Day 46-IT NEVER ENDS!

Hey guys,

    So, all week, I've kinda been dreading the day 50...because I'm not an idiot...I know that's half way. But here's the thing, I'm a talker, I want to tell people how my day was, I want to tell them how many crazy things we got ourselves into today, so it makes me sad to know that these hundred days are almost up. But this morning, I was thinking about it, and a thought came to mind...why one hundred? A year has 365 days in it, right? Wouldn't it be cool to look and see my first post, and then my last post a year later? I think it would...so, I'm not saying that everyone I know MUST read them, heck, I don't give a care who reads them, because it's not for others, it's for me to have an outlet, if other people find it obnoxious, they don't have to read them! Anyways, I've decided, I'm going to do the FULL year. This has been such an awesome experience for me, and a stretching one as well, on days when it seems like I have nothing that particularly made me happy, it forces me to count the little things, to count the little blessings God shows me every day. Heck, I should be happy just to wake up in the morning, I should be happy because I get to live on this earth, and then go live an eternity in Heaven with HIM! Anyways, this experiment has been awesome for me, so I don't want to stop it at one hundred, why should I? If you struggle with a depression, or you are just at a really bad place in your life right now, I want to encourage you, at the end of each and every day for at LEAST a hundred days, make a list of the things that made you happy. It will remind you that this life isn't really ALL bad, it's just that, as Christians, we know our reward is in Heaven, which obviously makes this life look terrible, because come on, who can compete with Jesus? But I would encourage you to stop and smell the flowers, stop your busy life for just 5 minutes, to enjoy being human, and the joy of life!

Will you?

<3 Always,

Rose

Day 45- Greensboro

Hey guys,

    So, fair warning, a lot of the events I describe in todays post seem similar to something you would see on TV, but I swear to goodness, it happened!! Apparently, living in the country for the past 2 months, the boys have forgotten some VERY crucial laws of going to "The Big City", as exemplified today.
Rule number 1: Please, always have shoes! So, today, as we got in the car to begin our trek to Greensboro, we were completely unaware that Aedon, the youngest had no shoes on. It wasn't until about a half hour into the trip that he finally piped up and said, "Guys...where's my shoes?". So, this eventful start to our day should have been a red flag, but for whatever reason, it wasn't. When we finally got there, Caroline graciously offers her ONLY pair of flip-flops for Aedon to wear, only for him to break them within the first block of walking. In summary, if you are headed into the city with your family, DO A SHOE CHECK!
Rule number 2: When you're crossing a busy intersection, keep in mind you only have about 25 seconds MAX, so please, for all that is good and right in the world, PLEASE don't take your time...you will get hurt, I promise. Another thing to keep in mind with this rule is the other side of it, trying to "race" through the intersection when the sign says you have 5 seconds...As we passed a busy intersection today(after buying Aedon a new pair of shoes that were a tad big), the boys decided to race across the intersection to see who was faster. Aedon, being as clumsy and footwear challenged as he is, literally ran RIGHT OUT OF HIS SHOES!!!!!!!!!!! Of course, at the same moment that both boys reached the other end of the intersection, the signal changed, and we had to wait there on the sidewalk for the sign to change again, meanwhile, Aedons shoes are sitting in the middle of the street.
Rule Number 3: Always be prepared to walk. Of course, with our family of 3 boys under the age of 13, a puppy, and an adventurous 23 year old, getting our family to walk in a straight line for ANY given amount of time is virtually impossible, however, sometimes that is necessary. As parents of young children will tell you, family walks require LOTS of patience, and very frequent stops. Also, it didn't really help today that it was 95 degrees out today, and there was no shade, AT ALL, and none of us were really accustomed to the heat, it was kind of a disaster in the making.
Rule number 4:(Probably the most important) 5 little ducks isn't always a bad thing! Our good friends who are missionaries overseas have many, MANY airport stories, but I would have to say, my personal favorite is the 5 little ducks. Whenever they are in an airport of any kind, because they do have a large family, the Dad ALWAYS insists on leading the back, while having Mom bring up the rear. Now, please just stop and picture this for a minute. 5 little blonde girls, all lined up and following single file behind one another, with probably enough luggage and travel bags to know that they have essentially packed everything they would need for at LEAST 3 months, in a crowded airport. I can't remember how old the girls each were, but I'm going to approximate about, 15, 11, 9, 7, and 3 ish, but they were traveling through a busy airport, and a man comes up to the Dad and just whispered "5 little ducks went out one day..." and they have never been that strict about what is now known as "the five little duck rule" since. As embarrassing and humiliating it was for the girls, it's days like today that get me thinking, hey, maybe that's not such a bad idea...maybe we need one of those giant ropes that they use in kindergarten classes to teach the boys how to walk...either that or leashes.
All this to say, YES, today was very stressful and exhausting, YES, I wish that the boys could actually walk in a straight line, but NO, I wouldn't want it any other way! Our chaos and craziness is what makes our family unique, it might be frustrating at the time, but I am happy to be a part of it! I love the way each and every one of the three younger kids compliment the personalities of my sister and I, I was exactly like Aedon when I was little(ok, maybe SIMILAR to Aedon), and my sister, although I'm not one to judge because I am so much younger than her was much like Shane, the middle one, because they are both constantly looking for adventure. Each and every day of each and every one of our lives is an adventure, and we have two choices; we can either try to micromanage the kids every moves and just make it through, OR we can embrace it, we can learn to laugh at ourselves, and laugh at the crazy things our family gets into, because THESE are the moments that last!

After a good 30 pictures, we actually got one where everyone was smiling and no one had their eyes closed...it's a miracle!

