Camp

This past Sunday I had the privilege of signing the song "Our God is an Awesome God" with a guy name Kevin at our church. Kevin has some form of mental retardation, and while I am not sure of his exact diagnosis I know that in the end Kevin is Kevin and a diagnosis doesn't matter.

Two summers ago on a whim I decided that I should work at a camp. I started to look online for different camps that were hiring. While camp sounded great, I also knew that I really wanted to be able to spend some time at home too. Well I came across this camp that seemed perfect. I would get to go home on the weekends. I would only work for around 6 weeks and there would be weeks where I could stay home. The only reason I was hesitant is because this camp was like no camp I had ever been to. This was a camp for people with disabilities. I would be responsible for the personal care of multiple people every week. I would work with adults some weeks and children other weeks. If you know me you know that I have problems with poop. I just think it is the grossest thing ever, and that was one of the things that scared me the most about my new job. But in the end I decided that I could get over it. So I went to camp and I had no clue what was about to happen.

I arrived at camp and had to go through all the trainings. I was prepared for all situations. We learned the basics like CPR and First Aid but we also learned many other things like transferring, showering, putting on braces, changing adult "diapers", clothing. Oh and there was a whole session on how to protect yourself in case one of your campers decided to attack you... yea. The training week had me scared to death and all I could think was what in the world have I gotten myself into this time!

Well let me to tell you that I had gotten myself into a life changing experience! I have SO many stories that I could tell you. I can tell you that my life was forever changed by working at camp. I went there thinking I was going to help them so much, but they taught me so much more than I could have imagined possible. I learned life can change in the blink of an eye. I learned that sometimes the best thing to do is laugh. I learned to not judge a book by the cover. That people are people, and that God can give you strength to do things you didn't think possible. That summer I laughed more than I knew I could yes I wet my pants once from laughing so hard and my campers found it hilarious, I cried tears of happiness of sadness and just because I was so tired I couldn't move, I hurt for my campers when they hurt, and I experienced a kind of love I didn't know before. I heard stories that changed my life and I was reminded daily that God has an incredible plan.

I had so many campers with incredible stories but there is nothing like your first camper. The first week of camp I met such a sweet lady named Julia. You can read her story here ... when I met her it was Julia's second year at camp. Because of her injury she had severe memory loss. She would remember the funniest things. I would wake Julia up every morning and reintroduce myself, I would remind her that she is at camp and that I was there to take care of her. What I loved about her was how amazing life was to her. The normal things that we never notice, she thought they were amazing. She would say Wow like 100 times a day. I remember one morning asking her if she wanted an apple (knowing that she loves apples) and she asked me what an apple was... let me tell ya it is hard to figure out how to explain things that like apples to someone who doesn't really have any reference points. So I showed it to her and I told her how to eat it and she took a bite. "Wow, This is Amazing!" she said as she smiled the biggest smile ever. This was just an apple. That week we also took a trip to the drive-in. I had mentioned this to Julia and every day when it was mentioned I would get to explain what it is. Considering she didn't even really remember TV... she was completely amazed by the thought of this movie. I remember going to the movie and sitting behind her. We saw Night at the Museum 2. She laughed louder and harder than everyone else there even though I knew she didn't understand most of the movie. She was there in that moment and she was so happy. She kept saying "This is the best night ever"! The next day when I asked her about the movie she looked at me like I was crazy. Julia had such a sense of humor. Since she was my first camper, she was also my first transfer. One day I was transferring her from her wheelchair to the toliet and I lost my balance and we both fell on the floor. I was almost in tears because I felt so bad. We were laying there and she says "Don't worry, I won't remember this in 10 minutes" and so we laughed and laughed until my co-counselor came to save us haha. She was the happiest person I have ever known. I remember when she was leaving one of my coworkers came up to me and we were talking. Julia had been her first camper the summer before. I remember her saying "You will never forget her, but she will never remember you". And she was right... Julia taught me so much. She knew she wouldn't remember that movie, but that didn't keep her from enjoying it. She was amazed by life. I want to be amazed by the things that other's take for granted.

Over the summer I had close to 30 campers. They were all different. They were all beautiful. Each one of them has a special place in my heart. I wish that I had time to tell you about every one of them. Lately camp has been on my mind a lot. I didn't get paid enough. It was not glamorous. I did things I didn't think I would be able to. And at the end of the summer I knew that it was all worth it. I am blessed to have known each of my campers, and I am blessed to know Kevin. They make me a better person. I hope that I never forget my time at camp, and I hope I have the chance to work with more of these beautiful people in the future.

What the bobbin!

Well I was going to show you my cute new camera strap cover today but... I can't. I can't get my sewing machine to work. For some reason I can never get my stupid bobbin thingy to pick up. After working on it for the past HOUR I decided it was best to give up before I was to the point of throwing the whole thing out the window. I read the manual, youtubed videos, googled advice, and went to the singer website but no... no help. I know I am doing it right. All I need is that one little thread to cooperate, but it won't. I am mad. I really wanted to finish that project today. Oh well. The worst part is that no one that I know here sews so I have no one to ask for help.

The funniest part of this is how heated I am over sewing right now.. I find it to be one of the more frustrating things I have ever done. Mainly because of the stupid bobbin. I kinda thought this would be a relaxing, "let's have fun" kind of thing... but it is not. If you don't sew then don't start. Sometimes when I am doing things like sewing or cooking I have to step back and say "Morgan, You don't have to do this... you are choosing to. Chill!" But the thing is I want to. I want to be able to cook and I want to be able to make, I want to sew, I want to craft. I love the feeling of "yes, I made that". I might not be the best, but you never get better without trying.

Around here I hear the word "someday" a lot. People are always saying well someday, when I have a family or a husband, then I will learn how to cook. Or when I am older then I would love to sew. But today is the today. I have more free time in my life right now than I probably ever will. Yes, I go to class and study but I have plenty of time. I only care for myself. If I want to nap then I nap and if I want to color then I color. There are no kids, no bills, no full-time job, no husband. I have time to make cute pancakes and figure out what works and what doesn't. I can burn the chicken and nobody knows but me. I can experiment and make things that are really good but I can make things that are really gross too and end up eating ice cream for dinner instead. I can work for an hour trying to thread a stupid bobbin. I have time to learn all the things I want to be able to do when someday comes around.

So why do I love it here? Because here I am learning more than just Psychology. I am frying chickens and painting bird houses. I am learning to be Me before I have to learn to be an employee, a wife, a mom, etc, etc, etc. I am gaining skills that they don't teach you in class. I want to be well-rounded. I want to do it all even if that isn't possible. That is why I am cooking and sewing and blogging and painting and traveling to Europe for a month. Because I want to be different and I don't want to wait for someday.

