Newlyweds ♥

Blog Launch!

2010-09-19T01:45:00.000-04:00

Well instead of going to bed early because I work at 6am, I worked on the new blog, and it is officially ready to be seen! It isn't completely finished by a long shot, but there is enough to get it up and running. So check it out here!

Love,
Briana

Coming Soon!

2010-09-18T07:44:00.000-04:00

So I apologize for the lack of posting, not that anybody ever reads this...

I tried to change the design on here but ended up completely destroying my blog and the lack of figuring out how to fix it is one of the reasons I haven't posted. I haven't had the patience to just sit down and mess with it, and the times that I have I just end up doing more damage. So I am done for now. Well I was.

There are two more reasons for lack of posting. 1) I have this really bad habit for blogging in my head. I write posts daily in my mind but never actually sit down at the computer to type them up. If that is weird (which I am guessing it is) then I apologize. 2) I tried to switch to WordPress (not sure why) and I couldn't really figure out how to work it. I'm so bad with this blog anyways, so I don't know why on earth I would have tried to switch to something new for me to learn for absolutely no reason. That plan kind of failed too.

BUT I am currently going to make a new blog that will hopefully be better & brighter. I think that is what you are supposed to do when you get married... make a new blog. :) Anyways, I will update when it is ready for display. Until then... all is well in the McCall household. School is wonderful, the puppies are happy and we are both "loving" work. We are blessed. <3

-Briana

Radical Living

2010-07-20T11:18:00.000-04:00

My friend Lauren had this video on her blog & I wanted to share it because a brief two minutes can be a grand awakening for Christ followers. Since January of this year, God has stirred within my heart a different passion for him than I have had probably my entire life. So I want to share this video with you. Also... Alex and I have joined the launch team for a church plant at the University of Louisville and we are asking for your prayers as students begin moving in soon and we start penetrating this campus for His glory and for the sake of proclaiming His name so that all will hear. We officially launch on 10-10-10 but we have some incredible stories of what God is doing already, and you can check those out here at our church website. The Avenue has changed my life, and I am so thankful to be able to serve alongside some great men and women of God.

Radical by David Platt

- Briana

Pretty Wedding Pictures

2010-07-08T14:43:00.000-04:00

Thought many of these were beautiful and just wanted to share! I am in high wedding spirits!

-Briana

Crunch Time

2010-07-08T14:36:00.000-04:00

We are 23 days away from the wedding! For the past week I have not been able to comprehend all the big changes that are about to take place, but it is all finally sinking in! My mom has been working really hard on our reception favors, and I have been frantically calling everyone who didn't send in their RSVPs by July 1st (shame shame) and just checking thing after thing off of my list! Alex & I got our marriage license yesterday morning and then had a nice breakfast at Chick-fil-a. I had coupons, and we both ate breakfast and got drinks for $5! I love coupons! :) This has nothing to do with anything, but tomorrow they are having something special at Chick-fil-a for anyone who shows up dressed like a cow. Who would do that?? I'm tempted to go eat there tomorrow just to see if anyone actually does show up in costume. It would be interesting!!

I picked up my veil today as well as a couple of prescriptions that I needed filled before we go out of town. I had to return a few purchases I had made that were unnecessary because I am completely broke. Sigh... Now I am just waiting for the lady that might do my wedding make up. She is supposed to get here in an hour and a half, and I am really excited. I hope I love it because I do not want to be searching for another make-up person this close to the wedding date. I was supposed to be doing my hair trial this morning, but it got moved to tomorrow morning so we'll see how that goes. At this point I don't think anything could make me want to switch who is doing hair & make-up just for the sake of convenience, but we'll see tomorrow I guess! After make-up I am going to meet with a lady that will be in charge of our ceremony music. It was kind of a last minute thing. We were planning on just having a piano player for the ceremony, but when I met with my wedding coordinator the other week I noticed there was only a keyboard in the chapel and there is no luck actually getting a real piano in there sooooooo I proceeded to find a string quartet within our budget and am meeting with the lady today to hopefully book and finalize our music choices! Alex and I finished picking those yesterday... I am just hoping everything goes well and there isn't anything that needs to be changed. Crossing my fingers here! And thennnnn after that I am going with my dad and Alex to have them fitted for their tuxedos. And then home to "rest" which will probably consist of continuing my thank-you cards from my showers.

I am planning on every day for the next 23 to have a similar schedule to this one. I hope not, but if I plan for all of this and get a little less than I will be perfectly satisfied. I don't even want to think about moving right now. And ordering furniture. Oh goodness..... I love my life. <3

-Briana

A Short Note to You

2010-06-15T17:31:00.000-04:00

Well I am back with a few words to say... Life has been going very well recently. Nothing too dramatic is going on but I have been enjoying summer with Alex & my family, and we have all been very busy planning events and running to and from wherever to wherever. But regardless, I have found this time to be very relaxing. I am working two jobs plus babysitting when I can and even though I have been working a lot of hours, I find time to sleep in and try to spend time doing things that I enjoy. I haven't had that much friend time but that is hopefully changing!! I have had two bridal showers... one in Tennessee and another here in Louisville this past Sunday. I always get so nervous right before these types of things because I'm always afraid that people aren't going to enjoy themselves or whatnot, but afterwards I always laugh and criticize myself for worring about it so much. They were both so incredibly fun and I had such a good time talking to people and visiting with my closest friends. I wish that I had family that lived closer because I never get to see them but hopefully that will change soon as well. Family is so important to me, and living away from all my grandparents and aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. has been pretty disappointing but then again I cherish every moment that I do get to spend with them. I am so glad that most of them are going to be able to come to the wedding. I have a cousin in Afghanistan (see earlier post) and if all goes according to plan, he will be home in time to fly out here for the big day. He is in our prayers often! My things to do this week are just to find a cake topper (which I already think I did), finish writing my vows and find a veil... I saw a picture of a friend who got married last weekend, and her veil was gorgeous. I am going to try and find out where she got it. :) Anyways, best wishes to faithful readers.

~ Briana

This weather is absolutely GORGEOUS.

2010-05-24T13:14:00.000-04:00

Title is random but so true. :) This weather is absolutely breath-taking. I cannot wait for the neighborhood pools to open this weekend! Usually my family joins Douglass Hills for the summer months but supposedly 19 is the oldest you can be on your family's pool membership and since this summer I am 20 I will have to get my own pool membership. I am not sure how much it costs and if it is even going to be worth paying because of all the wedding stuff and the fact that come August Alex and I will be living in an apartment complex that has a pool. I'll have to look into it. :) And since I mentioned it, Alex and I signed a lease on a 2 Bedroom/2 Bathroom apartment last week! We knew we were going to live in Old Louisville but it was just up in the air whether or not we were going to rent an apartment, condo, townhouse or actual house. We looked at a few places and found this super fun house that would have been a blast to live in but it was really too much house and because it was so old the utility bill would have been outrageous. So we kept looking. In the end it was between a 2 Bedroom/ 1 Bathroom apartment off of Brook and Oak and the apartment at the Bellamy which we ended up choosing in the end. The Bellamy is apartment living for University of Louisville students only. They kind of do resemble dorms which Alex didn't like but there were just so many more reasons why we chose to live there instead. They come fully furnished which was a big plus even though his parents own a furniture and appliance store. It wouldn't have been hard to furnish an apartment but it would have been a big pain moving. Also the reason we are moving to Old Louisville is to plant a church called The Avenue which specifically is targeting University students. There are some crazy facts about religion or lack there-of on campus and there are many families from The Avenue moving to Old Louisville so that we can be a part of the community. Our pastor, Ben Hardman states our mission perfectly. "When Christ (Jesus) moves into a community that community changes from the inside out." When Jesus came to earth and dwelt among people, the world was changed for the better. Ben tells people that he wants a bunch of little Jesus's running around Old Louisville and serving the community. I just love it! :) Well anyways, we were doing the whole pros/cons thing between the places and we ultimately felt God's call for us to go to the Bellamy, not because it is nicer and has cool amenities but because that is where students are. The guys at our church can't just get a group to go play basketball at the complex's court... or play sand volleyball whenever they want to because it is a gated community but residents can let anyone they wish in through the gate and honestly, I think that from the launch team (which almost everyone is older than Alex and I), we are the only ones that can actually live at the Bellamy because we are students. We have that "in" that noone else has and hopefully we will be able to minister to and serve our neighbors while we are living there. If you are wanting our new address (starting July 31), please just message or e-mail me and I will get it to you!!

I was going to update a little more, but I have things to do today... Oh well!

I decided that I am not going to really be keeping up with the blog anymore. I was doing so good at keeping up with it on a regular basis, but I don't feel like it is something that needs a lot of my time right now. Perhaps I will come back to it on a more frequent basis but for now just look for random updates... I'm not sure when the next one will be!

- briana -

What I Think God is Building :)

2010-05-06T14:10:00.000-04:00

Apart from the post that I just wrote, I just wanted to share one more thing. It's not deep or anything, but I love in the Bible how it says God is preparing a place for us in heaven. It has to be absolutely incredible so I decided to find what I think could possibly me the most incredible houses on earth. Here's a few I just wanted to share. If this is what man can do, just imagine what God can do!! :)

~ Briana

Half-Heartedly Writing

2010-05-06T14:05:00.000-04:00

Lately I have been cutting down on the information, etc. that I am putting on FB and the internet in general. It's a struggle for me b/c half of me wants to update the world on everything that God is doing in my life and showing me, etc. but the other half of me wants a private life and to share it with those he puts in my path. I want true friendships, not a hundred acquaintances. Like on Facebook I know all of the people on my friends list but I feel that a lot of times people use FB as an excuse for developing those friendships to make them great. I guess I am just in the middle of the technology struggle. It is such a blessing and such a curse at the exact same time. That is really why I haven't been updating. Plus I've been really busy, but I feel like this is the time for me to be focusing on my future marriage and strengthening the friendships I currently have. So many new things are happening to me, and I don't want to get lost in it all. So just pray for me and what God would have me do. It is something to consider in your own life as well. Where is God leading you? Ask him to make it crystal clear. ♥

~ Briana

Groupon

2010-04-07T11:58:00.000-04:00

If you have never heard of Groupon.com then you are missing out! Each day there is a new coupon on some great products and services in the area that you are living in! Please check this out! You won't want to miss!

http://www.groupon.com/r/uu989563

- b -

Today's Groupon is actually the gentleman that is doing my engagement/wedding photography! The weather is so beautiful outside now that we are trying to do our engagement pictures ASAP! ♥

Newlyweds N&J [Flashback]

2010-03-30T00:15:00.000-04:00

So this week I actually don't have to work a single school night! I am so excited! Today I had lunch with Holly and Lynda at school, and then I came home and watched Newlyweds Re-runs <3. Nick & Jessica will always be married in my world. Their divorce in 2006 never happened! You cannot tell me otherwise!!

When I was watching the first episode on YouTube today, just seeing the expression on Nick's face when he saw her for the first time as she was walking down the aisle. I just wanted to cry! & I know that this has no significance since they are not married anymore, but I think it is so awesome how she saved herself for marriage in such a worldly industry that she lives in! Ah, inspiration. <3 I could watch this show every day this week... in fact, I just might!

- b -

Be Blessed

2010-03-24T12:04:00.000-04:00

I read this just now and wanted to share in the hopes that it will bless you as well! It is from The Message translation. I love reading different translations because they can impact you in such different ways! May His word saturate your heart.

Isaiah 30:18

¹⁸But God's not finished. He's waiting around to be gracious to you.
He's gathering strength to show mercy to you.
God takes the time to do everything right—everything.
Those who wait around for him are the lucky ones.

- b -

Schedule

2010-03-24T11:48:00.000-04:00

So life is just going GREAT. I was thinking today how everyone bashes public schooling and say it isn't as good of quality as a private education, but I can only speak for myself. I don't have a lot of time, but I just want to say that I think that the quality education that I am getting at UofL is superb. I have learned so much and have had awesome teachers. Yes, they DO care about their students and you are not just another name on their list. This semseter I have been blessed with some amazing, knowledgable and wise professors, and I am very thankful for them. We only have about 5 weeks left of school, and I hope that the last 3 semesters that I have here are just as good as the first 2. Saying that.... I need to get back to my homework. I was out of school for an entire week that first week of March due to illness and now I am STILL playing catch-up. I guess God just knew that I needed some understanding teachers this semester. They have been helping me so much, and I am so thankful! Just in case you were wondering, here is a list of the classes I have been taking this semester!

Music in the Public Schools (MUSE 525)
Art Education (ART 407)
Math for Elementary Education II (MAT 152)
British Literature I (ENG 301)
&
Writing About Literature (ENG 310)

I love all my classes! :) Hope that those of you still in school finish strong and have a great rest of the semester!

- b -

Must Have!

2010-03-17T17:31:00.000-04:00

I went to Barnes & Noble yesterday night to pick up a wedding planner/organizer. I found a cute one, but that is beside the point. :) I saw this book and took a look at it for a few minutes. Let's just say that I NEED THIS BOOK!! If you need to organize your life or are simply an organizer like me, this book is for you!

How To Organize Just About Anything

- b -

The Piñata

2010-03-17T16:00:00.001-04:00

Just something I wanted to share!! I am in the middle of writing a lesson plan for my Art Education class, and one of the lessons that we have to prepare is for students to participate in Cultural Heritage Art. This assignment calls to research a specific culture or explore a particular aspect of a country's heritage and incorporate a traditional visual arts form to the lesson.

What I am doing is having my "students" (we don't actually get to DO the lesson) make a piñata. Interesting, right? No. It's what I found out about the piñata which is actually REALLY COOL! I am going to copy and paste the information below. It is really interesting and symbolizes a lot of religious beliefs of the Italian and Spanish cultures! Hope you find this as fascinating as I did!

Many party goers think of Pinatas as a party game with its origin tied to the lands of Mexico. Instead, however, the origins of pinatas can be traced to Italy. Originally known as pignatta (which means "fragile pot" in Italian), pinatas were made of clay. They often were shaped into a symbol of hospitality used throughout Italy, the shape of a pineapple.

From Italy, the custom of breaking pinatas, migrated to Spain where the custom became tied very closely to the celebration of Lent. It was at this point in history that the name changed from pignatta to pinata. The pinatas themselves were still made of clay at this point and known by the Spanish as an olla, which was their word for "pot." Although the first pinatas were plain clay pots, people eventually started to put paper figures on the pots for decorations. The Spanish pinata had a religious significance to them. They believed that the pinata represented Satan and it was made beautiful and bright in order to offer a temptation to the innocents who came into contact with it. The Candies and toys that were placed inside of it, were the temptations of Satan. The person breaking the pinata was always blindfolded in order to represent blind faith and the stick used to break pinatas was said to be the symbol of all that was good. This was important because "good" had to overcome "evil" or in this case, Satan. Once the goodness overcame the evil, the treats that spilled out were said to be justified rewards of living a "good" life.

From Spain, missionaries took the customs of pinatas into Mexico where the Aztecs found the custom to be very close to customs and celebrations of their own cultures. For example, to celebrate the Aztec god of war, at the end of the year Aztec priests would place a clay pot on a pole in the community temple. The pot was filled with tiny treasures and was decorated on the outside with feathers of bright colors. The pot was then broken with the treasures falling to the base of the pole. These treasures were said to be an offering to the god of war and would bring about strength and goodness to the Aztecan people.

Today the ritual of breaking pinatas has less of a religious symbolism and is more about the fun and rewards attached to the activity. Pinatas can be purchased to complement almost any theme or character party making them a great option for a party activity. Party favors, candy, and little treasures can be tucked inside pinatas to be exploded upon the crowd of party guests as the pinata is broken. The resulting scurrying of guests and laughter as the treasurers are claimed make for smiles on all those looking on. To be sure everyone gets something from the pinatas, the party host should set aside little goody bags with replica treasures. The bags, which historically have been called colacion, will ensure that at a time of fun and laughter, no guests feel left out of the celebration.

- b -

My Life is SO BUSY!!

2010-03-17T15:53:00.001-04:00

We have a little stone outside of our front house that reads,
"Beware of the barrennes of a busy life."

This statement is so true! When you are constantly running from place to place and event to event, suddenly when you have a moment to stop and breathe, you wonder what is the point of it all? Why are there so many things to do? And when I stop to think of many of the things that I am constantly "running" to, I feel as though nothing satisfies and brings meaning and truly fulfills my life. Of course, as a Christian, God is the only thing that can ever complete me, but setting that aside, nothing that I am trying to balance will ever fulfill my life. When you are so busy, sometimes your life feels empty. So here is a warning to keep in mind!!

Now I realize that there are things that have to be done. Life gets busy, and that is a fact, but before you tackle and say "yes" to one more commitment, truly think about your priorities and what is truly important to you. When you stop to think about it, maybe you won't jump to the next activity or commitment that comes along. Just a thought!

