Life is a Highway

Life is like an ever winding road right now. There are hills where it seems like nothing could bring me down. Then, there are valleys, that seem like they never end and I just want to get out of these and go faster. There are also twists and turns that sometimes take me to unexpected places. No matter where the road takes me, I just keep going. Because what other choice do I have?

I just don't know if I am a good driver....

Getting Caught Up

So I think it has been about two months since I was last on here. I kept getting ideas of things to write about when I was doing stuff and then would forget to actually write them down. And now it's October.
School is well under way, as is work, seen my family twice, and my dad is getting promoted this weekend.
As always schedules are very crazy. Saturday is really my only day when I don't have to do anything. Every other day I am either at school, church, or work. Or any combination of the three.
I'm not complaining though, I know it is a blessing to be busy!
I am really liking fall so far this year! I usually do not like it when the seasons change because then it is really cold in the mornings and evenings but super hot in the afternoon. But we have had some really beautiful weather so I am very thankful for that. I got to be outside practically all day on Saturday and didn't sweat! I love everything about fall. The colors, bonfires, festivals, extra cuddles because it's a little chilly, cute sweaters, ugly flannel, have I mentioned BOOTS? I just ordered a pair of really cute boots! Plus I even admit that watching football can be fun too.
I have to upload a lot of pictures so I can clear the memory on my phone in order to download IOS 7 and I will also be starting a new blog sometime probably this week. It will probably be really uninteresting though because it is for one of my classes.

Busy Times Ahead!

The first week of the semester is almost over. I have about 3.5 hours left at work today, school this evening and then work tomorrow.
This semester might just be the busiest one yet!
I am taking five classes which equals 13 hours, because one is a lab class which is only 1 credit hour.
My classes are Anatomy & Physiology 2, Anthropology, History since 1890, and Gender & Women's Studies.
Not exactly the schedule I wanted. I originally was going to be taking German, but I guess because the class size was so small they completely cancelled the class. Didn't know they could do that... but ok.
It's going to be a very busy semester. I spent a lot of time this summer studying for anatomy, and now I have 3 other classes to study for as well. Two of them should be a breeze though. Seth and I are both working two jobs, lots of hours each week, and will be seeing less of each other. And I will continue to have little to no social life because I will be focusing on sleeping and studying. I am looking forward to the challenge.
And hopefully in the spring semester I will be applying to nursing school!

Pet Peeve

One of my biggest pet peeves is when people don't like the situations they are in, don't do anything to fix it, then they complain about it.
I think everybody is guilty of doing this every once and a while, but there are others who just love to complain.
I know there are certain situations that can't really be helped, and nobody knows ever knows the whole story, so I shouldn't judge.
I still can't stand it when people don't take action when they have the ability to change their situation. It makes me have a total lack of sympathy for the person.
I think it's because I hate being uncomfortable in any situation, so I will do whatever it takes to make a situation right and be happy. I don't like being hurt so I let my body heal, I don't like being mad so I like to talk things out, I don't like having awful teachers so I search for the best ones, I don't like failing so I work hard at whatever I do. I just assume everyone else would do these things as well.... I don't think God wants us to have an unhappy or uncomfortable life either.
Maybe I am supposed to be learning some kind of lesson through these people, but right now I just feel irritated.

Will it ever end?

HOORAY! Summer school is finally over! I don't think I have ever been so diligent in my studying or wanted to succeed so badly as I did this summer. And I paid off. It took 8 weeks of studying for hours on end almost every day, but I passed both my classes with B's! I really am proud of myself.

So technically I am on summer break right now.... :/

The sad part is school started back for kids in GA so I am back to nannying. I have a feeling this gogogo thing won't be stopping anytime soon.

School for me starts back the 16th.

Nothing really new is going on. Summer school was the biggest thing I did this summer and now that its over a huge wait has been lifted off my shoulders. Now gotta get ready for fall classes to start.

Rain Rain Go Away!

