"Tears in My Heart"

Day two in Haiti has been wonderful.  We got up early and had a delicious casserole and grits for breakfast (we're being spoiled beyond belief).  We headed out to Pastor Cenar's church around 7:30.  At first I didn't recognize his name or the church, but then Jim reminded me that Pastor Cenar is the one who used to run the rooftop church we went to in 2009.  They used to have this great rooftop on the side of a huge mountain where they could use the loud speakers and everyone on the mountainside could hear the service.  It was a really cool experience and such a great witnessing tool.  Unfortunately, that property can't be used since the earthquake, but they have a great location close by.  

Haiti churches are always fun to attend. They worship and sing for over two hours before the message is even brought.  This isn't your traditional hymns, stand around and sing quietly church.  This is a scream, shout, dance, clap, get on your knees, or whatever the Lord puts on your heart kind of church.  They worship in ways you've probably never seen in an American church.  I may not have been able to understand much of the words they sang, but I worshipped right along with them!  Randall got to preach, and it was a great message.

After the service, Pastor Cenar took us around to see the school he's just built on the church property.  While we were in there, he explained the story of three women he had previously asked Randall to pray for during the service.  These women unfortunately are in the difficult and desperate situation of prostitution.  This is not a lifestyle they want or wanted to choose, but it has come down to either selling themselves to feed their family, or having no food.  This story really challenged all of us today.  It puts into perspective how beyond spoiled we are in America.  We may not have the newest phone, car, or nicest clothes, but I'm pretty sure none of you have ever been forced to decide between starving to death or selling your body.  It's a heart-breaking story.  These women want out so bad.  They know their actions are wrong, but what choice do they have?  One woman is basically a slave to the guy paying for her.  If she were to leave him she would be forced to completely uproot her family to a different location in fear of him killing her.  I can’t even imagine being in such a desperate, heart wrenching, painful, and difficult situation.  Pastor Cenar pleaded with us to lift these ladies up in prayer.  He said I have “tears in my heart for them.” I’m pleading the same thing to you tonight.  They want out, but need God to provide a way.  Randall preached today that there is nothing you can do to make God love you more, and there is nothing you can do to make Him love you less.  He loves us all just as we are with a love so strong we can’t explain it.  He said that God loves you no matter what you’ve done.  I think the ladies really needed to hear that message today, and I’m hoping they found some hope through it.  Please keep these ladies in your prayers.  Pray for their safety, guidance, and for a safe way out.  Please also keep the guys they are with in your prayers.  They need to find the Lord just as much as these ladies.  A change in their hearts would do wonders.  It breaks my heart, and while I wish I could do more, we were all reminded today that prayer is such a powerful and wonderful tool that we all have.

The rest of our afternoon was spent pretty much relaxing here at the house.  We had a great lunch (leftovers from last night), most of the team got a nap, and we had time to recuperate and get ready for our bible study at the Phillipino UN.

Jim & Debbie over the last few months have been hosting a weekly bible study with some of the soldiers in at the Phillipino UN.  The soldiers just recently switched out, so everyone there tonight was new. It was an exciting time to see another area of ministry here in Haiti.  As these men and women get to know Jim more over the next few weeks, this ministry will grow and grow.  We also got a good laugh while at the UN because all the soldiers wanted pictures with “just the ladies.”  At one point Amanda, Cassie, and I were trying to get a picture of the three of us and all the men asked to get their picture taken individually with us.  We got a good laugh out of it; It was like we were celebrities.  So if you see 50 new pictures of us on Facebook tagged by a bunch of random guys, you’ll know where they came from!  Ha!

It’s been a really good day.  We had a great dinner, played some bananagrams, phase 10, and have been blessed with power all day! That’s such a blessing! I am BEYOND excited to see Dorothy and the kids tomorrow.  So excited, I hope I can sleep tonight!  I hope you are all having a fabulous week, but I’m sure it simply can’t compare to ours!

More to come tomorrow after I see all my babies and hug their necks!! Have I mentioned I love this place?

Goodnight!

We're Here!

(Amanda and I on the plane to Haiti)

We made it to Haiti!!  I got pretty light headed and almost got sick on the first flight from getting too hot and having nothing to eat, but praise God he got me through the next flight with no problems at all!  Thank you Lord for Dramamine!!

We arrived around 4:30pm and boy was the airport a shock!  They have opened up the newly built area and the only way to describe it is amazing, but not at all expected!! I'm used to having to take a bus over to the airport and baggage area, but it's now all connected, the customs area was so nice, air conditioned, brand new, and get this...THEY HAVE LUGGAGE CONVEYOR BELTS NOW!!  Unless you've experienced the old Haiti airport, this will mean nothing to you, but trust me it is INCREDIBLE!  Luggage used to get piled onto the floor and you had to search through them all for your bags.  To have the nice new conveyor belts was amazing.

However, I must say that I was disappointed for those who have not traveled to Haiti before, because they did not get to experience the full Haitian airport experience.  Even exiting the building was nicer.  Cassie and I kept commenting on how weird it was.  Nice.  So nice.  But weird.

Jim picked us up from the airport in their nice 12 passenger van (air conditioned!) and brought us over to their new place.  This house is amazing yall.  You have no clue. Seriously, those who have never been to Haiti before are getting spoiled beyond belief (they just don't realize it yet, ha!)

Debbie fixed us a wonderful dinner of spaghetti, salad, garlic bread, and sweet tea (yum!).  It was delicious!

Other than that the team hasn't been up to much tonight.  We did a little devotion, tried to plan out the next couple of days, and organized the supplies we brought  (Dorothy is going to be so excited to get all these gifts)! The rest of our night has been spent organizing our luggage, showering, and simply getting settled.

I can already feel God pushing me outside of my comfort zone, and really truly preparing my heart for missions here.  I pray He will open up doors and guide me through it all.  It's going to be an amazing trip and I can't wait for everything to get started.  I especially can't wait to hug and kiss my sweet Johnny and see Dorothy and the rest of the kids.  Please continue to keep our team in your prayers!

I love this place.

Thursday Thoughts: Merry Christmas & Haiti

Wow what an amazing fun-filled two weeks it has been, and the party is still going!!!

