Late (Really Late) Birthday Post

As promised, I have an exciting birthday post for yall today! I know my birthday was almost two weeks ago, but it really was the best day and I just have to share! 

If you know me, you know that I love, love, LOVE my birthday! It's my favorite day of the year - not because of the presents and cake and such, but because people go out of their way to make me feel loved and celebrated. Every day should be like that. Every day we should go out of our way to make people feel loved. I think that's important! 

So here is a brief recap of my weekend of feeling the most loved I've ever felt in my life - Thank you for that, Jesus!

On Thursday night, Kayla, Britt, and I went out to dinner for a pre-birthday celebration (who doesn't love that?!). We went to Okami Japanese steakhouse on South College, and man oh man it was good! Seriously, it was too much food for one person but worth every penny. Plus, their early bird specials are great! If you're ever in the Wilmington area between 4 and 6, you should stop by Okami! My roomies are so sweet, and I love them both to death. I'm lucky to be going through this stage in my life with them!

Earlier that day, my sister gave me my birthday present because she couldn't wait much longer. I have been talking about the Disney movie Frozen since I saw it twice in theatres a few months ago! It's my favorite Disney movie by far, and I basically have told everyone that I want to own it. Well, my sis came through for me! I am now a proud owner of Frozen! If you haven't seen it, come over and we'll watch it!

That night I went to a dance competition on campus called Hawk It Out. One of the girls from my small group was participating, and she killed it. She won the whole competition! It was really cool, and I got to spend a great evening with some of my favorite girls in the world. God really blesses me through them!

On my birthday the next day, my sweet mama made me my favorite breakfast - breakfast casserole. My Maw-Maw use to make it for me every time I visited her because she knew how much I loved it. Now my mom makes it for me, and it tastes the exact same (insert bittersweet face).

Then, Al came over for a little bit and gave me my presents (yes, plural!). I loved every single one of them because I knew how much thought he put into them. He's the sweetest!

The prettiest flowers!

Bubble necklaces! I got a white one, too! And they're upside down, obviously!

Love, love, love this watch!

So thoughtful! It now hangs in my room at the apartment!

See, the sweetest! He also made me a huge card at his work, and it made me cry. He loves me so good! And there's more...

After he gave me these presents, he told me we were going on a picnic in the park. Neither one of us had ever been on a picnic before, so it was perfect! We went to Walmart and got picnic things, went to Subway and got sandwiches, then went to the park and had a sweet little picnic on the no-longer soccer fields. We don't really get to spend time together just us - normally we're always surrounded by other people, so this was a nice change. It was a beautiful day, and we had a lot of fun. Here's some pictures from that day:

Typical "us" picture :)

My mom and dad made dinner for me, Al, Britt, and Kay that night, and it was super good. My mama can cook yall, and my daddy is the grill master. I never go hungry, to say the least. After dinner, Al and I drove down to Myrtle Beach to eat dessert at The Melting Pot. Talk about the best dessert you'll ever put in your mouth! Seriously, I think we were both drooling the whole time. Nothing is better than melty chocolate and rice krispy treats, just saying. 

I ended the night with the love of my life, and there's no other way I would've wanted to end it. It was such a great birthday! Thank you to everyone who made it so special for me - all the people who texted me and sent me sweet messages on Facebook, all my family members who sent me cards and moola, and everyone who just made me feel loved. I'm so blessed to have people in my life who care so much for me. God is so good to me! 

I hope you guys enjoyed this belated post! I seriously suck at blogging. I'm trying, people. Have a great night! Love you guys!

XOXO,
Morgan

Let the Countdown Begin

Today marks 50 days until sweet summertime! That means in 50 days, I will officially be a college sophomore! I know what you're thinking, "Sophomore? In college? Weren't you just a sophomore in high school yesterday?" That's what I'm saying! I remember my sophomore year in high school so vividly! There's no way I'm moving into my second year of COLLEGE. Time, please slow down. It feels like this experience just started, and now in fifty short days it'll be coming to a close.

I remember being a kid in elementary and middle school and the days would drag on and on. There was always enough daylight to play outside after getting home from school. There wasn't anything time restricted me from doing because I was a kid. I didn't worry about stuff. Then in high school, time decided to pick up the pace a little bit. I wished high school away most days I was there, and the days started seeming shorter and shorter. Then one day, I woke up and high school was over. Now in college, it's like time is on speed. There's no slowing it down. You have to make a conscious decision not to waste that time on trivial things. That's one of the big things I've learned being here: your time is what you make of it. 

