Thanksgiving...A Month Late

I finally have time to get on here! We're leaving tomorrow for Christmas (I have four), and I'll be out of touch for awhile. Here's what's been going on...
We had a new addition to the family in June - Tanner Augustus. He's 6 months old, and he's sooooo adorable! My grandma got a new dog to keep her company. He's beautiful. and his name is Sam. He reminds us of the dog from The Proposal (but he's gray). I also discovered a new hair product that keeps my hair PIN straight. Bigtime. It's called straight sexy hair, and it was only $7 at Marshall's. Woop woop, sales!
This quarter started with Tech Talk, athletics and life picking up. I'm still looking for jobs and apartments in Boston like crazy. I know God will provide, but it's hard having that security that a job and apartment will be there - and that I can afford it.

So more recent.
I got home last Thursday night around 11. My dad and I met in Vicksburg (he had to meet with clients all day), so we ate at Rusty's. It was SOOOO good!
On Friday, I got an iPhone 3GS. Yes, folks...Sarah is in touch with the world. It's been the best thing I've ever done. And it has a pink OtterBox. Oh yes.

Slater, one of my best friends from high school, moved back home from Dallas. We've been hanging out A LOT, and apparently we're awkward and loud in public. Poor people around us. We try out the massage chairs in Bed, Bath and Beyond and pick out bedding and china like we're getting married or something. That's totally not going to happen, but it's fun to hear people ask if we have kids, are dating, are married or are engaged. The stories we come up with are great.

I'm finishing some packing and such for tomorrow, but I attached pics with narration! Merry Christmas, y'all!

My annual pic by the Christmas tree!

My grandma's new dog, Sam! He's precious!

The Nobles had a Christmas gingerbread party.
Here's Katherine and me reppin' class of '08!

Slater in BBB. This is probably
why people give us strange looks

This is my absolute dream bed!

Updates

I finally have a little bit of time to update this thing! I have an 8:00 Spanish class, so I need to leave in five minutes. Yikes!
Okay so I totally wish I had the schedule I did last year. I thought life was so hard as a reporter. I loved the interviews, but it interfered with my social life. This year? I don't know what a social life is. I kind of like that - keeps me on the books, but I miss my friends. I LOVE what I do- attending sporting events, covering stories, getting to know my reporters and writing more about sports- which is my love.
This is a brief look at my week (every week...hardly a change, unless the other sports ed does the layout)
Monday- class, journalism lab for a few hours, Sonic, babysitting, possibly back to the lab, Zumba, bed
Tuesday- lab, class, Sonic, babysitting, staff meeting, Zumba or remain in the lab till late, bed
Wednesday- class, lab for final edits, babysit, Zumba, bed
Thursday- (one day to sleep in), class, Sonic, babysit till about 6, Zumba or a volleyball game, bed
Friday-class then my one and only free day....oh wait, I spend it laying out the next week's page and doing a ton of homework.
Weekends? Football games and homework,
Note: I cram in some time to get homework and studies done throughout the week.
So that's basically my life for now. Nov. 18, I'll get a two week break. Hallelujah.

A New Change

October has been one of the most stressful months in my life. Tech has take off in the athletic department, and time has not been on my side. I feel like a terrible person for neglecting friends, putting off homework and not spending time with Christ. After all, He is the one who gives me a new day and constantly shows His love for me.
I'm heading home next weekend, and I honestly cannot wait. I'm not a fan of the shampoo and conditioner I have here, so that's one thing I can't wait to change out (lame, I know). My parents came up Sept. 25-26, and I can't wait to watch football with my dad and drive around my hometown. I can't wait to do laundry, eat out with my parents and stay connected with them. I've learned so much about their sacrifices recently, and I'm eternally grateful to have such amazing, loving parents.
I've decided to go through another music change. I get caught on secular music so much, and it seems that I never have time to listen to Christian music that lifts me up and draws me closer to my Creator. So anyways, I'm off to bed. I needed to update my blog and get some stuff off my chest!

September

September has been one of the roughest months of my life. I moved to Tech September 6, had my first drink- a strawberry daiquiri- with some friends, got my pantry stocked with food and spent a day shopping with a friend. God had different plans that week. My mom called me at 1:50 on September 7 to inform me my grandpa had passed. His last breath was roughly at 1:20. That was one of the hardest days I can recall. I had a meeting at 2:00 and had plans to go to Monroe with my roommate the following day.
My mom told me I needed to come home that evening or the next morning. I told staff of the school paper that I had to go home, explained what happened and went to my friend Lauren's house. Her grandpa died this past summer of Alzheimer's. Like my grandparents, he was faithfully married to his wife for 53 years. Lauren comforted me and helped me get my mind off of the death so I would be able to drive home safely. Her brother helped provide some hilarious entertainment.
I pulled to my driveway at 8:36 and immediately unpacked the main things I brought home. I forgot pajamas and camisoles, but my mom assured they'd find some stuff for me. That week was chaos. We did some shopping- mostly clothes for the funeral- and spent a lot of time with family. Everything was so bittersweet. We know my grandpa is in a better place, but Thanksgiving and Christmas are going to be very difficult this year. I know he's with Jesus, cheering for the Saints every Sunday.
Adjusting to my junior year of college was rather difficult. I got back on Sunday and immediately had a class at 8:00 Monday morning. My friends were exactly what I needed these past few weeks. I've had a ton of love and support despite the fact that I never have much time to spend with them. My roommate has been phenomenal at taking care of what I haven't been able to do, and I'm so blessed to room with her again this year. I watch a professor's kids from 2:40-5 or later every day and have learned so much about life from that experience.
It's 3:09 a.m., and I cannot sleep. I tossed and turned, knocked out and was woken up by a fire truck around 1. Since then, my eyes won't remain shut. Ugh. On a positive note, September is almost gone, my parents and grandma are coming up this weekend and God's promises are new every day. And I think the guy above me that's knocking holes in the wall or moving furniture is almost done.

