I Swear I Remember How to Blog and Other Dreams

I was debating on how to jump back on the blogging train {link-up? book review? a post pretending I've been blogging regularly for the past three weeks??}, and then Natalie posted/hosted a Quick Just Because Not So Serious Takes link-up, and it was fate. This is a perfect way to give y'all some updates and share some odds and ends without being weird...although this is me, so it may still end up weird. But you knew that when you clicked this link, so I don't feel too bad.

Item 1: I spent the first week of this month in the beautiful Bluegrass State with some of my dearest friends. AJ and I got to spend lots of quality time together, some of which involved the following:

• crack popcorn - I've never made that much crack popcorn in one sitting, but I'm proud to say there was nothing left the next morning. 
• wedding video - you know you're bosom friends when you spend a Friday night watching her wedding on the small screen. So cool.
• steak nachos with beer cheese - this is becoming a tradition for me to celebrate AJ's birthday. Saul Good's steak nachos with beer cheese is basically heaven on earth. We took a picture that night, but as good as that waiter was, photography wasn't his forte. 
•  Ale-8 - I had one for breakfast every day, and I regret nothing. 
• a surprise pregnancy announcement - AJ had her youngest son announce to me that "mommy has a baby in her tummy" and I put forth a great effort and did not scream with joy and delight.

I also got to visit my good friends Carla and Victoria, as well as attend a baseball game with my friend Rae. Rachel and I got to hang out {and eat the world's most delicious cheesecake}, and I learned two new games with some friends from church. I got to hold new babies and hug old friends. 

Basically, my trip was wonderful and I'm already planning my return trip. 

Item 2: Whilst reading the book I thought was the last on my doula list, I realized that a medical book published in 1987 wasn't going to cut it. So I emailed my director and she emailed back that I should find a different book. It just came in from the library, and much to my delight, it's only about 100 pages long {as opposed to the 400 page beast I was struggling through}. So I should be finished with this little book very, very soon!

Item 3: Speaking of doula stuff, Victoria and I started a FB group for all things birthing related. We want to be able to share articles and pictures and discussions that include words like "placenta" and "dilation" without frightening away half of our FB friends. If you'd like to join, let me know and I'll send you the link. 

this little girl is us

Item 4: My roommate moved out this weekend and my sister moved in! Words cannot describe my joy. Our home is clean and cozy and beautiful, and I'm trying to convince my sis to go with a black-and-white art theme in the living room. We'll see how that goes. 

Item 5: I'm reading The Book Thief as a part of Dahlia's book club, and we're meeting to discuss and to watch the movie next weekend. I'm a bit of a late start on this book, so here's hoping I can finish it in time!

That's it - all the Just Because Not So Serious Takes I've got. Enjoy your Tuesday, friends!

The End of a Chapter

Tomorrow, my best friend moves to Oregon for grad school. Tomorrow is the ends 13 months of living with my bestie. 13 months, or 55 weeks, or 690ish days of laughter, tears {some from laughter}, of Doctor Who farewells and Sherlock hellos, of grown-up grocery runs and spider slayings, of Christmas tree mishaps and cars catching on fire, and of course scaring each other accidentally.

Here are some highlights from our 13 months of living together:

dinner before going to see "Pixar in Concert"

One Wednesdays, we wore pink. We went to see the Lion King. Samara made me breakfast in bed for my birthday {and then I returned the favor} and introduced me to Indiana Jones. We dressed up as Irene and Sherlock and as the Fox Family, and we hosted a fantastic New Year's Eve party:

Our friendship definitely reached new heights this year, and I am so, so grateful for this wonderful time spent with my bestie. Two years ago, we didn't think we could stand living together. The next year, we simultaneously asked each other, "Do you think we could live together?" And less than a year later, we were moving and starting a new adventure.

Samara, I have SO enjoyed the past 13 months with you. I've learned to appreciate and love you in new ways, and I'm going to miss you like crazy. As in I am going crazy. But you already knew that. But you love me anyway because we're soup snakes.

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You're also my person, and if we did drag a body across the living room floor, you would find a way to make that carpet smell better than the day it was installed. 

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Have the best time in Oregon! You are going to learn amazing things and teach wonderful students and write incredible revelations. This is the best kind of adventure, and I'm so excited for you! If I show up on your door, don't be surprised, and don't be worried about being in your pajamas ;)

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7 Quick Takes: Theme of "New"

Linking up with Jen at Conversion Diary for this week's edition of 7 Quick Takes.

