Hey guys,
So, when I was little, my favorite movie was the Sound of Music. On camping trips each year, we would make up our own"favorite(or in my mind favoritest) things", and today I realized; I am incredibly, INCREDIBLY blessed to be able to take this challenge of being happy for 100 days to the next level, and I decided that I would make my "favorite things" about Lenoir.
"Bees with my Blue Moose and trips down to Hickory,
Mission Impossible, no matter how slippery,
Walking my puppy and singing a song,
these are a few of my favorite things.
High school retreats, and setting new trends,
Goodwill, and youth group, and studying with friends,
Having the best bible study of all,
These are a few of my favorite things.
Costumes, and parties with campfire songs,
Traffic and stoplights that aren't very long,
Sittin' on my porch swing while rain tumbles down,
These are a few of my favorite things.
When the coffee spills,
When the turtles come,
When I'm not feeling glad,
I simply remember my favorite things,
and then I don't FEEL SO BAD!!"
Now, if you don't understand my song, it is sprinkled with inside jokes, so if it doesn't make sense, that's ok! I hope this inspires YOU to think of YOUR favorite things, it's not as easy as it seems!!
<3 Always,
Rose
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Day 105- Crafts :)
Hey guys,
So, when stress is REALLY driving me crazy, I usually do one of two things...either I play my ukulele, OR, I do crafts. I am not an incredibly artistic person, but I am a CREATIVE person, and yes, there is a difference. I can't draw to save my life, but I will color, paint, or (what usually ends up happening), I'll make bracelets. I've basically been making bracelets for my whole life, but my bracelet making skills entered a whole new level after camp, where I basically spent every bit of free time I could making bracelets. Most recently, I have been teaching myself how to make friendship bracelets with names in them, which is very difficult, but that's ok, because I was getting to the point where a lot of the bracelets I was making were pretty easy anyways. So, today I decided to start a new bracelet, and I've done almost half of it! Which is pretty impressive, considering that it usually takes me at LEAST 3-4 days to make one usually, which made me happy :)
<3 Always,
Rose
So, when stress is REALLY driving me crazy, I usually do one of two things...either I play my ukulele, OR, I do crafts. I am not an incredibly artistic person, but I am a CREATIVE person, and yes, there is a difference. I can't draw to save my life, but I will color, paint, or (what usually ends up happening), I'll make bracelets. I've basically been making bracelets for my whole life, but my bracelet making skills entered a whole new level after camp, where I basically spent every bit of free time I could making bracelets. Most recently, I have been teaching myself how to make friendship bracelets with names in them, which is very difficult, but that's ok, because I was getting to the point where a lot of the bracelets I was making were pretty easy anyways. So, today I decided to start a new bracelet, and I've done almost half of it! Which is pretty impressive, considering that it usually takes me at LEAST 3-4 days to make one usually, which made me happy :)
<3 Always,
Rose
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Day 104- Hickory Happenings
Hey guys,
So, if you don't live in Lenoir, you truly don't know the pain of having NO chiptole, or portillos, or panera, or five guys, or Starbucks, or basically any other food place you could think of besides Sonic, and KFC. Thankfully for us though, if we drive into the next big town of Hickory, all those wonderful things come back(except for Portillo's, that's a northern thing)! The only catch is that Hickory is a good half hour away, so we don't get out there very much. :( Today, my lovely youth leader and I decided to take a trip into Hickory for lunch, and I got to eat Panera for the first time in over four months...it was GLORIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!! After lunch, we stopped at Starbucks, which again, was GLORIOUS!!!!!!!! So today, I'm happy because...food, very good food...:) For those of you still in the Chicago area thinking that I've lost my mind, THE STRUGGLE IS REAL, don't judge :P
<3 Always,
Rose
So, if you don't live in Lenoir, you truly don't know the pain of having NO chiptole, or portillos, or panera, or five guys, or Starbucks, or basically any other food place you could think of besides Sonic, and KFC. Thankfully for us though, if we drive into the next big town of Hickory, all those wonderful things come back(except for Portillo's, that's a northern thing)! The only catch is that Hickory is a good half hour away, so we don't get out there very much. :( Today, my lovely youth leader and I decided to take a trip into Hickory for lunch, and I got to eat Panera for the first time in over four months...it was GLORIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!! After lunch, we stopped at Starbucks, which again, was GLORIOUS!!!!!!!! So today, I'm happy because...food, very good food...:) For those of you still in the Chicago area thinking that I've lost my mind, THE STRUGGLE IS REAL, don't judge :P
<3 Always,
Rose
Day 103-The group that started the legacy that we left.
Hey guys,
So reading today's title might be just a tad bit confusing, but bear with me. Before there were the "senior girls" that I talk about so often, there was another group of seniors that rarely get recognized. As freshman, the seniors embraced us, mentored us, talked and laughed with us, and above all, they set the standard for what it looks like to be godly women, and godly friends. I honestly cannot imagine our time in the high school youth group without this group of girls leading the way, so on behalf of the "baby" seniors, thank you to all the wonderful "senior seniors" who set the expectation for us!
Although I love each of the senior seniors so very much, I want to talk about of the senior seniors in particular, my dear friend/mentor Olivia Heath. Olivia and I met in a sort of round-about way, but just bear with me. My best friend's sister who was also part of the senior group at the time was studying abroad in Malaysia, and my best friend was having a difficult time with that, so these girls took it upon themselves to adopt and watch over my best friend, and in turn, me while her sister was gone. I have seen 3 years of high school classes go through the youth group, including my brothers, and I would STILL have to say that our freshman/senior class combination just had a very unique connection. It paired sisters together(my best friend Katie and her sister Laura), it paired life long friends(Kelli and I), and it took complete strangers and brought them together, and amazingly, there was very little drama! But back to Olivia, so Olivia was actually my best friend(Katie)'s sister's best friend, so it was a bit of a paradox, but we basically hit it off pretty instantly. Through the year we laughed, snacked, talked, and really learned to love each other truly as big and little sisters. One of my favorite memories of big and little sister bonding time was one night where we had all met up at Katie and Laura's and just gathered around their laptops and just watched Brian Regan, so simple, but so fun, and frankly, it made the little freshman feel super cool. ;) Olivia and I had a pretty strong connection from the get-go, we lived very close to each other, we are both very similar in personality, and we both had Van Oss's as our best friends!!! Through the summer, we spent a LOT of time together, grabbing lunch, exchanging clothes, watching movies, it really didn't matter. Livvy and I were and always will be the BEST Senior/Freshman mentor pair in the history of Blanchard, and I am forever grateful for that. But, all good things must come to an end, and that it did. Livvy left for college, and I started my sophomore year of high school, but somehow, we didn't really ever LOSE that connection that we'd had since we'd met. It is such a blessing to have a mentor, or SOMEONE(who's not your brother) to look up to when you enter youth group as a freshman, and Livvy was JUST the right person for me. She was incredibly patient with my pre-diagnosed ADHD self, but she is also very possibly the SWEETEST person I know. She loved catching up with me every week and sharing high and low points of our weeks, and it in turn, became something that I looked forward to every week.
As I began to plan my trip back home, I knew that I would get to see Kelli, my other mentor/childhood best friend, so for some reason, I assumed Livvy would be there as well. But tonight it hit me like a freight train, Livvy's not going to be there, she's at college! Of all the people I miss from home, Olivia's definitely in the top 5, so I know it's going to be hard to come home and NOT see her. I am so blessed and grateful for the mentorship/friendship/sistership that we have Livvy, you loved me and have continued to love me so well, and I can't wait to be that mentor for someone else! I miss you, I love you, and HOPEFULLY we will see each other in the general vicinity of the near future!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Some how, some way, some where, it's GOING to happen!!
So reading today's title might be just a tad bit confusing, but bear with me. Before there were the "senior girls" that I talk about so often, there was another group of seniors that rarely get recognized. As freshman, the seniors embraced us, mentored us, talked and laughed with us, and above all, they set the standard for what it looks like to be godly women, and godly friends. I honestly cannot imagine our time in the high school youth group without this group of girls leading the way, so on behalf of the "baby" seniors, thank you to all the wonderful "senior seniors" who set the expectation for us!