After that rant, I believe I will go back to that stupid, dumb, frustrating bobbin now.... maybe I will have a cute camera strap soon!

Just Because..

I love "just because" gifts. So I may be a little spoiled and I get just because gifts more than I should, but I will not complain. :) So this week my favorite things are all the just because gifts I got over Spring Break.

1. Knives! These beauties were purchased for me by my Granny Rie. She bought them a while back, but I just now got them because I had not been home. Cutco knives are really nice and really sharp! I may have already cut myself by accident. I have already used them a few times and I absolutely love them. I also got a vegetable peeler and a pizza cutter!!

2. A Griddle! I have been wanting a griddle for a while now. And then one day last week I was walking through Kroger and TADA... this wonderful thing was staring at me for the low price of $18. That is a deal!  So after texting the Easter Bunny she agreed I should get this griddle even though she thought my excitement over a griddle was extremely weird. So now I have a wonderful griddle to make all kinds of fun things on. I really do love it and it is all I ever dreamed it would be haha. Do I have a place to store it in this apartment... no. Do I care... nope! It is bigger than any countertop space I have so for now it is living in the den. I don't mind so hopefully Emily won't either :)

Would not rotate... Sorry. 

3. A cup, a candle, and a bib. Gifts from my aunts... just because. My cup says "what happens tonight... goes on facebook tomorrow" and I just think that is so true and funny! A candle because it was buy one get one free so Holly bought one and I got one free! It smells so wonderful. I love candles. and then a bib. These bibs were how Holly told my mom and Aunt Kathy that she was having a baby. She thought I was going to be there too but unfortunately I wasn't :( Little did we know that one bib wasn't going to be enough for two babies! I have also decided that since I am 22 years old and so much more than just a silly cousin that I would like for the babies to call me Coco Mo for cousin Morgan. Is that not the cutest name ever. So Levi, Bambam, and Pebbles... You can all begin to refer to me as Coco Mo. Thanks in advance. :)

And those are all my new favorite things... I am a very lucky girl in many ways!

True Life... Morgan Edition

Do you ever just not want to start something because you are so convinced you will fail? It is kinda like getting in shape... I know I will love the results and I love the way I feel after working out but it is the actual going to the gym and doing it that I hate. I have tried about a million times to get "the best body ever" but after about a month of being hardcore, I eventually give up and just go back to the way it was before. Now this is where I get honest. True Life... I am a crummy Christian. One of the biggest things I have learned in my small group is that until you get honest with yourself and others then nothing is going to change. Honesty is hard. It is ugly. The truth is not always as pretty as you want to paint it, but the truth is the truth. I would love to say that I do it all right... I never sin, I always go to church, I do my "quiet time" every day, I spend hours in prayer every night. But.. that is not true. The truth is that I am a human, I sin daily, sometimes I sleep through church, I never have a quiet time, and I usually fall asleep during my night time prayers, I don't stop to pray before I eat (unless I am with my friends or grandmother), I have never read through the Bible, and sometimes my mind wanders while the preacher speaks. That is the truth and I would like to delete all of this and just keep it to myself but I won't. And the hardest part for me is to realize that even though I am constantly failing, God loves me. I would like to insert a lot of Bible verses here but I just don't know any off the top of my head and I am too ashamed to google for verses right now. I am undeserving, and He loves me anyway... I really believe that. Well this is all stemming from a conversation I had last night with guess who?! Anthony. At the beginning of the year we made a list of things we would like to do this year. Some things were big some were little, it is like a little bucket list. Well one thing we both wanted to do was to read through the whole Bible. Of course last night he brings this particular goal back up. He started the conversation with "Why don't we start doing a Bible Study together so we can discuss it and hold each other accountable." Sounds like a great idea right? but my brain immediately flashes back to all the Bible studies I have started and never finished. I have a bazillion books, studies, Bibles, and devotionals. But quiet times to me are like going to the gym. I love the results, I love the changes they make, but I hate the actual process of stopping what I am doing to do them. yes, I know I am horrible.   So I start thinking.. Why start if I know I am going to fail? So what do I do... lol well I try to convince him to do the Bible study I am already doing with my small group because hey I already have to do that, and it is pretty good. I can read my chapters within like an hour a week, and there is a lot of things to talk about. Well after some discussion we both realize that is not going to work because I am already half way in and by the time he got the book I would be done. So we discussed something we both would think we would like and I talked to my friend about some ideas and I started searching. So in the end I brought up the idea of doing the one year Bible since that way we would be reading the Bible and get a devotional and it was highly recommended to me. And after discussing it and thinking and praying about it we have decided to do it. And maybe I am a horrible person.. for not just jumping at the opportunity. Trust me, I know I should. But ya know sometimes it takes someone else encouraging you to take that first step, and sometimes you have to pray for the desire to do things. So that is where I am... praying for the desire to do this and that this time I will finish what I set out to do. I believe that God can do crazy, amazing things if you are willing to let Him. I believe that spending alone time with Him can change your life in countless ways, I believe the first step is being honest and asking others to join you. So maybe all the people who read this are already super humans and are great at Quiet times and maybe you are all thinking oh my goodness Morgan is horrible and I can't believe she wrote all of this but... this is me. This is where I am, and I believe that God will meet me here.

So the truth... I am a sinner, but I have an Awesome Savior who already knows everything I just wrote. He gave me this book (The Bible) that enables me to learn more about Him and His truth. He loves me. He saved me. There is so much more to write, but no time.

Pray for me. For real...

Where to Begin...

Well I am back at school now. The only good thing about being back is that it means I am a step closer to being done. I really don't hate it here... I just love it there. Spring break was wonderful. I got to do all of my favorite things. Though I always have trouble leaving, my time at home is always worth the sadness of saying goodbye again. So what did I do over Spring Break? Well...

 I went to Dallas. It was beautiful there. I absolutely love weddings and Maresa's was one of the prettiest I have ever been to. It was also great to get to spend time with Courtney and her family. The Yates girls taught me many important lessons in my young life. They always made sure Courtney and I were dressed cute, hair done, and where we needed to be. I remember when I was little just thinking they were the coolest, prettiest girls ever. Courtney and I loved spending our time reading the diaries, getting our hair braided, spying on their conversations, and striving to be like them haha. They were the big sisters I never had and while we thought they were cool, we also thought they were terribly annoying and didn't really know what they were talking about. I am glad that over the past few years they have become my friends and not just my best friend's sisters.

 I went to games. I love going to baseball games on a warm sunny day. Having a big family with lots of boys means that there are always games to go to. I got to see 3 different baseball games and 1 soccer game. Monday was the first time I have ever gone to a game to see the coach, but I think I liked it a lot. East Robertson had the cutest first base coach I ever have seen ;). I love seeing Anthony doing something he loves so much even if it means I have to sit on the sidelines and watch instead of spending time with him.