We began our Christmas celebrations on December 22nd with dinner and a gift exchange with Erin & Stephen.  On the 23rd we attended Christmas at the DPAC which was A-MA-ZING!!  If you didn't go, you really missed out!  On the 24th we celebrated with my mom's side of the family at Mama Barb's house, where we had some delicious food & cake, lots of fun, and some wonderful gifts!  On the 25th mom, dad, and I celebrated Christmas here at the house.  Mom made her usual HUGE breakfast spread, we opened gifts, and then packed to head to Grandma's.  We spent Christmas night up at Grandma's eating waaaaay too much food, exchanging gifts, reminiscing, laughing like crazy, and enjoy being with family.  We came home on the 26th after a day at Grandma's, went shopping today for final Haiti supplies, and tomorrow will be spent packing.


Whew.  Tired yet?

Well that was just this past week!  On Saturday we leave for Haiti!!!  I am so ready to get on that plane and be there already!  I cannot wait to see what all this trip holds.  It's going to be incredible and I can't wait to see God work!!

Please keep us and the team in your prayers as we prepare for our week in Haiti.  Keep an eye out here on the blog for updates during our trip (as internet allows).  I will try to blog or update facebook every day, so keep reading!!

Haiti here we come!!!!!!

Prayers for Newtown

December 14, 2012 will forever be one of those days engraved into my mind.  What an unthinkable and horrific tragedy. That day will go down in history as one of the most devastating and heartbreaking events.  My heart breaks for the all of the families that lost loved ones.  I cannot even begin to fathom the pain, anger, and sadness they must be coping with tonight.  I cannot imagine the fear, sadness, and heartbreak the survivors must feel.  It's an experience and feeling no one should ever have to endure.

I cannot be there to hug the parents' necks or to reassure the surviving children that they will feel safe again.  All I can do is lift everyone effected from this tragedy up in my prayers.  Everyone is praying for you all.  Your children and loved ones will never be forgotten.

A Call for Prayers

Our Haiti trip is fast approaching in T-minus 19 days.  

19 days!

That is SO much more exciting than you even realize for me!  There is something extra special about this trip.  I can't quite put my finger on it, but I really feel like God is going to do some incredible things, and open up doors/guide my decision making.  I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that my mom gets to go this time, I get to go as part of a team again, and I get to meet up with some old friends and hopefully get their input on possible opportunities for me down there.  Some pretty incredible things have happened over the last week or two, and while I'm not quite ready to share them yet (so please don't ask), I know that God is already at work. He is already pushing, building, and preparing me for this trip.  I don't know what His plan is, and I certainly don't know what His answer will be, but I have a feeling I will get a little taste of it in 19 days.

Please keep me and the rest of our team in your prayers as we prepare for this trip.  Pray that we would all have the courage to do whatever God calls us to do while we are there.  Please pray that our hearts will begin to be softened towards the people and their needs so that our time can be as successful as possible.  Please pray that we all, but especially that I, will keep an open mind and ear to discern God's will for me.  Pray that God will begin opening the hearts of the people we will be working with, so that His Kingdom can grow and receive all of the glory.  Please also keep our safety, travels, health, attitudes, and overall well-being in your prayers.  We will certainly be needing all of the prayers we can get.

It's going to be an awesome trip!  I cannot wait to step off of that plane back onto Haitian soil.

19 Days!!

Friday Free-For-All

I feel like I need to post an update, but there's nothing really to write about.  So here are some things that I'm excitedly counting down for!

18 Days until Christmas.

22 Days until we leave for Haiti.

25 Days until we get to celebrate the New Year in Haiti (again)!

I cannot wait to see Dorothy, the kids, Jim & Debbie, and to share this experience with my mom!  I was looking through pictures of a friend's recent trip to Haiti, and I got giddy with excitement for our upcoming trip!  It's going to be an incredible time, and to spend my second New Years in Haiti is absolutely exciting!

And while I'm at it, I just have to share this picture that Jennifer Hambrick took of Johnny during her trip.  This little boy melts my heart! I love him!

I can't wait to be back!! Please keep our team in your prayers as we prepare for our time in Haiti!

Don't Give up

Last week was a really hard week for me.

I didn't blog much because I didn't really feel like admitting my feelings, short comings, or frustrations.  I didn't want to accept that I didn't get the job, and I knew blogging about it would mean it was definitely true.  I didn't want to talk about my feelings because I wasn't just disappointed, I was angry.

Very angry.

With myself,  employers, and the whole situation. I was angry with people not understanding, and with having to relive the ordeal every time someone asked me about the job.  And honestly...I was angry with God. I couldn't understand (and still don't completely understand) why things weren't working out.  I couldn't understand why He gave me this passion, but no job to live it out.  I was angry that I worked my butt off for the last four years to be the only person in my design class that can't find a job in design.

It was a very frustrating, devastating, and anger filled week for me.  I'm not proud of it, but I handled it the best I could.  I still don't understand why things aren't working out how I would like, but I've learned I'm learning to just go with it and find contentment where ever I am, doing what ever I'm doing.

This is hard for me. Please don't think that I've got it all together, because I definitely do NOT.

However, the other night when I hit my "I can't do this anymore/cry out in anger to God" moment, as crazy as this may sound, I felt like He spoke to me.  Not in an audible standing in front of me conversation way, just an inner peace through the words of a song:  "Don't give up." I can't explain why this song popped into my head at that moment, other than to give me a little pick me up and encouragement from his Holy Spirit.  I hadn't heard the song in days, and at first I didn't even realize I was singing it in my head while I laid in bed crying.  I've probably heard the song twenty times on the radio over the last year, but had never really taken the time to listen to the words (I do that a lot with songs). I immediately grabbed my phone and looked the song up on YouTube.

I can't fully explain that moment to you.  I remember feeling like an idiot for questioning God, but found myself crying and thanking Him for the reminder of hope. It was like He said "I see you, I know how hard this is, I know what you're thinking and feeling, and I've not forgotten you."  It was a one-of-a-kind, you have to experience it yourself moment to truly understand.

Maybe you're like me and feeling completely defeated lately.  Feeling like you're stuck, with no hope, and just revolving in an endless circle.  This song helped me, maybe it will do the same for you.