It has been very rainy here for at least a solid week, and the forecast says it is going to continue raining throughout this week. I know it is summer and it storms usually once a day but seriously this rain is getting ridiculous. This is like 40 days and nights kind of rain.
On one hand the rain really stinks because of the obvious, you can't really do too much outside when it is pouring and it is the kind of rain that just makes you want to stay inside and sleep or watch movies all day with a cuddle buddy! But the rain has also made the summer heat much more bearable this year. Instead of getting 100 + days like every other summer it has been a cozy mid 70's to low 80's although it is humid....
ANYWAYS
Seth and I have both been pretty bummed that we haven't gotten to do anything outside this week because of the rain. We got white water passes, making plans to go to the zoo, love to go hiking, swimming, and fishing. And today the rain finally let up for long enough for us to be able to let us put our new fishing stuff to use.
It was gross! We had all these different types of bait that I had to touch that were just nasty! But I braved it. AND even got Seth to eat some fish scales, but I owe him a steak dinner!
I love days like today when it's just me and him and we don't have to worry about what we look like or what we do, we just enjoy being together... even if we don't catch any fish :)

I know this is a silly picture of me, but even when I am being silly and he still looks at me like that, I know he loves me!

Happy 4th of July!

So obviously it's been a while.

Things never stop around here so even though it is summer time, I am still taking classes and Seth got a second job.... so we still don't have a lot of time together but when we see each other when we can!

Me and mom went to go see Kaleb and Lauren in Jacksonville. I loved the area! It was a lot like Kennesaw but beachy!

Also I am now a redhead!

Next weekend is Seth's cousin, Brandee's wedding so that will be a busy weekend but I am definitely looking forward to it!

We weren't able to do anything for Independence Day because Seth had to work and it was also raining all day so everything was canceled. But I think we are going to see fireworks whenever they are done and it isn't raining! I am very grateful for the men and women who make it possible everyday to live in this totally free and wonderful country! 

Happy 4th of July!! 

New York!

YAY! We just got back from our New York trip on Monday. Even though we were only gone Thursday- Monday it seemed like so much longer. And we were really only in the city for three days. It was an exhausting trip.
 First of all I was extremely grateful that I didn't have to work on Thursday because I hadn't even started packing and it pretty much took me all day to get ready. I would have definitely made us late! But it wouldn't have mattered because our flight was delayed for two hours! It wasn't too bad though. Since Hartsfield is a huge airport we all found food we wanted to eat, met a nice soldier, and played some UNO.
Then when we were finally in NY and out of the airport a shuttle came and picked us up to bring us to the hotel. I have never seen traffic so crazy at an airport. People cut others off, it was at a complete standstill for no reason, and everyone was honking even though no one could go anywhere. Our hotel wasn't anything fancy. We stayed in Flushing so that was pretty interesting...
 It's really hard thinking about what we did every day. While we were there the days went by really fast even though I was completely exhausted even when I woke up. We did a lot of stuff everyday too, mostly A LOT of walking. We did the NBC studio tour, did pretty much everything in Times Square, road the Subway, went to the 9/11 memorial, ate at some amazing places (magnolias bakery has the best apple juice in the universe), did a lot of shopping, and we went to see Annie! I think my favorite part was probably seeing Annie. Not only because Jane Lynch was Miss Hannigan but because the music was just so good! I love stuff like that!
 I am super glad that we went to NY and so happy that Seth and his mom were able to come with us. However, it will be a LONG time before I will ever be ready to go back! There are just way too many people there (and they told us it was the slow season)!
 Obviously these aren't all the pictures I took but I've already posted them all on fb.

this picture looks crazy...Ot's me and my dear dad on our first subway ride :)

The star wars convention was in town

Being silly on the subway with Seth & his mommy

Central Park!

It's the cast list of Annie! You can't really see it but Jane Lynch's name is in the second column

 Me and my mom in line to see Annie!

All of these three were taken at the Hard Rock in NYC

9/11 Memorial

St. Francis? The church that was really involved in helping during 9/11...that's the building behind us

On top of the Empire State Building

Radio City Music Hall... We didn't actually go in but we used it as a landmark to get around town!

Free to be me

 Yesterday I read an article that my lovely sister in law had posted on facebook. It was called One Thing Your Daughter Doesn't Need You To Say. It looked interesting so I decided to read it even though it was kind of long...reading isn't really my thing.
 It was a Christian article, obviously directed at parents of teen girls getting ready to make the transition to college or I guess any other big change.
 The article said that parents don't need to tell their daughters to set an example for their friends whether their friends are Christian or not. Telling someone to be an example in this way, takes away from who they are as a person. Christians are not expected to be perfect, say they perfect thing, or have their lives all together. We have a sin nature just like everyone else and need Jesus just as much as everyone else. So telling someone that they need to be the example is kind of like telling them they need to be perfect. When in all reality, that isn't possible. I think we should try to follow Jesus' example and seek him daily but trying to be perfect will only make Christians look even more hypocritical.
 I am really glad I took the time to read this article because even though it is directed at parents, I took some good advice out of it. Sometimes it feels like no matter how hard I try I am never good enough for my parents. I can get straight A's, work 2 part time jobs, clean the house, and they can still find something to get mad at me for. But all I know is I just have to do the best I can and if I know I am doing that, then maybe their expectations of me being a perfect little princess will go away. 

