:P

Ahh yes, the infamous ":P" face. That is meant for you, my dearest Heather. And I'm sure that you can guess was it pertains to :) Yes, my love, part of your birthday present is underway. Huzzah! And I already know what I want to do for the other part, but I'm not dropping hints about that just yet ;)

Work kept me busy today. Honestly, I'm afraid to see what piles up for me come Monday. I have a feeling that I'm going to be extremely overwhelmed. Let's hope it won't be as bad as I'm anticipating!

I have a dress for Nikki's wedding! Technically it's Candice's, but I'll be wearing it so... Yeah :)

Youth group tonight was wonderful :) I love these kids. I love my co-leaders. I love the people at WEAG who so graciously minister to us. Tonight, Tony spoke on the armor of God, and it was a much-needed reminder. Tony blesses us both in leading worship and bringing us the Word. He, indeed, is a wonderful vessel of God :)

Youth leader fellowship at the Dubs to conclude the night? YES! What a lovely community :) There's never a dull moment with this crew, that's for sure. There's always some sort of laughter or commotion going on; it keeps things interesting :) Tonight, Christian and Shelly in particular had me entertained. You just can't take them anywhere ;)

I might be the world's slowest packer. Since I'm leaving for convention in the morning, I thought that getting my stuff together would probably be a good idea. I did dawdle a bit, but I spent at least two hours packing the duffle. Blah. I think I have it all, now! So when 11 o'clock rolls around tomorrow, Steph and I will be on the road to South Carolina! Woop woop! Bon voyage, right?!

See you in a few days, blog! Muah!

I have a theory.

One of the most painful scenarios in the world 

is to love someone more than they love you.

Feelings of rejection, insecurity, loneliness, and hurt ensue.

When I get older, I want a pet duck.

I mean, imagine just sitting on your sofa watching TV with a duck in your lap! (Miranda and I had a conversation along these lines for about 10 minutes. So great!)

I spent my Memorial Day afternoon hanging out with one of my dearest high school girls, Miranda :)

Cheesin!!

We had a picnic lunch by the lake at Deep Run Park, and afterwards we walked around to the swing set. Yes, we are 4 :) We sang, swung, and practiced our duck calls so that a flock of our friends would come visit us :)

(Sometimes my camera quality astounds me!)

Also, we saw this huge blue herring looking bird on our way to the car, and it had a decent-sized catfish flopping around in it's mouth!

We tried to get closer, but he flew away...

That poor fish... Well, I suppose birds need their lunch too, right? It was just crazy! Big bird. Big fish. Big spectacle.

I spent the rest of my afternoon watching the "Nathan & Haley, Always & Forever" One Tree Hill marathon with Jennifer until it came dinner time. I drove over to padre's, where I talked to my neighbor, Sue for about half and hour. While we were catching up, the adorable little girl who now lives on the other side of my dad came up and joined our conversation. Her name is Elise, and she is cute as a button! At only five years old, she is so well spoken, and quite theatric as well :)

Eventually, though, I did go inside my dad's house so we could get dinner. Actually, his girlfriend, Cindy, joined us. We enjoyed some Plaza Azteca, and it was pretty good! I finally got to try their guacamole I've heard so much about!

All fresh ingredients, and prepared right in front of you!

Pretty tasty, if I do say so myself :) We followed that up with a trip to Sweet Frog and watching Contraband at the house. All in all, the evening went well. I wasn't sure how awkward it would be officially meeting Cindy, but it wasn't too bad, really. She's a nice woman, so I can't issue any complaints.

In other news, I only have 3 days until SAO Convention! At this moment, I really can't wait to get out of town for a bit. I just have a lot weighing on my heart, and it will be nice to separate myself from it a little bit. I'll get there soon :) For now, I'm going to spend some time with Jesus before going to sleep. Goodnight, loves!

Repeatedly humbled.