I have no idea what tomorrow will hold, let alone next week, month, or year, but I'm choosing to trust God.  He never promised our path would be easy, but he did promise to be there for us.  I saw this the other night, and it was a definitely needed moment for me.

Whatever you are struggling with tonight, God knows.  He sees you, he knows your thoughts, fears, frustrations, dreams, and concerns.  This may not be where you want to be, or feel like you should be, but God's plans are larger than anything we could dream up on our own.  Trust Him.  I know it's not easy, but it is necessary.  He will take care of you! When you feel like you can't go on anymore, Don't Give up!

Thursday Thoughts: Job Update: Not the Answer I Was Hoping For

Well I guess it's time that I update you on the job situation.

I originally had a long post written to share with you about how I'm feeling and the things going through my head, but I knew it would only lead to everyone under the sun putting in their two cents.  I'm simply not in the mood for any of that.

All you need to know is that I'm 98% sure I was not chosen for the Schumacher position.  They took the job posts down and are no longer answering or returning any of my calls.  In my experience, that means I was not chosen.

People keep asking what my plan is now, and every time I get that question my heart sinks into my stomach.  I don't have a plan anymore.  I can't find any design positions that I haven't already applied for. Literally, all of the job search links are purple now because I have applied to every. single. one.  I've exhausted my resources, and have decided that design is simply not where I'm meant to be right now, maybe ever.  I'll have to find something part-time working minimum wage, and as much as I absolutely hate that idea, I'm out of options.

I'm disappointed, frustrated, and feeling pretty defeated.

Thank you to everyone who has prayed for me and this whole job situation.  I really do appreciate it, I guess this just wasn't where I was meant to be.

Thursday Thoughts: Happy Turkey Day!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!!  

Thanksgiving is one of my all time favorite holidays.  I love the time together with family, the reminder of how blessed we all are, and the food...I mean come on, who doesn't love the food?!?  But seriously, my absolute favorite part is getting to spend time with my family.  Un-rushed, relaxed, one-on-one time with family where our main focus is each other.  It's like Christmas without the presents, which almost makes this holiday better since no stressing over gifts is necessary.  I love the holidays!

How does your family celebrate?

My family always makes it a point to get together and enjoy a ridiculously large amount of food, combined with lots of reminiscent stories, laughing, and hugs.  On Thanksgiving day, we spend time with my mom's side of the family.  The location varies each year, but a pot luck meal is always to be expected.  My favorite items of this meal are the macaroni and cheese (I know, no surprise there) and my great-grandmother's cake (or at least my Aunt Missy's best attempt at it, which is just as good!).   This cake is literally to die for.   It's incredible.

Then on Friday, we head up to my Grandma's and spend the rest of the weekend with my dad's side of the family.  Since they live two hours away, we typically spend the weekend to make the drive and gas go a little further. The best part about this meal is Grandma's stuffing.  I like stuffing, but her's is a-ma-zing! Friday's dinner is also where I can typically be found laughing so hard my sides hurt.  I mean you put Pa, Andy, and the rest of the family in one room together and this is only to be expected (anyone that knows Pa knows what I mean).

I literally love this holiday, too bad it has to come and go so quickly.  However, in true thanksgiving fashion, this post would not be complete without a list of the things I'm thankful for.  So here goes:

I am most thankful for:

• My Savior.  I know I say this a lot, but I can never truly express how grateful I am to have a Lord that loves me so unconditionally that He would send His only son to die for me and you.   I'm so thankful that my Lord is not only unconditionally loving but that he is full of grace, mercy, guidance, forgiveness, and goodness.  I'm thankful that He pushes me every day to be better than I was the day before.  I'm thankful that he never gives up on me.
• My Family. This may seem cliche, but I seriously have the best family ever!  I'm so thankful that they love me unconditionally, support my dreams, push me to grow, and teach me how to be a better person every day.  I am most thankful however, that I am blessed to have a family that taught me to love the Lord and show me the importance of having a relationship with Him. They never give up on me and I can't thank all of them enough for that!
• My Friends. A few years ago I did not have a lot of close friends in my life, due to some very selfish decisions I made.  It wasn't until college that I learned the true importance of friendship and formed some of the best relationships a girl could ever ask for.  I'm so thankful that my friends support me through anything and everything, and that they laugh hysterically with me through it all.  I'm thankful that my friends are always there when I need them.  That they teach me to be more patient, understanding, and loving of all people.  
• Laughter. This may seem silly, but I thank God a LOT for the gift of laughter.  It is by far one of my favorite things in life.  The way it brightens your day, lifts your mood, and is oh so contagious.  You simply can't have a bad moment if it's filled with laughter.
• The simple joys in life. You know, things like a comfortable bed to crawl in each night, food on the table every day, an abundance of clothes in your closet, or the joy of enjoying your favorite items.  And then there's things like the way your heart races when you meet a guy you like, or the comfort found in a hug from a loved one, or for that high you get after a job well done.  There are so many little things in life we take for granted and today I'm reminded to be grateful for them all.
• Second chances. I love the freedom, forgiveness, and sense of hope that comes with second chances.  I've seen this recently in my life and it truly is an incredible blessing.  To give and receive forgiveness and form a stronger relationship from it, is an amazing gift that I am so thankful for.
• Haiti. You all know how much I love Haiti, so it's no surprise that I am thankful for the country, people, and friendships I've formed there.  My only regret is that I cannot wrap my arms around those sweet children in Haiti and wish them a Happy Thanksgiving in person; but I do send my love to them!
• Love. Love is the greatest gift any of us can ever receive or experience. It is the glue that holds this world together, creates bonds, and blesses relationships.  I never ever want to take love for granted, it's a true blessing!
• The unnecessary blessings in life. Like my car, iphone, computer, TV, music, movies, etc.  All of these little things that make life that much more enjoyable can be so easy to overlook.  It's easy to forget that they are blessings, not necessities.  I am thankful that I am able to enjoy all of them, but am reminded that they can be taken away as easily as they were given, and I'm thankful for that.
• Hope & Dreams. Like I mentioned in a previous post, I am a dreamer.  Sometimes the things I dream up can leave me disappointed, but usually they remind me of how powerful a little hope can be.  When things get hard, I'm grateful to have that hope and promise of a future as written in Jeremiah 29:11.  I am thankful that the Lord gives us a hope and that we have everything to look forward to, even when things are really hard.
• My education. I am so thankful to have been born and raised in a world that allows education to be readily accessible.  I'm thankful that my parents pushed me to be more and allowed me the privilege of going to college.  I'm thankful that my education allowed me to explore my hopes and dreams.  I'm thankful for the opportunities that my education has and will continue to bring me. So many people in this world never get the chance to go to school, I am so thankful that I was blessed with the opportunity. 
• Our Freedom. I am so thankful to live in a Country where we are all free. I am beyond thankful for the sacrifice all of those who have or are serving our country give.  I can't thank all of our service men and women enough.  You may our world a better place, thank you!
• My sweet puppy dog. Again, this may sound silly, but I am so thankful for my sweet puppy.  I'm thankful that his cuddles, sweet face, and cuddles can brighten any day.  I love how he lights up when we get home, and always wants to be in the same room as us.  He is a part of our family and I love him oh so much!
• Everything. Literally, there is nothing I'm not thankful for.  My life has been beyond blessed.

