Public Service Announcement

Attention:

DO NOT GO SEE "HOW DO YOU KNOW."

Even if you think the combo of Reese, Owen, Paul, Jack, and Kathryn can't be a dud - you're wrong.

Save yourself the time and money.

A Christmas to Remember

I love Christmas.

This one seemed particularly fantastic.

I don't know whether my favorite part of the day was when my 3-year-old cousin told my dad she gave him a homemade gift because it "was on her shelf and just looked so ugly she had to give it away" or when Nanny (my dad's mom) retold all my favorite stories about everyone's childhood or when Grandfather (my mom's dad) told me his analysis of everyone in the room. 

It was all pretty great. 

Hair Gone Wild

I thought I should update those of you who
don't see me on a regular basis. (All one of you.)

And no, it is not a clip-in.
Though that does seem to be everyone's first thought. 

Things needed to have successful Sunday Lunches for 40

#1. A stockpot

People eat a lot of noodles.

#2. A dishwasher

Not necessary, but definitely beneficial in washing 40+ dishes

#3. Baking soda

Essential. Especially for bare hands that cut jalapenos and stock pots that have noodles burned to the bottom. 

#4. Chairs

Not a necessity. People WILL sit on the floor.

#5. Trashbags

Oh my oh my oh my. The trash a crowd can produce. 

 #6. Delicious food.

Slightly optional. Today proves that people (especially college students) will eat almost anything. Even nasty pasta. 

#7. People

If you cook it, they will come.

If you don't have any of these things, no big deal. 

Really the only thing needed to have successful Sunday Lunches is a really big God who does great things through flawed people.

I serve a magnificent God.

Freshmen Year Part 1

Continuing the celebration (read: mourning) of the last week with the roommates, I will now take you through a picture tour of the first half of freshmen year with two of the most wonderful girls.

 The famous Bricktown night. 

 State Fair! (Remember our wardrobe worries?)

 I sometimes made them take strange pictures.

 Freshmen Fanfare!! 

 Roadtrip to Mansfield.

 Halloween (a hunter, Father Time, Mother Earth)

 Scenarios.

Basketball games.

We were just little babies. 

Last Week Together

Well it's official.

Today marks the first day of the last week with my roommates. 

We've come a long way since this picture. 

(It was our first day of college.)

I'm already in mourning that we won't be living together anymore.

Let's Make It 4

So you've seen this and this, which makes 3 times I'll 

be a bridesmaid in 2011.

Well now... there's this:

My friend Ashley has also asked me to be a bridesmaid! 

Where to even begin with our friendship. 

We lived down the hall from each other freshmen year 

and met in Honors.

Freshmen year held many late nights writing papers.

Getting high on caffeine together. 

(Headphones and brown shirts, anyone?)

Valentine's Days spent together. 

(Remember those weird pickles?)

Weird freshmen year escapades. 

(Like flushing live fish down the toilet.)

Rushing the same club.

Girls' nights and surprise birthday parties.

Seeing each other through boy after boy.

(For both of us.)

Loving and understanding each other when the other one is crazy.

(She did a much better job at this than I did.)

And just generally being fantastic friends all 4 years. 

Ashley,

I am beyond excited to be in your wedding. Some of my absolute favorite college memories involve you. I honestly don't know what I would have done without you the past 4 years. Thank you for the laughs and the talks and the advice and everything else. 

Now let's do this! August 13th, here we come!!! 

(And Andrew, if you for some reason read this, I'm excited for you too. It's just that the only two pictures we have together are, to put it nicely, not very flattering of me. Hope you understand.)

Gratitude

Today's (in)courage's monthly carnival. First of all, if you haven't checked out (in)courage yet, go right now and do it.

So today is about gratitude. 
I am currently sitting with one of my best friends in the entire world (the kind that is there no matter what, no matter when after however long) waiting while her grandpa is dying at a nearby hospital.
I won't go into all of it, but this beautiful girl is no stranger to loss and pain.
I've spent many nights in tears with and for her over so many different things.
And while she's no stranger to grief, she's also no stranger to a life lived in community with our Lord.

While we are playing this horrible waiting game, she is currently harmonizing to "How Great Thou Art" and meaning every word.
I have heard her say the words "God is good" multiple times today.
And while tonight I am in pain for her and her family, I am filled with gratitude for this amazing woman.
God gives and God takes away.
Tonight, unfortunately, I am watching that happen.
But I am watching it happen to a woman so in love with her Lord that her gratitude to Him is not dependent on the circumstances she finds herself in.


What a lesson I need to learn.