Alex came to visit about a week ago, and every time he is with my family I am simply amazed at how much he loves me and how much he has to put up with. He is so cute with them, and I appreciate him so much. When he came a few months ago I remember we were about to go somewhere, but he was outside playing basketball with Nick. It was such a cute moment and so sweet that I just sat at the computer and watched them through the window. Memories like that are ones I will never forget because they mean so much to me. Nick really looks up to him, and I know that Alex will one day be a wonderful big brother to him just like he has been with Katie. Even though when he comes here we don't really spend time with my friends, just watching him interact with my family makes him the greatest ever. He helps me cook dinner for my family [ and I can probably say that he knows more about cooking than I do ], he cheers on Nick's team even though its the Yankees [ booooo .... ], and he buys my dad lunch and brings it to him at work. He's just an all around sweet guy and throughout this whole relationship I have seen God work daily in his life. I told him that when we met I thought he was the most rude, selfish, and arrogant person I had ever met and that I was up for the challenge :o). And although a lot of people say it's the fact that I'm in his life now that is the reason he is so different, it really isn't. God's timing is perfect, and I nor can anyone else try and take away His glory and His work.
One other thing that I really appreciate about Alex is that he let me get Colby even though I lived at school and couldn't have a dog. Alex has his own puppy Otis, and after the tornado I just got really lonely because everyone had been split up, and it was such a disaster. Having Colby has really brought happiness and more love into my life, and although to a lot of people think he's "just another dog," he means a lot to me because he came to me at a time in my life where I just needed someone to be there and listen even if they couldn't talk back. But since this mess is mostly over I'm excited to get back to school and build relationships and have fun with my friends, old and new. It's going to be such a fun time.
So thank you Alex for all the little things you do in my life that may go unnoticed at times. I really appreciate everything you do for me, and I love you so much!! I know you truly care, and I can tell when you pray for me during the hard times and during the easy times. Hearing those sweet prayers just gives me enough to keep going. You're my world now, and I can't wait to see what the future holds.
Below are some pictures of when my "little family" went to the park a few weeks ago. Enjoy!
Hope you all are enjoying the beginning of summer!
No wonder so many American girls, even grown women fall into the lie that this is what true beauty is [see video above]. Magazines, television shows, and advertisements tell us how we should look and what we should wear in order to be "beautiful." As Christian women, we need to learn to embrace our inner beauty and that confidence will reflect just as much on the outside. NOBODY could ever live up to the standard that Hollywood has set for American women. I myself have bought into this lie that outer beauty is all that matters, and it is something that I struggle with daily. Everybody has flaws, but we need to embrace the good inside each of us. Even runway models will tell you that they have flaws, and they try to take peoples' attention off those flaws by embracing their positive features! Models are not perfect, and shows like America's Nest Top Model pour lies and lies into our minds. They make it seem like the girls on that show are the underdogs that make it, when in all reality, they are just 5 inches taller than everyone else and the rest of them is photoshopped. Anyone can learn to walk like a runway model, you just have to have 5 inches on everyone else, a good photo editor, and you're all set. Take a look at what I mean ...
Even "TOP MODELS" have to be photoshopped. What does that tell you? We have such an unrealistic expectation of ourselves, and when we don't match up to what we're "supposed" to look like, we get all depressed and start extreme dieting and exercising like we're going to be in the upcoming Olympics. Look at the pictures below. These are B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L women without all the glam. So instead of focusing on our outward appearance, I challenge you to look on the inside just as Christ does.
Proverbs 31:30 - "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting: but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."
1Peter 3:3-4- "Let your beauty not be external – the braiding of hair and wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes – but the inner person of the heart, the lasting beauty of a gentle and tranquil spirit, which is precious in God’s sight."
