True sign of happiness:

Mallards :) Seriously, they make me so incredibly excited every time I see them. They make me smile so big! Haha :) I think it's because they just seem so calm and peaceful, yet they're still very social. I don't know, they're just so cute! They were one of the first things I saw this morning on my way to class, and it just set everything off on a good note :)

I got lunch with Ginger and Kirsten today, which was awesome. We talked all the way up to the point where Kirsten had to be like, "Ummm.... We need to go to class." Haha. Womp womp, but it must be done! I ended taking a 2 hour nap after my classes. (It was supposed to only be 30 minutes, but my bed is just really comfy!) When I woke up, I felt too antsy to sit in my room, so I decided to head over to the Quad area. Stephanie was hard at work on a paper, so I decided to not be a distraction and go to TDU. After a few minutes I got a text from Steph asking if I had an extra hair-tie.... SO I ended up going to Carrier anyways! I ran into Jess on the way there, and she is just too cute :) I'm glad I got to talk to her for a little bit! I ended up talking to Stephanie for about 20ish minutes--which I definitely enjoyed, but I felt bad for distracting her for that long! Oops... Dinner time came around, and I met up with Nancy :) A little ways through our meal, we see Elizabeth (another Delta!), and she sat down with us while waiting for Katelyn. Well, we ended up having a double date! Haha. I thoroughly enjoyed it :) Those girls are SO sweet!

Eight o' clock meant time for Justice Team! Woop. We started off with a dance party of sorts. Check out this video we watched! (You can skip to 0:30 if you want.)

Haha! So great, right?! But yes, our meeting was good :) And we found out that the Virginia Belles, an acapella group from UVA is performing at our event next week!

They are so talented! J-Team is so stoked! This is going to be SAWEET! After our meeting, I stopped by to check on Steph in Carrier before going to Late Night Breakfast at E-Hall with some SAO sisters! Twas lovely :) There were cheerleaders stunting and flipping, dancers performing, a DJ doing his thing, and people everywhere! Haha. It was fun though; Jenn, Lauren, and I shared a plate :) Sharing is caring! But yes, that was my day in a nutshell :) Love you all! Goonight :)

God is GOOD :)

So good, in fact, that He doesn't need to include the second "o." Haha! Get it?! Hahaha. Yeah that was cheesy, but that's okay :)

Today was good; it just was :) Hannah and I got some pretty great laughs in during anthropology, mostly because we realized that we communicate in the same manner as 5 year old girls.... No but seriously, it's true. Haha. Not ashamed :) I got lunch with Melissa, and that was good. I then spent about 3 hours in TDU. I wasn't there with anyone; I just napped, played words with friends, and facebook browsed. Oh! and I ran into Hannah F., one of our Deltas! I ended talking to her for about 30 minutes probably; it was awesome :) And she wants to come see GCN! So it looks as though I'll have both Hannah's going back with me to RVA in December! YAY :) But yes, back to TDU endeavors... I sent out the email finalizing the plans for the Alumni event this weekend (praise!), talked to Rhett and his friend Ace, and then headed on my way. I surprised Courtney with some Starbucks, and spent some time with her and Jenn in Carrier :) Good times!

I went with Courtney to wait in line for a free "Purple Out" shirt, and we ran into Beth! So the three of us got to hang out for a little while before I had justice team :) We made lots of posters tonight!

It was tedious, but fun :) I got to make paper-cut letter and numbers! And, being the dork that I am, that made me very happy. Haha! From there, it was back to my dorm for.... A SKYPE DATE WITH HEATHER! Yayyyyy! I'm so happy I got to talk to her! I've been having withdraws. Haha. I love my best fwend :)

OH! I almost forgot to mention this: I OFFICIALLY HAVE A HOUSE FOR NEXT YEAR!!!! Eeeeep! Hannah, Courtney, Lauren (for a little while), Brandi, Stephanie, and myself will be living together! Even as I am typing this my insides are all giddy! Haha :) Y'all, God is so good! In everything! And I'm not just saying that because things are going my way; He seriously just IS! I am so incredibly blessed. Thank you, Father!

Goodnight loves :)

HAY IS FOR HORSES AND CHICKEN AND FISH!

HIT ME THREE TIMES AND I'LL GRANT YOU YOUR WISH!

 One!

 Two!

Three!

Barakabakabakabaka! Barakabakabakabaka! Barakabakabakabaka! BARAK OBAMA! Confused? Haha. Just take a look at this SNL skit :)



Yeah, Taylor and I were being very silly in Carrier tonight. Listen to this: I went to Carrier to keep Steph company at 8. We were later joined by Taylor and Andy (who brought chips and salsa). (Fantastic Four reunion say whaaaat?!) I did absolutely zero work, yet I was there for five hours.... Yeah. On the plus side, though, I help Taylor come up with ways to remember her Spanish terms for her exam tomorrow. So I suppose that's something.