<3 Always,

Rose 

Day 44- Wheaton College.

Hey guys,

    So, growing up 15 minutes from Wheaton College campus, I am very familiar with it. Ever since I returned from my first year of camp that was run through Wheaton in 6th grade, I loved the people, the atmosphere, and most of all the community there. Unfortunately, there is also a price to pay living SO close to Wheaton. As a teenage Christian girl in Wheaton, if you tell someone you are interested in going to Wheaton, it is basically assumed that you are a genius. For people like me, where that's not necessarily true, it can be INCREDIBLY intimidating to even apply, because you KNOW how hard it is to get in. Despite the intimidating aspect of it, I took the plunge tonight, and I began my application. Being away from Wheaton, while at the same time seeing all my friends go off to colleges that they loved showed me that there was a deeper reason why I loved to be on campus so much, it wasn't just because that's where my friends were, it's because I truly, TRULY loved the college. Now I know, the chances of me being accepted are very, VERY slim, that is God's will and I'm ok with that, but I just feel like the fact that I feel that I am not smart enough or talented enough to get into Wheaton should NOT dictate whether I apply or not. If it is truly where God wants me, than so be it! God's plan is not dictated by MY educational standings or abilities, if God wants me at Wheaton, who am I to say, "Nah, I'm to scared?" Anyways, it gets me very excited to know that there IS a chance than God might be calling me back to Wheaton, I would love to "officially" become a member of the 3E floor where I know so many dear friends, and I would LOVE to continue my youth experience at Blanchard by leading new students to Christ. I know, I'm getting ahead of myself, I haven't even FINISHED the application yet, but I am going to take this moment to rejoice in the little things, in the fact that God HAS put Wheaton on my heart to begin with. I want to close out this post by saying (and using Wheaton's motto), Whatever happens, I will live my life, unashamedly "For Christ and His Kingdom."
<3 Always,
Rose

Day 43- Muchkins!

Hey guys!

     So, I was incredibly blessed this past school year to be able to babysit for a mom's bible study at my church. From day one, I met these three little fireballs and their Mom, and realized, hey wait...I know you...I think? Turns out I did, their Mom's good friend taught my acting class that I took in middle school! How crazy is that? Well, as the year progressed, I became more attached to the girls, and more connected with their Mom as well. I loved seeing their smiling, adorable little faces every Friday morning! It never ceases to amaze me how God connects us with so many AMAZING people, at just the right time. Anyways, I miss the triplets, and their whole family a LOT, and the girls turn 4 tomorrow, which makes me happy. I am happy to just be a part of this amazing families life, even for a little bit! Leaving these kids was one of the hardest goodbyes I had to say, but I know, when I come back, I will (hopefully) see them again, and that reunion will be a sweet one! Happiest birthdays to Chloe, Cailynn, and Cadence, my FAVORITE four year olds in the world!!! Miss Rose loves you girls! :)

 

<3 Always,

Rose

P.s. Yes, Cassidy, I'm totally creeping on your pictures...embrace it, it's out of love!

 

 

Day 42- wonderful blue moose date!

Hey guys,

    So, today I got to spend the afternoon with the youth leader at my church, Adrienne, to get to know each other more. We have SO much in common, we are both from Illinois, we're both very social, even our HOUSES look similar. Anyways, we enjoyed spending the afternoon using "ChicAgo-isms" like, calling a semi-truck a semi-truck instead of a "hatch-back trailer"...or wondering how it is that there is NO chipotle, Panera, or Noodles?? I see many trips to Hickory in our future...But seriously, she is one of the sweetest people I have met here, and I am SO pumped to be working with her ALL year! It's such a good feeling to be getting involved in a church, because when I left Wheaton, I HAD no life outside of church, and as sad as that may sound, I LOVED it. All my friends were friends that I could be genuine and honest with and talk about the "real" things in life as opposed to the ever cliché highschool, "Did you hear who Judy is dating?...she is SO out of his league..."Anyways, this was my first time going out with a friend since we've moved, so it really just felt good to NOT BE HANGING OUT WITH 6 AND 8 YEAR OLDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, that's all for now!

<3 Always,
Rose

Day 41- LICE FREE?!

Hey guys,

    So, today I had an appointment with just a general doctor. We realized last night that the Chicago trip would NOT work unless I am COMPLETELY lice-free, so my Mom and I agreed that we would ask the doctor, and if she saw lice and/or nits(their eggs), we would go to a treatment place to get LICE FREE!! So, this morning she looked at my head and she said she saw a few dead nits, but no live lice OR live nits, in other words, after I do the last treatment on Thursday, I will be LICE FREE!!!! For anyone that has NOT had lice, you are lucky. It is literally impossible to be sure you've gotten rid of them, it is incredibly contagious, and it is INCREDIBLY time consuming for both me and my Dad, who has to do the nit-picking(literally, that's where the phrase nit-picking comes from). Suffice to say, I am SO glad that I am on track to be lice free in just two short days, and HOPEFULLY, the Chicago trip can still work :)

<3 Always,
Rose.

Day 40- First day of college? No biggie...

Hey Guys!!

    So today I started "college" or taking two online college courses, and I am very proud of myself. For my sociology class, I sat for 7 and a half hours reading and annotating 30 pages of sociological history. In the end, I had five pages of notes, front and back, BUT I passed my first college test using those notes(ok..it was an 80, but still!!...). So, I feel very accomplished and proud of myself today :)

<3 Rose

Day 39- New Youth Group!

Hey guys!