The theme of today is "new," so here goes:

1. Yesterday I bought a new table. Well, new to me. Praise be unto the Lord for Craig's List, yo! I'd been hunting for a new dining table and chairs for the whole summer, it feels like, but nothing turned up. I even spent Father's Day dragging my dad up north to look at a table, just to be disappointed and come home empty handed. But yesterday proved fruitful, and this nice couple even delivered the table and 4 of the chairs to my house last night! Pictures coming soon :)

2. Where are you going to put this dining table, Bek? You are wise to wonder. Well, when Samara moves out next week {not thinking about it not thinking about it notthinkingaboutit!!!}, she will take her dining table, and I will assemble my new table in its place. They're actually really similar - I'll have to do "hers and hers" pictures before she leaves.

3. Know what else is new in my flat? A flatmate! My future flatmate moves in the same day Samara moves out {yes, I will be a complete and total wreck next Friday, don't even judge}, so that's pretty awesome. I will tell you this much about her: she loves Doctor Who and Sherlock.

Apparently I wasn't too creepy because she agreed to live with me.

4. You know what else has started living with me? ANTS. They didn't ask, they didn't sign a flatmate agreement, and they certainly aren't Doctor Who fans. So I've been killing them.

So far the killing methods have consisted of:

• diffusing peppermint oil
• setting out cotton balls that were soaked in sugar and borax 
• spraying a mixture of water, vinegar, peppermint oil and lemon oil
• stomping
• vacuuming

None of this was completely effective. So yesterday I brought home the big guns: ant poison. Samara and I placed probably a dozen pieces of foil with poison around the kitchen and slider door, and the ant population has drastically decreased. If you have any other suggestions, please share!

5. Remember a couple QTs ago when I mentioned reviewing Jen Hatmaker's book Interrupted? I am almost done with it and will be posting my response {and joining her link-up} sometime this weekend. The theme of her book could be summed up with the word "new," so that's how this Take fits into this week's theme.

6. My new favorite show is "The Mindy Project." {I have only watched 3 episodes total, but I'm already in love.} Holy cow, can Mindy Kaling and I be best friends? Please? Maybe just for a week?

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7. Saving the best "new" for last: tomorrow is the premiere of Doctor Who: Season Eight with our new Twelfth Doctor!!!! The trailer looks so intense... excited-nervous over here. Anyone else anxiously anticipating tomorrow with a "deep breath"?

Happy Friday!

All Moved Out And Ready to Rock

Well, we moved! Samara and I both said that Saturday was way less stressful than we had anticipated, and we got a lot more done than we had planned. Score and score!

Our place may or may not look like this for a while...

           

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...but at least there was none of this:

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All in all, success!

Now that all that moving in and getting settled business is behind us {HA!}, I'm outta here. Actually, I really am. Dahlia and I are going to Prince Edward Island tomorrow! Augh!!! So excited!!! We're going to tour Green Gables and have tea with Maud and tour museums and check out the red roads and see two different musicals and basically have the best time ever in the history of good times. Stand back!

However, this trip really sneaked up on me... I'm not packed yet. That is how not prepared I am.

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You can find me here on top of my suitcase tonight, thanks, see ya then.

Oh yeah, and after our little Canadian excursion, it's our church's Family Camp... as in, no blog posts :( Sorry to keep you all waiting, but I promise that pictures will be up as soon as possible and you will see both our new place and the adventures in Canada.

Until then, bon voyage!

Following Up

So yeah, I'm moving into a totes adorbs condo with my bestie :)

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Samara wants to be the giraffe, mainly because of its cute accessories...idk. All I know is that means I'm the cat? monkey? creature partying it up in the back, totally unsupervised as usual. Such is my lot.

So let me share some deets with y'all. Because you have nothing better to do than read about my life. I know.

Details That I Will Share With You:

• We're moving into a seriously awesome condo- first floor, 2 bathrooms, sliding door, and our own little patio!
  
• Our place is about 2 minutes from church! And like 1.5 minutes from the freeway! And like a stroll down the block to water! Praise the Lord!
  
