Family Visits.

Since today is Memorial Day and I was off work and the boys were out of school (just for the day. they still have another week-ish of school), my family decided to come visit me for yesterday and today! I was really excited to be able to see them, and so happy that it all worked out.

First we went on a mini tour of Roswell (or what I know of the city). I showed my family the outside of my church and the parking lots. Then, we went over to Canton Street and I showed them all the cute shops and restaurants. We decided that we weren't really hungry yet, so we drove over to Alpharetta and found out hotel. Then, we were hungry, so we went to a brick oven and tapas place. They had really yummy pizza. Then, we went back to the hotel and this guy was excited that he got to do some swimming.

This morning, we got up and took a little adventure to Downtown Atlanta and went to IKEA. Because really, who doesn't like Sweedish furniture?

All that window shopping kind of tired us out. 

But, I did find my wedding china. Except it's Melamine, not china. And I'm not getting married any time soon. So, probably not gonna happen. 

After shopping at IKEA, we went to lunch at Moe's (my favorite!) and did some shopping at Atlantic Station. I got a cute pink shirt from H&M and some shoes for $10. I love good deals. Then, we went to spend some family time at another one of my favorite places- the home of the Christian chicken, Chickfila. 

Overall, it was a nice day together. A little busy at some points with all the rush-rush to go everywhere, but it wasn't too bad. I think next time we might just spend the day relaxing at the pool. :)
I was a little sad to see them go (because I really miss them sometimes), but I know that it's just temporary and I'll see them again soon. Plus, there's this really neat invention called a telephone, so I can call them whenever I want. It's so cool.

I think this week it going to be busier than last week (getting ready for the summer) and I'm having dinner with several families from church! It's great to finally be getting to know people (and remembering their names!) and it's starting to feel like home (for the summer at least). A little quieter, not as many late WalMart runs looking for swamp people, but it's "new" and I think that "new" can be just at good and exciting if you put it in perspective.

Oh- and since I forget this all the time- most of these pictures were taken by my Mommy on her nifty little iPod touch and edited on Instagram. Because it's like the coolest app ever. Yeah.

Dayspring Review

I guess it was over a month ago that I signed up to do a Dayspring Inspired Deals review. The week before Mother's Day, I received my great big brown box in the mail. It was so exciting! I've been so bad about forgetting to blog about this with all the busyness of the last few weeks,so here we go!

I knew that there was going to be a little teacup in the box that I wanted to give to my mom for Mother's Day. But I was so excited that I had to open the box, spoil the surprise, and show my Mommy her teacup. She loved it.



Then, there was this bag. I knew that it would be just perfect for carrying things to church in the summer (while still being super cute!). I've discovered that while I can fit what I need in their, it gets a little heavy for everyday use (with my laptop, Bible, lunch, books, etc). So, I'll probably just use it for Sundays! Right now, its being used to keep my towels in, and I think it would make a great pool bag! The pattern on the outside is so cute and it says "I will bless the Lord" which is something I need to remember all the time. The inside is has a yellow gingham print and pockets and it closes with a magnetic closure.



Right now, you can head over Here and get you a teacup and tote for yourself! It's on sale, and I think its totally worth it.

Disclosure: I was provided the items for review by Dayspring for free, but all opinions on products are my own and I was not required to post a positive review. I don't have any affiliate links in this post, I just like this product so much that I want to share it with you!

Faithful God

This week has been hard. I know it sounds kind of cliche, but I think the devil is out to get me because he knows the great things that are going to happen in Roswell if I stick around. So, obviously, he's trying to make my life as difficult as possible. I've been fighting discouragement this week. Things haven't worked out exactly as I imagined. I'm not feeling the greatest.I've questioned my call to ministry.

Oh- and a super ginormous Georgia spider found its way into my car the other day (my steering wheel to be precise) and about caused me to loose my marbles. The thing was huge, black, and orange. And it flew (how is that even possible?) And it on my steering wheel. You know that scene in Tangled where Rapunzel puts Flynn in the closet and is all "there's a person in my closet". Yeah, well in the moment all I could think (as I was driving down the highway mind you) was "there's a spider on my steering wheel" and how I really wished a had a frying pan to whack it with. Yes, I know it sounds crazy, but I'm convinced that Satan put that spider there to freak me out. I mean, seriously. Spiders grow bigger in Georgia.

