Just pictures

Just some fun pictures from New Year's and the Superbowl! Enjoy!!








Mom--I promise I will either print these off for you or e-mail them...let me know which ones!

Update from the home front :)

It has been so long since I have updated, and I am so sorry!

The past couple of months have been super busy, but amazing! I guess I will just go month by month, and let you know what has been going on!

November
Thanksgiving was what I was looking forward to, and it was an amazing day in our family. For the first time in a couple of years, our whole family was together, and it was just a great day to be a family. November wrapped up by starting to prepare for finals, which consumed most of my time outside of work. My sister also got engaged right before Thanksgiving, so all the wedding plans are in full swing!

December
December flew by, but was so super busy. I wrapped up finals by the middle of the month, which wrapped up my best semester in school to date. I was so proud of myself. I am back in school this semester at Rowan Cabarrus, continuing to realize how much of a perfect decision this was for me to make the transfer there. December was full of Christmas get togethers and visiting friends who were home from school. It was so good to see all of my buddies. Christmas was another amazing holiday for our family. Our huge family was together...and it was complete. All of my aunts and uncle were there, all of the cousins were there, and we all had one of the happiest holidays we've had in awhile! I even got to help Santa out for my new niece! After Christmas I packed up to go off on a week long promotional trip for Camp Shenandoah Springs. Over the course of a week, I went to Emerald Isle, NC. Albemarle, NC, Madison, VA, and Alexandria,VA. It was a busy trip, but a blast, and we made some valuable advances for the camp. I was able to strengthen some valuable relationships we have with the camp as well as make some new relationships. This trip made me more pumped up to get up there and get started. Greater things have yet to come for Camp Shenandoah Springs in 2009, and I am so thankful I get to be a part of it.

January
January has been full of traveling, starting school, and just working. It is still January for a couple of days, so I will update on January, in February!

Basketball

My neighbors across the street have a foreign exchange student living in their home for this year. Our neighborhood is no stranger to this, in fact this is the second foreign exchange student to live in our neighborhood. This afternoon I drove up to my house and saw the whole family across the street raking leaves in their yard. A normal thing in an American family, but not all people have this opportunity to have a yard and rake leaves from their yard. About an hour and half later, I looked out the window and have watched them playing basketball for about 20 mins. What is interesting is that they are teaching this girl the game of basketball. I can't read lips, but I can see their actions and see them teaching her the basics. What is even more entertaining is the fact that she doesn't speak much English, which is making it just a little difficult to teach the game, but none the less, my neighbors are pressing on, and it is a beautiful thing to watch take place.

Love/Hate

I have a love hate relationship with the landscapers at our apartment complex. I love them, because they truly do a great job. They come out here anytime we need them and they are out here quick. Not only that, but while they are here, they seriously take their time with what they do and make sure that they are doing their jobs perfectly, and I mean pretty much perfectly. Here is where the landscaper looses my love. And you know, it's only the one who mows the grass. They start landscaping somewhere around 7:00am. Who lets them in the gate at that hour, I'm not sure but, they start around 7:00am. And they go around every building I swear about 4 times. Not 4 continous times, but 4 times. But you know, this is all just water under the bridge. It's been a great morning for me, and it's not even 9:00. I'm looking cute, feeling great, and I'm on my way to class early so I can stop and get some chick fil a. Then I'm headed home to get my hair did and my toes did. It's going to be a great day for me, even if the landscapers did wake me up :) Have an awesome day, and if you haven't voted, get out and vote!

Blessings!
B

The sanctity of marriage

My heart is heavy tonight. My mom and I were talking tonight in depth about some things, and the sanctity of marriage came up and how parents today don't necessarily teach or show their children how important the sanctity of marriage is. My heart is heavy for those marriages tonight that are screwed up because people who think it's okay to mess with other people's spouses. I will say this loud and clear, if you are someone who thinks that is okay...you probally need to leave my blog right now because we will not be friends for long. I am so thankful that I have parents who have a healthy marriage and who love each other so very much. So parents, start now teaching/showing your children how important the sanctity of marriage is, and how important it is to respect, honor and protect that union. Children, ask your parents, observe your parents, and ask your parents about the sanctity of marriage and why it is so important. Again I will say, I am so thankful for the example that my parents have set for me and my sister. They sometimes spend every ounce of energy they have protecting their union, because they know how important it is.


***Disclaimer: This post was based solely off of a conversation I had with mom that got me thinking***

There is no better time than now...

...to tell my big news!!

I've been putting this off for a couple of months, just because there were certain people I wanted to tell first before the whole blogger world knew, in fact I just figured it was fair that way. Anyway, I'm so ready to announce this! Of course I just can't tell it, I have to tell the story first! So stick with me!

Five summers ago, I began working at a summer camp up in Madison, Virginia. The camp belongs to my best friend Summer's grandparents. It is the type camp that you can do just about anything at. They have summer camps all throughout the summer, and they host retreat groups throughout the year. Her grandparents also have turned their house in to a Bed and Breakfast.
Every summer, it has gotten harder and harder for me to leave that place after summer camp was over. Each summer, a bigger piece of my heart was pulled and broken for that camp. Probally about two years ago, I felt God tugging at my heart to work at that camp full time. Of course, I kicked the voice to the curb and continued to make plans to go to college and major in Social Work. The urge and pull to camp has continued to get stronger and stronger as time has gone on. It's not secret that I hated UNCC and I hated Social Work. It wasn't what I wanted to really do deep down in my heart, I just thought it was.
Back last spring, I began discussing with Summer's mom my heart for the camp and for working for them in some capacity full time. We both agreed to pray about it, and God began working in ways that I can't explain.
I am so very excited to tell you that as of June 1st, 2009, I will be the newest resident of Madison, Virginia and the newest employee of Camp Shenandoah Springs. I will be moving up to the camp to work full time specifically in Marketing and PR. I will also be booking the groups that come as well as working with them when they are at our camp.
In the posts to come, I will explain some more of the story and a little more what this new adventure will entail. Join me in praying that God would put some things in to place for this to happen. I will also share those in the next few posts, but until then, celebrate with me!

B

Procrastination is a gift...

I firmly believe it. I am gifted at the art of procrastination. In fact, I would say I was the queen of it. By all looks of the way things have gone so far today, I am in for a day full of wasting time. It's 2:00pm, and I've been up since 11:30am. Since then I have finished reading a book, (no it was not one I needed to read for school) and I sat down in the office with my co-workers for an hour. Since I've been back I haven't done a single thing useful except be on the internet and check up on peoples blogs. I told you I had a gift. Why do I say this? Because currently, my bookbag is sitting beside my door in my room staring at me, because I know it holds a 10 page take home test that is due Tuesday. It also holds another two take home tests that are due Monday morning at 9:00am. Man do I have a heck of a weekend planned...