• Since we are so close to said water and because we are nerds, we came up with a name for our little homey-home: Bright Shores... it's got a reference to Austen and all the named estates, "Bright Star" our favorite movie about John Keats, and of course it starts with a B... as in, 221B Baker Street. Gotta bring Sherlock in there somehow :)
  
• We wanted to share {oh my gracious, how badly we wanted to share!} the news with you all sooner, but we also wanted to make sure all the legalities were taken care of first. Gotta stay legal.
  
• I'm pretty sure that Samara and I lived on Pinterest for a few months.... gotta love private, shared boards.
  
• As soon as we are settled, we will be taking pictures and sharing them with you! Something to look forward to, because, as noted above, you have nothing better to do... ;)

I'm serious about those pictures. Actually, it will be wonderful when I can post pictures, because that will mean that we're both unpacked and getting settled, and that will be a wonderful moment. 

Alright, I'm off on an adventure across the mountains to pick up my grandmother's dishes from my cousins. Long story. The short version is, my grandma is giving me dishes! And I'm getting them tonight, so peace out, yo. 

A Little Announcement

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Yes. It's true. It's finally happening. My bff and I are getting a place together and going to be real, live grown-ups.
This is us together...Watch out, world!


We started talking about getting a place together in January. We plotted and schemed and chatted and talked and emailed and discussed and watched Doctor Who and researched and budgeted and plotted some more, and now it's finally happening. As in, my stuff was moved in on Sunday, and Samara's stuff is coming on Saturday, and WE WILL BE MOVED.

I know that this is the beginning of a new and exciting chapter, one that will bring a lot of maturity and responsibility and wisdom {hopefully!}.


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Look at how responsible this person is. Grocery shopping: nailed it.
{To read the full story of my life comic, including some profane language -consider yourself warned- check it out here}

And then sometimes I still feel like I'm pretending to do this whole "grown up" thing...

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And I'm pretty sure that this will happen at some point.

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Anyway, the point is, Samara and Beks are setting off on an adventure that will change their lives forever...it might even change the world. And it's already changed something... one white wall is now Frolic Green :)

P.S. Check out Samara's point of view on our excitement!

Thoughtful Tidbits

In no particular order, here are some thoughts...

Grandma told me last night that she is very glad to live with us and that she's grateful she's not alone. She said that even when we're in different rooms doing different things, it's ok because she's not alone in the house. This really made me think, because Grandma and I are very much alike: we are both firstborns {that encompasses A LOT}, we are both very organized, and we both like to be around people. But it's been a big change having her with us... to be fair, I got home only a day and a half before she moved in, and that was less than a month ago, so everyone is still adjusting.

Like the new look? I finally sat down and learned how to make tabs up there- woot! Feel free to check it out and give suggestions, either for the Intro page or for future pages. What do you want to see?

Mom and Pops are in Texas for a couple days, enjoying the 90* weather...I'm not jealous...well, not very jealous. 75* is my ideal temp, but I'll take 90 over 40 :(

Speaking of Texas, I'm heading there myself in a couple of weeks. My internship in the Frozen Tundra ended, but I agreed to go to Dallas and help out with their big event there. Yay for business travel! It will be fun to see my co-workers again, and the sunshine sure helps :)

My weekend plans consist of the Ladies' Conference at church and maybe painting my nails. How about you?

Hey, I'm Alive

So, sorry for dropping off the grid there, folks! I ride two airplanes and suddenly can't put my thoughts in order. Sheesh.

Actually, the airplanes are not to blame. I got home safe and sound, and so did my luggage. That night I stayed up really late with my two at-home sisters, and we laughed A LOT and talked about boys and sister stuff like that, and then we finally went to bed and thank God that we were all on break!

Wednesday, I seriously rocked. I unpacked all four suitcases into my new room {as in, my room was moved to another room without my presence, and then my sis on Spring Break crashed in there, and it was chaos...actually, it still is; it's just shut-up-in-drawers chaos now.}. Like a boss.

Thursday, #bestierunion!!!!! Totes fun. We talked about Doctor Who and sexuality and passion and oh yeah our future place together. You know you're best friends when...you talk about all of that during a 30 minute lunch period. Yup.

Also, my grandma moved in with us. We had the MCs come and help us load things in the truck and drive the mile down the road and then unload. We got it all done in just a few hours, which was nice. Grandma's been getting settled pretty well, and I think it's all going to work out for us.