1 Samuel 16:7 - "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
I'm really really excited to get to go to my best friends graduation (from Sacred Heart Academy) today. Rachel has seriously been the one friend that has stuck by me no matter what even though we went to different schools our whole life and college separated us last August. Still she has been there for me through it all, and I can't believe that we have grown up and are no longer 9 years old and playing "school" in my basement.
We met on the street we both grew up on, Trentham Lane, at our mayors yard sale. My mom told me there was a little girl about my age over there and that I should go meet her. Little did I know that I was going to meet my best friend in the whole wide world. These past few years haven't been the same because we've been working, gotten boyfriends, started college, etc. But I really hope this summer can bring us closer than ever, especially if my family moves at the end of it. Rachel, I look up to you so much. You're such a hard worker and a dedicated and loyal friend. We're so much alike, and you seriously probably know me better than anyone I've ever met. I can't believe that I've let time and distance get in the way of what could be a FOREVER friendship. Even though it might seem really childish, I still want what we always dreamed of doing. Sure, we're still not going to be college roommates (obviously since we go to different schools) like we planned, but we can still get married and our kids can be best friends, and we can live right here in Louisville like we always dreamed we would. Yeah that might sound crazy to other people, but it's funny how friendships work out. I wish you the best after graduation, and I hope I'm still here in your life when you graduate college, get married, become a nurse and have those kiddies!! I'm here for you, and I hope that college is everything you dreamed it would be and that you make memories that last a lifetime ... just like the ones we already have. I love you girl and Happy Graduation. Best Friends Forever and Always,
- b -
P.S. Rachel, today is the Westwood yardsale, and there's one going on right across from my house :o)
So this is the first post on my brand new blog, and I cannot wait to see where this thing leads me. Or where I lead it I should say. I've been out of high school for a whole year now, and my life has completely changed. I really do miss being around everyone in my class, but I've grown up a lot and experienced life "on my own" (with a few parental financial contributions; ok that is an understatement ... a LOT of parental financial contributions). I guess I can't really say that I've officially been on my own until I can fully support myself, but for a girl that just turned 18 and is almost a junior in college, that is a BIG step for me!
This summer is hopefully going to have a big impact on my life. I'm going to be taking a summer class at Jefferson Community College to help me in my goal of graduating college as quickly as possible. I already have 40 credits after my "freshman" year, so that's not too bad for a start! :o) I really just want this whole education period of my life to go by quickly so that I can get a real job that I love, be able to get married to the LOVE of my life and be free from time consuming ... S-C-H-O-O-L. I know this is the one time of your life to make friends and make memories (which I have) but sometimes it all just seems childish and something that I really don't want a part of. I'm not the type of girl to have a huge group of girl friends that go out on the weekends. I'd rather spend my time with a couple close friends or my boyfriend and just sit home and watch movies and spend time together. I'm not much of a party person, and I don't think I ever will be. And I've finally come to the point where I accept that I'm not as outgoing or social as people think I am.
I was really bummed out when I found out that my mission trip to Guatemala last March was going to be canceled because of the tornado in Jackson. If you haven't quite heard about that I'll be sure to post about it sometime in the near future. I was really expecting it to be a time to grow close to the Lord and be able to feel like I am doing something for Him. I guess I've just been in a spiritual slump ever since the tornado. I never really found a good church in Jackson. Sure there were good preachers and good music ministers, but none felt like a home for me where I could grow in my faith and that was definitely a setback. I'm really looking forward to the women's Bible study at Southeast this summer. Last summer was amazing, and I really grew by studying the book of Daniel. I just can't wait to have that all back, and be able to go into next school year strong (yet still looking for a church .. sigh ..)
Also, my family might be moving in August or September. It will be sad to leave our home that I've pretty much spent my whole life in, but I think we're all ready for change. It'll bring us closer. I'm just really unsure of how this summer is going to work out. Everything seems so BIG and vague and unclear, but I'm trusting that God is going to be at work in my life and in my family. I just pray to make the right decisions and try and do the best that I can in whatever situation I am put in.