- b -

Until the Whole World Hears

2010-02-15T11:47:00.000-05:00

We sang this at Lift a couple weeks ago. Lift is the middle school program on Sunday mornings at Southeast. But it isn't just a program. Lift is our students advancing the Kingdom of Christ. It was just so cool to be a part of their praise & worship as we sang this song. They are truly an incredible group of kids. I thought I'd share this song with you. It should be something that we live by. I hope it impacts you as much as it has impacted us.

Lord, we...

Want to be your hands and feet
Want to be a life that leads
To see you set the captive free
Until the whole world hears
and I pray that they will see more of you and less of me
Lord I want my life to be the song You sing
Until the whole world hears Lord we are calling out
Lifting your name up for all to hear the sound
Like voices in the wilderness we're crying out
as the day draws near
we'll sing until the whole world hears

- b -

In Honor of Valentines Day, of Love

2010-02-15T01:41:00.000-05:00

I think it is so cool to serve a God who sends us just what we need to hear at just the right time. At a point in our relationship, God sent this song to me and it spoke directly into a situation that needed some direction. I thought I would share it with you. You can also hear it in the movie Fireproof which I highly recommend to anybody. Hope everyone had a very special Valentines Day!

Love is not a place
To come and go as we please
It's a house we enter in
Then commit to never leave

So lock the door behind you
Throw away the key
We'll work it out together
Let it bring us to our knees

Chorus:
Love is a shelter in a raging storm
Love is peace in the middle of a war
And if we try to leave, may God send angels to guard the door
No, love is not a fight but it's something worth fighting for

To some, love is a word
That they can fall into
But when they're falling out
Keeping that word is hard to do

Chorus:
Love is a shelter in a raging storm
Love is peace in the middle of a war
And if we try to leave, may God send angels to guard the door
No, love is not a fight but it's something worth fighting for

Love will come to save us
If we'll only call
He will ask nothing from us
But demand we give our all

Chorus:
Love is a shelter in a raging storm
Love is peace in the middle of a war
And if we try to leave, may God send angels to guard the door
No, love is not a fight but it's something worth fighting for

I will fight for you
Would you fight for me?
It's worth fighting for

- b -

Prayer Request

2010-01-29T10:42:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure how many people are even going to read this, but if you do, I am asking for prayer this evening as I go to the doctor to take some tests. It is kind of a big deal and then not at the same time, but I just wanted to ask! Thanks so much!!

- b -

P.S. Alex got a job!!!!! Updates later! :)

Blessed Blessed Blessed

2010-01-28T17:58:00.000-05:00

For the past three weeks I have been feeling just so grateful and thankful for everything that God has blessed me with. I'm not sure why this feeling has just been abounding in me, but it has and I am just so happy. I think about everything that I have in my life and compare it to those who might be less fortunate, and I cannot help but thank God daily and try to help others in any way that I possibly can. At Passion 2010 (Jan. 2-5) in Atlanta, 25,000 college students, including me and my friends, helped raise over 600,000 towards coutnless chairities all around this country & our world. It was truly a humbling experience to be able to learn about these different organizations whose sole missions are to share the love and generosity of God to those who need it. I can't possibly talk about all the charities that we served with, but I will mention one particularly because I just received an e-mail update from them. The organization is called One Verse, and it's mission is to help translate the Bible into the languages of people that don't have that don't have it yet in their native tongue. I was so surprised at how much it costs to translate a single verse, but it made perfect sense in the end. A lot of peoples don't have the Bible written in their language because they don't even HAVE a written language. Missionaries and other people have to go and live with these different tribes and first, learn their language, second, help develop a written language and then third, translate the gospel into their language. For some missionaries, it is their life goal to translate the Bible or even just a portion of the Bible into another language. So the estimate that they gave us at Passion was that it takes $25 dollars to translate each verse of the Bible. If you do the math (I did a quick estimate), it takes a little less than $1 million dollars to translate the entire Bible into another language. Take a second to take that in. $1 million dollars to translate the Bible. That is crazy, and of course, I wanted to help. My friend Holly & I decided to each buy a verse to be translated, and it was one of the most rewarding experiences that I have ever lived through. We stood in line at Passion and told the lady at the booth that we each wanted to buy a verse, and she took our payment and then GAVE us the verse that was being translated because of our donation. It was SO COOL!! We then proceeded to go to this big banner that they had hanging in the convention center, and we wrote our verse next to the ones that had already been "purchased." It was so neat, and if you feel called to help bring the gospel to someone who has never heard it spoken in their own language, click here to help.

My Verse:

So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham's. For Abraham is the father of all who believe.

~Romans 4:16

We are truly, truly blessed.

- b -

The Journey

2010-01-24T22:35:00.001-05:00

As I said before, Mrs. McCall came up to Louisville this weekend with her friend Stephanie to help with wedding planning. We needed to pick out our rehearsal dinner venue so Saturday morning we piled up at around 9:30 and just drove around Louisville to different places that we had researched. We didn't really have any appointments, but suprisingly, many people were able to meet with us. We went to the Kaden Tower, a beautiful Bed & Breakfast, the Seelbach Hotel, the Brown Hotel, Farmington Historic Home, Churchill Downs, and a couple other places. As I said in my last post, we ended up booking the Rathskeller room at the Seelbach Hilton on 4th street. We all just absolutely loved it! At first I wanted to make sure it wasn't going to one-up our actual reception, but the two just don't even compare. The Rathskeller is very old and artsy and historic while the ballroom at the Country Club is very contemporary, classy and BRIGHT (lol). There is not a single window in the Rathskeller and at Standard Country Club, the walls are almost entirely windows. You just can't even compare the two.

We also met with the florist that we chose to do our flowers. We picked out my bouquet as well as the ones that my bridesmaids will carry. We picked the boutonniere's for the groomsman & then for Alex and our fathers/grandfathers. Our moms picked out their corsages, and we brainstormed some ideas for centerpieces! We were there for almost 2 hours, but I'm glad that we got it over with. It was actually kind of fun even though it was one of the last places on our list, and we were all extremely tired.

Friday evening we went and met with a friend of ours from church, Amy Henson, who will be making our wedding cake. I don't want to give away too much on this blog because I want people to look forward to what we have planned, so all I am going to say is six tiers. ;o) Our cake is phoenomenal. I love it. And Amy is so great to work with, and the cake is delicious and is going to be beautiful. I'm so excited about it!!!

Our invitations are picked out, we just have to finaize our guest list and get everyone's mailing address so that we can order the invitations and start getting them ready. We have quite some time before they will have to be mailed out, but I want to get it done with as soon as possible. We're meeting with our DJ on Wednesday to hopefully sign a contract and talk music! We still need to find a videographer & pick out the groomsmen apparrel. So much is getting done! Thanks for taking the time to read this! I know people aren't as excited as I am, but I needed to write about it somewhere! Hope everyone has a blessed week!

Here are just a couple beautiful wedding reception photos I found online! Enjoy!

- b -

Mission Accomplished

2010-01-24T16:46:00.000-05:00

Isn't the architecture of this room to die for? When Alex's mom visited this

weekend to work on wedding planning with us, we visited this room

at the Seelbach, and we immediately knew it was the place we wanted

to have our rehearsal dinner. So... it is booked! :) I am so excited!

More pictures to come later!

- b -

For LOVE

2010-01-21T21:51:00.000-05:00

Wouldn't it be fabulous if I could afford to buy these shoes to wear with my wedding dress? Sigh. I think I'll save this as my background picture for a few weeks. Enjoy!

- b -

Happy New Year! Time to UPDATE!

2010-01-08T18:12:00.000-05:00

Happy 2010 everyone!! I know that I have not updated in a while, but I really am trying! I have months & months of updating to do so I'll start with wedding stuff so that I can get it over with! Alex & I have been engaged for almost 2 months, and they have FLOWN by. We will have an 8 1/2 month engagement until we are married on July 31st of this year. A lot of places and vendors book up a year in advance so we were really crunched for time when it came to planning. Planning has been a little different than what I expected it to be. I guess I just feel so rushed because the wedding is less than 7 months away, and there is still so much more to do. It also seems unreal that all this time & effort is going towards planning a single event that will be over in a matter of hours. It's crazy yet I am looking forward to it at the same time. I'm trying to enjoy the process, but it is just a lot of work! I feel like all I do is make appointments, compare & contrast different vendors, make decisions & write a check. It just gets tiring after a while! I don't want to sound like I am complaining, I am just trying to describe how it is making me feel!!

Well so far I feel that I have gotten a lot accomplished, but looking at my to-do list makes for a giant dose of intimidation. Here are a few of the things that we have already done: we picked the date! That was an event all in itself. I had to call all our close friends & relatives to make sure that the people that had to be there could be there. I also had to think through my sister as being a candidate for GSP (Governer's Scholar Program) in the summer. Danielle is my maid of honor & if she gets into this program she will be gone for 5 weeks starting at the end of June. I want her to go so bad, but she won't find out until April if she got in and then she won't find out which session she is going to (if she gets in) until May. It was just so frustrating! But we picked July 31st because we have too many friends getting married in May/June, and Alex thought that those months were too soon anyways. We didn't want to get married in August because it was so close to the start of the fall semester, so we decided on July and then our venue only had an opening on the 31st so that was set! We chose our wonderful wedding party (it's pretty big!) and ceremony/reception location. We are getting married at my home church, Southeast Christian. I have grown up there my whole life, and it really means a lot to me to get married there. There was a good bit of paperwork that we had to fill out and send to get approved, along with our wedding date, and that got done. We start our 12 week premarital classes in April. They will be done in June, and we are looking forward to meeting other couples at our church who are at the same stages in life! What else... I bought my wedding dress in mid-December. They say to give it at least 6 months so that you can get it back in time for alterations. Putting the down-payment on the dress so close to Christmas killed me, but I am excited that it is ordered & currently being made. I love it, and it is just a really neat dress. I can't post pitures because of Alex, but you can just send me an e-mail at bmerante@insightbb.com if you're interested. I understand nobody really cares about any of this, but I just love talking about it every now and then. I haven't picked out the bridesmaid dresses just yet, and that is my next big goal along with the cake. I have looked at some but want to go to a couple more places to see what else is an option. Our colors are chocolate brown, ivory and purple. They go so great together, and I am hoping that it all goes well. We have booked our photographer as of YESTERDAY! Josh Perkins from Red Tree Photography is going to share our special day with us. He does an amazing job, and I am so glad that we chose him! We also looked at Studio E & Eric Graf as well, and I would recommend them second to Josh if you are ever looking for a photographer! Lastly, we decided on who would be doing our flowers. There is a florist right next to my dad's store that he really wanted to use. We were supposed to meet with them and pick out everything yesterday, but there has been a lot of snow, and they asked that we reschedule. So that is pretty much it so far! Oh yeah, I HAVE set up one block of rooms at the hotel I work at for some out-of-town guests. I need to do that at about 2 more hotels because we have a lot of people traveling, but I will do that later.

So my next big goals are picking out the bridesmaids dresses & cake. Also, I am looking for suggestions. Should I get a videographer? To those who are married are you glad that you did/didn't hire one? Would it be a good investment? Just let me know! Thanks for reading!

- b -

Wedding Website

2009-12-07T14:35:00.001-05:00

I created a wedding website!! You can visit it here! 236 days to go!

- b -

Update! --> The site is new & improved! Visit

Alex-and-Briana-tie-the-knot.com

School is Almost Out!

2009-12-02T18:29:00.000-05:00

The fall semester has almost come to an end! It has literally flown by (which I had hoped it would), and this long distance relationship thing has not been as hard as I had originally thought it was going to be! 10 more days until Alex has graduated and 13 until he is here in Louisville! I am so excited that I have this whole list of things I want to do, dates I want to go on, places I want to eat, etc. I guess I just took for granted having him in the same town when we were both in Jackson. Anyways, these next two weeks are not that busy for me! I have 3 more days of normal classes (Thursday, Friday & Monday) and then finals start. My first final is on the 10th and my last is on the 15th! I actually think that I am going to get straight A's this semester! I'm keeping my fingers crossed. :)

Things to do before Christmas Break!
- Finish my Intro. to Black Studies Wiki
*It is actually already finished. I just have to do a 2-3 minute presentation of it on Monday!
- Finish my Creative Writing portfolio
*I plan on working on this during the drive down to Jackson for Alex's graduation
- Math final (Thursday!)
- Hallmark Assessment Paper
*This is for my Human Growth & Development class. It is due tomorrow by midnight, and I haven't even started! It is what I am going to be working on all night. I am pretty good with papers though, so once I finish this I will have a lot of relief!
- American Lit. II Essays (2) and final
*I am planning to write my essays this weekend so that I have all of next week to study for my multiple choice final!

My list is really short compared to many people I know, and for this I am grateful. I cannot wait for Christmas break! I am not going to get that much of a "break" since I will be out of town and working a lot, but it's time off of school. I can't complain. :) Hope everyone is enjoying the beginning of the Holiday season!

- b -

I am going to Steamboat Springs, CO with the McCalls over break. We are going skiing, and it's going to be my first time skiing out west! I pray that I make it home alive! ;)

New Apartment

2009-11-22T18:51:00.000-05:00

Here is a picture of Alex's new apartment! We finalized the paperwork on Monday, and his move-in date is December 15th! We are excited that he got this apartment because 1) it is only 2 miles down the road from my house 2) they are pet friendly with no extra fees! 3) it is gorgeous and in a great location and 4) he got it at a discount rate! We are so thankful that the Lord made this such an easy process. My friend Jessi & her fiancé seem to be having much more trouble (according to her blog). Jessi, I hope things get better for you! I'm sorry that they are being so difficult! :( Anyways, here is the picture! I'll have to post some pictures after he gets all moved in!

- b -

"There is a tide in the affairs of men."

2009-11-19T17:56:00.000-05:00

The only reason that I know this quote is because of One Tree Hill. It is from Shakespeare's Julius Ceasar and although I remember reading it in 7th grade, I never really remembered this quote. I hear it all the time when I am watching "my show," so today I decided to look it up so that I could understand what it really meant. Here is what I found in my search:

Brutus:

There is a tide in the affairs of men.

Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;

Omitted, all the voyage of their life

Is bound in shallows and in miseries.

On such a full sea are we now afloat,

And we must take the current when it serves,

Or lose our ventures.

Julius Caesar Act 4, scene 3, 218–224

Brutus and Cassius are discussing the final phase of their civil war with the forces of Octavian and Marcus Antonius. Cassius has been urging that they group their forces at Sardis and take advantage of the secure location to catch their breath. Brutus, however, advocates heading off the enemy at Philippi before Octavian can recruit more men. Brutus's main point is that, since "the enemy increaseth every day" and "We, at the height, are ready to decline" (lines 216–217), he and Cassius must act now while the ratio of forces is most advantageous. "There's a tide in the affairs of men," he insists; that is, power is a force that ebbs and flows in time, and one must "go with the flow." Waiting around only allows your power to pass its crest and begin to ebb; if the opportunity is "omitted" (missed), you'll find yourself stranded in miserable shallows.

Just wanted to share a little knowledge! :)
- b -

Dream Come True

2009-11-16T21:36:00.000-05:00

So this weekend I got engaged to my best friend! Alex proposed on
November 14th & we will be married before next
school year, the Lord willing! We couldn't be happier!
Here are some pictures that we took this
weekend! Thank you to everyone who has called, texted and
sent us the sweetest messages! We love you all!

- b & a-

Grateful

2009-11-09T17:52:00.000-05:00

This whole weekend I have been moping around and pouting. Thursday was my birthday, and I was going to wait until the weekend to celebrate with my friends and family, but around 3:00 on Friday afternoon, Alex called to tell me that he was at the doctor's office getting tested for the flu. And guess what? The test came back positive. I was really upset at first, but it ended up just turning into sheer disappointment. I had SO been looking forward to seeing him and spending my birthday weekend with him. That didn't happen so I just moped around all weekend. It wasn't very fun, but I did get a lot done. I decided that I wasn't going to celebrate anything about my birthday until he got here, sooooo the presents are all still wrapped, the cake has yet to be made and my dinner(s) with family and friends have yet to be. I just wanted to wait until he was here to celebrate with me, and that's what I'm sticking to! It's so hard because I love presents, but it will be well worth the wait. :) He is still not feeling very well and is staying with the dogs at his apartment in Jackson until he feels better to get back to school and life. I feel so bad for him, and I ask for you to keep him in your prayers! Swine flu is no fun from what I've heard. :( There is some good news though! UofL received all his credentials to enter the Sports Administration program in January, and he has an interview on Friday morning!! Hopefully he will be feeling better, but I am so excited!! He received the notification today, and that has made it a great day. Please pray for him to feel better and for him to do good on his interview Friday! Hope all is well!

- b -

Welcome To The 20's!

2009-11-05T18:49:00.000-05:00

Today is my 20th Birthday!! :)

It started this morning when the sunlight through

my window woke me up. I checked my phone to see

what time it was but it had died. I opened my laptop

to find that it was 10:30! My first class ended at 10:45 and

my next started at 11:00 so I had missed all my classes! :(

Naturally, I decided to sleep in. I woke up around 12something,

took a shower (& used my mom's special shampoo), and

then went to lunch with my mom at Lynn's Paradise Cafe

because I had never been there before! It was

amazing, and I'm glad that I have officially experienced

it. It's a Louisville original. :) Then I went and

got a flu shot and came back home! We are going to

celebrate my birthday tomorrow actually because

I have a TON of homework to do tonight. Sigh. So I am about to go

hit the books. But I am glad to be 20!