I started work this past Monday. It's been fun. I'm learning a lot, mainly that getting up before 6am is NOT my favorite thing, but oh wait, I already knew that. :-p But seriously, it's been great. I've also been getting my name out there for some tutoring and babysitting jobs, and I have an interview for a receptionist position tomorrow, so hopefully I can start making bank and get a place sooner. Apparently the old saying "Cash is king" applies to the housing market too. So if you think of it, please pray that I find the perfect position{s}.

In other news, I'm really looking forward to sharing tomorrow's Funny Friday, because it's a doozy. AJ, you know what I'm talking about. Heck to the yeah.

Alright, peeps, I hope that I've convinced you that my heart still beats. Peace out til tomorrow!

That Antsy Stage

It’s the antsy time. You know, the time before a transition, and all your anticipation and nerves and frustrations and adrenaline are still stuck inside you with no where to go but to bed?

Because I’m in this stage, I feel like I’m wasting my life away. I know, it’s an exaggeration {you don’t get voted Most Dramatic in h.s. for nothing!}, but that’s what I’m tempted to think on lazy Sundays with travelling plans on Tuesday. There’s nothing to do right now- too soon to pack, too snowy to go out, wrong time zone to call friends or family- and so I feel stuck. It’s the awkward waiting period that lasts a few days and then goes away; it’s a time of transition, and so I’m antsy.

As previously mentioned, my bestie and I are planning on getting a place together. I’m meeting with the realtor next week to discuss stuff, and the ball is really getting rolling! I know God has a great place for us, and I’m so excited to move into this next stage.

Along with the anticipation and happiness of going home and finding a new home with the bestie, there is the sadness that comes, too. The reality of Grandpa’s passing will definitely sink in once I’m home, and I know I will really feel the loss as Grandma moves into my parents’ home and I see her frequently but Grandpa no more on earth.

I’m excited to start working for my parents, but I’m also nervous scared apprehensive about the whole process. Things will be different, because I’ll be doing a different job, I won’t be living at home {once we get a place, of course}, and I now have 6 months of experience that I didn’t have in June. But it’s still an unknown, and that means it’s an omnipresent thought in my mind.

Also, when I go home, I’m going to be volunteering for a crisis pregnancy center! I’m very excited to start serving!!! During training, the lady in charge of the education program {they go into schools and talk about abstinence and things like that} said that she would love for me to be a part of their program because I’m single. Guess being single is cool still! ;) I’m really looking forward to getting back to working with kids; I do miss my after-school groupies.

And on a lighter note, the bestie has been doing what she does best and sharing the passion for all things BBC and Sherlock, and now several of our friends are “on the bandwagon” {and by bandwagon I mean totally and completely obsessed}, and when Season Three comes out, we are planning a dress-up party for each episode! There are only 3 episodes; don’t think we’re totally crazy {we are, but not for that reason!}.It will be especially fabulous because these parties will be at our own homes, which is totally crazy because omg when did we get so old, but at the same time, it does feel kind of fun to think of hosting a themed party with friends at my house. Boom. I just grew a long white beard.

Thanks for listening, friends.

Belated Funny Friday

Today is Move-Out Day for one sister {and tomorrow is Move-Out Day for another} so here is just a couple quick laughs from this week.

The family went over to our grandparents’ and Grandma gave us all hankies that she used to use. She showed us a very pretty lace one and Grandpa looks at it and then at us with a confused yet witty grin:”Blow your nose with that, and then you have to wash your hand!”

Later at dinner, Grandma is making sure everyone has the drink they want, and Grandpa quips:”Water is good for bathing and for putting out fires, not for drinking.”

This morning before we leave for Move-Out Day, Dad is heading out the door.Nayn: “Dad, where are you going?”
Dad: “I’m going to the store to get you some wipes.”
Nayn: “Why?”
Dad: “Because you’re going to college.”

Alright, I have to go help my sisters move. Peace out!

One Week

In one week, my sister and I will be in Berlin, Germany. WHAT!?!!? Crazy, right?? We leave on Monday and arrive on Tuesday- yay, long international flights! But hey, the journey is part of the destination, right? Or something corny like that. Oh, ps, this trip means I probably won’t be able to keep up posting, so please forgive me in advance, and I’ll a) see if I can schedule posts ahead of time, and b) show you lots of pictures afterwards.