   So, today at church, I FINALLY got to meet the youth leader! We were originally looking for a youth group for me to join, but she told me that that didn't work, HOWEVER, I could be a leader for the middle schoolers!! This makes me so excited for two reasons, 1. I grew up at a church 10 minutes away from Wheaton College, and other than College Church itself, that is where most college students went to church. Because of that, I grew up having college kids as my small group leaders, and I LOVED IT! For some reason, having a young adult lead a middle school or high school small group gets the students to become more open and honest with the group. Not to mention, my small group leader for six years came in at age 19, and I really can't imagine youth group without her, so I want to be that for someone else! 2. The sermon today was on stepping up and stepping OUT of your comfort zone, so that you can spread the word of God, and I really feel like this is the PERFECT thing for me, to have a youth group, but to have a different position in the youth group. Long story short, I am very, VERY happy that we found a place for me to plug in today :)

<3 Always,
Rose

Day 38- Being LOVED!

Hey guys!

    So, is it just me or does it seem like friends do JUST the right thing at JUST the right time? Or maybe it's God....yeah, who am I kidding, it's God. Anyways, this week hasn't been easy on me, between having one of my closest friends here and not being able to see her because of lice, and seeing posts of all my best friends headed off to college, my homesickness has kinda gone off the charts...But today, I woke up to the little boys calling my name, because I had mail. My dear friend Olivia somehow KNEW what a crappy time I was having, and she sent me a care package. It just made my heart overflow with happiness, and it was a simple and sweet reminder that no matter how far away we are from each other, if we put in the effort, we can make this friendship work!! Anyways, that's today, very materialistic, but hey, I'm only human ;)

<3 Always,
Rose

Day 37- NOT being perfect!

Hey guys,

    My personality is sorta strange. I have the side of me when I am out with friends, I can be bubbly, outgoing, and happy. But then there is the side of me when I'm working on an assignment or a chore or anything of that sort. I can be INCREDIBLY perfectionistic, and I am very conscious to what other people say about it. Growing up, I was the youngest for most of my life, and I really struggled to live up to my older siblings. My sister, she is incredibly talented in art and music and also was very, very smart growing up. My brother, he basically blew everyone out of the water with his intelligent and logical way of thinking, and his AMAZING musical skills. And then there was me. Born with all sorts of ear problems, and having ADHD and anxiety, my parents KNEW that I would be different, but I didn't. I watched my siblings excel at basically everything, and then when I got to school, I couldn't understand WHY I wasn't excelling like they were. As I got older, I obviously learned that I was different from my siblings, but I still strived to be the best at everything I did. I remember several different student-teacher conferences where the teacher basically said, "Your daughter is extraordinarily smart, for what she has to deal with..." That right there broke my heart. The perfectionist in me has always thought, "Well, that's good, but it's not good ENOUGH." I always wondered if I would have been able to follow in my siblings footsteps if I didn't have my ADHD and anxiety and ear issues. I knew in my heart of hearts that there was nothing I could do about it, and I WAS giving 110%, but at the same time, I constantly felt like that wasn't enough. All of this resulted in a middle school girl who was not confident in herself at all, and really wasn't happy with herself. I remember sitting in classes just thinking over and over again, "don't call on me, don't call on me!" because I was convinced that I would make a fool out of myself if they did. Looking back now, honestly, I probably DID know the answer, and could have answered but that was how low my self esteem was. Around the same time, I started music classes. I remember one day in music class sitting there tapping my pencil, when the teacher abruptly got up and said, "Rose Stevens, come see me after class." After the class was over, he told me that he had really been impressed with my sense of rhythm and pitch precision, and asked me to join the chorus. It was this day that really changed my outlook on life. I began in chorus, not because I wanted to be the best, not to live up to my siblings, but to do what I truly and genuinely loved! Throughout late middle school and into present day, I have learned so much about myself, but the biggest thing I've learned is that I AM perfect in God's eyes, just the way I am. If the people on earth can't see that, then that's their problem. God created me in the womb KNOWING that I would have many challenges both physically and mentally, but he called me his beloved, I am his DIVINE creation, and heck if it's good enough for God, than it's good enough for my English teacher! I guess what I'm trying to say that I have stood out all my life in a way that I didn't like, I didn't look like my siblings, I certainly didn't have the same challenges my siblings did, but all those things worked together to make me who I am today. So no, I may not have scored a 29 on the ACT, but I am perfect in God's eyes, and THAT is what matters in the long run.

<3 Always,
Rose

Day 36- Miss Abby Galbraith

Hey guys,

    So, I'm not going to lie to anyone, I had a hard day today. Remember how I was all excited to see my friend tomorrow? About a half hour after I posted that, I came upon something that did a sufficient job of destroying my plans. LICE. Today was a mix of a ton of emotions, mostly anger. It wasn't anger at any given person, not my parents, and certainly not my friends, but just at the situation in general. It is so hard to know that one of my closest friends drove 16 hours, only to find out that I have lice....So yeah, it was hard.

   But a few minutes ago, my youth group leader since middle school posted a few heartfelt thoughts about how much we as 12-19 year old girls meant to her. It truly made my heart smile. I am so glad that I had such a genuine, heartfelt, kind, loving, and hilarious young woman as a youth leader. Through the years, I cannot tell you how many times Abby has provided for us, stepped in as mother, when we wanted to do stupid things, and just LOVED us. Throughout the 6 years she was our leader, she has devoted so many hours to planning lesson plans for us, just to have that completely derailed from either  hyper middle school girls who had the attention span of a fly, or an overly dramatic, overly emotional, "My whole world is falling apart" high school girl. Her patience with us is truly amazing, because if I had to wrangle 11 obnoxious 12 girls to sit and listen, duct tape would have to be used...