 I helped Anthony's family move furniture. Sounds bad but I enjoyed it. It was a good excuse to spend time with them. Anthony spends so much time with my family that it is always fun to go spend time with his. It makes me laugh how much he is like each one of them in different ways. We also ended up staying up almost all night cleaning out his bedroom. That is not something you should do with someone you don't really like lol. We went through old yearbooks, read Senior wills, looked at his baby pictures, read baseball articles, discovered his Snoopy doll that he use to sleep with, and found things that brought back tons of memories. I was actually sad when the last drawer was emptied because I was having so much fun. But no worries because the fun continued the next day and I have never had so much fun moving furniture.

 I went to Sonic every day over the break. I did not have the intentions of doing so but that is how it happened. One night while Anthony and I were at Sonic I got that overwhelming holy cow this can't be happening I am a grown up feeling. Our "first date" was at Sonic. Of course, it wasn't really our first date but it was the first place we ever went just the two of us. We both got our driver's licenses on the same day (January 18, 2005?) That is a funny story in itself but... you know when you first start driving you just want to drive everywhere. Well that night we decided we just had to go somewhere! So we decided to go to Sonic but the only problem is that we both wanted to drive. I lied to told him my parents really didn't want me riding with him, and he lied to told me his parents really preferred him to drive... So in the end we both drove separate cars to Sonic and then got in the same car to eat. Well as I was sitting there last week I was right back in that moment. Only this time there wasn't a skinny little 16 year old teenage boy sitting beside me. I was sitting in a car with my best friend, talking about life and the future and fears and dreams, and I was happier than ever. Moments like that are why I love home.

As you can tell this post is turning into the adventures of Morgan and Anthony. Sorry. The majority of my time was spent with him and I loved every minute of it. I did so many other beautifully wonderful things that I could go on and on about. I loved every minute of my time at home. I was with people I love, in a place that I love. I feel well rested, fully loved, and ready to kick these next 55 days in the butt... so now Back to the real world.

Thoughts of the day

I am dreading Sunday... Sunday means back to school. I don't want to go back. sorry Emily. Back to school, to work, to missing people... I don't want to go back. As I sit here waiting on Anthony to come pick me up, I am trying not to think about going back, but it isn't working. The funny thing is that home is so different from when I lived here in high school. So while I love being here, it is as if I am out of place somehow. I no longer know how things work around here. Like did you know my family skypes my Mom almost every night, because I did not know that. When I answer the home phone people seem to be completely confused about who I am or why I would be answering the phone. And my room... I am very thankful for it, but it is not the same room I had in high school. It is a smaller room that I have only spent weekends and holidays in. It is more like a cute purple storage room for my junk than a bedroom for a person. I couldn't tell you what is in my closet right now, and I have no clue what is under my bed, the bed is hard, and the room is always really hot. For the first time in my life I am sharing a bathroom and with a 10 year old boy. A little while ago my dad changed the order of the kitchen cabinets so I am always looking in the medicine cabinet for cereal. And not only that but my family is different... Andrew is in full high school mode, Wilson is at school all day, my Dad has things to do, my Mom is at work, Mac is in Maryville. Home is different. I have never lived here without Mac and though there were many days I wished he wasn't here during our days at home, it is never the same without him. And while I was away Andrew and Wilson seemed to grow up without me. I know it sounds silly considering I have seen them very very often throughout college but it is amazing how much people can change when you only see them once a month. I think maybe I am just noticing all of this because I am preparing myself to move back. The truth is I am moving back to a house that is different than the way I left it and the truth is I am different than when I moved out 4 years ago and I think I am okay with that...

Spring Break

It is 11 am and I am still in bed. My windows are open and I can see it is a beautiful day outside. The birds have been chirping since early morning and I have heard a weed-eater or something going on and off for the last hour. Life is a lot different here. I had an awesome weekend in Dallas celebrating the wedding of Maresa and Robert. I loved Dallas, the wedding, spending time with friends, and escaping to somewhere really warm. So far this Spring break I have gone to the movies, spent time with family, been on 4 different flights, stayed up too late, slept in too long, read a wonderful book, gone to an East Robertson baseball game to watch the cutest coach, spent a late night at Sonic eating ice cream and discussing life, watched Wilson's excitement when I let him ride with the windows down in my car. I have had great conversation, tons of laughs, daily hugs, and no plans at all. So far it has been an amazing Spring Break! SO even though I haven't blogged in too many days, I think that is okay. I know my time here is limited and I want to spend it soaking in every moment! Now I think I will go eat something from the fully stocked pantry and then spend the rest of the day outside reading... Sounds like the life to me.

Tomorrow, tomorrow I love ya, Tomorrow!

Things I am loving today...
This weather, my clean car, open windows, cancelled classes, dogwood trees, wearing shorts and my super cute chacos, smiling, good music, yummy food, little girls with freckles, little blonde haired boys, the promise of Spring, long phone conversations with Courtney and laughing at how grown up we sound, a patient Mom, understanding teachers, sitting in the sun, cupcakes, really bright t-shirts, text messages, and salty tears.
AND... the fact that tomorrow I get to take my favorite car ride, the one that takes me home. I am so happy about that. I can't wait to walk in the back door, see my family, act like I didn't really miss them as much as I have, try not to cry because I have missed home so bad, walk to my Granny's where she will ask me at least 100 times if I am hungry and what I want to eat and try to cover me up even when I say I am warm and tell me stories I have heard a million times, and to see and hug my Gigi, Holly, and Aunt Kathy and laugh and talk and dream about those little babies who will be here soon :) And to top it off I am going to get to hug that sweet boyfriend of mine and hear his voice and ride in the car and laugh together  and eat together and say "see you tomorrow" and do all those simple things that I miss so much when I am here. I can't wait to be home. I love today because today is leading me straight to tomorrow.

the way I wish Spring looked in Jackson... 

Exterminating Procrastination

"You may delay, but time will not." ~Benjamin Franklin

I don't know why I would ever think procrastination is a good idea. I do not like that about myself. I seem to put things off until the last minute. I have been doing so much better this semester considering I have already done most of the big things for the rest of the semester. But those little things are getting me... I hit the snooze button at least 5 times every morning! I promise I can convince myself of the dumbest things when I am tired, like Oh morgan you can get ready in 2 min... NOT! Or I do really good about doing the big things but those little assignments I will find myself thinking "oh that wont be hard I can do that later" and then what happens? I am staying up until 2 am and having to start that easy little thing that I should have done a week ago. Okay... goal for the month: STOP PROCRASTINATING! 