But, I've discovered this past week that God is faithful and keeps his promises. Even in the midst of all of this discouragement, I've had so many rays of light. I've received emails, tweets, texts, and phone calls from so many people. Even though my "biggest issue" seemed so big- too big to handle- God still provided. I'm in a much better place this Saturday morning. I've moved to a different home that is closer to the church with a family with two girls from the youth group. I've only been here since Friday night, but it's starting to feel a little more like home. I have a plan for the summer, and I can see a little further into the future of how things could play out. Last week, I could only see to the weekend. I couldn't see past Memorial Day, because I honestly didn't think I could make it past then. Now I'm looking forward to seeing my family tomorrow, but I'm okay with saying goodbye and embracing the adventures that the upcoming week holds.

I guess I'd sum it all up by repeating what I said earlier. God is faithful. He WILL provide for our needs (not all of our wants, but our needs). All we have to do is ask. :)

What I Wore Wednesday

Since we haven't done this in awhile and I have a big girl job where I have motivation to dress cute again, I thought I'd share What I Wore Wednesday. Because it's all fun and all. :)

I have figured out that I need to work on how I hold my hands. They look all funny and contorted. But, whatever. I wore my navy Keds with this outfit, but you can't see them because I didn't have any shoes on for these pictures (my shoes were in my car!). But yeah, super cute. I also have a handy dandy name badge that makes me feel all official, but I wasn't wearing it in these pictures because I had forgotten it existed. I think I finally remembered put it on around 4. In the afternoon. Oopsey.

I also took pictures Sunday Morning. I figured it was a momentous occasion and all- first Sunday at the new big girl job! (Don't worry, I put a cardigan over my dress to make it work-appropriate. Haha!)

I just feel like these last few days have been dragging by. Some of the kids still aren't out of school, and our "official official" programming doesn't start until June. I'm seriously ready to get out there. I've been sitting in my cubical for the last three days writing curriculum and planning games and events and stuff. While it's fun to plan this kind of things and I LOVE writing curriculum, I also really enjoy the relational side of ministry. I mean, it normally means bonding with girls over fun things like fro-yo, cupcakes, and shopping! I mean, I met some of the amazing middle school girls that I'm going to be working with tonight. I think it's going to be a fun summer. The relational side of things just seems more exciting than staring at a computer screen all day. But, I know that getting everything ready BEFORE all the busyness hits is the way to do things. I've got three talks to plan for this summer, so I need to start working on those!

Friday is my first day off, so I'm planning on doing some exploring. I might hit up Starbucks (and maybe a cupcake shop!) and do a little driving to figure out where things are. I've also discovered that my middle school girls are all about some Hunger Games, so I think I'm going to have to give in and read them. I mean, I need to be culturally relevant, right? Saturday, I'm planning on relaxing (and catching up on my TV shows) and on Sunday I've got this little thing called "church" that I have to do. Then, my wonderful mommy and daddy and brothers are coming to visit me for Memorial Day. I know it's been less than a week (as of today), but I really really miss them. Even the annoying things that they do. It's just been one of those weeks and I need my family. Luckily, I'm not too far from home, but this definitely won't be an every weekend thing, so I'm savoring the time I have with them. Hopefully when things get started with the kids and we start doing things I'll get a little less homesick. Busyness distracts me, and that's what I really need. Woohoo! One more day and my first work week will be OVER! :)

Fighting Discouragement

I'm going to be perfectly honest here and tell you that I've been struggling with discouragement the last few days. While I'm so excited to be in Roswell for the summer, it is kind of scary being in a brand new place! I don't really know anyone here and I don't know where everything is. Last night was really rough. I sat in my room and unpacked and cried a little. I sat in the shower and cried some more. I called my Daddy and asked him what I was doing. I was so confused and conflicted. I knew that God had made this internship available. I remembered how everything was perfectly and divinely inspired- in such a way that I could not deny God's role in all of this. But, yet, I still felt discontent. I still felt sad and missed my family. I felt lonely. So, I did what is best in times like that. I opened my Bible.

