Showing posts with label best friend. Show all posts
Showing posts with label best friend. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Hidden Away in Possum Kingdom : Spring Break 2012

Look at me blogging away two days in a row! Normally this wouldn't be a big deal, but in the midst of college this is such a bigger deal than I'm writing it like. I'm actually doing a small happy dance. Inside that is :D 

Today is another Blogtember prompt [which I have been AWFUL about keeping up with] and it's incredibly simple: a memory you would love to relive

This took me no time at all to think about, and it's pretty much my go to answer for this question. Friends, I introduce you to Spring Break 2012: Possum Kingdom Version


December 2011, I was getting ready to head home for Christmas break from Impact 360. Right before we jumped onto planes and into vans Colton, my fellow Texan, mentioned how fantastic it would be if we spent Spring Break roadtripping down to Texas for the week and then back up to Georgia. We mostly laughed, until London [Texan #2] mentioned that he just happened to have a lake house down on Possum Kingdom Lake. The laughter quieted down a little bit as people stopped imagining and started glancing at each other, and 4 months later March ended, April dawned, and 24ish Impacters were loading up 3 cars and Dallas bound. 


We spent a couple of days in Dallas, and then headed out to the lake. The drive was beautiful and nothing but backroad interstate...and finally we ended up HERE




We stayed at London's.....just enough space to be cozy & seperate all at the same time. Mornings dawned late and nights ended later. We spent hours lounging in the hot tub, before finally spreading and settling down for the night. We went cliff jumping and jet skiing and even went on a late afternoon sunset adventure hike, and I got to know my friends on a deeper level than ever before.


This was our fuzzy caterpillar. Me & the best friend found this little guy one afternoon when he was using the pool and I was sleeping on the side. We took about a billion pictures, and named him Wilbur....and then the best friend creeped pictures of me curled up in the sun. 


The sunsets were beautiful, the conversations were priceless, and of all the moments that hold my heart this week contained most. One last memory (and a few more pictures) and you're free to escape ;) 



Our second day there, the morning started w/ rain. The wind whistled across the porch and brought with it the last chilly morning of spring. Best friend and I curled up on the porch outside, pulled out the old school Nintendo 64, wrapped blankets around our shoulders, tucked freezing toes under warmer legs, and played James Bond until the rain stopped. I say "played"....he played, I embarrassed myself, then died alot, then lost :D We played until the rain stopped, slid down the stair case, laughed at how wet we got landing in the grass, and tucked up in the garage in the golf cart to talk. And then we talked for hours.  


Rainclouds broke into a beautiful sunset, and I laid on the grass to snap a picture of the sun rising out of the earth. We trotted to the gazebo in the background, me giggling because I couldn't find words for how content I was. He danced me around, made fun of me, and laid out exactly how he would use this gazebo in a scene from a movie - IF he could shoot one ;) 
I smiled on the outside. Inside was all happy dance. 


While the rest of the world rolled by [and we forgot it existed] the sun slipped into the lake, no ripples, all reflection. 
We walked back to the house, watched the world fall asleep, sat on the couch, and talked till the sun came up. 
He remembered stories and I laughed at the good parts and when the bad came around I cried for someone else for the first time. 
It was the perfect week. 

And there ladies and gentlemen, you have the description of my perfect day & my most treasured memory :) 
All rolled into one! 




Wednesday, June 12, 2013

day 12: best friend pieces of my heart.

Today has been a blech day. I have spent most of today incredibly frustrated. To begin with, the part of my brain that goes "sleep" around midnight on my nights before work decided to delay that till about 2:00 in the morning last night. I am a night owl. I love nighttime. But when I have to get up and play with two beautiful twins for 9 hours for a week, I NEED MY SLEEP! My mind, instead of speeding up, decided to go about a thousand miles an hour faster than normal, and all of a sudden little things that shouldn't be issues become big things I can't seem to get off my mind. So it was with a racing mind, frustrated spirit, and heavy heart that I reached in to choose today's word. 

Which just REALLY makes me laugh, because today's word/phrase is: 

.best friends.