    Abby has become so much more to me than a leader. She has become a friend, a sister, a "go to gal", and I don't know HOW I could have gotten through the past 6 years of my life without her. She could NOT have been a more perfect match for our group girls, she loves a lot of the same things as us, and I am SO glad that she was with us for these 6 years. Our past two years together have changed us as a group, more than the other 4 years combined. By that point in our small group, a tragedy for one girl meant a tragedy for the other 8 or 9 girls. We laughed together, we cried together, and we DID LIFE together. So, when Graham was in the hospital, and after he died, it was a loss for me, but they all could see the pain and felt the pain with me. I am so grateful for Abby to be able to sit and listen to my problems, but also to just sit and cry with me when I needed it, having a friend that truly sympathizes with my feelings is a huge gift and a blessing. Anyways, this is so much longer than I thought it would be, but I'm going to wrap it up. I love you Abby, thank you for all the time and effort you have put into us, and thank you for loving us!!!

<3 Always,

Rose

   

Days 34-35:PLANNING

Hey guys,

   I'm sorry AGAIN!!!! Yesterday was (yet another) crazy life in the day of Rose. But, it kinda works out because yesterdays happy, and todays happy are sort of connected. Yesterday's happy was that I was FINALLY able to sit down with my parents to figure out which weekend would work best for me to visit Chicago, and it looks like right now, I could be visiting in less than a month!! So, I've been busy checking airline prices and times, and trying to coordinate a shuttle to the Charlotte airport, and a ride from O'Hare. So much excitement, I really can't contain it.

    Today, one of my closest friends and I are super excited, because we get to see each other TOMORROW!!!!!! I guess the reason why it's so exciting for me was because it was so random and last minute, but I love it that way. So, tomorrow will be a day full of tubing, sunburns, and sleepovers!!!!!! Can't. Wait.

<3 Always
Rose

Day 32- Emily Lengel

Hey guys!

    Fair warning: today's post is incredibly emotional, and I may or may not be able to make it through this post without crying. Emily, she is a star. She is so much more than a mentor to me, she has become like a sister to me.

   Our friendship blossomed out of tragedy. Emily was Graham's girlfriend. One day after they "officially" started dating, Graham collapsed. Emily never had the opportunity to hold his hand, or be able to call him her boyfriend. Graham was a very meticulous, logical, and strategically oriented person, so when Graham and Emily realized that they both liked each other, Graham was incredibly hesitant. He had JUST broken up with his high school girlfriend, Amanda, the summer before he left for college, and he really struggled with that. As someone who could see the situation from another standpoint, it was almost comical, ALMOST. It was so clear to me that Graham was really and genuinely happy for the first time since he left Amanda, so we as a family couldn't really understand his hesitancy. But God knew what he was doing.Emily almost had it easier than Amanda. She had less history with him, but she came back to Wheaton, a place she had shared with Graham, and was bombarded by memories and reminders of him, everywhere she went.

   Now, I want to talk a bit about how Emily made her way into MY life. When I first heard Graham talking about her, I was happy, and I couldn't wait to meet her. Ironically enough, I didn't actually EVER meet her until she and I were sitting in the hospital waiting room. We had already had established a little bit of a connection via Facebook, so it was SUCH a great thing for both of us, to have someone to hold and hug during that ridiculously hard five days. One of the biggest things I remember Emily doing was she got a lot of Graham's friends at Wheaton to write him letters and cards, and I remember seeing my sister sitting in his room while Graham was unconscious reading him those precious cards, it was one of the rare moments of those five days where the sarcasm, and humor of Freshman boys and girls truly made us laugh, and smile. One big thing she did for me was that, she really never left my side. When we were both there at the hospital, we were together. We never went into Graham's room without the other, and even after Graham was gone, she wasn't.

    I remember after the burial, a lot of Graham's friends that I had grown close to in the past couple days, had to leave for college. I was heartbroken, I was terrified. I wasn't ready to just leave all those friendships that I had made, because they had become a part of me, and a part of our family. When I got home, I called her, sobbing. I was so terrified that I would just be thrown back into "normal" life, where no one understood what I was feeling. I remember her telling me as I sat there sobbing, "Girlie...I will never leave you, NEVER! You are stuck with me, whether you like it or not. You have a special place in my heart, and I have a special place in yours, and THAT will never change." And she was right. During the next few months as we both continued to get back into our "normal" lives, we still remained friends. Whether it was grabbing a coffee at Starbucks, going to see Emily preform a song in her dormroom lobby, or even Skypeing in the midst of both of our crazy busy lives, we always talked, laughed, had fun, and above all, we talked about the REAL things. When we asked the other, "How are you?" the nonchalant and forever FAKE "Good!" was rarely heard. It was more like..."Today was rough..." or "You know, it's life..." which would lead into a breakdown of those emotions, whether good or bad.

    Emily is basically the female mix of me and Graham. She has the smarts and logical mind of my brother, but at the same time, she has this crazy ability to understand every emotion or problem that I came to her with. She always knows EXACTLY what to say, it's actually sort of scary...there are so many times that I've just been like..."Ok. What the heck, why couldn't I think of that??" of course, she being Emily will simply reply, "Because God made us to have community, sometimes we just need to talk to someone else..." and I just sit there, utterly dumbfounded. I miss her more than words can say, but I am so proud of her next mission to be an RA at Wheaton, and I am SO excited to see where God takes her this next year, and I am so proud to know her, to love her, and to be able to call her one of my favorite people on Earth. I am so blessed to have her as a friend, and when I think of her, and our friendship, my heart is overflowing with happiness, I am beyond blessed to have her as a friend, a mentor, and to love her like a sister.

