2008

This year has been one huge recovery year I would say.
My heart needed to do a lot of healing and I can definitely say it has!
God used me this year in ways I would not have expected when I was still hurting and feeling alone.

I feel like I can split my year into two completely different years. Before Louisiana and after.
Before Louisiana, I was still learning how to move on from horrible experiences the year before. I was still very fragile in my walk with Christ, still figuring out how to leave it all in the past. Slowly God was healing me though and little did I know he was preparing me for something much better.
My time in Louisiana was so amazing. I still think about it everyday. I have learned so much from that six weeks and my time at home after that trip was spent in a much better attitude about life and about God. I'm so thankful for those six weeks serving and being served in Covington... this year would not have been the same without it.
The past 6 months have been wonderful. God has been showing himself more and more faithful as every day passes. I love him. So very much and am sooo not worthy of it all. Grace is a hard thing to understand.
I received amazing news the other night and I know that God is here, he is moving, he has plans for this place and these people that we can only imagine glimpses of. I am confident of that.
So bring on 2009 and the people God has for me to meet and the places He has for me to see. I can't wait to see how his Kingdom continues to grow.

:(

I am really really really going to miss my friends.
All of them.
It's finally hitting me...leaving home.


-God, I give this whole move to you. I pray that everything I do and choose to get involved with would be glorifying to you. I pray that you will continue to bless the friendships I have at home and I thank you so much for giving me such an amazing support group in my life. While I'm getting scared that this isn't the right thing to do, I know you put this all in my heart for a reason and I trust you are doing great things for your kingdom through my life. I pray my own desires and needs won't get in the way of that. I love you Lord! I am so thankful for my home and the family you have given me here in your church! Bless them just as they have blessed me.

January 24th

That's when we were born.
Photo sesh with my niece :)












So I said goodbye until May to most of my family today.
:( I'm going to miss them.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Best Christmas song ever.
It's just so...good.

So what are we on now...two days until Christmas? It's crazy how fast it came this year, but then again I say that every year. Time just keeps going by faster and faster.
Next is 2009! When did THAT happen?
I'm excited for Christmas. Usually my family comes over x-mas eve, btu this year they are coming over on x-mas and that makes me happy cause usually Christmas day is just so boring. It will be nice :)

I have been taking TOTAL advantage of break too. I am so lazy! All I want to do is sleep and eat and watch t.v., and it feels good!
That's what break is for right? In fact, I may take a nap right after I write this.

Here is a picture of what I'm moving to in 14 days.


PERFECT.
(I don't know this girl, but maybe I will when I move and then I will be able to say I used her picture in my blog)

Have a very merry Christmas everyone!
We are celebrating an amazing moment when God became a baby boy.

Crazy

So for the past hour or so I have been talking to my soon to be roommate Kalie :)
I got the email last night with her information and did the Facebook add right away of course.
We are going to be great friends.
I just know it already.
We want all the same things when it comes to our room...even down to how we want the temperature.
She is from California too!
We have all the same hobbies.
It's just great.

19 days and it's off to Washington

Family Photoshoot

Mi familia.
Just some of my favorites from that day.
We have...
My mom and dad
My sister Karissa
My sister Tara and her husband Jeff and four kids Mckenna, Drew, Nathan, and Anna
and my brother Shane and his girlfriend Rachel.
=)

Whales

I have always had a fascination with whales.
They are my favorite animal when people ask.
I just think they are so amazing!
You want to make me the happiest person ever...take me whale watching.

Anyways, I got hooked on the show "Whale Wars" on Animal Planet.
It's intense.
It's about a ship called the Sea Shepherd ran by a crew of people dedicated to stopping the illegal killing of whales by the Japanese.
They just float around searching for the Japanese ships and try to stop them from killing the whales. When they finally run into a ship it's like a straight up pirate fight! With throwing acid bombs on their deck, trying to shut down their propellers, and jumping onto their ship!
IT'S CRAZY!!!
Ive never really been a kind of "save the whales" person, and I'm not even now haha
Just couldn't stop watching the show :)

Hollywood Hills

Yeah I party in Hollywood Hills.
Last night anyways...
and maybe it wasn't a party,
but it sure was fun :)

