Oh Summer.

Life is insane. Crazy busy. Which is funny, because I don't really do anything. That's why summer rocks.

This past weekend was wonderful. My roomie and I drove up to Olathe rocking out to music with the windows down and hair blowing in the wind. I went to lunch with the lovely Kayla McKinney. It was splendid getting to catch up, learn that we were dealing with similar issues at the same time and having no idea, and just being together. If you're reading this Kayla, I miss you like crazy and I hope you really do come visit in July!

I also went to a wedding. Congrats to Hillary on the gorgeous wedding and on the newly married thing! =] Wishing you and Gio all the best that life has to offer. It was so amazing getting to see my ADP girls (and Danon) again. Reunions are the best. We got to be together on a truly happy occasion and dance and be silly together. You just can't beat that.

I have this week off of work. I believe I will probably go a little stir crazy. I don't particularly like having nothing to do. So, I will be working on being able to relax. It should be good?

Hope you all are having as stellar of a summer as I am!

Crazy Life.

Life. Is. Crazy. It always has been and I suppose it always will be. There are always going to be curve balls thrown your way. People that you though would always be a part of your life suddenly aren't. This happens so that the people that ARE supposed to be in your life have room. My life has changed SO incredibly much this year. I'm not positive that I want to do what I always thought I'd do with my life. I started going to a new church. I've become very active in my church. I love the people that I've met and I can't wait to get to know them more.

We went on a camping trip a couple of weekends ago. I had a couple of scary experiences where I thought for sure I was going to go home to my Savior while hiking. (Okay they weren't THAT bad, but they were scary and in the moment I was terrified.) But my church family was there with me. They held my hand. (Figuratively and literally.) They helped me through it. It was awesome. I love each and every one of them and I'm so very grateful that God has put them in my life.

I'm incredibly proud of myself. I have been doing my devotions EVERY day. This is something that I really used to struggle with. Let me tell you, it's true what they say. When you start your day out with God, your day will be so much brighter and more beautiful. It gets you excited about what He has in store for you that day. It's a great feeling.

On another note: Two of my best friends are coming home! Kyle came home today and Nicole will be back in 5 weeks! I can't wait to see both of them and give them both HUGE hugs. I feel like life is finally what it's supposed to be and I'm loving every second of it.

"Oh praise the One who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead."

Crazy Love

So, I'm reading this book called Crazy Love right now. If you haven't read it, go read it right now. It is so amazing. The author, Francis Chan, really knows how to put things into perspective. It's impossible to read this book and not fall more in love with God. After a super quick update on life, I'm going to post a part of this book that really hit home with me.

Life is so, so good right now. I've made some crazy great friends recently that I am absolutely loving spending time with. I've started going to a new church that I love. My first Sunday there, I felt like I was home. I was so touched by the service. I really felt God's presence in a way that I haven't in a while. I did my devos today. devotions are something that I really struggle with. There's always something that gets in the way. Today though, I sat down and read my Bible out of pure desire. I didn't feel as though it was a duty. It wasn't a I have to do this situation. I wanted to be reading it. I wanted to hear God. I wanted to get closer to Him. I'm so excited for church on Wednesday and I can't wait for Sunday to come around again. It feels pretty great.

Here's that excerpt:

"As a pastor, I'm often called upon when life "vanishes like a mist." One of the most powerful examples that I've seen of this was Stan Gerlach, a successful businessman who was well known in the community. Stan was giving a eulogy at a memorial service when he decided to share the gospel. At the end of his message, Stan told the mourners 'You never know when God is going to take your life. At that moment, there's nothing that you can do about it. Are you ready?' Then Sam sat down, fell over, and died. His wife and sons tried to resuscitate him, but there was nothing that they could do- just as Stan had said a few moments earlier."

WOW. What a message. That just really hit home with me. None of us knows when our time on earth is going to end. I could die before getting to finish this blog, or in my sleep, or on the way to work tomorrow. There's just no telling. Live your life to the fullest, share your beliefs, serve God, have fun, but most of all be ready. Know that when your time comes, that you are in the right place with God. Be ready to join Him in Heaven.

So...

Are you ready?

"If conversation was the lyrics, laughter was the music, making time spent together a melody that could be replayed over and over without getting stale."

-The Choice: Nicholas Sparks

I am so in love with this line from the book. That's what I want. Someday, I will have my man that I can talk and laugh for hours with. For now, I'll make some music with my friends. =]

"You can't live your life for other people. You've got to do what's right for yourself, even if it hurts some people you love."

-Nicholas Sparks

I feel like this is a terrible thing to say. Yet, at the same time, I feel like it's true. If I'm being honest, I agree with the statement, even if it sounds horrible. Maybe I feel that way because I've been in the situation where I've needed to do what was right for myself even though I knew I was hurting someone that I loved dearly. Maybe this makes me a horrible person. I don't know. I know that I should have handled certain situations differently. Maybe I wouldn't have had to hurt anyone. Maybe there were better ways to handle myself in the past. By maybe, I mean that I'm sure there were. I can't change the past...as much as I'd like to sometimes. All that I can do now is know that I've become a better person since then, pray, trust my God, know that I'm wiser now than I was then, and I'll be wiser in the future than I am now. I'm so glad that I serve a God who is so awesome. He keeps molding me.

