Home is...

I've been home more throughout the summer than I have for much of the past school year. I love it! I enjoy going home almost every time. I had the chance to celebrate Mother's and Father's days and see the show my sister was in. I even had a chance to spend time with my grandparents. It's the best. I am so thankful that I have a family that lives nearby as well as gets along really well. But here's what happens when I'm home:

Home is...
... early mornings
... granola bars
... Skyping my brother
... mowing the lawn
... sister time
... TV and/or yard work with dad
... snacking and movie watching with mom
... slow wi-fi
... home church smiles, hugs, and handshakes
... hanging out with my best gals
... laughing so much that I'm crying
... hugs

I haven't taken tons of pictures while I'm home, but it's only because I'm having so much fun!

Are my parents crazy?

In case I haven't told you, sometimes I think my parents are strange. Or ridiculous. Or hilarious. Or inappropriate. Or wise. Or silly. Or sometimes, awesome.

A while ago, I heard a gal say she had never been on a plane or out of the Midwest, much less the nation. To some, this is their norm. However, I was surprised. While I understand many people have not had the same opportunities I have had or share my love for travel, her remark made me reflect.

• I flew in a plane for the first time at age 9.
• With my family, I've traveled to various places within the nation.
• I left the country without my parents at age 13. And again at 14 and 15.
• I flew and left the continent with five people my parents didn't really know at age 19.

WHAT were my parents thinking?!?!?
That they were not going to stand in God's way. 

When I first left the country, I went with my youth group on a week-long mission trip. I was a freshman in high school, the youngest person on the trip.

Let's not judge the fashion, okay?

Again, when I went to West Africa last summer, I was the youngest person on the trip.

Six years later and I'm still pale. Good.

When I told my parents that I was thinking of going on a mission trip for the summer, they were behind me. Sure, they had questions, but they were in step. My dad said that it helped that many things were in order and organized (Shout out to Missions Staff) as well as the fact that I wasn't going to a super dangerous part of the world.

But he also said that he knows God is doing big things with or without you. If God "invites" you do get on board with something, you can say yes or no, but saying yes will take you on a wild ride full of "turbulence." He'll get you through it, and it might not be easy. It will be crazy, and you might even see great, wild "God things."

As my dad and I parted ways before my trip, he told me, "I can't wait for you to go because I can't wait to hear the stories you'll have when you come back."

So mostly, this post is not to brag about my rockstar parents, but to encourage other parents to let your kids go and do great things for God. Your kid and you won't regret it. (And your kid might recognize how cool you are.)

Connection group adventures!

Well, what a semester it has been! Today I got some shots for my trip overseas. Much to my surprise, I survived. There may have been cute bandaids involved. Here's how my past however long has been:

 In April, one of my connection group girls got baptized! My church has baptized so many people within the past month; it's so wonderful to see each time!

 This past week, most of my group and I went to a super park in Ames!! It doesn't look like Ames at all, so it's fun to sneak away! We walked down the crick, traversed a path, hunted for mushrooms, probably got a little sun, and enjoyed the nature all around us!

A cute elderly man walks his dog on this path.

 We all want to return in the fall and enjoy the leaves! These ladies have been a huge blessing to me this year.  I can't even write all their fabulousness in words! I love each and every one of them!! They've grown so much this year; it's been fun to see!

This year has been so wonderful co-leading with this wonderful lady!! It's been so much fun, we're going to do it again! Can't wait to see Mia after we each have a great adventure ahead of us this summer!

Somehow, I don't think we'll both come back this pale. Oh well!

BIG NEWS!

The last weekend in February, the campus ministry I participate in had its Spring Retreat! The speaker, Todd Ahrend, spoke on missions. He taught 600 college students about the global ministry God had in mind from the beginning (Genesis 12:2). Have you heard of the 10/40 window? (I put the link to Google images, so you can see not only the countries but also the religions focused on.) Have you heard the acronym "Thumb?"

Tribal
Hinduism
Unreached or Chinese
Muslim
Buddhism

I loved the retreat: learning from and teaching my small group girls, learning about so much about the history of missions work, and feeling so much more excited and prepared to go!

I'm so crazy excited to tell you! This summer 5 of my friends and I will go to Africa and share about Jesus!

      

Would you like to know more? I would love to inform you of what I will do and where I will go. Send me your address, and I will send you a letter! (I really hope to see elephants!) 