As strange as it is that this year is coming to a close, I'm not going to hesitate in telling you that I'm BEYOND ready for summer. I felt stress in a way that was unreal this year, and summer is going to be a beautiful time full of relaxation and happiness. I can't wait to soak up some sun (because this pale has got to go) with my friends! I can't wait to enjoy pool days with the cute kiddos I get to keep all summer! I can't wait for late nights and pretty sunsets and fun dates and Sunset Slush and reading for fun and VBS and a whole plethera of other things. Summer is a glorious time of year - I'm sure you agree! 

Just wanted everyone to know where we stood in the whole "Countdown to Summer" thing! Sorry for my rant about time... I guess it's just something you think about when you start to get old. This is a short and sweet post, but be prepared for a longer one after this weekend aka MY BIRTHDAY WEEKEND! Oh the fun that is on it's way! I can hardly contain my excitement! 

Have a great evening, folks!

XOXO,

Morgan 

Spring Break Plus a Week

I wanted everyone to know that I'm alive and well after my month-long hiatus from blogging. I always have every intention to sit down and write some, then I get busy or forget. I apologize if you're truly interested in my life and are dying to see what's going on (I'm looking at you, Tiffy!) Things have been great lately, and I couldn't ask for more.

Last week was my first college spring break - holla! Spring semester is flying by! I was so thankful spring break came when it did because I was way in over my head with homework and papers. I just needed some time for myself to relax and spend a week with the ones I love - and that's just what I did! I couldn't tell you exactly what I did because it all just runs together. It went by too fast for me. I only remember the highlights of the week, so I'll share those with yall. 

I helped my friend, Lexi, with her yard sale for her mission trip to South Africa. She raised a lot of money, and as always, God was faithful. Be in prayer for her during this special time in her life - she leaves at the end of May. 

I got to spend an evening with the sweet Lillian Willis for her birthday. Lilly and I hadn't spent any time together since this semester started, so I was in need of some time with her. We went to Osaka's for dinner and had Fuzzy Peach for dessert. In between, we had a lot of good conversation and laughs. I'm always thankful for her and her sweet spirit. She always lifts my spirits and helps put things into perspective in my life. 

Al dropped by to have some Peach with us!

I also got to spend time with my friend, Abigail, and her sweet little cousins, Hannah and Zoe. We went to the Boundary House and rode around Sunset Beach for a while after church on Sunday. Those girls never fail to make me laugh. I love having them in my life.

I spent a lot of time with Al (that probably goes without saying). We spend a lot of time together, so I can't really remember all the specifics of what we did. It rained a lot and was mostly cold the whole time I was home, so we spent most of our time inside. Saturday was a beautiful day, so we hung out on the hammock for most of the day - it's the little things that will always be close to my heart. 

I also got to hang out with my little sister, Lauren, a lot during spring break. Be in prayer for her, as well, because she has her first solo dance competition this Saturday. I've seen the dance, and it's absolutely beautiful. My heart is always so full of joy when I watch her dance - it brings tears to my eyes. She's going to do great, I just know it. 

My friend, Casey, and I went to lunch one day at Mexican. She goes to UNCW also, but we don't get to see each other a lot because of our schedules. I'm glad we were able to get together over break. We had a lot to catch up on. I'm lucky to have a great friend like her.

I got to spend a whole bunch of quality time with my family over break. My mom, Kayla, and I went to visit my Nana on Friday. She's a silly woman, but I love her to death. On Saturday, Daddy, Mom, Kayla, and I went down to Myrtle Beach to eat and shop. I love those times with them because they're few and far between. 

Lastly, my friend Ashley and I hung out on Sunday in between church services. Ashley and I have an interesting history, and I never imagined I'd be sitting at her house, laughing for hours on Sundays. She's one of my best friends, and I'm glad I was able to see her while I was home. 

That basically sums up my spring break. It was a wonderful week, full of love, laughter, and relaxation. This week has been not as relaxing because I've had a lot of work to do. It's almost over though, and I got all the work done that was due. It's almost the weekend - hallelujah! 

I hope you enjoyed this short recap of my spring break! There's no telling when I'll post again, but I hope you guys have a safe and happy weekend! 

XOXO,

Morg

P.S. MY BIRTHDAY IS ONE WEEK FROM TOMORROW! WHOOP WHOOP! 