Thank you to everyone who called, texted, or

facebooked me today! Love you all!

- b

Help Save a Life.

2009-10-22T21:08:00.000-04:00

Today I gave blood for the third time.

I'm not going to lie and say that it is a fun experience,

but I feel so much better about myself after it is over.

Giving blood is truly a giving of yourself,

and I see no reason why anybody who could give blood shouldn't.

I am terrified of needles and blood, but I suck it up because

I believe that if you have the power to change a life than you should.

So take this challenge, and go give blood today.

_______________________________________________________

³⁴"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

³⁷"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

⁴⁰"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

- b -

Support Our Troops

2009-10-18T13:36:00.000-04:00

So two of my cousins left for the Middle East this week. Please keep them in your prayers. They are both my age (Michael is 6 mos. older and Noel is 1 mo. younger), and are in the Army and Marines respectively. Pray that they will get their job done and then come home safe & sound to their families. We love you guys!

My cousin Noel Ramage: U.S. Marines

My cousin Michael Badolato Jr.: U.S. Army

- b -

Fall [Break]

2009-10-18T13:30:00.001-04:00

Well happy October! It has been raining the entire month which has been a huge disappointment because fall is my favorite time of the year. Two weekends ago I decided to get all our Halloween decorations out so that our house looked a little more festive and for the most part it went well! I even ventured to put the fake spider webs on the bushes and shutters outside. They looked GREAT but ever since then it has been raining, and they are looking pretty nasty right about now.

This year I am actually having to worry about working on the holidays. Not that I mind, but when I was in Jackson I automatically got all holidays off because I came home to Louisville during them but now I have to be all grown up, and it is not very fun. Haha well it's not too bad, but I am just waiting to see how to plan Thanksgiving and Christmas, etc.! Work is good! Nothing too interesting there!

School is getting really stressful right about now. It hasn't been bad AT ALL but for some reason I have many major projects and reports due tomorrow and Tuesday. I am going to lock myself in all day today to work on them. It is going to be no fun. :( Alex was here to visit this weekend as well, and I didn't get as much done as I wanted. We went to Industrial Nightmare last night with some friends, and it was SO fun. It's a haunted house over in Indiana, and we had a blast! I love haunted houses and being scared especially around Halloween. It just puts me in the spirit! :) We also saw The Stepfather on Friday night. It's a scary movie about this guy about to marry this woman and join her family with three kids. They show you in the beginning how he is a serial killer, and it just gets better from there! Twisted I know, but I just love it. :)

I got to spend fall break in Jackson, and it was THE BEST EVER. I loved hanging out with my old roommates and friends. We had a blast, and I am so glad that I went. It really made me miss Union a lot because I actually didn't miss it until I went. I also got to meet all the new Alpha Tau Omega pledges. They are the sweetest group of guys I have met, and I am so proud that Alex is their pledge dad. I guess if he is pledge dad that makes me pledge momma, so I made them brownies for their pledge meeting/test that they had last Tuesday. I'm guessing they liked them. Oh, and guess what? Alex is getting a LITTLE BROTHER!!! :) Not like an actual little brother, but an ATΩ little brother. He has had 4 before, and somehow every single year they end up dropping out or moving away. It's really sad, but I am so happy for him, and I know he is going to do such a great job. The pledges haven't found out who their big brother is yet, but I know. :) I can't wait because I know that Alex is so happy already and is going to be even happier once ***************** finds out that Alex is his big brother! :) Anyways, enough of that. Life is good. I don't really have much else to say. This week's weather is supposed to be getting a lot warmer, so hopefully it will start feeling like fall instead of winter!!

Peace & Blessings
Peace & Blessings
(haha girls who know what I'm talking about!)

- b-

P.S. We celebrated our 2 year anniversary on the 12th! Here are a couple pictures from the night!

We had dinner at Amerigo's in Memphis! It was delicious!

Special thanks to Catherine, Jessica, Carrie and Katie for helping me dress for the occasion! I had no dress clothes to wear and they helped me pull something together! Thank you guys!

September

2009-09-19T21:10:00.002-04:00

Whew! It's been such a long time since I have updated! Life has just been so busy, but thankfully I had a weekend off work so that I was able to catch up on rest and just take a break from it all! The first month of school has been great! UofL is so different than I thought that it would be, but that is a good thing! I love all my classes and professors, and I am really learning a lot. They seem like they can actually teach, and that is something that as a future teacher, I am very thankful for. Right now here is what my school schedule looks like!

MWF 12:00-12:50 Intro to Pan-African Studies
MWF 1:00-1:50 Intro to Creative Writing
MW 3:00-4:40 Math for Elementary Teachers I
TR 9:30-10:45 Human Growth & Development
TR 11:00-12:15 American Literature II

This is such a random assortment of classes, but they all go towards my gen. ed. requirements and towards my teaching major! I really really love UofL and just being there has taught me so much about myself, where I've been in life and the direction that I want to go. This transfer from Union was THE BEST thing that I could have possibly done, and I am so grateful that I did it. Yes, I miss Alex and all my friends, but I wouldn't have done a single thing different. I AM going to get to visit everyone on my fall break at the beginning of October, so I am looking forward to that! :)

I get to have 3 field experiences this semester. They are fairly small in the amount of hours that I have to visit each place, but I am excited about getting to go to schools in Louisville. My first field experience is at Farnsley Middle School. It is really random, but I am going to be observing in a middle school orchestra classroom. I think that once I get into my major I will get to see more of what I actually want to teach (that being elementary school and middle school English), but for now I am looking forward to spending some mornings and afternoons listening to music & seeing how that classroom operates!

My job is going well, and I am loving it. During the school year I work anywhere from 17-28 hours per week at the hotel. The people are so nice, and I am glad to be a part of the Homewood family! And every now and then I pick up a shift at Steak 'n Shake to just put a little cash in my pockets. :) Life is busy but so great!

Hmm... I am trying to think if anything interesting has happened since I last posted! I'll put a few pictures up from the Keith Urban concert on August 22nd. It was at the State Fair, and I loved spending that last weekend of summer with Alex. <3

Oh! I almost forgot! I just started volunteering as a Lift Group leader on Wednesday nights for a 6th grade girls group! I absolutely love it, and my girls are precious. We are going to be volunteering at one of the Boys & Girls Clubs in town on October 7th with our Purple Family! I am really looking forward to that, and I am looking for a service opportunity for us as a group later in the semester. I just remember how much my small group leaders and even the leaders that I didn't have one-on-one contact with made a huge difference in my life, and I just want God to use me in that same way. Pray for me & my girls as we meet this year. God is going to do great things, I just know it!

Hopefully I will be able to update a little more than I have been, but we'll see what life brings! :) Have a great beginning of Fall!!!

- b -

I just don't want to.

2009-08-29T13:32:00.001-04:00

Do you ever have those things that you need to do, but you just can't seem to make yourself do them? I have been needing to give Colby a bath all week, and I kept giving myself excuses and putting it off until I made myself do it this morning. I mean, it's not something that was hard to do or something that would take a lot of time. He stands still in the sink and doesn't move until I am done. I always feel like I have those things to do and finally end up doing them to realize that it wasn't that bad after all. Do any of you have those things?? I'm curious! Let me know! Happy Saturday! :)

- b -

Trips to Office Max make me want to...

2009-08-29T00:50:00.004-04:00

BE ORGANIZED!! & the funny thing is that I already am organized! No, I am not always CLEAN, but I like everything to have it's specific place so that I will always know where to go when I am looking for it. So tonight I decided to get all my school stuff together. This included putting all my binders and folders together, 3 hole punching all the papers that I have accumulated over the week, organize those papers and putting everything away in its proper place. THEN I had to get my desk completely together so that I feel prepared to take on my 2nd week at UofL! (Which I LOVE by the way) :) I have all my books but one (estimated arrival date= Sept. 2) and they are all neatly lined up in the right corner of my desk. All my pencils are sharpened and markers are full of ink! There is no clutter in my drawers, and everything has it's perfect place! I don't know why this makes me so happy, but I feel the need to share this accomplishment with the world. :) The only thing that I am looking for right now is a box to put an already completed scrapbook in. I went to Michael's, & they didn't have any. Neither did Meijer. Does anybody know where I can get one?? It is one of the larger scrapbooks. I am not sure of the exact dimensions, but it looks like a "normal" scrapbook to me. I'll post a pic so that you can get an estimate of the size. If any of you other scrapbookers know where I can find a box for it just let me know! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! It is our last of August 2009! :) Welcome Fall!!!!

- b -

P.S. I went to the movies tonight with my sister, and we saw Julie & Julia. I don't go to the movies hardly ever, but I LOVED this movie. It was so funny yet so serious at the same time. It is based on 2 true stories, and those are the kinds I love the most! I highly recommend it!

"I want to worship Jesus."

2009-08-26T00:22:00.001-04:00

I saw this video about 5 minutes ago on one of my Facebook friend's status. Please take 6 minutes to watch this. It is the powerful story of a 17 year old girl who converted from Islam to Christianity. She ran away, and now they are wanting to send her back to per parents, but she insists that she will be killed for her faith if she goes back. Listen to her story. She was an inspiration to me just from this short clip.

- b -

My Mix

2009-08-06T10:12:00.002-04:00

I just made a new mix CD of all my favorite Christian worship songs right now. Just thought I would share what is on my playlist right now!

What Life Would Be Like --> Big Daddy Weave
The Motions --> Matthew West
Slow Fade --> Casting Crowns
The Stand --> Hillsong United
Point of Difference --> Hillsong United
Give Me Your Eyes --> Brandon Heath
Closer to Love --> Matt Kearney
I Will Rise --> Chris Tomlin
Cannons --> Phil Wickham
Revelation Song --> Kari Jobe
The Lost Get Found --> Britt Nicole
Whatever You're Doing --> Sanctus Real
Came to My Rescue --> Hillsong United
While I'm Waiting --> John Waller

Enjoy!
- b -

"For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations." Psalm 100:5

New job!

2009-08-02T00:50:00.003-04:00

So a lot has been going on since I last posted!! My little cousin, Austin, is doing pretty good! He lost some weight after his birth (as expected), and he has almost gained it all back! :) Continue to keep him & his family in your prayers, but I am sure that he is going to be just fine.

I got a new job!! I am now a front desk agent at Hilton's Homewood Suites- Louisville East & I love it there! It is a lot more slow paced than the Doubletree which is a good thing & a bad thing. I miss having things to do all the time, but I do love the more relaxed setting & getting to know our extended stay guests. If you are ever looking for a hotel in Louisville then I recommend that you stay with us! All our rooms are suites with a kitchenette, bedroom, living room and bathroom. They are very spacious and we also have some great amenities. We serve a complimentary breakfast each morning & we also serve a complimentary Homewood Suites DINNER each Monday-Thursday. We also have people that will take your grocery list & go get all your groceries while you are away. We have an outdoor swimming pool, hot tub, and sport court as well as a 24 hr. business & fitness center! AND we have a laundry facility & complimentary guest passes to Urban Active fitness center. Here are a few pictures of my new home!!

Right now I am currently in Paducah, Ky. My great Aunt Betty died last week & her funeral was today. She had surgery last Friday and developed pneumonia afterwards, and she passed away on Wednesday, July 29. Alex drove up here to meet my family and attend the funeral with me, and for that I am very thankful. He is so precious, and it was actually the first time for him to meet most of my extended family! So that was great despite the circumstances. We are going to head back to Louisville tomorrow, and I can't wait to be home!

School starts in 22 days!! I have really been struggling with trying to figure out ways to get involved on campus. It would be SO EXTREMELY EASY for me to just go to school & then come home every day without making a ton of new friends or participating in activities. I saw so many people at Union do that, and from what I could tell, it made them feel left out and not a part of campus life. So to fix this problem, I have been looking on their website at the different clubs and activities that they have going on. I'm thinking about looking into their Big Brother/Big Sister program or some other community service organizations on campus. I also have come to realize that besides like 5 friends, I really don't know anybody at UofL that I could really say that I am close to. I really do want to meet some new friends, and even though it is a public school I know that I can be a light for Christ even in a setting that I am very unfamiliar with. It's not like this is my first year of college. I know what it's like, and I know who I am. I know what I want to get involved in, and I know the things that I want to stay away from. I was researching Greek life at UofL, and I was really impressed by some of the things I read. I had thought about going through rush at the closing of the school year, but I decided against it. I'm not sure why, but yesterday I registered because if I make just 1 good friend in the whole process (& I am sure that I will make many) then it is worth it to me. I have my true friends, but I know that there are many other girls, just like me, out there & I thought rush would be a good outlet to meet many of them & possibly join a sisterhood & make many friends! We'll see how it works out, and I am honestly just curious about Greek life at a public school vs. Greek life at a private one. UofL doesn't seem like very much of a "party school" like UK or some of the others I've heard about. Maybe I'm wrong, but I guess that's what I'll find out about in a few weeks! :) I really am excited about school, and I am trying to make a conscious effort to participate in campus life even though I won't actually be living on campus. I'm taking it as though I'm at college for the first time, and I can't wait to see what experiences it brings. Well, that is really all that is going on right now! I am off to sleep so that I am well rested to make the trip home tomorrow! Goodnight!

- b -

Austin Daniel Rudy

2009-07-17T21:02:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, my cousin Christine had a little baby boy! She wasn't due for 3 more months, but her body was rejecting the pregnancy, so they had to take him out as soon as possible! Here are some pictures of little Austin! Please keep him and my cousins Christine, Jared, and their daughter Ashlyn in your prayers!

When he was born, he was only 2lbs 10oz!!

- b -

Apartment Hunting!!

2009-07-16T14:43:00.002-04:00

I am really excited because Alex is coming to Louisville next Thursday for 3 days! :) I haven't seen him since June 22nd, and that was only for 2 days since May 21st, so this I am really looking forward too. We are not sure how often he is going to be able to visit during the fall, and the plan is for him to move here at the end of December, soooo we are going to go look at apartments around Louisville one day while he is here! I have been online looking at different complexes and their different features (such as a pool, gym or pet availability) and comparing prices, location, etc. I've picked about 8 for us to go visit, so next weekend will be pretty busy I am sure! :) We MUST find a place that takes pets because we have 2 dogs, and they are our world! :) So pray that we are able to find an affordable and nice area that he can move into in December! And also pray that he gets a good score on his GRE that he is going to take in the fall. Thanks so much!

- b -

& they fell in ♥

2009-07-13T18:51:00.003-04:00

I often get this question about me & Alex: How are you guys doing? Is he the one? etc., and I have a little "rant" that I would like to go on this evening if you don't mind. People have such speculations about love & marriage, and I just want to write what I think and believe in my heart about such an important area of each of our lives. I hear so many people say, "You're so young to even be thinking about getting married," and "You're not ready to get married," but what really makes a couple ready to get married? I honestly respect each and every person's opinion and conviction about these questions, but I am going to offer my own for now.

I can honestly say that I am 100%, head over heels, in love. Love isn't just a feeling, it is a choice and a commitment. Many days you can very much dislike the other person, but when you're in love, you choose to love that person, regardless of your feelings. Love is there the next day and the day after, no matter what. I hear so many times on television to "follow your heart," but instead, we should lead our hearts, because feelings and emotions are constantly changing. Especially as women, our feelings can change by the hour even. :) But I think that over time, when a couple feels with their hearts and their heads and commit to be there for the other person, regardless of feelings at that moment, than love can truly be found. I have been dating Alex for almost 2 years, and I love him with my whole heart. We've lived in the same city, the same house even *he lived with my family last summer* but have also spent great lengths of time away, and still I find myself completely infatuated with that boy, that man that God has made perfectly for me. Sometimes we agree and share the same exact opinions on the same thing that I think that he is just agreeing with everything that I say, but no, we honestly do have the same heart for the same issues and areas of life that are so very important. I think it is SO important for couples to agree on issues, especially ones that involved marriage, because when you decide, "hey, we are going to get married, and we'll handle this problem when we get to it in a few years," but it's not realistic. People don't just change their minds on what they believe because someone else said they should change. The person that you are meant to be with should share those same values and priorities if you expect things to work out. I'm not saying that you should always agree, because of course, people won't always agree on everything. We're human. I like certain pizza toppings and Alex likes certain pizza toppings. I may handle grief or praise in a different way that Alex handles grief or praise, but when it comes to finances, life, parenting, communication, and other aspects of a marriage relationship, than both people should be on the same page, even before they get engaged.

