lazy day and birthday!

today ended up being a great day! i woke up and got an e-mail that class was cancelled! that is always a good day! i got to eat breakfast with my brother who got in town early this morning. it was good to just hang out around the house. after i was lazy i took a practice PRAXIS test. it was torture. i hate timed tests. after i graded it i was even more discouraged. i am praying i will not have this problem on saturday. on a happier note, did anyone watch the CMA's? i have loved it so far! i added going to the CMA's to my bucket list. i love concerts so i can only imagine how amazing that atmosphere is! and carrie underwood? she. is. gorgeous. and such a fun host! 

after breakfast, i got a text from mara telling me i could use my city cash early at new york and company! i went there and got so much great stuff for teaching. i was not prepared this semester to have as many "business" clothes as i needed. for every $30 i spent i got $15 off! 

today is also one of my friends birthdays! i have been friends with jenna since i was in kindergarten. it is so great to say she is a lifelong friend. i have always been close, but watching her grow in her walk with Christ has been the best experience of it all. i am so honored to call her friend. i am also so excited to see what God has in store for her life!

happy happy birthday jenna! i love you!

oh brother.

this week is SO busy. school is very intense. we are in the process of wrapping up everything we have been doing for the semester so we have some huge assignments due. on top of that i have a writing exam for graduation tonight. on saturday i take the PRAXIS (test to get teaching certification) and best of all, my brother is coming home for a wedding. i haven't seen my brother since the week after christmas last year! it is insane to me that he has been gone for so long, but i am pumped to see him! 

this picture would have been taken by a disposable after my camera dropped in the sand! oops!

while the semester is coming to an end, i can't help but realize how fast "real life" is going to hit. in all honesty, i am excited to be finished with school. i don't want to wish my life away, but i can't wait until i can finally do what i have been called to do. sounds cliche, but it is so true. while i was on break from teaching today i was making a "big girl list." 

- bank account

-resume

-graduation enrollment

-praxis. 

writing these things down were unreal. i can't believe it's finally time to put this on paper. the professors recommend we should send our resume out in december, which means i could be interviewing for jobs in early spring. although that is so exciting, it is completely terrifying. if anyone wants to pray for the job search it would be greatly appreciated. 

this semester has been one of the most challenging semesters yet. that is saying a lot since i have taken 19 hours since i've been back at semo. but, with that being said it has been so rewarding. God has blessed me with some of the greatest friends. it is so great to be surrounded by people in the same stage of life. i had lunch with one of my sweet friends amy yesterday and we both just realized how great of a time this is to just sit and enjoy. we are all about to accomplish a huge feat and we should enjoy it and not get stuck in the rut of everyday life. after lunch i left feeling on top of the world. ha. amy and i talked today and decided we couldn't let each other get out of this mentality. we want to finish strong and enjoy ourselves. there are only 20 days left in the semester and i am going to be sprinting through the finish line! 

only 47 days until christmas! it's my favorite time of year and i can't wait for it to get here! i hope everyone is having a fantastic week.

⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. ⁸ We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. ¹⁰ We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

2 corinthians 4:7-10

church and christmas music

today has been a great day so far. sunday is my favorite day of the week for many reasons. i love worshipping corporately with my church family! on my way out of church i had my phone hooked up to my radio and a christmas song came on. i jammed all the way home because it is officially that time of year again! only 49 sleeps until christmas! i can hardly stand it. this is definitely the most wonderful time of the year. 

i went to panera for lunch. i needed to work on tonight's bible study and i am definitely the type of person who must get out of the house to get anything accomplished. this semester i have six girls meeting at my house to work through a bible study together. it has been so amazing and we are learning so much. 

we are going through lady in waiting by jackie kendall and debby jones. 

for those who haven't read this and/or need a girl's bible study, i encourage you to look into this! it has been phenomenal. it is definitely geared towards single girls, but anyone on the road pre-marriage should read it. it includes chapters and questions, but at the end of the chapter there is an in-depth study through the book of ruth to correlate with the chapters. this week's lesson is on purity and again i was amazed by how God is speaking. i feel more prepared for my future mate as i study this book.