Today in Sunday school, the lesson was on materialism. On their worksheet, the girls had to write down what they would buy if they won one million dollars.  And while there were definitely answers such as a dog, a car, a butler, etc. (and who could blame them, right?), one of my middle schoolers truly tugged at my heart-strings. I looked at her paper and saw that she had written down spending $1,000 on a pool membership for her whole family, and $10,000 for charity. And after staring a little longer, I saw that she had written $57,000 next to a house she had drawn. I asked her if she was planning on finding  a house for that price, and her response was "No, I'm pretty sure that's how much is left to pay off our house." Her family's house. I was struck by the nature of her heart, and the consideration that lied there. I know I do not always embody this quality, and in that recognition I was truly convicted.

Then, after reading the story of the rich ruler, the girls were asked this: If Jesus showed up to your house today and told you to sell everything you own (the things you love, use frequently, all of it) and follow Him, would you do it? And while I was sitting there considering how difficult such a situation could really be (considering our culture's dependence on things, especially technology), another one of my girls raised her hand and shared her answer. She said, "I would follow Him, because I know the feeling I get when I worship, and my material things don't give me that same fulfillment." These girls possess beautiful perspective, and it is so true that you can still learn from your younger brothers and sisters in Christ. I, certainly, have found no reason to look down on them. God is at work in each of them, and it is incredible to see them live as vessels. God has used them to humble me, and I am grateful for that.

"All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,

'God opposes the proud
    but shows favor to the humble.'”

{1 Peter 5:5}

{John 1:1-18}

This passage is what I read last night before I went to sleep, and it just really resonated with me. I had to read it twice just to make sure I really took it all in.

The Word Became Flesh

1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning.

³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of men. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

⁶ There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. ⁸ He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. ⁹ The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

¹⁰ He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. ¹¹ He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹² Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— ¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

¹⁵ John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’” ¹⁶ From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. ¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known."

The Word is God; it always had been and forever will be. Our Father created anything and everything we see life in. He is that life, and He provides light that permeates through darkness despite any outstanding circumstances. Our light    our life    is a gift solely given by and credited to the Lord. Whatever is good is of Him, and in no way of ourselves. And despite His majesty and glory, how easily is God overlooked? How quick are we to ignore Him to neglect our relationship with Him? We are His children, and He blessed us with rebirth    a renewal of mind, heart, and soul. Our relationship with the Father was made possible through the vessel of Jesus Christ    God in the flesh. Because of our Savior, we have been blessed with grace, and honored with unwavering truth.  The Word is God, Jesus is God, and we are His people. Praise and thanks be to Him. Amen.

Starships :)

Hello all! Today's highlights consisted of Nikki's bridal shower, spending quality time with Jennifer, and hanging out with Juliana (during which time we played Wii fit and watched the Rugrats rendition of Snow White, haha!). Twas a good day indeed, and I am going to bed happy :) I will leave you with this:

I think I prefer it to the original :)

Jenn's Senior Showcase!

Last night (Friday, May 25th) was Jenn's senior visual art showcase! Her work looked AMAZING! And others definitely seemed to think so too :) She had some buyers! More importantly, she had a lot of lookers. Proud sister, yes I am!

 Her work :)

 SOLD!

 SOLD! (Even though it was her least favorite! Haha!)

I forgot to get a picture of the third one! :(

SOLD!

 Jenn with all of her pieces :)

Here are some other miscellaneous pictures:

Harry and Jenn! Besties since first grade :)

 A piece done by Jessica (one of Jenn's classmates). 

It's Kimberly and Jenn!

 One of Emily's pieces that I wanted SO badly!

 Do did this one!

 And this one too!

 One of Harry's dresses that I would LOVE to have

(if I thought I could fit into it)!

The class with Dowdy and Scurlock :)

All of them are amazingly gifted. It's been wonderful to see how they've progressed over four years    truly beautiful! I love the creativity and vulnerability. I loved seeing them express their passions and relay the value behind their work    extensions of themselves. Some were even so bold as to state the word of God in their pieces or artist statements to emphasize the callings and passions of their heart. I loved it, every bit of it :)

These pieces are up until June 5th for any of your Richmonders who may want to go see it! It's at Artworks gallery downtown! Go, go, go!

You go Glen Coco!