Hope you all have an incredible, joy filled Thanksgiving! Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

In a Place of the Unknown

Anyone that knows me, even the slightest bit, knows how much I love to have a plan.  I like to make lists, have a schedule, and know what's coming around the next corner.  However, right now I am in a complete and unnerving place of the unknown.  All my life I've had this "ideal plan" for my life.  A step-by-step manual if you will.  You know, the typical go to school (elementary, middle, high school), pick a college, get into college, choose a degree, graduate with that degree, find a job, fall in love, get married, have kids...so on and so forth.

While this little path I had planned out went pretty smooth all the way through graduation, I am at a huge pivotal spot in my life right now.  I could go anywhere with this degree, but finding jobs has been such a battle.  Even more so, landing the job after an interview has proven to be more difficult.  The hardest part however, is the waiting and not knowing.  The doing your absolute best but not really having any clue as to how you did, if they liked you, or if you'll get the position.  On top of all of that, me being the dreamer that I am, I get hooked to the idea of these positions.  I start day dreaming up ideas of where it could take me, the possibility of getting an apartment, the new adult tasks in life I'll be taking on, etc.  While that may seem all fine and dandy, it makes the waiting and not knowing that much harder.  My heart is invested in getting this position, but my brain keeps realizing that I truly have no stinkin' clue whether I'll actually get it or not.

I have no idea what tomorrow holds for me, let alone next week or next year.  Up until this point in my life, I've had a very specific schedule to follow (the school calendar).  I always knew what was next, what I had to do to be successful, and how to get through it.  That comfort zone is gone now, and I was not as prepared as I thought.  No one teaches or tells you how difficult the steps after college can be.  No one walks you through finding jobs, let alone how to be successful in your career.  No one can tell you what step to take next, or where the next path is going to lead.  No one really truly knows what tomorrow holds.

This is a scary thing for me.

Part of me wants to fight it and try to regain control, but the other part of me knows it's not possible.  This is the time I have to fully, 100%, put my faith in Christ and believe he will take care of it all.  Relinquishing this control is hard and the not knowing absolutely terrifies me.  I know it will all work out.  I can see from my past how incredible God's plans have been for my life.  I trust Him, but my heart is heavy tonight.

Drooling over these

Ok, so if you've been following any of my posts on Facebook or on here recently, you probably noticed I've entered a LOT of giveaways.  The reason for this is because, one of the blogs I follow does a HUGE set of giveaways each year.  In order to enter those giveaways (each one valued at easily over $700 each) you have to like all of the participating vendors' Facebook pages.  At first this might seem a tad overwhelming, BUT most of the vendors in these giveaways are small businesses.  Lucky for all of us who liked their pages, they get really excited when they hit big milestones like 2,000 or 5,000 fans.  I would say almost half of the vendors I've "liked"  have done an additional giveaway on their personal pages for reaching these big goals.

I say all of this to say that because of the BIG giveaway, I have found my new favorite online shop.  It's called Personalized From Me to You.  They specialize in custom monogrammed goodies.  I overlooked them at first, thinking this would be just another monogram store, but don't be fooled like I was! They have absolutely STUNNING pieces.  Everything from monogrammed scarves, sunglasses, home decor, and jewelry.

Oh the jewelry!  I'm swooning over all of it!!  Seriously, if you love jewelry go take a look.  BUT be warned, you're going to want to buy every. single. piece!

At the moment I'm eyeing their cut out monogram ring.  I don't typically wear rings, but this one is special, one of a kind, and so cute!!  At first the $70 price sounded outrageous but when I googled other stores I found that $70 is a steal, seeing as how they retail at over $200 at other stores.  I haven't bought it yet, because well...I still don't have a job, but no worries it will be one of the first things I spoil myself with when I can! Here take a look, I'm telling you I've got to have one!!  (Size 9.5 in gold if you'd like to buy it for me.  ha!)

And if that piece doesn't have you drooling, this monogram necklace will!  I've been seeing gold monogram necklaces everywhere, and have entered every possible giveaway I can find for one.  If I don't win, then well I'll just have to buy my own one day or ask for it for a Christmas gift.  They're gorgeous!

Seriously, I'm in love with this shop!! I wish I had an income and could actually afford their jewels!!  For now, I'm going to keep window shopping (via computer screen).  Here are some of my other favorite pieces:

Monogram Candy Bracelet

Wooden Monogram Large

Large Purse with Interchangeable Monogram

eGift Card

How'd that last one get in there!?!  Haha oops ;-)!

Seriously go check them out, you're going to love it ALL!

**All pictures, products, and links are from www.Personalizedfrommetoyou.com, they are not my own!**

Wishful Wednesday

Well it's that time of the week again where I get to share a little taste of items on my wish list this season.  About halfway through college I noticed my wardrobe went from being 75% everyday clothes to becoming 75% business clothing.  The further I got into my college career and my actual career pathway my professional wardrobe really needed to expand.  I fell in love with cardigans, pencil skirts, and great printed tops.  It was shortly after that I found and fell in love with my first blazer.  I've always had trouble finding the right fit in blazers, but I absolutely love how versatile and flattering they are.  I've got two basic neutral colored blazers, but I've been seeing a lot of bright colored ones making an appearance this season.  My absolute favorite is this pink blazer from Old Navy.  It sold out so fast that they are making more, but you have to pre-order to get one!  I haven't pre-ordered, since I'm trying to save money, but oh how I want this blazer!! It's gotten great reviews, I love the color, and am dying to add it to my closet!