Before we leave, our other sister graduates from Master’s Commission. Woot! This weekend is filled with festivities for her class, which means we need to pack beforehand!

After we get back, all 3 of my sisters will be moving! One will be moving up to college; one will be moving back home; and one will be moving somewhere in our church community to start Master’s Commission.

Thank God the only moving I have to do is across the hallway!

So I’ll be getting my own room and it has built-in bookshelves on the top half of one wall…what should I do with them?? I was thinking of painting the vertical part of them, so there’s something fun to look at when I take a book off the shelf… I was also thinking of putting contact paper (am I thinking of the right thing?) down on the horizontal part of the shelf just so there’s something funky there. Any ideas or suggestions are welcome.

Also, I told you a while ago that I bought a frame from Goodwill. Well, what should I do with it??? I was thinking  of combining a couple craft ideas and putting magazine pieces inside the frame, with or without paint on it, and then using the glass as a note-writing board. Or maybe using chalk paint? Or making a magnetic frame… let me see if I can find pictures to show you…


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The first one is what I’m leaning towards doing, only inside a frame instead of on a canvas, and I’m not sure if I would put the stencil over it or not. Thoughts? Votes?

In closing, I’m going to go to bed and re-read Persuasion. Again. Because I love it. Sigh. Captain Wentworth is my man.

jeepers creepers, y’all

there’s a song that says the beginning is the very best place to start, so here goes.

Thursday, May 3rd: I take my last final, pack up my room, do some laundry, and leave campus. The goal is to surprise my family at the airport. Flight is supposed to land at 5. Some friends and I go see other friends in “Fiddler on the Roof".” Very fun. Spent the night with AJ.

Friday: hang out with AJ and kids, friend picks me up at 4:30 so we can go to the airport and meet my family coming in at 5…which then gets changed to 6.
Friend and I pick up other friend. find out family’s flight is indefinitely delayed. Friends and I go meet other friends for movie, after confessing to Dad that I’m meeting them at the airport.

During movie, sister texts me and tells me the plane broke down and they are waiting for first a replacement plane and then a crew. Movie ends; dad texts that they are finally on a plane. friends and I go to Liquor Barn.

Friends and I leave. I’m dying to see fam. Friends {guys} want food first. Grr.

Dad texts: they've landed! I tell friends to drive like whoa to the airport, NOW.

We get there: there are hugs all around. Friends leave, and my fam and I head for hotel.

Saturday: packing! It only takes a couple hours to pack everything, which is great. Mom and Dad take a load to my new host home, and I show sisters around the campus.

3:00pm- graduation rehearsal. Wait in gym….walk down to other gym…walk into gym…stand and wait for other graduates to walk in…joke about not wearing heels…finally sit down… listen to staff talk about how the ceremony will go….random cheers because we graduate TOMORROW. get dismissed. find family. leave for church-town.

6:30pm- graduation party! everyone from the church comes and meets my family and we grill food and laugh and talk and take pictures and hold babies and have general happiness.

9:30pm- post-party game of quelf. if you have not played this game, then shut your computer and go get a life because you need to play this game. end of story. it was amazing. andddd best part is my sisters got addicted so I’m expecting this game when I arrive home {hint hint}.

Sunday- GRADUATION DAY!!!!

Fam goes to church, gets introduced, then we split like a banana and head back to campus so I can be lined up in time. BARELY make it, and then there are pictures and gasps and shrieks and general freaking out hysterics. We’re about to graduate, ok. it was scary awesome. then all of a sudden we’re walking. past the faculty who are cheering us and waving at us. down the stairs, carefully not falling. pausing before the door, realizing that we’re entering the room as students and going to exit the room as graduates. slowly entering, letting each couple of students get “stoled” by staff and then walking down the long aisle waving at family and smiling hugely. finding my seat and being glad my sis let me use her flat sandals. standing and cheering for others as they enter. being very grateful when the college president finally stands and motions for us to sit.
the long and the short of it is this: I graduated. the fun part is, I got Magna Cum Laude {3.750-3.899}!!!! I was scared that I wouldn't get it, but hoorah! this semester’s labor paid off.

graduation was a long ceremony, but my grandparents and BFF got to watch the important parts, and my fam and I had to suffer through the rest… jk. there were just a LOT of B.A.s to bestow. Anywho, there were tons of pictures and introductions and laughs afterwards, and then my fam and I went to dinner. it was lovely. and then back to the hotel for sleep!