Which really just confirms for me that God does have a sense of humor, and also delights in bringing me back to reality and out of pity parties quite often...because the best way to do that is to get me talking about my best friends :) 

Contrary to popular belief, the term "best friend" is not one that I dub people easily. Just because I've been blessed with quite a few of them doesn't mean that it isn't an absolutely huge deal in my life. At this point, the women are more like sisters and the men are people that I want to follow around and be just like when I grow up, if that ever happens! If I call you my best friend, it means that I trust you. I love you. I see things in you that I admire. You've changed my life. When I am with you I am reminded of the Gospel, and an all-powerful God that gives me gifts I do not deserve: you. So here are my handful of people that blow my mind, love me well, and I am incredibly thankful for :) 

The Gibbers [Lissa & Stephie] - Melissa and Stephanie came into my life when I was in Israel. I was a snot-nosed little freshman who thought I was big stuff...Melissa was a senior who cared enough to look past the obnoxious and love me anyways :) With Lissa came Stephie, who consistently makes me laugh, brings out the Austrian within, and makes me miss her more every time I leave. Lissa and Stephie, God put you in my life for a reason, and I owe so many dodged bullets and unmade mistakes to your willingness to listen to His urging and look past the immature exterior ;) Thank you. 

The Rooms [JessJess, Kase, and Qualsies] - I put Jess and the Kaylas' together as one person because we basically are. These three girls are my CIU core. They uplift me, encourage me, challenge me, push me when I'm lazy, and remind me of the truth when I'm scared. They laugh when I trip over myself, accept me wholeheartedly, and love me more than I deserve. Roomsies, all three of you are gifts that I could not have asked for if I wanted to. I love you :) 

The Proverbs 31 Women [Mir, HannahGrace & Pamela Sue] - These women, whether they know it or not, are essentially my role models. Wise beyond their years, they continuously pour wisdom into me and point me closer to the Cross. Pam and Hannah I have been close to since Impact...due to a variety of circumstances (and some extreme ridiculousness on my part) Miriam has been a recent addition to my heart and one I am beyond thankful for. I trust these women with pieces of myself not many people get to see. They are my safe place. I am in awe of the work God has done & continues to do in them & through them. Ladies, you are a living example of a Gospel-driven, daughter of the King, and I respect you so much. 

SamSam - Samuel Cottle is the quiet one, and to be honest I have no idea why he sticks around or puts up with me, but I'm so thankful he does. I am hyper and off the wall and all over the place crazy, and he never fails to come back around :) He accepts me. Regardless of how ridiculous, overdramatic, or enthusiastic I get, he is always there. He is my drop by the house unannounced, random pool party, ghost adventure, movie night, packing buddy, go to guy. SamSam, I am thankful for you. 

The Dear Friend [StanMan] - Our friendship started over a cross country competition that I never, EVER won and continued through basketball, track, senior year, Sadie, late night conversations, Impact and finally his high school graduation :) Somewhere along the way, he became less of my friend and more of my little brother, even though of the two of us he's probably the more mature one and definitely the taller one ;) Stan is wise beyond his years, serious about his faith, and constantly seeking the Lord. He is someone I can not talk to for a while, then come back to have a huge catch-up session with and it's like nothing has changed. He laughs at me, thinks its funny that I'm clumsy, and encourages me always :) So, Stanley, this coming year I will miss you. I admire you so much :) 

Kartwright - Of all the people God has thrown into my life, I can honestly say this man has been used by the Lord the most. He has been the source of encouragement, challenges, lessons, unconditional love and acceptance, respect, admiration, and all over ridiculousness. All the people I've named have different tags and labels, but his is the simplest: best friend. He laughs at me, teases me, and in true big brother fashion beats up anyone else who tries to do so. Unless he thinks its funny ;) I admire this man, and respect so greatly the man of God I continue to see. Kartwright...you know :) thank you. 

I've mentioned lots of people, but there are three [besides the ACTUAL sister who has an entire blog post coming later] that have moved so far past the "best friends" point that they are officially my unofficial twin & two baby sisters :) So, if you've read through this long, there's only 3 more. [sorry. I know it's long]. 

SistahFriend [Rachey Rach]- Rachel Bownds has been in my life since we walked through the door of the church nursery together at 4 years old. Come summer time, she lives with me. We somehow survived 5 years of living in 2 different countries, and now college is here and there's miles in between us, and she is still my same age as me sister. Rach, you are different from me, and funny, and beautiful, and all over the place, and parking lot jamtastic, and I literally do not know where I would be without you. I love you. Thank you. [ThunderThighsRadiantTurtleEthelMoobtha]. Your NickyB. 