I'm currently reading through the book of Joshua. It's one of my favorite books (and not just because the whole Josh and the Big Wall thing). I love how it displays God' unending faithfulness. I love how even when the people doubt, he is a God that is willing to give second chances. I love how God is a faithful God that stays true to his promises. While these two themes are also illustrated in my other two favorite books- Ruth and Esther- Joshua has a special place in my heart (even with all the violence and gory stuff). Theres just something different about the way Joshua talks about God showing his faithfulness- and that difference is what I've needed to read this weekend.

The Lord Keeps His Promises
So the Lord gave to Israel all the Land he had sworn to give to their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. And the Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had solemnly promised their ancestors. None of their enemies could stand against them, for the Lord helped them conquer all enemies. Not a single one of all of the good promises the Lord had given to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled; everything he had spoken came true. -Joshua 21: 43-45

Prayer is a powerful thing.
On the day the Lord gave the Israelites victory over the Amorites, Joshua prayed to the Lord in front of all the people of Israel. He said, "Let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Aijalon." So, the sun stood still and the moon stayed in place until the nation of Israel had defeated its enemies. Is this even not recorded in the Book of Jashar? The sun stayed in the middle of the sky and it did not set as on a normal day. There has never been a day like this one before or since, when the Lord answered such a prayer. Surely the Lord fought for Israel that day! -Joshua 10: 12-14

Sarah Young writes on this beautifully in Jesus Calling when she writes (as from the voice of God),

I want you to know how safe and secure you are in My Presence. That is a fact, totally independent of your feelings...You are never separated from Me, though you must see Me through the eyes of faith. I will walk with you till the end of time, and onward into eternity.
Although My Presence is a guaranteed promise, that does not necessarily change your feelings. When you forget I am with you, you may experience loneliness or fear. It is through awareness of My Presence that Peace displaces negative feelings.

That was what I had been needing to hear. Through the stories of Joshua and the reminders from God, I got through the night. I found a calming peace that reassured me that it was all going to work out and be okay. Yes, there may be times of challenge. There may be times of fear or loneliness. But, even then, God is near and he is with me.

This morning, I had my first day at the church I will be working at this summer. I got the opportunity to meet those staff members, parents, volunteers, and students. I'm excited about what God is going to do this summer. I'm excited to see him transform these students lives and radically change this ministry so that it can become even better. Even though this Presbyterian style of worship is a little different for this Methodist girl, I'm slowly learning the words. I'm learning the liturgy (and there is something powerful in this tradition). I'm learning the page numbers for the songs in the hymnal (and the places where words are slightly changed). I have a good feeling about this summer. I really, really do!

Before I end this, I want to share two specific ways that you can pray for me specifically right now, this week.
1. Pray for me to get comfortable in my new surroundings. It's so strange to be this far from my family. I miss them. Pray for me now to get homesick. In addition, I'm still not super comfortable driving around town (I only know a few roads), so pray that I don't get lost (and that if/when I do, I can remain calm and find my way again).
2. Pray for my ministry. Pray that I can break down the walls that hold me back so that I can have a transparent relationship with these girls. Pray that I can find the line of "how much is too much" when it comes to sharing. Pray that I can become more comfortable around the other youth staff so that we can better serve together.

Memories

I found my old diary today. As in my old diary from elementary school. It's pretty funny the kinds of things I wrote in this little book.



Like this one.


The formula for a perfect Christmas tree.


This ones my favorite. A pail over his head?


Even though I was only 11. I knew September 11th would be a day to remember.


Oh memories.
Have you ever looked back into an old diary or journal and laughed about the things you wrote?

Super Simple Camera Strap Tutorial

I've been drooling over camera straps this week (probably due to the fact that I just found my SD card for my camera that's been missing, so I'm all gaga over my camera once again). I've been meaning to make one (I mean, they look so easy) for awhile now, so the other night I finally buckled down and made one. It was ridiculously easy. I mean, it's a tube. You can add ruffles, flowers, a monogram or whatever you want to the strap, but I went ahead and made a super simple one. I didn't follow any one tutorial (I just looked at pictures on Pinterest for ideas before I decided to go the easy route). I'm going to go out a limb and say that you could make this as one of your first projects you sew (or even if you don't sew that much or well). It's THAT easy. I'm going to walk you through the process and show you just how easy this project can be.