I have never seen so much of this...

... as I do at my new job. The mail comes in piles, and everything has to be sorted through and distributed to the proper people. It's insanity.

After work, I hit up this place:

Bdubs!!!

with this lovely girl:

Ashlee :)

We enjoyed $0.60 boneless wing night before going to see this kid...

Jesse!

... play his trombone in Freeman's jazz concert :) He was great! With his multiple solos, various awards, and clear favor in the eyes of his teacher, homeboy cleaned-up!

Then, after the concert, I hung out with this kid:

Carlton!

at Chick-fil-a, where I got:

Sweet tea! Not a whole gallon though! Just a cup :)

It was fun to hang out with Carlton and kind of catch up. He really is like a little brother to me, so I was glad for the quality conversation time! In general, I am so glad that I got to spend the last half of my day with three of my high schoolers that are so dear to my heart :) I am going to bed a happy girl. Goodnight all!

My pride and my love

for these youth group kids never ceases; never. From the goosebumps they give me through their passion and gift for worship, to their zeal for their brothers and sisters in Christ, to their honesty about where they are at... All of it is a testament to the work that God is performing in their lives, and in their hearts. I feel privileged to be able to stand alongside of them as a youth leader; it is a role that I consider to be one of the greatest blessings I have in my life. Some of you may read my statements like this time after time and find it redundant, but oh how I wish you could witness it for yourselves. If you ever have the opportunity to work with youth, do it. Your life will be forever impacted, and you will see God work in ways that leave you in awe. Truly truly I say to you :)

A not-so-subtle- transition...

Day one of work was not bad at all! Sure, I had to ask a lot of questions. And yes, the tasks are a bit repetitive. But everyone was/is so nice and helpful; it made things much easier! Once I get adjusted to the 8-hour work day, I will be golden! I can do it!

Two days until Jennifer's senior showcase opening! Eight days until convention! Twenty-one days until she graduates high school! Twenty-three days until choir tour! WOAH BABY! Lezzgo!

Goodnight my loves :)

BIG NEWS! Ready, go!

1) I GOT A JOB TODAY! Yes, I was officially hired by the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners :) I know, everyone's been saying that it's kind of random... But hey! A job is a job, and I'm not going to argue with earning $10 an hour for secretary work. I. Am. Excited! And thankful! Oh so very thankful! Thank you, Jesus; and thank you to all who were praying for me :)

2) I GET TO GO ON CHOIR TOUR!!! I didn't think they would let me off for a whole week, but they did! I get to go and help my beloved youth minister to people in Georgia and Alabama! My elation goes beyond words! It's true what Jeremy preached in service on Sunday: Your career and our calling don't have to be the same thing, but you should never let your job stand in the was of going where God is trying to send you. I will serve the youth group I love so dearly, and I will work along side of them to serve God in ministering to others. Huzzah!

3) FAITH AND OUR TESTIMONY ARE CRUCIAL IN WITNESSING TO THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE IN CHRIST. Faith is key in our ability to truly follow Christ, and our personal story of transformation cannot be proven false. This is big news, not just from today, but for every day. Jamal spoke on this tonight, and it was truly impacting. He has truly been blessed with the ability to share the gospel, and I am so grateful that I have the privilege of benefiting from his leadership. God equips each of us with the told we need to share the love of Christ, we just need to remain humble and obedient to Him.

Goodnight my loves! Tomorrow, I begin my new job!

Monday fun-day!

That is the expression, correct? Haha.

Today was good, very good indeed! I slept in exceptionally late, got ready for the day, and enjoyed a lovely sushi lunch date with my darling Stephanie :) We each got to savor four different rolls, and they were delectable! That, and I love hanging out with Steph in general :) That was probably a given, but I felt it deserved mention! Tack on a brief post-lunch car chat, and it's pretty close to how things normally run back in the 'burg! Haha :)

(Sidenote: I feel like I owe Stephanie a favor, because not long after she left she called me about a potential job opportunity. I called the woman and have an interview tomorrow morning! And, if all goes well, she said I could start as early as Wednesday! WHAT?! Prayers that it goes well!)