"I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today

Because I knew you...

It well may be
That we will never meet again
In this lifetime
So let me say before we part
So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you
You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have re-written mine

By being my friend...

And just to clear the air
I ask forgiveness

For the things I've done you blame me for

Who can say if I've been
Changed for the better?
I do believe I have been

Changed for the better,

Because I knew you,

I have been changed for good."

"All the Small Things"

Sometimes I think we get so wrapped up in our lives that we forget to be grateful for the little things; those little things that make us smile even on the days that aren't going as we'd like them to. So I've made a list in hopes that maybe I'll remember these and on those days and maybe the day will be a little brighter. I apologize for the length. Once I got started I had a hard time stopping. I guess that's a good thing though, huh?

- Waking up with clear skin

- Piggy back rides

- Crossing things off my to do list

- Breakfast in bed

- The feeling of a good stretch after sleeping

- When someone plays with your hair

- A full tank of gas

- Contagious laughter

- Midnight snacks

- Late night talks with your best friend

- Getting an "A" on a test you didn't study for

-When you finish writing at just at the end of a page

- Seeing a baby sleep

- Falling asleep to the sound of rain

- Waking up to a thunderstorm

- Teachers that you can joke with

- Handwritten letters

- Bubble baths

- Eating cookie dough

- Finding money in your pocket

- Intentionally mismatched socks

- Ice cream on a hot summer day

- Waking up seconds before your alarm

- Driving on a newly paved road

- Wearing PJs all day

- A hot cup of tea

- Cookies right out of the oven

- The fresh clean feeling after a shower

- The smell after a good spring rain

- Forgetting to set an alarm but waking up right on time

- Scratch and sniff stickers

- The first night's sleep in clean sheets

- Snow days

- Guys who smell good

- Wearing a guy's hoodie

- Taking off high heels at the end of a long day

- Not being able to talk because you're laughing so hard

- Dresses with pockets

- Spontaneous adventures

- When people notice your haircut

- When a friendly stranger smiles at you

- Instant friendships

- The first hug from someone you haven't seen in a long time

- The pick you up and spin you around hugs

- Accents

- Sunshine after a long spell of rain

- When someone says you smell nice

- Eating ice cream from the tub

- Cheesy pick up lines

- Running through sprinklers

- Jumping on the trampoline

- Looking at old yearbooks and the signatures

- A yes when you expect a no

- Fresh air

- That first really nice day in a long time

- Old home movies

- Parking right when your song ends

- Gummy bears and worms

- Nicknames

- The smell of just shampoo'd hair

- Being dismissed on the last day of school

- Random acts of kindness

- Perfect parking spots

- Correct grammar

- Knowing all of the lines to your favorite movie

- Remembering your dream

- When you remember what you've been trying to remember for a long time

- When a little kid colors you a picture

- Being in a fantastic mood just because

- First snowfall of winter

- Any and all "firsts" with a new person

- Songs that you just HAVE to dance to

- New school supplies

- Christmas lights

- Catching up with an old friend

- Jeans that fit perfectly

- Being home alone, blasting music, singing loudly, and dancing like a maniac

- Long naps

- Singing in the shower

- Never ending conversations

- Catchy commercial jingles

- Finding something you lost a long time ago

- Getting a tan and not a burn

- Good morning texts

- Stumbling across old songs and remembering the lyrics

- Continuous green lights while driving

- Marathons of your favorite shows

- When you remember what you came into the room for

- Building forts

- Comfortable silence

- Dimples

- Popping bubble wrap

- Breakfast for dinner

- Candid photos

- Being missed

- The smell of freshly cut grass

- Inside jokes

- Driving with the windows down, music blasting, without a care in the world

- New clothes

- Clothes right out of the dryer

- Getting mail

- Pinky promises

- Star gazing

- When your bangs actually cooperate with you

- Watching shows from your childhood

- Roadtrips

- Long road trips at night

- When your plans don't work out but you have a great day anyway.

- The smell of coffee

- Playground swings

- People who remember you after just one meeting

- Hugs from behind

- Being able to be weird with your friends

- Songs that remind you of a certain person/event

- The sound of a kid's uncontrollable laughter

- Finishing a difficult puzzle

- Waking up with perfect hair

- Laughing until your stomach hurts

- Freshly baked bread

- The first swim of the summer

- Crawling into bed after a long, hard day

- The few minutes after waking up where you can just lay there.

- Cute sneezes

- Your favorite song on replay

- A hot shower after a long day

- Looking through old photos

- Making a perfect signature

- Old couples holding hands

- Being told a secret

- Simple compliments from strangers

- Making someone smile

- Fuzzy socks

- Classic Disney movies

- When your fortune cookie is dead on

- Making snowmen

- Coloring

If you made it this far, congrats! I salute you. I hope that these made you smile a little.

What a beautiful day. I have been so busy busy busy lately, that I haven't spent as much time with God as I should. However, today I stopped just to thank Him for the gorgeous weather. What an awesome God we have. I love that He's giving us this beautiful break from the winter. Yes, it will be gross and cold again on Monday. So what? At least we have today.