Dear Santa...

December 25, 2007
The North Pole

Dear Santa,

Merry Christmas! I remember the days when I used to try to spot you in the sky on Christmas Eve. My parents had me convinced that you made a special stop at our house to drop off one gift while we were driving around looking a Christmas lights. I could have sworn I heard you and your reindeer on my roof one night. Thank you for all the memories that you are a part of from my childhood :) This season always reminds me of such wonderful times!

There are just a few things I want this Christmas:

-Good times with my friends and family
-Love and Laughter
-Safe travels
-A special New Year's kiss
-Happiness in 2008

I've been a good girl :) I think I deserve it. Please bring any gifts that my friends and family want as well - they mean everything to me!

Love,

Whitney

P.S. Merry Christmas to everyone who reads my blog! I hope you all have a wonderful day that is full of delicious food, new memories, and good cheer. I'll write again in 2008!

My Favorite First Wedding Dance!

So I'm not sure how original this dance is to have as your first wedding dance but I love it! Kudos to the bride and groom :)

The Perfect Couple

Sorry you'll have to copy and paste, I couldn't figure out how to make it a link haha.

http://www.flashfunpages.com/couple.swf

Ugh...men ::rolling my eyes:: lol!

Logan

This is a video of a phone call made by a 13-year-old boy who lives on a ranch in a very small town in Nebraska. Logan listens to Christian Radio station 89.3FM KSBJ which broadcasts from Houston, TX. If only all children, and all people for that matter, were like him. Maybe the world would be more peaceful. I am amazed at his wisdom...

Why Be In A Relationship?

Quite a bit has changed within the time that I last posted "My Weekend Recap". I'm trying to be positive about everything but it is really hard. This week coming up is finals and I think it has knocked the Earth off of its normal rotation and is making EVERYTHING (and everyone) go a little kooky.

I thought that everything in my life was finally aligning. Ha...

I realized today that despite recent occurrences, I am worth it. Do I have places to grow and improve? Of course, everyone does. Do I believe that we all should be respectful and patient with people that are actually doing things to change? Absolutely.

I have also come to realize that I am ready for an unbreakable, unstoppable, head-over-heels, fight-for-each-other, do-anything-for kind of relationship. That may freak out quite a few guys that read this, mainly the ones that have a phobia against commitments. This is my public declaration: I will not settle until I have that kind of relationship. I haven't had one yet, but I have no doubt that it will be amazing.

Until then, I choose to be in love with God. Why? Because he romances me every day of my life. No matter how much I run from him, he does not let me leave. He has unending patience and love for me. This has been a struggle for me to come to this place because I feel really let down in a lot of areas of my life. I was at a place that I wanted to give up on my faith, but I know I need to trust that God knows my future. As long as I keep seeking him, He will lead me in the right direction.

I thank Ingrid for this verse:

"I say this because I know what I am planning for you,” says the Lord. “I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future. Then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will search for me. And when you search for me with all your heart, you will find me!"

Jeremiah 29: 11 - 13

I was at the point of saying, why believe in something that every time my prayers are "answered" I'm hurt? When I should be saying: I may not understand why things are working out this way, but I trust you and know that you would never hurt me. He is just preparing me for something more fulfilling than I can even fathom.

Romanced by God? What does that even mean? (Are you asking yourself that? I did at first too, but it makes complete sense.) Sunrises, Sunsets, Snow falling on Christmas (I haven't experienced this, but I'm sure it's beautiful), Fireflies at dusk, Light breeze on a sunny day, rays shining through the clouds. God romances us with the beauty of nature.





Can you believe the brilliance of the colors of the leaves? It was even more beautiful in person. We live in such a fast-paced world. Take the time to thank God for his creation. In the moments of utter beauty, when everything in the world seems to stop just so you can enjoy the moment, you are given a glimpse of Eden. The way the world was supposed to be. He loves us enough to show us that even when we are so undeserving, like I was when I doubted him.

Thanks for listening :) Time to start studying for finals...I'll write again soon!

Grad School....

....is A LOT of work!

I'll be back soon!

Classes end on the 14th and I have a month off :)

Get ready for some blogging.

(That sounded like flogging - I like Shrek lol)

My Weekend Recap :)

Friday night I went on a date with Lindsay :) We ate at Macaroni Grill and then saw Dan in Real Life. Everyone should see that movie! It was so cute :) Maybe a bit of a girly movie but I think most guys would enjoy it (even if they don't want to admit it lol). Good company, good movie, good night...:)

Halloween Howl was this weekend at Rollins. It is an event that all of Greater Orlando is invited to for kids to come and play games, win prizes and candy, and jump in bounce houses. And for the older kids there are haunted houses in the fraternity houses and other buildings on campus. It just proved to me how much of a scaredy cat I am. We had to do walk-throughs of the haunted houses to make sure everything was okay - which means none of the characters jump out to scare you - and I still had to hold Ingrid's hand for her to pull me through haha.