Daniel 45. It's good stuff.

Life

These past few days have really shown about life. A friend had a baby Monday morning, but a childhood friend was killed in Afghanistan yesterday morning. I have another friend that is very pregnant, and my grandpa is reaching the end of his life. I find life miraculous. Considering my grandpa has cancer, and I'm just praying we'll have a final Christmas together, I know he's headed to a place far better than Earth. My friend Joey gave his life for our freedom's sake. It's rough when you know a soldier over there, but when you know one that was killed, freedom is suddenly not taken for granted. My cousin John has been overseas a few times. We pray for him a lot, but we never know if we'll get the call that something happened. In Joey's case, he contacted me a few weeks ago just to see how life's been. I'm so grateful I had those final words with him, thanking him for defending our freedom.
Though Joey is gone, the memories of us growing up together will forever remain in my heart. I've noticed how proud parents are of their kids- Joey's mom was beaming when he announced he was joining the Marines. Kaitlyn, my friend who had the baby the other day, is a happy mother. Her mom, my boss, came to work yesterday beaming from ear to ear as pictures were passed around. I realized the strong love a mother has for her children.
I know that when my grandpa passes (as we all will someday), he'll be in heaven. No more cancer, no more pain, no more problems coughing. He won't struggle with learning how to walk again or talking with a dry mouth. His leak that is dripping fluid to his lungs will be healed.
Anywho, I'm off to go brave the lines at Target and Marshall's (it's been 5 days since I've been) before coming home to pack more junk. Yay.

Our life is just a mist, but eternity with Jesus lasts forever.

FINALLY!

I got off work today and immediately popped in The Devil Wears Prada, as I started my journey of organizing my room. So much got chunked, and it's allllllllll clean now! Most of my stuff is all packed for school, and I drive up Thursday to unload everything! Yayyyy! Just thought I'd blog on how I FINALLY got it all clean and pretty!

STOP!

Okay so I have gone beyond my budget this week at Marshall's. It's bad.
I've been there every day since Thursday, and I'm putting a stop to it! Though the anti-aging cream is working, and Calm by Rusk is phenomenal (gave my locks a Hollywood look today), my money is draining rather fast. I went there this evening on a mission to find a black cardigan. Simple, chic, goes with everything (well, almost). An hour later, I'm checking out two shirts priced at $7 each (a BCBG $140 top, mind you), straightening serum and Amazing Grace by Philosophy firming lotion. Heaven in a bottle is its new nickname from me.
I also have to stop wasting time in Target. While I had a productive morning there- $6 black pumps and $8 metallic ballet flats with flowers on the toe, it's draining my wallet as well. I usually go there on my days off, enjoy my iced coffee and stroll around the store. The clearance cosmetics and clothes are killing me! I did come out with some useful things- makeup sponges and a makeup organizer (well, I made it that). While strolling through the organizing section, I came across a small caddy with three drawers. BOOM! Makeup sorter. I got soooo excited. I sorted my makeup by face (moisturizer, foundation, powder), blush/eyeshadow and mascara/eyeliner/eye products/eyelash curler. It looks BEAUTIFUL without an eyesore. I also went through the clothes I'm bringing back to school with me and took out a chunk of them. I just don't wear them anymore, so why keep them? Well it was that or I just knew I wouldn't wear it.
I'm about to put some lotion on my feet and hit the sack (church then nannying tomorrow). The only reason I lie awake is because the house needed some picking up. The floors are mopped, wood floors clean and I'm about to tackle the bathrooms. Tomorrow night I'll focus on my room, as I prepare to load more stuff to bring up with me Wednesday (coming home Thursday then moving Labor Day).
Anywho, I am off to clean down the bathrooms and knock out!

A New Me

After turning 21 on Tuesday, I decided to make some major changes in my life. While some are rather small, it's time for a grown-up Sarah. This does NOT mean I gave up the Jonas Brothers. Considering two are older than I am, it's still healthy.

Here's the list:

1. My hair has not gotten the treatment it deserves from me. While most people can use $3 shampoos and conditioners, there's two stores out there called Marshalls and TJ Maxx that sell salon products for less. I bought Just Brunette (a UK salon line) shampoo and conditioner, and my hair is already smoother than my Pantene Pro V. Guess how much I paid for 1 liter each? Eight buckos. That's right. I went back today and bought Broaer shampoo/conditioner liters that were $15 for the set. Did I mention I got a Rusk calming cream that rinses out for $3? Here's to Sarah's new pretty locks.

2. I'm going to start using anti-aging cream. I know I'm 21 and look a few years older than I am, after being mistaken for 30 a few times this summer, and for being a parent yesterday, it's time for the cream. I found this $6 cream at Marshalls (originally $18) that will soon give me firmer skin. 

3, My skin needs better treatment and has gotten more oily over the years. I found a Kiehl's mask at EarthSavers for $6 (clearance) and Robanda facial cleansing lotion at, you guessed it, Marshalls. 

