So far, so interesting.

This week has been interesting.  I feel kind of apathetic about nearly everything lately.
I was planning on going to UCO this weekend to enroll, but due to some errors from a school I took concurrent classes in in HS, my application process is pushed back about 3 weeks.  Needless to say, I was not a happy camper when I found that out.
The thought of me enrolling early just got rid of that much stress.  Since that's not happening this weekend, it's still weighing down on me.  Very heavily.

But, you know, God knows what I need.  He knew I needed a little break.
And that came in 3 ways today.

1) During WOW at lunch today, we had a secret service agent come to speak the message.  He was a really interesting guy--was a member of the bodyguard group for Presidents Clinton and Bush Jr. and now he works on campus here.  He was up close and person with the OKC bombings and of 9/11.  He told us his testimony, which was exactly what I needed to hear...it's awesome how God does things like that.  He talked about how on his exterior, he was tough and composed and strong, but on his insides, he was scared and anxious and confused.  He know that he needed God.  And he said God is the King of peace--that He's always there, even in our midst of confusion and desperation and anxiety.  I think this semester has been the hardest here yet.  Not only because of classes and lots of homework and studying all that with transferring and finding where to live and what job to have, but it's also the most difficult because my three best friends from school aren't here to keep me company.  I feel alone a lot, which I've actually adapted to pretty well, I think.  But it's still hard.  I keep to myself a lot.  And sometimes I don't, but mostly, I am by myself.  But I think it's helped me to grow, as well.

2) My mom called me and told me that she had spoken to a bunch of her friends in Edmond and talked real estate, rental houses, finances, etc etc etc with them.  It's good to know that my mom wants to help me out. I am fortunate for my parents to be extremely, extremely giving.  They know I need them, even if I want to be independent.  I will always accept their help, if I'm definitely gonna need it.  And come this fall, I'll need it.

3) Madison, one of the girls I'm rooming with this coming year is taking summer school in Weatherford, which postpones our original plan to move into OKC in June.  And even though that changes the plan, it also adds more flexibility, more time spent at home, and less money spent.  So, that's a blessing.

Yesterday, Jack's Mannequin came to TU for a free show for students.  It was neat.  I wasn't really too into it, but I'm really glad I went, because it reminded me about how much I've changed and have grown since the last time I saw them live, which was 2 years ago.
It also made me really really really reeeeeaaalllyy thankful for my boyfriend, Ethan, to whom I never give enough credit.  I am SO happy I met him and that he's in my life.


In other news, I really think I have developed, or whatever you do, some sort of adult-onset asthma.  It runs in my family, and overnight this past weekend it seemed like, I have been having some breathing difficulties.  It's mainly not being able to fill my lungs up all the way when I inhale.  I'm going to get it checked out.

I think for the month of March, I've blogged like 10 times.  Not impressive.
But I have been either ridiculously lazy or insanely busy.
Where's the happy medium?  I hope it's not this lame apathy.

I'm really ready for the summer.
It's nearly here.

I cannot wait.
I haven't been keeping up with the 365's.
(I'm so not good with this...what happens with I have children?)

I owe you all 7, I think.
Bluhhh.

Anyways,
I'm off to skype with my lovely boy and then hit the hay.

Good evening.

This weekend has consisted of:
watching Harry Potter,
Hulu,
Matilda,
and being on the internet, rotting my brian cells away.
Also, not bathing, not feeling too hot, and a little bit of throwing up.
Sorry...too much information. :(

But, it's felt really great to not do anything.

Thankful Thursday

My posts can be dull...especially since I generally only post once a day and they vary between my 365 catching up and my posts about catching up in my life.

Well, ya know, I'm a girl who appreciates life and variety!

So, beginning now, I'll do this thing called "Thankful Thursday."
I'll conjure up a list of things I'm thankful for.
I want to always use some scripture or an inspiring quote.

Along with Thankful Thursdays, I think I'll start doing Fancy Fridays, which will be things I love, or as the Brits would say, things I "fancy."

And probably some more things to make this blog "more hip" as you young'ns say.

Here we go for the beginning of Thankful Thursdays:

- I am thankful that Hulu has the Food Network on it.  It really rocks.

- I am thankful for my dad.  I am so blessed by his love, his presence, his generosity, his care, his words and wisdome.

I realize that I am blessed just to have a dad.  

I'm really glad my dad is my dad.

- I am thankful for my motivation in running lately.  

- I am thankful for this much needed reminder:

I hope that when we wake up, we not only arise from our slumber, but we also give of ourselves to others, to the world, to love.  May we wake up to the beauty of the world, the beauty of life.

What are you thankful for?