Although the end of the event got rained out, there were some of the cutest kids there which was the best part of volunteering - getting to see all of the adorable costumes :) Here are two of my favorites!


The cutest pumpkin in the patch :)


Abby, my bosses daughter :)

It was so nice to have a girls day today even though it was short because I had school work :( If any of the HDs are reading this, we have to do it again :)

Tonight, we had our hall-wide Halloween initiative - "Pumpkin Party." We bought all sorts of pumpkin-flavored goodies and watched Saw 3. Lots of our residents came for the food but only a few stayed to watch the movie. Let me just say this - I am going to have nightmares for a very long time. And to top it off, my RAs want our next staff development to be going to see Saw 4...what?! I don't know about all that...

Just thought I would write an update of my weekend since it was overall pretty good. Oh side note: I've also learned this weekend that a woman's intuition is always right. I don't want to say too much - but I know now to always trust my gut instinct. I think I could have saved myself a lot of heartache if I just opened my eyes to what was right in front of me. Although, I feel like I always knew, I just wanted to believe it wasn't true. I wish you luck and happiness...I do...

I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend! Keep checking back for more updates :)

Ferris Wheel!

I finally rode one for the first time in my life!! (Sad I know...)

I was soooo scared - but if I had to do it again, I would ;)

What's Your Love Language?

I had an epiphany today! At our in-service we learned about the five love languages. And as I sat there listening to the different groups present their love language, my past was flashing before my eyes haha. When we have a significant other, we need to be conscious of how they like to be loved and how they show love, among other things. I believe if we could figure this out while we are in a relationship so many problems would be eliminated. To truly understand this, here are the five love languages:

#1 Words of Affirmation: You need to hear praise to know you are loved and you may also prefer to express your affection verbally. Negative comments cut right to the bone. You want to hear that you're loved and how much and why. This could be done in the form of compliments, kind words of recognition, thank you notes, "just because" notes, cards, etc.

#2 Gifts: You are moved by presents and physical tokens of affection. It's the fact that someone is thinking about you enough to give you something that moves you. You also like to give personalized gifts to show your love for someone. The monetary value is not important, only the sentiment with which they were intended.

#3 Touch: You want to give and/or receive affection physically. This would be someone who loves to hug, hold hands, high five, etc.

#4 Acts of Service: You prefer to show your love through favors and chores and doing things for others. You feel put-upon and unappreciated when your efforts are taken for granted.

#5 Quality Time: This can be expressed either through those intimate tete-a-tete discussions or just by doing things together. You enjoy spending time with the people you love and it is very important for you to feel included.

So now that you know maybe you can fit yourself into one of these categories. Obviously these descriptions are just skimming the surface, but you get the jist of what they mean. If you are a "words of affirmation" person in a relationship with an "acts of service" person and you don't know it, issues could arise. The "acts of service" person may be doing wonderful things for you but you aren't appreciating them because you aren't recognizing that that is how they show love. And since you aren't thanking them for all of the help they are giving, they feel like what they did was pointless. And on the same token, the "acts of service" person isn't realizing that the "words of affirmation" person is just looking for a simple compliment or for their significant other to tell them how much they love them. So I leave you with this challenge: continue learning about the people in your life - your family, your friends, your boyfriend or girlfriend, and most importantly yourself. Find out what your love language is and what their love languages are. Then use that new knowledge to your advantage and start showing love the way that particular person best feels it. Your relationships will grow stronger because of it. Apply this knowledge to past relationships: I guarantee it will answer some questions and you will be better off in future relationships. When I think about the people in my life, it is rather easy to fit them into their love language. I have a new found appreciation to those who may have a different love language than me. Not only will I be able to show love, I will be able to acknowledge and be grateful when I am being shown love in a way outside of my language.

Go now and take the quiz! Let me know your result so I can show you some love ;)

Oh I forgot!

I wanted to add this to the last post...

Get the Rascal Flatts CD!! :)

One of my favorite songs on the CD:

"No Reins"

She left that loser in a dust cloud
Heart in his hand, chin on the ground
Cried her last tear for that clown
She can see a little clearer now
She said, "Oh, oh, I gotta go and find me"
Oh, oh she found the strength to break free

Like a painted wild mustang
Flyin' out across the open range
Finally gets to live her life that way
No fear, no fences, nobody-no reins

No reins

All she's ever felt is held back
She says, "It's kinda nice to hear myself laugh"
She's gonna do a lot more of that
She's makin' plans and makin' tracks
She said, "Oh, oh I gotta go and find me"
Oh, oh she found the strength to break free

Oh, oh she's learnin' how to let go
Oh, oh whichever way the wind blows
Oh, oh she's learnin' how to let go

No reins

It is so inspiring. I know you are thinking, "It's just a Rascal Flatts song." But as a woman continually trying to find out more about myself and find what makes me happy, this song gives me strength. It is okay to be selfish sometimes. Life is an "open range" for me and that is exciting that I have the world at my fingertips. I have to learn not to let my schedule hinder me from living my life.