Although I love each of the senior seniors so very much, I want to talk about of the senior seniors in particular, my dear friend/mentor Olivia Heath. Olivia and I met in a sort of round-about way, but just bear with me. My best friend's sister who was also part of the senior group at the time was studying abroad in Malaysia, and my best friend was having a difficult time with that, so these girls took it upon themselves to adopt and watch over my best friend, and in turn, me while her sister was gone. I have seen 3 years of high school classes go through the youth group, including my brothers, and I would STILL have to say that our freshman/senior class combination just had a very unique connection. It paired sisters together(my best friend Katie and her sister Laura), it paired life long friends(Kelli and I), and it took complete strangers and brought them together, and amazingly, there was very little drama! But back to Olivia, so Olivia was actually my best friend(Katie)'s sister's best friend, so it was a bit of a paradox, but we basically hit it off pretty instantly. Through the year we laughed, snacked, talked, and really learned to love each other truly as big and little sisters. One of my favorite memories of big and little sister bonding time was one night where we had all met up at Katie and Laura's and just gathered around their laptops and just watched Brian Regan, so simple, but so fun, and frankly, it made the little freshman feel super cool. ;) Olivia and I had a pretty strong connection from the get-go, we lived very close to each other, we are both very similar in personality, and we both had Van Oss's as our best friends!!! Through the summer, we spent a LOT of time together, grabbing lunch, exchanging clothes, watching movies, it really didn't matter. Livvy and I were and always will be the BEST Senior/Freshman mentor pair in the history of Blanchard, and I am forever grateful for that. But, all good things must come to an end, and that it did. Livvy left for college, and I started my sophomore year of high school, but somehow, we didn't really ever LOSE that connection that we'd had since we'd met. It is such a blessing to have a mentor, or SOMEONE(who's not your brother) to look up to when you enter youth group as a freshman, and Livvy was JUST the right person for me. She was incredibly patient with my pre-diagnosed ADHD self, but she is also very possibly the SWEETEST person I know. She loved catching up with me every week and sharing high and low points of our weeks, and it in turn, became something that I looked forward to every week.
As I began to plan my trip back home, I knew that I would get to see Kelli, my other mentor/childhood best friend, so for some reason, I assumed Livvy would be there as well. But tonight it hit me like a freight train, Livvy's not going to be there, she's at college! Of all the people I miss from home, Olivia's definitely in the top 5, so I know it's going to be hard to come home and NOT see her. I am so blessed and grateful for the mentorship/friendship/sistership that we have Livvy, you loved me and have continued to love me so well, and I can't wait to be that mentor for someone else! I miss you, I love you, and HOPEFULLY we will see each other in the general vicinity of the near future!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Some how, some way, some where, it's GOING to happen!!
This picture is embarrassingly old, but we're super cute, so it's worth it :)
<3 Always,
Rose
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Day 102- FALL.
Hey friends,
So, I don't know about you, but fall is basically what I live for. The pumpkin patches, the colors of the leaves, the crunch of the fallen leaves on the sidewalk, bonfires, sweatshirts, and fuzzy boots, THAT is my life. Tonight, we have a fall party at one of the student's houses, and it was so much fun. We were able to ride in the bed of a tractor through their seemingly endless property, and it truly made my heart smile. It is becoming more and more clear that, when it comes down to it, I am a country gal at heart. Being somewhere where you can look up and see the stars and attempt to count them, somewhere where the mountains and rivers and forests seem to flow into each other seamlessly, and somewhere where you truly cannot help but think, WOW, how awesome is this? Sitting around the fire tonight, it almost brought me to tears, it reminded me so much of the things I loved at camp, the nature and the unmistakable beauty of God's creation. On the last day of camp, actually the last THING we did together every year will always be with me, and I will always remember the many emotions going on in my head, we joined hands as an entire camp body and sang one last song, "Let us adore, the ever living God, and render praise unto HIM. He SPREADS OUT THE HEAVENS, and establishes the Earth, and his glory is MANIFEST THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE WORLD, he is our God, he IS our God, and there is NO. ONE. ELSE!" As I sat around the camp fire tonight, even though I am 17 hours away from camp, I realized just how gorgeous the Earth is. Not only that, but God spent 6 days creating the Earth, that is perfect, marvelous, and gorgeous in every way. Therefore, how much MORE perfect, marvelous, and gorgeous are WE, his CHILDREN that he has invested millions and millions of years worth of work and patience and kindness in order to prosper us? For me, seeing nature is so humbling because I know, essentially God created that mountain, or this tree, or that sky, with a snap of his fingers, and yet, he cares for each and every one of his children! We are truly surrounded by beauty in nature, and that beauty will open our eyes to the massive power of the God we serve, amen?
<3 Always,
Rose
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Day 101-PLANNING!
Hey guys,
So, if there are two things you should know about me it's this; first, I am a planner, I always have been, I always will be, and honestly, I wouldn't function WITHOUT a plan. Secondly, my life is basically constant chaos, especially on the weekends. With 5 kids and 2 adults, there is always, ALWAYS at least one sports event to go to, church gatherings, date nights, and stuff like that. Today was no exception to those rules, but I was able to tell how fortunate it is that these two traits of mine, or of my family go hand-in-hand. Today, we had to be OUT of the house by 6:45 for a soccer tournament in Winston-Salem, we also had to have Shane's overnight stuff packed as well, because my sister was meeting us there and taking the little boys to her house for a "sleepover". To make things just a bit more interesting, Aedon had a swim meet in Charlotte not only on the same day, but overlapping times as well. So, when I woke up this morning and saw that my alarm had been going off for 20 minutes, I was NOT happy. By the time we had woken Shane and Jack up, it was 6:40, and we were shooting to leave in five minutes, and HERE is where planning comes in handy. Shane sits up out of bed and the first thing that happens is his nose starts bleeding, Shane is essentially helpless when he has a nose bleed, we haven't quite figured out why, but that's just the way he is...Anyways, so Shane is sprawled out on the floor with blood running down his face, meanwhile I'm getting him dressed while Dad is downstairs getting the dog's things ready to go, and I just stop and think, MAN, what would have happened if his stuff WASN'T all laid out and ready to go? For those of you just like, man, that's insane, this was only the START of our morning, it got much worse, but that's another story for another day. In conclusion, PLANNING IS YOUR FRIEND!
<3 Always,
Rose
So, if there are two things you should know about me it's this; first, I am a planner, I always have been, I always will be, and honestly, I wouldn't function WITHOUT a plan. Secondly, my life is basically constant chaos, especially on the weekends. With 5 kids and 2 adults, there is always, ALWAYS at least one sports event to go to, church gatherings, date nights, and stuff like that. Today was no exception to those rules, but I was able to tell how fortunate it is that these two traits of mine, or of my family go hand-in-hand. Today, we had to be OUT of the house by 6:45 for a soccer tournament in Winston-Salem, we also had to have Shane's overnight stuff packed as well, because my sister was meeting us there and taking the little boys to her house for a "sleepover". To make things just a bit more interesting, Aedon had a swim meet in Charlotte not only on the same day, but overlapping times as well. So, when I woke up this morning and saw that my alarm had been going off for 20 minutes, I was NOT happy. By the time we had woken Shane and Jack up, it was 6:40, and we were shooting to leave in five minutes, and HERE is where planning comes in handy. Shane sits up out of bed and the first thing that happens is his nose starts bleeding, Shane is essentially helpless when he has a nose bleed, we haven't quite figured out why, but that's just the way he is...Anyways, so Shane is sprawled out on the floor with blood running down his face, meanwhile I'm getting him dressed while Dad is downstairs getting the dog's things ready to go, and I just stop and think, MAN, what would have happened if his stuff WASN'T all laid out and ready to go? For those of you just like, man, that's insane, this was only the START of our morning, it got much worse, but that's another story for another day. In conclusion, PLANNING IS YOUR FRIEND!