Monday, we packed up the rest of everything and headed to church-town. my fam dropped me off and said goodbye {yes, I cried a little- can’t help it}. then I hung with AJ again.

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday were just kinda get used to this no-school thing. there were babysitting adventures galore. It was great. And Thursday afternoon, my sister arrived! this is the sis who couldn't come to graduation because she’s in a leadership school and they’re driving around the country doing ministry stops. Well, they stopped here! I got to hang with them alllllll weekend, and Monday morning had to tearfully say goodbye {yep, I cried again}.

Yesterday was laundry day, with a Mary Kay party in the evening. Oh yeah and then excitement after that, but that will be a separate post.

jeepers creepers. THAT was my life. crazy. everything happened so fast. I was falling asleep yesterday and thinking that the past 10 days have been the most extreme roller coaster of emotions and sleep and everything. I said hello to my family, goodbye to fellow classmates, hello to my sis, hello to my friends, hello to tornado clean up, goodbye to my sister and friends, and in another week-ish I’ll say hello to AJ’s baby. jeepers creepers.

Catch Up

Goodness, readers, has it really been more than a week since I've written? Has it been that long? For me, yes! It has been long, but at the same time, the past week and a half have flown by. It’s totally God, because if the days were dragging, I would be miserable. I would miss my family… but let me back up and start at the beginning of the journey.

Wednesday night, I had to say goodbye to all my friends, and to my sisters, which was really hard. We hugged, and then I turned around to hug someone else, and when I turned back my sisters were all crying. And so we had to hug again, which made us cry harder. It was really, really difficult to leave everyone.

BFF, I know you’re reading this, and I miss you and love you tons, and I smell your note often! Sis {I know you know who you are!}, I miss everyone more than I thought I would, and that was a lot, so yeah.

After we said to goodbye to everyone, Mom and Dad and I went home to pack. Mom {aka, Superwoman} got everything into 3 suitcases. Ok, I had done a pretty decent job, but she squished and pushed and weighed and condensed, and we got it! We flew out Thursday, and then went shopping on Friday. I got the cutest bedspread and sheets and pillow and soft blanket- check out the pic!


After Mom and I had finished shopping, we went to the airport to pick up Dad. We went to dinner, and then back to the hotel.

Saturday was move-in day and orientation! We got to the dorm at 8:30am, and thank God the elevator was unlocked! When Mom and I had toured the dorm on Friday, the RA told us that the elevator only went down; no one could ride it up because there are offices in the basement and the first floor, and they don’t want creepers riding the elevator up to the residences on the 2nd and 3rd floors. But thank goodness she had unlocked it for the first few days so that we could take the suitcases up to my room on the 3rd floor!

We separated the beds and raised them so we could fit our dressers under them; that saved us a ton of space! During the arranging time, my roomie came in! Yay! She and her mom were there, and once they saw the room and us, they went back downstairs to bring up her luggage.

After we had dropped our luggage off, we went to do orientation stuff. Thankfully, I had got my ID printed the day before, so I didn't have to stand in line for that! There were some papers to sign and some people to meet, and that took us a few hours. FINALLY it was all done! We went back to the dorm and began unpacking in earnest.

It was a little crowded at first, but once my roomie put the desk where she wanted it, and got her dresser under her bed, we had plenty of room. Except for the several suitcases. Mom and Dad and I got everything put away, and then it was time for the group orientation.

It was really weird being there, because it was HOT and most of the students there were freshmen and their parents, and they all looked more worried and scared than my parents and I did! After we played some games {the parents got to go inside and be reassured about the safety of their children}, we met with our advisers, then went to the Ceremony of Dedication, which was pretty interesting. All the faculty got dressed in their graduation gowns from their highest degree, and there was a song sung, a prayer read, a couple speeches given, and then it was over.

That was the last event that parents and family could attend; everything afterwards was for the students. Mom and Dad went back to the hotel and I went to dinner with my adviser and others in the same department. It was fun, and afterwards our “small groups” met again with our advisers and we just talked of general things.