Easier said than done...

Lessons Learned

There are quite a few things I have learned these past fews weeks:

1. Facebook is the devil. I don't think I have to say much else about that. No matter how much I wish I could erase my account and never look back, I know I couldn't, which makes me sad.

2. Baseball is not as boring to watch as I thought it was. Watch a game with someone who loves the sport and you will understand.

3. Working full time and going to school full time is really tough.

4. After realizing #3, I know now the value of relaxing and having free time. Those two things are taken advantage of so whenever you are bored, think of me, I'm probably off somewhere wishing I could have five minutes to sit down.

5. If I try to look at the last two months of my life from an outsiders point-of-view, it is so clear that there was definite plan with what happened. I didn't know that at the time, but certain people were coming and certain people were leaving for a reason. No matter how much I still wish I could go back, I know the situation was not in my hands - the outcome would have been the same. At least, that is what I'm choosing to believe, and that is comforting.

6. Back to #3 - I need more time for friends and family.

7. My hair grows slower than I thought - I'm waiting very slowly for those inches to come back :)

8. Getting up at 6am to run is refreshing.

9. It is okay to say no every once in a while.

I was hoping to think of more lessons, but I am exhausted and excited :) My mom is staying with me tonight. I'm looking forward to that, because although we talk every day, it may only be for a few minutes of a time. I am excited to go shopping and finish decorating my apartment :) My dad comes into town tomorrow as well. It has been way too long since I have seen him. Andrea and Kyle come in tomorrow also. Being that my Grandma's 80th birthday party is this Saturday means it will be a weekend full of family :)

Next week is my mini-vacation to Chicago! We didn't get tickets to the Cubs game but I know we will still have an amazing time. Hopefully I will have some pictures to share with you, but if you know me, you know I'm not the best at taking pictures. I will force myself :) According to weather.com, it will be in the 60s as the high. Brr :)

Side note: Giving laptops to students to bring to class is the easiest way to encourage us to not pay attention.

Time to learn about statistics...:)

Very Cool!

I signed up for a very cool website tonight! Once I get more into all the features of the website, I'm sure I'll have more to write but until then...

This is from my brothers blog (about the website)....

YouVersion is a website run by a LiveChurch.TV development team...they've developed an online bible that has become an interactive community, it really takes the bible and injects it into the viral video/myspace/facebook age. When you sign up you'll get a email kind of like this, explaining what it's all about....

-----
Dear Kyle,

Welcome to YouVersion.com. You're now part of a revolutionary online community! Whether you've been studying the Bible for years or are simply curious about its claims, YouVersion will allow you to read, share, ask questions, and learn from others in an exciting and interactive new way.

Now that you're signed up and ready to go, let's explore some areas of YouVersion you'll want to check out.

Discover
Easily find a passage in one of many translations. Search by reference or use the Table of Contents to locate a specific scripture.

Contribute
Share what God's Spirit is showing you, and read how He is moving in the lives of others. Contribute images, video, text or links to passages, or email something meaningful to a friend.

Reflect
You can journal about what you're reading, as you're reading it. And even better, what you write is linked directly to what you are reading so you can easily reference back to those special passages.

Remember
Mark references with tags that make sense to you, and find what you want, when you want. It's like your own personal concordance. Or you can star anything you'd like to remember.

We hope you'll take some time and explore YouVersion today. We believe that this tool is going to create a whole new way of uniting relevant media and web content with scripture, community and collaboration. And we couldn't do it without you.

Sincerely,
The YouVersion Development Team
-----

For me, this is going to revolutionize the way I read the bible...it's now more than ever the living word of God.

Go check it out...

www.youversion.com



Let me know what you think!!
(Thanks Kyle for the blog)

Taking a Moment to Breathe...

Wow - I am sitting here on my couch not stressing about school or work for the first time in three weeks. Don't get me wrong...next week I have three quizzes, a presentation, and a ten-page paper due. So there is plenty that I could be doing. But it is my weekend from classes now and I am going to take advantage of these few minutes that I can just sit here (and watch my new 32" LCD HDTV haha).

Graduate school is a lot different than undergraduate school. This is something that I have been told but I don't know if I really believed it. I'm good at school...I may not be great at anything but I know for sure that I'm good at being in school. But my classes, I would say for the first time in my life, are hard. Not necessarily because of the content but because of the amount of work that is required outside of classes. It has caused me to wonder if I made the right decision in going back to school. But I think I did - everything fell into place too easily before I got here. And I know that it will be a great accomplishment when I am done and it will help me achieve what I am put on this earth for. I have an idea of where I want to go with my life but I won't put it on here because I want the flexibility to change my mind ;)

My main goal this weekend is to finish the decorations in my apartment. My mom comes to Florida next week and I am determined to have pictures hung and curtain rods hung and everything. And I'm tired of having all the decorations in my room in a pile (well...a neat pile haha). And if it continues to rain all weekend (which I hope it does - it has been so peaceful sleeping to the sound of the rain), it will be a perfect time to get it done.