**This would make a good Christmas present for all those family members reading this post. Size large should work great.  (How's that for a *hint hint* haha)**

Giveaway Maniac

There have been all sorts of fabulous giveaways on Facebook recently!!  With the holiday season coming up, I have been sure to enter every. single. one.  I can get my hands on!  I love the idea of snagging some free items!!  Just the other day I won a beautiful bracelet and I cannot wait to get it in the mail!

For those of you who may not have seen some of the fabulous giveaways, here is one I just entered and am DYING to have!

Trend Snag is a new jewelry auction that I just found through a blog I follow.  The set up is similar to the Ball + Chain auction, I've told you all about, except Trend Snag features fixed price auctions.  I'm so excited to participate in their first auction coming up on November 15th at 8pm!!  Head to their facebook page for directions on how to register for and bid during their auctions!

For now, I am crossing my fingers I'll win this beautiful custom monogram necklace!! It's valued at over $100 and one lucky winner will get to call it their own!!

For a chance to win this necklace head over to the Trend Snag Facebook Page, click on the picture that says "Jewel-A-Day Giveaway" and enter to win! It's that simple!  Or you can go through the link that I posted on my facebook page for an easier route!

Don't care to win this gorgeous necklace for yourself??  Enter anyways, and if you win, you can give it to me :)!  I'm sure all you lovely ladies will be dying to have it for yourself though!  Good Luck!

Quick Not me Wishful Wednesday

Hows that for a doozy of a title?! I guess I should've kept up with my posts this week!

Any who!

I have not been in a blogging mood this week.  Actually, I haven't really been in any kind of mood lately.  I've just kind of been stuck lately. In a rut of sorts.  An I-have-no-idea-what-I'm-doing-but-I-do-the-same-thing-every-day kind of rut.

Does that make any sense?   Probably not.

Well for other thoughts:  I am so glad the election is over!  While I know the ridiculous whining, complaining, bragging, and everything else will probably continue on Facebook for another week or so, I'm still glad it's over!  I'm glad that the phone calls, annoying commercials, and the constant fighting/debating/complaining about the other candidate every where you look is over.  It'll be great once everyone moves past this and gets back to normal life! When I can look through my news feed and not see people bickering any more...oh that'll be a lovely day!

On another random note: For any of you that haven't been following my facebook statuses, I finally heard back about the position in Greensboro.  They still have not made any decisions as they are still finishing up interviews, so it'll be the end of next week before I hear anything.  I'm still praying constantly, trusting God will take care of it, and hoping that I'll get the position.  I appreciate all of you who are praying for me, please keep the prayers going!

And since it's Wednesday (and I really can't think of a good Not Me Monday or Quick Tip Tuesday post) here is the item on my wish list this week!

I am absolutely in love with these Madden Girl Zappa Booties from DSW.  For all of you ladies out there that have large calves, like myself, you'll understand my frustration when it comes to finding boots I can wear.  The ones that I REALLY want, simply don't fit.  However when I found these, I decided they'd be the next best thing!!  I'm not sure whether to add these to my Christmas list or wait until I get some money in and buy them myself.  I love them and already have a lot of outfits in mind to put with them!  We'll see how it all plays out, but one way or another these beauties will be making their way to my closet!

Oh and for the last random note of the day:  52 days until I'll be back in Haiti!! I cannot wait!!

Well that's all I've got for you today.  I'm going back to my doing-nothing-but-doing-the-exact-same-thing-every-day routine.

Thursday Thoughts

I had a second interview at Schumacher Homes today.  To say I was a little excited and anxious last night would be an understatement.  It took me forever to fall asleep!  I kept twisting, turning, and anxiously dreaming about getting the position.  If I get the job, I would be the New Home Coordinator for the Greensboro office. That means, I will get to help clients design their custom homes.  I'd get to help with everything from designing the floor plan, budgeting, picking out their materials/finishes, etc.  This would be an absolute dream job for me!

Both of my interviews went really well, and I'm hopeful that I'll get the position.  I'm not sure how many other people are in the running, but I've done the best I could to stand out and show how great I'd be for the position.  They hope to have a decision by tomorrow afternoon.

I'm so nervous.  

I want this position SO badly! The opportunity to work for such a well-known and successful company doing what I love is just incredible.  I keep praying over and over and over that I'll get the position.  I know God will put me right where He wants me.  I'm just REALLY hoping this is it!

For now, I'll continue the waiting game and hope/pray (with all my fingers and toes crossed) that I'll get a call tomorrow saying I got the job!

I have a feeling there won't be much sleeping tonight either.

I want this so bad, I can taste it!  I could really use your prayers!

New Addition

Two posts in one day....Try to contain your excitement!  Ha!

Any who...I thought I'd share a quick little update with you: I got a new desk!

I have been dying to have a real desk for sometime now.  For years I have had this little craft fold up table that "functioned" as a "desk."  My previous desk foldable table wasn't even three feet long and really limited my ability to use it in any way.  While it worked great for crafting, since I didn't have to worry about paint getting on it, I simply could not use it for anything else.  Not to mention I've been using this huge, clunky, green desk chair that I absolutely hated with that little table.

Yeah it was not a very good combination.

SO when the possibility to have an apartment (in my hopefully very near future) arose, I started looking for some key furniture pieces I would be needing.  That's when I came across this really beautiful desk at a great price! I simply could not turn the opportunity down.  So I emailed the owner, worked out an even better price, and got dad to go with me to pick it up!

The desk is absolutely perfect and exactly what I've been wanting!  The best part however, is when we arrived the owner gave me her previous desk chair for free!  It's a cute little red leather chair.  The red doesn't quite go with my current decor but it's WAAAY better than that ugly green chair so I took it! I loved the shape of it, and red will easily fit in with how I hope to decorate my apartment when that day comes.

