Thus far...

Well, I haven't been very diligent about blogging the past few months. My last post was during Christmas break right before moving back to Asbury - now, half way through the semester, I thought it would be a nice time to share what has been going on. My last post was a "bucket list" of sorts naming a number of things that I thought would allow me to end my senior year with a bang. I'm laughing now as I revisit this list. Lets see what has happened so far...

All night-er for fun: I've had some late nights - and some even earlier mornings...I guess I can't check this off yet.

Midnight premiere: The movie I want to see more than any other is in fact having a midnight premiere tonight - sadly, I am learning the concept of responsibility and my alarm set for 6:30AM made me decide to wait for a more appropriate time this weekend. I'm okay with this.

Spring Break: CHECK! I went to Owensboro, Ky with a group of 20 students from UK to build a Habitat house. I went only knowing 1 person and came back with 19 awesome friends. It was not the beach...and I'm so happy it wasn't. I could not have asked for a better spring break!

All A's: Going strong - we'll see...

Photo Shoot w/ Jordan: I'm going to be her Made of Honor - so I know a photo shoot is coming. I'm happy the way this one played out.

Movie marathon: CHECK! I'm saying check to this because I've had many nights with lots of movies/ TV on DVD. I still want more :)

Concert: CHECKKK!!! I got to see AND meet the BAND PERRY for my birthday weekend with 11 friends! LOVED IT! Not to mention BRAD PAISLEY was there....Gahhhhh

Senior Chapel: I think this is going to happen!

Camping Trip: Its finally getting warm - and this is in the works!

Luce: I've been running outside - but I'm saying CHECK for the reason this was on the list.

Volunteer somewhere: CHECK! Habitat for Humanity. Built a house! Still wanna do more!

Graduate: I'm on the right track!

Roller Coaster: SOON!

Be in a movie: CHECK! I've been in multiple projects for friends :) Finally a star!

Tattoo: Not yet. But maybe soon.

Job after college: Applying to tons. Praying for the right one!

Drinks and thinks: CHECK! Not so much...but lunches with Lindsay 3 times a week more than makes up for this one!

Fall in love: CHECK! Re fell in love with Jesus. Couldn't be happier. I think He's the one!

Sleep over: CHECK! I've had many! My niece, Jessie, came for a couple of nights. It was perfect!

Tv series: One Tree Hill might be a possibility for this one!

Homemade dinner: I need to get on these!

There ya have it. Some items can be crossed off, some have changed, and others remain. Its a work in process. 1 million other things have happened this semester that I would have never thought to put on my list - life always plays out better than planned!

The Last Stretch

In a couple of hours I will be moving back to Asbury for the last time. I seriously cannot believe that this is my final semester of college. WHOA. Time really does fly when you're having fun. And when you spend more time stressed than not. This last semester will most definitely be bittersweet (I love when things are bittersweet because it normally means that what is happening currently is good - and what is about to happen is good). I am so incredibly excited about where life will lead me after May, but I know that I will never get these college years back - I have LOVED these years. When I realize that a chapter of my life is closing I feel the pressure to go out with a bang. Make the last stretch memorable. Something to talk about later. Well, I'm not even back on campus and I'm already feeling the urge to "go big or go home" and in order to graduate I can't stay home - so I'm going BIG.

Many of my friends have been blogging about bucket lists. I've decided to create a short list of things that I would like to see happen before May 6th - graduation.

Pull and all night-er just for fun.
See one midnight premier (or two, or three...)
Spring break somewhere with awesome people (Please be the beach!!!)
Get all A's. LOL. I have two classes - this BETTER happen.
Have a crazy photo shoot with my roommate Jordan!
Have a movie marathon.
Go to a concert (The Band Perry if I had a choice)
Participate in senior chapel!
A weekend camping trip.
Use the LUCE like its my job. Racquetball as much as possible.
Volunteer somewhere.
Graduate. That's kind of a big one!
Ride a roller coaster. Ughhh, Terrified.
Be in a movie.
Get a tattoo. Ha :)
Find a job for after college.
Drinks and Thinks with my girls - all the time.
Fall in love - because I'm running out of time. HAHA.
Have a sleep over.
Watch an entire TV series.
Have a homemade dinner with friends a few times a semester.