This is the article:
http://www.chattingatthesky.com/2013/05/13/one-thing-your-daughter-doesnt-need-you-to-say/

This is also a song that I really like by one of my favorite Christian artists. It reminds me that I don't have to be perfect and God will still love me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKSQjSdU8VA

Weekend fun

This past weekend I was able to take a road trip with my parents and go to North Carolina to celebrate my niece's fourth birthday. On the car ride up there it seemed like it was going to be a very pleasant trip- we had CFA for dinner, and got Krispy Kreme which are my favorites. But of course stopping made us get to the hotel even later. I was so tired when we got there but after moving around and getting all of our stuff settled in I had woken up a bit. By the time I was in bed and finally ready to go to sleep, I could hear my dad snoring and my mom had a light on playing with her phone. I can't sleep when there is noise or light so I didn't go to sleep for like another hour. And then I woke up every two hours for some reason or another so I was very tired by Saturday for the party. But I definitely played with all the little munchkins as much as I could, and slept at my brothers house that night!

Kaleb playing with the truck

The birthday girl!!!

All of Bri's unopend presents

Bri opening up her present from Juju

Still opening...What could it be?

COWGIRL BOOTS & HAT

Hunter is obviously more interested in the box

Being a princess can be overwhleming

Hunter & Evan

Bri's birthday cake lit up

Kaleb streaking in the backyard! Favorite picture of the whole weekend!

Four cousins! Claire, Evan, Bri & Hunter

She's my sweetheart <3

Silly faces!

Hunter wanted in on the fun

Bri painted my nails

And a selfie :)

                                     

Jesus take the wheel

I meant to post this on Thursday but I was working and by the time I got to sit down and write it Bonnie was waking up. Anyways, Wednesday I was coming home from work. I work in Smyrna and only go to Smyrna to either visit Seth's grandmother or to work. And I take the same roads for both. So I don't know any short cuts or anything like that. I also know my way to the interstate so I can get to school. I am slowly learning my way around the area but Bonnie and I don't venture out much. So Wednesday it had been raining and on my way home a road that I take was closed for some reason. I had dinner plans that night and I knew if I turned around and took the interstate I wasn't going to make it to dinner. So I followed the other cars. I just decided to follow some random car and take every turn they were going to take and hope they were going where I was going. And it worked! I picked the right car too because not every car went the same way. I was so relieved when I was finally in a fimiliar setting.
This may seem really insignificant to most, and when I was telling the story people were like....cool? But my life has been so full of stress lately. And I am mostly under stress because I am not trusting God with situations in my life like I should be. Sure, I'll pray about stuff but after "amen" I'm not done worrying. So to me, this was God's way of saying "HELLO! I HAVE BEEN HERE THE WHOLE TIME. YOU CAN TRUST ME!" And sometimes I just need to be reminded of that even if it is while I am driving.

Happy Birthday Princess Brianna

Today is a very important day, not only is it Thursday and my last day of work before the weekend, it is my niece's FOURTH birthday. I am in total shock that this day is already here. I still remember the day that Stephen and Amanda told us they were going to have a baby, the day she was born, the first time I met Bri, and every hug and kiss I got in between. She is growing up to be such a sweet little girl. She loves everything a southern girl loves- sweet tea, anything fried, chocolate and princesses. I was skeptical at first about getting another baby girl in the family, since I am supposed to be the baby, but now she is one of my best friends and I don't know what  I would do without her. I love you so much Princess Brianna Happy 4th Birthday!

My thoughts

Alright, so apparently there was some vote yesterday in the Supreme Court which involved same-sex marriage. I read an article about the vote but it was really confusing and didn't help me understand. There was obviously a lot of stuff on facebook and twitter and equality and all that good stuff. It got me thinking about where I stood on the subject of same sex marriage.
THIS IS MY PERSONAL OPINION.  You don't have to agree with me and quite frankly I don't care whether you do or not. I have not formed my political opinion as far as which party I belong too, although I tend to agree with the Republican party.
I do not agree with the choice of people who choose to love or be with someone of the same sex. However, I do not believe it is my right, or anyone else's right, to take away another person's rights just because I don't agree with their choices.
I recognize that a counter argument could be made where someone would say- what about the choices of criminals or someone who chose to have an abortion. I think everyone agrees that a criminal deserves to have their rights taken away. And I also don't agree with abortions. I don't think people who have abortions or gay people are criminals though. But that's an entirely different topic....
This country was founded in order for people to have freedom. And everyone has certain unalienable rights. I think that telling someone who they can and cannot marry is taking away that person's rights, I also think it's discrimination and a form of socialism.
I don't know too much about science or history but I have been told that almost every civilization before us has had homosexuality as a common and widely accepted practice and that homosexuality is also found within nature.
Alright so then there is the other side, the Christian side. I was born and raised a Christian, I am active in my church, I love Jesus. Christians believe that homosexuality is a sin, and they can give you scripture to prove it.

