Day Five: A Photo that Makes you Laugh

Hahaha, this picture just makes me laugh every time I see it. This was a picture I stole from Dave Barnes that he put together. On the picture to the right, that's my head poking out behind him, looking like a creeper. Now here's the story behind it: Chad and I drove to Nashville to go to a SOLD OUT show that Dave Barnes was doing. Why? Because Dave Barnes is my favorite, Chad is my best friend, and that's just what friends do :) Attempt. (BTW, because of this, I was told that that'd be the "test" for future guys I date.. if they'd drive to Nashville for a concert with me because that's just what they do :] (Chad, I think that's the perfect test. good thinking).) So we drive three hours to Nashville to go to the Writers Round at the Bluebird Cafe where Dave, Steve Moakler, Drew and Ellie Holcomb, and Tim Schurrer were playing. I had called ahead of time and they said even if it's sold out, they'd still let some people in. So we waited in line forever, with no tickets, and finally made it to the front and we were the LAST people they let in! I think they may have ended up making room and letting maybe two more people eventually in.. Anyway. The only seats left were directly behind him. Granted, it was an awesome show, but it still kind of sucked sitting behind him. However, it was also great because I think I may have had to teach the next day and I know we had to quickly leave after the show because Chad was going to have to work at 4am and we needed to get back in time for him to go (I'm telling ya, true friendship right there!), so we were able to stand up and talk to him first before we left.
ahh. Great music. Great friend. Great road trip.

Day 4

Day four: a photo of a place you'd like to visit.

Ireland.. ahhh. This just may be my dream visit. Ever since I saw P.S I Love You I have longed to go. It just looks absolutely gorgeous! One day.. I WILL go! Ohh and meet an Irish man to take back with me. Or just stay there. If it could be Gerard Butler like in that movie, that'd be fine with me too.

If I had to go somewhere in the states.. man.. that list could go on. I thought about posting pictures, but there's too many. NYC... Grand Canyon.. Niagara Falls... San Diego... LA... seeing the Redwoods.. Really, I just want to go to the west coast.

Day 3

Day 3: A Photo that Makes You Happy


This picture is from Best 8 Days from May 2009. It brings an overwhelming sense of peace to me.. I have it in a frame on my wall as well. Maybe it's because of what that week meant to me. Maybe it was the accomplishment of finally reaching the top of the freakin' sand dunes. Maybe it is just the sense of calming that looking out at God's creation gives me. The feeling when you take a deep breathe and just exhale... the, "ahhhh."

That's all I have for this evening. I just got home from an AMAZING concert put on by Knoxville's own Erick Baker with the talented Andrew Ripp opening. I'm pooped and tomorrow holds a day of work and another great show at Patrick Sullivan's of The HotShot Freight Train! Gotta go out and support them.

Have a good night all.

Day 2 / Decisions / Choices / Opportunities

Let's just start with Day 2's photo: A picture of yourself from at least a year ago.



I cannot believe that at this time last year, I was getting ready to go live in Puerto Rico for 8 weeks. It doesn't seem like that long ago. I loved just about every minute of it and would love to go vacation there and see people. I couldn't pick just one picture to post though.. actually, I had a hard time only choosing two! I also have a Groupon coupon for a photo book that will expire soon that I plan on using PR photos for. I need to get on that. There's just entirely too many to choose from.

On to another subject. Decisions. Choices.

Bottom line: MAKING THEM SUCKS.

Yes, it's a part of life.. but sometimes it sucks to have to make them. However, there's always some validity for the ones you make whether it be right and wrong, a belief, something that if you continue will change who you are (for good or for bad), etc. For instance, I had to make one tonight that I was getting so anxious about (I mean, sick to my stomach, red face and hives anxious) but I had the reason behind the decision and it ended up turning out from what I believe to be a pretty good resolution and the future for it will be for the best and could be exciting.

Another choice I made today was to do something about what I may want to do with my life. In the last post I said I had some ideas, but that was it. After the post I was out with some friends and I was telling them about it and one said, "So, what are you going to do about this new passion? It sounds like it could become a passion of yours. What are you going to do about it? If you don't do something, you'll never know and you'll always be wondering." Well, today I did something about it. I've been looking into the area of becoming a Child Life Specialist. I looked at it before but the process is kind of rough. $400 exam. 480 Clinical hours. My first thought was, When in the world will I have time to do this? And I kind of just blew it off. I also wasn't going to take a $400 exam without knowing that's what I want to do with my life. But then when I was asked that last night, i thought I'd look into it again. I saw that they had a Summer Internship you could do and I looked at the application and I missed the deadline. It was January 5. So I called my mom, disappointed, to tell her about it and we started talking about the opportunities at other hospitals.. even if that meant I moved home for the Summer and just moved back to Knoxville in the fall [talk about saving money!]. I made some phone calls, emailed a few people, looked at other hospitals and these were my answers:

• more deadlines of January 5
• All filled up
• Only for students
• No Summer Internships (only Fall/Spring)

BUMMER. I'm glad I looked into it and found some answers.. but I'm really disappointed that I can't do that this summer. I emailed someone else as well asking if there's something in that field that doesn't involve the CLS certification.. however, I haven't heard back from them. May make some phone calls tomorrow.

Don't get me wrong.. I love my ECLC kids, I just know it's not something I am going to be doing the rest of my life and I feel like this could be that something for whenever that may begin.

Here's to future choices/decisions, future opportunities, and maybe a Summer 2012 Internship.

30 days

So I saw this done on Facebook by a lot of my friends and I thought, Well, maybe if I do it on my blog, that will help me keep it up to date more.. because we all know I'm not the best at that.. so why not! This is the 30 Day Photo Game. Every day will be a different photo, hopefully followed by a short blog to follow after.

