Joy

Today I got to go to lunch at Kinard. This is always a time of mixed feelings. I get super excited when I see kids that I know and they are happy to see me too. I'm able to laugh when I get rejected for a high five. I feel awkward when I'm walking around the cafeteria and I don't see anyone I know. Sometimes I feel discouraged when kids are hard to engage in conversation. But during the 6th grade lunch today, I felt joy. There was a whole table of girls that were asking questions about Wyldlife and then about Camp T and they were giving me their phone numbers to be included in WL texts. It was so encouraging.

This afternoon, Liv and I went to see Perks of Being a Wallflower. It was too weird for Olivia and I didn't love the whole thing, but I feared a bad ending and it was actually good. So I liked it.

Tonight Olivia and I went to TCBY for Waffle Cone Wednesday. All you can fit in a waffle cone for $2.99. It seriously is the best ever. And then I got to Skype with Jess, one of my very best friends from camp. It was such a blessing to see her and talk to her and it made me miss her even more. She's beautiful and great.

Life

At this point in the semester I usually feel overwhelmed and oh so tired of school. This semester really isn't any different, but some sweet things have lifted my spirits in the last week.

We had Hillbilly Club for Wyldlife and it was probably one of my favorite Wyldlife clubs ever. A couple kids threw up, which usually means it was super fun. We went hard. And I got to give my first club talk, which was cool! It is a relief to have the first one done and I feel kinda like a real Young Life leader now...yay!

The only things on my list to get for club...pretty sure the checkout man and bag-boy thought I was a real Hillbilly.

I have felt very intentionally loved by some awesome people recently and that is the best. I got to spend time with some really cool people over coffee and other cool people loved me through gifts and cards!

Found this sweet gift bag on my porch from a mystery friend!

Chocolate-filled mug, tea, cool CD, and lovely Bible verses about rest. So loved.

Letters from TWO of my best friends on the same day. Best ever.

I also got to spend some sweet time with my team + Matt and Max (Tristin was very missed). We had the best night! It began with dinner around 8:30 or 9. Then we took 5-hour energy shots around 10:30 before a couple rounds of this awesome game called fugitive. Then we carved pumpkins (sorry I don't have pictures to show our handiwork...). We ended the night with Waffle House, of course. We went at about 3 AM and our favorite worker, Bobby, wasn't there, but it was still grand in the way only Waffle House at 3 AM can be. I got into bed at about 4:30 AM and I felt awful the entire next day, but it was SO worth it.

Recent life in pictures

Before the cold came I got some great study time outside in leggings and a tank...perfect. It was a big study day so I had to move locations a few times...

Birthday Club was a great success...check out these precious girls with their rockin costumes! Also Greg. I'm giving my first club talk this week so pray for me!!

I got to spend a chilly weekend at camp! It was such a blessing to be there...it's good for my heart to be in that place of beauty and community. On Friday, we got to take the camp truck out for an emergency breakfast-food Safeway run. I was driving the truck and loving my life. We bought 10 dozen eggs, 4 gallons of milk, and 7 boxes of sausage links. We woke up to a white field and frosty trees both mornings. Even though I'm wishing Fall weather would last forever and winter would hold off, it was beautiful!

On our way out of Estes, we saw this giant herd of elk in some local backyards...cool! Thanks Estes, thanks Fall...y'all delivered.

Today I got a package in the mail. It was the vintage postcards that I'd ordered from ebay! After finding this gem of a postcard for Cathy, I decided I needed to keep an eye out for more awesome postcards. And I'm not disappointed by my cheap, straight-from-China purchase.

I've been watching old episodes of The Office and I'm loving it. Pam and Jim's relationship is even greater, more sad, and sweeter than I'd remembered. Also I just watched "Business School." It's the one when Michael speaks to Ryan's business school class and Dwight catches the bat (on Meredith's head). I'm convinced it's one of the most awkward episodes ever made.

Ways Jesus has loved me this week

1. My mom switched my laundry from the washer to the dryer and then folded it for me.
2. When I was babysitting, Abby made up a bedtime song about how much God loves us.
3. We had birthday club tonight and I got to tell everyone happy birthday and dance and laugh.
4. A girl that came to club told me that she was going to Camp T this weekend.
5. I'm going to Camp T this weekend!
6. Multiple people have loved me very intentionally this week.
7. In a week/season of high stress and too much worry, I was reminded to focus on the present.
8. Psalm 34
9. My professors have made next week's midterms easier than expected.
10. My family is safe and well and we love each other.
11. I got to be apart of the engagement of some really great friends!
12. Also, I have people in my life that make me think about ways Jesus loves me each week. And that is healthy and good.

WOP

This song has been so stuck in my head recently. But I also love it...it brings out my inner ghetto. Remember my alter ego?

p.s. Cathy, I think you'll like this song ;)

C.S. Lewis

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.”

All I wanna do is dance

Today I was dancing around the kitchen while listening to this oldies radio station. They were playing sweet music from the 50's, like this:

 Olivia and my dad were there. One of them joined me in snapping and hip-swinging, and the other one was grumpy with me because he/she hates fun. Can you guess which was which??

Tonight Max texted me and said, "At loveland's homecoming right now, wish you were here to dance like a fool with me." BEST. TEXT. EVER. Because, obviously, dancing like a fool is my specialty and is one of the things that brings me the most joy EVER. And I'm glad Max knows that about me. But I was also just really jealous of her and wishing I could be there, too.