This past weekend I went to the beach for the first time in such a long time! It was so nice to be out in the sun - I had kinda secluded myself because of everything that happened back in April. Rollins took a bunch of students to Playa Linda for a beach clean-up and then a group of us went to Jetty Park over by Cape Canaveral. The water was absolutely gorgeous. Usually I'm not a fan of actually swimming in the ocean but that is where we spent most of our time. One of the people in the group had a jet-ski so we got to play around on that too...so much fun!!

Monday is when I'm starting to run again. I've seen all the lacrosse girls around campus and it has made me miss playing and working out so much. I'm thinking about helping out the coach on Saturdays. But I have to decide if I'm that committed because that is my only day to sleep in and I would be taking that away from myself haha. But it will be nice to start my day with an early morning run.

Hmmm....well I guess that's it! It's been nice to share my thoughts again :)

...Good Song...

"Who Knew"

You took my hand
You showed me how
You promised me you'd be around
Uh huh
That's right
I took your words
And I believed
In everything
You said to me
Yeah huh
That's right

If someone said three years from now
You'd be long gone
I'd stand up and punch them out
Cause they're all wrong
I know better
Cause you said forever
And ever
Who knew

Remember when we were such fools
And so convinced and just too cool
Oh no
No no
I wish I could touch you again
I wish I could still call you friend
I'd give anything

When someone said count your blessings now
'fore they're long gone
I guess I just didn't know how
I was all wrong
They knew better
Still you said forever
And ever
Who knew

Yeah yeah
I'll keep you locked in my head
Until we meet again
Until we
Until we meet again
And I won't forget you my friend
What happened

If someone said three years from now
You'd be long gone
I'd stand up and punch them out
Cause they're all wrong and
That last kiss
I'll cherish
Until we meet again
And time makes
It harder
I wish I could remember
But I keep
Your memory
You visit me in my sleep
My darling
Who knew
My darling
My darling
Who knew
My darling
I miss you
My darling
Who knew
Who knew

FSU Football!!!

It starts Monday night! I will celebrating the start of the season with many fellow FSU fans at Buffalo Wild Wings! :)

I'm putting the schedule up here - more for my own good so I can keep track of the games. But feel free to check in to see when the Noles will be playing!


09/03/07 at Clemson
09/08/07 vs. UAB
09/15/07 at Colorado
09/29/07 vs. Alabama
10/06/07 vs. NC State
10/11/07 at Wake Forest
10/20/07 vs. Miami
10/27/07 vs. Duke
11/03/07 at Boston College
11/10/07 at Virginia Tech
11/17/07 vs. Maryland
11/24/07 at Florida

Quick Fact

I've had 1,000 visits to my page!
I hope those of you that are regulars enjoy it! :)

Oh By The Way...

Living on campus = filling my gas tank once a month :)

Just thought I would share!

Sunday :)

Sunday...my only day off...

And yet, I still have no time to relax. Tomorrow I start orientation! I feel like I've been here forever and finally I will be able to get into a routine. I think that is what I'm most excited about - gotta love schedules :)

There was so much stuff I wanted to blog about tonight but I didn't get everything I needed done today. I did a ton of shopping for the majority of the rest of the decorations so I thought I would finally be ready to take pictures and let you all see my beautiful apartment. But the stuff I bought was basically all stuff that needs to be hung and I amazingly have concrete walls (slight sarcasm). Any suggestions on how to hang things on a concrete wall...please let me know!!

So hmmm...some updates on life? I'm still really busy with work. Yesterday was returning students check-in so that means another 8am to 5pm day of sitting in the lobby handing out keys. As I'm sitting here thinking about the past week or so it all relates to work haha. Its a good thing that I like my job and the people I work with :)

Oh! Many of you that are reading this are probably my friends on facebook (hi everyone lol) so you know this news. Well I was told a few weeks ago that scholarships for school were given based on GMAT score only. I was 40 points away from a $20,000 scholarship. The minute I found that out, I signed up to take the GMAT for a second time. I procrastinated big time on studying and crammed the last two days. Probably not the smartest thing - and to be honest, I didn't really expect much. I took the test on Thursday. I nearly jumped for joy when my score came up on the screen. I got the score I needed and got the scholarship!! Thanks to everyone who congratulated me :)

I am so excited that I have found a wonderful church. I still miss Genesis so I stay connected by listening to the podcasts (if you have iTunes, you should subscribe to them! Pastor Brian is awesome!) but I wanted to find a place that I feel comfortable at here in Orlando too. I started going to Discovery Church last weekend and I love it. I'm looking forward to continuing my journey there and learning more about myself and the path God wants me on. Thankfully, I have connected with an amazing woman that I know I will learn so much from this year. I'm not sure if she reads this blog, but if you are reading....Your advice is priceless to me. I feel blessed to have you in my life as a mentor because you are such a strong Christian woman that I really look up too.

