Almost Over?

This blog might be more sad than others, maybe not. I don't know. However, today has been a very "real" day. Everything is more real right now. I am about to graduate! This became real because I get to pick up my cap and gown tomorrow. The other thing is I am not going to be living in the Hippo House aka. my apartment with girls much longer. This became real when I realized this is our final week ALL being here. Kayla is about to be gone for 2 weeks to do a Chick-Fil-A grand opening and when she gets back for a few days, I will be moved back to Douglasville. It is crazy!

For 3 years Columbus has been a place where I have built new friendships that I wouldn't trade for the world. I have had a family in Cougars for Christ and the people there. It is crazy to think that in less than 3 weeks I won't be living here. I won't be able to just walk over to Mel's bedroom to talk to her about early childhood education stuff anymore. I won't be going to Common Ground on Thursday nights or Monday night girls dinners with my sweet friends before small group. I won't be going to get fried pickles with Mandi at Country's or going to Momma Goldberg's with Jessica Fonville anymore. I won't be driving back and forth from Douglasville anymore carpooling with Kayla. I won't be able to just call Carla and go to Chill for a frozen yogurt. I will miss going with Stephanie to Chick-Fil-A randomly after student teaching for a stress reliever. I won't be sharing a room with my sweet KK and Carlie. People thought we were crazy, but it has been absolutely great sharing a room with them. I won't forget the times that Kristin Bolt and I did the C4C news dressed as nerds and became so close through that. I won't forget the times Mel and I drove back and forth from Ft. Benning. I won't forget DeeDee moving in with us and that being a blessing getting to spend less than a year with her. I won't forget the wonderful people and things of Columbus. There is so much I can't even begin to say it all. God has truly taught me so much being in this place and I will never forget the people that helped me grow in my walk. I don't think you all know how much you have meant to me. Thank you for giving me a place to be open and honest. Thank you for giving me a place to continue to learn to trust in the Lord and trust in others. Thank you for giving me a place to grow and be me! Who knew that I would be here.. I remember not even planning on coming to Columbus! It shows how funny God is and how He puts us exactly where He wants us.

Now the new chapter comes with me figuring out what exactly the Lord wants me doing. I will be marrying my best friend in 1 month and 1 day! It is crazy to believe that almost 6 years ago God placed this amazing guy in my life that I am getting to spend the rest of my life with. Thankfully he has put up with my crazy self for that long! :) I am excited to see the friends, adventures, opportunities, and so much more that God has for us as our journey will begin together.

Now for an emotional roller coaster of weeks to come! Needless to say I am happy, sad, excited, anxious, stressed, and all kinds of different emotions.

on and on and on and on it goes....

I have a song that I think everyone needs to listen to "One Thing Remains" by Jesus Culture...

oh my goodness! It is amazing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6g4HXXHi2R4

The chorus is "Your love NEVER fails.. it NEVER gives up.. it NEVER runs out on me!!"

One of my favorite parts is "on and on and on and on it goes.. for it overwhelms and satisfies my soul.. and I never ever have to be afraid ONE THING REMAINS!!"

It completely hits me every time I hear it and I get really excited!! Our Father's love NEVER fails, NEVER gives up, and it NEVER runs out on us... even if this happens in the world... It NEVER happens with our God! How AWESOME!

I really am just learning more about His love everyday and everyday I realize more and more how much He loves me and you!

Really, I encourage you to listen to this song.. look at the lyrics...

And if today is one of those days where you are struggling with thinking, "How could He love me?" Remember and rest in the fact that He loves youuuuu!!!

Crazy?!

Hey Everyone!

It has been a while, but that is because my life is crazy busy right now! I am loving every minute though and definitely trying to take it all in. I don't even know where to begin. Let's see...

Student teaching is going good. I can't believe I have already done 10 weeks! That means it is more than halfway over. Thank goodness! I am just ready to be done and graduated... May 9th, I am ready for you!

Wedding planning is going great!! It is down to the stuff that is fun though! Showers start next weekend. I am so excited about the wedding festivities and just spending time with so many awesome people that are just so loving and supportive to Cam and I.

I am learning more about my passions recently and I think it is safe to say.. I am learning that I definitely have a passion for teenage girls. I think I always thought this a little bit, but recently God has just given me so many opportunities to minister and serve teenage girls. It's been awesome! I am currently teaching Sunday School to some awesome 7th and 8th grade girls and leading a high school girls Bible study on the book "Captivating" by John and Stasi Eldredge. Today I actually got to teach a break out session at a mother/daughter conference at my church on "Am I Worth It?". This topic is definitely a struggle for teens and I was so glad I was able to share my heart and what the Word says about how WE ARE WORTH IT! I know it seems simple, but I know that it is not.

God is teaching me so much right now and I can't even begin to describe how I am feeling in my walk right now... He is amazing! I am so glad that I have a God that comforts me in times of need, times that I fail, times that I fear, and so much more. He is so good to us!

Something to end on for this time:: He makes ALL things work together for our good! :)

I know this isn't much, but I will post more hopefully before the wedding...