<3 Always,
Rose

Day 31- My Dad

Hey guys,

   I know, I know, I've been TERRIBLE with posting lately. Yesterday was a very long, VERY trying day, full of baseball and waiting, LOTS of waiting. We left our house in Lenoir at 10 o'clock AM, and we didn't even get back til midnight...fourteen LONG hours of baseball and waiting. Our day started with dropping Jack off at his practice, while I got a little practice for myself, driving practice that is!! That was basically terrible, for those of you who don't know me well, I am a HUGE perfectionistic, type A kind of a person, and I've been trying to get this driving thing down for almost two years, so driving practice has basically become, "If I can't get it perfect, I won't ever get it", and a HUGE source of frustration for me. When we had made it back to the game, I was in tears, my Dad was at a loss of what to say, and frankly, the boys probably just wanted to get out of the car as soon as possible...Three miserable hours later, the game was over, and we were ALL frustrated at losing an embarrassing 6-3, my dad, (bless his heart) bought us ALL slushies at Sonic, in an attempt to kill time before their next game. When we got back to the field, we saw that the team that we were waiting on to finish their game was going into overtime. We ended up waiting for 3 MORE hours for the game to end, (it ended up being 11 innings, and this league usually plays 7...). In that time of waiting, my dad(AGAIN, bless his heart) went out AGAIN to Sonic, to buy dinner for all of us. When the second game finally started, it was almost dark, and of course, our fields were NOT lighted, so in the third inning of the second game, we had to SWITCH fields, and surprise, surprise, we had to wait AGAIN for the team in front of us to finish. Just as we were arriving at the second field, I came down with a MASSIVE light and sound sensitive headache. My dad, being the most amazing dad out there, walked back to the car I don't even KNOW how many times to get chairs, medications, waters, sweatshirts, and numerous other things in order to make me more comfortable. All in all, I don't know HOW we would have gotten through yesterday without my amazing dad, so THANK YOU!

<3 Always,
Rose

Day 30- How DEEP the father's LOVE FOR US!

Hey guys!!

    So, as I mentioned a few days ago, there is a summer camp up in Northern Wisconsin that is very close to my heart, and I was hoping to work there this summer, and have had a hard time NOT being able to work there this summer. Anyways, my friend Chloe, who was up at camp for the summer and just got home a few days ago posted a video of her and her friend singing one of my favorite hymns of ALL TIME!!!!! It is such a powerful song, describing the pain the Christ endured, being "forsaken" by God. Anyways, her video really made me think, why is it that I want to work at camp? Is it just for the fun and games? Or is it actually ministering to campers? Obviously, the answer should most definitely be the second, but it is so easy for me to just think, "Oh, camp was SO much fun, I can't wait to go back!" And before I know it, I've forgotten WHY the camp even exists! It was quite the shock, but I am so happy that I realized this, because I spent the rest of the day fantasizing about how AWESOME it would be to minister to middle school campers, and I am SO excited to go work there, for the RIGHT reasons! I love camp, but even more than that, I love kids, and most of all, I. LOVE. GOD!!! I am so excited to bring the campers that same passion that I have for God!!!

Me singing the song :)

<3 Always,

Rose

Day 29- My Puppy!

Hey guys!

   So, as many of you know, we have just recently bought a puppy. A puppy has been a childhood dream of mine, because we have tried multiple times to have a puppy, and was always ended up getting rid of them..:( My first dog I got when I was about 5, and she was a black lab puppy. Unfortunately, she was very high strung, and not good with visitors, and because of the fact that my Mom was teaching piano, and a lot of her students had little siblings, so that didn't work real well. The second dog, was kind of a monster...He was from a foster home, and he was abused, so he had a lot of anxiety problems. He was very aggressive towards everyone, especially the little boys(now, granted, they were NOT the kindest to him...), and we just didn't need another thing to worry about(this was while Graham was in the hospital).

    For me, an avid animal lover, each dog that we had to give away was very hard for me, so when my Mom started talking about getting another puppy, I just thought, "Why, so we can have him for 6 months and then get rid of him?" But I can already tell about a week into having this puppy, I KNOW that he is one that will stay!!

   He is SUCH a sweetie, and SUCH a sweetheart. I call him "my baby" and we just have a very tight connection with him. Every morning, I come downstairs, and he just goes crazy, he is so excited to see me every morning. One of my favorite things to do recently has been just to sit outside with Elliot, and just play with him, and enjoy his puppyhood.

   Elliot just seems like the PERFECT fit for our family. He is smart, and quickly becoming obedience trained, he LOVES people, and will sit at the gate and cry if no one is with him, he LOVES to be outside playing with the boys, and best of all, he never runs! He creates SUCH a bond with "his people" that he just always wants to be by us, and would never even THINK about running away. Since day 1, he has never had to use a leash, which works well for our yard, because as of right now, we DON'T have a fenced in yard. In other words, it's basically a match made in Heaven for me!!

<3 Always,
Rose

Day 28- First Job Interviw :D

Hey guys!!

    First, I must apologize for missing a post yesterday, I was completely shot, and it just slipped my mind! For yesterday, I was happy to have completely my first EVER job interview!!! :) I had an interview at Belks(about 10 minutes away from our house), and I really enjoyed it, and I think I did well! For my first interview ever, I was very proud of myself for holding myself confidently in a stressful situation :) I tend to be very space brained and my ADHD tends to make itself known in stressful situations, so I was very happy with myself for maintaining my focus and confidence. Hopefully I will either know later today, or within the next week! That's all for now!

