

Three weeks ago I packed up and headed back to school for my LAST semester!!!

I came a week early to take a week long block class on...the arts.

Best part? Getting to go down to Chicago to visit the Art Institute, do some shopping, and of course take pictures by the "bean" for the 20th time.

The artsy part of the trip was great and all, but the stop I made in Forever 21 was more my scene.

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This past week we had a huge blizzard. (Surprise, surprise) It's sad when you wake up to a 20 degree day and it feels like a heat wave...but hey, after -14 degree weather...craziness like that happens.

Friends make cold, gloomy days a little more cheery.

...And so do packages from home full of food!

I look like a lost child alone in the woods. haha Thank you, Leah, for capturing this!

After being out in this crazy weather all week I just want to curl up in my covers with some chocolate and popcorn and watch movies for the next couple hours!

Happy weekend, everyone!

a loss.

Being away at school often means missing things happening at home.

The past couple days my dad, among 300 other firefighters and 88 fire departments, worked to control a massive fire at a food plant about a mile from our house.

source

After about 13 hours, they were finally able to put the fire out. It's crazy how the result of a massive fire is pure ice!

source

This picture is perfect. A rainbow to give our community hope after such a loss.

source

About 300 people lost their jobs as a result of this fire. Hopefully the city will do what they can to get the plant running again, but until then my prayers go out to those families!

Thirteen for '13

Already five days into 2013 and I haven't even thought about resolutions! Shame on me, yes indeed. I suppose resolutions are a great idea and as much as I want to keep them, I rarely do. This year I'm going to come up with some more practical goals for myself. But don't worry...that doesn't mean I won't add any challenging ones. =)

Here we go...

THIRTEEN for 2013!!!

1. Read at least one book every month.

2. Get into God's Word more.

3. Graduate from college.

4. Find a job after graduation.

5. Move out of the house. (New York? YES PLEASE!)

6. Keep my room clean.

7. Learn how to play my guitar. (I think this was a resolution last year. Oops.)

8. Take a yoga or barre class.

9. Exercise at least three times a week.

10. Make more of an effort to stay in touch with friends.

11. Journal more.

12. Try new recipes!

13. Be content in who I am & where I am in life and learn to embrace it!

Alright folks, let's see how many of these happen! I'll keep you updated if I'm able to cross anything off this list! What are YOUR resolutions for this awesome year ahead?!

all at once.

It's hard to believe that in just four months I'll be done with college and starting life for real. I feel like up until now everything has been a trial run. Summer jobs, semester long classes; nothing has been permanent.

Right now my plan for post-graduation is to find a nanny job until I go to grad school down the road. I have an account with a few different childcare websites and all at once I'm getting emails from all sorts of families from all over the country asking to set up interviews and wanting to get to know me.

Having all these potential job leads is exciting but at the same time overwhelming. It's starting to get real!

I've had a few families close to home email me, a few in NYC, a few in the middle of nowhere...let's just say I'm going to have a lot of praying to do and decisions to make in the next few months.

I know God has a plan and purpose for my life and let me tell you...it's both exciting and terrifying waiting to find out what it is.

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...

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!

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!!!/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!!!

#ohsoblessed

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.