Check It!!

I will meet these children in a matter of HOURS. :]

So, 60+ days, 5 shots, a WHOLE LOT of sponsor letters, some new clothes, lots of prayers, lots of growing, and 3 days of shopping later.... AFRICA IS HERE. Well, not technically,but I leave in 15 hours. 15 HOURS! Praise the Lord!

And of course, everyone of my posts has to have a pointless rambling part. So here goes:

1) The new Tenth Avenue North CD will absolutely blow your socks off. I've been a fan since 8th grade, but this CD is SPECTACULAR. (Is that spelled right?) You WILL love it. And if you don't... well, your loss.

2.) The new Hillsong CD is also SPECTACULAR. It makes me want to dance around. All their stuff makes me want to dance around. But this CD is even more so. :]

3.) I am SO PROUD of Neens. Girls State has stolen her away, but she is absolutely flourishing. I adore that girl. And I will miss her so while I'm gone. (I know she will read this at some point. Probably on Saturday afternoon. I know that she is itching to blog after being gone all week.) I also think it's quite cute/funny/amazing how she wrote us letters. Us = Africa team. She put mine in 3 envelopes and apparently like a whole role of tape. Because we aren't supposed to open them until we actually GET to Africa. She knows me well. :]

4.) Michael Buble is my future husband, I don't care what anyone says. Well, that last part sounded really mean. But I've offically decided that I'm going to marry him. And he can sing to me at all hours of the day. [Nina is scoffing at this, by the way. She's probably thinking some sassbucket remark...]

5.) Stuff Christians Like (new link on right side of page) is HEE-LARIOUS. I was up at obscene hours of the morning last night reading it. My brother thought I was going crazy. But it's hysterical. Jon Acuff is the type of guy that I would want as a best friend.

See you on the other side of the pond. :]

ramblings. (i tend to have many...)

Today is Memorial Day. The family and I went to beautiful Coffee county. We ventured to some state park. It was an experience, let me tell you.

5 days! It's soooo odd to say that. It still feels like I'm dreaming the whole trip up. Like a bunch of teenagers are sitting around going, "Wow, how fun would it be to go to AFRICA this summer?" But it's real. Hooray! It seems like just yesterday that I was saying "Africa is 60 days away!!" And to think it's 5 DAYS AWAY. Wow. That's.....(I'm counting on my fingers...) 120 hours. WOW. Less than that now. More like, 96. Holy guacamole.

Ramblings:

- I love practical jokes. I'm currently in a Practical Joke War with a friend. I stuffed his car with blown up balloons this morning. I got home from "Beautiful Coffee County" and the balloons were stuffed under my car. I then strung the balloons together, hoping to string them through his front-yard shrubbery. Nope. I T.P.ed his room with another friend. :]
-I frequently pretend like I'm on American Idol and sing my heart out in the car. I'm not a shower singer. I prefer the car. Yes, I'm the one that's at the red light next to you dancing and singing, not caring that she looks like an idiot.
-I love when the Man Clan gets together. The Man Clan is a group of about 5 junior (now SENIOR!) guys that get together for hangout time. They frequently sleep over at one of their houses and make lip syncing videos to Paramore songs. Hysterical. But these boys make my world go round.
- Chick flicks are fun.
- The season finale of Grey's Anatomy that just aired last Thursday was THE BEST EPISODE EVER. Especially for hopeless romantics like myself. :]

hello sweet summer.

hello summer and all it brings:
-SWEET TEA. and lots of it. :]
-watermelon.
-strawberries.
-BBQs.
-the BEACH.
-the pool.
-the sun.
-my moon roof.
-warm nights.
-beautiful sunsets
-kono bonding time. :]
-seashells
-PAINTING DAYS.
-youth camp
-kids camp
-----AFRICA!!!!--------

So I survived! I survived my first year of AP classes, and a killer band season [insert band geek jokes here...], and Junior year altogether. It was not easy, let me tell you. God is still in the business of miracles, I got out of 11th grade in one piece! Now I can call what I have "Senioritis."