Another thing I am very curious about... Why do the maintenance men always come when you are completely not prepared?! We got a note on Friday saying that these men would be coming by to check our apartment for termites. They would be coming sometimes between Monday and Thursday... seriously. So we cleaned up and got ready for their arrival. Well that was 4 days ago, It is not clean anymore. I got to come back to the room for a nap today after my class at 8. I crawl into my comfy bed wearing pajamas that look like something a 90 year old woman would wear. I sleep just long enough to get those lines on my face and big puffy eyes and then... Bang bang bang. Oh great. Oh well, I think to myself, I have met all these men and they are all older balding men with beer bellies so I get out of bed and walk to the door and answer it. They give their little spill about coming to check for termites and being the paranoid person I am I ask for their little proof card dont judge me, it is Jackson. And then they say Oh Josh is going to come in and inspect you apartment. Then this angel boy walks around the corner. Anthony don't read this. Oh ya know just your average 23 year old frat boy coming to see me in my grandmother pajamas. This was the most attractive exterminator I have ever seen... just my luck. Not only am I looking a mess but so is my apartment. My little house on the Prairie is playing on my tv, my clothes are all over the place, my Wendys bag from last night is beside my bed hello fatty, and my pillow pet is in plain view... OH MY GOSH! He had to inspect every corner of this place. I felt like a 40 year old cat woman by this point. But he was very nice and we just laughed about the mess and my love for Little House so it wasn't so bad... I will just pray I never have to see him again! He didn't find termites but he did find ants (in my roommates room haha) and so he said they will have to send someone back. And I am sure they too will come at the worst possible time! 

Rain, Cake, Hair, and Fugitives... Just another day.

I really don't mind the rain. It is nice to listen to as I sleep. I think it is refreshing and I find it calming. I also really like my rainboots. I am thinking about just going outside and sitting in the rain and just enjoying it.  Did you know when a tornado comes the rain stops? Rain and tornados hardly ever happen together. I like the rain. Rain rain you can stay, you don't have to go away. 

What Emily (my roommate) has taught me... Sometimes it is okay to eat strawberry cake for breakfast and not feel bad about it. I swear she eats the weirdest things at the weirdest times. Well today I ate strawberry cake for breakfast and everything was perfectly fine. I might do it again tomorrow. Hey this is college... It is okay to be crazy sometimes ;) 

I am still trying to figure out the rolled flowers. I made two hair clips today and gave them to the girls I drive. The other one was actually cuter because I did it second and I made it a little smaller so it didn't look like it was overtaking her head! But the younger girl was wearing it and she couldn't stand still long enough to get a picture. I think this is cute though and they both loved them so that is all that matters. 

On a completely different note... they finally caught the escapees. There have been fugitives on the loose in Jackson. They escaped from prison in Louisiana, highjacked a car and killed the owner, and now they have just been hanging out in Jackson. Doesn't that make you feel safe? Well today they made their move and tied up two guys and stole a Parks and Rec truck. Well they were just caught in Memphis... and I am super happy about that. I have a lot of questions I would like to ask these men. The first of which being "Are you stupid or what?" but also I would like to know how they saw this situation ending well... where were they planning to go? Why did they kill the first man... they could have just taken his car and money. Why didn't they kill the two guys today (Thank God they didn't).. Why would you take a car that has clear markings on it? I am very interested in what they were thinking. Of course Memphis news isn't helping at all... They aren't telling me anything, especially not questions like these. I am just glad we are safe and sound now. I will sleep better tonight. 

Spring break is so close!

Weekend Wrap-up!

If weekends had a theme then this one's would be Homework. I did SO MUCH homework this weekend and it was not fun. I took 10 online quizzes! Yes... 10. My goal has been to have all my big things (other than tests) finished by the time I get back from Spring Break. I know when I get back from break it is going to be all downhill and I would prefer to not spend all my time doing homework. So even though I had to spend most of Saturday taking quizzes, I am glad to say I am now done with online quizzes for the semester!! I am also done with Psych Article reviews, those were my other big time consumers of the day. In 24 hours I did all this along with review questions for a test, watched a movie and diagnosed the main character (yes this was homework), wrote a paper for Social Deviance class, and did some extra credit... It was a very productive Saturday!
I did get to have a little bit of fun this weekend. One of my friends, Anna, had her senior voice recital on Friday night. She is a beautiful singer! I have such talented friends. Most of the things she sang were in other languages in an opera like way. Though I knew it was great, I am not a big Opera follower haha. I spent most of the recital trying to figure out when you are supposed to clap and not clap and why they made her bow and go out of the room between each song. She did sing some songs in English and those were definitely my favorite ;) I was extremely excited for my friend and also for the great food at the reception that follows!
I might have had 3 meltdowns this weekend. One because there is still 70 days until graduation and I am ready to leave here! Another because there is ONLY 70 days until Graduation and I don't want to leave here! And a third one because I realized I am obviously losing it.
A few other highlights of the weekend were the beautiful weather, watching The Notebook, homemade Taco soup, waking up to a clean kitchen (provided by Emily), going to church, and realizing this time next week I will be home with my family! And I get to have Dinner with friends tonight! Did I mention we also did a complete Spring cleaning on our apartment yes it still smells like bleach. All this and we lost an hour... maybe I should spring forward more often!

The days of our Lives...

I basically do the same things every day. My days are pretty routine and pretty boring. However, I always wonder about people's daily lives. What they do when they wake up, who do they see everyday, what does their office/school/home look like. I like to be able to picture the details of people's days. I have a very curious mind. It is a constant string of questions, that usually have nothing to do with each other. If I know you I want to know all about you! Who do you love, who do you miss, what's your biggest fear, what's your greatest accomplishment, what do you wish you could change, who do you admire? I know this drives people crazy sometimes. I have decided this is why I like reading blogs because you get to learn so much about people. This is also why I am totally enamored by Facebook because you get to learn so much about peoples lives. Anthony is constantly asking me where my questions come from (probably because I spend a lot of time asking him the questions that can't go without being asked) but I just don't know! I have tried to explain that if he only could hear my thoughts for a day he would probably be exhausted by the amount of things I think or wonder in an hour. I have learned in my counseling class that there are actually other people who think this way too... Thank goodness I am normal ;)
So here is a look at my normal, boring day! Because I know you are all so very curious!

First I wake up and watch the news/today show and get ready for my day! The Memphis news sucks. For one thing it is all about murders or bad weather. They also say really obvious things... like during the last storm they advised us it was not a good time to go on a bike ride. DUH! Also who goes on bike rides at midnight in Memphis?!? haha

And then it is adios Cherry Grove and hello class! I basically go to class from 8-2... It is really fun. Most of my classes are small. The biggest class I am in is only around 24 people but most of them are less than 20 people. Small classes are a blessing and a curse. It is nice because it is a very open environment. It is bad because those teachers really know you and they stay on you about your work. Overall I think I like it but I wouldnt mind being able to skip without getting an email asking if I am ok! :)

On Tuesdays and Thursdays I get to go out to lunch with some of my friends from class. It is always nice to have a coupon and to latch on to a friends meal and get yours for free ;) yes I am that person. I love our lunches together. They are question people too.