The Little [Hanners] - Hannah Richards has moved from Facebook friend to Impact little to sister and loved one in a simple year. The rational, realistic, slightly pessimistic side of me, she is one of my favorite people in the world. I have watched as Christ has transformed her from a graduated and uncertain senior to a beautiful, trusting, feeling woman of His, and it has been beautiful and I have cried several times. Hannah, from your first visit to Impact amongst a hurried tour led by me and one lucky other person [winkwink] I knew you were special. I like you. A lot :) 

and FINALLY.....

The Southern Bell [Kels] - I say bell because I've always spelled it that way and this is my blog post and I can. Kelsey Ann and I have been in the same place, ONCE. We've spent two hours together. And we've sent thousands of text messages since then. If I had to claim one person I saw as my legitimate "do not hurt her or I kill you" little sister, it'd be her. She is ALREADY an incredible leader, worker, lover of people, and compassionate hearted beauty, and she JUST graduated High School :) Kels. 4 hours is nothing. I can't wait. 

There. That's it. It's done. These people have changed my life. 
I do not deserve them.....
but I am so thankful I have them :) 

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

day 5: crossing the finish line.

and the word of the day is 


FINISHED
Doing cross country senior year got me very familiar with one feeling in particular: the feeling when both of your feet finally cross the finish line. Physically, mentally, and emotionally you're exhausted. You've left everything back on a 2 mile racecourse. You have nothing left to give or hold onto, except this little bubble of pure joy, accomplishment and excitement that you can FINALLY stop running. You're finished
In a lot of ways, this feeling fits this year for me at CIU. Starting in August with no expectations and a lot of unknowns, and driving off campus to end in May with no energy, and lots of memories. So for the memories that made it bearable, and the struggles that made it worth it, here's to a year's worth of memories that I can finally mark finished


.beach weekends with my best friends in Savannah, Georgia.


 .19th birthday celebrations.


.the CIU fall hoedown with my lovely hall. 


.autumn in downtown Columbia.


.winter formal.


.THE COLOR RUN.


.passion 2013..i have no words.


.luke bryan at rodeo houston 2013.


.this night. too much laughter.


.all those roadtrips back to the 2013ers.


.charleston 2013 with the roommates.


.collins' family easter.


.all these crazy crazy friends.

I don't have pictures to represent my struggles, but since all the ups have to have downs the struggles were definitely there too :) And with them, I am also glad to be finished



Sunday, June 2, 2013

day 2: dreams.

Posting on the later side of the afternoon because I've been in a car driving all day coming back from Mamaw's house...with the upside of that being today is my Mamaw's 85th birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO HER! 

But anyways. On to business :) Today's a word and the word IS: 

[dreams]

I love listening to people talk about their dreams and what they're passionate about. Not only is it ridiculously interesting for me, but it's a pretty straight shot into someone's heart :) When people start to talk about someone they love or something they hope to accomplish one day, their eyes light up in a whole different way. If you can keep them talking long enough & it's something they're genuinely passionate about, eventually they forget to keep up the version of themselves they think you want to see, and they just TALK. And I love it :) 

Unfortunately, dreams can be scary too. And this isn't so much the "hopefully one day I'll go here and do this" dream as the "I fell asleep and couldn't wake up" nightmare. I don't have bad dreams very often...which is a huge blessing & gift from the Lord because I think if I ever had a dream bad enough I'd just never go back to sleep. I can't even handle super scary movies. But I have a couple of very close friends who have bad dreams ALL the TIME. And not like....'I went to school without my pants on' bad dreams. Awful, scary nightmares. But the ability of these people to get up the next morning and smile like nothing happened and they slept like babies amazes me. They have a kind of mental strength I'll never understand, and it connects to a strength of character that I continue to admire in both of them :) 

Dreams for me are simple, and they get captured in two words: "bucket list". And the items on that list are a whole lot less important than who I accomplish them with. Charles Martin, an author that I LOVE (if you're looking for something new to read, he's it!) put this quote in one of his books, and it's stuck with me for a really long time... 

"The problem with a wish list was what it told you about the person who wrote it. If it's honest, it's a rock-bottom, bare-bones, clear shot all the way to someone's soul." 
[it's from Where The River Ends, IF you're wondering :)] 

I've been called an open book, and it's true. My bucket list items are simple, easy to accomplish, and to most people probably not all that extreme or exciting. And they don't include EVERYTHING. One day, I hope to be a mother with children of my own. I long to be married to an incredible, Godly man and show him off to my friends and family. I want teenagers to pour into and mentor, and finally send back to their own families and out into the world. But for all the simple ones....that's them :) 

If you're wondering, my list so far is here
Yes. It's pinterest ;)