After tuning-in to Harry Potter for a bit, I was off to padre's! Father made us a wonderful grilled meal, complete with quality family conversation :) Afterwards, Jenn and I were actin' a fool while she did some touch-ups on her artwork for her senior showcase.

Between her giving me a hard time, complaining about how hot it was down on the floor, and her conversation with Steph via me texting Steph, I was rolling! Haha. I do love my little sister; she is a hoot-and-a-half :)

I left my dad's a little early to help Juliana study for her World History SOL tomorrow. She's nervous and stressed out, but I have full faith in my little love! Despite her rebuttal, she truly is a smart cookie!

Since I've been home, not much has been done, and I think I am now officially ready for bed. Goodnight my loves! Pleasant dreams :)

Church family love :)

Today, I was feeling the love and comfort of my beautiful family that Christ has so graciously blessed me with :) I started my day off by helping lead worship with some cool kids from Eighteen 22!

The only picture I could snag. Haha! Thanks Jamal ;)

A small but mighty group, that's what I would call us :) It was wonderful to be able to serve the church in this way, because it's something I haven't been able to do since my senior year. More importantly, it was amazing to be able to sing my guts out to Jesus with some of my dearest friends :) That, combined with the impacting message brought forth by Jamal and Jeremy, and this morning's service was magnificent to say the least!

I went straight from there to help set-up for the senior grad banquet.

I am so unbelievably proud and inspired by these seniors, I cannot even begin to tell you. Their love for Christ, hearts for one another, and passion to serve others is incredible. I still cannot wrap my mind around the fact that they will soon be out of youth group and off to college... AHH! I can't think about that right now, I still have 3 months before they leave! Phew! I love them too much to say goodbye just yet! (Of course it really isn't a "goodbye" at all, but you understand what I mean.)

Dawww, Jesse! Kathryn and I are proud moms :)

Goodnight all!

Patience

"²⁴ For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."
{Romans 8: 24-25}


"Wait for the Lord;
    be strong and take heart
    and wait for the Lord."

{Psalm 27:14}

"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;

    he rises to show you compassion.
For the Lord is a God of justice.
    Blessed are all who wait for him!"

{Isaiah 30:18}

"The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,

    to the one who seeks him;"

{Lamentations 3:25}

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Photos

And Daniel too :)

© Copyright 2012 Pat Porter Photography

These are just a few :) Just posting them for funsies!

Shad-wreck, Mesh-heck, and Abedneg-ohhh.....

Today was the day! Yes, the WEAG dance production "Daniel" hit the stage tonight. And I know my heading implies severe roughage, but it really was that bad at all! Let's just say that we had an eventful prologue to the evening, and a crazy series of events to came to follow. But rest assured, we are all okay! PRAISE! Haha. But seriously...

Quick run-through: I hung out with my mom for a good chunk of the morning. Then, when I found out Juliana had been picked up from school, I brought her a mocha cookie crumble frappuccino from Starbucks for a little pick-me-up :) Then, after returning to the casa for a bit, I picked up Brenna for a Starbucks date before the show. She is so precious, and she truly is one of the sweetest girls I know. (Sorry for the rhyming!) I love that little love :) The show was... the show. Haha. I did have fun being Shadrach, and having Kelly and Rachel as my Meshach and Abednego made everything better :)

After the show, Kelly, Rachel, Abigail, Leah, Josiah, and myself hit up P.F. Changs for some nom-noms. SO GOOD! Oh, and I don't just mean the food :) We spent every  bit of two hours at the table talking, laughing, exchanging stories, and enjoying each-other's company. Twas a lovely way to conclude my night, and I am happy to have made a new friend/become closer with acquaintances :)That's what these things are about, right? Jesus and fellowship :) Again, I am blessed!

Goodnight loves!

Keep on chuggin' along.