On a completely different note - I read my horoscope every day. Usually just for fun, but lately the horoscopes seem to be more relevant than usually. One caught my eye so I wanted to share it with all of you:

When you are riding the tides of life today, be very mindful of the
undercurrents - because they are what will actually lead you to your
destination. There's not much you can do to change the direction
you're traveling in, so just relax and enjoy the ride. Its full of
surprises, as well as twists and turns that will leave you feeling
exhilarated, albeit a tad bit confused. But "confused" is just
another word for "excited" if you look at things with a positive
attitude.

The funny thing is two pieces of advice in this horoscope have been given to me before so this really hit home for me. Confusion is an emotion that I have become familiar with lately but after reading this horoscope and reading the advice I had already been told, I am excited about everything now. I am in this exact moment for a reason. I have amazing people in my life and great things are happening to me. I could easily see things in a negative light but I choose to see everything positively. Along with that goes accepting and letting go of past emotions and looking only into the future. I am ready for what He has in store for me.

Well its time to iron my clothes for tomorrow and finally get to bed. Be thinking about me tomorrow on my first day of graduate school!

Quick Morning Thoughts

I thought my time at Rollins would be my chance to grow in a stronger relationship preparing for our lives together while getting my degree. It was an adventure that I was excited about more than anything. I knew it would be hard and it would require a lot of communication and honesty but most importantly love. That dynamic has already shifted. Although I am fully aware now what it means to truly appreciate and love someone with all of my heart, that feeling can't be enjoyed on a one-way street. God has something bigger planned for me. He has revealed to me in the past few days more than I could have ever expected. And I know that my next relationship, no matter when or who it may be with, it will be beyond amazing. I feel in my heart that God is telling me that He knows that this is hard for me but he would never put something in my path that I can't work through and become stronger because of it. He is amazing in the fact that He knows what is truly right for every person and if we aren't strong enough or ready to do what is He knows is right, He will take that on. This is an exciting road that I am on because I am putting all of my trust in Him knowing that no matter what I want, His will for my life will be done.

These were just some thoughts I had this morning so I decided to share them. And like I've said in the past few posts, in time pictures of my apartment will come haha. I'm hoping to finish the decorations before classes start (which is the 27th).

Have a good weekend everyone!!

Ugh...

I hope I will be able to update with pictures soon. I planned on posting some tonight but I just don't have much free time anymore. I'm settling into my apartment at Rollins, training for the Graduate Assistant/Hall Director position, and trying to prepare for school.

The good thing about training is that I have met so many great new friends. I find myself laughing all day long which definitely helps make it easier for me to adapt. And it really seems like everyone will be there to support me since I am new to Residential Life. My apartment is coming together. There is a little more decorating to be done. For a select few, you will have the pleasure of watching my "video diary" of the stages of moving in.

I still have some hesitations about everything I have taken on because I really don't want to fail but I am trying to stay positive. It's overwhelming to go into a completely new situation and new surroundings when I've had such a comfort zone for the past four years.

I have decided to retake the GMAT which has opened up a new can of stress. I found out that if I raise my score slightly (only by 40 points) I can receive a minimum of $20,000 in scholarships! How crazy is that?! I would have been so upset if I found out too late. I wish I knew in the beginning of the summer that way I could have studied a lot more. But I can't complain because at least I have the chance and I can't regret not trying. Wish me luck!

I'm sorry for not being witty or funny in this post. I promise I will be back to my old self soon once I get my routine in place. If you know me, you know I like having a routine and a schedule. Thank you to everyone that has been there for me to keep me sane :)

Until next time...

Don't Mess With Me!

This 5 second video has cracked me up every time I've seen it. Trust me - I know how stupid it is but you have to admit, it's pretty funny :)



Don't forget to scroll down and read my "Just Checking In" entry!

Just Checking In

I know that my entries during the summer have been few and far between but I promise I haven't forgotten about this lovely blog. My days have included exploring and enjoying North Carolina, hanging out with Mom and Sam, and of course watching my favorite summer shows (Big Brother 8 and So You Think You Can Dance!). I've had a lot of time to discover things about myself - about what is important to me, about what I want out of my life, and about certain things that I need to change in order to make what I want happen. That's all I really want to say about that - I just want everyone to know that I've used my alone time for good :)

