Travels Towards the Desired Life

2010-09-05T23:30:00.000-04:00

I know... I know. I promise to be around more and I do NOT follow through. Once again I promise I will change that. I WILL post more often.

This summer was the best I have ever had. It was filled with so many great things I can not even begin to explain just how blessed I feel.

One of the really great things I did was go on a trip to Santa Fe with my parents. I loved the town the moment we arrived. Here are some of the photos I took while there...

Love

2010-07-04T15:41:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago I happened upon a little book at a library sale and I fell in love....

Sara Midda's In and Out of the Garden.

The artwork in this book is absolutely beautiful, whimsy, and inspiring. I came home and automatically purchased two more of her books...

South of France: A Sketchbook

Growing Up and Other Vices

I think I might let these beautiful little books inspire me to start a travel/ art journal...

Hello!

2010-07-01T16:15:00.000-04:00

Dont worry... I'm still alive!
It may seem like I've been much too busy to post, but really that's only half right. I've been busy yes, but I haven't been posting simply because I have been called away by this lovely summer.

I'll fill ya in with what I've been doing this last month or so...

I took some crazy middle school girls to Wyldlife camp a few weeks ago. I can not even begin to explain how exhausted I was by the end! While I would say that overall I had a really great time, I also struggled a WHOLE lot while there. I doubted myself so much while there, which was something I never would have expected to come from that week. By the end though, I was able to talk myself out of that doubt and in turn really grew personally. Dang do I love TWL. Every time I'm there I do some growing.

I also celebrated my birthday. I have now moved past my teenage years and into the big 20s! That feels strange to me. I have decided that this is going to be a good year and one I will always remember. My 19th year was a rough one to say the least, so something different would be much appreciated! I spent my birthday being kidnapped by my friends, having a wonderful dinner with my parents eating FABULOUS gnocchi and seeing Toy Story 3! A very successful day!

I also just got back from a trip up north to Beaver Island with a group of my friends. It was pretty spontaneous but it turned out to be a whole lotta fun. We spent our days hiking, playing board games, eating,watching movies, and exploring the island.

So there it is. I love summer and being home. I promise to be much more consistent on the posts!

To Do... (this summer)

2010-06-02T22:36:00.000-04:00

Work on something creative everyday
Start an art journal and work in it everyday (not connected to above bullet)
Do something active everyday
Start playing tennis again! (Can be connected with above bullet)
Read a TON
Keep up on summer classes
Do well in said summer classes
Sell some artsy- things in gift shop at Box Factory
Work in garden a TON
Figure out some hiking paths around town
Start biking more
Sew. Sew. Sew.
Try and see as many sunsets as possible
Stay in touch with Wyldlife girls
Save as much money I make this summer as I physically can
Plan a roadtrip

Heres to To Do lists but even more... heres to accomplishing things on the To Do list!!

My summer thus far...

2010-05-26T12:45:00.000-04:00

Wow has this summer had its ups and downs...

I have had to deal with the passing of my grandma, which needless to say was life-wrenching, but thankfully some great things have happened allowing me to deal much better.

My trip to Seattle was really great and exactly what I needed. Since I have been back, I have worked on getting my art studio finished and in working order and now it is DONE! I keep meaning to take pictures to put here, but I keep forgetting my camera. I will get around to it one of these days.

My days also have recently consisted of cleaning out my grandma's house. I was nervous at first when my mom asked me to help, but it has turned out to be a great thing. I am seeing a side of my grandma that I have never seen before and I love it. First of all her jewelry. AMAZING. She didn't have anything truly nice and worth a ton of money, but man did she have some crazy earrings. I have also really loved all her artwork I am finding. Now my grandma did not do anything without putting her entire soul into it so there are mounds of paints, fabric, thread, etc. Just about anything you would ever want in the terms of art supplies... she had it.

My summer has also been full of bonfires, open-mic nights, thrift stores looking for furniture for the studio, my veggie garden, plans for a trip to Santa Fe, stupid online classes, and spending some great time with the "Core Summer group"

Man do I love summer and being home.

2010-05-15T17:04:00.000-04:00

It's official.

I love Seattle!

I just got back from a fab-u-lous trip to that wonderful city and am already planning a trip back!

2010-05-08T17:54:00.000-04:00

I don't really know how to word everything I want to within this post so I have decided to do more of a list of everything that has happened in my life recently and things that are to come...

My grandmother passed away last Saturday. My life was rocked, but luckily I had such a great support system. Without my family and friends around me, I truthfully do not know what I would have done. Now I am ready to start dealing with things... especially the fact that she is gone. It's going to be hard.
I finally finished my finals/ classes for the semester on Wednesday. I am sure I have mentioned before how much I HATED my classes this semester, so I am very releived that I am DONE. With everything going on with my grandma and classes, I was on the verge of a breakdown. While a breakdown did not happen, I did manage to break out in stress-induced hives. Great.
Monday I leave for Seattle! I so need this trip right now. I am excited to go to Pike's Place, take a ferry ride, see the space needle, and just relax in general with two greaaaat girls.