Another note is Monday marks 2 MONTHS until the wedding!!!!!!!!!! I am so excited to marry my sweet awesome Cam! :)

Christmas and a New Year

Christmas break has been wonderful. I had a wonderful time just spending time with my family. I also had my birthday and turned 22 on the 30th. The break has definitely flown by though and I will begin student teaching on January 10th. That brings lots of stress and nervous feelings to my life, so please be praying for me as I begin that.

So today is New Year's Eve.. and that means tomorrow brings 2011!! 2011 brings so many exciting things.. graduation, marriage, and the next chapter in my life.. I am so incredibly ready to see what God has in store for me over the next year.

2010 has been a great year. I have learned lots and made some wonderful memories. It is crazy to think that another year has come and gone though. The days get faster and faster every year I feel like.

Cameron and I have registered now at 2 places: Target and Bed, Bath, and Beyond. I will probably think of things to add as time goes on.. but we have most of it on there I think! I am so excited to marry him! It is coming so quickly! :)

Cameron and I will also be going to Passion on January 1st through January 4th. I am excited to see what God has in store for me to learn. I am going with an open heart and an open mind to have a teachable spirit.

Love you all!!

Moving?

So this weekend has been interesting, stressful, and fun... Let me start off with the fact that I am thrilled to be done with block 3 lab and know that I am about to be student teaching! We had our last day on Thursday at the elementary school we were teaching at. On Thursday I went over to Alabama to go to the Georgia State vs. Bama game in Tuscaloosa with Valerie, Leigh Anne, and Christina. On the way there I got a phone call from my roommate Melanie saying we got a noise complaint from our downstairs neighbors. Well, I was a little stressed out.. these neighbors have been after us for months. Let me make a note that we NEVER got complaints from the people that lived underneath us before them. These people have approached us in the parking lot and at our door before, when you aren't even supposed to do that.

Okay, so our apartment complex office said in this notice that we would need to move to a bottom apartment or move out of the apartment complex for whatever it says in the rental agreement. At this point I was really mad!! I was also in traffic, which made me late to the game.. but that's okay. Anyway, this was not okay. Melanie had to go talk to the new manager that we just got at our apartment complex (who at this point didn't know any of the past that we had with these neighbors). Melanie went on Friday and they came to the conclusion that for our safety we should move to the bottom apartment. Was I a little stressed? Yes! However, I do believe it will be better for us in the end. I mean the other night they came and almost banged our door down, because they have anger issues and don't want us to walk around our apartment (that is the whole issue, since I haven't said that already).. They can't even hear us talking, they just say that we walk around too late.. Well people, it is an apartment.. that's okay though!

We are going to be moving to a new bottom apartment the week after Thanksgiving, even though we are all moving out in May. The positives are: 1. We will be getting away from these neighbors. 2. It is a better apartment. 3. We don't have to pay more money for the better apartment. I mean it isn't ideal to have to move to only have to live their for 5 months, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do. We are going to make the best of the situation. I figure there are other things in this world that are bigger issues than having to move apartments.

Now, I am not going to lie and say I was just okay with this situation at first. I was mad, sad, stressed, and many other emotions. However, I am so glad I finally got okay and at peace with the situation. I mean I probably shed too many tears over the situation. I am now ready to move and reorganize our new apartment after Thanksgiving.

I am super excited about Thanksgiving break and spending time with my wonderful family!

This situation made me think a lot about the Bible study we have been doing with our C4C girls small group on James.. It's been amazing and well this verse has just been heavy on my heart recently..

² Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. ³ For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. ⁴ So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

James 1:2-4

Where do I begin?

Where do I begin? Well I feel like life is moving so fast recently, but exciting things have been happening and that's been great! However, I sometimes sit and think that I just need to stop and take in every moment that is happening.. I try to do that anyway, but let's just be honest that is hard to do all of the time. Well, at least for me!

I have been wedding planning, finishing up my last semester before student teaching, enjoy being with my C4C family in Columbus, hang out with my friends, and other things... that sometimes I just sit back and think ::Where is the time going?? Is the day really already gone??:: I really got thinking about this during last weekend while I was on the Cougars 4 Christ fall retreat. We had a hour quiet time and I just sat there and thought how wonderful it was to have a whole hour just to spend time with the Creator. I got to enjoy that moment in life to think about all of the wonderful things that are going on in my life instead of just rushing around in the hustle and bustle of life and not getting to just take it all in.

On a different note, the wedding planning is coming along really well. It has been fun and exciting and I am very excited about this time in our lives! I definitely have lots of exciting things going on and that has been fun!! I have my first student teaching meeting this Friday and so it will be fun to start figuring out all of that stuff as well. I have been wanting to write in my blogs more, but with it being the end of the semester it has been a little harder to write as often.

I'm Engaged!

Well, I am now engaged to my sweet Cameron Wilkins! We had such a memorable trip to California visiting Jessica and Luke. I was surprised and got proposed to on that Friday night when we were in LA. We went to the observatory when the sun was setting and were taking pictures of the beautiful LA skyline. Cameron and I were turned around taking a picture facing the skyline and he got down on one knee and asked me! Of course,I said yes!! We are both so excited about this new chapter in our lives!

Our whole trip to Cali was great! We did lots of fun things and ate lots of good food! Needless to say it was an AWESOME fall break!!

We are going to be getting married May 14, 2011!

I will write a new blog soon!

Here are just a couple of the pictures we took in Cali. We took over 150, so I can't put all of them up!