Alex had an art show for her art final at this awesome house in Hollywood Hills. It was tight. They used the whole house and spread out there art work everywhere. I wish I had pictures but all of them are on Jane's camera. There was also a D.J. apparently from the Black Eyed Peas so if your wondering how legit this was...there's your answer ;)
haha

Afterward we hung out at Biola with Grace, Laura and Grace's roommate Nicole. There was the "Deck the Haven" event where one floor in the guy's dorms went decorating crazy and have themed rooms and all that, and people go through and walk around. It was very fun :)

After that, we went to In-n-Out. Perfect way to end the evening.
We headed home around 2 in the morning.
Sad thing is I was exhausted! I feel like an old woman!
2 in the morning used to be the norm for me until this stupid semester hit where if I went to bed after 12 I was as good as dead.
Hopefully break will get me back in the staying up late habit :)
Oh break, you have no idea how excited I am for you to be here!

I'm working on it.

I have realized that loving yourself is key.
Not loving yourself in a selfish "hey look at me" way, but being confident in who God made you to be.
I used to be a very outgoing confident person, and while alot of people still think of me that way, I'm really not.
There are certain people and moments that really bring out the best in me, but it's rare.
In the last two years I have lost some friends, had my heart broken, and have had to deal with growing up pretty fast. I'm not complaining but these things have totally changed how I view and feel about myself. I am a completely different person than I was a year or two ago.
We all want to feel loved.
Loved for exactly who we are.
I have searched for that love and reassurance that I'm good enough in people. My friends and/or boyfriends is who I tend to put that pressure on. I have learned though that it is not their job or responsibility. While yes your friends are there to build you up and encourage you, when you put the full responsibility of making you happy on their shoulders, you will be let down. This is just the world and that has been the hardest thing for me to learn. I need to find out who I am outside of my friends and family and boyfriends. They are not the people who define me and they are not who holds my identity. The one that my identity is found in has said that He has overcome this world. That no love greater than his can be found on this Earth. My joy, my deep lasting feeling of contentment and peace, it has not and will not be found in people.
I learn this lesson over and over again.
I'm sure I'll continue learning it as I experience more.
I want the love of God to be more than enough for me, I'm not sure that I can confidently say that yet, but that is my goal.
When that love and grace is just enough for me, when I'm not searching for more, I believe that is when I will be able to see myself the way God sees me.

Ok Really?

People are so rude!
Not a good day to be aroud people I guess...everyone was just in a horrible mood today, no matter where I went.
So I decided to sleep it off after school and now, I feel gross.
Oh naps. Bitter sweet.

I was at Starbucks this morning reading my bible and someone came up to me and made a joke saying " Just wait and see how it ends! " I couldn't tell if it was a nice joke or a mocking me joke. So I awkwardly laughed along anyways.

I have 26 days until I move to Washington and so much to do! Trying to save up money while getting ready for Christmas isn't working. I haven't been able to register for classes because I guess I am supposed to have a over the phone counsling thing first and no one at the school has gotten back to me about it. I know nothing of my soon to be roommate or living arrangments. I don't know how to dress for cold weather or what to bring for it and pretty sure I don't even own the things I do need (thank goodness Christmas is so soon) And right now I'm trying to finish up this boring semester that I was done with mentally over a month ago. However I'm not stressed. I am so so excited. I get more and more excited every time I think about it.

...I am really gonna have a hard time not having my best friends close though...
haven't thought too hard about that one yet.
Although two of them have made my life by already planning when to visit me :)

In other news, I'm getting my hair cut Friday for the first time in a year and a half. Things are looking up ;)

Slowing it Down

So now I'm slowing it down
and I'm looking around
and I'm loving this town and I'm doing alright.
Not worried 'bout nothing
except for the man I wanna be.

( If your a girl go ahead and put woman in there )
:)
This is what I'm trying to do this month before I go to school.
Also, learn more about Jesus.
Just Jesus.
His ministry, life and promises of hope.
I don't want to learn how to balance my checkbook or how to have a good marriage.
Nope, right now I just want to know more about Jesus.