So I will be leaving North Carolina on Sunday and that comes with a lot of emotion. I'm anxious because I've gotten used to my lazy, relaxed way of life for the past couple of months and everything will change when I get back to Florida. I will be living on my own and I have to get ready to go back to school. It will be close to 9 months since I've been in school. I know that is not that long but I think it will take a bit of time to get back in my routine of studying and homework and blah blah blah. I'm excited because I will finally be in the same town as Eric - we've been waiting over 2 years for this. That will definitely be different - hopefully we don't kill each other ;) j/k! I'm sad because it is nice having my Mom so close when I need her. When I decided on Rollins I thought I would be moving to a place closer to my family. I will miss them more than I can explain. I'm scared because I'm still not convinced that I have chosen the right path to go to graduate school. I know it will be something that will only benefit me but I don't want to fail and I don't want to find out I made a mistake. I don't want to fail in the MBA program and I don't want to fail in my job. I know I will have a lot of responsibility which is something that I have always said that I want out of a job so I guess this is my time to prove to myself that I have what it takes to be successful. I've never been a quitter and don't plan on starting to be one now. Just pray for me that things will go smoothly - although, I have come to realize in life, nothing can go exactly the way that you want it to but in those situations are where a person grows and becomes stronger.

When the semester starts I plan on blogging more frequently and I know you all are waiting by your computers in anticipation for the next entry. Until then I will leave you with a few pictures from my adventures with my Mom, Eric and Sam in North Carolina.


He is such a character!


Beautiful North Carolina Sunset!


Kayaking on Lake Mackintosh


My view from the kayak :)


Stopped at a viewing area on the side of the highway - Do you see the mountain?! :) I was excited! lol


See? Excited! haha!


We saw that the state line was only 10 miles away so we just kept driving!


We stopped at Pilot Mountain on the way back (the mountain in the picture with my Mom) - gorgeous!


Eric tried to be an artistic photographer. I must say, I kinda like this picture :)


He is the King of the Mountain! :) He just liked scaring me by getting as close to the edge as possible.

OH! And the bugs are definitely interesting around here. Well interesting may not be the right word...but they are different. I have a Black Widow living outside of my window with an egg ready to hatch in a week or so. And to my surprise I woke up a couple days ago and realized she decided to lay another egg! Geez! She has been busy ;) Here she is with her first egg. And yes - she is as big as she looks...gross...



And here is a short video of a bug I have never encountered before. I think he was doing some kind of tail wagging mating call to the same kind of bug that was a little higher on my window :) Oh bug love - how cute haha. (Just disregard the TV commercial noise in the background lol)



Thats just a peek into my hiatus from blog writing. Talk to you soon!!

Coincidence

I'm sitting at Panera Bread because that is about the only place that I will get internet for a while. So forgive me if it takes me awhile to get back to you. I'm finally in Burlington and getting settled into my new house. I have made a friend which makes it not so boring. I've also been trying to find a new church to attend will I am up here. I went to a place called Integrity Church this past weekend. It was nice, nothing wrong with it at all, it just didn't fit with what I wanted.

So my mom gave me a newspaper article on a church called Pine Ridge Church. By the looks of the article, it seems like it will be a lot like Genesis Church which obviously makes me want to check it out. The church is so new that they are only having preview services right now. So I will only be able to go to one before I head back to Florida.

So anyways, the article gave a website so I had it down on my "things to look up" when I finally got internet again. So I'm in Panera (Like 20 minutes ago) and I remember to look up this church. I looked on the website and was just clicking around when a guy walked up to my table and says "I don't mean to look at your computer and what you are looking at, but that is my church - I am the lead pastor" I was shocked! So of course I shake his hand, introduce myself and tell him I'll be there on the 22nd for their next preview service.

Their leadership team was having their meeting at Panera at the same time I am there - coincidence? Maybe, but still pretty cool!!

Anyways, thats the most excited thing that has happened since I've been here - thought I would share :)

Road Trip!

We made it! :) The drive was longer (longer than needed but we'll talk about that later) but the scenary was beautiful. My parents moved to Burlington, North Carolina (about ten minutes from Greensboro). And I've decided the most entertaining way to describe the ride will be in pictures.

Disclaimer: Just click on the picture to see it more close up :)

My Mom and I woke up Wednesday morning at 5am to get ready to drive. Here my old house as we drive away:


Driving through Florida (flat lol):


Georgia:



South Carolina:



Then the ride got interesting. Just as a little background, the night before we left I programmed my Mom's navigation with the address to the hotel we are staying at until our house is ready. Well apparently I didn't pay attention to the fact that it gave me the shortest distance instead of fastest route. So we were very confused when it took us off of the interstate. We through a lot of small towns and areas with no cell phone reception (a bit scary haha). But it was a beautiful ride, even if it took us a bit longer than if we had stayed on the interstate for the whole ride.

Here are the corn fields that we were surrounded by when we didn't know where we were:


Although it was beautiful


I was a bit nervous :)


But we made it to my new home state!


And now a little album of pictures of my new neighborhood:
The Entrance


The Clubhouse

My House :)

Views from my house!