First Day Of Spring-> reflections, photos, thoughts, ramblings

Well, technically, Monday was the first day of Spring, but iTunes is playing that song by Noah and the Whale, so I used it as my title.

You know, I used to write about in depth things like my emotions and my dreams and aspirations.  I used to consider myself ambitious and passionate.  I would seriously think for hours a day how and how soon I could change the world.  My dreams and my daydreams consisted of me traveling the world, taking photos, helping people, being a blessing...doing what I was called by God to do.  My sophomore, junior, senior years in high school were spent not doing homework, but taking pictures, cooking, reading, hanging out with friends, going to church, growing closer to God, and figuring out what non-profit organization I wanted to be a part of or begin.  It wasn't just me with these goals and hopes and prayers, though.  There were a few other people whose dreams were as monumental as mine.

Then, it seemed like one day after sleeping, my dreams were no longer important.  College came and  photojournalism wasn't in my future anymore, I thought.  Traveling, helping, teaching, being a blessing wasn't in my head anymore.  I still cannot figure out why that happened.

I may never know.

I could take a few stabs at it...maybe it was all the free time in High School that lead me to daydream.  Maybe it was college and "growing up" that perhaps pointed me towards the direction that my dreams were childish or unimportant (which they are not).  I really don't know.

As I'm sitting here writing this, I am thinking to myself that I don't have answers and that my brain is mush.  I'm thinking that I still have those ambitions to travel and take photos and be a blessing, but it may not come at a time when I expect it.  God has never let me down.  I worry about my future--what career I'll have, if I'll be able to get by on the amount of money I'll make, if I'll be able to provide for my family, where I live, blah de blah de blah.
God has never let me down.
And He never will.
So, regardless of if I'm worried about getting caught up on my 365 or getting in shape or figuring out stuff with transferring or moving or anything with school or something like spreading the Gospel to people in Africa or taking photos for the glory of God or buying two homeless guys a pizza, God will provide, love, guide, and never leave me.

That's one thing I'm sure of.
I'll never know exactly what the future holds, and that is exciting and that is terrifying.
I don't even know what I'm thinking half the time.
That's why this post is pretty jumbled.

But I guess the moral of whatever this was is this: I love God and He'll be there.
Yay!


Here are my 365's...

77/365

 78/365

Also,

I'm so glad the weather is warm.

I've been drinking a lot of iced vanilla lattes.  They are so good.

I had one today.  And yesterday.  And the day before.

I also had a green tea lemonade from starbucks.  I generally don't go to starbucks, but I made an exception for one of those bad boys.

I've been running every other night. 

Because I got a new bathing suit that I gotta look fly in ;)

And I did sprints tonight.  Who am I?

Also, this is my life since school started back up from Spring Break (I feel like I haven't slowed down in 72 hours):

Monday--wake up, drive to Tulsa, shower, get dressed, get coffee, go to class, get punched in the face by empending due date of paper, go to lunch, go make copies of taxes, check on admissions status at UCO, go to class, make fool of oneself, write paper, edit paper, upload a million 365's, go watch Pretty Little Liars, go run, come back to apartment, cold shower, talk to Ethan, read the Bible, read Faulker, fall soundly and happily asleep.

Tuesday--wake up, read Bible, read Faulker, look at paper written previous day, to go Jesus class, dominate the Apostle's Creed in class, quick lunch, mail stuff to IRS, design class with the stupid, impossible, pain cardboard chair that I completey annihilated and destroyed and cut parts off to redesign and hot glue back together, work on chair for 7 straight hours, burn hands with hot glue, cut self with cardboard, walk to subway, get sandwich, walk to improv, eat sandwich, IMPROV, improv, improv, walk, sit ups, talk to Ethan, read the Bible, bed time.

Today--wake up at 7:50, which is really early for me, revise paper and print out, read Faulker, take a shower, study for a test, get dressed, look fly ;), grab coffee with Allie, take test and turn in paper, walk out of class to lunch, read Faulker, eat, read Faulker, go to class, dominate any and every question with anything to do with The Sound and The Fury, walk back to apartment, change clothes, go run errands and thrift, back to apartment, laundry, PLS room for ANTM, ACAC for Relay For Life Captain's meeting, run and do sprints, back to apartment, talk to Ethan, take a shower, take photos, talk more with Ethan, blog blog blog, and now I'm here.

Also, 

I love William Faulkner.

I'm so glad I'm taking American Writers.  My professor is so sarcastic and chill.  He makes the class good.  And all the works we've read have been pretty wonderful.

Also,

I'm an English major, but I never really type out in complete sentences or use punctuation normally.  Stream of consciousness is how I do it, YEAH YEAH!