Today was alright. I found out I can't start my job tomorrow because I don't have all the paperwork I need on hand, and I won't have all of it until Friday. Ugh. So I guess I'm starting next week? I took a power nap in TDU--something I don't think I've every done before. I realized how terribly I procrastinated to really plan this SAO Alumni event.... Woops. Hopefully that will all come together! AS for my oceanography test..... I got an 82. I am less than satisfied, but what's done is done. All I can do is try to do better next time. On that note, I'mm gonna hit the hay. Haha! HAY IS FOR HORSES AND CHICKEN AND FISH!.... Okay I'll stop :) Goodnight all!

I have a choice

to be joyful and cheerful in the Lord-- to live my life in thanks and praise to God. That is the lesson I started my day with today, and it is so true! Some of you who know me well may have picked up on this sort of funk I had been in the past few days. Well, the funny thing is, I have no idea what caused that. I can not sit here and pinpoint what caused that feeling. My thoughts: Satan wedged his way in during my weakness and played my emotions like a ukelele. Not cool, right? Well, no mas! I will wake up in the morning and make the conscious decision to face every day with an optimistic outlook, so that peace and happiness my dwell in my heart :) I also need to get back to being diligent with my morning devos. Today was the first time I had done it in probably a week or so. I need to make sure I get my time in the word every day; I have not been doing well with that. I am so thankful, though, for my small group! Tonight was something I really needed. We simply went over who Jesus was, what He did, and what His life, death, and resurrection signifies in our lives. It was just really good for me in a way I'm sure I can explain on here. I even hugged Melissa and told her "thank you" before I left. True story. Also, and this might sound kind of random, I want to go back and re-memorize my verses from this summer. They are seriously popping up everywhere, and it kills me that I don't know them like I used to because their messages are so relevant! I'mma jump on that soon, hopefully :)

So yeah, that's a good bit of what's been going on with me recently! Sorry if that came out resembling a tangent. In other news: Thinking about who is going to be my little makes me both excited and anxious. I need to go into some serious prayer about this. I want my decision to have direction from Jesus :) You know what I mean? And on a totally separate note, I have an oceanography test tomorrow. So dumb. I haven't dona a lot of quality studying, but I'm hoping that my excellent short-term recognition memory will get me through it alright! FIngers crossed! Also, I start my job on Wednesday! Praise! I am excited :) Now we'll just wait and see if I feel the same way after my shifts on Wednesday and Thursday.... Haha. Goodnight world!

Deltas have arrived!

Today's morning/afternoon were pretty uneventful. I went to a new church this morning (still not sure how I felt about it), got some lunch (I sat in E-hall by myself, but it wasn't a big deal.), took about a 2-hour nap, drove around downtown making observations for my social welfare class, and hung out for a bit before getting ready for the evening. What was this evening, you ask? What's with the title of this post? Well, tonight was our bid night for SAO! Yes, we now have 11 beautiful new candidates!

So exciting!!! One of these girls is my future little, which is also very very exciting for me! Eeeep :) These girls are so incredibly sweet; I can already tell that the Delta class is going to be legit :) We followed up our bid ceremony with a trip to Sweet Bee, which was wonderful! We enjoyed some lovely froyo while laughing, sharing stories, and having Hannah/Taylor take horrible, horrible pictures of us at inopportune times. Haha. It was so fun though :) I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Can we just take a second, though, and analyze my Gamma class....

Hahahahaha. I don't think I have words to say in our defense.... We're an interesting bunch :)

Well, I am quite tired. Goodnight my loves! I hope your slumber is both pleasant and restful :)

Jennifer got her senior pictures taken this weekend!

I cannot believe my little sister is graduating this year! Awwwww! Say it isn't sooooo!

I love my Jennifer :) She looks so beautiful in all of these pictures; I only wish I could have been there with her!

Things I need to hear...

"I can do all this through him who gives me strength." {Philippians 4:13}

^"1 I waited patiently for the LORD;
   he turned to me and heard my cry.
² He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
   out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
   and gave me a firm place to stand.
³ He put a new song in my mouth,
   a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
   and put their trust in the LORD.

 ⁴ Blessed is the man
   who makes the LORD his trust,
who does not look to the proud,
   to those who turn aside to false gods.^[a]
5 Many, O LORD my God,
   are the wonders you have done.
The things you planned for us
   no one can recount to you;
were I to speak and tell of them,
   they would be too many to declare."

{Psalm 40:1-5}

¹ “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God^[a]; believe also in me. ² My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. ⁴ You know the way to the place where I am going.”
{John 14:1-4}

The more you are asked if you are okay, the more you start to wonder... This weekend has been stressful and draining, both physically and emotionally. And although I sense that I may be in a bit of a rut, I have to trust and have faith that God will pull me out of it.  None of this was meant for me to encounter or overcome on my own; my strength is far too feeble. God has equipped me to find peace and joy in Him, and He is waiting for me to fully embrace that and take comfort in it. These are not empty promises, and I should in no way feel as such. He can point me to where He wants me, and in Him I can be made whole and truly satisfied.

"⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart 
   and lean not on your own understanding; 
⁶ in all your ways submit to him, 
   and he will make your paths straight."
{Proverbs 3:5-6}