So I have really had the chance in my quiet times lately to think about my life and the people in it. I have also been thinking about what makes me come alive? When am I the happiest, at my best, or at peace. So I made a list.

1. I am closest to God when I am outdoors
2. I am most at peace when I have fulfilled ALL my responsibilities
3. I am happiest when I am serving others
4. I am full of joy when I work with children
5. I am most saddened when I see others suffering or hurting
6. I am silliest when I am tired
7. I am most content when I am reading
8. I am most playful when I am with Tim and my family together
9. I am most aggitated when things are not planned or people are late
10. I am most angry when I am lied to
11. I am most fearful when I am speaking to a crowd
12. I am most nervous when I am a loss for words.

Lots of hiking and outdoorsy stuff coming up. I am so excited because I get to buy new hiking boots for my trip in March this week. I will be booking my airline tickets next week! I have a great weekend coming up with the rehearsal dinner on Thursday and Jessi’s wedding on Friday! I still can’t believe she is getting married! Other that school owns my life

"A friend is one who walks in when others walk out"

"Friends are God's way of taking care of us."

So, I was finally able to upload many of my photos. As I am looking through all the photos, I can’t help but think about all the amazing people God has put in my life over the years. I am extremely blessed by all the fun, crazy people that are part of my everyday and even those who live far away. Life is constantly changing and it is such a comfort to know that no matter what trails or changes my life is facing, I will always have such strong wonderful people around me.

"I no doubt deserved my enemies, but I don't believe I deserved my friends."

Weddings, weddings, baby showers. I tell you. Something is in the water. Allie got married earlier this month. craaaazzzy. And this past weekend I am prepping to lose another one to matrimony. And Janet is right around the corner from welcoming Lucy into her and ryans life. Tim and  I just celebrated another monthoversary. Ohhhh yeah I am that girl now. Time is flying by. And I will say I am so blessed by the way Tim serves me in the romance department lately. I get to wake up to the beautiful flowers he got me every morning…..welll until they die. haha. Its such a strange season of life when I sit down and think about it. I mean my friends have had boyfriends since I was 15 so thats nothing new but now they are actually marrying the guys and having children! Ahhhhh sooooo old.

So this weekend was simply full of so many fun activities that I will be spending the rest of the week recovering. In addition to Jessi’s Bachlorette party, which was in one word: hilarious, I was able to go pumpkin and apple hunting. hoping to have pictures up this week for you. I also need to upload pictures from my last kayaking trip. I was quite proud to discover I can do a kayak roll! It has been my goal to learn this trick for the last year. After this week, most of my major projects will be handed in, hopefully, and I will sit down and update everything for you!

Even though I know the Lord is going to do amazing things with her and I will be joining her in May, I am not handling this well

I will go, I will go
I will go, Lord send me
To the world, To the lost
To the poor and hungry
Take everything I am
I’m clay within your hands
I will go, I will go, send me

So I probably listened to this song 5 times in my hour drive this morning. I sent an email in hopes of reaching the new intern corrdinator this week to China and I am getting my new passport this week. It’s crazy to think I am already preparing for this summer. It’s not just about preparing all the documents though. My prayer time has been consumed with preparing my heart for what God is going to do with my time now, this summer, and thet rest of my life. I know I have shared before how I have this passion to get out into the world, To be the hands and feet of Jesus. It’s amazing to see how my whole life can be used if I just let Him use it. So that is my prayer this week, to be clay in His hands.  To be grateful that this life is not my own and to live with the mindset that I am here for one purpose, to glorify Him.

So teaching is in full swing and I am loving the chaos of every moment. I just got the Tenth avenue North Cd and I have been listening to it non stop. Just wanted to share this song from the CD because everytime I listen to it I am reminded how much my God loves me in all seasons, the good and the bad.

i hear you say “my love is over,
its underneath, its inside, its in between
the times you doubt me, when you can’t feel
the times that you’ve questioned ‘is this for real?’
the times you’ve broken, the times that you mend
the times you hate me and the times that you bend
well my love is over, its underneath
Find More lyrics at www.sweetslyrics.com
its inside, its in between,
these times you’re healing
and when your heart breaks
the times that you feel like you’ve fallen from grace
the times you’re hurting
the times that you heal
the times you go hungry and *are tempted* to steal
in times of confusion and chaos and pain
im there in your sorrow under the weight of your shame
im there through your heartache
im there in the storm
my love i will keep you by my power alone
i dont care where you’ve fallen, where you have been
i’ll never forsake you
my love never ends, it never ends

-Tenth avenue North “Times”

So it has been quite a while since I have been able to get on and share my thoughts. In an effort to cut costs we don’t have the internet at home anymore so its been a little more difficult to sit down and get all my thoughts up here. Hopefully with school in full swing I can be mroe faithful to updates. Other than that not much else has changed.  All of the fall weddings are right around the corner. Getting alterations for Jessis bridesmaid dress and picking a cute gifts for Allie have been my focus this week. I ma student teaching this semester in a Pre school in Baltimore county and have been pouring every spare minute into lesson planning. Other than that Fall is my FAVORITE time of year and I am enjoying every moment outdoors I can get.

Exciting news! I am spending 7 days during spring break this March in THE GRAND CANYON!!! Thats right, im backpacking, hiking, sleeping, ect in the most breath taking place. I am so excited when I think about it that I am almost bouncing out of my seat. Heres a picture of what I am going to see up close and personal!

CONGRATS JESSI AND MATT!

Add another wedding to the fall calender and this one I have the honor of being a BRIDESMAID!! Whoop whopp let the fun begin!