3. I have always thought pedicures look really professional. About every six weeks in the summer, I treat myself to one. It keeps my feet looking fresh, and it's relaxing. I usually go to the cheap salons, but to maintain my pedicure, I'm starting to keep lotion on my feet at night. Did you know it's illegal for them to razor your feet? They don't clean them (usually- they always do at the one I go to), and they make your feet callus up more. My heels have the tendency to crack and bleed, so this is a major necessity.

4. I'm turning into a tightwad. I know I just said I was getting pedicures, but that's $25 every 6 weeks (if that often), AND I'm cutting back on when I go out to eat. Last year I noticed a major change in my weight when I bought and cooked my meals rather than processed foods. Michelina's $1 dinners are cheap, but if you can make meals for about $20/week, you'll feel better. Who knows what they put in that stuff. 

5. I'm going to push myself to study more. Last year I really slacked off, and this year I have got to be on my game. No more dinners and friend times if I have a test the next day.

6. I have got to stay more organized. In June, I chunked half of my summer wardrobe. I refuse to really buy anything else until I drop more weight- I've lost 11, so I have about 54 to go. 

7. Once school starts back up, I'm going to do physical activity- Zumba, spin, elliptical, whatever- for almost an hour/day. Statistics say students who do that have a GPA .4 higher than those who don't. Maybe I'll look younger, too. 

8. I'm going to try to have all my clothes basically hanging off of me so I can get a new wardrobe. This new wardrobe will have finer pieces of clothing as well as about half of what I own now. 

9. I bought a devotional book, and though it's weekly, I really try to keep up with it and focus on the main point of the story daily. I also stopped reading most worldly novels. They just aren't good for my spiritual walk. 

10. I'm going to purge most of my old shampoos from hotels. How? Bubble baths. Hotel shampoos give the BEST bubble baths. Just saying.

That's a wrap of most of my spiel, but I feel like I got a lot off my chest of what needs to get done! I have to nanny super late tonight, but I'm sure I'll be blogging tomorrow.

Before I forget:

11. I have got to get at least 8 hours of sleep/night. If I fall below it, I'll make it up the next day. I'm a much happier person when I wake up refreshed by sleep and Starbucks.

Eat, Pray, Love

I have not seen the movie, "Eat, Pray, Love," and I have read just a chapter of the book. Based on the spoilers I read (yes, I read ahead to see if I'd actually finish the book in time to go see the movie),  I'm about to go off on my conclusion.
Scenario: happily married woman in her dream New York house with a great husband. Sounds like something we all want, right? Not this main character. Oh no, she is selfish enough to want her desires fulfilled and divorces her charming husband who bought the house so they could start a family. It goes on from there. She has an affair THEN divorces him. First off, as a Christian woman who just wants to find a Mr. Right that I can love and be with till death, I have a major problem with this movie. The Bible doesn't tell women to just up and leave your husband for your internal happiness. If you thought you'd be miserable, why did you get married in the first place? I also find it horribly self-absorbing. "I'm not happy with the fact that I have my ideal life, so I'm going to call it quits and go all over the world to discover other countries with my girlfriends and sail off in the sunset with a man named Felipe that I'll eventually marry and leave because I'm not satisfied with my life." <- main thing I got from the story.
I know I'm coming down rather hard on the movie and book, and granted, I haven't finished reading the book (nor do I really care to anyways since looking at spoilers), but I need some amens here.
When you get married, you are giving yourself to that other person. You're saying you love them enough to do what they want and vice versa. You serve each other and spend time together. You're supposed to fall more in love as the marriage progresses, raise children together, dress Sally and Billy for church and go on family picnics. You're supposed to buy them frou frou clothing and take Billy to baseball practice while Sally goes to dance lessons. As the kids get older, you take them to school and make them cute lunches with sweet notes inside. You drop them a block away from school when they're embarassed in their early teenage years. You stay up for them while they go out with friends- or you have date night with your spouse. It's not all-about-me anymore. It's about "us."
I don't know if I'll be able to finish the book simply because it breaks my heart to read a story of a woman who leaves her spouse to find her inner desires and self with her friends, when one of her friends is opposed to the divorce. Heck, her husband begs her not to do this!
Okay so I'm getting off my soap box. I felt strongly opposed to this movie, and maybe I will finish the book and like it. When I get married, I plan to only do it once to a godly guy who puts Christ first in everything.

Exhaustion

I babysat till 2 am, so I'm about to hit the sack for a few hours. I'm also not in the best of moods at this time due to exhaustion, but once I get some shut eye, it'll be all good :)
As I'm loading Glorieta pics to Facebook, I think I need to blog and explain some. So here we go!
This first pic is the winding staircase at the Loretto Chapel. It's beautiful!

This is the Pecos River. We spent some time out there Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, as we embraced the cold yet fresh water. Going to the Pecos is my absolute favorite thing to do during Glorieta.

This would be the road by the Pecos River. LOVE it!

Anywho, I'm off to naptime, but i thought I should load some New Mexico pics. More to come...PROMISE!