Well that's my life at the moment. I feel like I am just trying to hold in there and take one thing at a time. I'll let ya know how that goes.

Life

2010-04-29T19:59:00.000-04:00

"it was the best of times, it was the worst of times"

Oh how these words describe my life so perfectly right now.

I sit in my room smelling the fabulous scent coming from the lilac branch I plucked from a bush while walking back from my last class of the semester and am transported to such a great place. I have to drag myself out of it and remember I still have to live life. And right now, life is not so great.

Finals. Leaving friends for four months. Grandma.

2010-04-26T17:51:00.000-04:00

I should have spent the afternoon studying for my upcoming finals.

Instead I felt the need to go out and buy $2 watercolors and spend the day listening to

Pandora and creating a masterpiece.

Time well spent in my opinion.

April 18th, 2010

2010-04-18T21:29:00.000-04:00

Things have been hard for me and my family lately. My grandmother has been in a constant struggle against cancer for the last year and a half and it has been a very difficult fight as of lately. I can not express the depth of my feelings at the moment. I have never before felt such nervousness, sadness, anticipation, fear, etc. My grandmother has been one of the strongest influences in my life and I can not imagine a life without her. It is BEYOND hard being away from home at this moment.

Please pray.

April 10, 2010

2010-04-10T14:34:00.000-04:00

I have decided what I want for my birthday...

I am REALLY loving this beautiful tape lately.

happy tape

I luv.

2010-04-08T16:20:00.000-04:00

I luv this print and everything else found here.

To Be Determined...

2010-04-07T22:53:00.000-04:00

I am looking forward to a lot of things right now. Some that will happen very soon and others I will have to wait a little bit longer...

Going home for another weekend
Being a part of my baby nephews baptism
Seeing one of my besties next weekend while growing deeper in my faith
Finishing my classes for the semester
Going home for the ENTIRE summer
Going to Seattle with some FAB girlies
Opening up my art studio with some more of my besties
Being able to see some of the best sunsets over Lake Michigan. Every Night.
Learning how to letterpress
Taking a GREAT group of middle schoolers to summer camp for a week
Taking classes im actually interested in
Having my very own bedroom in such a cute little house on Spartan
Graduating college and getting a real-life job!

This is such a short list compared to the amount of thoughts going through my head. Two emotions arise when thinking about my future: excitement and nervousness. I'm excited at the unknown but that makes me so nervous at the same time...

What the heck is my life going to look like even at this time next year?

2010-03-31T21:01:00.000-04:00

I have a new favorite pastime.

Flying Batman themed kites with one of my favorite people... Ms. Rosie Jones.

I also enjoy flying such kite while walking through campus on a pilgrimage to the

Kalin Lucus themed Sparty. (See 2 Posts down)

Friends

2010-03-29T21:00:00.000-04:00

It was a good weekend filled with

laughter, crazy pictures, delicious Mexican food, an awesome birthday party, a great blacklight wyldlife club, TWO wooonderful wins for MSU, and SO much more...

Go Green!

2010-03-28T16:55:00.000-04:00

It's a GOOD day to be a Spartan.

The Greatest

2010-03-21T14:53:00.000-04:00

I am really loving "mash-ups" right now. I mean it's the

best of two worlds!

Here are two of God's BEST mash-ups...

APPLE PEARS!!

Halo/ Walking on Sunshine from GLEE!!

Thanks God.

Oh Summer...

2010-03-18T20:46:00.000-04:00

You may ask what I am going to do this summer

and my answer will be:

"My summer is going to be perhaps the greatest summer known to mankind."

Am I blowing this out of proportion? I think not.

I found out officially today that I, along with two of my greatest friends, are going to be the proud tenants of an

ART STUDIO.

A couple of weeks ago I never thought it was actually going to happen, but thanks to my wonderful parents, it is official.

Good day

2010-03-16T19:51:00.000-04:00

Today was a good day.

It was filled with:

Sunshine.

Wuthering Heights.

Some delicious Baklava.

The finishing of a great novel.

A new favorite Pandora Station.

Some serious work on next years school schedule.

Some unexpected excitement from next years schedule.

Spring is so good.

P.S. I forgot to mention the best gift I have EVA received. Plus it's from Seattle.

Yup... thats a mini bottle of Balsamic Vinegar and a Washington mug. On the other side of that mug... the name Destiny. I guess Sloan isn't so common.

Spring

2010-03-15T14:15:00.000-04:00

After a week break... I'm back to this blog thang

I had an amazing spring break but now have to somehow reach deep DEEP down and find some drive to finish this semester. It's going to be a rough one but an upside?

Spring is coming.

I find it strange/ WONDERFUL how people seem to change once the snow begins to melt and the smell of spring is in the air.

I also find it strange how some people take their enthusiasm a little too far and leave their jackets at home and trek across campus in a t-shirt. I mean, really?

4 Days!!!

2010-03-01T10:57:00.000-05:00

4 Days until I am...

- sleeping in my own bed

-going out to lunch with my momma

- taking a MUCH needed break from classes

- spending hours sitting in the Phoenix

- loving on my brand new nephew

- showering without flip-flops

- seeing my lovely grandma

4 Days until I am...

Home.