I was exhausted after that, but there was more! We met in our dorms {actually, I didn’t; I met with other transfer students in the Alumni Building} and we talked about general resident-hall policies. We got done early, thank God, and Dad came to pick me up. Our hotel room looked empty without all of my suitcases! All I had was my backpack and my purse, and my clothes that I was going to wear to church tomorrow. We went to bed pretty early Saturday; I think we were all mentally and emotionally exhausted from the day.

I’ll tell you about church on Sunday later. Thank you for your prayers!

Prayer

Today was my last Sunday at my home church. My last worship with familiar songs and singers, my last announcements in the traditional and not-so-traditional way, my last message with my amazing senior pastor. Oh, it was bittersweet.

After the service, my dad and I went to the front of the sanctuary to get prayer for me and this phase of my life. My senior pastor, my MC director, and my former teacher and current pastor prayed for me. It was truly amazing, because these men of God prayed for me exactly what my heart has been crying out for in regards to this journey. They prayed that I would change the campus, instead of the campus changing me. They prayed that I would remain firm in my identity as a confident, outgoing woman of God. They prayed that I would become a deep, connected part of the church body near my school, and that I would always remember “the rock from which I was cut” and remember my roots at my home church. They prayed that I would press deeper into the Lord as I experience all the new things that I’m going to experience.

And with those prayers, I feel a finality come over me. It wasn’t entirely real to me until today. Even at a week left, I was still in a little bit of a haze about the reality of my leaving. But now that I've been prayed for and sent, and that I've said goodbye and “see you at Family Camp" to almost everyone I know, it’s really real to me. And I don’t know how I feel about that.

My BFF is deeply saddened, and I’m sorry to leave her.  My parents are more quiet about me leaving; they make comments here and there so I know they do feel it, but I’m honestly dreading next Sunday. I know that there will be tears on both ends, and I think my parents and I are all the kind of people who cry more when they see other people cry, as if we weren't crying enough by ourselves!

And to top this all off, this evening I saw my grandparents for the last time before Christmas. As I wrote about previously, my grandpa has Alzheimer’s, so it’s difficult to say goodbye. And my grandma has been so incredible and strong, and I had to say goodbye to her, and it just about killed me. If I didn’t have a friend over, I probably would have gone to my room and sobbed.

So as much as I’m excited for this new adventure, I’m dreading saying goodbye. Wednesday night and Sunday night are going to be the hardest… I really don’t know how I’m going to get up the next morning and keep going. BUT GOD is good, and so I know that, somehow, I will get up and keep going.

On that happy note, I’m going to finish this post and go read Les Miserables. Ironic, I know. I’m not miserable, though. Just missing people…goodbye for now.

Down to a Week…

Alright, readers, the countdown is down to seven days. In one week, I’ll be boarding a plane for a far-away place. In a week from Saturday, I will meet my room-mate. Woot! And in a week from Sunday, I will say goodbye to my parents and watch them drive to the airport to board the plane home…without me. And in two weeks from today, I’ll start classes at my new school.

Alright, I admit: I’m scared. Not just nervous-excited, but good ol’ fashioned petrified. Terrified. Scared stiff. Worried. Concerned. Horrified. Trembling. Shaking in my boots. Dreading next Thursday, and pretty much everything that comes after it.

But at the same time, I’m so excited to see what God does! I’m excited to meet new people, make new friends, be considered the girl with the funny accent! I’m thrilled to have a dorm-room experience, to have a job on-campus, to be considerate of time zones when I call home. I’m excited to unpack my suitcases, to put pictures on the wall instead of taking them off.

Yes, I’m definitely going to miss my family and my friends and my church and the weather here at home. But simultaneously (if possible) I am filled with anticipation of what God is going to do on campus. I can’t wait for the revival that I know is going to be started, just by being a Burning One for Him. I can’t wait to have those deep, intense, tear-filled conversations with people as we struggle together and come to know Truth. Aughghghgh!!! I can barely wait!

Thank you for your prayers, readers! I’m grateful for you, and I am so excited to begin blogging about this new phase of life!

Ten Days

Ten Days. In 10 days, I'll be flying to my new home, 1,300 miles away. I can't believe it's this soon!

Everything felt close when I started my countdown at 30 days...10 days seems like tomorrow! Most of my belongings that are staying here are already packed. Today, in order to get some headway on my closet, I pulled out a suitcase and began packing winter clothing that I obviously won't need for a few more months. I'll have to pack the rest of my clothes the day or so before I leave, because I don't want to live out of a suitcase in my own room. So that will happen probably Tuesday or Wednesday of next week...gosh, I can't believe how time has flown by!