Communication is also an important aspect of every relationship. You have to be willing to share your heart with someone and also listen when they are sharing what they hold inside them. One person cannot always be dominating a relationship. When that happens, the other person, if they just take it and say nothing, bottle up everything inside themselves then they can most likely come to resent that other person or just explode one day. It is important for couples to be able to say what they feel without fearing the other's reaction. It is also important on how a couple handles conflict. One person cannot always "win" an argument. If a couple has an argument and there actually is a... how so I say this... "correct side," that the person who was wrong needs to be able to humbly accept what is true, and the other should not boast or say, "I told you so," but humbly love that other person in their defeat and move on. Now if it is just an issue regarding opinion, than couples should compromise so that each is satisfied with the end result. Communication is also important regarding big decisions. One person cannot handle situations alone because marriage and relationships require teamwork. I love Alex for how he always asks my opinion, and I cherish the times when I call him to ask him his advice on a particular issue in my life. I trust him, that he is going to tell me the truth, in complete honesty, even if it means that I am wrong. I know he will push me to make the right choices and that he is always on my side. There are no secrets, and a good relationship can have none. There was one time when I really messed up in mine & Alex's relationship... I was completely ashamed with how I handled a certain situation, and I was for sure that he would just not speak to me and even possibly break up with me because he didn't deserve what I had done. I could have hid it and never told him and lived with it until the day I died, but I couldn't. I cried, and I told him, and I will never forget the first words that came from his mouth: "It's ok. I forgive you." I always have grasped the concept of God's forgiveness and the price Christ paid to forgive our sins, and I have just accepted it, but when Alex said those words I immediately resorted to, "but you can't. It's too bad. You have to get mad at me or walk away while I beg for forgiveness," but that didn't happen. It was grace, and it was hard to accept. Right there and then was the first time that I really realized how difficult God's grace should be to accept. We SHOULD accept it, but at the same time, we should be so thankful and so in awe that God would do that for us, mere humans. It was a day that I will never forget, and I am thankful for such honesty and such openness in mine & Alex's relationship.

So what else prepares a couple for marriage? Well, finances of course. When you get married you are completely on your own. Car payments, house payments, insurance, groceries, gas, medical bills, phone bills, utilities, tithing, entertainment, etc. You have to be able to provide for yourselves and also be prepared to provide for a child, if God should bless you with one. No matter if you are planning for a child or not, a married couple should be able to provide for one because face it, children are a big possibility when ... well when a man & woman love each other. :) It happens and couples should be prepared!

So this all is part of what I think makes up a good marriage: Commitment, Trust, Honesty, Finances, Shared Values etc. Of course there is more, but hey, this is a blog not a book. :) & I KNOW that Alex is that special one that I will someday commit to FOREVER & ALWAYS, no matter what. And yes, I plan on getting married before I graduate from college which is when I will be 22. And yes, I know that we are young, but never once before did I say that age was what made up a good marriage. Me and Alex are like the same person. We share the same Christian values with no exceptions. Christ is #1 in our relationship, and what the Bible says will always direct our relationship and future. We are completely honest with one another. We share a trust that nobody could break. In 1 year I could completely give my life to him. I trust him with my future. We are able to provide for ourselves even if we don't "have" to right now. Yes, I live with my parents, and they pay for practically everything that I have. I only pay part of my car payment, gas, and entertainment, but in reality, Alex & I could pay for all of that. Finances are not an issue at all, and we are both working and saving and could provide for ourselves and a child, if after we were married happened (accidentally of course) before we were done with school. I'm just in this waiting period of life, and I cannot stand it, but I've learned to accept it and be content. My whole life is a waiting process... I am waiting while I am in school for a degree so that I can have a certain salary so that I can... and it goes on and on. I am waiting until I am older so that people will take my intentions with love & marriage seriously. I am waiting and while I am waiting, I am experiencing this wonderful thing called love. It is love; I have no doubt. But what ever happened to "love is the only thing that matters." If you look at that statement, you would probably be skeptical, but isn't love, TRUE LOVE, all that matters? We wouldn't have a hope, a future without the love of Christ. Marriages wouldn't be healthy and complete without TRUE love. So, yes, I am 19. That is a fact. It is something that I can't change. I am halfway done with college. It's not my fault that I skipped a grade. It's not my fault that I will graduate college when I am barely 22 years old. It's how my life is. I was always told to graduate from college before I got married, but still, people tell me 22 is too young. Since when do we have to put an age on love? No, I am not trying to be extreme and all about 16 year olds getting married in high school because they think that they are in love. I am all about being realistic. So that's why I say if a couple is TRULY in love, able to afford a comfortable life for themselves and a child, if they are completely truthful with everything and agree on the most important things than why not? Why can't they get married at 20, 21, 22, 23? People who try to tell me that I am too young have their hearts and minds set in the traditional way of doing things. I respect their opinions, but in my heart I will have to gracefully consider but also decline those same opinions. Love is love. Christ's love is the most perfect and precious and example. Sacrifice is necessary, but I am willing to sacrifice everything and all that I am for those that I love: my God, my family and my Alex. ♥

- b -

Recipe: Mexican Lasagna

2009-07-13T18:12:00.002-04:00

So I found this recipe on FoodNetwork.com, and made it last week and wanted to share it with you all! It's a quick and easy dish to make (once you have all the ingredients), so here is the recipe in case anybody is interested! I'll put the changes I made at the bottom and also some suggestions from my experience with this dish. Enjoy!
Cook Time: 20 min
Level:Easy
Yield:4 servings
Ingredients:

* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 pounds ground chicken breast, available in the packaged meats case
* 2 tablespoons chili powder
* 2 teaspoons ground cumin
* 1/2 red onion, chopped
* 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
* 1 cup medium heat taco sauce or 1 (14-oz) can stewed or fire roasted tomatoes
* 1 cup frozen corn kernels
* Salt
* 8 (8 inch) spinach flour tortillas, available on dairy aisle of market
* 2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar or shredded pepper jack
* 2 scallions, finely chopped

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil - twice around the pan. Add chicken and season with chili powder, cumin, and red onion. Brown the meat, 5 minutes. Add taco sauce or stewed or fire roasted tomatoes. Add black beans and corn. Heat the mixture through, 2 to 3 minutes then season with salt, to your taste.

Coat a shallow baking dish with remaining extra-virgin olive oil, about 1 tablespoon oil. Cut the tortillas in half or quarters to make them easy to layer with. Build lasagna in layers of meat and beans, then tortillas, then cheese. Repeat: meat, tortilla, cheese again. Bake lasagna 12 to 15 minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly. Top with the scallions and serve.

My suggestions: I used the fire roasted tomatoes, and they were delicious. I suggest adding something to make it spicy. It was a little bland but some hot sauce would be better. :) I also used Spinach wraps & Jalepeno Cheddar wraps. I mixed them in, and they were delicious! Let me know if you make it, and what ingredients you think make it better!

- b -

Lazy Days

2009-07-09T16:09:00.003-04:00

Last week, my little sister Danielle had this bumpy rash all over her legs, and it eventually spread over her whole body. Then my little brother had a fever and seemed to get the rash, but it went away after a day or so. I was so thankful that I did not get the rash.. I had been working a lot and getting back into the swing of summer break. But then to much despair, Friday afternoon while I was at work, I noticed some small red bumps on my left wrist, and I knew exactly what it was. So for the last WEEK I have been battling it out with this very itchy and bumpy rash that has completely taken over my arms and ears and left eye. It is horrible, and I cannot stop itching. It also makes my skin very dry. All 3 of us went to the doctor's on Saturday afternoon, but my mom ended up paying $120 for him to tell us that we had a virus and that we would have to "wait it out." I finally was able to get out of the house yesterday and run some errands. I got some new books (2 Karen Kingsbury & the 1st Harry Potter), and met my best friend Holly down at UofL so that she could show me around. Just those couple escapades took all the energy from me, and here I am, almost recuperated and ready to get back to work tomorrow. I've already missed three days because of this stupid thing, but thankfully it SEEMS to be getting better. I still find it spreading a little, but who knows. I wanted to put a picture up of what this thing did to my eye. :( Thankfully it is getting better, and I don't have to wear sunglasses in public! :)

- b -

Trip to Florida!

2009-07-05T15:36:00.004-04:00

I recently had the chance to go to Panama City, Florida with my roommate Catherine at the end of June. We went with her mom and her mom's friend Mrs. K. It was a really fun trip, and I enjoyed being a beach bum for a few days. I actually haven't been to Florida since spring break of my senior year of high school, so I was really pumped. :) Our days consisted of waking up and heading to the beach (usually from 10-4) & then getting showered and dressed up for dinner and shopping! It was really fun, and here are a few pictures from the trip! Catherine hasn't uploaded hers onto Facebook yet so I am waiting for her to put them up because most of them were on her camera! Hope you all are finding time to vacation yourself!

- b -

Crash 2009

2009-07-05T00:00:00.002-04:00

I know that I haven't updated in a while, but my life has been so busy! Thankfully I am doing wonderful and have a lot to catch up on! I am dedicating this post to my experience as a counselor at Country Lake Christian Retreat a few weeks back! I have grown up going to camp every summer at Country Lake, but this year was my first to be a counselor, and I LOVED it. It had been a while since I had been there, but things haven't really changed. I was there for a week (June 14-19) with a bunch of kids that will be starting 6th grade in the fall. I didn't really know what being a counselor would be like, and it was sort of a last minute decision to do it, but I really want to get involved in the Jr. High ministry at church, so I thought this would be the best way to jump in! :) We had some great adult volunteers that week, but a majority of the counselors were high school and college kids. We even had some camp teams from KCU, CCU & Milligan with us! It was great getting to know a lot of the staff at Southeast that I will be around all year long. Well each counselor got teamed up with another counselor to form a small group with 8-10 kids each. My co-leader was Sean, one of the guys from KCU. He was a sweetheart, and we definitely made a great team. Our kids were great too! Below is a picture of my girls and I... & below that are the boys of the group!!

LtoR: Rachel, Sydney, me, Emmalee, and Jill!

LtoR: Austin, Sam, Zac, and Cameron!

A lot of the leaders had... I don't want to say "trouble" with their groups, but a lot of the time they felt like they weren't able to get through to them or that they wouldn't pay attention, etc., but that was NOT the case with my kids! They participated in our small group time, and even when they acted like they weren't paying attention, I knew they were listening. :) We were the silver team, and we came up with our team name: SUPER SILVER SEVEN!! and some cheers that we chanted *or tried to chant* during our recreation/game time. It was a lot of fun, and we really bonded, and I can't wait to see these kids come over to The Block in the fall for middle school church!

I want to briefly share with you our theme for the week. As you probably saw when you first came to my blog was the title, Crash 2009. We talked all week about the rhino who has sort of become our youth "mascot" at church. The rhino is a really neat animal, and there were some really cool facts about the rhino that we were able to incorporate to our everyday lives as Christians. Our slogan for the week was this: Advance The Kingdom With Your Everyday Lives. We talked about how the rhino is the only animal on earth that does not walk/run backwards. It can only move forward, and that is what we want to do as Christians and in advancing the Kingdom. The rhino also has terrible vision and has to rely a lot on what he/she hears in order to determine what direction to go. This ties in to how we need to take time to actually listen to what God is trying to tell us instead of just walking aimlessly by our own direction. We talked about how a rhino can only see 35 ft. in front of him but when it is charging, it takes 40 ft. to stop. The rhino does not have obstacles, and we should not have obstacles in our Christian walk but turn them into opportunities. We also talked about the rhino's horn. Many people think that it is made up of ivory, but it is actually made up of thousands and thousands of hairs that are interwoven together. We talked about the power in numbers and how it benefits our Christian lives. There is power in numbers and when we get other people on our side and link together than you can do much more than you could alone. At The Block (my church's student ministry center), we actually have a rhino head crashing through one of our walls. It's really neat, and we encouraged all the students (and leaders) to be rhinos. And while a group of sheep is called a flock and a group of fish are a school; a group of rhinos is called a crash. These kids that were at camp are so special, and as a ministry, we believe that even though these kids are only 6th graders, they can crash this world and make a difference and change it for the better. That was what this week was all about, and I don't think I could have spent my week in any better place. It was really a great opportunity to reach out and connect with these kids. I don't think I will ever forget all the fun and memories that were made. There were 4 other girls besides myself that were the dorm leaders for 40 girls. It was quite an experience, but I loved being a mom to them, if only for a week. I was the 2nd oldest of the leaders in my dorm, so I really had to step up and be more than I have ever been to these kids. I can't wait to see what else lays in store during my time serving in this ministry, but if it is any better than how it started, I can't wait!

- b -

Louisville

2009-06-12T23:07:00.002-04:00

I absolutely love being in Louisville for the summer (and every other part of the year as well). I feel like I am at home here, and I know everybody and everything. It's my home, and I hope that it stays that way for a very long time. I have not been doing much lately. I've worked at Steak 'n Shake 3 times since I've been home. I've unpacked nearly everything, put all my textbooks up for sale, taken Colby to get his yearly check-up, etc. I've just been doing a lot of little stuff. I've gotten a few pet sitting jobs in here and there. It's easy way to get some extra money in and not actually have to go into work. I have been using this advertising website recently, and I just thought that I should do a little advertising! It is called Care.com, and it is a website that you can go on and either advertise for babysitting/petsitting or look for different jobs. I obviously don't have any reason to advertise for childcare, but I talked to many parents of children (and dogs) that need some extra help. That is where I met the couple that was looking for a full-time nanny this summer. I didn't end up getting that job, but I have had really good experiences with the site so far, and I recommend it if you are looking for some extra cash and have some extra time! It is completely free to post a profile and resume, and the only reason you would have to pay is if you are advertising for help. Obviously, as with any other social networking website, you should be cautious and use sound judgement when responding and arranging to meet possible employers. But it is a really good site, and you should check it out if you're interested!

Other than just getting used to being back home, I have been volunteering with the Jr. High at Southeast. I haven't gotten seriously involved yet, but camp is next week, and I am going to be a counselor there. I am so excited, and I cannot wait! I just pray that God places the right students into my family group and that he uses me to impact their lives somehow. I remember how much I looked up to my camp counselors, and I just hope that I can be that for these guys and girls. Please pray for me while I will be there and for the students that God is bringing to this camp for a reason. Hopefully I will have some great stories to share when I get back on Friday! :)

Being away from Alex has been tough, and even though we get to video chat on our laptops, I still miss being with him. I am going to get to see him next Saturday in Lebanon for his 21st birthday, so I am really looking forward to that. What I am more looking forward to is him MOVING TO LOUISVILLE at the end of December! :) He has been studying to take his GRE to get into graduate school at UofL, and hopefully he will pass! He told me tonight that he took a practice test and passed it so hopefully that is a good sign. ;) He's so smart; I know he can do it!

Well, it has been a long and boring few days. Me and Danielle had our wisdom teeth out on Tuesday morning. I was SO scared and terrified of what was going to happen, and Danielle was as calm as can be. My procedure ended up being the easier of the two, and I had much less pain than she did. I am fine now, and she is getting there. She had better get there soon though because she is taking the ACT in the morning!! But other than a little swelling and pain, the procedures went fine, and we are both doing great. Thanks to everyone who was praying for us! I don't really have much else to say, but pray for me while I am at camp! Pray that it doesn't rain all week, and that God really shows up among these middle schoolers!

- b -

Proud Big Sister

2009-06-08T18:03:00.009-04:00

Saturday afternoon, my brother, Nick, took his black belt test for karate. My mom, sister and I went to cheer him on, and while we knew it was going to be a difficult test, we did not know HOW difficult and intense it really was going to be. After almost three hours, a black eye, a scraped shoulder and bloody nose, my brother passed! He is now a black belt in karate, and I could not be more proud. Here are some pictures from the day! The students first had to do all their forms and kicks and punches. Next they had to fight 8 men in a row for 1 minute each. That is where Nick got all his bangs and bruises. After that, they had to do 50 good push-ups, 50 sit-ups and then 50 balance kicks on each foot. They had to grapple, and then after they were done with everything, they had to do 10 minutes of jumping jacks in a row. When they had 30 seconds of jumping jacks left, their teachers decided that they needed to do 15, and they extended the time. The boys finished their jumping jacks with much sweat and tears, but they finished. It was the hardest thing that Nick has ever had to do, and I am so proud of him! We celebrated at dinner that night, and then today we had some cake in light of all he has accomplished.

Congratulations Nick!

- b -

Memorial Day

2009-06-04T10:33:00.005-04:00

I know it was over a week ago, but I just now got my Memorial Day pictures uploaded to my computer. On Memorial Day some families have cookouts and some families head to the lake for the long weekend, but my family does something different. Every Memorial Day we head to the grocery and pick up some flowers, and then we drive over to the Zachary Taylor Cemetery off of Brownsboro Rd. and pay our respects to those who have served our country and died because of it. Not all those who are buried at Zachary Taylor died during the time that they were fighting, but nevertheless, they served our country and have passed away since that time. It seems that we go more than once a year, and it is hard to just go, look at the graves, place our flowers down by a few and then leave. But this year I really wanted to feel more than just the same things that I feel every year. I was looking out across all of the graves, lined so neatly and orderly, and I made myself picture one thing. I made myself, in my mind, replace each grave stone with a young man (or woman) standing up in attention. When I did this, I was overwhelmed. I was overwhelmed at how many people had really died so that I could be free and live the comfortable way that I do now. I was overwhelmed at many of the dates I saw on the tombstones. Many of these young men were barely a year or two older than I am. Making this substitution from a gravestone to an actual person made me really see and value Memorial Day in a way that I could have never imagined. Here are a few pictures from that day, and I hope that in the future, instead of just grilling out and hanging out with friends, you will really remember what Memorial Day is all about.