also, we are actively seeking out God's will for our group. we know that as christians we have a purpose that involves more than just reading the word. we need to live it out. we adopted a child through compassion and it has been inspiring to see everyone come together to make it happen. also, at today's bible study we are packing shoeboxes. we are very excited to participate as a group in the operation christmas child organization. 

i am sure we will be blaring christmas music while we pack to get into the mood. God is so faithful to provide and i am so thankful to be chosen by Him. the message at church this morning was all about friends and loyalty and i can truly say i have some of the best friends. not only are they fun, i know their hearts are set on things far above this world. thank you Jesus. 

it's been too long

i can't believe it has almost been an entire year since i last posted. i have missed blogging my thoughts and adventures, but thankfully i have kept in touch with everyone's blogs. so much has gone on over the past year and it is way too much to catch up on, but i will recap the highlights. 

           

 -i travelled back to africa this summer. it was a completely different experience than last year, but it       was just as rewarding and i can't wait to go back. 

-i started my senior year of college! it's hard to believe, but may '12 here i come! i will have my degree in elementary education and i can't wait to start teaching (i can blame this for part of the lack of posts ha.)

- i turned 21 over the summer (wooohooooo......not)! it wasn't any different than any other birthday, but i don't mind getting older, well not at this point anyways. 

-i went on a cruise with one of my greatest friends! we had a blast! i encourage everyone to go during the winter....so cheap and great weather!

-i got a kitten. his name is Winston.

-went to chicago and had the time of my life with haylee!

well as school is winding down (sort of?) i am excited to be blogging again and to be in touch with all my friends on here! God has been so good and so faithful in the last year and i am so excited to see what He has in store for the future!

thanksgiving

when i travelled to africa earlier this summer my perspective on life changed forever. i am so thankful for the way the LORD opened my eyes. to see children fighting over the leftovers broke my heart. i have never had to work hard to get my food and i can't imagine having too. on this thanksgiving, despite the issues, i am so thankful for everything i have. wishing you all a happy thanksgiving. 

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” - Colossians 3:17

apartment's first christmas

i had to housesit two weeks ago and i was determined my apartment would be decorated for when i got home from being gone! although i have still added some beauty this week, i achieved my goal! :) my grandparents asked me what i wanted for a house-warming gift and at first i said a vacuum. after thinking about it for about .02 seconds i decided i needed a christmas tree. i mean, a girl's gotta have a christmas tree. and when i say christmas tree, i do mean a silver christmas tree! sooooo a few weeks ago my grandparents came over to eat with a precious little silver christmas tree screaming to be opened. oh, don't worry, i opened it up and it was love at first site. soooooo hope you enjoy the christmas decorations from my apartment's very first christmas! 

*sorry for the picture overload! 

 *this will eventually have some of my childhood ornaments on it! 

 my favorite christmas decoration below! i got this precious nativity scene from africa. 

hope you all enjoyed my little tour for christmas! i couldn't hold back any longer! 

For to us a child is born,
   to us a son is given,
   and the government will be on his shoulders.
And He will be called
   Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. isaiah 9:6

thanksgiving

my apologies again for being a horrible blogger. i really do have great intentions. anyways, life has been crazy like normal, but i am getting a hold of things (knock on wood) and have had a great weekend to do some catching up! i am so excited for thanksgiving and for being off of school! i have two classes today and then i am free until next week(!) other than working on wednesday! i'm hoping to do some shopping for christmas this week!

also!!!! i decorated my apartment for christmas two weeks ago. and i am going to put some pictures on here! i can't wait to show everyone! i am pretty proud (if i can say so myself). i had a major budget, but everything turned out great! my very first christmas in my apartment! :) this is my favorite time of the year! all of the fun festivities and most importantly the birth of our savior! what an exciting thing to celebrate!

hope everyone had a great weekend! thanksgiving and christmas are almost here! eeeeek!