<3 Always,
Rose
Day 100- I'M GOIN HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey guys,
So, here's the question....could I BE any happier on friday? Actually, no I don't think I could!! Thanks to my best friend, Charis who offered to let me stay with them, I am OFFICIALLY making good on my birthday gift of a plan ticket home! (It only took 4 months...) When Dad finally got the ticket Friday night, I spent at LEAST 45 minutes jumping and dancing and screaming and crying and just BESIDE MYSELF with happiness!! It is officially official, in EXACTLY 10 days from now, I will be in WHEATON, ILLINOIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Aww man, so, SO many sweet and crazy beyond belief reunions will be waiting for me, and I am so, SO blessed!
"I'm staring out into the night,
Trying to hide the pain.
I'm going to the place where love
And feeling good don't ever cost a thing.
And the pain you feel's a different kind of pain.
Well I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from.
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old,
So I'm going home.
Well I'm going home.
The miles are getting longer, it seems,
The closer I get to you.
I've not always been the best man or friend for you.
But your love remains true.
And I don't know why.
You always seem to give me another try.
So I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from.
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old,
So I'm going home."(Chris Daughtry, Home)
Seriously, I am BEYOND excited to see all the wonderful Wheaties, and it will be a weekend to remember for sure!
<3 Always,
Rose
So, here's the question....could I BE any happier on friday? Actually, no I don't think I could!! Thanks to my best friend, Charis who offered to let me stay with them, I am OFFICIALLY making good on my birthday gift of a plan ticket home! (It only took 4 months...) When Dad finally got the ticket Friday night, I spent at LEAST 45 minutes jumping and dancing and screaming and crying and just BESIDE MYSELF with happiness!! It is officially official, in EXACTLY 10 days from now, I will be in WHEATON, ILLINOIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Aww man, so, SO many sweet and crazy beyond belief reunions will be waiting for me, and I am so, SO blessed!
"I'm staring out into the night,
Trying to hide the pain.
I'm going to the place where love
And feeling good don't ever cost a thing.
And the pain you feel's a different kind of pain.
Well I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from.
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old,
So I'm going home.
Well I'm going home.
The miles are getting longer, it seems,
The closer I get to you.
I've not always been the best man or friend for you.
But your love remains true.
And I don't know why.
You always seem to give me another try.
So I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from.
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old,
So I'm going home."(Chris Daughtry, Home)
Seriously, I am BEYOND excited to see all the wonderful Wheaties, and it will be a weekend to remember for sure!
<3 Always,
Rose
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Day 99-Rachel Murray(Even though you'll always be Rachel Leonard to me!)
So guys,
Today's post is a bit of a step back in time. As I entered middle school, I was blessed with not one, but TWO amazing small group leaders, one of which stuck with us all the way through senior year. Today, I want to talk about one of them that is still very near and dear to my heart, Miss Rachel Murray(or Rachel Leonard...). I don't quite know what it was about Rachel that just drew me to her, maybe it was that she was one of my sisters best friends, maybe it was her infectious laugh and smile, but whatever the case, before I even really KNEW Rachel, I was drawn to her. In the fall of my 7th grade year, we went to this student conference called Planet Wisdom. I was without my life-long best friend at church, who had a musical performance or something that weekend, and I really didn't KNOW any of the other girls very well, so I was sufficiently terrified. Throughout the weekend, I grew closer to my own small group, to the 8th grade girls small group, and to the leaders, but nothing compared to what happened with me and Rachel. On the very last night, they invited those who had never accepted Jesus, or who were struggling in their faith to come forward, and for the leaders of the students to come pray with them, I stepped forward, and Rachel followed behind me. As we went into the other room, I could feel my heart start to pound a little faster, and the tears start to come. I had been a Christian all my life, but I didn't really know what that meant. I accepted Christ when I was so young that it was hard for me to really believe that the four year old version of myself knew what any of it meant, and I was racked with guilt about my life, because I knew deep down that I wasn't living the way I should be. When I began telling this to Rachel, she took me by the hand and said, "Rose, I may not know you super well yet, and I may not know your life story, but I know your heart. I know that you are caring, you are kind, you are loving, and you have a heart for serving others and for serving God. It doesn't take a genius to see that, and I don't want you to EVER think that you aren't doing a good enough job at being a christian, you are doing your best, and that's enough! It is so obvious that you truly 'love the Lord with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength'. I'm so proud of you for PUTTING yourself out there this weekend, because you don't have your best friend by your side, and you've never been to a church thing without her, and THAT is brave!" What an amazing leader, right? From that moment on, Rachel and I slowly grew closer and closer, and I am so happy that we did. The next year, Rachel went off to college, and I continued on to eighth grade, but that didn't stop us! We somehow maintained our friendship even with an ocean separating us! Five years later, I am proud to say that nothing about our friendship has really changed, even though just about everything else in both of our lives has changed. On the off chance that we are both at church on the same Sunday, mass chaos ensues, lots of screaming, laughing, and talking(obviously...), it is truly like no time has passed at all! It is so obvious that God has been there throughout our entire friendship, and that is the one and ONLY reason that we are still close today. I want to say to those of you leaders in middle school and high school youth groups, a lot of the times you don't see it, but you changing those students lives, and they will never forget you, and Rachel and I are a perfect example of that. I still remember that night at Planet Wisdom like it was yesterday, and I know that I am so fortunate to have had such an amazing woman of Christ as a leader! Rachel, I want to say thank you. That night at Planet Wisdom was one of the very first times I really struggled with my walk with Christ, and you really spoke to my heart that night. You are truly an amazing leader, mentor, friend, and sister in Christ, and I am grateful to have had you as a leader. You shine in everything you do, and everyone that meets you cannot help but love you. Your smile and laughter is so contagious and beautiful, I love it! You are a blessing to everyone you meet, but to me in particular, so thank you for loving me. Thank you for not letting that friendship die when you left, and for making it a point to finding me EVERY time you came to Blanchard, it made a little 8th grader or high schooler feel so loved and so important! So all in all, I love you, I miss you, I am so grateful to have had such an AMAZING leader for my 7th grade year, and I want you to know that I would not be the same girl that I am today without you, so thank you!!!!
<3 Always,
Rose
Today's post is a bit of a step back in time. As I entered middle school, I was blessed with not one, but TWO amazing small group leaders, one of which stuck with us all the way through senior year. Today, I want to talk about one of them that is still very near and dear to my heart, Miss Rachel Murray(or Rachel Leonard...). I don't quite know what it was about Rachel that just drew me to her, maybe it was that she was one of my sisters best friends, maybe it was her infectious laugh and smile, but whatever the case, before I even really KNEW Rachel, I was drawn to her. In the fall of my 7th grade year, we went to this student conference called Planet Wisdom. I was without my life-long best friend at church, who had a musical performance or something that weekend, and I really didn't KNOW any of the other girls very well, so I was sufficiently terrified. Throughout the weekend, I grew closer to my own small group, to the 8th grade girls small group, and to the leaders, but nothing compared to what happened with me and Rachel. On the very last night, they invited those who had never accepted Jesus, or who were struggling in their faith to come forward, and for the leaders of the students to come pray with them, I stepped forward, and Rachel followed behind me. As we went into the other room, I could feel my heart start to pound a little faster, and the tears start to come. I had been a Christian all my life, but I didn't really know what that meant. I accepted Christ when I was so young that it was hard for me to really believe that the four year old version of myself knew what any of it meant, and I was racked with guilt about my life, because I knew deep down that I wasn't living the way I should be. When I began telling this to Rachel, she took me by the hand and said, "Rose, I may not know you super well yet, and I may not know your life story, but I know your heart. I know that you are caring, you are kind, you are loving, and you have a heart for serving others and for serving God. It doesn't take a genius to see that, and I don't want you to EVER think that you aren't doing a good enough job at being a christian, you are doing your best, and that's enough! It is so obvious that you truly 'love the Lord with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength'. I'm so proud of you for PUTTING yourself out there this weekend, because you don't have your best friend by your side, and you've never been to a church thing without her, and THAT is brave!" What an amazing leader, right? From that moment on, Rachel and I slowly grew closer and closer, and I am so happy that we did. The next year, Rachel went off to college, and I continued on to eighth grade, but that didn't stop us! We somehow maintained our friendship even with an ocean separating us! Five years later, I am proud to say that nothing about our friendship has really changed, even though just about everything else in both of our lives has changed. On the off chance that we are both at church on the same Sunday, mass chaos ensues, lots of screaming, laughing, and talking(obviously...), it is truly like no time has passed at all! It is so obvious that God has been there throughout our entire friendship, and that is the one and ONLY reason that we are still close today. I want to say to those of you leaders in middle school and high school youth groups, a lot of the times you don't see it, but you changing those students lives, and they will never forget you, and Rachel and I are a perfect example of that. I still remember that night at Planet Wisdom like it was yesterday, and I know that I am so fortunate to have had such an amazing woman of Christ as a leader! Rachel, I want to say thank you. That night at Planet Wisdom was one of the very first times I really struggled with my walk with Christ, and you really spoke to my heart that night. You are truly an amazing leader, mentor, friend, and sister in Christ, and I am grateful to have had you as a leader. You shine in everything you do, and everyone that meets you cannot help but love you. Your smile and laughter is so contagious and beautiful, I love it! You are a blessing to everyone you meet, but to me in particular, so thank you for loving me. Thank you for not letting that friendship die when you left, and for making it a point to finding me EVERY time you came to Blanchard, it made a little 8th grader or high schooler feel so loved and so important! So all in all, I love you, I miss you, I am so grateful to have had such an AMAZING leader for my 7th grade year, and I want you to know that I would not be the same girl that I am today without you, so thank you!!!!