14 Things...

... I love about you <3

In honor of St. Valentine's Day, I will share with you guys 14 little reasons (out of millions) why I love and adore my handsome valentine. This is mine and Al's 3rd Valentine's Day together, and it just keeps getting better. Blessed doesn't even begin to describe how I feel.

Without further adieu:

1) He spoils me rotten without me ever asking.

2) He has an infinite amount of love to give everyone he knows. Seriously, he has the biggest heart.

3) His silliness makes me laugh until my stomach hurts on a daily basis.

4) He supports my habit (unwillingly) of opening a bottle of water, drinking one sip out of it, and not touching it again for the rest of the day. 

5) His eyes... well have you seen them? Swoon.

6) He feeds me Mexican all the time. 

7) I know he wants me to have everything my heart desires, even if that means I'm halfway across the world making my career dreams come true.

8) He is so patient with me, which is extremely hard to do because I'm so sassy all the time.

9) He isn't the type to give me presents, but he has showered me with love and affection since the day we started dating. It's the little things that matter most.

10) He has let me see the deepest parts of his heart.

11) He gives excellent back rubs.

12) He never fails to make me smile when I'm having a bad day.

13) He goes to see Valentine's Day chick flicks with me every year (and secretly loves them!)

14) Lastly, and most importantly, he loves Jesus. And I love Jesus. And Jesus loves us. And we're both loving Jesus more every single day, which is making our love for one another stronger every single day.


I love you, Kenneth Allen Rising III. I have since I was 15, and I will forever. There is no one else I'd rather spend my days with. Happy Valentine's Day, handsome.

My Word for the Year

"Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply." -Romans 12:9-10 (MSG)

This year, instead of making New Years resolutions (because let's face it... I can never live up to those anyway) I decided to choose a word that will be my focus throughout the year. I've heard of so many people doing this and it making a true difference in their lives. So hey, why not?

At first, I thought I would choose the word "faith." My thinking behind that was that I needed to have more faith in myself and my abilities, more faith in God and more faith in His ultimate plan for my life. Ironically, this was not the plan that God had for my year. 

Every time I would open my bible or my bible app, and every time I would have a rich, God-centered conversation with one of my friends, the word "love" was always the root. Now, anyone who knows me knows that I have a heart full of love for everyone I meet. God blessed me with such a big heart, which is a blessing and a curse at times. However, I have never thought much about what it means to be completely vulnerable and just love people exactly where they are. I have this warped image of loving people for all the good things they do, but as soon as they do something bad it's like the love stops. How messed up is that? What if that was how God was with us? What if every time we sinned, which is ALL the time, God stopped loving us? We would be in a mess. 

This year, I'm going to focus on loving people in a Godly way. The verse I wrote at the top has been popping up in my life so often. I've been contemplating a lot what it means to "love from the center of who I am."  And more importantly, what it means to "not fake it." 

Generally, I'm a very honest person. It's hard for me to lie about trivial stuff and especially hard for me to lie about big things, like how I feel. However, in the past few years, I have struggled so much with accepting and loving people for who they are and where they are. Many things have happened in my life over the past few years that have caused me to put up walls in order to avoid having a broken heart. People I deeply loved lied to me, abandoned me, used me, and broke me. In turn, I've become less vulnerable, less emotional, and just all-around less loving. I know this is not how God wants me to be with His people. 

So this year, I am going to prayerfully work on being more vulnerable and letting people into my life with full knowledge that my heart is probably going to be broken on occasions. I have hope in Jesus though. I have confidence in Him that if this is where He is leading me - if this is how He is wanting me to dig deeper this year - He will already be there to fix all my broken hearts. 

I'm vowing today to truly be a good friend who loves deeply, with no reservations. I'm vowing to love people right where they are in their lives, problems and all. I'm vowing to let myself be vulnerable in order for others to see Jesus through me.  I'm vowing to love, at all costs. Because that's exactly what Jesus did for all of us. His love for us cost Him EVERYTHING. It cost Him His life. How awesome is it to know that we're loved like that? Imagine how different this world would be if we all loved one another like He loves us. 

So friends, now you can hold me accountable. I'm praying that my love, first and foremost, for Jesus will continue to grow in this year. And secondly, I'm praying that my love for others will overflow from and overwhelm my heart this year. Be in prayer for me, also, because I know this will  be much harder than just typing the words on a page. I can't wait to see where God is leading me in this year full of love. 

