177 Days!!

What a crazy few days... But I finally made it to camp!!!!!!!

Sunday was a little rough. Saying goodbye is never fun. But Monday, we left and drove to camp!! We had a little fun when we had a tire blow out about 75 miles from camp... But thanks to Ray's Tire Pile and AAA, we made it back onto the road.

Tuesday... We woke up and had breakfast and stuff, and then we had "activity meetings" AKA I sat and played in Arts and Crafts with their staff. After lunch, we got ready for Orr all -staff overnight, and by 4, we headed out. We went to Turkey Pen, which was a really good choice. It doesn't have the crazy altitude of the Parkway, and it was much more covered when it started to rain. It was fun, and a nice 15 minute downhill hike. The good thing is, it didn't start raining until we finally got our tarps up. We climbed into bed and chatted and stuff, and finally all fell asleep.

Wednesday we came home from Turkey Pen, which was quite as easy of a hike home than it was to the vans, but that's ok. Then my friendie Helena got here and instead of showering, I talked to her. Then lunch and then a SHOWER!!! It's always so nice to shower after a day in the woods. Then for some reason, Dave decided we needed to learn to light a camping stove? And to light a fire. Who knows. Anyway, yeah. J Street for dinner, and then phone call with mommy while Angie got gelato.

Today... I got nothing. I slept late, had brunch, and then sat by the lake with Angie and roasted. Like, I'm a new lobster. It doesn't hurt though, so that's good!! Yay for days off!! No plans for tonight except maybe Skype with the boy? But probably not, because I'm totally fine until I see his face, and then I break down and cry. Which is ridiculous, so maybe that won't happen. We shall see.

Tomorrow we're off again, because I'm not taking Wilderness First Aid. Yay!!!

Until... The next time.

:)

181 days.

I have people here... And I'm having a really hard time with this. The two of them are making fun of me, and I'm trying really hard to just laugh it off... But it's getting harder and harder. I just don't understand. You're in my house, eating my food, using my Internet, supposed to be spending time the three of us together... No.

Sorry, my feelings are hurt. I'll stop whining now.

Until 181.

188.

Oh, today.

What a day.

bla;ajoabioinbaq;ovma;lsknz;lvnak;ghaptiuqeI'NMA'NVAVN;Aaga'oinaobna;daaoina'd

That's how I feel about today.

AND OH MY GOSH. PJ HAS DECIDED HE WILL HAVE A BIRD. An African Grey Parrot, to be exact.

My issue? They live to be approximately FIFTY years old in captivity. According to Wikipedia, "An African Grey's owner should expect to hear regular renditions of microwaves, telephones, alarm clocks, video games, and other electronic sounds, as well as dripping water, wild birds, and any other sound that is often heard by the parrot. African Greys have even been known to repeat the profanity they heard from an owner even after they no longer live with that owner. African Grey parrots also have the ability to mimic, and distinguish between, the different voices they hear." 


SHOOT ME. I know I'm supposed to be being compromising. All, love and sacrifice and all that... 


BUT I DRAW THE LINE AT BIRDS. Especially birds we have to WRITE INTO OUR WILLS. 


AAAAAAAAaaaaanyway, other than birds, I had a decent day. Jane came in last night and we stayed up waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too late last night. But it was fun. This morning, we woke up and had breakfast and stuff... and managed to run out the door JUST in time to miss MC and daddy-o and my step brother and his hick friend. So we went to the mall. And I was SO good! Just got something on clearance and a concealer I fell in love with at Sephora. It was fun to just hang out with Jane. And she's brainwashing me into being just as obsessed with One Direction as she is! 


They really are precious, and the music is so damn catchy! 

Not the best picture, but SO FUNNY. 

But really. Super cute. 

So, MC moved in today... I think that is going to be very interesting. It's certainly going to be my constant struggle and source of mental instability until January 1. PLEASE pray for me. Or buy me a drink. Either would be rather welcome, and necessary. 


She just walked out in Mom's old 1990s fishy dress she's wearing as a muumuu. Sometimes, my sissy just makes me giggle though. 