1. Find your fabric. Personally, I like fabric that is bright and colorful. It just makes me happy. My mom on the other hand (she's who I'm making this one for) likes colors that are a little more toned down, like blues, blacks, and browns. So, I picked this fabric for her.

Since the strap is kind of narrow, I would stay with fabrics that have smaller patterns (unless it's one that it's okay to just see past of the pattern). For example, this flowery fabric looks okay even when you can just see part of it. This cupcake one, not so much.

2. Cut your fabric. I recommend getting your camera strap and measuring it to see how long and wide you want to cut your fabric. I always cut mine a little bigger than I think I'm going to need it. You will want to add an inch or two to your length and about an inch to the width to account for the hems and seams.

3. Okay, so now we're going to start the "real" sewing business Hold on to your hats girls! First, we are going to hem the ends of our fabric. This is so that they don't fray and have threads everywhere. If  you're like me (and you're lazy), hemming can be one of the most boring (but necessary) parts of just about every sewing project. But, it's one of those things that we just have to do. Lucky for us, for this project, we just have to hem the short ends! First, you need to fold down your ends about 1/4 of an inch.

Then, you are going to fold it down 1/4 of an inch again. Pin your fabric so it doesn't slip, then sew a straight line. There you go! You just made a hem! (Make sure you take the pins out once you put the presser foot down and before you start sewing. Sewing over pins can break your needle- or the pins- and send sharp metal into your eyeball and blind you. Or something like that).

4. Now we are going to sew this fabric into a tube. First, you need to fold your fabric "hotdog style" (that's what we called it in elementary school anyways!). Make sure that you have the right sides of your fabric facing each other. It should look like this (skinnier than before).

Then, you need to pin your fabric so that it doesn't move around.Make sure that both sides are even (or close) so that you don't accidentally miss part of your fabric. If you do that, you'll have a hole in the side of your tube and you'll have to sew this over again.

Now, you are going to sew in a straight line down your fabric. I like to sew about 1/4 of an inch away from the side of my fabric. Some people sew farther over. This is why we added the inch to the width of our fabric earlier. Whatever you do, don't sew too far away. Make sure that the distance between the fold and the line you sew is at least as big as your camera strap. Otherwise, it won't fit.

5. Okay, we are almost done (and we ARE done with the sewing part of this tutorial!). Now, you are going to take your fabric and turn it inside out (well, actually you're turning it right side out. But, you get the idea). Just start squishing the fabric through the hole. If your strap is super skinny, you might want a chopstick to help you push it through.

6. Yay! You now have a new camera strap cover! All you need to do now is unattach one side of your original camera strap (like the one from Nikon or Cannon that is attached to your camera that goes around your neck). This can be tricky to figure out, but make sure you pay attention to how you did it so that you can get it back on! Slide the cover on (you may need to squish the end parts in a little if your strap is tight and your ends are wide), then reattach your strap to your camera. Voila! You just made a Super Simple Camera Strap Cover. Pat yourself on the back and go take lots and lots of pictures with your new, cute strap!

Hey Batter

Hey Batter Batter

Hey Batter Batter

Hey Batter Batter...SWING!

One week!

It's funny. I thought that I would be so nervous about going to Georgia this summer. I guess in some ways I compared it to Chicago- which sounds kind of crazy. The two are almost nothing alike. I'm going to be away from my family, but I'll still be able to call them and they can visit me and all. I'm not trapped or anything. While I haven't "met" anyone from Roswell yet, I've talked on the phone and emailed with them. I have a friend that lives in the area (hi Alyce!) that I can call if I need something. From what I can tell via email, I'm going to be living with an amazing couple this summer. And to top it all off, there are tons of cupcake shops in the area. I've always wanted to experience the "big city" and I have a feeling that this will be a great summer. Will it be different? Sure! I won't be working with the same kids I always have. I'll have to learn how to drive in real traffic (if you know me, you'll know this will be the hardest adjustment). But, this is real life. I'm growing up. Since I want to work in the ministry, it is natural that I will probably have to leave my home church to find a job. I may end up having to move "away". But, I can trust that because I'm following God's direction for my life, he WILL take care of things.