Thanks for reading! Have a wonderful night!

-Morgan

Six Months Later...

Within the past few days, I've seen so many seniors from my high school posting about the schools they've been accepted to and where they're deciding to go, and I can't help but reminisce. I literally feel like I was just in their shoes - trying to decide where I wanted to go and who I wanted to be during the next four years. I can't believe time has flown by so fast since I graduated. 

Today, I had a sweet girl message me on Facebook asking me about UNCW. She just got accepted and is planning to major in Nursing. She was so adorable, and she was very honest about her nerves. I can remember that feeling. I remember being her. I was so nervous. The thought of college sent me running in the other direction because that meant I had to leave the nest of home and high school. It meant I had to move to a new place and make new friends. It meant I had to figure out who I wanted to be in this life. It meant I actually had to spread my wings and fly, like everyone told me I would have to do someday. I understand exactly where she is, and I'm sure where a lot of seniors are.

I want to give you some advice and encouragement about your upcoming year, seniors. I'm still learning a lot and taking things day by day, but the lessons I've learned in the past six months have made an immeasurable difference on my life here in college.

Advice:
1) I would strongly recommend that you live in a dorm. Yes, it may seem gross - sharing bathrooms with a whole hall, sharing an incredibly small space with a complete stranger, etc. - but it will help you adjust so much faster to the college environment. I'm speaking from experience because I live off campus, and it has been really hard for me. Live in a dorm your first year, and make the most of it. It might just end up being one of your best college memories.

2) I know you will hear five million times from five million different people to get involved... LISTEN TO THEM. They know what they're talking about. You'll meet so many people and have so many new experiences. It will be worth it, trust me.

3) Learn to balance all the things you need/want to do. It's perfectly fine to go out and socialize, as long as you can balance studying, eating, sleeping, going to class, and everything in between with it. You'll figure out what works for you really fast. 

4) Take advantage of everything your campus has to offer - classes, professors, rec centers, food, free stuff, studying abroad, etc. This will be the only time in your life that you'll have all those opportunities... go for it!

5) Don't freak out about what your major is going to be. Spend more time learning about who you are and what you like, and you'll find the perfect major for you. The more you stress about it, the more you're going to hate your life. Start learning your likes and dislikes early, that way you won't be trapped in classes that you're miserable in.

6) Don't buy the books for your classes unless you absolutely have to. Trust me. Save yourself some money anyway you can. You're gonna need it.

7) Spend time figuring out who you are. You're in college now. It's all up to you. Don't just follow the ways of everyone else. You can do anything and be anything you want. Figure out what that is for you, and go do it and be it.


Encouragement:
It's okay to be homesick. 
        You are going to miss your parents, your friends, and your old life so much when you go away to college. You're going to want to cry your eyes out, and it's okay if you do. You're going to want to run home to your mom and dad after the first week. You're going to wish and wish and wish that you could go back to high school, and you're going to hate that you spent your whole four years of high school praying that time would go by faster. It's perfectly fine to feel that way. It's perfectly fine to sit in your room after your days are done and be so upset for the first few nights. 
        But then you have to pick yourself up and go enjoy your new college life. Go make friends and explore your campus. Go do silly things that you'll look back on and laugh about. Go figure out who you want to be and become it.

You and your high school best friends will grow apart.
         At first, this will absolutely break your heart. You'll try to keep in touch, and it's so awesome if you do. But if not, it's perfectly okay. You're living completely separate lives now. They're making new friends, and you're making new friends. It's inevitable that you'll grow apart. That doesn't mean you don't love each other or miss each other. It doesn't even mean that you're not friends anymore. It just means that you're growing up. 
        Cherish your time with them during breaks. Cherish your short text message conversation. Cherish your phone conversations, no matter how few and far between. Cherish your silly snapchats and twitter mentions. Cherish their friendship, even if it seems distant.

Your appreciation for your parents will be overwhelming.
        You don't realize how much your parents do for you until you're not under their protective wings anymore. Of course they will always be there, but you will appreciate them so much more when you're not with them all the time. It will be a treat to go home and get a home-cooked meal and get to hug their necks. It'll also be extremely hard to leave them when it's time to go back. Enjoy every second with them - you'll miss it when you're at college.