So this is the house to our left. Does it remind you of the house from The Notebook?? :)


Isn't it all amazing?? But here is the real question. I have to pick which bedroom I want by Monday. Here are the choices:

Bedroom 1:
Pros: A higher ceiling (called a dormer ceiling, amazing walk in closet, and attached to a bathroom that also has a door into the hallway
Cons: Not as good of a view. Here is a picture from the window:


Bedroom 2:
Pros: View of the Lake
Cons: Smaller Closet, No bathroom attached to the room
Here is the view:


So I have no idea what to do!

Comment please and let me know what you think!! I hope you enjoyed my picture story :)

Sammy!

Just thought you would like a glimpse into my life with the best dog ever! :)

Since I've Been Back

I can't believe it has been so long. Its been about sixteen days since moving back from Tallahassee. I'm still waiting for the day that I have to drive back. It is an unusual feeling knowing that I'm not. I do feel that I have been in Orlando longer than sixteen days though. I feel so unproductive. I didn't do much at my job but at least I was doing something.

I've done a little bit of everything since I've been back. I was able to spend time with my Grandma and Aunt which is always nice. I hadn't been to her house since Christmas - that is way too long!

I discovered a new favorite clothing line. Bitten by Sarah Jessica Parker. (My brother is thinking to himself right now - she looks like a witch! haha) But it is cute, comfy and cheap! Check it out :)

Eric took me out for my birthday on Friday the 8th. We went to the Starlight Dinner Theater and had a wonderful dinner and watched Bye Bye Birdie. It was a nice throwback to high school.

I was finally able to hang out with Brittnee! We went to SAK Comedy Club (thanks to her Dad!) and Cowboys. It has been so fun hanging out with her :) It really makes you realize how big Orlando is. It's not as easy as Tallahassee to see everyone you want to spend time with.

My mom took me to the Ritz Carlton Spa on Sunday as a celebration for my birthday. How relaxing :) Well other than the fact that I got to see the fully nude back of a woman who should have been clothed haha!

I turned 22 last Monday! I don't feel any older - thank goodness. Actually this brought up an interesting point while shopping with Brittnee. We are 22 but we feel like children in an adult world. Although I had a full time job working with all adults, I still felt like I was dispensable - which I probably was. But I didn't feel like I was treated like a college graduate. I wish I could say "I am intelligent - I am a woman." I believe it but sometimes I don't think other people do. Maybe after my next degree I will prove myself and people will see it haha.

Guess what? I got the job at Rollins! I will be the Hall Director at Elizabeth Hall on campus at Rollins. I am so excited! Out of the people I have met so far they are all great people and I can't wait to start working with them. They seem fun and outgoing and it will be a good group of people to spend time with since I don't know anyone at Rollins. My apartment is super cute so that makes it a good deal too. Its a one bedroom apartment with a kitchen, living room, dining room, walk in closet! I have a few ideas of how I will decorate. Pictures will come when I move in and get everything situated :)

So now Eric is on a cruise to Cozumel, Belize and somewhere in the Bahamas I think (yes I'm jealous!). So I'm just hanging out with my mom and shopping - which is something I don't need to be doing haha. I need him to come back to keep me occupied :)

In high school, my all-time favorite show was Dawson's Creek. This statement may seem random but lucky for me, Dawsons Creek still comes on every morning. The day I realized that it came on, they were showing the finale. The show was on from when I was in sixth grade until my senior year. And I cried my eyes out when it ended because I felt like I basically grew up with this show. Well there is a scene that will always stick out in my mind when I think of that show. It is was Jen was making a video for her baby daugther because she was close to passing away and knew that she wouldn't be around to watch her grow up. I'll leave it here for a little food for thought:

"Hi, Amy, it's mom. Well, by the time you see this, I won't be here anymore, and I know how much that sucks, for both of us. So seeing as how I won't be around to thoroughly annoy you, I thought I would give you a little list of the things that I wish for you. Well, there's the obvious. An education. Family. Friends. And a life that is full of the unexpected. Be sure to make mistakes. Make a lot of them, because there's no better way to learn and to grow, all right? And, um, I want you to spend a lot of time at the ocean, because the ocean forces you to dream, and I insist that you, my girl, be a dreamer. God. I've never really believed in God. In fact, I've spent a lot of time and energy trying to disprove that God exists. But I hope that you are able to believe in God, because the thing that I've come to realize, sweetheart... is that it just doesn't matter if God exists or not. The important thing is for you to believe in something, because I promise you that that belief will keep you warm at night, and I want you to feel safe always. And then there's love. I want you to love to the tips of your fingers, and when you find that love, wherever you find it, whoever you choose, don't run away from it. But you don't have to chase after it either. You just be patient, and it'll come to you, I promise, and when you least expect it, like you, like spending the best year of my life with the sweetest and the smartest and the most beautiful baby girl in the world. You don't be afraid, sweetheart. And remember, to love is to live."

I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer and I will try to update more often :)

Oh! Everyone needs to see Blood Diamond - great and informative movie! (And Leonardo DiCaprio is hot!)

