Winter Break

'Tis the season for a great compilation post!

It wouldn't be a true winter break without a lack of posts and then a post months later that's as long as a child's Christmas wish list. Due to the stress of finals, it hardly felt like Christmas until...after Christmas? It will definitely be an adjustment for the next couple years. Trying to cram in Christmas festivities while also cramming for finals doesn't really work out too well. Ho-Ho-Homework, but I digress.

Still, I had a magical winter break. And I got to wear a coat more than once! Firs time for everything.

WINTER BREAK I LOVE YOU

TWENTY IN TEXAS // weekend sweeter than sugar

If the calendar year is like a cake, then December is the frosting on top. And the only thing sweeter than a copious amounts of sugary frosting is friends who throw you a surprise party and give you copious amounts of said frosting! December 1st is always my favorite day of the year because it always puts everything back into perspective for me and reminds me how blessed these years of my life have been. Life isn't always easy but there are so many people in my life that make each day so much sweeter. Turning 20 in Texas reminded me of just that. 

My dear sweet human Mallory threw me a surprise party. And by surprise I mean, she accidentally told me about it the day before and then made me walk in twice because she forgot to film it but either way, what a win. What did surprise me (actually) was how freaking thoughtful every detail was. Apples because I eat like 16189 a day, frosting because theres nothing gluten free in the bakery so that's all I can eat, pink everything because duh and LANY was playing in the background because nothing describes my life more than those lyrics.

Every detail was so thoughtful and wow. I could cry just thinking about it!

"Because Diet Coke with Lime is your favorite!"

On my actual birthday I wore my favorite little plaid pants and even though I had classes all day, it was so fun. After class we had a little photoshoot then hit the road because what place is there to spend your 20th birthday other than Lubbock, Texas?

Our time at Tech began with some technical difficulties for me, but the next day I went to Sugar Browns for a couple hours to do homework and it was definitely a good decision. Never in my life did I think I'd spend the day after my 20th birthday in a random coffee shop in a random town in Texas, but I love how life works. You know what else I loved? The acai bowl I inhaled SO quickly that I forgot to take a photo.  

(Mallory, Mallory, Me and Sarah. Apparently homeschool girls don't know to wear black.)
The actual real reason we went to Lubbock was to attend a formal for a fraternity that we are definitely not apart of (because uh, we're girls?) at a school of which we most certainly do not attend (because uh, we go to ACU?) either.

Our dates were super fun and absolutely precious.  And considering that we met them 5 minutes before walking into the formal, I think the entire night went very well and definitely wasn't as awkward as we anticipated.

(Unfortunately our dancing was just as awkward as we expected.)

The next morning we went to church, ate the most amazing taco's our life and frolicked around downtown Lubbock which is actually pretty dang cute. Plus I found a pink house! What more could I want in life/for my birthday weekend celebration?

A week before I turned 20, I was terrified. Today, I'm thankful because through another year of life I have learned that The Lord can provide in ways we never expected. He has given me amazing friends, a wonderful time in Texas and He went above and beyond and blessed me with everything from the acai to the pink house on Broadway.

HAPPY DECEMBER / DEFINING DECADE! 

Birthdays past...

14 // 15 // 16 // 17 // 18 // I never turned 19 apparently // 

Summer Days in Savannah

It's freaking October and I'm just now sitting down to write about our summer adventures in Savannah. Granted I just moved across the country, started college and lost my tan in a week but yeah, excuses excuses.

It was my goal this year to see my friend Sarah McNair. Lucky me, I saw her twice and was in her wedding! She wasn't even engaged when I made that goal, so either I'm a prophet or God is just really good at being God. (you pick!) Either way, I'm so thankful I got to spend time with Sarah. There are some friends where you know that no matter what, you'll be friends forever. Sarah is one of those people, and I'm so glad she's in my life.