Glorieta

This past week I was in a beautiful city called Glorieta. Located in the mountains by Santa Fe, Glorieta has been my favorite camp EVER these past three years. This year I really felt God's presence, even moreso my first year. It was then I felt God telling me to end the relationship with the guy I was dating. I felt Him tell me He had someone way better in mind; someone in Boston. I followed through and ended it. I'm totally happy single and wish him the best. Last year I didn't feel any specific callings, but little did I know what was in store.
I've felt mega called to Boston this past week. Everything fit. The first night I prayed God would show me a way, and boy did He ever! I saw a girl with a Boston sweatshirt and Red Sox hats. Throughout the week, I saw tons and tons of Red Sox apparel and even a shirt that said "pray for boston." I glanced up and saw it then immediately said, "Okay, God, I get it now...I'll go!" Well getting up there is the hard part, and I started worrying about it. Yesterday I was eating lunch and someone announced there was a guy from Boston looking for missionaries and people interested up there. The previous night I had a strong tug on my heart that God was calling me for missions, and this was another door that opened. I swear these people dropped from heaven and appeared right in front of me. I was totally blown away and have held back tears all week. God's really shown Himself to me in ways more than I could imagine. For so long I've run on my own and have done my own thing as if I was telling God, "I know You have these plans for me and rules, but I'm going to test on my own and come up with my own reasonings, even if they don't exactly line up with Yours."
How wrong was I? I was basically telling God I had things on my own and I could handle it, when honestly I was digging myself in a pit. I felt this whole Boston thing is like a rope thrown down and lured me out. The Boston guy was probably the best thing that could happen this week. He told me about how much he loved New England and how there was a need for missionaries there. I'm not one to jump out at people or preach, but I would absolutely love to lead someone to Christ out of the blue. I make friends with everyone, so I was picturing myself ordering a latte at Starbucks and sharing my faith with the atheist next to me - or even the person in line at Walmart. If you know me, you know I get everyone's life stories. It's the absolute truth, I've made the most friends at Walmart and the airport than you could imagine.
Anyways, I had to blog about this past week. There's so much more I'll type later, but as of right now my clothes just got done in the dryer, and my final load of laundry is done (I'm a laundry geek who LOVES having a fresh hot pair of pjs or bedsheets...and I love to iron).

A BAD Day

Yesterday was good- I babysat, went to work and got a pedicure. I had brownies and mac and cheese and acted like a kid.

Life.was.good.

Not today.

Here's how my day from hell went:

1. I woke up.

2. I made my bed and accidentally stepped on my snoozing laptop. No big, I've done that before, but just wait.

3. I straightened my hair, and it turned into a slight frizzball.

4. I get to work, and I nearly break the scanner. It won't load my name

5. My computer at work (a PC), had an orange flashing light until the superhero Amy came to fix it

6. The copier jammed some mega paper this morning

7. I went to get a drink from Sonic and passed it up. Ugh.

8. I got home in reference to No. 2 and discovered my Mac has a slight crack on the left screen. Not good. I seriously almost cried and immediately made phone calls. It's going to cost AT LEAST $300. A place in Mandeville is calling me back in the morning.

So tonight I've dusted my room, and I'm watching Losing It with Jillian. I'm about to eat some steak and then clean the bathroom then kick back and relax. 

So tomorrow's agenda is to scope out this place to fix my computer, pay my parents for car insurance, vacuum, sweep, mop, clean house and butter up my parents so they don't flip out about my Mac and start chunking stuff out again. 

On another note, I'm dying my hair in an hour. Wish me luck!

I Need A Pedicure

I just looked at my heels and had a major realization: I need a pedicure. Well the other sign was when my toenail clung to the blanket in the ICU waiting room. It was gross. But alas, a pedicure will make my feet feel beautiful and surely they will look amazing. So here's an update on my grandpa: he had his stomach removed Thursday night, and I went up Friday morning to see him. He's still puffy, he's in ICU and we were pretty much assured today that he might not make it out of the hospital alive. I have been telling myself that since he's been put in, but my mom and grandma took the news terribly. I'm thankful for the time I spent with him this weekend- even if it was 15 minutes a day. The doctors have been honest and helpful (not to mention one was gorgeous) and the nurses have done their utmost best. My family cannot express how much prayers and phone calls mean. The friends of my grandparents are the greatest. Same with the people who bring food (that's to you, Mrs. Cecil, who brought the Shipley Donuts and Firehouse Subs).
I learned something in the ICU waiting room today. While meeting other people in there, I learned we all have a story of how we know someone in there. This includes my cousin's math teacher whose mother is in ICU. Other families with small children come in the waiting room, waiting to see the doctors, praying for a glimpse of hope. After we basically got worse case scenario today, another family checked on us throughout the day. It was so refreshing to have people that fully understand because their loved one is ill in the back. Granted, sickness and suffering is terrible, but considering both patients (my grandpa and this lovely lady) are Christians, they know they won't suffer much longer. I hate seeing my grandpa confined to his bed and unconscious, but his smile when he hears my grandma's voice, and his motion towards the music my dad plays on his computer are relaxing enough to him that we all know he enjoys it.
So before I go see my grandpa next Friday, I am absolutely getting a pedicure and will return with pretty toes and a grateful attitude for every moment I'll get to spend with my grandpa.