Genesis 2:18-23

 "The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.¹⁹ Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky.He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. ²⁰ So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals.But for Adam^[f] no suitable helper was found. ²¹ So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs^[g] and then closed up the place with flesh. ²² Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib^[h] he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.²³ The man said,

“This is now bone of my bones
    and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called ‘woman,’
    for she was taken out of man.”

²⁴ That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh."

I believe that all men were created equal. I believe that all sin is equal. I believe that men and women were created to be together. There is a perfect design for men and women to unite (sexually) and I don't think God intended for people of the same sex to unite in the way that they do (sexually and emotionally). I believe that homosexuality is a sin, even if it has been practiced for thousands of years. But I don't believe that we should take the rights away from homosexuals. I sin every day. I have done more than one thing that is against the law, I just managed not to get caught. But my sin is forgiven, because Jesus loved me enough to die for my sin a long time ago. God also died for the homosexuals and he loves them. So even if I don't support the decision I will show them love because that's all I have been called to do. 

Fun agenda

A lot of fun stuff is about to happen! Today is me and Seth's first official anniversary although we decided we have probably been together more like 2 1/2 years. We finally decided how to celebrate...zip lining! Although it will be too cold this weekend so we are going to go next weekend. This weekend we will be celebrating my mom's birthday and probably go out to dinner and a movie just the two of us :)
Something else fun that will be coming up, although I don't know when yet is a pedicure for Seth and I. We had a bet on when our youth pastor would get engaged, and I won so we get to go get pedicures and he has to pay!
THEN mom and I are going to North Carolina in April to see Bri and Hunter and Kaleb! THEN in May me and my parents and Seth and his mom are GOING TO NEW YORK!!!!!!!!! It's going to be sooooo much fun!

Help Wanted

Our first anniversary is quickly approaching! I know it's weird. From one aspect it seems like we have been together forever because of the whole time we were "just friends" but from the other side I still remember exactly  what we were doing when he asked me out, and a lot of what has happened this year. I guess I can blog about that when our anniversary actually happens. We don't really know how to celebrate though. We don't want to spend too much money, although we have plans to go eat at the Sundial? but that's about it. I have looked up things to do for anniversaries and it's all wedding anniversaries. Any advice?

Easier said than done

My life has been pretty crazy lately with so many changes going on. It's pretty stressful to say the least. I realized though that some of the changes had to be made because I was relying on my plans rather than God's plan for my life. He pretty much made it clear that certain things needed to wait or weren't going to happen. He also made some things clear that He did want to happen in my life. For instance, we were planning on doing the Color Run and were super excited about it. I also let it slip my mind the dates of the Color Run and my parents booked me a flight to go to North Carolina that weekend. So I was either going to be out $200 for the ticket if I did the Color Run or $40 if I went to North Carolina. I obviously chose North Carolina. And I sold my ticket for the Color Run in like five minutes, how cool is that?!?! God also showed his perfect timing by presenting me an opportunity this week. I have been thinking for a while about volunteering with the youth group at our church but haven't ever gotten around to actually asking about it or doing it. Last Monday our youth director asked me to chaperone on a trip to Camp Glisson this past weekend and my trip was completely free. I had such a great time with those kids. I am still learning about God's timing and trusting His plan instead of mine. It's easy to say but really hard to do.

Not so Frugal.

So with spring break RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER as well as our first anniversery, we wanted to find something fun to do. We started planning this beach trip near the end of March. Turns out, beach trips are expensive right around spring break. Saving money is hard for me, I need my coffee and chocolate and chicfila and whatever else I am in the mood for. But I can't have them now because I have to save money. It's painful...really. Oh well, at least saving money on junk food will help my beach bod look better. watch out. rawr.

First Post

I've always wanted to start a blog and now I officially have my own blog. This may or may not turn out well.