After class I get to go pick up these precious kiddos from school. Aren't they adorable! Don't worry we always wear our seatbelts. The car was already parked and off when I took this picture. It is a hard job but someone has to do it.

My afternoons are spent in their home with them and their Mom, Stephanie and their two other little siblings. I don't get paid for this part of the afternoon but it is one of my favorite parts. There are always great snacks and wonderful conversation. I have fun playing couch volleyball, talking about home, feeding little Liza, and laughing. This has become my family away from family and I love having them. I am actually going to live with them in June! How exciting!!

And then I get to go back to my apartment. By this time Emily is home and we get to talk about our days. This is my homework, dinner, and TV time. A lot has to get done between 4- Bedtime!

And speaking of bedtime... Lately I have been playing intramural basketball. We play so late! Last night our game was at 10:15... to me that is too late haha. I have enjoyed playing though AND on Monday we play in the Championship! WHEW WHOO!!

And then Finally it is bedtime! Time to go to bed and do it all over again. Though my days are boring and routine, I think I like it. I know my days like this are numbered and I think I will miss it a little bit.

Happy Weekend!!!!

Happy Birthday Bonnie Claire!

Today Bonnie Claire Wilkes turns 22! Since I just mentioned her in my blog yesterday, I decided what better day than today, her birthday, to write more about her. I first met Bonnie in August of 2007. She was going to be my random roommate and I couldn't be less excited about that haha. I remember the summer before, facebook stalking this tall skinny beautiful girl who seemed to be 25 and nothing like me and thinking there is just no way it would ever work out. 

When I walked into my room that day I met the most bubbly, girly, and overly friendly person I have ever met! I am pretty sure I walked in and walked right back out. I remember going back to the hotel and begging my mom and dad to please please please take me home because there is no way I could live with "those people".  They made me stay. That first week I hardly left my room, and when I did it was definitely not to talk to her haha. And then one night I just lost it in an episode of pure hyperness. I remember thinking if I am going to stay here I am going to have to make the best of it. I went into the den dressed in a turban and sunglasses and announced to the roommates that I was not perfect and I sometimes cuss. hahaha The ice was broken and beautiful friendships were beginning to form. That semester Bonnie and I spent countless hours together talking and laughing and crying and really learning all about each other. There were nights we would stay up all night long and then go to class the next day having never gone to bed (I would not promote doing this if you would like to make good grades). I hate to cuddle... well Bonnie was determined to break me of this. She would somehow weasel her way into my twin size bed every night causing me to spend the whole night hanging off the bed trying to escape her cuddles! ha I have never had a friendship that grew so tremendously so fast. That fall a lot of things happened to me but Bonnie was always right there for me and was always a constant encouragement.

Christmas break went by and I could not wait to be back at school and with my friends. Bonnie made school feel like home to me. We got back to school on Feb. 3 and just two days later on Feb 5th our lives and our precious little dorm were changed forever. The tornado came and while we held each other in that bathtub with 3 of our other best friends we prayed, we cried, we all 5 held on as tight as we could and we survived. God protected us but I couldn't have been more glad to have been with those five people. We would never go back to that dorm where all our precious first memories were made. The next day when I went back to see the damage with my dad I wasn't allowed to get anything from my dorm and by the time I saw my car I was too emotionally drained to grab anything from it. Sweet Bonnie went to my car after I had left and got my puzzle blanket out of my car for me. She took it home and washed it and returned it... it is one of the few important things I got back, and she did that for me. What a sweet best friend. After I got back home I remember Bonnie and I talking every night on the phone for hours and hours. Talking about how scared we were, reflecting on things that had happened, once again laughing and crying and just being there for each other. I do not know if I would have been okay if it weren't for our nightly conversations. 

When we finally got back to school we ended up moving into an apartment all together. Bonnie and I were now sharing a room which made staying up all night talking a lot easier. I remember the first night being so scared because we heard my ipod going and thought someone was coming to get us. I am pretty sure we once again ended up in the same twin bed haha. I loved living with Bonnie. After a year and a half of living together Bonnie was going to have to move out because of lease issues and campus being ready again. Though we only lived together for 2 years, I will always cherish that time we had together! Bonnie moved out in May.

Just a few weeks later I got a call that Bonnie's dad had passed away. Mr. Ben was such a sweet man. I loved how he always referred to her as "my Bonnie". You could always see how proud he was of his daughter when they were together. He was gentle. I remember the way he talked with such a reassuring voice and he seemed to always know just what to say. He always remembered your name and made you feel special. Bonnie is the exact same way. Bonnie's face always just lit up when she spoke of her dad. I hardly knew him and yet he made such an impact on me. I remember feeling so confused. What do you say? What do you do? How can you be a best friend from 2 hours away? I remember going to the funeral and hurting for my dear precious Bonnie. I knew there was nothing I could do but be there and pray for her. Bonnie was so poised and was even comforting those around her... How in the world? I do not know. Her life had changed so much in just the blink of an eye. I know that her dad would be so proud of her today. Of the way she has handled herself in the midst of so much suffering, and the way she turned to God when there was so much more she could have done. I am proud to know his Bonnie and I am proud to have known him. 

Being it was summer there was much time for Bonnie and I to grow apart. There was so much to talk about and often nothing to say. We both knew things were going to change when we got back to school and she moved in with her new roommates. Our lives were busy but surely we could make time to still be friends. Fall came and it was busy just as we knew it would be. As hard as we tried it was hard to make enough time to keep up with the changes in each other's lives. And then once again everything changed.... 

Early morning of October 9th I got a call from Bonnie. She usually doesn't call in the middle of the night so I knew it wasn't something good. I answered the call to a frantic Bonnie crying her heart out. She was begging for prayer because her little brother Peter had accidently shot himself in the head and they didn't think he was going to make it. My heart sank. I don't think it has ever hurt that bad before. I woke up my roommate and we began to pray. Bonnie had gone ahead to the hospital and asked me and Emily to meet her there. I ran by her room and got a few of her things and dreadfully made my way to the hospital. Once again all I could do was to be there and pray. I will never forget the way that day felt. I wanted to take all the pain away. I wanted her Dad to be there... he would have made everything so much better. I remember the tears, the prayers, the shock. No one should ever have to experience anything like that. I wanted to make it better but I couldn't. All I could do was hold my friend as she hurt, Laugh with her as she remembered her brother, answer the text messages she didn't want to answer, and listen as she asked the preacher questions we all wonder sometimes. I wanted Peter to live but a few days later Peter passed away at only 18 and went to be with God and his Daddy in heaven. It was only 4 months after her Dad had died... that is so not fair. I remember the funeral even more than her Dad's. SO many people were there. It was a sad yet beautiful funeral. At the funeral they played a video, the video was of her dad giving the sermon at Peter's baccalaureate which was just 5 months prior. In this sermon Mr. Ben had talked about how quickly life could change. How important it was to know where you will spend eternity. WOW. What a powerful message, and how very true. As hard as it was to hear Mr. Ben's voice for so many people, it was an amazing testament to the reality of life. Peter was such a happy and handsome person. I know he loved his sister just as much as she loves him. You could always see their mutual joy when they were together. 