Here take a look:

BEFORE: (I told you that chair was ugly!)

 AFTER:

Isn't it pretty?!  The desk is a little large for my current room, but it'll be perfect when I get my own place!

Wishful Wednesday

While working on my last design project, I discovered this great new store out at South Point, called West Elm. Apparently it's part of the Williams-Sonoma & Pottery Barn corporation.  We stopped in there to buy the accessories and bedding for her master bedroom, but I fell in love with this store!  They have some of the best accessories I've seen and all at pretty affordable prices.  They also have beautiful bedding, curtains, and furniture options.  I was dying to shop for myself on that trip, but had to focus on the task at hand.  So what's on my wish list this week?  Gift cards to the West Elm store, so I can go back and have my own shopping spree :)

Quick Tip Tuesday

Don't be afraid to mix and match prints when choosing fabrics for your upholstered pieces. As long as the colors coordinate and one print does not over power the others, mixing prints works beautifully!  I heard a trick once to help make your job easier if you don't fully trust your fabric-mixing/picking abilities (yes I made that up).

It's called the "squint test".  Lay out all of the fabrics you're considering and squint your eyes.  If one pattern stands out a lot more than the rest, then discard that fabric and pick another.  If they seem to all blend together then you've got a winning selection.

When I performed my design test at Ethan Allen, he praised my ability to mix patterns and fabrics.  I didn't use the squint test, but hey not everyone has gone through design school!

Here are some samples:

How do you read?

For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by people who can read a portion of text and discover this incredible hidden truth or bigger picture.  For a long time, this realization would happen in school.  My teachers could read a book and come up with all of these crazy hidden meanings. I could read the same book (not that I actually read them very often) and never in a million years come up with those ideas.  For example:  When my teacher tried to convince me that the book Animal Farm was about communism, I just could not see it.  To me, the book was nothing more than some animals talking. Period.

I've never been big on reading, and I think a lot of that stems from the fact that I'm a surface reader.  I have a hard time seeing these bigger pictures or discovering a larger meaning in the text.  I read what I read, and get the obvious picture. It is very rare that I can break it down into something more.

Recently, I've seen this become more evident during my quiet time.  While in High Point a few weeks ago, the pastor  broke down a passage in a way I would have never thought to.  The animation and emotion he put into every verse he read, really challenged me to look at the way I read God's word.  For years now I've simply skimmed over a verse, looking for the obvious points. I'd write a little something down and then move on.  And for years, I've had a hard time remembering what I've read let alone applying it to my life.  Reading the Bible had become like everything else I had to read.  I was doing it because I had to, not because I wanted to.  I'd read a verse quickly, get what I thought I needed, and move on.  While that method worked great for getting A's in school, that is not the attitude I should, or want, to have while reading God's word.  

Hearing the excitement in the Pastor's voice as he read, as if he were talking to God himself, was a concept I'd never considered.  While I am still not great at reading this way, I've really tried recently to take more time in the word.  I haven't been reading more verses, but really taking the time to break down and take in each word of the passage I'm reading that day.  Like I said, I'm still not great at it. I'm pretty sure Pastors will always be better at seeing and teaching the bigger truths, but that's what they're there for right?  

This new way of reading has really challenged me to try and grasp the greatness of the words written in the Bible.  For example I looked back over a few of my favorite verse like:

Jeremiah 29:11  "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."  I normally took comfort from this verse seeing that there's a plan for my life; that I'll have a future.  However, I never really took the time to apply or see that it says "I know the plans I have for you."  (That would be God talking in case you didn't catch that.)  That means the HE knows the plans for my life.  Not me, not my parents, not my friends, not the lady at church, no one but HIM.  How often do we try to control and plan our lives out?  I know I'm guilty of this every. single. day.  It's built into our selfish human tendencies to want to control our lives and pretend like we have control over tomorrow. In reality it is God, and only God who knows the plans for our lives.  If we trust Him and lean on Him for understanding and guidance, our future will fall into place just as He planned.  This means that my plans or ideas will not necessarily be how my life plays out.  I must trust God, lean on Him, and align my hopes and dreams with His ways, so that I can live a life that glorifies Him. Then and only then, will I find the hope and future He promises.

And then there's this one:

Romans 11:36 "For everything comes from Him and exists by His power and is intended for His glory.  All glory to Him forever! Amen." How would you read this?  I used to read it as everything is here for and by Him.  However, I never really took the time to understand how massive the word "everything" is here.  Every. Single. Thing.  Exists by God's power for His glory.  Sure, this is easy to accept when you think about all the happy times in life, the beautiful scenes in nature, or the smile on a child's face.  But "everything" also includes heartache, death, pain, insecurity, confusion, etc. It's so easy to read this passage and skim over that part. We can't forget or ignore the harder side of this passage and learn from it.  Everything comes from God, and the sooner I grasp the vastness of that statement the better.  I find so much comfort knowing that even the hard times or the not so beautiful moments come from God too.  They push me to grow, mature, learn, and grow closer to Him.  How often does it take our world falling apart to make us call on God.  Sometimes the hard times are the only way He can get our attention.  Plus, just from looking at my past, I can say that the hard times are the most important and pivotal points in my life. They drew me back to God to make me who I am today.  The hard, ugly, and painful times are never fun but they will always be there.  You and I can take comfort from knowing that they exist by God's power. 

Taking this little bit of extra time has really challenged me.  How do you read the bible?

And the Winner Is...

Melissa Oakley!

Congratulations Melissa!!  I have sent an email to you and Ball + Chain.  They should be in contact soon to get your shipping information.

Thank you so much to everyone who entered this giveaway! I cannot thank you all enough for your support over the last couple of years.  I hope to do more giveaways in the future, so keep reading!

Also, here's a HUGE thank you to Ball + Chain for supporting my blog through this giveaway!  This would not have been possible without your generosity.  Thank you for your support and for offering such beautiful products at amazing prices! 

Thanks to everyone!

Ball + Chain Giveaway

Ok everyone, here we go!

For those of you who may not know, I am hosting this giveaway in celebration of reaching 10,000 site views on my blog!  This is a big thank you to all of my readers!