<3 Always,
Rose
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Day 98-Jungle Speed!
Guys,
We had ordered this card game called Jungle Speed online after I spent all weekend playing it on retreat, and let me tell you...it is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Within 45 minutes of playing it, Shane had chased Aedon across the room, tripped him, and pinned him to the ground, all so that he could win :) No worries, no one was hurt, but that game is sure to brighten up anyone's day!!
<3 Always,
Rose
We had ordered this card game called Jungle Speed online after I spent all weekend playing it on retreat, and let me tell you...it is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Within 45 minutes of playing it, Shane had chased Aedon across the room, tripped him, and pinned him to the ground, all so that he could win :) No worries, no one was hurt, but that game is sure to brighten up anyone's day!!
<3 Always,
Rose
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Day 97- REST!
Hey guys,
So, sick day number two....because we all know how much fun being sick is. :( As someone who has ADHD, it is incredibly hard to me to sit still and relax for an entire day, my thoughts are all over the place, bouncing around like little tiny bouncy balls inside my head, but there comes a time when I just have to tell myself, "You need to rest. The more you rest today, the better you'll feel tomorrow, and the less rest you will have to do in the long run." Today was that day(Well, actually that was yesterday...but it carried over into today), so I whipped out the Monk CD's, curled up in my favorite blanket, with my teddy bear by my side(DON'T JUDGE), and rested. I definitely don't feel back to 100% yet, but it is better than yesterday, and I'll take anything I can get!
<3 Always,
Rose
So, sick day number two....because we all know how much fun being sick is. :( As someone who has ADHD, it is incredibly hard to me to sit still and relax for an entire day, my thoughts are all over the place, bouncing around like little tiny bouncy balls inside my head, but there comes a time when I just have to tell myself, "You need to rest. The more you rest today, the better you'll feel tomorrow, and the less rest you will have to do in the long run." Today was that day(Well, actually that was yesterday...but it carried over into today), so I whipped out the Monk CD's, curled up in my favorite blanket, with my teddy bear by my side(DON'T JUDGE), and rested. I definitely don't feel back to 100% yet, but it is better than yesterday, and I'll take anything I can get!
<3 Always,
Rose
Monday, October 20, 2014
Day 96-Kady :)
Hey guys,
So, I basically spent today laying in bed feeling miserable, and sleeping. Obviously, it was a little rough to find a reason to be happy today. Oh wait, I've got Kady Braswell, so it really wasn't. Although Kady and I haven't spent a TON of time together, she is super sweet, an amazing friend, and I can come to her with everything. Before she even knew I was sick, she texted me this morning, "Good morning!! Hope you have the most wonderful Monday ever!!" it's stuff like that that bring a smile to my face, no matter HOW crappy I may feel. So, thanks Kady, thanks for being so sweet and kind and such a wonderful friend! I hope our adventure this weekend works out!! :D
<3 Always,
Rose
So, I basically spent today laying in bed feeling miserable, and sleeping. Obviously, it was a little rough to find a reason to be happy today. Oh wait, I've got Kady Braswell, so it really wasn't. Although Kady and I haven't spent a TON of time together, she is super sweet, an amazing friend, and I can come to her with everything. Before she even knew I was sick, she texted me this morning, "Good morning!! Hope you have the most wonderful Monday ever!!" it's stuff like that that bring a smile to my face, no matter HOW crappy I may feel. So, thanks Kady, thanks for being so sweet and kind and such a wonderful friend! I hope our adventure this weekend works out!! :D
<3 Always,
Rose
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Day 93-95...FALL RETREAT!!!!!!(need I say more?)
Hey guys,
So, this weekend, I was able to go on my first retreat as a leader. This weekend showed me just how perfectly I fit in with our church here, and just how AWESOME it is that God has provided a church full of wonderful and amazing people for us. As I came home today, I was overly tired, I was sick with potential pneumonia(we want to wait a few days to see if it gets better, but it sounds like pneumonia said my Mom), but none of that got in my way of being happy today. It didn't stop me from realizing how much fun I had this weekend, how much more I've grown to love the wonderful students and leaders I work with, but above all, how PERFECT it is for me. PRAISE GOD.
<3 Always,
Rose
So, this weekend, I was able to go on my first retreat as a leader. This weekend showed me just how perfectly I fit in with our church here, and just how AWESOME it is that God has provided a church full of wonderful and amazing people for us. As I came home today, I was overly tired, I was sick with potential pneumonia(we want to wait a few days to see if it gets better, but it sounds like pneumonia said my Mom), but none of that got in my way of being happy today. It didn't stop me from realizing how much fun I had this weekend, how much more I've grown to love the wonderful students and leaders I work with, but above all, how PERFECT it is for me. PRAISE GOD.
<3 Always,
Rose
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Day 92- Heart to Hearts
Hey guys,
So, if I've said it once, I've said it a million times, friends are truly a blessing. Not just ANY friends either, the friends you can really dig deep with, THOSE are the friends that you will call on when you're in trouble!
"Sometimes in our lives,
We all have pain,
We all have sorrow.
But, if we are wise,
We know that there's always to-morrow.
Lean on me,
When you're not strong,
and I'll be your friend,
I'll help you carry on.
For(FIVE), it won't be long(SHORT!)
'til I'm gonna need(ELBOW...as in knee...)somebody to lean on,
Lean on me!
So just call on me brother,
When you need a hand,
We all need somebody to lean on.
I just might have a problem,
That'd you'd understand,
We all need somebody to lean on.
If there is a load,
You have to bear,
That you can't carry.
I'm right up the road,
I'll share you load,
If you just CALL ME."
<3 Always,
Rose
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Day 91- SO LONG SOCIOLOGY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey guys,
So, my sociology class a.k.a the class of no return, the class of death, and TORTURE is finally over :) And THAT is why I'm happy today! TAKE THAT KARL MARX!!!!!
<3 Always,
Rose
So, my sociology class a.k.a the class of no return, the class of death, and TORTURE is finally over :) And THAT is why I'm happy today! TAKE THAT KARL MARX!!!!!
<3 Always,
Rose
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Day 90- My life...it's pretty fantastic....:)
Hey guys,
So, today was kinda a fantastic day :) I had a study date with Adrienne all afternoon, and of course craziness happens, because honestly? Craziness always happens when we get together(should make for an interesting weekend...). For instance....drunken squirrels...it's a thing, and it's fantastic!!! Anyways, I got my LAST sociology chapter done, which is a MAJOR thing for me, because that sociology class just about killed me.
When I got home, there was a letter from WHEATON waiting for me :) Of course, it's a bit early for being admitted still, but they did say that all my paperwork and the application itself was submitted, and I will find out by December 31st!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D
All in all, this day was fantastic. :) Also, this is the link to the drunken squirrel video --->http://youtu.be/0so5er4X3dc
enjoy :)
<3 always,
Rose
So, today was kinda a fantastic day :) I had a study date with Adrienne all afternoon, and of course craziness happens, because honestly? Craziness always happens when we get together(should make for an interesting weekend...). For instance....drunken squirrels...it's a thing, and it's fantastic!!! Anyways, I got my LAST sociology chapter done, which is a MAJOR thing for me, because that sociology class just about killed me.