That's going to be my struggle. I need to be kinder than necessary, because sometimes, my greatest desire is to just snatch someone bald-headed. 


Also, I need some major prayers about the bird. I reeeeeeeeeeeeeally don't think I can do it. 


Until 187. (or the next time I have something to say.)

194 Days!

Yeah yeah... I missed a few days. But I'm back now! Crazy few days.

Let's see. What happened.

Friday: Work. Then, we did a lot of running around getting ready for a crawfish boil on Saturday. I studied for Saturday's final, and went to bed early!

Saturday: EARLY final, but then sweeeeet freeeeeeeedom! Then the crawfish boil. The weather was SUPER iffy, especially when we were setting everything up and it was pouring, but it cleared right up! And the best part was, it wasn't boiling hot. Well, the second best part. The crawfish was the best part!!
After crawfish, we had to runrunrun back into BR to get ready for Ben and Shannon's wedding... And it was all good! We got out the door on time and everything.... Until we got to Bed Bath & Beyond. And you know, I LOVE BB&B, but they totally let us down this time. They have this nifty feature online where you can order something and pick it up in-store, gift wrapped and everything. Great, right? WRONG. It took twenty minutes to pick up the already picked out present! And then it wasn't wrapped, so that was another 20. And no one was on the sales floor so I could just grab another one! Needless to say, I was slightly tickish. Especially when all that shenanigans made us late for the wedding! Uuuuggggghhhhhh.

But congrats, Shannon and Ben!!

Aren't they adorable?
And you haven't even seen their son!!! Cutest kid ever, in the history of mankind. During the reception, Mackie (the baby) handed me his apple slice, and smiled SO BIG. It was adorable. (Isn't it funny how babies don't have to do anything tone precious? I love that.) The reception was soooo fun, but it wasn't nearly as fun walking back to the car. My poor bunions! (Yes, I am 99 years old. Don't judge.) We spent the night in Mandeville... Apparently, halfway over the causeway, I woke up and FLIPPED OUT because I was convinced PJ was falling asleep at the wheel... Which he wasn't. Oops!

Sunday: Happy Mother's Day!!! We spent the day with PJ's mommy. The whole crew of us went out to brunch. We waited FOREVER, but my Eggs Florentine made it soooo worth it. If I could marry spinach and artichoke dip, I'm pretty sure I would. Everyone took a nap after brunch, then eventually we went to Mass. At Mass, we ran into some Graham family friends, so we went for beers with them afterwards. It was so nice, and the weather was perfect!!

So, we've made it to today's agenda. Hanging out with Ms. Gwen this morning, and then flower appointment this afternoon. Wooooo! So really, right now I'm doing research. (Well, I should be.) making some definite decisions, since NONE have been made about flowers. So, that's happening today. And maybe, if we wanna get crazy, we might go look at tuxes after the flower appointment too! We shall see.

It just hit me. I'm free from school, at least until August! Praise God!

I don't really have anything deep today... So how about just a prayer?

Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.
Come into our hearts today and always. Thank you so much for this day. Thank you for giving me people who love me and care about me enough to put up with shenanigans. Bless the next 194 days. Open my heart, mold me into whatever you are calling me to be. Give me the courage and strength to allow you to guide me. Bless PJ... He's gonna need all the graces You got for him to deal with me and wedding plans. Mom and sissies too (MC and Amanda). I trust You and believe in You. Aaaaaaamen!

Until 193!

Day 198!

Today... I decided to just post some random pictures from my computer... I should be studying, but alas. 

Enjoy!!

Freakin awesome, right? 

My bestie friendie/sister the day we bought my wedding dress!! 

My mommy!

My real sissy 

Us looking snazzy 

Pretty Place, Camp Greenville

I couldn't resist trying them on in Amsterdam 

He proposed in there!

Yep, I let that train get WAAAAY too close while I was hanging over the tracks...
Great picture though.
Antwerp. 

Amsterdam from the canal at night.
 

Apparently, Bern had a rose garden? 

One of THE most embarrassing pics of me ever. 

Nice. In Nice. 

Sagrada Familia. Barcelona.
I WILL GO BACK WHEN IT'S COMPLETE. 

Until Day 197!