It's all going to be okay.
        There will be times in your new college life that you feel incredibly overwhelmed and stressed to the max (like even more than you were when you were doing your senior project). You'll feel like the world is caving in when you have 3 tests in the same week. You'll feel like you're having a panic attack when you have no idea how to write a paper or do your homework correctly. You'll want to cry like a baby when you get a test back with a grade that was lower than you expected. You'll feel like you're losing your mind when you can't decide what you want to do with your life. All of this will come at you at once... just know that it's all going to be okay.
        Don't sweat the small stuff. It's just a bad day, not a bad life. You'll figure out what you want to do with your life eventually. You will get through weeks that may seem impossible to get through on a Monday. It'll all work out. It always does. And when it does, you'll feel so accomplished for all the effort and hard work you put forth. Just take a deep breath when you're stressed, and remember what your goal is. It will all be worth it in the end.

I hope after reading this, all you seniors are feeling more encouraged about going to college. And for all my reader friends who are already in or have already graduated college, I hope you agree with most of these things. College is such an interesting time in your life. Enjoy it, because once you graduate high school, time really flies by. It's okay to be nervous... it's almost your time to spread those wings and fly! 

In Christ,

Morgan

My Testimony

"Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." -Proverbs 31:30


This verse has become a true guiding post for my life and my actions. I am striving to be a woman after God's own heart, and in the days we're living in, it's becoming more and more of a challenge to do that. Many times I find myself thinking of ways I can get people to like me - talk a certain way, dress a certain way, fix my hair a certain way, say all the right things. But I always come back to this verse that clearly says that CHARM and BEAUTY are fleeting. God looks at the heart, and all that other stuff doesn't matter to Him.

I'm sitting here listening to my worship playlist, spending some time with Jesus, and I felt lead to write this post and share a little bit of my testimony. I pray that my struggles and my failures will encourage others to keep pushing on and to keep running the race. I want all my friends and family, and even strangers, to stand before God one day and hear Him say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

Honestly, it's all because of Jesus that I'm even here at this point in my life. I have always been such a goody-two-shoes (if you will), and I didn't really think I needed any improvement in my life. I was always so blessed to have loving parents and friends. I didn't want for things. I always had what I needed, and I know that not a lot of people can say that. Looking back, I know I didn't appreciate how blessed I was and still am. So, if you're like me and feel like you have always done the right thing - to the point of people calling you a goody-two-shoes (like they called me) - trust me, I've been there. And there will come a point in your life where you're faced with much bigger decisions that you'll probably struggle with choosing the right thing. Praise be to God if you realize you need Him before those obstacles come. I'm sure glad I did.

When I was a freshman in high school, I was a little bit of a loner. It was a strange transition for me from middle school to high school because I went to the same school with the same friends for nine years. All of a sudden I was thrown into a school where over 85% of the people in my class were not the kids I grew up with. Believe it or not, I was painfully shy when I walked through the doors of West Brunswick High School in 2009. Who knew that I would walk out four years later a completely different person? God sure did.

Anywho, I made a beautiful, Godly friend my freshman year of high school. I thought she was weird, weird, weird for her strong faith in God. I distinctly remember a time when the public water system throughout the city was contaminated and Lexi was drinking from a tervis that had her faucet water in it. I said, "You know you can get really sick from drinking that?" And with such boldness and certainty, she said, "I know. I don't care. If I die, I know I'm going to Heaven anyway." Talk about mind-blowing for someone who wasn't a follower of Christ. Needless to say, she didn't stop talking to me about God. And don't get me wrong, it's not like I didn't believe in God because I did. I just didn't have a relationship with Him. And that's what gets you to Heaven. She invited me to church many times, and I went. I was still awkward and shy, so friendly, Godly people freaked me out. 

I started attending Jennies Branch regularly in April of 2010. God truly worked on my heart and in my life for several months. He allowed me to be around people who loved Jesus with a passion, and that lead me to love Him too. A big part of my testimony is VBS. The summer I started going to JBBC, we did cardboard testimonies for commencement at VBS. Being the honest, goody-two-shoes person I was, I was completely honest in saying that I didn't have a testimony. I think at the time I didn't even realize how big of a deal it was. Looking back, I know it was the biggest deal to those who believe. Long story short, my cardboard testimony said "Scared to follow Jesus, need prayer." And prayer is what I got. Two weeks later, on August 15, 2010, I gave my heart to Jesus, and I haven't looked back.