I am saying all this to say that without knowing her life it is hard to realize her strength. Bonnie is stronger than any person I know. She had all this happen to her and she ran to God. In a time where everyone expected her to shut down she let it motivate her to become a better person. Like any person she has bad days, but they never last too long. She is thankful, she is loving, she is understanding, she is always there. It would be easy to say "Morgan, I don't want to listen to your silly little problems because mine are so much worse" but she never does that. She is so selfless. Seeing how much she loves God, the God that gives and takes away, makes me want to love Him more. Seeing how much she trusts Him makes me want to trust Him more. And seeing how grateful she is for her life makes me want to be a grateful person. I wish I could be more like her. I look up to my friend so much!

Life is a funny thing. I know without a doubt there is a huge reason that girl who I disliked so much that first day became one of my best friends. I will never be able to tell her how much I love her, how much she has changed my life. Our lives are changing. Though we don't see each other as much as we like or stay up all night talking anymore.. I will always treasure our friendship because it feels like home to me. I will always be grateful for that bubbly, bundle of joy that is Bonnie Claire. I will always look back on our memories with a happy heart. I love being her friend and I thank God every day for knowing that she was the one I needed. Happy Birthday Bonnie! You really are the BEST friend!

Our First Picture! haha

:)

Just another night of making videos! 

Speaking of favorite things...

So I know it is kinda weird to do two blogs in one day... yes I need a life but...
Look what just came in the mail... AHHHHH!!!!!

MY cap and gown! 

It is hitting me.
Is this real life!
Do I jump for joy or do i cry?
Silly question, of course I do both.
I want to put it on... is that bad luck?
can I hang it in my room and drool over it every day?
 Can I wear it to class tomorrow just to show my excitement?
OH MY GOSH...
73 days people.

Favorite things!

1. Good Morning Messages!

Because my roommate is a student teacher she leaves the house way before I even wake up in the morning. This means I wake up to silence. Considering I am not a morning person this is probably best because I tend to be mean to other people in the morning (or so I hear). However it is always nice to have someone to tell you good morning, it gets kinda lonely waking up to an empty apartment. I often look forward to going to class just so I can talk to someone! But this morning I woke up to two very sweet messages from two people I love. The first was from Anthony and even though I know he probably didn't think twice about sending me a nice message it definitely made me happy. The second was from one of my best friends Bonnie. I am going to have to do a separate post about Bonnie some other day because I could definitely go on and on about how wonderful she is and how much she has changed my life. But I will tell you this today. This morning I got a precious text from Bonnie and it said that she had just been up and thinking about how blessed she is and she wanted to thank me for being such a blessing to her. Wow. My sweet Bonnie has been through so much but I have never seen someone take such a tragedy and let it draw them so close to God and come out on the other side feeling thankful and blessed. In a 6 month period my best friend lost her Dad and her little brother. My heart literally aches for her at the thought of how drastically her life changed in such a short period. Some days I weep for her and the pain she must feel. And while I know she has good days and bad and that she misses her brother and Daddy every day, she is sitting there calling herself blessed and thanking God for the blessings she has received. I hope to be that grateful someday. She inspires me. I am so blessed to be her friend. I am so blessed to have a friend who has taught me to be thankful no matter what. Two good morning Texts started my day with a smile on my face and a grateful heart for all that I do have especially beautiful friends and a healthy family.

#2 Dry Shampoo

This stuff is life changing! I have the dirtiest greasiest hair ever. I could wash it every day and it would still look that way. Therefore I decide most days to just let it be and not wash it because lets be honest I do not want to even waste my time. But this was all before dry shampoo saved the day! This stuff can make even my hair look clean haha. You just spray it in and let it sit for a minute and then brush it out and... hello "clean" hair. Just keep your mouth shut because it does not taste good! And the best part is it is just $4 a bottle! I'm obsessed. So all you greasy haired people out there need to go get yourself some dry shampoo!

It is definitely the little things that make all the difference. The littlest things are my favorite.

Oh Baby baby!

I love babies! Let me clarify.. I love other people's babies. The ones I can hand back when they start screaming and pooping and spitting up all over everything. But lately there are a few little babies that have completely stolen my heart. And it all started with this guy...

Levi broke the babyless streak that was our family. We hadn't had a baby in our family since Wilson was born and then this guy came along and changed our world... Wilson who? (just kidding of course) We are just a little obsessed with little Levi. The first time I met him he spit up all over my foot and screamed louder than any baby I have ever heard... and I still loved him. Those funny faces and the mohawk hair just makes him even cuter! Levi is the most photographed baby every. I love getting on Facebook every day and seeing his new pictures and videos. And let's not forget he has taken over the front of my Granny's fridge, It has become a Levi shrine! Goodness I love him and I cannot wait to squeeze those cheeks soon! Levi, I love you. I can't wait to watch you grow up. I can't wait to tell you all about your Mommy and all the fun we had when we were little. You are the most loved baby and I hope you always realize that even though part of your family is far away, we would be there in a flash if you needed us! We love everything about you, thanks for breaking the babyless streak!

Max (around 3 months) and Uncle Anthony 

Max is my little miracle baby. All babies are miracles but Max is a very special exception! The littlest baby I have ever seen. You just couldn't wait to get out of that tummy and meet your Mommy and Daddy. In a way I am speechless about you because you are so very special. I cannot begin to explain what a blessing it is to get to be a part of your life. I plan to spoil you rotten, love you endlessly, and never let you forget how wonderful you are. Uncle Anthony is still getting use to not being the youngest in the family but hearing him talk about you makes my heart so happy. He loves you so much and I promise to teach you how to get him to give you whatever you want ;) You have already grown so much  in just 4 months! I can't wait to be home and get to see you more often! I can't wait to watch you learn all kinds of new things like crawling and walking and talking and saying my name!!! AHH! You are just so precious. Max, you changed your family and we couldn't be happier that you are here!

AND THEN....