Ball + Chain has graciously partnered with me for this giveaway.  For those of you unfamiliar with them, let me share a little bit about their incredible company!

I'm telling you, it's one of the coolest ways to shop!  I participate in their auctions each week, and have never been disappointed with any of my purchases.  Most of my favorite pieces of jewelry have come from Ball + Chain.  This is why I'm so excited to offer you the chance to win your very own piece of Ball + Chain jewelry!

So without further ado, here is the gorgeous necklace you have the chance to win!

Simply use the Rafflecopter below to enter!  You must like Ball + Chain on facebook to be qualified for any entries into the giveaway.  You can also earn up to 7 extra entries by leaving a comment on this post, following my blog, or sharing this giveaway via Twitter or Facebook!

There can only be one winner and they will be announced on Monday, October 29th!

Good luck and thank you again for helping me reach this goal!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday Free-For-All

I am proud to announce that I have reached the 10,000 view mark on my blog!! 

Not only was the 10,000 mark hit, you all made the 10,000th view on my 200th post!!!  I'd say that's pretty impressive!  That means if this were a perfect world and everything averaged out correctly, I've had 50 views on each of my posts!  That's incredible!

I started this blog in June of 2010 with the intent to heal my broken heart and have a place to spill out all of my thoughts.  I never in a million years would have guessed that people would actually read it, take time to invest in getting to know me through my words, or that I would be sitting here today healed of the broken-heartedness that began this blog 2 1/2 years ago.   People I don't even know have taken time out of their lives to read a little bit about mine.  It's crazy for me to even think about that, yet so encouraging!  I've had readers in Germany, Russia, Australia, India, Brazil, Latvia, and that's just to name a few.  Technology is a truly incredible thing, and I am so thankful to have such faithful readers who not only care about my life but have encouraged me so much over the last couple of years.  Thank you so much for your kind words and giving me the push I've needed, over and over, to pick myself up and keep going.  You'll never fully know how much that means to me.  But thank you, 10,000x!

What's to come for the next 2 1/2 years?  Well, you'll have to stay tuned to find out, but I hope it will only grow and become more of what it is today.  I will maintain the personal side of my blog, as I find it very therapeutic to write out my thoughts.  I also hope to increase the amount of blogging I do, on design topics/tips/ideas etc.  I hope the next 2 years will be filled with wonderful memories, limited brokenness, and lots of joy for me to share with you!

In a more true Friday Free-For-All post let me update you with the happenings of my life the past couple of days:

-Yesterday I had an interview that went really, REALLY, well.  But that's all I'm going to say for now because I don't want to jinx it!  More to come on this soon!

-Last night I went to the State Fair with Erin & Stephen.  I learned that it's not as much fun as I remember growing up, but the Fair will probably always remain on my must-do list each year.  I'm a sucker for traditions.

-I learned that fried foods are simply not as enticing when they cost $6 a pop.  Same goes for the rides at the fair.  I paid $5 to ride the ferris wheel, but that's all the money I could stand to dish out!

-Speaking of money spent at the fair, I got out of there spending only a whopping 12 bucks!  That's got to be some kind of record! ($3 of that I could have saved if I had looked at how many tickets the ferris wheel would require before I bought them.  Oh well!)

-Tonight Erin & Stephen are coming over for dinner, because mom misses them!  As Erin and I say, this simply adds to our on-going joke that she is the favored child around these parts!

Other than those few points, that's about all that's been happening around here!

Oh for all of you wondering about the giveaway....it will be posted on my blog the beginning of next week!! Stay tuned and you could win some fabulous jewelry!!

Happy Friday!

Wishful Wednesday

Everyone who knows me, knows how much I love Criminal Minds.  I'm in the process of collecting all of the seasons on DVD.  As of now I've got season 1-6, so it only makes sense to add Season 7 to my wish list.

Speaking of my current seasons, I can't seem to find my season 5.  I know i've lent it out a couple of times, but can't remember who the last person to use it was.  I've asked all of the usual suspects.  If you have my season 5 set, please let me know!!  If I can't find it then, well I'll have to add season 5 to my wish list as well :)

Quick Tip Tuesday

Painting a small room, like a half bath, in a rich/warm color will create a more intimate and cozy space.  Dark colors can be overpowering in large spaces, but are great in small doses.  Your first instinct may be to paint small areas in lighter colors, but try switching it up.  Trust me it's beautiful!  Here take a look..

 Don't understand the angle of this one (guess they were trying to show off the ceiling) but it's beautiful!

 We all know how much I love grey. 

Ignore the rose kleenex box and soap dish, the brown is beautiful!

Monday is Funday: Big Announcement

What better way to celebrate Monday, than to share a big announcement with you all!

If you scroll to the very bottom of this page you'll see a little icon, called SiteMeter, in the bottom left corner that tracks how many views my page gets.  You'll notice I'm about 50 away right now from hitting my 10,000 view mark!  That's pretty exciting for me!!  This tracker blocks any views I make so that means that over the last 2 and 1/2 years or so, I've had 10,000 views on my blog!  Wow! Thank you!

To thank all of my faithful readers, once I hit that 10,000 mark I will be hosting a giveaway right here!

I've mentioned in previous posts how much I love Ball & Chain Accessory Auction on Facebook.  They auction off beautiful jewelry every Tuesday night in a name your price auction.  Well folks, they have partnered with me to host a giveaway for my blog!

I'm not sure what the pieces will be yet, but they always have beautiful items that are sure to impress! Help me get to that 10,000 mark so this giveaway can take place!

Thanks again for reading my blog! Yall are the best :)

Jute Creations

After seeing multiple projects on Pinterest and other blogs I follow, I'm beginning to love jute crafts!  I've always loved adding organic touches to warm up a space, and this may become my go-to trick.  From what I've gathered a little jute, hot glue, fabric stiffener, and an object waiting to be wrapped is all you need!  I haven't tried creating anything yet, but a roll of jute is on my next list at the craft store!

Here are some of my favorite applications:

When I graduated from High Point, I went through the donate/trash pile outside our dorm and picked up a few fun shaped vases.  I had planned to paint them white, but I think at least one will become wrapped in jute now :)

How adorable are these???  Adding wooden letters is an easy, cheap, and fun way to add character to any space.  I've got a ton that I've used over the years just sitting unused now.  Usually I paint them to coordinate with my decor, but I'm definitely trying this!  Love, love, LOVE it (especially the little rosette detail)!!