A freshly dug grave.. :(

Age 20

Age 21

- b -

Yard Sale!

2009-05-23T22:58:00.003-04:00

Summer is officially here! I have been going to school non-stop since I started in the Fall '07, but I am excited just to be working this summer. I don't have a job yet, but I was interviewed by a family to babysit for this summer on Thursday, and they told me that they interviewed two other people and are going to be making their decision this weekend. I am so nervous, but I hope that I get this job. It would be such a great experience and GREAT pay. I'll let you know when I find out! :)

So I haven't finished unpacking all my STUFF, but this weekend was our neighborhood yard sale, so I decided to set out some things. After I got all my stuff together, my sister, brother, mom and dad all had stuff to put out, so I threw theirs in as well. It was a very hot and long day, but at the end of all of it, we had about $200 more dollars than we started off with. What a great start to summer! :) It really was fun but also a lot of hard work. My little brother made coffee, pink lemonade, muffins and brownies to sell in the morning to those early birds. It was so cute, and did very well! People enjoy cheap, homemade treats! We got rid of a lot of our junk, and I am glad for that. After it was all over, my mom loaded up her car and took most of the rest to Goodwill for a donation. Here are some pictures from our yard sale! (These were taken before my mom put all of her stuff out. We did quite a bit of rearranging afterwards.) Hope you all enjoyed your Saturday!

- b -

P.S. We put one of our puppies, Lexi, up for sale, but nobody bought her. We didn't think anyone would, but we thought it was worth a try! If anyone is looking for a little chihuahua puppy then send me a message! :) She is 6 mos. old and AKC registered showdog!

Two More Days

2009-05-18T00:21:00.002-04:00

This semester is almost officially over. I have two days left in Jackson, and it's starting to get a little sad. I'm so ready for summer, but I think it's hitting me that I am really going to be leaving all my friends for good. Alex & I went home this weekend and brought most of my stuff back to Louisville. I spent two days cleaning my room that hasn't seen a dust mop in ages and also helping my little brother Nick with his room. I had an advising appointment at the University of Louisville on Friday afternoon, and it looks like I am going to be in school for another 3 years; and that is just for my bachelor's degree. I am bummed, but I am not really that upset. No, I do not want to have to pay for 3 more years of college, but their teaching program looks very promising, and Alex is moving to Louisville in January if he gets accepted to UofL as well. I'll just take it one semester at a time, but I think I will like it.

I have been working and studying to get ready for finals week. I have completed one of my binders to turn in tomorrow, and I have some French worksheets left to do. I am exempt from my French final though, so that is a complete relief. I have a Geography final tomorrow night, and then one more binder and a take home test to turn in on Tuesday. After that I am free! I am just glad to not have too much to do so that I can spend a lot of time with my friends before I go.

I've really been praying a lot about this summer. I feel like I have completely gotten out of a normal routine, and I just want a simple one to get into this summer. Me & my mom are going to start working out a lot and cooking. I am going to prepare a meal once every week for my family so that I can get better at it so that I can someday feel Alex something that is not microwaved! :) I am hoping to transfer to a hotel in Louisville as well. I've contacted two different hotels that say they are interested, and I am going to be contacting them this week when I get home and am settled in. I really do love my life, but I need a pattern or something. Women's Summer Bible Study is always refreshing every Tuesday morning. I can't wait, but I am going to finish this school year strong! Pray for me please!

- b -

10 Days of School Left!

2009-05-05T19:33:00.002-04:00

The spring semester is almost to a close! :) It has long been awaited, and I am just beginning to catch up and have some fun! If you don't know, this is going to be my last semester at Union. I just miss my family and friends back home a lot, so I decided that I would go to the University of Louisville in the fall! I have already completed my orientation, and now I have an advising appointment on May 15th so that I can register for classes! I am really excited about moving back home, and I am sure that I will love it. I just hope I have as much time as I think I will to hang out with my friends from high school, etc.

This semester, one of my classes has been corresponding with a 6th grade class and doing a book buddy project. It has been really fun and interesting, and their class is actually going to be visiting Union on Thursday, and we are going to be throwing a party for them! It seems like it will be really fun, and I cannot wait!

I am still not sure what I am going to be doing this summer. I am not sure if I am going to be taking classes, where I will be working, etc. so I am a little stressed out. I got a call today from a perspective employer at the Embassy Suites in Louisville, so we'll see how that pans out. I will definitely keep you all updated! I hope everyone is enjoying the almost-summer break! :)

- b -

A Poem.

2009-04-20T22:38:00.002-04:00

I am putting together a poetry collection for one of my classes. I came across this one, and I just had to share!

I Am My Own Grandpa

Many, many years ago
When I was twenty-three
I got married to a widow
Pretty as could be.

This widow had a grow-up daughter
With flowing hair of red.
My father fell in love with her,
And soon the two were wed.

This made my dad my son-in-law
And changed my very life.
Now my daughter was my mother,
For she was my father's wife.

To complicate the matters worse,
Although it brought me joy,
I soon became the father
Of a bouncing baby boy.

My little baby then became
A brother-in-law to dad.
And so became my uncle,
Though it made me very sad.

For if he was my uncle,
Then that also made him brother
To the widow's grown-up daughter
Who, of course, was my step-mother.

Father's wife then had a son
Who kept them on the run.
And he became my grandson,
For he was my daughter's son.

My wife is now my mother's mother
And it makes me blue.
Because, although she is my wife,
She's my grandma, too.

If my wife is my grandmother,
Then I am her grandchild.
And every time I think of it,
It simply drives me wild.

For now I have become
The strangest case you ever saw,
As the husband of my grandmother,
I am my own grandpa!

-Author Unknown

- b -

WOW

2009-04-17T17:16:00.003-04:00

You will TRULY be blessed by this!!

Click here. Please watch!

- b -

My Folk Tale

2009-04-17T16:03:00.004-04:00

So in my Teaching Language Arts class, we had to write a folk tale, animal tale, or tall tale. Here is my wonderful creation. It should be in the form of a children's book, but I could only write it online so here it is. Enjoy!

The Knapsack Kangaroo

By: Briana Merante

Early each and every morning I trudged my 7-year-old little body down to breakfast where my oatmeal was waiting for me. Plain old oatmeal. Boring oatmeal. Each morning, after I ate my boring oatmeal, I would trudge back up the stairs to my boring, old room. My brown, boring old room. After I got changed into my boring, old clothes, I would trudge out my front door with my boring peanut butter and jelly sandwich, ride on the boring yellow school bus and walk in my VERY boring classroom. After a very boring day at school I would trudge back onto the boring yellow school bus, walk back into my boring brown room and do my VERY, VERY boring homework. I would do this every day. Every Monday. Every Tuesday. Every Wednesday. Every Thursday. Every Friday. And sometimes even on a Saturday. My life was so boring that when people would ask me what my name was, I would just reply, "I'm Boring Brett." My life was as boring as it could be until....

One day I found a red knapsack on the red bench at the park one sunny Sunday afternoon. "It's probably a boring knapsack," I said not knowing that my boring life was about to be turned upside down. I slowly and carefully started to un-buckle the knapsack. But suddenly I felt it move! Startled, I jumped back. Did I really want to know what was in the knapsack? "Well," I sighed, "my life does need something that is un-boring." I opened the sack. At first I didn't see anything, but suddenly a head popped up! I couldn't believe my eyes! It was a baby kangaroo! Did this kangaroo live in this knapsack? COULD a kangaroo live in a knapsack? It couldn't be possible, but I didn't care. This would be my kangaroo and my red knapsack. This sunny Sunday was a day that I was always going to remember. It was the day when my boring little life was boring no more.

I named my knapsack kangaroo Jasper because that was about as un-boring of a name as I could think of. I liked talking to Jasper, and at first, I thought he might just talk back, but of course animals don’t talk. Jasper lived in MY new red knapsack. I didn’t dare bring him to school. I knew better than that! Jasper seemed to disappear every morning, and he never let me know where he went. But as sure as the sun comes up every morning, after school I would find him waiting, in my new red knapsack, for me to return. I would take Jasper to the woods behind my house, and we would play tag. We would play in the streams, eat the berries off the trees and then climb the trees. Well, Jasper couldn’t climb trees, so I just did. We had many adventures in the caves, and Japer even found a secret passageway! Times were good, and I was happy. I didn’t tell anyone about my new friend because who would believe me? Jasper was my little secret, and I would keep it that way.

“Jasper? Jasper!” I called out one day after school. Where was my red knapsack? Where was Jasper? Neither was in sight. I looked in my closet, under my bed, behind the door, and inside my laundry hamper. Nothing. Jasper, my knapsack kangaroo, was nowhere to be found. Suddenly I spotted something that fluttered on my desk. It was a note! A note from Jasper. It read,

Boring young Brett, you are boring no more

A friend, all you needed, to get out the door

As friends it was fun to hop, run and play

But you need a real friend

I can’t always stay.

I hope through this riddle you’ll finally see

True friendship, real friendship will un-boring be.

~ Jasper

I put the letter down. Jasper was really gone! But what did that last line say? “True friendship, real friendship will un-boring be?” I was very confused so I just went to bed.

I got up the next morning, and there again was my boring oatmeal. I got dressed in my boring, brown room. I rode the boring yellow school bus and walked into my VERY boring classroom. At recess I decided to read a kangaroo book that I had checked out of our school library. I sat down against the playground wall to read when a shadow fell across my book. I looked up, and there was a boy from my class just looking at me. “What are you reading?” he asked. I told him it was a book about kangaroos. “Cool!” he said. “Can I look?” He sat down next to me, and I showed him all my favorite pictures. I showed him a picture of a kangaroo that looked just like Jasper, but I didn’t tell him about Jasper.

Each day my new friend (his name was Jamie) would ask if he could look at my kangaroo books with me. He even brought some of his own one day! I really like being friends with Jamie, and one day I suddenly remembered what Jasper’s note had said at the very end. “True friendship, real friendship will un-boring be.” Jasper was my friend. Was Jamie my friend now? Yes! I finally learned what Jasper had been trying to teach me! Jasper had shown me true friendship, and now Jamie had taken his place. “Look at this one,” Jamie said. I looked and smiled. Jamie was my friend, and life wasn’t as boring as it once was. I finished looking at his picture and went to look back at my book, but as I glanced up, I thought I saw a familiar kangaroo hopping in the distance. I looked again, and there was nothing. I was disappointed, but I smiled because I knew that I had found a very special, un-boring friend.

_________________________________________________

- b -

My Time in Guatemala

2009-04-17T00:01:00.003-04:00

I know this is very late coming, but I have been so busy, and I really wanted the time I had to reflect on my trip to be the best that it could be. So here is my reflection on Guatemala.

Before we left, I remember feeling that is was so unreal that we were going to be in Guatemala within 12 hours. I had no clue what to expect, and no clue how God was going to use me and impact me on this trip. I told myself that I was just going to be laid back and go along with whatever happened. I would be an open book for God to use, and I would rely on Him to work through me. Our team arrived in Guatemala with absolutely no trouble getting through customs, baggage checks, etc. Every piece of our luggage arrived safe and sound, and we met our drivers outside the Guatemalan airport to load up the baggage. They stacked our suitcases onto a little trailer hitch and we made the 30 minute drive to Casa (Casa Para Ninos Alelyuia). Now a lot of people think that Casa is an orphanage, but it is technically a children's home. Many of the children there DO have parents, they are just unable to live with them, or they were abandoned and are not able to be put up for adoption because their parents have not signed them over. I really wanted to bond with these children, but I didn't expect all the hard work that it took. There were many people on our trip that had been to Guatemala before, and they said that the children were really easy to communicate with, and, for the most part, knew English. Boy, did I feel differently. I have not taken a Spanish class in 4 years, and currently I am taking French, so my means of communication were very, very small. At the beginning of our trip, our team decided that we really wanted to focus on sharing the gospel with the older students and not just play with that babies all the time. So the first day we went out to the play yard and I just walked around hoping to meet someone. I was just walking and looking around, and I saw a little girl that was about 10 years old just leaning against one of the cars that was parked. I said hello, and I tried to ask her a few questions, but she just looked at me. She would speak in Spanish, and neither of us knew what the other was saying. It got a little better, but basically this was how it went ALL week. At least for me, it was really hard to communicate, but I had to trust that God would work through that. Language isn't a factor to Him! If He wants to speak to someone, He WILL speak to them. Well to make a long story short, I talked to this girl (her name is Marina) almost every day, and we became good friends. Sometimes we would just sit, and sometimes we would talk. She is a great girl, and she has such a sweet spirit and countenance about her.

Each morning we would wake up around 6 or 7 and shower, make breakfast and do our team devotions. This was really a great part of our day. We would get to bond as a team, read the Word and talk about what God was speaking to us while we were there. One day we talked about God's faithfulness in everything, one day we talked about being bold for Christ and not hiding behind the cameras, etc. One day we talked about letting God take control and just work through us while we were there. At first, many of us were frustrated because what could we do in a single week? People came and left all the time, and the kids were used to that. They were used to being let down, and it kind of felt like we were just going to be another group putting them through that again. But we had to trust that God would use us and even if we might not see the results, we would be obedient to Him and love on these kids and people that worked at Casa. After our morning devotions, we would clean up and work while the children were at school. The first day I went with a group and we picked up trash on one of the playgrounds. That was good until all the little boys came up and wanted us to play. We cleaned for a little while longer and then gave into them and just hung out. They were so cute and wanted us to do all these strange things. They gathered all the "Gringos" (that is their term for Americans) into a small group and made us sing the national anthem. It was really funny, and I guess they liked it! We got to know them, and it was a really good time just to hang out with them. I really bonded with a little boy there named Gabriel. I think he was 7 years old, but he was so sweet. He was very quiet, and he didn't know English but that was okay because he didn't even talk to me in Spanish. Before we left for Guatemala, I collected a bunch of t-shirts and jerseys to pass out to the kids, and I had a soccer jersey from my little brother so I gave one to Gabriel. He absolutely loved it. He wore it every single day, and it was so cute to see him happy. One day I brought out a whole stack of t-shirts to pass out to the boys and the minute that I walked through the gate, I was completely attacked and had no shirts left. Boys just grabbed them out of my hand and ran off. I went to tell their dorm mom that I had given them t-shirts and she asked me who I had given them to. I had NO idea what their names were, but she told me that only certain boys were allowed to have shirts. I guess these t-shirts were a privilege for them to have, and if they didn't have a good conduct grade then they weren't allowed to have one. Many of the boys had to give their shirts back to me, and finally all was settled. The boys loved them, and I felt horrible that I was not able to give one to all, but I did not make the rules!

Okay, well I have to go write a lesson plan right now, but I will finish later! Keep checking back for updates!

- b -

Sneak Peak :)

2009-04-07T00:08:00.003-04:00

Here is a little sneak peak from my mission trip to Guatemala! I have been sooo busy with school, so I haven't been able to fully update, but here is a little video from the church service we went to at the children's home that first Sunday morning at Casa. It was a lot nicer than I expected!! Enjoy!

- b -

Prayer Please!

2009-03-20T02:05:00.002-04:00

I just wanted to let everyone on here know that my team & I are going to be leaving for Guatemala in 25 hours! This preparation time has come to a halt, and I am so thankful for everything that God has been teaching me these last few months and weeks especially. The Lord is really going to do a great thing this coming week, and one thing that I wish for is to witness a miracle, and I know MY God can do that! I have collected a bunch of American T-shirts and hats, etc. for the children and adults down there, and I really hope that I get to see them receive these gifts from my family, friends and I, because I know how much it will mean to them, and they will all look just precious. These clothes could not be put to better use.

I ask you to pray that our flight will arrive safely in Atlanta, GA and Guatemala City going to and from our destination. I pray that we are able to be witnesses for Christ on the way to Guatemala and on the way back. I ask you to pray that we can be bold for Christ in both word & deed while we are traveling, and that God will grant us safety and ease when getting across the border(s). I pray that God will work in the heart of these children and adults while we are there and also in my team members' hearts as well. I cannot wait to return with pictures and stories. Until then...

- b -

Romans 10:14 (New International Version)

14How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?

En46le

2009-03-09T00:33:00.007-04:00

IJM - Reality of Human Trafficking from International Justice Mission on Vimeo.

46 was inspired by the desire to do something worthwhile and creative. It is an effort to make a difference in the fight to improve the lives of children worldwide. We are in the process of developing additional programs like the en46le & lov46le projects. Our commitment is to give 4 the benefit of these 6 areas of need: abuse, poverty, disease, birth defects, education and nutrition/physical fitness.