<3 Always,
Rose

Day 27- Registering for classes!!

Hey guys!

     So, have you ever tried to apply for a community college where you moved to, and realized you weren't technically a "resident"? Have you ever tried to apply to the place where you USED to live, and realize you're not a resident their either?....That was me today, according to community colleges, I live nowhere. The trick with NC residency is that you MUST live in the state for at LEAST a year, but in Wheaton, once you move, you are NOT a resident there anymore...and thus began my never ending struggle to register for classes at a community college. I finally decided this morning that it would be cheaper to go to COD(The community college in Wheaton), and then transfer to Caldwell next year. So, as I was trying in vain to register for classes, I discovered another problem. Apparently, COD isn't very accommodating to distance students, because for 95% of their online classes, you have to take a placement test...which can ONLY be administered at COD...LUCKY ME! Anyways, once I finally figured out what the problem was, I was able to call the admissions department over there, and they told me that if I emailed them my ACT scores, then I could be waived out of taking the practice test. After working on trying to do this for 5 hours, it was SUCH a relief for me to hear that, but at the same time, it was incredibly frustrating, because it WAS a simple solution, and I had spent 5 hours trying to figure it out. At the end of the day though, I was able to apply for BOTH of the classes that I knew would transfer to Caldwell, and then onto a bigger university, eventually, which made me very happy. It's the little things in life, right?

<3 Always,
Rose

Day 26- Facing Fears

Hey guys!

    So, ever since I was little, I was afraid of heights. I remember going into Chicago with my family, and not even being able to LOOK at those tall buildings, and I certainly wouldn't go IN one! Since hitting high school, I have been working on facing that ONE fear. I started with just looking at the buildings, then going in them, and then a big test came. For my 18th birthday, my parents told me that I could do whatever I wanted, and I knew from the many times driving home from the Lyric Opera House(where I was performing), I wanted to go on the sky deck. For those of you who don't know what that is, it is essentially a glass box that is attached 103 floors off the ground on the Sears(Willis) Tower, and they allow people to go in it, and look how high up it is. It is an amazing experience, I would recommend it to anyone visiting Chicago, or anyone living in the 'burbs that have never done it. Anyways, so I decided that I was going to do this, I'd never done it before, and NOW was my chance. As we got onto the first of four elevators, I was reminded that I was NOT the only one afraid of doing this, Marina, who was standing right next to me, was claustrophobic and terrified of elevators, so we held hands, took a deep breath, and faced our fear.

   Fast-forwarding to today, I faced my fear of heights once AGAIN. My mom took us to this really REALLY cool zip lining course in Catawaba Meadows, called the Beanstalk Adventures, I would recommend it to everyone and anyone who likes a thrill(even if you don't, you should do it!). It is essentially a series of 6 rope bridges that lead you from one platform to the next, 5 zip lines, a climbing wall(extra fee), AND for the grand finale, a zip line that starts you at 525 feet up in the air!

    I was so proud of myself and my accomplishment today, not to say that I wasn't nervous or freaking out, but I did it anyway! I did it because(this is gonna sound SUPER cheesy), you only live once! If you hide from what you're afraid of your whole life, then what you're afraid of has consumed your life! You need to look those fears in the eyes, and say, "Hey, you don't control me! I am the human here, and I will make my OWN decision!". You don't want to live your life a coward, do you? One of my all time FAVORITE TV series has a line that says, "Leap, and a net will appear!"(Monk) this is(quite literally) what I did today, and I am alive and standing, so my fear did NOT get the best of me today.

<3 Always,
Rose

Day 24- Job Interview!!

Hey guys!

    So, today I am SUPER pumped, and proud of myself. Why, you ask? I got a phone call this afternoon and I schedule my FIRST official job interview on Thursday! I am so happy, ecstatic, and just beaming with pride that the very FIRST job I applied to, I landed an interview! I will (hopefully) be working at Belk's in Lenoir, for you northerners, Belk's is basically the southern version of Kohl's. It seems like a very laid back and low(ish) pressure job, which seems like a very good fit for me! It's also five minutes away from our house, which will be super nice!! It astounds me how much God has provided for our family, after loosing Graham, and now moving half way across the country, he has provided for us every step of the way! I love that we serve SUCH an awesome God, who is looking out for me in ways that I could never understand or imagine. For example, I HAD the opportunity to go and work at the summer camp that I went to as a middle schooler this summer, but because of the move, I couldn't. Every time I see someone post a picture of camp or a status about camp, my heart breaks just a little bit more. I was so heartbroken coming here, wanting to be there, but I know that for some reason, that is unknown to me, he wanted and NEEDED me here. I will always have more opportunities to work at camp, and even if it never happens, I have peace in knowing that that is God's will for me!

<3 Always,

Rose

Day 24- being a people person!!

Hey guys!!

    So, after having a crazy beyond crazy week complete with a drive down to South Carolina to pick up Elliot, a day trip to Blowing Rock, a family reunion, and having 2 house guests if you don't include Caroline...she's not really even a house guest....I am so happy that I am the way I am! Unlike my Mom, I like to constantly be busy, I have to be moving, or have somewhere to go, like ALL the time(perks of having ADHD....), and I love it! I don't ever get tired of doing day trips or long drives to random hiking places, because that is what I love. The other thing is, I always want to be with people, people energize me and really make me happy, which is nice when you come from a huge family! I guess what I'm trying to say, thank goodness for my personality and love of people, because otherwise, I'm not sure how I would've made it through this week! I have loved being with family, meeting the puppy and learning his personality, and I have loved spending time with our house guests and getting to know them more, especially when you're used to seeing boys all the time, your sister and her friend are a sight for sore eyes, that's for sure!