Also,

I use the world "also" a lot.  Even when unnecessary.  Obviously.

Also, 

Go read my friend Sydney's blog.  She's such a light.

Also,

I bought my first ever pair of jeggings today.  I actually told myself forever that I'd never by leggings to wear as actual pants.  I also told myself I'd never wear skinnies, oxfords, or grandma clothes.

Holla!

Also also also also also also.

ALSO!!!

Okay, you're probably very annoyed.  And I am very tired.

You are loved, did you know?

365 kills me.

But I have to finish it.
I'm not even half way done.
Not even a fourth of the way done.
Oh well.
Here are my 365's up until today.
:)

67/365

68/365

 69/365

 70/365

 71/365

 72/365

 73/365

 74/365

 75/365...and straight out of camera

 76/365

I know I keep saying I'll do a good job at keeping up.
But geez.
Okay, I'm really going to now.

Going to watch PLL. :)

Oh, and I've been listening to The New Pornographers all day.
They're fantastic.

Big Red Machine

Ahhhhh, I'm back in school.
And surprisingly, it feels good to be back.

My Spring Break was good, long, semi-uneventful, but fun.
I spent about half at home.  I watched a lot of wedding TV shows, took a few pictures that will be up soon, hung out with my second favorite family on earth--The Jacksons, cooked dinner, walked with my mom and our dogs, and relaxed.  A lot.
It felt so good to not have responsibility, even though I kinda did (I needed to read a novel and write a paper...but I didn't).
So, today has hit me a little hard, but I'm welcoming the busy pace again.
The second half was spent in Dallas with my family and Ethan.  Going to Dallas with my mom's side of the family is always a little bit too relaxed.  We generally stay inside/outside the house and play games, look through photo-albums and catalogs, and converse about things.  This week's main topic of conversation was about the upcoming cruise.  It brought a lot of excitement out of me.  Eeeee! :)

So, my break was well appreciated, but it's also good to be back on schedule.
And yeah, I know I mentioned that.
:)

Tonight is the season finale of my guilty pleasure TV show--Pretty Little Liars.
I don't know what I am going to do on Monday nights from now on!

By the way, Hillary Duff's "I Can't Wait" is currently playing on my iTunes.  I'm not ashamed at all.
Oh, 6th grade...

In the midst of transferring/moving/finding a job, I've been doing a bit of "self-exploration" and I like what I'm finding out.  I think I'm growing up, but not changing who I am.  And I think that's a good thing.

Since I can't ever really put my thoughts into precise paragraphs and what not, here is some more rambling:
I am in love with Pinterest.  Like, seriously, I'm a little obsessed.
You can follow me!  I'll follow you back and stuff. :) I don't have a picture up yet, because my Facebook is currently deleted due to Lent.  It'll be back up after Easter.

Also, I love my traveling friends, Aubry, Tim, and John.  And I miss them a lot.
Can't wait for them to be in my arms again.

I'm reading The Sound and The Fury.
I feel kind of awesome while reading it.  Even though it's all over the place and I'm only on page 24.
Faulkner's brilliant, I've decided.

I want some tattoos, this locket, a new haircut/color, and summer.
Why can't I ever be content?

Anyways,
I'll be back with new photos...hopefully catching my up on my 365.
CONSTANT BATTLE! AHHHHHH!!

Oh, and I want to be best friends with this lovely lady.  Looking SO forward to shooting a wedding with her. :)


BYE!

School starts back up on Monday

and I don't want it to.
Blah.

So, there's that.
365's coming up sometimes relatively soon.

I feel so spastic and like I don't deserve the 18 followers I have.
I'm on Spring Break and I have an abundance of time, but have I blogged?
No.
Have I been keeping up with my 365?
Of course not.
Have I been reading The Sound and The Fury--my homework for the break?
Nope.
Have I been keeping it chill and stuffing my face?
Yes.

Marielle and I are going on a photo extravaganza tomorrow, so hopefully, my 365 will be caught up.
I really need to do better with taking a photo a day--that's the reason for doing it.  Well, that, and to get better.
So, yeah. :)

I haven't bathed in a day or so.

My apologies.

The Civil Wars [image heavy!]

Okay, I love music.  But who doesn't, ya know?  There are rarely albums that I listen to where I don't care what track plays because they are all so good.  Well, Barton Hollow, The Civil War's new (debut) album is one of those.
The Civil Wars is a two-person folk band consisting of the Johnny-Depp-Look-alike John Paul White and the stunning Joy Williams.  Their voices harmonize beautifully together, and each melody or verse leaves no disappointment.
They mesh so well, leaving the listener wanting more.
So. Much. More.