My Hectic Day...and Road Rage

I seriously have waited all day to FINALLY blog about this day. So here goes.
This morning I woke up and lounged around till about 6:45, which is when I needed to go get coffee, go to the gym to take a shower (don't hate) then go to work. All was fine and dandy until I got out of my car, only to notice that my gym bag seemed extra light. As I walked from my car to the entrance (hey, it counts as exercise- gym bag= weight AND I walked a good three minutes each way), I noticed my bag was light today. I apparently was half asleep because once I got out of the shower (the main reason for going- spa shower with heads coming from each direction AND spa shampoo/conditioner/body wash in three separate pumps), I noticed I forgot my makeup AND hair products. So.not.good. So I drove 15 minutes the OTHER way headed home, did the five-minute full face (I'm a pro...no, really) then undid my hair from its wet messy bun and scrunched it with products faster than you could say aloha and scurried off to work. I did take a brief minute to add more milk to my iced coffee that was half empty (hey, I needed an extra boost of protein). So I'm headed to work, and I realized I had the bagel I bought this morning at the coffee shop in my glove box (bagel=carbs, which you need daily - duh- and the cream cheese is a dairy product. I kicked two out in the span of two hours). As I'm singing my head off to who knows what on the radio and nearing the office, some IDIOT driver thinks that when you pull up, she can just go after I waited on the drive in front of her to full-on brake, go then it was my turn. No, she went, and boy did I blow my horn. I held on to it for five seconds, threw my hands in the air (my road rage technique) and sped off. The frustrated woman knew I had caught her in the act (muahahahaha) and was mad 'cause she couldn't get away with it. I really love honking my horn. If I go the usual way from the gym, I have to cross this bridge that merges into one lane...boy do I really honk then. If you know the lane ends, don't come whipping around traffic to try and let ME let YOU (the idiot) over. Oh no, brother...you have to stick it out. I've done some major tailgating and honking to ensure people they are not allowed over.
After a day of sorting claims at work, I grabbed a smoothie (hey- it had strawberries and bananas (fruits), honey, milk (dairy) and ice (water). That thing was delish AND I was able to exchange my broken gladiators- the zipper broke on the back of them. It was rather tragic, considering they were my faves. After all of that, I got home, watched The Fresh Beat Band (yes, I'm insanely in love with Jon Beavers and technically he's not a pedo if he's a good dancer and can make my heart melt) then bathed. Bath No. 2 of the day. Soon after, I pulled my hair back in a wet messy bun and cleaned my room. I'm going to BR to see BFF Ashley tomorrow, go to Lauren's grandpa's funeral Wednesday then drive back to BR and come home with Ashley on Thursday. We're exploring Madisonville, and she leaves Friday. I'm SO excited, especially since my parents are bummed that I never invite my friends over. Considering I babysat every single Friday and/or Saturday night the final three years in high school, that was physically impossible. And my friends lived on the other side of town.
So anywho, my french manicure has dried and my bed is calling my name. Goodnight, world :)
And yes, I am going to the gym to bathe and fix my hair in the morning...then I have to get an oil change. Woot woot. And work. Then get off, grab my stuff and see BFF Ashley. Oh this is gonna be fun :D

Boston

If you know me, you know I have a true obsession with Boston (Bahston)...hence the username. I decided to throw some of my fave pics in. The second right one is some fancy hotel. BEAUTIFUL! The skyline picture with the chain and sunset pictures are from Sky 108 photography. I absolutely love their work!

Ahh Today

Life has been crazy lately, but I finally had a day off where I could do whatever I wanted. I woke up at 9, left the house at 10:30 and started an adventure. Here's a list:

-Went to Target and got Starbucks :D

-Got a donut at Mandeville Bake Shop

-Drove to the Lakefront and visited the health foods store. I didn't buy a thing.

-Went to Walmart...it was five star

-Got a sandwich from Subway...mmmmm....

-Went to Old Navy to buy shorts. Instead, I got jeans :D

-Bought a Boston book at Barnes & Noble

-Drank Fiji water, met with my friend Amy and then read for an hour in B&N. It was heavenly.

-Got a caramel macchiato from Starbucks. Mmmm.

-Went to the dentist. No cavities! YAY!

-Drove back across the lake and went to Fresh Market

-Bought supplies to make dinner at Fresh Market and Piggly Wiggly

-Cooked dinner

AAAANNNDDD now I'm folding laundry from last night watching So You Think You Can Dance and waiting on Boston Med!

I had to fix dinner tonight, so I decided to make an orange chicken bowl. It was a hit! The dish had plenty of your daily fruits and veggies...and protein: chicken, carrots, broccoli, brown rice and soy sauce. Top with orange juice and add final stir. Boom! Done!

Two Months!

Soooooo A LOT has happened these past few months. Like TONS. Let me make a list and then explain:

-Completed second year of college (woot woot)

-Moved home

-Saw my old friends and enjoy every moment with them

-My mom's looking at a new car

-My grandpa got super sick with terrible news as a result

-I lost 8 pounds

-My room is getting uncluttered daily

-I chunked half my closet

-I need to stop spending money

Here's the news on my grandpa, and it's so hard for me to tell in person without wanting to break down and cry:

Saturday night around 11:30, we received a phone call that he was rushed to the hospital. He hadn't felt well all day, and he was swelling terribly. My mom knocked on my door and told me. I had a hard time falling asleep after news broke. Fear swelled in me, and I prayed myself to sleep that it would be okay. After church on Sunday, we drove to Hattiesburg. Entering the hotel room, he looked healthy, strong and okay. Little did we know what was going on in his stomach.

My grandpa has had stomach problems for about 15 years. Doctors never got the bright idea to scope out his stomach, and when they finally did, we got the terrible news. Yesterday morning, my mom pulled me aside in the breakroom at work and told me the word. The C word. Cancer. She held herself together fairly well as I found more details. We don't know the advancement, but all we're doing is praying. There's a prayer chain going on in Tomball Texas for my family right now. I've seen what prayer can do, and we're hoping the doctors can go in and take care of this thing.

My grandpa is 77. He's lived a good life and has been married to my grandma for nearly 53 years. This year makes 54. She won't leave his side but is staying faithful in prayer throughout this.