<3 Always,
Rose

Day 23- Family Reunions!

Hey all!!

    So, I had a very jam packed day filled with awesome people and awesome places and awesome food, LOTS of awesome food ;) I just got home(hence the late posting) and I am completely shot, but I loved every minute of it which makes it worth it!

    The Stevens Girls(plus Keila) spent the day at our family's annual reunion up in Linville Falls! Although 85% of the people there I didn't know, I still had a good time with the family I had there. Since losing Graham, and the diagnosis of Clara, I think that we have been built up as a stronger family unit. Whenever we get together, it is truly a great time, complete with lots of laughs, but most of all, lots of LOVE. It makes me so sad to think that some people have gone their whole lives without seeing their Mom or Dad's side of the family, or when you haven't seen your siblings in 20 years, that just BREAKS my heart. I think a lot of the reason I feel so strongly about this is the fact that I DID grow up far away from both sides of my family, HOWEVER, we made it work! We would travel down to Kansas City, where my dad's side of the family is and spend Thanksgiving with them, and then my Grandma almost always would fly in over Christmas break, along with my cousin's from my dad's side(on the years that they're with their Mom for Thanksgiving). If we made it work, why can't other people? Why do children grow up without knowing either one of their grandparents on one side of the family? That's just sad! With technology these days, you can STILL keep in touch even when you're far away, (trust me, I KNOW!) so why distance yourself or your children from their extended family? In other words, I'm happy, thankful, and glad that our family hasn't fallen out of touch, and we love each other, no matter HOW far away you might be! I'll admit, it's HARD sometimes, not being close to family, when most of your friends are, but think of it this way; every month you spend apart, only makes for a more FANTASTICALLY WONDERFUL reunion!

<3 Always,
Rose

Day 22- Job Findings!

Hey guys!

    So, as you all probably know, my sister has been here visiting with us!! The main reason she is actually DOWN here though, was to find jobs and hopefully land some interviews. When she left on Saturday, she had landed NO interviews, but by that following Wednesday, her phone was ringing off the hook, and she had landed 5, yes, FIVE interviews!!! We have been hearing about her plans for the past few days, and it just makes me soooo happy!!!! I am so proud of my sister, when she came, we all thought she was being unrealistic by thinking that she could move in a few months, but she pulled through and proved us ALLL wrong!! She has been offered a FULL-TIME dance teaching job(what she has ALWAYS wanted to do...) and she STARTS on September 1st!!!!!!!!!!! I am SUCH a proud little sister of my sister having the courage and confidence to put herself out there, and to go against what everyone else was telling her, THAT takes guts!!!

<3 Always,
Rose

Day 21- Elliot!

Hey all!!

     Today was a very special and exciting day for us! WE GOT A PUPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We have had a fun filled morning and early afternoon, just loving on this adorable lil guy :) He is a 2 month old White Lab, and his name is Elliot(After Graham's middle name...). He is easily the most chill and relaxed dog that we have EVER had, which is a plus, because he's really good with the boys. He slept the ENTIRE two hour long car ride home, and he's just so DANG CUTE!

    We actually saw a post on Facebook from my Mom's cousin that her daughter had found a litter of puppies on the side of the road, and wanted to give them away to a loving home, when my Mom saw it, her wheels started turning, and before we knew it, we were getting a puppy!!

   Elliot is the perfect fit for our family, he is very easy going and relaxed about everything, but at the same time he is very, VERY playful, like all little puppies. We have had a few problems this morning with biting, but again, it's just a puppy thing, and it can be trained out of them. All in all, I am a VERY happy gal today!!! It's times like these when I REALLY wish I had my smart phone again, then I'd be able to show pictures....:(

<3 Always,
Rose

Day 20- Generations!

Hey All!

    "This generation of kids" is a term that gets thrown around a lot, and most teens do feel a bit hypocritical saying it because they are a part of them. However, we are not "kids" we are 90's kids, that did NOT grow up around technology, and THAT is important. It is even more obvious when you have such a HUGE age range in your family, our family in particular range from almost 24 to 7.

    I remember growing up as a kid, we spent our entire summer, all day, EVERY day, outside, being creative and active...when did that change? I remember literally spending every MOMENT we could outside playing, from the minute we got up, to the minute the sun went down, it was such a great treat when we were able to come INSIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now, we have to almost BRIBE the little ones to go outside and play, what's up with that? Like, really??

   Anyways, this afternoon, we lost track of the boys for a few hours, and we naturally thought they were watching TV, so I'm sure you can imagine the heart attack my dad and I had when they weren't!! I just so happened to look out the window and see the boys, spraying each other with hoses, "because they were bored"...it looks like our "next generation" isn't completely at a loss!!!! This scene just made my heart so happy. It just reminded me so much of my childhood...and it made my heart smile.

   There is really not that much difference between the "New Generation" and the rest of the world, and it is really YOUR choice how much technology they are introduced to. Obviously, you can't restrict the use of iPads or Smart Boards at your child's school, but most definitely at your own home, MONITOR the technology. In other words, before you start telling your children about "when I was your age..." think to yourself, ARE you letting technology consume their lives? Is that healthy? Then, why not have them walk to their next sports practice? Or send them outside for an afternoon? It will brighten their character and childhood memories immensely!

<3 Always,
Rose

Day 19- Mountains :)

Hey!!!