When I got home, there was a letter from WHEATON waiting for me :) Of course, it's a bit early for being admitted still, but they did say that all my paperwork and the application itself was submitted, and I will find out by December 31st!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D
All in all, this day was fantastic. :) Also, this is the link to the drunken squirrel video --->http://youtu.be/0so5er4X3dc
enjoy :)
<3 always,
Rose
Monday, October 13, 2014
Day 89-What we do for fun....
Hey guys,
So today's Columbus day, and all the kids have off, only we had nothing to do. Answer? FREAKING NERF WAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We had the most amazingly epic nerf capture the flag all over our house and our property, which may or may not have ended in Shane and I being locked in the car...XD It just goes to show, you do NOT have to spend money to have fun....all you need is nerf guns and three brothers :) We legitimately had bases and rules and we each had a flag that was hidden somewhere, I don't think we have EVER had such a legit and EPIC nerf war, but it was fantastic. Even the dog got in on it!(of course, he was a bit more interested in eating the bullets, but you get the idea...). So, next time you're bored at home, have a nerf war! It's a good reason to beat up your siblings/release all your frustration with them, AND no one gets hurt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Either that, or come to our house, cuz chances are, we'll be doing something awesome....;)
<3 Always
Rose
So today's Columbus day, and all the kids have off, only we had nothing to do. Answer? FREAKING NERF WAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We had the most amazingly epic nerf capture the flag all over our house and our property, which may or may not have ended in Shane and I being locked in the car...XD It just goes to show, you do NOT have to spend money to have fun....all you need is nerf guns and three brothers :) We legitimately had bases and rules and we each had a flag that was hidden somewhere, I don't think we have EVER had such a legit and EPIC nerf war, but it was fantastic. Even the dog got in on it!(of course, he was a bit more interested in eating the bullets, but you get the idea...). So, next time you're bored at home, have a nerf war! It's a good reason to beat up your siblings/release all your frustration with them, AND no one gets hurt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Either that, or come to our house, cuz chances are, we'll be doing something awesome....;)
<3 Always
Rose
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Day 88- Busy Days
Hey guys,
So, today was a day that I had been looking forward to for quite a while, and I am just so happy that it was all I hoped it would be. As exhausted as I am right now, I loved every minute of my day. I woke up at 6:30 this morning, yes, SIX THIRTY, to go to worship lead at church, my sister drove down from Greensboro in the early morning as opposed to 9 or 10 in the morning to see her sister do her thing, which made me happy :) Then we had to rush out of church to get ready to host family for lunch to celebrate my Mom's birthday. And to top it all off, I EVEN got some schoolwork done, AND made it to youth group....I feel so accomplished right now...also, I'm going to crash in 3...2...1...zzzzzz......good thing tomorrow is a holiday!
<3 Always,
Rose
So, today was a day that I had been looking forward to for quite a while, and I am just so happy that it was all I hoped it would be. As exhausted as I am right now, I loved every minute of my day. I woke up at 6:30 this morning, yes, SIX THIRTY, to go to worship lead at church, my sister drove down from Greensboro in the early morning as opposed to 9 or 10 in the morning to see her sister do her thing, which made me happy :) Then we had to rush out of church to get ready to host family for lunch to celebrate my Mom's birthday. And to top it all off, I EVEN got some schoolwork done, AND made it to youth group....I feel so accomplished right now...also, I'm going to crash in 3...2...1...zzzzzz......good thing tomorrow is a holiday!
<3 Always,
Rose
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Day 87- LIZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey guys,
So today's post is about someone very near and dear to our family. She essentially came in as the "knight in shining armor" to our family not once, but TWICE. When we first got the boys, it was very last minute, and so my Mom(who had to teach outside of the house the next day) was incredibly overwhelmed, and frankly, kind of desperate. So, she called her good friend at the time, Liz Cleghorn, who LOVES kids, at 10:30 the night before to see if she would take care of us, and amazingly, she said yes. From there, Liz became the "go-to girl" when it came to the boys, and a lot like my older sister. I remember riding home on the bus after a long day and just being like, "YES! Today is Tuesday, so Liz will be there!". She babysat for us at least twice a week, every week, for OVER a year, and she just loved the boys, and loved me. The weekend that Caroline went off to college, she(of course) was staying with us, and I've gotta say, THANK GOODNESS she was there, because I probably would have fallen apart if she wasn't. For me, Liz is one of those people who I can come to with anything and everything, and she will *try* to help. I cannot even tell you how many times I would have a crappy day, and we would just go walk up to get the boys from school and just talk, and it never failed to make me feel better. Liz's genuine and caring heart to help others is truly inspiring, and it never ceases to amaze me to think of how many times she has been there for us.
When Graham was in the hospital, I was at home with three boys who had no idea what to do or think or really what was even going on, because at that point, I don't think I knew what was going on...but again, my Mom called in the reinforcements...a.k.a Liz. Liz was actually babysitting for her brother and sister in law about 30 minutes away, but when she heard what had happened, she packed up her niece, and drove over to our house without any hesitation at all. Again, THANK GOODNESS, because as much as I tend to be "the rock" of the family, I was NOT that morning, and I am so glad someone else was there to help me. Liz proceeded to stay with us for the next 5 days that Graham was in the hospital, taking kids from one thing to another, RUNNING A 7 YEAR OLDS BIRTHDAY, comforting 4 sad and confused kids, and just maintaining sanity and some sort of a routine for the boys. She was a mother figure to the boys, and a sister for me, and most importantly, a shoulder to cry on. I so badly wanted to be with my family back at the hospital, but in my heart, I KNEW I couldn't handle it, I knew I was still dealing with things from seeing him that first night, so that left me at home with the boys, who had very little idea of what was going on, not really knowing what to do, so Liz was such a comfort for me. Liz was there on nights when I couldn't sleep because every time I closed my eyes I saw him, and Liz was essentially my right hand girl for the most important five days of my life this far. Liz is so much more to us than just a babysitter, she is truly an extended member of our family, Liz has seen us at our best, and at our worst, and everywhere in between, and I am so thankful for that.
When we moved, we lost a lot of that support. We didn't have the luxury of having a babysitter just a phone call away that the boys had essentially grown up with. It's been hard for the boys, and it's been hard for me, because we took the amazing blessing in our life that was Liz for granted a lot, we got used to having her around. It was about the same time that Caroline moved off to college, that Liz started becoming more constant, so for me, I lost my older sister, but there was STILL someone I could talk to on really bad days, not that Caroline would ever be replaced, but it was so nice for me to have that as I transitioned to being the only girl in the midst of 4 boys. I truly loved the days that Liz was there, whether it was taking us to Starbucks(SHE is the one responsible for teaching a three year old Shane to drink Starbucks), or just running around in the church or outside, it was so nice for me to have that someone to talk to, especially during middle school. So moving here, it was hard, we missed Liz. But at least for me, I have realized how incredibly God ordained everything was surrounding Liz, from the first afternoon that was just mass chaos, to the week that she spent at our house...that was ALSO mass chaos, it is so clear to me that God had a plan for us through it all. I want to say Thank You to Liz, thank you for being the mother figure to the boys, the sister figure to me, the chauffeur to various sports activities, and the one I could talk with after a crappy day!! Thank you for loving me, for loving the boys, and for having a caring and compassionate heart for everyone around you. Thank you for all the time and money and gas and stress and tears and fun and WORK you have put into our family, because none of that was required of you, but God used you as a wonderful, WONDERFUL gift to our family, and a gift that we will never forget. We love you Liz, I love you Liz, and I am SO glad that you got to come see us today :)
<3 Always,
Rose
So today's post is about someone very near and dear to our family. She essentially came in as the "knight in shining armor" to our family not once, but TWICE. When we first got the boys, it was very last minute, and so my Mom(who had to teach outside of the house the next day) was incredibly overwhelmed, and frankly, kind of desperate. So, she called her good friend at the time, Liz Cleghorn, who LOVES kids, at 10:30 the night before to see if she would take care of us, and amazingly, she said yes. From there, Liz became the "go-to girl" when it came to the boys, and a lot like my older sister. I remember riding home on the bus after a long day and just being like, "YES! Today is Tuesday, so Liz will be there!". She babysat for us at least twice a week, every week, for OVER a year, and she just loved the boys, and loved me. The weekend that Caroline went off to college, she(of course) was staying with us, and I've gotta say, THANK GOODNESS she was there, because I probably would have fallen apart if she wasn't. For me, Liz is one of those people who I can come to with anything and everything, and she will *try* to help. I cannot even tell you how many times I would have a crappy day, and we would just go walk up to get the boys from school and just talk, and it never failed to make me feel better. Liz's genuine and caring heart to help others is truly inspiring, and it never ceases to amaze me to think of how many times she has been there for us.