Allie

199 Days!

I should be studying... Ah, whatever. I'm baking brownies and blogging instead! Much more fun, don'tcha think?

Last night, Peej and I had adoration. 1:00 in the morning is never easy, but today was even harder. I couldn't sleep before that and I was feeling SUPER DUPER DUPER cranky. By the time we made it to Mercy, tensions were running very high... And in the awake-ness of the next day, I realize that it was my fault. But we went to sit with JESUS! And it took about... maybe 10 minutes for me to realize that I was definitely being a big stinky butthead. I snuggled up to the receiver of my wrath, and apologized. There were some tears, but the good thing is, he loves me. ALMOST as much as HE does!!

What a beautiful life lesson. Even when I'm a stinky butthead, Jesus loves ME. Regardless. He may not be thrilled with me, but He's always waiting for me with His arms outstretched, waiting for me to run back to Him. Which is a good thing, because I'm a stinky butthead A LOT. Much more than I'd like to admit, unfortunately. He thinks I'm beautiful, even when I show up to see him at 1 AM in my LSMSA jammie pants and a baggie sweatshirt. I am the daughter of a King... maybe my behavior and attitude sometimes should reflect that better. I'm going to work on that. My Heavenly Father deserves that respect.

The person who has the slot after PJ's and my holy hour didn't show. So we got to sit with Jesus for two hours instead of just one. And for the first time since we signed up for this ridiculously early weekly tradition, I stayed awake the whole time!! It was a big moment. And the two hours flew by once my heart was truly at peace.

And even more interestingly, once we got back to our apartments, I fell immediately to sleep. His peace really does surpass all understanding.


Let me be when I am weary/Just a little bit more cheery/
Think a little more of others/ And a little less of me.
 - Glen Campbell, "Let Me Be a Little Kinder"

Are those brownies done yet?

Until 198.

200 Days!

First blog post!!

So, I have to say that I really have no clue what to say on these things...

200 days from today!!! 200 days from today, I am getting married. And I have to admit, I'm scared to death. And I think some of that fear is a fear of the unknown, but most of it is because my parents had the screwiest marriage in the history of mankind. My only experience of marriage is a very negative one... and one thing I've learned from our marriage preparation is that we bring into our marriage what we know.

I CHOOSE TODAY TO NOT BRING THAT HURT INTO MY MARRIAGE. I choose to change.

And it's gonna be hard, and I'm gonna fail sometimes. And I know that. But I'm ready to learn. And grow and change that experience into a positive one for the future baaaabies. I'm also scared of big words like MORTGAGE. And... I think that's the only one that really worries me. Because I'm okay with spending forever with that guy right up there. He puts up with AAAAAALLLLLL my shenanigans. He basically should be a saint. Pretty much immediately. I could never ever imagine anyone better.

I'm trying really hard to give this one to Jesus. He did bring us together, after all. And while I say that I trust and believe in His plan for me, it's VERY difficult for a super-planner (or trying to be) girl like me to just... let go. I do not just LET GO well. But I'm trying! I'm trying every day. And that's hard. Like the whole going-to-camp thing? That was certainly not in the plan. I thought I was done after the summer of 2010. I thought I had the feeling. Last summer, the whirlwind trip through Europe felt so right that I KNEW I wasn't supposed to be at camp, except for that quickie trip up there we made. But then... For some reason Jesus told me I was supposed to go back! Don't ask me why, because I really don't know. But I'm giving it up to him. He can have it.

Today, all I have to worry about is finals and going to work. And this wedding. Today, I need to call the florist. FMIL wants to meet with him. I can do that. That's not hard.

Have I mentioned that I am NOT READY for camp? In the slightest? The only thing I've done is bought socks. SOCKS!! I don't even ever wear real shoes!! I'm all about Chacos and FiveFingers and flip flops. Gaaaaaah... NOW I'm stressing.

Jesus, I trust in You. You got this, right? Camp, and this wedding, and finals? You got it. Give me peace in my heart. The grace to be still and know that YOU are God and I am not. You are The Potter, and I'm the clay. Lead my path towards Your Glory.

Until Day 199,
Bobo