    So, today we went to this really cool city called Blowing Rock(for you local people, you should check it out!). We found a cool national park that looked over some RIDICULOUS mountains, and it was only 15 minutes away from our house! Which is awesome. I really wish I could have taken pictures, but of course, my phone is still dead...:(

   It is so awe inspiring and humbling to be living in SUCH a gorgeous place as this, our God is TRUELY an awesome God :)

Day 18- Reunions :)

Hey all!

    So, it's true what they say about siblings, when you're living under the same roof, you will likely be at each others throats most of the time, however, as you all grow and mature and go off to college/move out of the house, when they come back, you will be SO much closer!

   Today, I saw my sister for the first time since we left Wheaton over a month ago(woah, has it really been that long?), and it was awesome. I was so, SO excited to see her, even though she DOES drive me nuts sometimes. Though we may not be super close and buddy buddy like a lot of sisters are, we love each other, we support each other, and we ARE sisters, and that's enough.

   Leaving Wheaton, I was SO excited to finally have my own room for the first time in 5 years, but when I got here, it was very lonely indeed. Our old house was only 3 bedrooms and a master for 5 kids and 2 parents, and now we ALL have our own rooms, which we're not used to, and we tend to spend a whole lot of time in other people's rooms, just to be there :) I described it to my friend as, it's kind of like a college dorm room, there are people constantly coming and going, and it's not unlikely to go to sleep and wake up with another person sleeping next to you...that happened like the entire first WEEK. Anyways, I do love having my own room, but again, it's just weird, none of us have ever had our own rooms, and especially for the two younger boys who are basically joined at the hip, it is really weird to be ALONE in your room. If you come from a big family, you probably understand what I'm talking about, you always have someone to be with, and when you don't, you don't really know what to do with yourself. Combine that with the fact that we have just moved to a small town and know very few people, my brothers have basically become my best friends.

   It was so weird for me though, to be the ONLY girl, the OLDEST, and the one EVERYONE comes to with their problems if Mom's not around, so I was very happy and relieved to see my sister today, I know she's not staying here very long, but I am so excited that I have someone to do sister things with, and someone that's older than me to be the "responsible adult", because I hate being that....
<3 Always,
Rose

Day 17- A restful afternoon!

Hey guys!!!!

    So, for the past couple weeks, my allergies have really been acting up, either that, or it's a cold. Of course, because we don't have a family doctor yet, we can't figure out what it is that I'm allergic to. :( Anyways, it has gotten to the point where last night, I had 3 pillows, and I still didn't fall asleep 'til past 2 o'clock, and woke up at 7:15....needless to say, I am SO exhausted today. I am so grateful for both my parents, because when they saw me this morning, they KNEW it was getting worse, and they stopped by a drug store on the way home from church to find me some allergy medicine(I can't take Sudafed, because it will react with my other meds I'm on...), and then did the very best they could to keep the boys out of my room and relatively quiet, so I could have SOME peace, even if it didn't mean sleep. Unfortunately, I am STILL stuffed up, and have a massive headache pretty much 24/7, so sleeping didn't work out, but it was still nice to have some peace and quiet to recharge for an action packed week ahead! Please pray that I will begin to feel better soon, and/or that we can determine the cause of whatever is going on with my body, and that I will have the energy to get through this next week complete with 3 house guests, a trip to Georgia, and a family reunion. THANK YOU!
<3 Always,
Rose

Day 16- Butterfly chairs.

Hey guys!

    So, ever since I was in the fourth grade, I've had a weird interest in butterfly chairs. When I was in fourth grade, during our silent reading time, our teach had a select number of chairs, and went through the class list each day so we each got one. I remember the BEST silent reading was while I was sitting in a butterfly chair. For Christmas that year, I requested one thing...I wanted a butterfly chair, unfortunately for 10 year old Rose, I didn't get one. 

    Ever since then, whenever we are in IKEA or some other furniture store, I always at least LOOK at the butterfly chairs, if not, I ask my Mom if I could get one. Today, my childhood dream came true, I GOT A BUTTERFLY CHAIR!!!!! And, I haven't moved from it since I got home. My heart is so happy, this may seem little and insignificant to you, probably because it is, but it is what has made me happy today :)  

For those of you who don't know what a butterfly chair is....This is one!

<3 Always,

Rose

Day 15- Having a family close by!

Hey Everyone!

    As many of you know, I spent most of my childhood pretty far away from any extended family, and any time we got together, it was big deal! To give you an idea, my cousins on my Mom's side, I remember meeting them twice in my life! However, my cousins on my Mom's side are some of the most open and friendly people that I have ever met, which makes it easy to love them ;)

    One thing that I was really excited about from the very beginning and throughout our move was being closer to family, we're still not SUPER close(about an hour and a half to my Grandma's, and four hours to my Aunt's), but it is still a good deal closer, at least we're in the same state! Today we had our first outing with extended family since we've been here, and I so loved it! I loved seeing my Grandma's house, and seeing where my Mom grew up, but most of all, I just loved spending time with my Grandma! Anytime I see her, I am always so excited, but today was different, because I got to see HER home, and usually it's her visiting us. The more time I spend with my family, the more similarities I see between all of us, for instance, today at the store Aedon(who's 7) was being a brat and I turned to him and said, "Aedon...stop acting like you're two!", and my Grandma turned to me and said, "...wait...Aedon's NOT two years old?!" that sounded EXACTLY like something I would say :)

    Because of the fact that I did grow up very far away from family, I love it anytime we're all together, and it makes me so happy to know that we'll be able to see a LOT more of each other now that we're closer. I'm so excited to see my second cousins grow up, and I am so excited to be their "cool older cousin" when they need me! Long story short, my extended family means a lot to me, and I am so happy that we are a lot to closer now!

<3 Always,
Rose