When Graham was in the hospital, I was at home with three boys who had no idea what to do or think or really what was even going on, because at that point, I don't think I knew what was going on...but again, my Mom called in the reinforcements...a.k.a Liz. Liz was actually babysitting for her brother and sister in law about 30 minutes away, but when she heard what had happened, she packed up her niece, and drove over to our house without any hesitation at all. Again, THANK GOODNESS, because as much as I tend to be "the rock" of the family, I was NOT that morning, and I am so glad someone else was there to help me. Liz proceeded to stay with us for the next 5 days that Graham was in the hospital, taking kids from one thing to another, RUNNING A 7 YEAR OLDS BIRTHDAY, comforting 4 sad and confused kids, and just maintaining sanity and some sort of a routine for the boys. She was a mother figure to the boys, and a sister for me, and most importantly, a shoulder to cry on. I so badly wanted to be with my family back at the hospital, but in my heart, I KNEW I couldn't handle it, I knew I was still dealing with things from seeing him that first night, so that left me at home with the boys, who had very little idea of what was going on, not really knowing what to do, so Liz was such a comfort for me. Liz was there on nights when I couldn't sleep because every time I closed my eyes I saw him, and Liz was essentially my right hand girl for the most important five days of my life this far. Liz is so much more to us than just a babysitter, she is truly an extended member of our family, Liz has seen us at our best, and at our worst, and everywhere in between, and I am so thankful for that.
When we moved, we lost a lot of that support. We didn't have the luxury of having a babysitter just a phone call away that the boys had essentially grown up with. It's been hard for the boys, and it's been hard for me, because we took the amazing blessing in our life that was Liz for granted a lot, we got used to having her around. It was about the same time that Caroline moved off to college, that Liz started becoming more constant, so for me, I lost my older sister, but there was STILL someone I could talk to on really bad days, not that Caroline would ever be replaced, but it was so nice for me to have that as I transitioned to being the only girl in the midst of 4 boys. I truly loved the days that Liz was there, whether it was taking us to Starbucks(SHE is the one responsible for teaching a three year old Shane to drink Starbucks), or just running around in the church or outside, it was so nice for me to have that someone to talk to, especially during middle school. So moving here, it was hard, we missed Liz. But at least for me, I have realized how incredibly God ordained everything was surrounding Liz, from the first afternoon that was just mass chaos, to the week that she spent at our house...that was ALSO mass chaos, it is so clear to me that God had a plan for us through it all. I want to say Thank You to Liz, thank you for being the mother figure to the boys, the sister figure to me, the chauffeur to various sports activities, and the one I could talk with after a crappy day!! Thank you for loving me, for loving the boys, and for having a caring and compassionate heart for everyone around you. Thank you for all the time and money and gas and stress and tears and fun and WORK you have put into our family, because none of that was required of you, but God used you as a wonderful, WONDERFUL gift to our family, and a gift that we will never forget. We love you Liz, I love you Liz, and I am SO glad that you got to come see us today :)
<3 Always,
Rose
Friday, October 10, 2014
Day 86- FRIDAY!
Hey guys,
So, it's FINALLY the end of my two weeks worth of finals, and I have a jam-packed weekend with fun things to do and people to see, so I've been looking forward to this weekend for a while. IT'S FINALLY HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not only do I get to actually sleep in after two weeks of finals, DON'T ASK ME WHY THEY DIDN'T PLAN FINALS FOR THE SAME WEEK. So at this point, I am incredibly sleep deprived, but the excitement for this weekend has propelled me this far, hopefully I can stock up on a LITTLE bit of sleep before entering into the craziness that is this weekend :)
<3 Always,
Rose
So, it's FINALLY the end of my two weeks worth of finals, and I have a jam-packed weekend with fun things to do and people to see, so I've been looking forward to this weekend for a while. IT'S FINALLY HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not only do I get to actually sleep in after two weeks of finals, DON'T ASK ME WHY THEY DIDN'T PLAN FINALS FOR THE SAME WEEK. So at this point, I am incredibly sleep deprived, but the excitement for this weekend has propelled me this far, hopefully I can stock up on a LITTLE bit of sleep before entering into the craziness that is this weekend :)
<3 Always,
Rose
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Day 85- MUSIC
Hey guys,
So this week, I got to sing as part of a group for the first time in 3 MONTHS!!!!!!!!! I literally CANNOT remember a time where I had to go that long without making music. Tonight, as we were at practice, I just realized, I am so blessed. My passion for music is something that God has gifted to me, it is unique to me and ONLY me. Obviously others love to make music too, but the feeling I get while singing, the happiness it gives me, is unique to ME. I am so glad that I can use this gift that God has given me to lead others to worship, and to bless others. Singing just fills me with adrenaline, whether it's singing a song that I LOVE, or learning a new skill, or mastering one that I had been learning, it fills me with happiness and peace. Singing was so much a part of me for so long, that a took choirs for granted, I took the opportunities I had with my choir for granted, but then going 3 LONG MONTHS without anyone to sing Disney songs with, or to discuss how you saw that minor slip up during worship on Sunday, or just to SING with, leaves me feeling so incredibly happy tonight that the drought is OVER, and I have people to sing with once again :)
So this week, I got to sing as part of a group for the first time in 3 MONTHS!!!!!!!!! I literally CANNOT remember a time where I had to go that long without making music. Tonight, as we were at practice, I just realized, I am so blessed. My passion for music is something that God has gifted to me, it is unique to me and ONLY me. Obviously others love to make music too, but the feeling I get while singing, the happiness it gives me, is unique to ME. I am so glad that I can use this gift that God has given me to lead others to worship, and to bless others. Singing just fills me with adrenaline, whether it's singing a song that I LOVE, or learning a new skill, or mastering one that I had been learning, it fills me with happiness and peace. Singing was so much a part of me for so long, that a took choirs for granted, I took the opportunities I had with my choir for granted, but then going 3 LONG MONTHS without anyone to sing Disney songs with, or to discuss how you saw that minor slip up during worship on Sunday, or just to SING with, leaves me feeling so incredibly happy tonight that the drought is OVER, and I have people to sing with once again :)
FYI,this is NOT my guitar, though I seriously wish it was...
<3 Always,
Rose
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Day 84- My Jackie
Hey guys,
So, let's face it. Jack and I get along like MAYBE 5% of the time, but ironically, that is because we are actually very alike in many ways. We are both loud and outspoken, we can be VERY stubborn, and we're both relatively impulsive. I cannot tell you how many times I get mad or frustrated with him, but at the end of the day, I love him, because he's my brother. I love being a big sister, I love that whenever I'm home, I've got someone to hang out with, and I love that I have the opportunity to be a big sister. I'm not gonna lie, sometimes, I don't set a very good example for him, and sometimes I have to stop myself from just doing what I want to because I WANT TO, and realize, "Hold on, there's three little boys, watching you. Are you going to set a good example?" But having Jack around especially has led me to step out of the cliche role of the youngest, the princess, the baby, and step INTO the role of the sister, the example, the role model, but above all, the SISTER. Being a big sister has brought me so much joy, and so many laughs, and so many wonderful, hilarious, and embarrassing moments, but I wouldn't give it up for the world. So Jack, thank you for holding me accountable, for looking up to me, for coming to me when you have a problem, and for having fun with me. Thank you for KNOWING how to push my buttons, because it's always easy to be patient when things are fine, but when I'm frustrated, I need to learn that I still need to be loving towards you, and I still need to be your sister. I love you Jackie!!!!