I met all these girls at TeenPact, isn't that so funny? I guess the pencil skirts and political debates were good for something. I met Sarah and Nellie back in Georgia in 2014 (see it HERE, also lol at the fact that Sarah and I didn't really even know one another then.) and then we all connected again at NC the same year (see here) and added bri to the party. Easily without a doubt, they are some of my all time favorite people. I'm baffled at the way that TeenPact creates such strong friendships. It's weird and super awkward but WORTH every second.

Sarah wasn't in Savannah when I went over spring break (say that ten times fast), so it was a treat to be able to explore the city with a native this time around. Obviously I'm smitten with the old fashioned Charm of the city....the sweltering heat? Not so much.

I love these women with my whole heart. Also, I love the random lady we asked to take this photo because it actually turned out! Cheers to our #IDOCREW and such a fun weekend in Savannah.

YOU ARE THE JOY FOR ME

If you take anything away from this post I hope it's this: 

God does answer our prayers.

They don't return void. He hears each prayer, whether mumbled, written or said over a delicious meal. He hears. He cares. And He loves us enough to answer them. Not because we are good or worthy, but because HE is good. 

You may recognize Torrey from previous posts. We've been friends for a couple years (and known one another for over ten years.) The extent of our friendship was usually a couple cat memes and grabbing coffee every few months or so. Other than that, our paths didn't cross too much.

But the Lord had a different plan, because (seemingly) out of nowhere our friendship grew in leaps and bounds, just when I needed it most. One day we were friends who saw one another a couple times a year, the next day she's at my house every Monday night like it had been that way since the dawn of time.

There are a million things to love about Torrey. She's incredibly real, down to earth and not pretentious in the least. She listens, encourages and didn't complain when I described the life cycle of a cell in great detail...multiple times. We sat on my couch and shared our hearts, what the Lord is doing in us and through us. His presence was there and I have Him to thank for bringing me such a sweet, faithful friend. 

Torrey is heading off to camp for the summer, as she always does. This year though, it's especially bittersweet (tbh mostly bitter for me lol) because she's getting back less than 2 weeks before I leave for college. Gone are the monday nights, the random diet coke dates and the tanning times.

I know it doesn't count for much in life but Torrey, I love you a lot. Thank you for being open to where the Lord is leading and for allowing Him to bless me through you. You're a gift, a gem and I'll always be your man.

(don't worry mom, it's just a song lyric!)

PS: Some of our favorite things?

Opera's bread video

Large Diet Cokes from McDonalds (at any time of day) (and only $1.07)

Stress in foot form

LANY

and Rachels forehead. 

CLASS OF 2017

I walked into the 2017 graduation feeling oddly like, I was graduating. I wasn't wearing a cap and gown. Instead of my whole family, it was just my mom and I. And I had just completed my first year of college...but still, I felt like a senior all over again?

This year was super weird, I'm sure you've figured it out. And I feel like I've graduated from a million things and people in hundreds of ways over this year. So it was a graduation for me of sorts. Except this year I didn't have to deal with any of the high school drama! That was by far the best part.

Little Things in Life

These photos were taken on January 19th 2017. And other than the fact that these are film scans and taken by cool friends, these pictures are really hard for me to look at. The girl in these photos, bless her heart. I felt so so small, so young and so incapable for months. Turning 19 really took a toll on me, for whatever reason. An awkward in between, an age of limbo that teeters on the brink of adulthood.  Despite the pristine choice of footwear (in my opinion, of course),  I couldn't find my footing in life.

In the passing months, so much has changed! 

(sadly including the weather, which means I can't wear my booties anymore.)

Here are some little (but actually big) things that made these months so good....

HEY IS FOR HORSES

I mean, I'd invited horses these pretty to my wedding- wouldn't you?

MERRY, MERRY MEMORIES.

It seems that every year I only get around to writing about Christmas things....a month after Christmas. What can I say, I guess I just love to extend the celebration a bit further! So you can't really be mad at me for that, can you?

HAVE A HOLLY JOLLY JANUARY?

Something like that.