Looks like girls to me ;)

TWINS!!!! Oh my goodness that word just makes me so happy! I can't even look at that picture without wanting to jump on my bed and sing Hallelujah! I was surprised when I heard there was one of you and the excitement was put on overload when I found out there were two! We just recently learned that my (aunt) Holly is having twins and I couldn't be happier. I am overwhelmed by the amount of love I already have for these two babies. Let's be honest they are going to be overly spoiled.. With lots of cousins to teach them everything they could ever need to know! I think I might just have to move to DC and help their mommy and daddy take care of them. I am sure my Psych degree will qualify me for that haha. Dear babIES!, you are so little and so loved. Get your rest in there because once you get out you have a lot of people who are going to smother you with love and gifts and kisses! While you are in the process of growing I don't think you should waste your time on those silly boy parts because we need some girls in this family but Dont worry because I will definitely love you either way. And while we are talking... if you could stay in there until I get back from Europe that would also be great for me :) Get ready babies because you are a part of a big, crazy, loving family and we are so ready to add twins to the craziness. I promise you are going to love it! 

So in conclusion, It is probably a good thing I will be employed soon because there are lots of babies to spoil! Hopefully these babies will hold everyone over for a long time because this girl isn't having babies for at least ten years ;) 

Hakuna Matata

Don't ever challenge Monday because it will "bring it on"... It has been a long, interesting day. My meeting went well I guess but I didn't find out what I needed to. All my teachers got together and decided to give me tests next week. I hate when that happens.

In the afternoons I drive three kids home from school. Two of them are my small group leader's kids. I love that family and I will definitely do a longer post on them when there is more time. Let me just say this... I understand why people pay for others to pick up their kids from school or make them ride the bus. Car pool lines are extremely annoying! Also kids talk a lot especially when they first get out of school. I wish there was a word counter for how many things they all say at the same time in their outside voices during the 20 minutes in my car. Oh precious children. And it doesn't help they all have to sit squeezed in the back seat. I remember those days from carpool to Davidson. I have yet to meet a pair of siblings who can sit that close together without arguing about something. Sometimes I sit there and I swear Mac is in the back seat and I am right beside him.
After about two weeks of constant arguments and talking I decided I had to figure out something. Hello Pandora radio! I put it on Disney Movie channel and they have to guess what movie the song is from. They LOVE it. It definitely pleases the 5,7,10, and 22 year old in the car. They get in the car now and immediately ask to play the "Cartoon game". It is so funny to hear them laughing at the songs and trying to mock the character's voices. And I love it too because I love Disney radio! It plays all the good ones from Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, etc... The kids are actually getting pretty good at guessing. Hopefully this game will last...

So even though it is Monday and I have tests to study for and papers to write and a to-do list a mile long, I love having that 45 min in my car every day to let Disney remind me to put my worries aside for a bit and remember to enjoy my day!

 

Weekend Wrap-up!

Things I did this Weekend:

-Cleaned! (closets, kitchen, den, bedroom)... I am extremely messy. My initials spell MES and I fully blame that for my messy ways. I hate cleaning. Lately I have been finding myself actually cleaning a lot and that is probably because I have had a million other things to do. I always find myself in a cleaning mood when I need to do homework. But... it did need to be done and it is making me feel better so I won't complain. 

An example of why I needed to clean!

-Watched a lot of movies... I remember why I love Netflix. Watched some old favorites: Aladdin, Land Before Time, Sweet Home Alabama and I discovered some new to me movies: When Harry met Sally and some Hallmark movie. Let me tell you this girl should not watch love movies when she can't be with her boyfriend. It was an emotional mess full of all the girly meltdowns you can imagine. 

-Cooked some new things! On Friday a friend came over and we made a big pot of gluten-free chili and grilled cheese... It was the perfect stay at home, cold, rainy night! And then on Saturday I tried a new chicken recipe (that I found on the back of the Ranch bottle and tweeked it a bit) and some mashed potatoes. Even though it looks funky (mainly because of my picture taking skills) it was very good and I will Definitely be making it again! 

-Made some cute things... these were another "Morgan puts off her homework project" but I think they turned out very cute! Let me just tell you... craft bloggers are usually liars. I have seen countless blogs describing how easily those cloth flowers can be made. On a difficulty scale I would give it a 6 (10 being the hardest thing I have ever done). For one thing I burned my finger with the glue gun at least 10 times. It also takes a little time to figure out the best way for you to hold it. But once you figure it out and your fingers go numb, you end up with very cute flowers! You can put them on headbands or shirts (with fabric glue),  or just on a canvas like I did... Maybe soon I will know some little girls to make flower headbands for ;) 

all three canvases

a close up of my flower!

The wreath took me about 15 min. I have made them before and they are super easy! A 2.5 on the Morgan Difficulty scale! If you can cut and tie then you can make this too! This is going to be my Spring wreath for my door!

-I went to Church. I always leave Englewood feeling encouraged and excited about what God is doing. It is so crazy because I feel like they always play the songs I need to hear and Bro. Ben always gives the sermon as if he is talking directly to me about an issue I have. So many other people have to feel this same way. We are studying Exodus. This is two weeks in a row Bro Ben has said something about not feeling equipped or good enough to do what you are called to do and not comparing yourself to others saying "but he/she is better than me so I can't do it... Surely God wants them to do it not me". HELLO MORGAN! Both weeks I have written it down. Next week I might get it tattooed on my forehead. Because this is me right now. Applying for jobs is intimidating me to death... getting into a Graduate program, can I do that? Well the truth is if I am doing my best and trusting in Him, God is going to open doors and equip me to do exactly what He wants me to. Why I think I can do it all on my own... I do not know. Why I think worrying is going to make it better... because I am real dumb. I am so full of "I am not good enough"s... I am gonna work on that. Let me just tell you that I am not a preacher and I am sure if Ben read this he would be like Oh my gosh she butchered that sermon haha but you can listen to him @ ebcjackson.org and I promise you will not be wasting your time. 

-Went to Chilis! Callie's boyfriend, Jacob, invited me to go to lunch with them and his dad at Chilis. I had a wonderful time with great conversation plus free lunch. I was living the life! Chilis always makes me think of a certain boy who loves Chilis. I can't wait to go there with him soon. I know we aren't away from each other for that long but it often feels like forever. (5 weeks is pretty long) How army people ever do it... I do not know! I miss the little things like going to Chilis and watching him get upset because the waiter didn't bring his salad out first... or watching him look at the menu even though he always orders the same thing. 2 more weeks until Spring Break and Chilis with my favorite boyfriend. I can't wait for that. 

-And lastly... I put it off long enough and eventually I had to do my homework! Today I have done 3 online quizzes, a rough rough draft for my Experimental paper (this is a huge deal... If I fail it then no graduation), another paper for Social Deviance, and my Counseling questions. It was a lot. And there is always more of course... So now I get to do a few more homework things and watch Desperate Housewives! Again is it Spring Break yet?