So, let's face it. Jack and I get along like MAYBE 5% of the time, but ironically, that is because we are actually very alike in many ways. We are both loud and outspoken, we can be VERY stubborn, and we're both relatively impulsive. I cannot tell you how many times I get mad or frustrated with him, but at the end of the day, I love him, because he's my brother. I love being a big sister, I love that whenever I'm home, I've got someone to hang out with, and I love that I have the opportunity to be a big sister. I'm not gonna lie, sometimes, I don't set a very good example for him, and sometimes I have to stop myself from just doing what I want to because I WANT TO, and realize, "Hold on, there's three little boys, watching you. Are you going to set a good example?" But having Jack around especially has led me to step out of the cliche role of the youngest, the princess, the baby, and step INTO the role of the sister, the example, the role model, but above all, the SISTER. Being a big sister has brought me so much joy, and so many laughs, and so many wonderful, hilarious, and embarrassing moments, but I wouldn't give it up for the world. So Jack, thank you for holding me accountable, for looking up to me, for coming to me when you have a problem, and for having fun with me. Thank you for KNOWING how to push my buttons, because it's always easy to be patient when things are fine, but when I'm frustrated, I need to learn that I still need to be loving towards you, and I still need to be your sister. I love you Jackie!!!!
Mass Chaos...what else is new?
Woah...throwback to like...8th grade!
<3 Always,
Rose
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Day 83-College Apps...WOOP WOOP!!!!
Hey guys,
So, if you know me well, you know that I have essentially two ways of making decisions. With bigger "life" decisions, I really REALLY struggle with making a decision, because I get overwhelmed going over the pros and cons in my head. I am much more likely to just pick one, without really giving it much of a second glace, instead of considering all the pros and cons, of course, it drives my parents CRAZY. So, I'm either very indecisive, or I will make a split second decision, and refuse to consider anything else. But today, I took one little baby step outside of my comfort zone, I had completely completed my Wheaton app, but I intentionally did not turn it in. Instead, I prayed about it, I talked to my parents and friends about it, and I even made a pros and cons LIST(it is truly a miracle that I did that without being driven crazy), and then, when I knew in my heart that this WAS what I wanted to do, I turned it in. And that day, was today! :) I am so proud of myself for being able to rationally consider the future, without getting overwhelmed or discouraged, and being able to handle this decision maturely, and in the most God-honoring, and parent-honoring way. Of course, I won't hear back from Wheaton for at LEAST a few months, but honestly? I know that whatever the outcome is, that it is God's will. I know that being rejected will be heartbreaking, but there are other options. However, I also know that being accepted will come with more fears and stress about being 11 hours away from my parents and family for such a long time, but I also know that whatever happens, God's got me. God will provide, whether I end up going to Wheaton or not, God will either provide me with the confidence and comfort to leave home, or another door will be opened for me. In the meantime, today was a major victory for me, and it was just a reminder of how much I've changed, just between this fall and last fall/spring as I was applying for colleges. I was very impulsive, and very stuck in my ways, convinced that my "decision" was the best one. But when it comes down to it, the only decision I made last fall and spring was out of fear of the future, and the overwhelming importance of the college apps, so I rushed through it. I really believe that the approach I took this fall was not only the more mature one, but it was also the one that provided me with the security that I was following God's calling for me, and I am at peace with my future, whatever happens, which is rare for me. So, I will just be joyful for that! :)
<3 Always,
Rose
So, if you know me well, you know that I have essentially two ways of making decisions. With bigger "life" decisions, I really REALLY struggle with making a decision, because I get overwhelmed going over the pros and cons in my head. I am much more likely to just pick one, without really giving it much of a second glace, instead of considering all the pros and cons, of course, it drives my parents CRAZY. So, I'm either very indecisive, or I will make a split second decision, and refuse to consider anything else. But today, I took one little baby step outside of my comfort zone, I had completely completed my Wheaton app, but I intentionally did not turn it in. Instead, I prayed about it, I talked to my parents and friends about it, and I even made a pros and cons LIST(it is truly a miracle that I did that without being driven crazy), and then, when I knew in my heart that this WAS what I wanted to do, I turned it in. And that day, was today! :) I am so proud of myself for being able to rationally consider the future, without getting overwhelmed or discouraged, and being able to handle this decision maturely, and in the most God-honoring, and parent-honoring way. Of course, I won't hear back from Wheaton for at LEAST a few months, but honestly? I know that whatever the outcome is, that it is God's will. I know that being rejected will be heartbreaking, but there are other options. However, I also know that being accepted will come with more fears and stress about being 11 hours away from my parents and family for such a long time, but I also know that whatever happens, God's got me. God will provide, whether I end up going to Wheaton or not, God will either provide me with the confidence and comfort to leave home, or another door will be opened for me. In the meantime, today was a major victory for me, and it was just a reminder of how much I've changed, just between this fall and last fall/spring as I was applying for colleges. I was very impulsive, and very stuck in my ways, convinced that my "decision" was the best one. But when it comes down to it, the only decision I made last fall and spring was out of fear of the future, and the overwhelming importance of the college apps, so I rushed through it. I really believe that the approach I took this fall was not only the more mature one, but it was also the one that provided me with the security that I was following God's calling for me, and I am at peace with my future, whatever happens, which is rare for me. So, I will just be joyful for that! :)
<3 Always,
Rose
Monday, October 6, 2014
Day 82- Parents
Hey guys,
So, no matter HOW frustrating parents can be, let's face it, they really DO want the best for us, no matter how obnoxious we find it. On days when big decisions must be made, parents come in VERY handy!
<3 Always,
Rose
So, no matter HOW frustrating parents can be, let's face it, they really DO want the best for us, no matter how obnoxious we find it. On days when big decisions must be made, parents come in VERY handy!
<3 Always,
Rose
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Day 81- Missions Trips
Hey guys,
As someone who has a heart for other people, and a heart for serving others, missions trips can be somewhat of my Achilles heel. Here's why, I so badly want to go on a missions trip, but every year it's not that easy. My sophomore year, I didn't go to El Salvador because I chose to go on tour to Latvia, Estonia, and Russia with my chorus, junior year, I had to choose between going to the Life Conference, or Ukraine, and senior year, I got SO CLOSE to going to Ukraine, but then the government exploded over there, so that trip got cancelled. Although, that one actually worked out because we would have moved in the same time that I was overseas...Anyways, it's fall again, which for me means, MISSIONS TRIPS!!!! This year, my church is headed off to Costa Rica, and I am once again faced with the daunting task of deciding if I want to work at the summer camp I went to for 5 years growing up, or go to Costa Rica. It sucks to always have to be caught in the middle of two equally amazing opportunities, but I am STUCK between TWO AHMAZING OPPORTUNITES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How blessed am I? No matter what choice I make, there is no "wrong" choice to be made, and I'm going to have an AWESOME summer, no matter WHAT I do :) And THAT, is why I'm happy today :)
<3 Always,
Rose
As someone who has a heart for other people, and a heart for serving others, missions trips can be somewhat of my Achilles heel. Here's why, I so badly want to go on a missions trip, but every year it's not that easy. My sophomore year, I didn't go to El Salvador because I chose to go on tour to Latvia, Estonia, and Russia with my chorus, junior year, I had to choose between going to the Life Conference, or Ukraine, and senior year, I got SO CLOSE to going to Ukraine, but then the government exploded over there, so that trip got cancelled. Although, that one actually worked out because we would have moved in the same time that I was overseas...Anyways, it's fall again, which for me means, MISSIONS TRIPS!!!! This year, my church is headed off to Costa Rica, and I am once again faced with the daunting task of deciding if I want to work at the summer camp I went to for 5 years growing up, or go to Costa Rica. It sucks to always have to be caught in the middle of two equally amazing opportunities, but I am STUCK between TWO AHMAZING OPPORTUNITES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How blessed am I? No matter what choice I make, there is no "wrong" choice to be made, and I'm going to have an AWESOME summer, no matter WHAT I do :) And THAT, is why I'm happy today :)
<3 Always,
Rose
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Day 80- CARE PACKAGES
Hey guys,
So, I don't know about any of you, but I LOVE getting mail, like real hand written letters and such...call me old fashioned, but I love it! I had a very pleasant surprise as I came to get the mail today, not one, not two, but THREE care packages, all for me, and all from the same person!! MAN, I am so loved!!! Thank you so much Mrs. O and Kelli, because I'm SURE you had something to do with it :)
<3 Always,
Rose
So, I don't know about any of you, but I LOVE getting mail, like real hand written letters and such...call me old fashioned, but I love it! I had a very pleasant surprise as I came to get the mail today, not one, not two, but THREE care packages, all for me, and all from the same person!! MAN, I am so loved!!! Thank you so much Mrs. O and Kelli, because I'm SURE you had something to do with it :)
<3 Always,
Rose
Friday, October 3, 2014
Day 79-FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Guys,
The week of death is OVER, I SURVIVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! First college finals...BOOM ROASTED!!!!!!! Seriously, praise God, thank you all who prayed for me this week, it means a lot! :)
<3 Always,
Rose
The week of death is OVER, I SURVIVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! First college finals...BOOM ROASTED!!!!!!! Seriously, praise God, thank you all who prayed for me this week, it means a lot! :)
<3 Always,
Rose
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Day 78-Bible study!!