I love my grandpa's blue eyes. They're a soft sky blue- one of the lightest shades you can imagine. I love talking to him and hearing the stories he shares. This past Christmas we shelled pecans together, and I was totally filled in on the family gossip. We shell peas together in the summers and can green beans. He's one of the hardest working men I know, and he loves loves LOVES Jesus. My grandparents are the strongest Christians I know. I jokingly (and lovingly) call them psychobaptists, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

The Christmas Story is always read at Christmas, they send sweet encouraging cards full of scripture and my grandma gets all of these senior citizen Christian living magazines. They take a nap every afternoon while Gaither music is playing on their Sirius station. I drove their 96 Crown Vic, and they always ask me to drive up and visit them in my new car. My grandpa loves asking me questions about my car and college and life, and I love hearing his opinion on things. I remember him saying at Christmas, "Your grandma has been so negative lately. I love her to death, but I need a break!" Turns out, she's Type II Diabetic. All of us love the new her- positive and outgoing. She's more at ease.

We're praying that if all goes through, he can go to MD Anderson. That would be ideal for a few reasons. We have close friends in Houston, I'd get to see BFF Tay while my grandpa gets the best treatment and it would be a happy family reunion for all of us. I'm praying that Anderson goes through. I can't stand to say goodbye just yet - I mean, I've dreamt of him holding my kids someday.

The most comforting thing I've found, and the last thing I'll mention is the song "Safe" by Phil Wickham. The lyrics are:

To the one who's dreams are falling all apart
And all you're left with is a tired and broken heart
I can tell by your eyes you think your on your own
but you're not all alone

Have you heard of the One who can calm the raging seas
Give sight to the blind, pull the lame up to their feet
With a love so strong and never let you go
oh you're not alone

You will be safe in His arms
You will be safe in His arms
'Cause the hands that hold the world are holding your heart
This is the promise He made
He will be with You always
When everything is falling apart
You will be safe in His arms

Did you know that the voice that brings the dead to life
Is the very same voice that calls you to rise
So hear Him now He's calling you home
You will never be alone

These are the hands that built the mountains
the hands that calm the seas
http://www.elyricsworld.com/safe_lyrics_phil_wickham.html
These are the arms that hold the heavens
they are holding you and me

These are hands that healed the leper
Pulled the lame up to their feet
These are the arms that were nailed to a cross
to break our chains and set us free

I use this song as a constant reminder that in no matter what walk in life, God is holding us close in his arms like a father embraces a scared and frightened (or happy and content) child. I pray you always feel the same love and closeness in Him as I have felt lately.

Price of Beauty

So I'm sitting here with hot rollers in my hair about to load on mascara for church as I ponder what I saw on "The Price of Beauty." Jessica Simpson's new show has Simpson and friends travel across the world to different areas to find true beauty. In America it's the size -2, super thin, makeup with the rockin' hair. The one and only episode I saw this morning showed her traveling to Uganda. The translater/guide there took her crew to a tribe where fat was beauty. When a bride has two months before her wedding, she is taken to a "fattening hut"--actual term--and she must constantly drink whole milk. In those two months, the bride gained 80 pounds. I'm just saying, if I gained 80 pounds (I did in a short amount of time once, but that was before being diagnosed with thyroid disease), I would undergo a major depression. Simpson even asked men of the tribe about beauty and they said they preferred very fat women, like their cows. Having a fat woman and having a fat cow shows wealth. In America it's if you have a Mercedes, huge house and the Chanel purse, you have wealth. What different lifestyles! I decided to rant about it an hour later as I procrastinate taking hot rollers out of my hair for church.

Oh and the bride on her wedding day must wear a black veil and not be seen by the groom until after the ceremony. CRAZY!

Awakening

Earlier this week, a friend of mine on the school paper invited me to go to a worship service with her on Friday night. I agreed to go, and I even felt compelled after she told me you are changed once you leave. I was curious as to how this would be, but I didn't want to judge the worship style. For instance, you say, "It was Pentecostal." What's the first thing people ask my fellow Baptist friends and me..."WAS THERE FALLING TO THE GROUND?"

I LOVE it. I mean it's sad that we have a way of categorizing religions (that's probably a reason I changed to Non-Denominational in April 2009), but the worship was totally different than what I imagined. Angela (my friend) and I went to dinner before going and we discussed what we think Christianity is: relationship, not religion. I told her I grew up Baptist but started attending a Non-Denominational church in college because I felt my fit. Everyone could worship how they wanted. The next part was the shocker. I asked her what kind of service it is, and she let out a laugh and said, "Assemblies of God."

What was my first response? "Oh my gosh, do yall speak in tongues and do that weird healing thing and knock people to the floor?"

After looking puzzled and laughing again, she said they speak in tongues but do not do the others listed because that would be the Pentecostals. See what I mean? Religion is categorized!

Anywho so we went to the service after leaving Logan's (FYI- best rolls EVER and good food...it was my first time going). Once we go to the church, we had well over an hour before the service. Angela's a happy greeter lady whose love language is acts of service (picked that one out in 5 seconds). She was the nicest greeter to anyone who came in. I met all of her buddies, but to be totally honest, I was worried about service. I was part of Chi Alpha last year, which is an Assemblies of God organization, but no one ever did that weird stuff. It was very laid back and very powerful worship. I loved it. No one spoke in tongues loudly- if so, it was to themselves and everyone was free in their worship. And this may be weird, but I get so much more out of a worship service at a Non-Denom or Assemblies of God church rather than at a Baptist. Strange, I know but why? Everyone I saw last night was so genuine. One girl danced her heart out. Another guy walked around praying rather loud, but he was sincere. A girl fell on hands and knees and people laid hands on her, but they were praying for her- I'd seen that done in Baptist churches, so I wasn't freaked out.