With still no news on the employment road, I put in a few more applications today. Lord, I hope it's in your plan for me to be hired soon! Aside from that, not much was done today until rehearsal for the dance production. True to almost any WEAG performance, the last-minute nature left everything being a little shambly tonight, which is a little rough since the show is tomorrow. However, everything has a way of working out come show-time, and I have faith that this will be no exception. And even despite the fact that I have stayed at rehearsals until 11:30pm or later for the past two nights, I hold no personal bitterness. That church is home, and it feels as such while I am there. I feel secure, I experience wonderful fellowship with new and dear friends, and I get quality time to spend with my younger sisters in Christ    my little loves :) My heart grows fonder of them daily, and I love being able to see them outside of a youth group setting. Watching them dance praises to God is a beautiful and amazing thing to behold :)

I may be poor and unemployed, but boy am I blessed! I have not lost sight of that, and I don't think I could :) Goodnight my loves!

Wednesday musings.

My little sister is truly a caring individual. Exhibit A:

This morning, she brought me breakfast in bed. I never asked, never expected anything, never put in an order. She got me my favorite Chick-fil-a breakfast meal and drink even though she didn't have to and she had the morning off from school. Exhibit B would have to be the birthday card she gave me a few days ago. It has a dancer on it, and it reads, "From your cute little nose to your tippy-toes, God's wonderful work surely shows," and it goes on to quote Psalm 119:73 ("You made me and formed me with Your hands."). I was touched, truly touched. I only hope that my life really has been an example of God and His work, because more than anything I want my little sister to know Christ. I know that not everyone may consider a card-message to be a symbol of someone's care, but in this instance, for me, it truly did. It's in the back of my Bible right now.

My sense of humor has shifted significantly since last summer. It may not necessarily be a bad thing, because people sure are laughing a lot, but it is definitely different!

I love my church and our pastors. Things that are said in our meetings truly leave me floored on occasion. Haha! But the atmosphere is always one of love and support, and I can't help but feel at home :)

I am so happy to be back home as an active youth leader! I missed these kids more than I even knew myself, and having time to really invest in them again is something I am greatly looking forward to! The way they praise Jesus is something that I think will always humble and inspire me. Each of them is a blessing, and they deserve to know that :)

I am certainly not at the peak of my dancing career, but I'm at a point now where I can enjoy it without beating myself into the ground over it. And in regards to this dance production, I seriously think I'm in the sweetest spot. I only have one role, I'm not choreographing for a class, I'm not even technically a part of the dance academy, but I still get to dance alongside my friends. And I'm doing it by choice, so I don't feel stress or anxiety about the performance. It will be fun :) And that is something I am so happy to be able to say!

It's intriguing to me how people profess that friendships will always hold precedence over relationships, yet this priority hierarchy is seemingly shattered when such a scenario actually comes about. It must be easier said executed, or perhaps there is no hint of realization in said behavior. Either way, it's something that piques my interest. (This, of course, excludes couples who are married or soon-to-be [different commitment level there]; I'm talking about simple "boyfriend"/"girlfriend" status.)

If it's not put together last minute, piling stress on a choreographer, or involving rehearsals that go until almost midnight, it's not a WEAG production. We start late, we end late, and somehow or another we make everything come together and work by the skin of our teeth. Such is the WEAG way, and such is the lives of those involved. There really is no choice but to learn to love and embrace it. Livin' on the edge, that's what we're doing!

Also, if you've never done so before, take a moment right now to just sit and be with God. Don't ask Him for anything, don't seek anything from Him; just stop, and be in that moment with Him. The kids were asked to do this tonight at youth group, and I honestly am not sure if I'd ever dedicated time to that before. Nonetheless, it was beautiful and serene :)

That's all for today. Goodnight my loves!

Unemployed and 1822.

Well, as of today I remain unemployed for the Summer. I'm trying really hard not to get discouraged, but I know that time is ticking away. And now, more than ever, time really is money. Money for future rent, money for gas, money for food. I can't afford to not have a job, and it's needless to say that I'm starting to really worry. I need to trust, though, that God is going to provide for me. I'm trying    truly I am.