On Saturday, my mom and sister and I went to Macy's to shop their big sale. I got two gorgeous tops, a long sweater, and then two t-shirts to wear under tops that need just a little more fabric. I feel pretty well prepared, except for shoes. I'm sorely lacking in the sandal department! Flip-flops are about all I have in abundance...I'm not sure I can live in those all the time, though. We'll see.

I don't know if I'll have the guts, time, or desire to write anything more between now and The Big Day, but I promise to update you once I get settled. Thanks for your patience and your prayers!

So much for THAT idea...

Well, readers, so much for writing 9 posts before tomorrow! :-p It's ok, though... I'll definitely have more than enough to write about once I make my move to school...in 20 days!!!!!

 I honestly cannot believe that in less than 3 weeks I'll be moving more than 1500 miles away to live for two years. Yes, I'll be back home for Christmas and summer, but that's still a long time! Thankfully, I'm already "in the loop" with a church family back there... thank God for facebook! The pastor and his daughter have made me feel most welcome, and I'm really excited for August 22nd, because that is the Sunday that I'll get to meet all these fabulous people that I've only seen on facebook and heard about through friends. 

Thankfully, I know 2 people already. They are Master's Commission students from this church, and I got to meet them just a couple weeks ago. I'm really excited to see them again, and to start this great adventure that God has planned for me!

Pulling

Have you ever felt two completely different emotions at the same time? Welcome to my world!

I'm sooooooo excited to go to this new school, but it's so far away from my home! I'm thrilled to be doing something new, but I'm petrified to leave the old. I'm anticipating making lots of new friends, but I'm definitely going to miss the old ones. I'm looking forward to living in a dorm, but I'm nervous about sharing a room with a stranger.

 My emotions are flipping back and forth, pulling me from one feeling to the next. And while I don't want to be led by my feelings, I know that I need to process through them and talk with my parents and friends as they come. My discipler gave me a great analogy of this time in my life: preparing to go into labor! It's something I've been expecting, and the time comes when I'm ready, but when the moment comes, everything is katiwompus!

She told me that when you go into labor, your whole being shakes with adrenaline! This time of transition is so similar, because everything in me is shaking and vibrating and is focused on the now. I'm excited to begin this process, and I am definitely nervous, but as a wise man once told me, each progressive year is the best year of your life! Aka, it only gets better! Look up, readers, look up!

Things I'm Going to Miss

So, readers, today I took my last final. I'm done with school in my home state, and as I've been getting more and more excited and nervous about going away in a few months, quite a few things have stuck out to me as things or people or places that I will miss tremendously. 

So here, to show my appreciation for these items now, I'm going to make a list. These are in no particular order, and if I miss you as a person, please know that (a) it was completely unintentional...remember my brain is still in finals-mode! And (b) I will miss immense amounts of people, and no blog will ever be big enough to show my love and appreciation for you all.

Things I will miss:

• My sisters!!!! 
• Mountains! 
• Tall buildings 
• The ocean 
• the kids I work with!!!!!!! 
• my co-workers!!! 
• playing tanks on the wii 
• my puppy dog
• not having to worry about the air conditioning 
• my BFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF!!!!!!! 
• not having to worry about time differences {for the most part}
• Blue skies, blue water, green trees
• my sisters' last few years of high school {as in, I will be absent for them... I personally am glad to be done with high school! but for their sake, I'm sad that I can't be here when they're experiencing it}
• My mother's cooking
• My sister's brownies
• My sisters' birthdays :(
• my church fam!
• my discipler
• home group
• the library here at home
• bookshelves in my room
• having a car to drive! ahhh

This is all I can think of for right now. I know I didn't add a whole lot of people, but it's mainly because I'm in denial right now. I don't want to admit to myself that I'm leaving the people I adore, and there are a lot of you! So please, I'll add you to my list. In fact, YOU are the reason I'm making this list: by focusing on the small things, the big things kinda fade. But you are not forgotten! Really, you're the sharper pain... I'm trying to dull your presence by thinking of landscapes, but you are still there, and I will miss you more than I miss my library or tall buildings! Thanks for letting me vent just a little, and I know there will be more to come... not sure if that's good or bad, but it is. Loves!