Hey guys,
Have you ever felt like God's word is WAYYY better than any coffee or monster energy drink ever? That's how I felt today. I went into bible study just thinking, "alright, this is the LAST thing you have to do today, just make it through..." I was soooo drained, emotionally and physically, I just couldn't wait for this day, and this WEEK to be over...and then, I went to bible study. I don't know HOW this slipped my mind, but today we were talking about the phrase, "God is doing our good, for HIS glory." Which, I almost instantly related back to the infamous phrase "God is GOOD, ALL the time!". If you know me REEEEEALLY well, you probably know that this phrase has some significant meaning to me. One of my dear friends, and Graham's girlfriend literally LIVES this motto. When she first said it to me, I'm pretty sure we were in the waiting room, so everything inside me just wanted to scream, "SOME GOOD THIS IS??!!!!" But thank goodness, she explained. God is not a God of THIS world, therefore the GOOD of this world CANNOT be compared to GOD'S good. Similarly, God's timing is not our timing, but God's good and God's timing are PERFECT, because....well, he's God. Anyways, I hear this phrase and BOOM, mind blown. This whole week I've just been like, this timing really sucks, I'm homesick, I'm dealing with friend problems, I'm in the midst of a huge wave of grief, AND I have finals?? Like...really?? But this phrase just brought me back to the truth, God has planned my entire life, including this week, according to his PERFECT timing! How cool is that? Even if it's not what we would consider "perfect timing", it will always be GOD'S perfect timing! Now that's pretty awesome! Anyways, I walked out of bible study so much more at peace, and joyful and just feeling blessed. Granted, I was still tired, but I wasn't miserable and pessimistic anymore. I am so blessed to have God watching over me, and in charge of every LITTLE thing that happens in my life. God will be with me tomorrow, as I try to take these finals, God will be with me this weekend as I rest up and recharge, AND God will be with me next week as I start finals round 2, God will be with me ALL the time!
Have you ever felt like God's word is WAYYY better than any coffee or monster energy drink ever? That's how I felt today. I went into bible study just thinking, "alright, this is the LAST thing you have to do today, just make it through..." I was soooo drained, emotionally and physically, I just couldn't wait for this day, and this WEEK to be over...and then, I went to bible study. I don't know HOW this slipped my mind, but today we were talking about the phrase, "God is doing our good, for HIS glory." Which, I almost instantly related back to the infamous phrase "God is GOOD, ALL the time!". If you know me REEEEEALLY well, you probably know that this phrase has some significant meaning to me. One of my dear friends, and Graham's girlfriend literally LIVES this motto. When she first said it to me, I'm pretty sure we were in the waiting room, so everything inside me just wanted to scream, "SOME GOOD THIS IS??!!!!" But thank goodness, she explained. God is not a God of THIS world, therefore the GOOD of this world CANNOT be compared to GOD'S good. Similarly, God's timing is not our timing, but God's good and God's timing are PERFECT, because....well, he's God. Anyways, I hear this phrase and BOOM, mind blown. This whole week I've just been like, this timing really sucks, I'm homesick, I'm dealing with friend problems, I'm in the midst of a huge wave of grief, AND I have finals?? Like...really?? But this phrase just brought me back to the truth, God has planned my entire life, including this week, according to his PERFECT timing! How cool is that? Even if it's not what we would consider "perfect timing", it will always be GOD'S perfect timing! Now that's pretty awesome! Anyways, I walked out of bible study so much more at peace, and joyful and just feeling blessed. Granted, I was still tired, but I wasn't miserable and pessimistic anymore. I am so blessed to have God watching over me, and in charge of every LITTLE thing that happens in my life. God will be with me tomorrow, as I try to take these finals, God will be with me this weekend as I rest up and recharge, AND God will be with me next week as I start finals round 2, God will be with me ALL the time!
<3 Always,
Rose
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Day 77- Study Buddies!
Hey guys,
So, I made this amazing discovery when I was in middle school, I actually study BETTER with people. Despite what my parents initially thought, they went along with it under the condition that if my grades started going down, I wouldn't be able to study with friends anymore. Luckily for me, that didn't happen! I don't know what it is, but if you are sitting in a room studying with your friend, you are holding each other accountable, without even doing anything! You wouldn't expect your friend to be loud and off task and distracted, while you're trying to study, would you? Studying together is almost like a mutual compact, we're both going to study until we're both done, I'm done when you are, and you are when I am. So today, I was reminded of the many joys of "study buddying" as I like to call it. After a wonderful(slightly bee infested, but no turtles, YAY!) coffee date, Adrienne and I were planning to go back to the church and work on our stuff together. Not only was it actually LESS PAINFUL for me, and I'm sure for her as well, but I actually finished quicker than I had this entire week, and with more efficiency as well! So studying with Adrienne today made it (semi)enjoyable, easier to remain focused, and I actually got done faster than I would have if I did it at home, amazing right? So, here's my tip of the day to any parents out there, because I know I'll do this with my kids. If you kid comes to you and asks to study at a friends house, tell them that they can, BUT for the first few days(if they do it regularly), check their work when they get home, make sure they got everything done, and make sure that they know that the minute their grades start going down, they might have to stop study buddying, it will provide them with a sense of freedom, and a tad bit of enjoyment in studying! Thanks Adrienne, for helping me get through this CRAZY week, and for reminding me that, I do indeed study better with friends :)
<3 Always,
Rose
So, I made this amazing discovery when I was in middle school, I actually study BETTER with people. Despite what my parents initially thought, they went along with it under the condition that if my grades started going down, I wouldn't be able to study with friends anymore. Luckily for me, that didn't happen! I don't know what it is, but if you are sitting in a room studying with your friend, you are holding each other accountable, without even doing anything! You wouldn't expect your friend to be loud and off task and distracted, while you're trying to study, would you? Studying together is almost like a mutual compact, we're both going to study until we're both done, I'm done when you are, and you are when I am. So today, I was reminded of the many joys of "study buddying" as I like to call it. After a wonderful(slightly bee infested, but no turtles, YAY!) coffee date, Adrienne and I were planning to go back to the church and work on our stuff together. Not only was it actually LESS PAINFUL for me, and I'm sure for her as well, but I actually finished quicker than I had this entire week, and with more efficiency as well! So studying with Adrienne today made it (semi)enjoyable, easier to remain focused, and I actually got done faster than I would have if I did it at home, amazing right? So, here's my tip of the day to any parents out there, because I know I'll do this with my kids. If you kid comes to you and asks to study at a friends house, tell them that they can, BUT for the first few days(if they do it regularly), check their work when they get home, make sure they got everything done, and make sure that they know that the minute their grades start going down, they might have to stop study buddying, it will provide them with a sense of freedom, and a tad bit of enjoyment in studying! Thanks Adrienne, for helping me get through this CRAZY week, and for reminding me that, I do indeed study better with friends :)
<3 Always,
Rose
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)