And tonight, I got more.
The Civil Wars came to Oklahoma City tonight for a show.
David Ramirez opened, and he was fantastic, soulful, and really entertaining.

I can't even begin to describe how amazing the show was.
Joy and John Paul somehow become one and really connect onstage.  Their energy and chemistry is unmatched.  It's just freaking ridiculous.
They are a joy to watch and an even bigger joy to listen to.
Gosh.
I pray that they bless Oklahoma again with their presence.

After the show, they kindly and patiently waited on people wanting autographs (like me), pictures (like me) or short conversations (like me.)
I proposed to both of them awkwardly.
AND THEY SAID YES.
So, sometime soon, I'm moving to Utah where polygamy is not too frowned upon and I am marrying both Joy Williams and John Paul White.
And we will live happily ever after while they make music and I take pictures.

As much as that would rock, there is no way on earth that I would leave my darling boy behind.  I love him too much.

But The Civil Wars are inspiring and amazing.  And Joy is sweet and John Paul is sincere and kind.
And I found that out within the five minutes of talking with them.

Ahhhh.  I am on a Civil Wars high.

Here are a few pictures from the show.
Also, here are a few 365's.

[David Ramirez]

[The Civil Wars]

[62/365]

[63/365]

[64/365]

[65/365]

[66/365...and my favorite shot from the show]

Oh... :)

I am incredibly sleepy.

Goodnight to you. :)

I haven't given up on my 365...

...I just am too lazy to get my camera out of my car.  Slash edit.
but I do have photos taken and in mind, but I'm heading home tomorrow and I'll get caught up and all this stuff and yeah and yeah and yeah.
365s are a pain.

The last of the 30 day challenges.

Day 29 - A picture that can always make you smile.

Baby hedgehogs are so dang cute. 

Day 30 - A picture of someone you miss.

My beautiful best friend, Marielle.  

 I get to see her soon, though. :)

Day 28 - A picture of something you’re afraid of.

Well, I sat down to think about what I'm afraid of.
And I don't have/can't find a picture of it.
But I hate the thought of losing people I love.

Going and going and going.

Good evening, fascinating people.

I'm sorry for being, well, not here.

I've been all over the place, it's seemed like and I've hardly had time to breathe.

Let me catch you up:

This past Sunday, my wonderful boyfriend and I celebrated one year together.  YAY!  It was a big deal for both of us and we're really happy to be in each other's lives.  It's crazy that we met at a concert, I think and now...this.  *sigh*

Last night (Tuesday) was Ethan's birthday.  I drove to OKC for the night and surprised him.  His reaction was priceless--I wish it was filmed.  We ate dessert and went bowling.  I did horribly at bowling, but it was ladies' night at the alley, so I was free! Holla!  We all had a good time.  Laker and Garon dominated an entire game in, like, 8 minutes and 36 seconds.  And Laker's score was 121.  Pretty impressive for what seemed like tossing the ball down the lane randomly.  Ethan beat me both games, much to my dismay (Sometimes, I'm too competitive).  It was a lovely evening--that ended close to 1 am--and I had fun with Ethan, Sydney, Laker, and Garon.

As you can tell, my 365 and I have a love/hate relationship.  I hate getting behind/not being inspired, and my 365 loves nagging away at the back of my mind.  I think this post will catch me up, though.

I have one week after this one until Spring Break.  I cannot wait.

I get to see The Civil Wars and The Rocketboys next week in OKC.  I am beyond excited.  The Civil Wars is a new favorite band and they are so so magical.  Go buy their album, Barton Hollow, at amazon.com--for the entire month of March, it's only $5.  And I guarantee you it'll be one of the best $5 spent of your life.

Today, I filmed a skit for a TV show I'm (hopefully) going to be in.  It's filmed, scripted and directed all by my friend, Steven, and some of my improv troupe.  Should be pretty nifty.

Romans 12 has been showing up in my life like no other scripture ever.  I encourage you to go read it.  Ahhh.  God is good.

I promise to be more inspired and not so crazy soon.  I think since we're getting in the thick of midterms and what not, things are a little hectic.  But everything slows down with time.

And now, drumroll please...my 365! Yayyyy!!

I shouldn't be that excited.  I'm just glad to be caught up (even if it's not by best work...soon, I'll try and get something mind-blowing).

56/365 (Straight out of camera, and overexposed)

57/365

58/365

59/365

60/365

61/365

Well, now I just don't know what to do with myself.

Maybe I'll make something.  Or clean my ever-disgusting room.

:)

Day 27 - A picture of yourself and a family member

Me and my mommy. :)