AFRICA IS IN 8 DAYS. As each day grows closer, I grow more and more excited. Which I didn't think was possible, because I was pretty stoked about a month ago. Emily and I are teaching on God Loving All People. We are very excited- think "Red, and yellow, black and white... They are precious in His sight." Totally both of our hearts!
Now, I'm not going to lie. This is my first trip out of the country. I do love flying, but it makes me nervous. The whole "let's go up in the air in a metal BIRD. THAT'S HEAVIER THAN AIR" thing does not fly too well with me. (No pun intended.) But my Daddy is bigger than anything. So there will be alot of praying going on. Here in TN, and up in the air somewhere over that big ocean.

AFRICA PRAYER REQUESTS:
1. Travel mercies- both in the trip over to Malawi and travel in and around the village.
2. Safety on site- building+teenagers (espeically klutzy ones like me...) could be dangerous.
3. PATIENCE. - 28ish hours of plane rides, and 2 weeks in close quarters with different personalities... yes. Patience would be good.
4. Open eyes, and and open heart- this trip is going to be SO out of my comfort zone. I know the Lord likes to work in me when I'm uncomfortable. Pray that my eyes will be opened to what He has in store. (This goes for the rest of the team having open eyes too!!)
5. Love- I will be the first to sign up for Grumpy Sleep Deprived Citizens Annoymous. Yet another possible foothold for the Devil and buttons to be pressed. Please pray for our team, and that our love for each other is EVIDENT. We are known by the love we have for each other.
6. Awareness- So I'm from little ole' Tennessee, and I've never stepped foot outside the good ole' US of A. I'm not fully prepared to be hit with the different smells, tastes, sights, and sounds of other cultures. Please pray that I (and the team!) will be aware of how we dress/interact/portray ourselves. [And yes, I am fully aware that I said 'ole' twice in one sentence. Yikes.]

So that is kinda a hefty list. But it's what's on my heart. Expect about 8 more "____ DAYS LEFT! AHHH!" posts. :]

Ps--- Pray for Katie W. and Brittney H., they are leaving tomorrow morning for the Ukraine! How exciting!

heart meanderings.

I am a senior in a day and a half. Praise the Lord. But also guide me, Lord. Big decisions on the horizon!

I just watched a clip of the documentary Jesus Camp. It absolutely broke my heart. One little girl on it was talking about "godless churches" and "God not wanting to come to those who are quiet." So many emotions were going through my head.

Heather told us about the video of the softball player being carried around the bases. It's worth checking out. Here's the synopsis: Sarah T. hit her first home run of her softball career (she was a college ball player) and was running around the bases. In hre excitement, she realized that she forgot to actually touch first. She ran back, and tore a ligament in her knee. She collapsed, crawled to first, tagged it, but could not move on. The umps and coaches declared that if her teammates touched her, Sarah would be ruled out. If a pinch runner was put in, the homer would have been counted as a single. So two girls from the OPPOSITE team stepped forward and asked if they could carry her around the bases. They carried Sarah around the bases, to complete her home run. The opposing team wound up losing the game, and their spot in the playoffs. I watched the video and cried. It's so amazing.

AFRICA IS IN 12 DAYS. 12. 12. I can't sit still. God is SO good!!

franklin in the spring.

Prom 2008- On the steps of Belle Meade Plantation

These are a few of my favorite things:

1) Franklin in the spring. And fall. And right before Christmas at night. Pretty much year round. But today, I went to the Mercantile for the first time. It was delicious. I will frequent there often. After lunch, we walked to Pinkerton, but got sidetracked at Landmark Booksellers. (FYI: Landmark Booksellers is this super cool bookstore with new books. And books from like, the dark ages.) I picked up a copy of The Wizard of Oz Babies (I think...) today that was originally copyrighted in 1899. It was insane. Kory found a book that he had been looking for that was around the same age. I ventured upstairs, found the art section, complete with a Billie Holliday CD, and an overstuffed leather chair. I was in heaven.

2) John Mayer. He has an incredible voice, and is easy on the eyes to top it off. His new single "Say" is worth checking out.

3) NO MORE AP US HISTORY! I took the test today, and survived. Praise the Lord!

4) Cheap dresses and sandals. Went mall hopping today too. Boys are fun to shop with. I found a 20 dollar dress and 7 dollar sandals. Wooo Hoo. New outfit!

Africa: 22 DAYS. Only 22!!