Also, if you enjoy the "Harlem Shake" Youtube trend, check out this video! I'm on the right side (somewhere around 1/3 of the way down from the top) shaking a light blue coffee mug! Can you find me? :)

Back in the swing of things

School is starting! School is starting!! :) One of the main reasons I love school:

School supplies!! (Yeah, I'm a teacher's kid) :) New binders and pencils and pretty pens that write beautifully. Fresh notebooks ready for print and cursive writing notating all sorts of topics like Spanish and journalism.

What did I do BEFORE school started? (Other than not blog)

Well, I did farm-y things like freeze corn:

 And I had the blessing of babysitting my favorite kids the day before I left! :)






I even got to play hair dresser and give us our perfect "First Day of School" hair do!

I think I have a real future, don't you think?!?

Yeah, we're cute. :)  Every year I miss these girls! They are such wonderful ladies doing such fabulous things! 

Summer break.

Well, break brought a brake on some things... like blogging... Sorry about that. I haven't been here as much as in the past. So here's what's been going on!

I'm pretty sure the only thing better than a silver lining is a pink one! :)

Behind the clematis

'Merica. Yeah.

This is the life. :)

Happy Fourth of July!

I love Google. (If the words in the logo are hard to read, they are: "This land was made for you and me")


So far, life is normal. I'm waitressing and doing stuff for the family. Today I'll be doing "no-bake" things. Pictures to come!

I also have the honor of playing my French horn and helping with hair and makeup for this show at the community theatre! It's looking really great! Opening night is Thursday, so come on out! The show runs this weekend only, so be there or be square! I'm not very good at playing, but I like to pretend! It's set in the 50's, so I have so much fun doing makeup and hair!! It's my favorite decade! I am not allowed to post pictures from behind the scenes until after the show, so you'll have to wait until after Sunday. But they will come as well!

I really hope you have a safe and blessed holiday! Sing a good ole' 'Merican song today! :)

I guess it's been a while.

Here's what I did instead of blog:

Planted a little bit of the garden!

Beans!

Checked on new baby kitties!

Do you see the two black ones? They kind of mesh together and the orange one on top? Mama Kitty does not approve of picture taking.

Drove the tractor!

Never mind the reflection of me. :)

Hung out with my best friends!

Yeah, I missed her face. :) Love you!!

Tried to take artistic-ish photos of my backyard!

Yes, the old plow makes for a good picture. :)

Played with my puppy dog!

Baked cookies!

Made a mess... :3

Before and after! :) Turned out perfectly!

Couldn't give away the family recipe!

Woke up early and caught the sunrise!

Red in the morning sailor take warning.

Did you know the phrase above has Biblical background? Check out Matthew 16 to read the whole story! Who says the Bible isn't relevant today? (P.S.: Thanks Dad for the new info!)

Played dress up!

We love to dress up!

Being a princess is hard work!

Rockin a smile in the pj's

He had the cutest socks! And I <3 elephants. 

Saw a turtle emerge from the road!

See it in the bottom left hand corner?

Hope you've had a cool time like I have!

First, Last, and Everywhere Between

Goodbye ISU. I'll see you in August! :(

5 Things I'll Miss:
1. Friends that have become family
2. Weekend nomlettes at UDCC
3. Walking almost everywhere
4. Almost daily coffee
5. 10th floor. The view of Jack Trice from my own windows, the view of campus and north Ames from the den, the breeze that comes from being the highest up, the people, noise, ukulele/guitar/voice jam sessions, and my room/door.

I'm home! At least for a while! :)

5 Things I'll Love:
1. Baking and cooking in my kitchen with my mom
2. Doing things with my dad (including, but not limited to: playing catch, bettering my gun skills, learning how to run a chainsaw, learning more about cars)
3. Hanging with my friends from home
4. Driving my car!
5. Seeing the kiddos I babysit --- I saw the two girls today, and the younger one jumped into my arms and gave me the biggest hug! She's too cute! I've missed them both!



Okay, so update on life. This post is past due!

We played with colored bubbles! My friend caught them on a sheet of paper making cool artwork, and I made a mess on my hands! It was Crayola, so it washed off. I totally recommend this for any age.

I was super good and studied outside with my sunscreen! Not a very bad sunburn for me! (I got a little sunburned, though... oops!)

Future bonfire :)

This was taken two days ago. We had a wicked storm come through! My sister, neighbor, and I got stuck in town for a while, and on our way home, we encountered two huge trees that had fallen across the road! This one fell in a way that I could still get around, thank goodness, but it took out the power! Storms always make me think of the greatness of our God and how powerful He is. Super cool!