Love is to Live :)

Tallahassee

I can’t believe that after almost four years of living in Tallahassee, the time has come. I move back to Orlando this weekend. It brings a mix of emotions. I’m excited about starting the next phase of my life but I am sad to be leaving. I don’t know the person that I would be had I not come to school here. I have had so many experiences and have grown so much while being here.

Moving away from my parents for the first time was hard. But it taught me to be more independent and strong.

My dorm freshman year brings a lot of good memories and some bad as well. The roommate situation could have been better but it helped me learn that people aren’t always going to get along but you have to learn how to deal with it. And I had all of my close friends from high school with me – we had so much fun.

I remember walking around campus before my first day of college classes with my little map, making notes of where the buildings were. Looking back on it now, I can’t believe I know the campus like the back of my hand. I thought I would never get used to it.

My freshman year brought a change of heart. I went to FSU for the meteorology program. I decided that wasn’t the path I wanted to go. I sometimes regret that decision but I know that God has a path for me and I don’t think He would lead me away from my true passion (although I don’t know what that is yet).

My sophomore year was the year of change.

My two best friends decided they didn’t want to be my friend anymore. That caused good and bad changes in my life. Of course, I was confused and hurt. My life would, without a doubt, be completely different if we stayed friends. And if it wasn’t for my roommates, Emily and Lindsay, I would have been lost.


Back in the Day!

I was able to experience college life and meet an enormous amount of people because of Emily and Lindsay, they brought me out of my shell. And we have been friends (and with Emily, roommates) ever since. I’m excited that all of us will be in Orlando together.

That year, I gave up an old love and gained a new one. I met Eric. My boyfriend – my best friend. It would take me pages to explain how much he means in my life.


First Picture of Me and Eric

My junior year was full of fun.

I finally lived off campus with great friends. So many memories, so much drama. My life would be boring without these girls. And if they are reading this right now, only they will know the craziness of that year. I love each of them for different reasons – they have contributed to my life and I am grateful for that.


306 the beginning

I got involved on campus by joining CHICS. Caring and Helping In Community Service. I was able to volunteer and meet some of the greatest girls I've met while at FSU. I smile every time I think of spending time with this group. Lots of laughs and lots of fun :)


Great Girls!

My brother moved to Tallahassee that year. He has always been my brother but I don’t know if I would have considered him a “friend.” I am so happy to say that now he is one of my best friends who happens to also be my brother.


Me and Kyle

He introduced me to Life Church, now Genesis Church. When I leave Tallahassee, this is one of the biggest aspects of my life that I will miss. I don’t know if I will ever have a pastor who is so passionate about making church relevant and trying to reach people like Pastor Brian is. He has taught me that the Bible does relate to my every day life and through all of his messages has shown me how to walk in Jesus’ path. I will never forget my time at Genesis Church. I can feel the difference from when I first started going there until now. I just hope that I can continue growing.

My senior year (only one semester) can be described as the semester of Bullwinkles. In the midst of finishing college and interviewing for jobs, we found a new place to go. It reminds me of our sophomore year and Stetsons. Both places were always a good time (and of course, this was when we were first introduced to Tom Sartori haha – I will always remember that night).


Tom Sartori!

My last semester was a roller coaster of emotions. Excitement, nervousness, scared, happy, sad, mad – I felt it all. I was trying to figure out the rest of my life. And I was dealing with rejection after rejection in job interviews. Not knowing what I was doing wrong or why things weren’t working out. If I didn’t have my friends and family, I would have been going crazy.


I love them!

Graduation day went by so quickly. All of my efforts during my time as a student at FSU were wrapped up in that one day. Why did I wear those red shoes? haha :)



My sublease not working out forced me to stay in Tallahassee. Yesterday was the last day of my first job. I’ll remember the day I was offered the job forever. I was so excited, and I thought I was going to be such an integral part of my department. I spent a lot of my time bored at my job (and if you have talked to me during that time, you know my frustration very well). But it helped me develop as a person – just as every other experience has. I learned what I wanted and needed out of a career – to be around people, to be busy and have responsibilities, basically everything that job wasn’t. But I met some incredibly nice people – and I wish them all of the success.

And now I have come full circle and I’m going back to school. I may regret my decision when I have tests to take and papers to write and projects to do but I am getting my masters. I should feel blessed that I have this opportunity. And I am – I’m excited for everything that could happen to me as a result of being a part of Rollins.

I will miss the football games. I will miss driving up the hill on Tharpe because that always brought a good feeling knowing that I was almost home. I will miss Frisbee golf and One Stir Fry. I will miss my brother and watching him sing. I will miss church. I will miss my apartment. I will miss my roommates.

I will miss Tallahassee.

But through everything, I had and will always have my friends and family. My parents have always been there for me through all of my emotions, supporting me and loving me. Thank you – I love you both more than I can explain.



There are so many more memories I can talk about. And they will be the reason why leaving on Sunday will be so hard. But they come with me - I will always have my memories.