On a separate note, I am so thankful for my friends. Truly, every day I am reminded of how blessed I am. Even the simplest means of time spent together fosters growing love and appreciation. Heather and I had a boba date today :) Sitting outside, sipping on slushy beverages, chewing tapioca pearls, and talking about life just put me in a place of calm. I love my Heavs and I love our dates :) And this is jumping ahead a bit, but it's okay... After 1822 tonight, Mac, Justin, and myself stood in front of the church talking until 1 AM. I would have never guessed that three hours' time had elapsed, but surely enough it did. And we spent it talking about faith, intern experiences, and life stories in general. In some respects, it was a quality heart-to-heart conversation :) And for those who don't know, I love that!

I won't regurgitate Jeremy's sermon from 1822 tonight, but I will spout the gist because I really was impacted by the messages: Live your life in a way that respects and shows loves towards others so that you may not be their stumbling block in their walk with Christ; rather than flaunt your flaws, foster righteousness, peace, and joy that is of God.


^"13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. ¹⁴ I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. ¹⁵ If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. ¹⁶ Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. ¹⁷ For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, ¹⁸ because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.
¹⁹ Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. ²⁰ Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. ²¹ It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.
²² So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. ²³ But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin."
{Romans 14:13-23}

"¹² When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. ¹³ Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall."

{1 Corinthians 8:12-13}

If we are to encourage growth and strengthening in our brothers and sisters, than our focus must be to build them up. Do not perform acts or behaviors that you know could cause someone to doubt or question their faith. Know where they stand, and acknowledge what you must do to encourage deeper relationship with God.







Goodnight my loves!

At what point

does something become obligatory? And when that shift occurs, how is your attitude altered? Obligations are something I both fear and dislike; and while the two may seem to coincide in reasoning, the perspectives vary distinctly. Admittedly, I am afraid of waning to the point of merely being an obligation to someone. Put another way, I have a constant insecurity that my relationships, in some circumstances, are only reciprocated out of pity or to prevent upset. This, in large part, stems from my fear of rejection    a fear that I once abandoned to God and need to do so again. Funny, how these things run in cycles. If I could mold the world to fit an ideal image, it would include the riddance of the sense of obligation. Rather, I would prefer everyone act and behave out of love, desire, and passion. A desire to help others. The love for a friend. Being passionate about a cause. Desiring to see a change. Loving our neighbor. Embracing the passion of our Father, and living accordingly. There's a differing aura of heart there    one in which joy is mutual and light is radiated. And while it is seemingly impractical, it is a hope. Were we not created to love and be loved? I wish to neither be an obligation or treat others as such, and with a renewed heart perhaps I can take a step in the right direction. But then again, who am I to judge which direction is correct? Luckily for me, I know someone who does, and He is infallible. Praise be to Him in advance :)

Run-down:

• DMV for the driving record.
• Bank trip.
• Once Upon a Time finale.
• SO crazy! Cannot handle!
• Nap.
• Sailor Moon sesh at Kelly's
• Dance rehearsal for Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
• Last-minute WEAG chaos, FTW!
• Dinner with padre and seester.
• Cap Ale hangage with Heavs, Preston, and crew!
• Made some new friends! David and Sam, namely.
• Not bad for my first week back, huh? Haha.
• It was fun, and I was thankful to have been included :)

Goodnight friends!

I thought I killed it!!!

Okay, so this was the most stressful part of my day:

Red X of death!!! I was so concerned that my TomTom was gone forever, and I am so directionally challenged that that would have been a SERIOUS problem! But alas, after about two hours of toil, I finally fixed it! PRAISE! And to think, all I wanted to do was update my maps...

Anywhoo, as far as Mother's Days go, this one was good! I got my morning church fix, which is always spectacular :) For lunner (lunch/dinner), we (Jennifer, Candice, David, Mommom, Mom, Johnny, and myself) had a seafood selection complete with Spanish mackerel, scallops, and shrimp cocktail! And for desert we had my belated birthday cake! It's chocolate cake with nutella drops topped with chocolate icing and sprinkles; YUMM!