Day 1: Photo of Yourself



Taken approximately 5 minutes ago, just for you. Not the best, but the most current :]

I figured with each photo, I'd explain reasons, stories, etc.. Um.. but for this one, it's me.. so there really isn't a better reason! So I'll just share some things about me that you may or may not know.

Let's see..

• I started Weightwatchers about a month ago. I've lost 7lbs! I'm kind of at that rut though and need to find motivation again. I'm kind of over it, but it's obviously working, so I need to continue. I can tell a difference with some things I wear.. I just need to keep my chin up about it.
• I'm kind of over this whole "adult" thing.. and yet, I have the rest of my life to look forward to it.
  
• I have a problem with worry, but I've been working on it.
• I'm still trying to figure out what I want to be when I "grow up."
• Sometimes I dream about moving across the country and starting something new with my life.
• I have an addiction with buying: movies, music, shoes, bags, and books.
• With buying books, I have a problem with reading a few chapters and putting it on the shelf.
• I don't get embarrassed easily, although I use to because I was pretty shy (hard to believe, I know).
• I absolutely love my small group girls and some days don't know what I'd do without their friendships, support, prayers, and love.
• I love this new relationship that's formed with my sister :]
• I wear my heart on my sleeve.
• I hate being vulnerable but can't help it sometimes.
• I love looking through these creative/inspiring blogs people have and get a little jealous with their craftiness.
• I have these ideas for what I want to do with my life, but change kind of scares me.
  

and that's me, currently.

i hate this world.

I hate this world we live in consumed up of all of our time and stress and worries that don't even matter in the long run.

After talking to my mom yesterday, I just felt like my relationship with God has just been staggering. It's like it was put on hold so I can deal with everything else going on in my life (there's been a lot these past four months! Sorry I suck at blogging). Obviously, that needs to change. I don't like it one bit. Sometimes I feel like I don't even know who I really am.. like what defines ME. What happened?

My mom told me she was reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan for a Bible Study at church. I decided I would pick it up again and start reading (for those that don't know me, I read a chapter or two of a book and never pick it up again.. usually). I heard how powerful and "slap you in the face" type of book it was, so I thought, "Well.. I need to do something.. so I'm going to start and end my day reading this and talking to God and go from there." What else can I do?

Last night at small group, my prayer request was for all this stress and worry I have in my life over EVERYTHING. The thought of literally everything that is going on in my life is stressing me out.. my job, house, relationships, money, loans.. etc. Well... whaddya know that the first thing I read about this morning and start my day off with is none other but 'stress' and 'worry.' Let me share..

"Do not be anxious in anything." Phil 4:4
"When I am consumed by my problems- stressed out about my life, my family, my job- I actually convey the belief that I think the circumstances are more important than God's command to always rejoice. In other words, that I have a "right" to disobey God because of the magnitude of my responsibilities.
Worry implies that we don't quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what's happening in our lives. Stress says that the things we are involved in are important enough to merit our impatience, our lack of grace toward others, or our tight grip of control. ....Why are we so quick to forget God?"

Hm.. What is God trying to tell me here? I wonder..
Maybe my life is the way that it is because I forget to lay my worries down where they should be and give them up to Him. Just maybe..

That was my reading this morning. Tonight I read a portion entitled, "Thank God We Are Weak." HA. Here's what that said..

"..acknowledge our lack of control and reach out for God's help. If life were stable, I'd never need God's help. Since it's not, I reach out for Him regularly. I am thankful for the unknowns and that I don't have control, because it makes me run to God."

After I read that, all I could think of is, "Am I??" Really.. am I really thankful for the unknowns that I don't have control over?? hahaha. NO. I am not. Again, I was talking to my mom about that tonight.. about control and having control.. and giving up control.. and look what I read tonight.

The rest of the chapter went on about being ready for God and living a life that shows that. Yes, we all know how short and how precious life is.. but what are we doing about that? Anything? He wrote, "We have to believe it enough that it changes how we live."

I think I need to start believing that more and make some changes. That scares me like no other.. but I know where to go with my worries.



I'm going to try to keep up with this more. Maybe use it as a way to share what I'm reading... I don't know. (But Rilee, I will TRY to stay on top of it more!)

We got catching up to do.

Oh I am so behind.. I don't know where to start. Let's see.. I guess I have the whole summer that I missed..
Well, I am..

• DONE with grad school.. finished, finished, FINISHED! whoo!

• Moved off out of my house and in with my cousin for a few weeks.
• My sister AND my mom got married!
• Got a job teaching Preschool, like I wanted :)
• Moved into my own house (renting). I love it.
• The day after I moved in, I ended up in the ER and admitted for 4 days.. had a procedure/surgery thing to remove a stone that either a. has been there since my gallbladder was out 2 years ago or b. formed since, even though I'm gallbladder less, because, well, 1% of people without one still form them.
• Got out of the hospital and started my new job the very next day.. eased into the craziness of trying to be prepared for my kids to start.
• Kids started, a month into it, and things are going great.

Life really is pretty good right now. OH I forgot to mention.. during that time.. My poor Corsica was laid to rest. On my Friday night off, it started leaking Antifreeze like it was its job. The next day my wonderful friend went to look at it and it started pouring.. so since we thought it was the heater core and a few hundred to fix anyway, we went car shopping. After a week and a half of stress, I finally got a 2008 Honda Civic... which I LOVE.

So.. new job.. new house.. new car... things are pretty great right now. I'm enjoying everything in my life.

God is good.