I mean, this internship was definitely a God thing. In a time of economic uncertainty, finding a summer job (that pays real money) is a blessing. Churches are having to cut costs, and some aren't hiring interns anymore. But, on a whim, I posted my resume on a youth ministries site. I heard from a few youth pastors, but they were all far away. Like Texas far away. Would they be fun? Yes. But, not ideal. A few days later, I get an email from a Middle School director in Georgia. They were looking for a Middle School girls intern for the summer. Right outside of Atlanta (one of my favorite cities). And, to top it all off, we had the whole six degrees of separation thing going on in an almost creepy, but perfect kind of way. I interviewed and a few days later got a job offer. The way things came together showed just how much God had a role to play in it.

Granted, I'm not there yet, and I am certain that this summer won't be perfect. At some point in time, I will question why I'm there and get frustrated. Something won't be perfect. Some event won't go right. Those kinds of things always happen. But, I'm hoping that I can remain calm and be patient. I'm going to be stretched this summer. I mean, there's a tubing trip. I can't swim. This could get interesting. But, in the middle of it all, I've got to remember that God has a plan. A plan more perfect than I could imagine, and he's going to work it all out. I mean, a year ago, I never thought I would go into youth ministry. Middle schoolers scared me. High schoolers really scared me. I didn't know if I'd be able to relate. But, I had the best time last summer getting to build relationships with my girls. And now? It might be a future career path. Now, I'm spending the summer in a different city with different girls building different relationships with them. I'm sure there will be all kinds of fun adventures (such as me getting lost in metro Atlanta). I'm just so excited that a week from now, I will be THERE. One week. I better get started packing (and cleaning my room since I told Mom I'd do that too)!

It seems like forever since I've updated. I'm getting busier by the minute it feels like. I leave for Georgia for the summer in ONE WEEK. I've started getting details about the summer (like who my family is!) and I'm really excited! I've always wanted to experience the big city, and this is my chance, since I'm going to be right outside of Atlanta. I'm excited about getting to meet my girls for this summer. Last summer was so fun, so I know this one (while it will be kind of different) will be great, too. Yay!
Part of the reason why I've been busy is that Daddy and I took a short trip to Texas to check on my grandparents. We had some great adventures. Like, we made it to Texas around 10 at night and stopped at rest area. Do you know how creepy rest areas are at night? There were also some creepy "baby monster" dogs in the parking lot. They were scary looking. Then, we stopped for the night on the other side of Houston. At a somewhat sketchy hotel (because we thought it was the best at the exit). Come to find out, there was a Holiday Inn Express across the street behind some trees. In addition, there was a train that came by every hour and blew its whistle/horn thing. Not cool. But, we survived and finished the drive to San Antonio the next day.


On the way home, we had even more adventures. Such as getting stuck in traffic for a bazillion hours. I'm convinced that Louisiana hates me. We were fine until we got to Louisiana. Then we got to Kinder, which wasn't very kind to us. Apparently there was a benzine spill on the interstate, so they were rerouting traffic onto back roads. Which is cool and all, but it backs up a bit when you are condensing 3 lanes into 1. And when you're in Cajun country. And when you really have to go potty, but you've been sitting in the same spot on the interstate for an hour and a half. And when you really want to get home. So we finally got out of that mess, but then we hit a few more spots of traffic (oh, Baton Rouge). I was sick and tired of being in the car. 15 hours is a long time! So, I went to sleep when we hit Mississippi and slept until we got to Montgomery. Home sweet home and that was my trip.

500

This post marks my 500th post since I began this little blog.
That's just so exciting! It's so neat to look back and see how things have changed since the beginnings of this blog.

My first blog post was on March 16, 2009. Technically I blogged before that, but it was on a different blog. So, yeah. I thought that it might be neat to go back to my first post on Not Your Everyday Cinderella and see how things have changed since that day. It was called "25 Random Facts about Me". Notes and things that have changed are in italics.