If you would like to get involved by simply ordering a T-shirt, go to www.46nyc.com. 100% of the proceeds go to helping people all across the world that suffer from these 6 areas of need mentioned above. Join the fight with me!

- 6 -

The Boys' First Time in Real Snow*

2009-03-02T09:02:00.003-05:00

Colby & Otis have seen snow before, but nothing like this! It was so cute to see them hopping and running around (to the best of their ability). I just had to share this video. Enjoy!

- b -

I Feel Like I Can Accomplish The World

2009-02-28T13:28:00.002-05:00

This past week has been CRAZY. I have had everything to do and no time to do it. I have been working about 25 hrs. a week on top of being a full time college student, and until payday, I didn't see how it was paying off. :) I've been working + completing training while trying to stay on top of my studies as well. I've been working on education projects, lessons, and learning a new language (French). I didn't realize how hard it would be, but I guess after my first test that is on Monday, we'll see how I am really doing! I've been a teammate and girlfriend and Alex's basketball fan. I admit that I cannot attend all games and events, but I am doing the best I can. I've tried to maintain friendships both here and back home. I've tried to balance relationships with my mom, dad, brother, sister and extended relatives while finding time to go to the grocery, do laundry, dry cleaners and tanning bed :). I've been the mommy to two little puppies that probably suffer the worst of all. I never get to see them, but that is going to change. I've barely had time to eat, let alone decide what I am going to eat. I haven't had time to even stop and check if my car needs an oil change. I haven't even gotten one since I've had the car. My room is partially clean, and it's a struggle finding time to really clean it like I should. BUT I have 2 days off this weekend, and I feel like I can accomplish the world. I just pray that I do not take the time that I should be preparing my heart and mind to go to Guatemala with all these "trivial" things in life. God really is doing great things in my life, and my church here is great. I know I need to slow down, but I don't really have that choice. I am tired, stressed and worn out, and I just cannot wait for school to be over. Until then, I covet your prayers. Thank you, and now I am off with things to do. :)

- b -

I'm In Love With ...

2009-02-20T09:35:00.002-05:00

Alex McCall. He is the most amazing person I have ever met. He never ceases to amaze me, and I cherish how honest and strong he is when he is around me. He is such a great leader in our relationship, and every decision that he makes, I know that he has our best intentions at heart. I love it when I am having a bad day, and he always knows what to do to cheer me up. I covet his prayers for me every day, and his strength and courage are impressive. :) I love how he treats me like a princess should be treated. He opens doors and always acts like a true gentleman. I see his love for Christ growing deeper each and every day, and he is always willing to share his heart with me. He is everything that I hoped for in a guy, and I am so proud to call him my boyfriend. I'm just a girl in love with the man God made especially for me. This is forever & always!

- briana -

If You Just Need a Laugh

2009-02-16T10:19:00.001-05:00

Watch this video :)

- b -

February 5, 2008

2009-02-05T16:47:00.006-05:00

No words can truly describe what happened a year ago today. This video shows more than enough, but I will share my personal story later on. In 3 1/2 hours our campus will be remembering and reflecting what God allowed us to experience as a body of Christ to further His Kingdom, and we thank Him for that.

All three of these videos portray the same damage but from completely different points of view. Please continue to pray for our campus as we are still healing and pressing onward. It is so easy to forget what happened, but I hope to never forget and never take for granted the protection that was over my life. So often I just say I was in the right place at the right time, and I try to take the credit away from our Heavenly Father, but He alone deserves everything.

MY STORY

A year ago today was just another day. It was actually a very unexpected day as it was the very beginning of February, and I was able to wear shorts, a short sleeved sweater and flip-flops to class. I went to my classes just like any other day, and that evening around 4 I headed to my hostessing job at the Rafferty's of Jackson. The forecast called for storms and harsh weather, but I did not think a thing of it. I was excited to be able to get off work early (about 3 HOURS earlier than normal) so I was happy to invite my boyfriend of almost 4 months, Alex to come eat with me before he had to work on a project in Jennings hall. As we were eating, one of the waiters, Scott, came and told us that we would have to move to a table closer to the center of the restaurant because we couldn't be near any windows. We were finished with our meal and just talking so we obliged and moved in. There were only a few customers in the restaurant: a few regular's at the bar and two women in the booth diagonal from us. We had only been sitting in our booth for maybe three minutes when my manager Nick ordered everybody into the walk-in freezer. I hadn't heard the sirens, but the freezer was supposedly the safest place in the whole restaurant, so we all crammed in there to wait out the storm. Hmm... my experience in the freezer was quite entertaining. The two ladies eating diagonally from us were more than claustrophobic. We had to corner one of them in the back for fear of her running out to her car and heading out straight into the storm. She kept screaming and jumping up and down, and we could not help but laugh. Two other guys were completely wasted. They kept asking if they could have more drinks and provided some very comic relief to the situation that was at hand. I called my mom just to let her know I was okay, and I texted my roommates to make sure they were okay. Everything seemed fine. After the sirens subsided, Alex & I headed out together (i was too afraid to drive by myself), and he was going to drop me off at my dorm and then take me to my car the next morning during my break. That's when we saw the "damage." To put it, damage cannot even describe what we saw. It was very dark, but as we passed the bank to go back to Union we saw one thing, the banks on both sides of the street were gone. Powerlines were down on both sides of the road, and there was a block to Union's campus. Nobody was allowed on campus. The traffic was so terrible that we just headed to Alex's apartment to get Otis (I got Colby a month later) and fins shelter someplace safer. We had heard that more tornadoes were coming so we needed to get someplace else because his apartment was on the second story. I changed quickly into some of Alex's clothes, and all four of us (Alex, Clayton, Otis and I) headed over to Sarah Davenport's (a professor in the Athletic Department) apartment. All the phone lines were down, so it was really hard to receive incoming calls or make outgoing calls. I talked to my parents briefly, told them where I was, and then my phone died. Alex's died as well. We stayed up by the light of the candles playing a board game. I soon was tired of that, and fell asleep by myself in the middle of her hallway. We had no electricity or television access so it was really hard to know what had occurred the night before. Rumors flew. We heard that the ZTA house had it's roof ripped off and that there were people trapped underneath the rubble at Union. We all woke up the next morning, and there was still no electricity. I convinced Alex to try to fight all the traffic so I could check on my dorm and make sure it was okay. I was so worried about the diamond necklace that he had bought me for Christmas. I realized how much value I kept on such trivial things. I was worried about my necklace, my laptop, and my new pottery barn comforter of all things. How shallow. I didn't realize though that I had insurance so I just figured that if I lost everything then I would just be so out of luck. As we pulled up to Union, there were classmates and parents and teachers all around. Nobody was allowed on campus due to the down power lines, etc. Later the next day we were finally able to go on campus. We were told which sorority house to go to, and they gave us each a big black trashbag, a supervising adult and 5 whole minutes to throw in everything we would need for the next month. School was canceled until further notice, and I had 5 minutes to pack up and get out of there. I took the essentials (clothing, pillow, laptop) and left as quickly as I had come. My dorm was completely fine. It was one of the very few buildings in McAfee that had barely any damage. The picnic table that we had spent so much time at that was outside our room had flown through our window. But other than that, my room was completely fine. And thanks to the fact that I had been at work, my car was completely fine. There were less than 100 cars the day after the tornado that weren't totaled. If mine had been on campus it surely wuold have been destroyed. I felt so guilty that I hadn't lost any of my stuff. Everyone was so emotional and upset that it felt wrong to be happy that my belongings were safe and sound. After I got home to Louisville, I went into a slump for a few days. I went to Whitefield's homecoming where I was welcomed by everyone I knew. I received countless facebook messages from friends and family saying that they were praying for me. I felt like I didn't deserve the prayer and support because I felt like I had experienced nothing. I didn't have a cool story to tell. I didn't even get a brand new car like almost everyone else seemed to have once school started back. Sometimes I wish I had lost everything, but now I am grateful that I was spared. It was such a miracle that nobody was killed that night. Over fifty people were sent to the hospital, and three of them remained there for quite some time. We ended up having different schedules and that was pretty crazy, but overall, Union handled the situation very well. By the fall of 2008, all the new dorms were up and running. The 10 year building project that was in place got reduced to the 7 month project. We have healed significantly from that tradgedy, but we are still scared sometime. I remember the first time there was bad weather after that night, I had a bag packed and ready to take with me. Of course nothing happened, but I was prepared. All of us students know what to do now. We have first floor bathrooms with about 4 locks on them and they are tornado "proof." They still would not be able to withstand an EF-4 tornado, but we hope that night was the exception. We have drills and plans set in place and everyone knows exactly what to do just in case. So many times I credit myself. I was in the right place at the right time. But God is truly the one who spared my life that February night. He saved all of our lives, and I hope to not soon forget. Union University was not victim that night; we were blessed to be able to direct the glory of everything that happened to us to our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ. Union was United. 02-05-08

- b -

A Time of "What-Ifs"

2009-02-01T00:49:00.003-05:00

My class is officially over!! As of yesterday afternoon, I am done. And the good thing(s) about it are that I was able to turn in DOUBLE extra credit, and I think my final went REALLY well. I am borderline A & B, so we will see how it turns out!!! The suspense is killing me, and I check online to see if the grade is posted like every 2 hours, but I guess I can wait. Not much else has been going on here at Union. We got some snow and ice, and thankfully the power did not go out here like it has in Louisville. My family has been without power for a long while, and are freezing with the exception of a few space heaters & a generator. My sister got stuck in Richmond, KY at the Whitefield Basketball State Championship Tournament. They lost, but it seems like they had a lot of fun (especially since they got snowed in for a few days). Another exciting thing for me is that I am getting a lot more hours at work. When I first got back from Louisville they were giving me like 8 or 9 week. Eventually it got up to about 14 or 15, and next week they gave me 24 hours!!! I am going to start saving up my money for a vacation or something special. I haven't really decided yet since I go to school year round. Spring classes start for me on Wednesday so until then I don't have much going on. I've been dealing with some kind of complicated relationship issues. Me & Alex are wonderful, but other things sometimes seem to get in the way at the most inconvenient times. There is always that question of what might have been, and I wish it would leave me alone. But it's better to deal with it now than later.I hope everyone is doing wonderful!! I just my life and the people in it (& dogs) :).

- b -

Stressing!

2009-01-29T15:47:00.002-05:00

I am completely stressing out over my final exam that will be taking place in 2 hours and 11 minutes and 52 seconds. Due to inclement weather, my group was not able to tour the West Tennessee Cerebral Palsy Center for 20 points extra credit. That has added to my stress & made sure that I could not possibly receive an A in the class. So a B will have to suffice. Bad weather is not very fun!!! I am just glad that this will all be over in a matter of hours. Wish me luck!!

- b -

It's Really Early Right Now

2009-01-27T09:40:00.002-05:00

It's 8:40 & I'm up. Things have been going pretty crappy the last few days. Well, there has been good & bad. I haven't had to work that much so it gets pretty boring here at the dorm. I got 2 shots yesterday. *ouch* I got one in each arm. My left arm got the flu shot, & my right arm got my second dose of the Hepatitis A shot. I was just sitting around yesterday thinking about my trip to Guatemala & realized that there was still some shots I needed so I talked to a guy friend of mine and was like, "Hey Ryan, do you wanna go get our shots?" And we just walked to Nurse Paul's office here on campus & had a shot party. Joy. So I woke up this morning & my right arm is really, really sore. :*( Not only that, I have been really stressing about this class that I am taking. I have 1 more assignment due Thursday & then my final exam. I am really scared about the test because the last one was killer & I got an 84. Me & some of my friends were counting on doing extra credit (20 points!) by taking a tour of the West Tennessee Cerebral Palsy Center at 10 this morning, but I called them to see if they were open due to the icy weather, and they had to cancel. Now I am even more stressed about my grade because I don't know if my teacher will let us turn our extra credit in late (it's due tonight). Agh!! I hate even thinking about all of this.

I have had some really good news in all of this though. I have my trip to Guatemala almost paid in FULL!!! I only have $85 dollars left to pay. Yesterday was amazing because I got about 7 support checks in the mail totaling over $500. God really does provide. You just have to trust Him! :) I probably will get more money donated than I actually need but that is O.K. because I can get reimbursed for this very painful shot in my right arm & possibly for my passport that I had to get last year. We'll see. Things are just really coming together! I am also getting some extra money in for my textbooks that I need to buy for the spring semester. I actually get to go buy one today!! I know, it is so weird that I am excited about buying textbooks, but I have the money now from selling my older ones so that makes me very happy. Now I just have to start saving up to pay for Colby to spend a week at the kennel while I am on my trip. It's a $96.00 expense I am pretty sure, but very cheap for most kennels. He & Otis are actually going to be staying and the place where Alex & I purchased them. They charge only 10 dollars a day & 12 if they are going to be staying overnight.

So that is all my drama for the weekend. Pray that my professor will be merciful & give us a grace period on our extra credit. I will head to the books to keep studying for my final, and then I have to tutor at 4:00. Stay safe on these snowy/icy roads!

- b -

Miss America Pageant

2009-01-24T01:11:00.003-05:00

Okay so I just wanted to let everyone on here know that a girl from Union, Ellen Carrington is going to be in the Miss America pageant tomorrow night at 8pm/7 central time. The reality show Countdown to the Crown gave 15 lucky girls golden sashes & they were able to compete for a spot in the top 15 in the pageant! Ellen did not win a golden sash but her mom wrote a note on Facebook saying that we should all vote for Miss Indiana or Miss Georgia because it can somehow help Ellen advance if it is a close race. To vote, you can send a text message to 97979 that says either INDIANA or GEORGIA (you can vote up to 4 times) or vote on the show's website. Tune in tomorrow to see if Ellen places in the pageant! Union's prayers are with her!

- b -

Good Morning!!!

2009-01-23T12:59:00.004-05:00

Yawn. It's almost noon & I just rolled out of bed. For some reason ever since I got back to Union I have had the craziest dreams. I used to have dreams occasionally, but now I have been having them every night! My crazy dream for last night? = I hung out with President Obama in his private jet, and we sky dived & then went to a music store and bought music & stuff for his little girls. It has been so strange!!! Maybe it is because I watched the inauguration the other day or something.

Anyways, I am really looking forward to this weekend. For my class I have to interview a teacher, so hopefully I will be able to get that done this weekend. I also have to go on a field trip with my friend, so I am going to be making contacts all weekend and hopefully making travel plans. I also plan to study for my final exam that is going to be on Thursday BUT have some fun in the meantime. Me & my friends Catherine and India have been scrapbooking a lot so hopefully we will get to work on those this weekend. Also I work tomorrow for a whopping 4 hours. Hopefully I'll get more hours when the new schedule comes out. I work at the DoubleTree Hotel here in Jackson at the front desk. I really like it, and it is a pretty chill job. It is way better than waitressing.

Well, here's to the start of my weekend! Hopefully I will get a lot done as planned!

- b -

What I Want

2009-01-21T01:02:00.003-05:00

* I want to feel those butterflies every time I see him.
* I want to appreciate every little thing he does for me.
* I want to never hurt him with my words on purpose.
* I want to love him in the way he should be loved.
* I want us.

Forever & Always
Alex ♥ Briana

- b -

One Tree Hill

2009-01-19T15:22:00.018-05:00

So I was playing with my blog today and picking out new layouts and gadgets, etc. and if you've noticed, I put one of the most inspiring quotes that I've heard lately at the top of my blog and also a OTH quote of the day at the bottom of my page. Yes, I am completely obsessed with the TV show One Tree Hill. If you've never watched it (which I am guessing is most of you) then you probably think it is some teeny-bopper soap opera, but it is most absolutely not. The story (or STORIES) are full of action and deal with situations regarding revenge, regret, truth, forgiveness, anger, friendship and yes, LOVE. I had never watched the show until my friends from school got me into it this past semester. As it is being aired weekly on Monday nights, they are currently in the middle of season six, so when I first watched it I was a little lost. But when Target has some super savings in November, I was able to purchase the first 5 seasons for only $75.00. That is extremely cheap considering they are anywhere from $35 - $50 per season. So starting fall break, me & Alex decided to sit down and watch them together, and as of this week, we are officially caught up! His friends make fun of him for liking it so much (or should I say LOVING it so much) :) but like I said, it's not just some stupid teenage soap opera. So I thought that during this blog I would put up a picture of each of the main characters and tell you why I love them and how they have impacted my life because they really have. I know they are just fictional characters, but each of them possess traits that I want to find in myself, and even though it is not a Christian show by any means, if you watch it with filtered eyes and a spiritually, grounded heart and mind, you are able to learn from fictional and seemingly pointless television shows and bring meaning into your life as you learn.

The Plot: One Tree Hill is about families and friends living in the city, Tree Hill. :) Nathan Scott and Lucas Scott are half brothers (they share the same dad, Dan Scott). Dan abandoned Lucas and his mom (Karen Roe) when he was a baby so that has built up anger and hostility in Lucas towards Nathan and Dan. Dan's brother Keith stepped into Karen and Lucas' lives and helped raise Lucas after his brother had abandoned them.

