hope and love.

When I woke up this morning I forgot it was Valentines Day until I got to school. That's how it normally happens. It's just like any other day, right? It is if you don't have a significant other.

I tend to not care, and I'm rarely ever bothered on Valentines Day that I don't have someone to share the day with. The same was true with today. At least it was true until after lunch time.

I got into this slump and I was just annoyed by the day. I was so annoyed, in fact, that I packed all of my stuff up and left the college earlier than I had planned. I usually end up staying on Tuesday's and Thursday until later in the afternoon doing homework. Not today, apparently. When I left, I decided that I just needed a break. I've been working really hard the past couple of weeks, and I needed to turn my brain off for an afternoon.

So I came home and no one was here. Since no one was home I decided to do a little bit of straightening up. You know, the things that my mom expects me to have done that normally wait until the minute before I go to bed? Yeah, those. I found that I was enjoying myself. It was great to lay myself, and my wants aside to do something nice for my mom who works so hard everyday around here for us.

I may not have a significant other, but I have other people around me who pour into my life each day, and I the same. Every Valentines Day I find myself looking around at the people who I'm surrounded by and just find myself feeling so grateful for them and their love for me.

Not only that, but it's comforting to know that I have the perfect example of what love should look like. The man who laid down His life for His friends. The One who already has the day, hour, minute and second planned for when I meet my future spouse. I'm hopeful and filled with love on this Valentines Day. I pray the same for each of you!

new start to start.

The sun set on 2011.
Another year...done.
Closed.
Reflection begins.

2011 was definitely a year for the books.
It brought many great trials, many joys, many memories, many changes, many learning and growing experiences.
Gratitude is the one emotion that is sitting with me today as I reflect.
For the place I started out, and the place I'm standing today.
For the lessons I learned along the way.
For God's sovereignty through the really really hard things.
For the people I met along the way.
For the adventures that took place and locked their memories inside my heart.

Thank you, 2011, for teaching me more about myself then I thought possible to learn in one year.
Thank you, Lord, for constantly standing by me when my knees were shaking and when I didn't know which direction to turn. Thank you for being my one and only rock to cling to.

Thank you, dear friends, for walking in this life with me. You are each so near and dear to my heart. Here's to many more together!

Happy New Year!

christmas came.

Merry belated Christmas everyone!

I've been plagued with a really nasty sinus infection since last Tuesday. When I haven't been laying in bed, I've been lounging around on the couch under blankets. This has caused me to watch way too many episodes of Boy Meets World on youtube, and taken me back to my ten or eleven year old self. Well, it is winter vacation after all, right?

Christmas came and went somewhere within the last week, and it was an enjoyable time. Even through the three and a half boxes of tissues and two toilet paper rolls I went through by blowing my nose. I managed to get into a walk-in clinic on Monday and got a good dose of antibiotics. A shot, a steroid to make sure the shot does its job, an antibiotic AND cough medicine. So naturally, I am on the mend.

We still managed to have fun and put our new Christmas games to good use. Can anyone say Intense Jenga? We can!
And! We got this fun game called Headbanz...anyone heard of it? We can tell you all about it. It brought us much side splitting laughter. Whether you're actually playing it, or just watching from the side lines, you can't help but let out a hearty laugh.

My most favorite Christmas gift looks a little something like this...

I'm already addicted. I've barely been able to put the little device down. I've seriously got it really bad. I believe in Apple. Thanks Steve Jobs!

And now you'll all get to see what I've snapped in Instagram so far. Love that little app.

How did you spend your Christmas?

the past couple of weeks in picture.

I've been snapped a few photos over the past couple of weeks that sort of explains what has been going on in my life lately. I figured it would be kind of fun to share them with you guys, so here you go!

Cold weather. Christmas baking. Christmas wrapping. Christmas music. Christmas decorations. I'm definitely in the Christmas spirit these days. It seems as if I've happily turned into a Christmas elf.

What have you been doing for the days leading up to Christmas?

Happy winter vacation!

Since my first semester of college has come to a close, I really don't know what to do with myself. I have many different things that I want to do, but in order for me to do them I need to make a list. So, what better way then to post it for all of my blog readers to see so I can be kept accountable? Here we go...

1. Give my room a good, deep cleaning before Christmas, and keep it that way.
2. Clean out my closet.
3. Sell last semesters books, and order my new ones well before spring semester starts.
4. Spend some good time with my family.
5. Read a couple of books.
6. Import all of my CD's onto my new computer that I bought back in September.
7. Hang out with my friends, and create fantastic memories.
8. One on one time with my step-sister.
9. Read my bible every day. Although I am pretty good about this, I know myself, and I tend to think I can do it all on my own when I 'think' I'm not doing anything.
10. Get rested up. I've been going and going since May. This is the longest amount of time in months that I haven't had something specific to do. May as well take advantage of it!
11. Help my mom bake (I've already started).
12. Maybe see a movie in the theater.
13. Catch a Christmas flick on TV with my family.
14. Apply for a job.
15. Blog more.
16. Mostly, I just want to enjoy this time with my family and friends. It is, after all, the most wonderful time of the year!

overflowing with thankfulness.

It's that time of year again. The time when you reflect on everything that you're thankful for. You may be cooped up in your room working on the homework your professors loaded you down with, stirring and mixing and baking and assembling in your kitchen for the big Thanksgiving feast tomorrow, or just getting off work to enjoy your Thanksgiving break, but let's take some time to reflect on the past year and what we're thankful for.

For Him. For the things that He's done in my life this year, the places that he's allowed me to go, and the many lessons that I've learned along the way.

My grand Minnesota adventure.
Closing the high school door and opening up the college door by way of my GED.
My little Toyota Camry. 
My drivers license.
My best friend who tells it like it is.
My family and how they're always there for me. 
The start of college. 
Lunch dates with my Grandma.
Aftershock dance team, and the gift of using dancing to glorify God.
The new people I've met throughout the year, and new friendships that have formed.
Shores of St. Andrew, and the piece of my heart that was left there. 
The concert I've been able to attend, and the heart strings that have been tugged on through them.
Music.
A stove and an oven to learn how to cook on.
My mom. She's my best friend. 
The open road and where it has lead me.
Meeting Sarah after almost 4 years of talking online. 
The deep and meaningful conversations that have been had. 
My step-siblings and how they are always teaching me to have fun and be patient. 
That I'm not the same person I was a year ago.

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” - Colossians 2:6-7

What are you thankful for this year?

Happy Belated Memorial Day, my friends!

I hope you all got to do something fun and summery, but also remembering the reason why we have a day to celebrate, and remember our freedom and the people who gave their lives for us.

Being that this was my last weekend at home before I set off on my adventure, I spent tons of time with my family. Yesterday all of my step-siblings and my step-dad went to the beach together. It was a great day to play in the water, ride the waves, eat sandwiches on the beach, search for sand fleas to fish with, feel the sand between our toes, have a mini photoshoot with my step-sister, and spend the day/weekend at the beach before I will be thousands of miles away from something that I've become so comfortable with having right at my reach.

The beach is something that I've taken for granted over the years, and I've learned that it's not all that it's cracked up to be. From rip currents, to seaweed, to salt water in your eyes, sand in your bathing suit, sea lice, jelly fish, sharks, and all of the other crazy things that lurk out in the ocean, it's left little to be desired by me. However, it was lovely to just throw all of that out the window yesterday and enjoy every second of my time there. Even if I got more sea lice then I did on Saturday, and my tummy is itching like crazy from it. Or the fact that I've gotten the worst sunburn I've had in over two years..I can truthfully say it was totally worth it.

Dearest South Florida beaches, I will miss you...