*****

1. I'm working on becoming a social work major at Auburn, but its a fairly complicated process. I will be very glad next Spring when I don't have to explain how "officially" I'm a polysci major, but "technically" I'm a social work major.

So, I'm not at Auburn anymore. And I'm not a Social Work major OR a polysci major. Funny how things work out!

2. I'm beginning to realize that my views on social welfare are VERY different than those of the College of Liberal Arts. Maybe because I'm not very liberal. Imagine that.

I'm still pretty conservative and have issues with my liberal professors. Whatever.

3. I like dancing to old school 90s music, even though I didn't listen to much of it in the 90s. :)

I don't listen to my 90s music much anymore- probably because I'm not in Auburn anymore. I'm more of a fan of my Passion, Jesus Culture, Kari Jobe, etc.

4. Apparently, I'm a very girly-girl. The whole pink with sparkles, disney princess, ohmygosh Hannah Montanna girly-girl kind.
This one hasn't changed one bit. Aside from the fact that I'm not a huge HM fan anymore.

5. Apples to Apples is the best board game ever. I own the Bible Edition. Yes, they make a Bible Edition.

Okay, I HATE Apples to Apples now. Burnt out on in and it's possibly the most boring game I've played.

6. I HATE World History with a PASSION!!!! It possibly the worst class I have EVER taken, and if I don't get into grad school, you will know why.

Still stands. Only 2 "C"s in my college career.

7. My favorite number is the number 7.

Yep. Has been and forever will be. :)
8. I love scrapbooking with my mom.

:)
9. I do feel like a failure at times though because I have taken a lot less pictures since I've come off to college and normally I just "steal" them from other people's facebooks.

I take even LESS pictures now I think. And since I'm not real great with the FB thing, I have even less pictures.

10. I'm an Auburn fan.

War Eagle.

11. My favorite color is pink with sparkles. No, you cannot forget the sparkles.

I'm still a princess. :)

12. One of the highlights of my week is lunch with my mom at Panera every Thursday. :)

This ended when I stopped going to AU, but it's still one of my favorite things to do. I love going to lunch with my Mommy, but we normally go to Subway because it's closer.

13. I miss my family quite freqently. I think I'm the only one in the dorm that thinks its too quiet b/c I'm used to hearing a 7 and 11 year old brothers run around screaming.
Well, the boys are 10 and 14 now, so they are a bit older. But, I still think dorm life is pretty quiet considered to my house.

14. I love Jon and Kate Plus 8. :)
I have their old seasons on DVD and still watch them. Whatever. I love a good trainwreck.

15. I like making cupcakes...well, watching Ivy make them putting sprinkles on them. And then eating them.

I'm a cupcake maker now (and not just an eater)!

16. I'm secretly addicted to watching reruns of my favorite tv shows online. Shh...don't tell.

Yes. :)

17. My favorite letter is Z. As in Zebra. And as in Zizzerzazzerzus. Ask Dr. Seuss if you dont belive me.

Yay for Z! :)

18. I'm addicted to facebook and checking my email. Eek.

Not so much on FB anymore. 

19. My favorite disney princesses are Cinderella and Belle. I do NOT like Jasmine for some reason. And Pocohontas is NOT a disney princess in my eyes. Just saying. And its not because I wish I was as tan as them.

Still the same.

20. One of my new year's resolutions is to read my bible more and I'm working on it. :)

I'm always working on this one, but I'm getting better!

21. Bees have a natural attraction to me. Their was a massive hive thingy outside my room at home, and then I have a yellow jacket nest outside my dorm room window. And to make it better, I have a fear of bees.
The hive is gone, but the fear and attraction is still here.

22. I dont like the rain either. Or rather, teh lightning and thunder that comes with it.

But, I like rainboots! :)

23. I swear I am ADD sometimes.

Paying attention can get hard sometimes.

24. I hate dirty bathrooms.

YES!!! This drives me crazy living with 2 little boys!!!

25. Teddy grahams are amazing. Especially with frosting. I know, so nutritional. :)

Teddy grahams are my favorite food group. :)

*****

So. 500 down. I wonder what adventures the next 500 will bring!! :)