Peyton Sawyer and Brooke Davis are best friends who deal with issues such as deaths of parents, adoptions, psycho stalkers, estranged family, cancer, high school drama and their infamous love triangle with Lucas Scott. (I won't ruin the story by telling you who ends up with whom.) And when they finally graduate from Tree Hill and move on with their lives and their careers, life can get a little messy. They befriend Haley James, their class Valedictorian who by her Junior year of high school was also a wife and late on a mother. But Haley's life is torn in two after some hurt and pain caused in the relationship she has after going on tour with Michelle Branch.

All these characters come together and form never-ending friendships and relationships that nobody could ever tear apart. :) (I hope I didn't ruin anything! lol)

Nathan Scott: I love Nathan because he reminds me so much of Alex. He is by far my favorite character in this show. Nathan starts out as the spoiled rich kid, and you don't start to feel sorry for him until you get to know his over-bearing and evil father Dan. Nathan dreams of being an MBA basketball star and OTH takes you through his journey beginning in his junior year of high school and ending well ... tune in on Monday nights :) He is a completely different person than he was when the show started, and his love for others (especially his family) makes me fall more and more in love with him each episode!!

Lucas Scott: I love Lucas because he genuinely cares about others. He is that guy that when you talk to, he is all about YOU. He is selfless and the hero in many episodes. But he does it all with humility and rarely ever takes credit. I wish I could be humble like him and always think before I speak!

Brook Davis: Brooke is a strong character. She made many mistakes in high school, but the strength she has to not let those choices weigh her down and influence her present and her future are phenomenal. She is independent yet much of a family girl (not in the literal sense).

Peyton Sawyer: Peyton struggles with many issues such as fear and loss. She starts as an afraid little girl and turns into a confident and successful woman. I admire her ability to let go and move on when she has every right to hide from the world.

Haley James (Scott!): Haley is so smart and so beautiful. I admire how she is always organized and seems to have things under control no matter how mixed up things seem. She is a wonderful mother (I won't say who her hubby is!!!) and friend. I hope to be the mother that she is someday.

James Lucas Scott: Do not be fooled by the name! Jamie is a 5 year old little boy and son to Haley James Scott. He is just so cute, and that is why I love him.

So now that you have officially been sucked into my world of One Tree Hill, I hope that maybe you'll realize that even though television can seem pointless and superficial, it can really make you think about your life and how you want it to be. I love One Tree Hill & it is coming on TONIGHT (on the CW)!!! :) :) :)

- b -

Nerves

2009-01-13T19:48:00.001-05:00

So I was searching the Internet during my night class on some information about Guatemala and those visiting Guatemala so that I am a little bit informed before I go. Here's what I found.

SAFETY AND SECURITY: Violent criminal activity continues to be a problem in Guatemala, including murder, rape, and armed assaults against foreigners. The police force is inexperienced and under-funded, and the judicial system is weak, overworked, and inefficient. Well-armed criminals know there is little chance they will be caught or punished. Traditionally, Guatemala experiences increases in crime before and during the Christmas and Easter holiday seasons.

oh my, my, my.

- b -

Back to Class ... or ClassES!

2009-01-12T17:29:00.003-05:00

I am home safe and sound back in my dorm at Union! I have been back for eight days, and they have been very restful, and I have gotten a lot accomplished. At Union, our spring semester does not begin until February so during the month of January, students have the option of taking one or two classes and getting them completed in 4 weeks instead of a whole semester. It is a really nice option to have, so this year is my first year officially taking J-term! I am taking one special education class called Survey of Exceptionalities. We meet on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 5-9. It seems like such a long period of time to meet, but it isn't that bad, and I have my laptop and Internet to play around on. This is the only special education class that I have to take, and it is really interesting, but I do not think I could major in it. I am going to stick with traditional elementary school teaching, and we'll see where it goes from there! I love the beginning of new semesters because everything is so unknown and exciting and fresh. I get all motivated and really learn a lot. I absolutely hate buying textbooks though. I had a friend that was in need of some quick cash so he sold me $125.00 in the bookstore gift cards for only $75.00. That was really nice, and today I purchased on of my teaching books. It is a book on how to teach language arts. I can't believe that in 2 years I am really going to be a teacher!! That is so crazy :). But I still have a few more books that I need to save up for. It is just really hard, and I have no money and am not getting the hours that I really need at my job. I am going to start tutoring this week, so hopefully that will bring in a little extra cash. I am also worried about funding for my mission trip to Guatemala. It is in March, so I don't have a lot more time to raise money! :/ Hopefully my parents are able to help me out if I am short at all until I can pay them back. I sure hope so. But other than financial worries, life is pretty good here at Union. It is lonely because none of my roommates have moved back yet, but my friends (well one is my roommate) Catherine and Indi have been over a few times, and we have been working on our scrapbooks together. They look awesome, and I am really enjoying them! :) Hope everyone is off to a great 2009! God bless!

- b -

"And GO into all the world, making disciples of every nation..."

2009-01-07T00:22:00.003-05:00

Hey guys! I just wanted to let you everybody know that in March I will be going on a mission trip to Guatemala to work at the Casa Para Ninos Aleluya orphanage. It is such an exciting opportunity for me and my teammates as we ACTUALLY get to go this year! Last year our trip was canceled due to the F-4 tornado that destroyed over half of my school, but thankfully the Lord has provided another opportunity for us to go. I have sent out most of my support letters already, but in case there was someone blogging that actually reads this and would like to support this ministry, I am inserting directions in this note on how you can do so. I would love ANY support I can get, whether that be financially or prayerfully. For those of you who are able to financially support me, you may give online by clicking here and then clicking on "GO Trip Donations." As a point of clarity, your contribution is being given to the Global Outreach Program of Union University. If for some reason I am not able to go on the trip, your contribution will remain in the Global Outreach fund to be used for other mission opportunities under the Global Outreach program at the discretion of the office of Campus Ministries. My name of course is Briana Merante, and my trip destination is called Go Guatemala (It will ask you for both of these on the form). Thank you so much for supporting me in both ways, and I cannot wait to update you on what happens on this amazing trip! Thank you so much in advance! The Lord is going to continue doing great things!

- b -

Welcome, Welcome 2009

2009-01-03T23:36:00.008-05:00

These past 3 days, the first days of 2009, I have just been thinking a lot about the past year and the new one that we are now embarking upon. So much has happened, and so much will happen that it is really hard for me to wrap my mind upon all of it as I have been trying to do! This last year has held so much. Alex and I actually dated the ENTIRE year of 2008 while we celebrated our 1 year anniversary in October. I got a new puppy in March, and I cannot imagine life without that precious little boy. I was a college Freshman, Sophomore and Junior all in one year :o) Yes, I know.. props to me! I went to summer school for the first time ever and began at a new college. In 2008 I started a new job, one that I love. I decided on what profession that the Lord has called me to. I didn't really decide, but the Lord led me straight to the door of the Education Dept. at Union University. I survived an F4 tornado that destroyed over half of my school. Thankfully I was safe and sound at work. Sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't have been spared all the hurt and devastation that many of my friends had to battle, but the Lord protected us all, and for that I am thankful. In 2008 I received the news that I would have another chance to serve in the country of Guatemala since our last trip had to be canceled. If this counts for anything, I lost 20 lbs. from no action of my own. I really was against the whole New Years Resolution thing last year so I made it my resolution to not make a resolution and what most people (well girls like myself) dream of really happened to me. But I decided that this year it is OKAY to make a resolution. I was so against it before because people make them so far fetched and give up mid-February or even earlier that it seems unrealistic. It's basically saying okay this is doomed to fail and setting yourself up for it anyways. So as of December 31, 2008 I am so incredibly happy with how my 2008 turned out. It has truly been a year of blessings and friendships and love, and I can't wait for 2009. It has already been 3 days, and I have had the best ever. On New Years day I was able to walk outside into the * warm! * breeze and look over acres of farmland that the sun just magically and picture perfectly danced across. I was in the arms of the one I am crazy in love with; someone who loves me just the same. :) I didn't have a care in the world, and I still don't. Over these past three days I was able to use my health and my strength to work 15 hours and witness to somebody about Jesus Christ, a love they had lost feeling for in their heart. I was able to share laughs with my family and just be the woman that God made me to be. Someone living for him and enjoying every minute of it. Welcome 2009.

Me & my new roommate/best friend Catherine!

Me giving Colby a bath. I am so thankful for him!

The aftermath of the tornado that swept through Union's campus.

Me & Alex at Fellowship Bible Church on our one year anniversary: October 12, 2008

Me & my sister Danielle when she came to visit me at college!

- b -

It's a Vera Merry Christmas!

2008-12-26T22:57:00.005-05:00

Well I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas as I did. This year I was really prepared, and even though I was not able to start my Christmas shopping until FIVE days before Christmas, I knew what I wanted to get so I just went out and got it after I had earned a little money waitressing. The theme for presents this year seemed to be Vera Bradley. I guess that is because I am now obsessed with it ever since Alex got me a backpack purse for our 1 year anniversary. But in case you don't know about Vera, it is very nice, quilted bags and wallets and luggage/totes, etc. You tend to pick a pattern that you like and then collect over time! As patterns get older, they are retired and then become more valuable (or less valuable) depending on their popularity. My pattern is Frankly Scarlett, and here is a sample picture of what the design looks like...

So over time I have now collected a duffle bag, backpack purse, wallet, wristlet, and hair straightener holder. I have a Vera laptop case, but it is a different pattern, and I am pondering selling it and then purchasing the Frankly Scarlett. Me & my mom got my sister Danielle the Daisy Daisy pattern (see below) & I got my mom the Cafe Latte hair straightener holder (also see below). These items are really great gifts, and also fun to collect. I know some people do not like the whole style because they think it is "old ladyish," according to some people I know, but I love it and wanted to share my interest with all of you! Just out of curiosity, if you are into Vera Bradley, what is "your" pattern or favorite? (New or Old!!) I would love to hear about yours. I will have more Christmas updates later ... Enjoy this break with your families!

- b -

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T20:37:00.003-05:00

Here is a little something to pass the time until my Christmas video & pictures (there are only a few) are uploaded!

This is a list of things that I have done! (The ones are bolded, but you have to look really hard to tell them apart! Sorry!)

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii (I don't remember it, but I've been!)
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day.

Pass it on!! :)

- b -

Christmas Festivities

2008-12-15T00:43:00.009-05:00

So ever since Thursday night, I have been running from Christmas party, to party, to party, and it is really wearing me out!! If you know me, you would know that my ideal weekend would be hanging out with a friend for a few hours and then catching up on a book or with work around the house and hanging out with my puppy & boyfriend (notice the order :) just kidding!!), and I think that these past 3 days have done it for me! Thursday night was the 2008 pledge class of Alpha Tau omega (Alex's fraternity) held their annual "Let It Snow" party, and it was a BlAsT! The main room had the most amazing decorations. The entire wall was covered in wrapping paper just like a big present! Also, Santa was there :) & the snow did fall! Friday night was the Alpha Tau Omega Winter Formal & the lodge that they have it at every year. I was so lucky to go with my amazing boyfriend of 14 months & a few of my very close girl friends. The night was amazing, & I loved seeing everyone in their pretty dresses (not to mention the delicious food that they served). And then Saturday night me & my roommate Catherine had a Christmas party for a group of our close girlfriends. We had a cookie exchange & played MadGab like crazy! It was so fun! But because finals are drawing near, most of us didn't have that much time to put in our cookies (let alone any at all) so many were store bought or just slice and bake. But we had a very fun time anyways. So that was my weekend.. the last one before Christmas break, & here are a few pictures from all the festivities. Enjoy!

^^ This is a picture of me in my new car that I got over Thanksgiving break. It's a 2008 Kia Rio SX. It's also a stick shift, & I love it! :)

My roommates & I!!

So I hope you enjoyed the pictures! :) I have two final exams before I leave to go home on Wednesday afternoon. I am actually not going straight to Louisville, but I am going to spend a few days in Lebanon, TN with Alex & his family. I've missed them so much. So that is what I will be up to this week, and after that I will be home for Christmas!

- b -

The Real Reason For The Season

2008-12-09T23:03:00.004-05:00

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Luke 2

- b -

I'm Back!

2008-12-09T01:06:00.009-05:00

Ok, so I KNOW that it has been over 3 months since I have posted, and I am SO incredibly sorry, but life has a way of just .. happening. A lot has happened since September. This 15-week semester has absolutely flown by. I started taking my Education classes, and I had a *BlAsT*. I have had the opportunity to observe in two public elementary school classrooms, and although I have always had my heart set on teaching in a private, Christian school like the ones I grew up in, I have changed my mind!!! For me this is such a big deal, but after experiencing this semester in a public school, I have realized that this can really be my mission field. Other than my three education classes, I have taken Public Speaking, Physical Science, and Arts in Western Civilization. They have all been good ... not too hard but not too easy. I have enjoyed spending so many fun times with my friends here at school. I am going to post some pictures from throughout this semester. And even though there have been some bad times, and I have lost a couple people in my life that I really thought were my friends, I have gained so many more. Currently I am awaiting finals next week (I only have two!) as well as the ATΩ Christmas party on Thursday night and ATΩ Winter Formal on Friday night AND mine & my roommate Catherine's Tacky Christmas Party on Saturday night! So this weekend is going to be so much fun before finals begin!! :) So that is just a quick update in my life thus far. Alex & I are doing wonderful, and I can't wait to see what God has in store for us!!

- b -

This is me and my friends Megan & Claudia at the Howdy party at the very beginning of the semester. That party is like a welcome back party for everyone to catch up from a long summer!

This is me & Alex about to go out to eat with my little sister when she came to visit!! :)

This is me & my friend Claudia & my roommate Catherine at the ATΩ flag football game one night! Us girls play on the same team ... we are the Diamonds!

And this is me & Katie & Claudia after we built a fort one night out of their beds!! It was so fun!! We even had a dance party after ;)

A Little Dose of Biblical Medicine

2008-09-02T21:51:00.002-04:00

So tonight at church I learned a LOT. Ben's sermon definitely hit home, & it is so weird because I haven't gone to the Post *Southeast's college ministry* in a month, & for some reason I decided to go tonight, & it was amazing. So as I said before, Alex & I are doing a devo. book called 101 questions before you get engaged, & when we were doing in a while ago, one of the questions was, "What emotion is it hard for you to express?" And it didn't take me long to write down the word SYMPATHY. It's not common for us to think of sympathy as an emotion, but it is; it's a state of your heart. And a lot of times I really find myself not caring about what other people are going through or I do care what they are going through, I just don't sympathize with them at all. It's really a struggle that I have because like I learned tonight, God has given us so much grace and so much mercy that we do not even deserve. And He has given that to us because He loves us & wants us to show that same attitude towards others. A lot of times when people tell me they're going through a tough time or something bad has gone on in their life I always think of a way to justify it. Like "Oh, you made a bad decision, & now you have to pay for it," kind of thing, & that is not the right attitude at all. Sometimes bad things in life just happen. Sometimes people have to go through a situation to build character, & no one knows why or when or where or how but only God knows that kind of thing, and only He can judge us. Ben talked to us tonight about how the opposite of mercy is being bound to the trivial things in life, & that is so true. I think that because I do this little thing right & that little thing right that because of ME, I am going to be rewarded. But the truth is, nothing that I do will ever gain reward. I am only who I am today by the grace and MERCY of Jesus Christ. Nothing have I done to earn his love, & nothing have I done to earn His forgiveness except choose to follow Him. How do we get a heart full of mercy? Well Ben was talking about the beattitudes in Matthew chapter 5 & the way to have a merciful and sympathetic heart is the be meek; to hunger & thirst for righteousness; to be poor in spirit. They are all ways of how we deal with God, & when we realize our brokenness, we can fully understand and sympathize with the brokenness of other people. I am going to work on this a whole lot. I truly want to be a girl o f mercy. I want to be a friend that will cry for you when something spirals out of control in your life. I want to genuinely feel for others who are hurting, and that is my prayer right now; for a heart of mercy.

- b -

Some things just cost a little ExTrA

2008-08-21T00:01:00.002-04:00

So lately I've been coming to realize that some things in life you just have to pay a little extra for. And realizing that has been a little difficult for me! I hate spending large amounts of money on things that I believe should be cheaper and more affordable. For instance, I had this new digital camera that wasn't even six months old. It got dropped and was going to be 130 dollars to repair it. That was CRAZY for me to think that I just paid 170 dollars for a camera, and now it was going to cost pretty much the same price to get it fixed! How lame. So I thought it over for a while and came to the conclusion that it would just be well worth my money to buy a different camera (brand new) for only 50 dollars more. It makes sense, right? I get a whole new camera + a whole new warranty for give or take 50 dollars. And then we have the clothing issue. I just HATE spending a whole lot of money on clothes. Sure I can drop 110 for a Ralph Lauren jacket, but I feel that is rediculous to pay 75 dollars for 2 pairs of jeans from American Eagle. Am I missing something? because something just doesn't feel right at all. I've just realized that sometimes it is worth spending more money on something that will last than paying 20 dollars here and there and everywhere all year to fix some cheap thing that was broken or useless to begin with. So for entertainment, I am going to put a list of things up here that I will spend a little extra $$$ for and some things that I just can barely spend a penny on without cringing.