There have been many obstacles, temptations, and battles that I have had to face since becoming a Christian. The devil stays on you once you've given your life to Jesus. Don't let him discourage you. You have to get back up, ask God for forgiveness, turn from your sin, and keep on running the race. During the past three and a half years, I have had my doubts about God's love for me. Could He really love me after the things I've done? Could He actually forgive my sins, casting them as far as the east is from the west? Could He still want me to come back to Him after I've turned from Him so many times? The answer to all those questions is yes. 

Since going to college, I've really gotten to spend a lot of quality time with God. Going to college really tests your faith. You get to see who you truly are in Christ, without leaning on the youth leaders you've had for years and the friends who have helped you through the hard times. Many times, it is just you and God. And you can choose to take that time to get right with Him or walk away. For me, it was wise to get right with Him because I have no idea what I'm doing in my life. I have my dreams and my plans, but the book of Proverbs says that the Lord's purpose always prevails. I am still struggling daily with certain temptations that are hard for me to walk away from. I'm not too proud to admit that I struggle and I fail all the time. But that's okay. That's why God sent Jesus to die for us and to cover us with His blood. Otherwise, we would truly be hopeless. God wouldn't be able to look at us at all. Our sin is too great, but Jesus paid it all (all to Him I owe... name that hymn!) 

I just really wanted to share a big part of my life and my heart with yall. Jesus has made all the difference in my life. There are times when I'm so distraught. There are times when I feel like I can't go on. But Jesus reminds me daily that prize has yet to come. I want to encourage you by telling you that God truly and passionately loves you. As I learned last night at my small group, God is obsessed with you. He follows you around. He watches you sleep. He cares about your anxieties. He wants you to come to Him. And His arms are always open. Don't let this world tell you anything about yourself that God specifically says is untrue. He loves you and wants more than anything to have a relationship with you. It's a life-changing relationship, and I've never met anyone who has it and says differently. Just be encouraged today, friends. God is loving and gracious, and He will always want you as long as you accept His precious gift to us - Jesus.


"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes." -Romans 1:16

25 Things

So my friend, Leianna, had a post similar to this a couple days ago (here it is). And it inspired me to do one of my own. I'll give you fair warning, I'm not that interesting of a person. You might fall asleep. Without further adieu, I give you 25 things you may or may not know about me:


1. I am in a full-time, committed, overwhelmingly awesome relationship with Jesus. I'm constantly trying to pursue Him the way He pursues me. He's awesome, and I love Him and hope you know and love Him, too!

2.  I'm from Ash, North Carolina. Not Asheville. Not Asheboro. I get those all the time. It's a little coastal town in the middle of nowhere, and I love it.

3. I have a serious obsession with One Tree Hill and Scandal, in that order. They're definitely my guilty pleasures. 

4. I am head over heels in love with my boyfriend of two and a half years, Al Rising. He's a cutie - if you know him, you probably agree. Can't wait to spend an eternity with him!

5. I have a close-knit family of five - well six now since my sister got married (love my new bro, Harris)! We share a lot of laughter, fights, tears, and smiles. I wouldn't trade them for the world. I'll also add that my sisters are my two very best friends!

6. Friends. The thing about me is that if I have ever loved you and cared for you, I always will. So I have a lot of girls (and boys) I consider my best friends. My two closest friends are Lexi and Lilly. But if I love you and consider you a friend, you know it and this includes you!

7. I drive a cute little car named Lola. She's getting old though (226,000 miles old) - too attached to give her up yet.

8. I'd like to think I can sing, even though I know I can't. I belt out some Carrie Underwood songs and Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" in my car from time to time.

9. I have a deep desire and passion for people who are hurting, lost, and in situations out of their control. I don't know what God has planned for this passion yet, but He gave it to me, so I know He has a plan for me to use it.

10. I genuinely love to write. My sister makes me write her boring college papers for her all the time, and I seriously love it. If you ever need something written, give me a call!

11. I love all things Disney. My new favorite is Frozen. If you haven't seen it, go rent it! It was seriously the best!

12. I love, love, LOVE the Spanish language. It's so beautiful. And I love the culture, too. I'm hoping to study abroad the summer of 2015 in Spain, if I get approval (I'm looking at you, Mom!) 

13. I had never flown in an airplane until last year on my 18th birthday - take me back to Mexico! Now, I have the travel bug. I just want to see the world... with my dear friend, Abigail, by my side (she has the travel bug, too).

14. I have a wonderful home church family - Jennies Branch is where it's at, and they're all SO loving! Go check it out if you're in the Ocean Isle Beach area! 