I had another nannying interview at 5 today! I think it went pretty well; I'm just nervous about whether or not I'll be hired. The girls are super cute, and I know they would be a lot of fun. Really, my anxiety stems from wondering if my driving record will prevent me from being seriously considered... Yeah, she knows about my accident last Summer. Rough, but I guess it makes sense that she would want to know about that sort of thing if I'm going to be driving her kids around. Anyways, I will know by Tuesday, so I'm hoping! Either way, what is meant to be, shall be!

I hung out with my mom and neighbors on their back porch after my interview. Aside from laughter and conversation, not much went down there. Although, I did get bitten by a chihuahua... Only me, right? Haha.

That's all for today. Goodnight loves!

"We are so crusty."

Just one of many one-liner quotes I could mention to reminisce on the loveliness that was this week :) For those who do not know, I spent the week in Corolla, NC with 15 of my beautiful sorority sisters! It was so fun and an excellent opportunity to relax with zero obligations. I needed this beach-week, for real! I'll try not to bore you; let me just mention some highlights/funnies.

Our house was splendid!

 We were able to dine family-style!

Our gorgeous living room! We all spent a great deal of time fellowshiping together in here :)

Hot tub area! I hit that thing up on the daily!

The pool, however, was SO cold! I didn't go swimming in there even once.

We were ocean-front!

The view from our balcony!

This is about as far in as I got. The ocean water wasn't much in the way of warm, but I still enjoyed it :)

There were crabs everywhere! And you may not be able to tell from this picture, but this guy was quite large!

Hannah could not handle it when I told her the news about Thomas Kinkaide. HAHA! It's only funny because of her reaction.

By Tuesday, I was at lobster status. I suppose that's what I get for not wearing sunscreen right off the bat....

It later turned to tan! And peeling....

Ginger, Lauren, and I had the misfortune of formulat
ing/being the sole memberd of the "RC club." Yep... that stands for "red cleavage." Ouch. But hey, at least I protected my face, right?

I know... I bring this embarrassment upon myself. Haha!

Taylor accidentally put Dawn in the dish washer. Haha! Poor thing...

Scoop out the suds! Mop up the flood!

The upstairs toilet overflowed and proceeded to leak through the ceiling in my bedroom... Woops!

I know you wouldn't be able to tell from Taylor's expression, but this whole scenario was kind of hysterical.

Eating 1) half of the "puppy chow" supply before dinner on the first day, 2) eating an entire large container of cheese balls in less than five hours' time, 3) having three tacos and two large brownies for dinner on my birthday, and 4) eating four sloppy joe's for dinner the last night....

In the words of Holly, "Fatness Katniss!" HAHAHA!

Also on that food note, after finishing the oranges Leslie cut up for us five minutes after they were brought out, we asked, "How many oranges was that?" Leslie's response: "The whole bag." Wait, what?! We are ravenous, truly.

This meme became part of everyday conversation:

Hannah (little), Beth, and Steph got me a hermit crab for my 20th birthday on Tuesday!!!

His name is Paolo! Yes, like in the Lizzie McGuire movie :)

Rachel and Taylor made me special pancakes for my birthday :)

"S," heart, and Mickey Mouse-haped pancakes!

Hannah-squared made me birthday brownies with peanut butter and nutella drizzled all over them, but I forgot to get a picture! But trust me when I say that they were DELICIOUS!

I found mustache mood rings at the shops we went to! I got one for me and one for my little :)

I could go on forever about all of the funny moments, crazy happenings, and enjoyable moments that I experienced this weeks. But I have a feeling it's mostly a "you had to be there thing." And, beyond that, I doubt you would want to sit here and read my ramble. But in closing, I just want to reiterate how thankful I am to have such amazing sisters. They are all so dear to me, and it was hard to say goodbye to them today. For even though I will be seeing some in three months, Jenn and Jenna have graduated, and I do not know when the next time is that I will be able to see them. Even my little Brandi made me tear up, just because she will be back in California for Summer    oh so very far away. Though my goodbyes were emotional, I was/am so happy to say that I am walking away from this week with the fondest of memories :)

Guys, we're a Christian fellowship ;)

Goodnight my loves! Tomorrow officially marks my re-entrance into reality!