How fun is this?  There are so many chandeliers with hideous or boring shade covers.  This is a cheap and fun way to add an organic touch and spruce up that old chandelier.

Yep, I think I'm gonna have to buy some jute!

My Plea to You

Ok folks, I need your help.  Desperately!

The design angle on this job hunt simply doesn't seem to be panning out.  So, I'm beginning to look at other options.  I really want to find a job in the High Point/Greensboro/Winston Salem area.  If you know of anyone hiring in that area, or have connections that could lead to a possible job, could you let me know?  I've got administrative, sales, and design experience, so anything that uses those abilities would be great.  I'd love to find something that is at least partially connected to design in some form, but it doesn't have to be. As of now I'm looking into receptionist, administrative assistant, and sales positions.  I'd like to find something that requires a college degree, so I can at least say my student loans have a purpose, but I'm willing to explore any angle (except maybe the fast food business).  Most importantly I need a full time position that will pay enough to get an apartment and pay off my loans.  I'm not looking to make six figures, but need a steady income.

I've got a couple of people in that area looking for me as well, but I figured I'd pull all of my resources and see if any of you could help me out.

Anywho, just thought I'd ask.  I'd love any help or leads you could provide.

Happy Saturday!

Thursday Thoughts

Not a whole lot to share today other than, I need a job.

That's all I seem to think about lately. The time to pay back my student loans is fast approaching, and it's making me a bit nervous.  Plus, I'm just down right tired of sitting around the house everyday.  I've done everything I can think of to entertain myself, but the only options really left are going out shopping or applying for more jobs.  Seeing as how money is my concern, unnecessary shopping trips simply aren't possible at the moment, and well I've applied for every possible position I can find.

Literally.

I know the perfect job is out there for me.  I know God has plans for my life and career that I can't even comprehend. I'm trying so very, very hard to remain patient and trust in His timing. It's getting more difficult each day, but I'm trying.

Other than that, there's not much to tell.  I'm dying to move back to High Point, I need a new car (Helga is on her last breath),  I'd love to take a trip to the beach, and I miss my long hair.

I know my life is so exciting!  Try not to be too jealous.

Could use your prayers!

Happy Thursday!

Wishful Wednesday

I have been on a bit of a necklace craze lately.  I've always wanted more jewelry to wear with outfits, and I seem to have the best luck finding and using necklaces to accessorize my wardrobe.  This little beauty (below), from Francesca's has been on my wish list for awhile now.  I saw one of my friends wearing a similar necklace and fell in love! This would be a great addition to my Christmas list :)

Love it!

Quick Tip Tuesday

Did you know: that the wattage on a light bulb is not actually how much light it produces?  The number of watts only refers to how much energy the bulb requires to light.  The number of lumens in a bulb is what really determines how bright your bulb will be!

So next time you're wanting a brighter bulb, take a look at the number of lumens first!

Memory Lane

I had an incredible weekend!

Honestly, it was one of the best weekends I've had since I graduated.  It was so nice to walk down memory lane as I spent time on High Point's campus with my friends.  As I turned onto campus there was a giant sign that read, Welcome Home.

That's exactly how it felt.  I didn't feel like I was returning as a student, but I felt like it was an extension of my home.  I spent four fabulous years on that campus.  This is the campus where I cried my eyes out and picked myself up after my break up, where I forged the most amazing friendships a girl could ask for, where I spent countless hours in Norton, where I learned to do what I love most.  This is the campus that has truly had a huge impact on shaping me into the woman I am today.  It was a surreal feeling not being a student anymore, but an encouraging and proud moment at the same time.

I felt a sigh of relief when I stepped back into Norton for the first time since graduation.  I was so thrilled to not be one of the students sitting at a CAD computer stressing out over due dates.  At the same time I felt such a sense of pride walking back into those rooms where I once sat.  I remember as a student talking to past graduates and counting down the days until that moment would be mine.  I finally got to experience it, and boy was that a great feeling!! I had made it.  I survived Norton.  Until you've gone through design school, you'll never be able to truly appreciate how I felt, but trust me it's a great feeling!!

It was also so nice to catch up with my friends again.  While I didn't get to see everyone, I got to spend a good amount of time with my roommates from last year.  Goodness have I missed those girls!! We all have such a great relationship. We can sit and talk/laugh for hours and not even realize the time that's gone by.  I so badly miss our long crazy late night chats in room 409, but I got to enjoy a little taste of it again this weekend.  I love them and miss them so very much!

Not only was visiting the school and my friends wonderful, getting to enjoy the area again was great! I had forgotten how much I missed High Point.  To have three major cities within a 30 minute drive, lots of your friends close by, and all your favorite places in one area again, is wonderful!  I even got to go back to the church I attended when I went to High Point.  Oh. My. Goodness.  I have missed that church!!  I forgot how much I loved that place.  I always feel so encouraged yet challenged every time I go.  The community is incredible and I love listening to the pastor.  It's probably the only church I've visited where I feel absolutely at home, one with God, and encouraged/challenged to strengthen my walk with Him every time. I would really, REALLY, love to get a job and move back to High Point.  It's hard to explain, but it's where I really feel like I should be.  Maybe that will all work out.

I am truly blessed.

Happy Monday Y'all!

The View From Here

It's alumni weekend at High Point, and boy am I glad to be back in this city! Goodness I have missed college, my friends, the gorgeous campus, and all the perks that go with being an HPU student. I love everything about High Point!  I got into town today around 1:30 and met up with my roommates from last year for lunch, which turned into a two hour catching up session!  I love those girls and miss them so much! I just checked into my hotel room, which a good friend of mine hooked me up with; Thank you again Mrs. Steele!!!  Now I'm contemplating whether to go get my nails done, hit up my favorite shops around High Point, or just enjoy a good movie....oh the choices!!!  Did I mention I love and miss High Point??

This would be one of those perks of being an HPU alumni.  Free gift waiting for me upon my arrival!!

My awesome room!

Now off to explore!