WORTH MY MONEY

-Jeans
-Bras *cringe* i hate to say it because i don't act it out, but they are just something you can't buy cheaply!
-Cell Phones & Cameras
-Cars & Computers
-Make-up (who wants to look like an orange pumpkin all day long?) NOT me
-Healthier Food

SOOO NOT WORTH MY MONEY

-Bathing Suits
-Tennis Shoes
-Lotions & Perfumes
-MOST purses *I do divulge about once a year / year & a half*
-Lip Gloss
-Car Stereos & anything else to "sup" it up inside OR out
-Nail Polish

So out of curiosity, what would YOU spend money on & what could YOU care less about?

- b -

Annoying Neighbors

2008-08-09T15:07:00.001-04:00

Have you ever had that one set of neighbors that just constantly drove you nuts? If not, you're lucky, but I'm sure everyone has had there share *or will get their share* in the future. I'm sure people think we're annoying because we have 4 - 5 - 6 dogs at a time, but I would just like to vent on what has been happening over the past few months. Our old neighbors moved out last summer I think. I really didn't care because I was going to college and wouldn't be around that much, but boy should I have. Our new neighbors are 2 brothers in their 20s or 30s. They're never around except when they're smoking on their back porch or mowing the grass. The only problem I have with them is their PARENTS. Gram and Gramps are over 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!!! They are constantly doing yard work and cleaning and hiring people to fix their house and rebuilding. I can understand if their sons were helping them do all this, but they aren't. The parents are over every second of every day and they don't even live there! It's not their house, and I think it's about time Timmy and Tommy learn to break away. No wonder I've never seen any girls (ahem, women) over spending time with them because they are too consumed with their mommy & daddy! It's just frustrating especially when every time we pull into our driveway, their parents are up at our window wanting to talk to us for no reason at all. THEN the other day we were getting our driveway repaved and enlarged. I guess mommy next door wanted the guy that was doing our driveway to do hers to, but when she called he was busy so she got someone else! Well the moment he pulls up to our house, she stomps over to his truck and starts throwing a little temper tantrum and yelling at him .. IN OUR YARD!! Finally he tells her off and says, "Lady, I don't have time to deal with you. Stay on that side of the grass." Oh, I wish I had beaten him to it. :] So she just stomps over to "her" yard and supposedly calls the BBB & corporate on this man and his company. Come on lady; get a life! Let your boys fend for themselves, and leave our workmen out of it. We are getting our house ready to put up for sale, and I cannot wait. Because every time I see her when I pull in, I want to run and hide forever. I would absolutely LOVE to hear any of your! annoying neighbor stories :]

- b -

Do NOT Be Fooled!!

2008-08-05T19:05:00.003-04:00

So today I was driving home from shopping at Target, and I decided to stop by Wendy's to get a salad for dinner! Good choice, right? .... WRONG. That's what I thought at first, but once I got home I was curious to how "healthy" I was actually being. I was SHOCKED to read on Wendy's Nutrition Guide that my beloved salad contained 53 grams of fat and over 750 calories! WHAT?!?!?!?!?!? It was a BLT Grilled Chicken Salad for goodness sake! Well come to find out, most of the calories and fat grams came from the salad dressing (Honey Mustard), but still, I thought it completely rediculous. The drive-thru workers don't even tell you there is another option for dressing (Lite Honey Mustard) that is SO much better for you!!

I've never been the junk food police, and I've never been obsessed with checking calories and fat grams and all that junk, but it can never hurt to look! After what I learned today, I can still get the same salad in the future, just ask for the Lite dressing instead of the regular packet that comes with it! Also, if you compare, the exact SAME salad from subway, it is so much healthier for you especially with a lighter dressing. I work at Steak 'n Shake, and so many companies JUST LIKE the one I work for are so tricky when they advertise. For example, our new Light Fruit & Frozen Yogurt shakes are absolutely NOT good for you. They are over 350 calories each, some over 400. The only reason they are "healthy" as advertised, is because they are healthier than lets say, a mocha shake or a vanilla shake. But they still aren't healthy!!!! So I am just encouraging everyone who is reading this to be aware of what you are putting in your body. It's not wrong to eat fast food or have a burger every once in a while, just try to make wiser decisions and decrease portion size. Doesn't everyone feel so much better when they are at a normal weight & happy with the way they look? I sure do WITHOUT a doubt. So don't fall into the trap of thinking that you are being healthy because you are eating a salad. Restaurants do not care if you are being healthy; they only want your money. Be aware; be wise; be smart.

- b -

Some Really Good Books!

2008-07-22T00:12:00.004-04:00

This summer I have had the greatest pleasure of finding some of the best Christian books (that I really have needed) to spend my time reading. The first series was recommended to me by my roommate Catherine Jenkins. It's the Redemption Series by Karen Kingsbury. It's about a family in Bloomington, Indiana that just goes through so many trials in their relationships (family & marital & friendship), but continually trust God and His plan for their lives & how He works through them. It is just a really neat series that I have LOVED reading. One if its focuses is on how love is a decision, not a feeling. You decide to love something or someone and your actions follow that decision no matter what. For any teenager, newlywed or mommy, I recommend it because it reaches out to people in all stages of life, young or old.

This next book is a devotional that me and Alex have started doing together. It's called "Before You Get Engaged," and as you can guess, it's for any dating couple possibly looking towards marriage in the near future. We have just started it, but already after tonight, I know this journey together is going to bring us closer to God, and closer to each other as we look for God's will in our lives and continue to pursue that.

Another study I have been doing with the women's group at Southeast, is of Randy Alcorn's book "Heaven." This book has gotten me so excited about Heaven!!! There are so many things that I am so suprised that the church doesn't teach on a regular basis that it should! I am so glad that our church did this study because I feel like a part of me has been pieced together after reading this book. Heaven is our eternal home, and not knowing what it will really and i mean REALLY be like should leave us empty. God gives us so much information in the Bible about Heaven that all we have to do is look look look!

So these are just some books I highly recommend. If you have read any of them feel free to let me know what you thought as well!!

- b -

Bored in Louisville

2008-07-10T18:24:00.003-04:00

So it has come to the point in the summer where either A) I am in need of a vacation or B) I am just ready to be back at Union. I've been at the same routine since the end of May. Go to work, go to school, take care of Colby, go to church and repeat the same cycle every week. I'm pretty sick of it by now, and I just need some fun in my life. Normal people get to take vacations in the summer. Not students who have stupid class to worry about. I don't regret taking this class at all; I just want to do something fun. Any ideas? I'm thinking about going to the waterpark sometime next week ... maybe. Who knows. I wish I could have gone to Niagara Falls with my family, but no. Oh well ... give me any ideas if you all have any!

- b -

Camping Disaster ... AGAIN!

2008-06-27T13:23:00.007-04:00

So it seems like EVERY time that my family decides to go camping it rains. Not just the little drizzle kind of rain but a downpour!!!! Last time that I remember camping was in middle school with the Pattersons and my AWANA girls. It rained then, and we had to leave. Before my brother was born, my family used to go camping all the time, but the last time we did, EVERYTHING got ruined and my mom just left the tent there and declared she would never go again. We gave away our tent, and she remained true to her word. Since over a decade ago we have always gotten a floating cabin on the river or a little bunkhouse, but this summer my mom decided that since my brother is now 10 years old and has never been camping with the family in a tent, we would give it a shot.

Well yesterday evening after I got home from school, Alex, Danielle and I packed up his 2008 Dodge Ram and headed for Green River Lake in Campbellsville, KY. We got there in about two hours and checked in at the campsite. We started setting up camp and getting the tent put up. About 40 minutes into our camping experience, the clear blue sky was suddenly filled with dark, dark rain-clouds and the wind started blowing, and the rain came ... who would have guessed?

We stood there trying to think of WHAT to do. We decided on unpegging the tent, putting it under the picnic table so it wouldn't blow away, getting the rest of our things and then finding shelter until we could think of what to do. We got in the truck (soaked to the bone), wrapped ourselves in Colby Jack's little dog blanket and then drove to Sonic to wait out the storm. We went back after it stopped raining, rolled up the tent and put it in a big bag, and then drove 2 hours home with the heat blasting the whole way. WHAT a camping trip. This always happens. Come on, can't we ever get a break?

Here are some photos and a video of the lovely trip.

We are gonna give it a second shot on Sunday when the weather is supposed to be nice. We rented a boat, so we'll go out on that. PRAY for better weather ... I want SOME fun out of this trip!!

- b -

:: Integrity ::

2008-06-22T15:15:00.005-04:00

Sometimes it's the little things in life that reassure me that there is still some good and generosity left in the world. At work I rarely see any of that. Especially when people yell at you for things that you have no control over ( I am a waitress at Steak 'N Shake ), leave without tipping and sometimes without even paying at all. Parents constantly leave their kids' messes spilt all over the table and complain when they order 5 cups of cheese sauce and they have to pay for them. Nothing ever seems good at my job, but on Friday night there was a guy that showed a little integrity and motivated me in my own life ( and I'm pretty sure he had no idea the impact he made ).

They were a young man & a woman. I'm pretty sure they weren't dating. How do I know this? Most couples request a booth and snuggle in next to each other or if they do sit across from each other they hold hands or make silly, lovey-dovey faces at each other . ♥ But no, they sat in the back corner at a table across from each other. I'm not sure if he was a pastor or not. He was young ( late 20s / early 30s ), but little snips of their conversation as I cleaned off the tables around them included statements about baptism, past sins as a child, the church, etc. gave clues that she was seeking his counsel. He ordered a salad and a drink while she just got a milkshake ( i'm pretty sure ), but when I came back to check on them I noticed his salad pushed aside, hardly touched. I asked him if there was something wrong with it, and he replied that it just didn't hit the spot. I offered him something else to replace it, and he ordered a cheeseburger and I told him I would bring it out shortly and take the salad off his ticket. He insisted that he would pay for it, and I walked away pretending like I would let him pay for it. Of course I wasn't going to make him pay for it. Our salads aren't that great to begin with so I'm pretty sure it wasn't that good and he was just being polite. I had my manager Jennifer take the salad off his ticket and brought out his cheeseburger and the new ticket. They sat there for a long time ( over an hour ) and I was getting ready to leave and was filling up salad dressings in the back near the door when he signaled my attention and he said this.

"I saw where you took that salad off my check. Are you going to get in trouble for that? I can pay for it."

"No sir. I talked to my manager, and she took care of it. Don't worry about it."

"Alright. Well I was just going to make sure. Thanks so much. Have a great night."

The fact that he went out of his way to come and find me ( it was a busy night! ) and offer to pay for the salad that he didn't even care for after I had already taken it off his ticket just hit me. He was truly an honest guy, and even though it was just a $6.00 little salad, he wanted to do the right thing. And that's how I want to be in my life. I want to have integrity in the little and the big things. So I just thought that I would share this little story with you in order to encourage YOU to have integrity no matter what circumstances you are in.

1 Timothy 1:5 "The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith."

- b -

Mid-June Update!

2008-06-16T21:46:00.002-04:00

Well lots has happened since my last blog. I started summer school last Thursday, and it going to be a really good class I think. So far it's not too hard, and all the busy work that Union requires is all condensed. Basically, we get the lectures online and print them off before class so we can just pay attention and add to our notes instead of write write write. It's a small thing, but I am thankful for that. My goal is to get an A in this class, and I really think it is quite achievable. We'll see how it goes :)

Alex has been here since Friday, and it is great having him around. He got a job as a soccer coach at River City Soccer Complex. He starts coaching tomorrow morning right after my Bible study, and he is still waiting on a call from Dicks Sporting Goods that is supposed to come tomorrow evening! That is the main job he wants. So I guess I should start moving all my stuff to the good ol' basement.

Work is going good .. it's just frustrating sometimes because sometimes we are slammed and sometimes we are so dead. On my way to work I always try to guess if everything will be ready to go or just a mess all over the place. But I love the people that I work with, and it is really good money. I love not working on the weekdays (Tues/Wed/Thurs) because it gives me time to just relax and catch my breath. I received an $164.83 vacation paycheck on Saturday, and I was really excited because I wasn't expecting it at all. Even though I was on educational leave since Feb., I was still technically an employee of Steak 'N Shake so I got my vacation pay! I don't know anyone else my age that gets that! Haha

We had a good Father's Day yesterday. Church was so good and I loved how Kyle and Dave did a duel sermon. It was funny yet touching all the same. We went to lunch as a family at Buckhead's Mountain Grill. Yummm :) Then we were going to go to an Open House in Adams Run (where we might be moving), but it had gotten cancelled for some reason. So we turned around and drove 30 minutes back home. I took a little nap, and then we were on our way to drop Nick off at camp at Country Lake! I LOVED Country Lake when I was little. It's such a good camp. So he's there now, and I'm about to watch the Bachelorette (as we do every Monday night) and then read some chapters in my bio. book for class tomorrow!

Hope you all are having a great summer! Let me know what you are up to!

- b -

The Pieces Are Falling Together :)

2008-06-11T10:17:00.003-04:00

So I was very happy on Monday to receive an e-mail from one of the professors at Jefferson Community College. As you know, I've been trying to get into this Biology lab so that Union will accept my credit from JCC. I was worried for a little while because I had not heard from him, and the beginning of class was drawing nearer and nearer, but Monday afternoon I got a message from him, and he assured me that he could find a spot for me in the lab!! I was so excited!! Now I have something to actually do with my summer, and after the class is finished at the end of July, it's just one check on my to-do list. SUCH a relief. So now I will be going to school taking Introduction to Biology on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:30 - 7:00. It's such a long time, but somehow I don't think it will be THAT bad. I hate science, but I'm praying for the Lord to just give me an open mind and to understand and actually WANT to learn. Now, I just hope the book doesn't cost me a lot! :o) Today, I also start tutoring this little boy named Joseph. He's about to go into 7th grade and is struggling with math. As most of us know, once you get behind in math, it takes forever to catch up and sometimes you even can't! So hopefully this summer we can make some big improvements or get him completely caught up for his 7th grade year. I don't know how great of a teacher I'll be, but hopefully it'll be fun. We're going to start with multiplication so I bought a big bag of M&Ms and Skittles for some visual (and edible) fun. :o) So after I meet him today and we hang out at the pool a little bit, we'll start with the basics and see how it goes from there! Please say a little prayer!

- b -

New Addition to the Merante Clan ???

2008-06-08T00:51:00.003-04:00

No my mom is NOT pregnant !!! :) But since Alex recently (as of < 24 hrs. ago) left his job at Jackson Golf & Country Club, we might have a new "Merante" for the summer. Hopefully he will get the golf position available at Dicks Sporting Goods on Hurstbourne Lane and start there possibly within the coming weeks. I'll be crushed if he doesn't, but the Lord opens and shuts doors accordingly. While my new (possibly) home will be in our "furnished" basement :/, it will all be worth it if it works out, and he gets to stay with us! Of course he'll have his chores and responsibilities around the house just like everyone else ... maybe. It will just be very interesting to see how he handles this situation. And I am just going to sit back and laugh. Haha ... welcome to the family!

- b -

Love

2008-06-04T14:08:00.000-04:00

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."

Exactly Where I'm Supposed To Be!!!

2008-06-02T00:12:00.004-04:00

So because I am going to school to be an elementary teacher, I thought it would be a good idea to volunteer with the elementary kids at Southeast this summer even though I'll only be home for a few months. I've been toying around with thoughts of what age group I would want to teach, and I've come to the conclusion that I just absolutely love 1st graders. And my conclusion was confirmed this morning as I played with them and worshipped with them and taught them their Bible lesson. 1st graders are just so cute, and they're still in that stage where everything is new to them, and they're eager to learn. The boys still have that sweet side, and will hold your hand and talk to you and love on you. It's just a cute age. I was kind of nervous today because I thought I had figured things all out and then church was going to be completely the opposite of what I thought it would be. But my worst fears have no control over what God has planned!!! Just sitting there with them, with this big smile on my face gave me the peace that I was exactly where I was supposed to be. No questions asked.

"Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other." Psalm 85:10 NIV

I have no doubt in my mind that I love these kids, all of them. I can't wait for classroom observing in the fall. First, because I'd better enjoy it because I have over 30 required hours in just one semester :o) and second, because I don't get a choice in which grades I get to have (I get 2 different classes). This will help me be open-minded to wherever God wants me to be at and will also give me further reassurance in my preconceived feelings already. I'm just so excited about this summer and the rest that I am going to get to experience!

- b -

THE little THINGS HE DOES :O)

2008-05-28T22:02:00.006-04:00

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!

- b -

"Beauty" Defined

2008-05-18T16:19:00.013-04:00

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."

To me, THIS is beautiful

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How will you define true beauty?

- b -

We Grew Up ... So So Fast

2008-05-17T14:08:00.006-04:00

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)

* SWEET * Summertime -?-

2008-05-16T17:48:00.003-04:00

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.

- b -