The main thing that freaked me out was the super long altar call. It had to be 45 minutes long, which is 15 more than my longest. In high school we had groups come in for Spiritual Emphasis Week (I went to a private Non-Denom high school), and my freshman year had a 30 minute long altar call. I left that week changed and a new person. My mom noticed an increase in my behavior and knew sending me there was the best thing.

The pastor went through 1 Peter 1, Psalms and Jonah. It was refreshing. He explained that if we are making excuses for not being intimate with God, we are sinking to the floor like Jonah. Even though we hit rock bottom, He is there. We sang Desert Song by Hillsong (just bought that good song this morning), and he told us that when we're in the dry phase of our walk, He is there. I won't lie, I felt like my toes had been stepped on and I had just tried to walk over hot coals when I left there. I had made excuses for so many things this past year and haven't been as strong as I was last year or even in high school. I'd pray to God as I fell asleep every night, but couldn't take 10 minutes to crack open my Bible.

It was like I was using God as Santa Claus or hoping that He would just guide me through the next day. I know that He has answered several prayers for so many reasons I cannot fathom. What really became evident for me was everytime before and during a date, I always pray that God guards my heart, allowing what needs to happen to happen. For that reason, the farthest I've ever gone with a guy is holding hands. I've never had the temptation to kiss someone 1. I don't know how and 2. I'm scared I'll mess it up (know what I mean?). Turns out Angela is a fellow virgin lipper. In her words, "My first kiss is going to be magical, and bang sha bang bang!"

It was like another prayer had been answered. I wasn't the only girl in her 20s that had never been kissed. A burden was lifted. I went through a phase where I was saving that kiss for my wedding day, but now I'm just holding off until there is a guy that deserves that part of me. As I was cleaning last night, I became aware that whatever you give your firsts to, your future spouse will never be apart of. I dated a guy in 2008 who held my hand for the first time and took me on multiple dates a week. I had never had that experience before. I broke things off because I went to a camp and felt God telling me there was someone else out there, someone who will blow me away. I was talking to a guy friend and when we went out a few weeks ago, he invited me to stay the night since it was getting late. I declined. I had prayed God would guard my heart that whole night, and before I could even process the though, my mouth blurted out, "No, I'll just stay with my friends. Besides, we still have some other stuff to do tonight."

By stuff I mean driving around.

People ask why I've never had the temptation to give in and kiss a guy. Well, when I'm one-on-one with a guy, I never want to do anything to tempt him. He leads the way physically. I'm not going to initiate anything. He wants to hold my hand, he'll do it. I mean a guy was popping mints and chewing gum the entire time, but he never leaned in or anything. I took it as a sign that the time wasn't right or he wasn't the one. A big thing for me is spiritual maturity, and honestly those guys fell short. I'm not calling myself high and holy, by no means am I, but I need a guy to read scriptures and pray with me. I couldn't trust them with that role.

But anyways, back to the service...it was amazing. A basic summary would be that we must be intimate with God in order to know God.

It was highly refreshing and just what I needed.

Saturday

This is the first Saturday in a LONG time where I have absolutely nothing to do. I was supposed to cover a tennis match, but after waiting 5 minutes and seeing nothing but old men coming up, I high tailed it to Starbucks. It's a beautiful day outside, though. I'm fixing to run to Wal Mart with my roomie and then probably come back to my apartment, eat some soup and finish Message in a Bottle. I'm on a new goal- read one novel/week. It's going to be hard, but I believe that reading more literature helps your speech and writing skills. Since I am a journalist, proper grammar is key.

I also need to clean my room...I scrubbed it down yesterday, but stuff is everywhere. Oy.

So yesterday on my way to class, I was thinking about the Christian vs. worldly path. When I was young, I was taught in school that the way of the world is a large and beautiful path, but the Christian path is short and winding. It made sense to me on my way to class. When I got out of my car, I chose to go the path full of pine straw, pine cones and more difficult to walk on. I could have gone the gravel path that led to a nice walkway to the sidewalk. Instead, I chose the sidewalk.

I guess that's how life can be at times. We want to go the tougher path because it's a shortcut when at times it can cut us, break us down. The longer path that's more safe doesn't appeal to us because it takes longer.

I do say that vice-versa to Christianity. The Christian path is in fact much longer and harder. I recall reading Pilgrim's Progress in third grade, terrified. All of these monsters came up out of nowhere and tempted Christian- the pilgrim, but he held true and at the end, he got eternal life.

Last night I dreamt that the world ended. It was a beautiful dream. It started off with hail coming down. My awesome editor last quarter, Angela, was reading from Revelation as we were wondering what was occurring. I dreamt I was raptured for a second then came back- totally weird, but it was cool. After the hail came down, fire started falling from the skies. It never burnt anything since it was raining outside, but it looked like fireflies and meteors. The dream itself was incredible. I know that no matter what, God has His hand on us, so why worry about the world ending? I have friends and a life I love. What more could I need?

Oh and the dream ended with my friends and me going to Six Flags in Dallas. And then we were raptured, living with Jesus forever.