If I can do half of these things - I'll be more than satisfied. I know there are more things I can add to the list - but this is a good tangible start! Lets do this...

Out with the old and in with the new?

Wow. Another year has passed. 2011 was 365 days full or love, laughter, and lessons learned. Here are some of the BIG things that come to mind when I think about what the year has held.

I finally Went to Africa. Uganda will always have a piece of my heart.
My precious nephew, Charlie, joined our family - he is a miracle from God.
Gained some wonderful new friends. Lost a few friendships.
Saw Taylor Swift's Speak Now Tour. It was magical.
Began my senior year of college. Whoa.
Was on homecoming court with 7 wonderfully Zealous friends
Tried out for a TV show - The Glee Project - in Nashville. (Still not famous)
Traveld to NYC with two of my closest friends. Had a frozen hot chocolate from Serendipity's!
Got my nose pierced with a best friend.
Watched the Sound of Music. It changed me forever.
Learned to listen. To really listen.
Become an RA and worked with an amazing staff.
Took an art class and actually finished a few projects.
Held a summer job as a nanny.
Served another year on WGM cabinet and heard how God moved all around the world.
Had a roommate become the greatest friend I could ever ask for.
Saw a few midnight premiers with friends.
Got the stomach flu. Threw up 22 times.
Lived in a commune with over 400 people for three days.
Started a blog.
Turned 20. Finally out of my teens.

The biggest lesson learned: I set expectations for people. Very high expectations for those I love. More times than not, they fall short. This isn't a flaw with them - its just reality. Its in these times that they fall short that I still have to pour out love. Unconditional love. Because I fall short of the glory of God daily. He continues to shower me in love and mercy. I am blessed because in the areas I "perceive" people falling short in my life - God consistently surpasses all of my expectations.

Watch out 2012 I'm ready to take full advantage of you. I already know some big events and huge changes are in store. I could not be more excited!

Happy new Year!!!!

Goo Land, Spongebob, and Justin Beaver

Last night turned into a crazy Monday night. After dinner I ended up taking a trip to Goo Land with some friends. Every thing was gooey and I had to wear special white gloves and pants to keep the goo off. While in Goo Land we ran into Spongebob Square Pants and his best friend Patrick - a wonderful pink STAAAAAAR. After singing a 5 minute song about Spongebob and Patrick we decided to leave Goo Land. Immediately after leaving Goo Land I become a student in school who had to go straight to sleep for nap time. Story time with the teacher woke me up. However, the story didn't last long - because mid way through the story we switched games and it was Selena Gomez's birthday. I had to hide and then jump out and scream "SURPRISE, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SELENA" a million times... A few minutes later "Justin Beaver" arrived and it turned into a pretty wild party. Lots of screaming and dancing.

There's nothing like hanging out with a 3 year old. My normal Monday night turned into a crazy adventure that I could hardly keep up with. The whole time we were playing I kept thinking back to when I was a kid and my imagination made every day as eventful and fun as this Monday night. The days where "and then pretend this happened" was said before every action and the Backstreet Boys were the "Justin Beaver". Haha. I hope I can remember this when I have kids. I never want to get too old that I can't enter into the fun mind of a child! I would really be missing out.

Full Circle

Since August I have felt like this senior year felt familiar. Almost like I've already experienced it in a weird deja vu kind of way. It wasn't until recently that is dawned on me as to why. Its odd how similar "first-firsts" and "last-lasts" are. I remember coming into college as a freshmen so incredibly high on life. Everything was unknown and new. I wanted to soak in every ounce of what I was experiencing. I formed friendships and poured every bit of myself into them. I carried my camera around everywhere because each moment was a memory I knew I would want to save. Now as a senior all these feelings and tendencies have resurfaced. I have found myself soaking in every ounce of what is here and now because it is all I know. In a few short months I'll be packing up and leaving what has been my entire life for the past four years. Knowing that the end is near, I am pouring every bit of myself into my friends because we'll never have another chance to be so close sharing life so intimately with each other. I've even been taking my camera everywhere - snapping as many pictures as I can because these are moments I'll never have again. I've come full circle. Just like the summer after high school when I was terrified to begin college, here I am, once again, terrified to leave. Thankfully the fear is accompanied by eagerness and excitement for what is to come. I'm so thankful that ever last is followed by a new first.