15. Speaking of church, I have made wonderful friendships with nine beautiful ladies who love God. My small group in Wilmington is my life saver. I always look forward to Monday nights. I love them all so much!

16. I love to listen to worship songs when I'm by myself and just praise God for everything He does for me!

17. I'm a mess most of the time - I hate cleaning up, I hate wearing makeup and fixing my hair, I hate wearing real clothes. I do it though, even if I despise it.

18. I have a slight obsession with wedding/engagement videos (howheasked.com), the perfect babies account on Instagram, and pictures of pug puppies.

19. One of my legs is actually significantly longer than the other one because I broke my growth plate when I was in 6th grade. It's a problem.

20. I don't study. Ever. 

21. I have developed a seriously bad habit - Ruzzle. I can't put my phone down because I'm always playing it... Thanks to my little sis, Lauren.

22. I'm a very introverted person. I tend to spend a lot of time thinking deeply about my life, who I am, how I got here, where I'm going, etc. I love to talk about my life and be open with people, though. I'm weird.

23. I love breakfast food. And Mexican. And pizza. Okay, so I just love food. 

24. Even if I'm not cold, I always have a blanket wrapped around me when I'm at home/the apartment. It makes me feel cozy.

25. When I grow up, I want to settle down back in Brunswick County. No matter what anyone says about it, it's beautiful and a piece of my heart will always be there.


Sorry all of those were long and wordy - see number 10. I can't help it! I hope you learned a little about me! Have a fabulous weekend, friends!

My Favorite Part of Christmas Break

Let me begin this post by saying... if you have ever gotten to know me even the slightest bit you know I have a great love for two things: Jesus and One Tree Hill. Jesus is my favorite part of every day, but my favorite part of Christmas break had a lot to do with the latter. 

I fell in love with One Tree Hill when I was a freshman in high school. I was basically a loner at that point in my life, so I stayed home every weekend, curled up in my bed watching Breakfast in Bed on SoapNet (which is no longer a channel). One Tree Hill happened to be a show that aired during that time on the weekends, and after one episode I was hooked. 

Clearly, I got VERY hooked. I now have every season! I treasure them <3

I've seen every episode at least three times, no shame. For those of you who don't know anything about One Tree Hill (bless your souls), it was filmed in Wilmington, where I am now attending college. It has always been a dream of mine to meet the cast of OTH go see the places it was filmed. Well, since going off to college, all my sweet friends have jumped on the One Tree Hill train. I feel like my friend Abby was the first to text me about it. Then Sav and Summer. They're all addicted now, btw. I had several friends who were watching it at the same time I was, so there have been a few of us dying to go on this One Tree Hill adventure for years. 

Well people, you best believe it happened over Christmas break! It was kind of a last minute decision. My friends Casey, Summer, Savannah, and myself all decided that we needed to get together before going back for spring semester and go on a One Tree Hill hunt through the streets of Wilmington. It was literally one of the best days of my life - definitely one of the best days I'd had in a long time. We were like little kids on Christmas with each place we found. As soon as we recognized one, we all freaked out and jumped out of the car to take pictures. Some places were a little sketchy - as most of you know downtown Wilmington to be. But some of the bigger houses were SO nice. I will not apologize for the heap of pictures you are about to see...

                                                               

  

            

I know these pictures probably have little to no meaning to you unless you're a fan, but we were over the moon about every place we found. Every place had a special meaning, and we were so grateful that we got to experience it. And my friends can vouch for this... I promise you I said about 15 times before we left that church that that is the place I'm getting married. Mark my words, friends. It was beautiful.

I'm so thankful for the sweet friends (with good taste in television) that God has blessed me with. I'm so glad we got to share this day together. It was my absolute favorite part about Christmas break and a wonderful memory I'll always cherish. Love you Sum, Sav, and Case!

Well that is all for now, frands. Until next time... I will leave you with an inspirational quote from this lovely show:

"Make a wish, and place it in your heart. Anything you want. Everything you want. Do you have it? Good. Now believe it can come true. You never know where the next miracle's gonna come from - the next smile, the next wish come true. But if you believe that it's right around the corner, and you open your heart to the possibility of it, the certainty of it, you just might get the thing you're wishing for. The world is full of magic, you just have to believe in it. So make your wish. Do you have it? Good. Now believe in it... with all your heart." -OTH Cast