Once Again Procrastinating

So I have the tabs open on my Safari for the info I need to do my journalism final, but I have no motivation. My 10.5 page Lady Gaga paper wore me out! NOT GOOD! And I'm doing laundry. I have this grand plan of completing the final, cleaning under my bed, refolding clothes then studying English all before The Bachelor, but I fear that won't happen. On the plus side, KissFM has commercial-free Monday, so it makes the day slightly better. And this is the best rainy day EVER. Here's why

1. I backed out of my phenomenal parking spot and got a good one by Keeney

2. My meds came in the mail...woo!

3. I turned in my Gaga paper and got my English notebook so I can officially study

4. I go home tomorrow!

5. The Student Center had BUBBLEGUM icees! SCORE!

6. I got my MySpace all updated...well most of it

7. I have the made the attempt to get my paper started

8. My bedsheets are ironed and clean

9. The bathroom is spotless

10. MY PARKING SPOT WAS THERE WHEN I GOT BACK!--I did a ton of praying for that! Hallelujah!

SO anywho I am going to finish my bottle of Dasani, drink my brewed coffee and fold my clean towels and washcloths...ahhhhh relaxation :)

All after my final is written, duh.

Current Song In My Head

I have 4 pages done, gimme a break.

So some recent events with a person have given me a blog to post about my current feelings.

Ever heard the song "Hung Up" by Madonna? Bam.

Here's the line that particularly has me right now: Waiting on your call baby night and day, I'm fed up, I'm tired of waiting on you.

I just had to throw that one out there. While I'm not going to directly say who or what the situation is about, I had to type it out...only my diary will get the good juicy stuff. Sorry, folks :)

Procrastination is....not good

I have a 10-12 page paper due on Tuesday and guess how much Sarah's gotten done? Half of a page. On the bright side, that leaves me with 9.5 pages left. On the bad side. I still have 9.5 pages of space to fill. Unfortunately there's a baseball game going on, so I am not moving my car. The library closes in 39 minutes and instead of going to the library to print my research earlier this week, I figured I'd do it this weekend. Lovely. So tomorrow after church, the library might be seeing me again.

I'm really pumped about my topic though. I'm doing a paper (I'm so used to saying story) on Madonna and Gaga. I would discuss both of the singers, compare/contrast them and discuss how Lady Gaga has evolved into a larger singer than Madonna. While Madonna is very popular and known for her great singing skills, Gaga has already sold over 10 million copies of The Fame, making it a Diamond album along with the most copies of a cd sold ever (so the radio said). I could honestly go on and on about Gaga, but the thing is that I don't know too much about Madonna and much of our info has to be scholarly. How can we have scholarly material on Madonna and Gaga?

Man I wish Ruston had a Barnes & Nobles. I LOVE that place. I want to seriously spend a few hours there someday and get a cup of coffee and read a book start to finish. After all, they have a calming atmosphere.

Back to the paper though...I keep thinking of all of these other things I need to do- like vacuum and clean the tub and sinks and do dishes and burn a candle when this is prohibiting me from getting sleep! Not to mention the fact that the announcer guy from the baseball game keeps yelling, "Hoooooooommmmmeeeeeee runnnnnnnn!" or "Striiiikkkkeeeeee threeeeee!"

Excuse me, sir, but this is FINALS week....as in we'd like to study. So please hold it down.

I think I'm going to wash my hair.

SO PUMPED!

So for the past year-and-a-half, one of my best friends Slater has been asking me to go to Dallas. Well folks, the time has come. I'm going to Dallas next month! My friend Ashley's older sister is dating a guy that lives downtown because of dental school. Ashley and I are going to Six Flags and let me just say, we are the epitome of fun. If you want crazy people, WE are what YOU want! Ever notice strange comments on the blog? Yeah, they're from her...but oh well. I still love her. Slight problem- we're trying to convince our friend Lauren to go..I mean tack her in and it's a BALLIN' weekend.

Okay I have no clue why I just used all caps for emphasis and why I seem so hyper. Pop Tarts might have something to do with the hyperness...and the cappuccino I just had. Bad Romance is on KissFM right now, and oh goodness. If you haven't seen the vid of Ashley, Lauren and me, you should. Go to youtube.com/gagainspired. We're finally getting views, but no new vids will be posted unless we keep getting views. Oh and let us know if you have a request. We plan on doing Alejandro sometime in the near future. It looks like Pokerface will be next. Our new quarter starts in 2 weeks, so we'll have more time to work. Be on the lookout!

2 Months?

Oh man, it's been two whole months since I posted something. Wow, I feel like a super slacker! Anywho, tons has been going on since then...Thanksgiving, start of winter quarter, Christmas and New Years. I intended on posting more on here between my last post and now, but time never allowed me to do so.

I've worked and babysat most of my time home, so it feels good to be back in school, in the swing of things and have more time to spend with my friends here. Usually it's vice-versa when others go home, but for me, I book up, I'm free only a few nights and my plans are always changing. Considering I'm a very scheduled person, that annoys me.

I had one of my best friends profess his love to me a few weeks ago, and frankly I was starting to feel the same for him. I'm not sure what this will turn into, but if I'm single at 25, we're getting married. We'll live in Dallas, he'll fly for South West and I'll be a journalist. When we have kids at 27, I'll be a stay at home mom.

My roommate and I have gotten close since the beginning of the year. Once we sorted through our differences, made some common ground and I adjusted to the fact that I'm not at home anymore, things fell into place perfectly. We still have our differences, but we've adjusted and it's a happier environment.

I cleaned my room last night, so hopefully I can keep it organized. I still have to go through my old clothes, pitch some and give them to Goodwill. Let me just say, I De-Jonassed it. There's one JoBro poster and that's it. My roomie thinks my room looks drastically larger. I have to agree. Tonight it's back to vacuuming and scrubbing it down/de-germing it (I have a sinus infection right now).

Toodles :)