All in all it was a GREAT weekend! I am rested and ready and a week ahead of schedule on all my work... hopefully this week will be nice to me. Bring it on Monday! *Also I have a huge meeting tomorrow at 3 over some school things that need to be worked out. Please pray that it will all work out the way it needs to and that no matter what I won't freak out over it! 

Hello Senioritis....

14 days until Spring Break
78 day until Graduation
119 days until I move from Jackson
136 days until I leave for EUROPE!
171 days until I am home for good.
WoW! WhOa! Ahh! YES!! no...
Somedays it seems like it is crawling by and others I feel like the days are minutes. Today it is going by so slow. I would love to be able to be in two places at once. Part of me is dying to be home and part of me is really enjoying these last few months of Jackson. I am going to miss my Jackson friends so much but right now I am longing for Cross Plains. I miss my family. I miss my sweet boyfriend. I miss my church and I miss the people. I miss having meals cooked by someone other than me or Mcdonalds. I even miss our dogs... I dont even like dogs. I want to be able to walk outside barefoot without stepping on glass. I am sick of locking the door. Oh and let me tell you this... I am SO sick of these stupid storms. I know that it really isn't bad here, I actually like a lot of things about it. But It is starting to hit me that I am not going to be home this summer. This will be my first summer where I am really away. I love summer at home. I will miss it. Don't get me wrong I am SO excited about going to Europe, I mean hello Once in a Lifetime Opportunity! The whole staying in Jackson for the month of June thing while my friends move away and I take my last few classes and my family has summer without me... NOOOO!!! Is it possible to dread a whole month? I just have to think of it like this... 119 days. That really isn't that long. I have made it 3 years and 7 months, I can make it 119 days. I am so lucky to have such a great home to miss, an amazing family to go home too, a boyfriend who always greets me with open arms no matter how long I stay away, and a place I love so much. But I am also lucky to be here now... To have the opportunity to learn, to make such wonderful friends, to be constantly encouraged to be a better stronger person and Christian, a roommate who never ceases to make me laugh, an apartment that is a quiet home and that has given me time to learn so much about myself and has taught me to appreciate the noiseyness of a big family, a church that has seriously changed my life, the chance to learn to cook for myself so that someday I can cook for my family, and a city that shows me living close to fast food/Walmart is pretty overrated. I love it here, I love it there... Definitely a blessing and a curse. Life is funny like that.

Raindrops on Roses and Whiskers on Kittens...

I have decided to try to do a favorite things post at least once a week. The reason behind this is because of my Positive Psychology class. The thing I have learned in this class is that I am not very positive haha. Ever since I decided (this morning) to do a favorite things post I have been walking around noticing all the things I love about my life... all my favorite things. Hopefully by doing these posts I will start to notice the wonderful things in my life more than the bad things. And in turn it will make me more thankful for it all.
So here are my favorite things of the week...

#1. Clouds... I love clouds. I never really noticed the clouds and then one day last year I looked up and BOOM I was in love. They are so amazing in a new way every day. I definitely think we take the beauty around us for granted. I could go into this more... really I could go too deep into the subject of clouds but I won't (for now). All I know is the same God who makes those clouds so beautiful created me and that Blows my mind. Andrew one day told me he is scared to ride with me because I spend most of my drive staring at the sky and talking about the clouds haha That really makes me laugh. I love my brother.

#2 My bed in Jackson... I love my bed because it really is the most comfortable bed. I had a great bed in my dorm room (the one that blew away) and I was so worried this one would never compare. It is so soft and warm. I know it sounds silly but being in this bed almost feels like a really warm hug, it feels safe to me. It is my favorite place to go when I have had a long day. I know I seem like a loser right now and I am okay with that. I love sleeping, I love naps, I love curling up in the blankets when I am cold... I love my bed. Hopefully someday my husband will be okay with sleeping in a twin because I don't think I will ever get rid of this bed ;)

#3 Little House on the Prairie... I love it! I know this is weird. In that wagon shaped box is every season or movie or special show of LHOP that has ever been. I can't really decide why I like it so much because I would never survive on the Prairie. It is full of drama but not the same kind of trashy drama on the Jersey Shore or Real Housewives. Life just seems so simple even though they had so much work to do! It is crazy for me to watch and just think about how much life has changed since that time. Sometimes I catch myself thinking why don't they just call his cell phone or turn on the light haha Also I love Ma. You know in the Bible in 1 Peter 3:3-4 it says "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." I never really understood the gentle and quiet spirit part. When I was younger I thought oh God means I should be quiet and timid and weak like a lady... but I don't think that is it. I think of "Ma" as the lady described in this verse even though she is just a character. She is not timid or weak, she stands up for those she loves, she works hard and never complains. And her spirit just seems gentle and quiet to me.. She seems to have a calming affect on all she comes in to contact with... Now that is a lady! I want to be a lady like 1 Peter 3:3-4 describes. I wouldn't mind being more like Ma (minus the field work and even though I have heard I am a Mary).... haha that was a lot but really I love Little House on the Prairie.

So I will probably start just doing one a week since I am overly wordy but for this week there are three and I love them all... maybe next week I will get a life and have cooler favorite things but I kinda like my boring sleepy simple life :) And maybe sooner or later I will even figure out how to use this fancy camera of mine.

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

I Love Dr. Seuss! His stories are just so creative but so applicable to life. We all know I cry more than any normal person probably should but I was reading "Oh the Places You'll Go" last night and I was crying like a baby haha it is just so sweet!!!
I have not had a good day today... I am not even going in to that but it just hasn't been great. So of course I came home and just needed to do something crafty to get my mind off of things. My new obsession is with pancakes! I know this might not sound crafty, but trust me it is! And crafts+cooking= a good time in my book. My obsession stems from jimspancakes.com I first saw him on Rachael Ray one morning and I was amazed! So I have been practicing in hopes to someday be half as good as him! This is only my second try but I think they are pretty good... I haven't tried coloring the batter yet (he uses natural coloring with like fruit and weird things)  but I am sure someday I will try to figure that out too!  This pancake hobby might make me fat, I can't wait to have someone to share them with!

(Thing 1, The Cat's hat, and "green" eggs and ham)

I think the eggs would have been really cute if I could have made them green and Thing needs some blueberry eyes! I am proud of my little homemade (Granny's recipe) creative pancakes. Nothing better than a cute pancake and some Little House on the Prairie to make a bad day look better. 

Some of my Favorites....

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go..."
— Dr. Seuss (Oh, the Places You'll Go!)

"Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple."
— Dr. Seuss

"A person's a person, no matter how small."
— Dr. Seuss (Horton Hears a Who!)

*This one always reminds me of Max! He gave this a whole new meaning. 

"I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!"
— Dr. Seuss