Everything but academic thinking...

2010-02-25T17:22:00.000-05:00

I am in need of a break. Spring break will do quite nicely... only 7 days away.

I am far from in love with my classes this semester.

None of them are that hard, yet I just am consistantly achieving lack-luster grades which is frustrating, exhausting, and annoying.

I find my brain hurting from the amount of academic thinking I do in a day

(especially Thursdays). Is that strange? I don't think so. I whole-heartingly believe my brain is wired in a more creative, abstract way and gets angry when I try and push too many math or science facts in there.

That is why tonight- and maybe all of tomorrow- I am not studying or attempting any homework. My plans for the night are to craft a little sumthin sumthin for my momma and watch Emma. I have been meaning to watch this PBS movie, so when I saw it mentioned on one of my favorite blogs, I knew right away what I was doing with my night!

P.S. I got to see this at work last night....

I have by far the best job on this planet.

Childhood Memories

2010-02-22T15:58:00.000-05:00

While I love coincidences, they sometimes freak me out... This is a story of such an occurrence:

I grew up around books. My mother is a passionate reader and I am the same. I have many memories of spending hours in the public library looking at books or doing the summer reading program... I loved every moment of it.

I grew up around a wide variety of books, but there has always been one specific book that I specifally remember being quite magical to me. For YEARS I have tried to find this book, but I could not for the life of me remember the title. I'm not joking; I would wonder around the children's section searching for it, never with any luck.

I spend a lot of time at the local Barnes and Noble here in Lansing. Once in a while I also search of this mysteries book here, but again, never any luck. That is exactly what I did last week; I spent a good 15 minutes walking around the kids section looking for the book of my dreams. After not finding it however, I went back to my dorm and was checking out one of my favorite blogs - http://ohhellofriend.blogspot.com/ .

And then it happened.

I was reading one of her posts about making a little book or something and she mentioned it- she mentioned my book. I knew instantly that this was the book I have spent years looking for. My mouth literally (and I mean literally) dropped open. I went straight to Amazon and bought all three books of the series.

A week later, The Jolly Postman was at my doorstep and I was transported back to my childhood.

I love how I have not seen this book or its amazing letters and flyers inside for years, but remember each and every one of them.

Freaky, right?!

Change

2010-02-18T14:24:00.000-05:00

I awoke today to SUNSHINE.

I am reminded of one of my favorite verses...

"I am the world's Light. No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in." John 8: 12

I have felt so convicted lately. I need to work on my relationship with God. I find myself laying in bed, trying to fall asleep and realize that I have yet to pray or sometimes, even think about God that day. I know what I should be doing, so why aren't I? I put so many other things before God, pretty much everything in my life. I seem to only turn to Him when I am hurting or need something, and that is so selfish of me.

It's time to change.

Oh middle school....

2010-02-15T17:26:00.000-05:00

Today I had the pleasure of hanging out with a really great middle school friend. I admit I have been feeling really down lately about my ministry- I just never feel like I am getting anywhere with these girls. I have such a great time when I am with them, but I have no ideas on how to take our relationships to a deeper level and start discussing Jesus more in depth.

It takes days like today to change my thoughts on the matter.

God has put me here for a reason... to love these girls and show them Christ.

Valentine's Day Love

2010-02-14T15:48:00.000-05:00

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

I hope everyones day is filled with lots of hugs and kisses!

I have spent the day dreaming about summer time in West Michigan...

(Photo by my dad over at www.bullmoosephotos.com/index.html)

What can I say.... I am just a little sick of the snow and cold.

I mean really Michigan... just warm up already and bring some tulips with it.

New Year- New Start

2010-02-13T16:07:00.000-05:00

I have no excuses for staying away for so long- I simply have not thought my life has been interesting enough to write a blog.

That is exactly why I have decided to take a new take on this blog thang...

instead of attempting to write about my day-to-day monotonous life, I am going to use this as a creative outlet for my life! Get excited (all four of you that will read this) for pictures, crafts, things I am inspired by, ETC!

It's going to be good.

To start it out I will tell you a little about my truly great weekend. I do not think I can really express my LOVE for the Olympics. While the opening ceremonies last night were a little strange, (punk-rock tapping/river dance?) I still was silently freaking out inside with excitement.

While that alone could have made my weekend, my roommate Sara and I took a trip into Lansing to perhaps the greatest store on this planet. It is called the "Creation Station" and is filled with the most wonderful, random crafting supplies EVA. For just over $5 I walked away with some great, great things.

Once again, these two things could have made my weekend, but Sara and I also took a trip to Hawk Island park. I heard about it awhile ago and have been meaning to go, but just have not made it out there until today. Let me tell you... I have been missing out! There are wooden walkways along the lake and trails throughout the woods. God did some good sculpting here. Some photos from the venture....

A new beginning

2009-08-22T16:22:00.000-04:00

In eight days I will be moving my things back out of my parents and into the very fabulous Mary Mayo hall with some even MORE fabulous girls to start a new year of studying and furthering my knowledge. This summer was a strange one to say the least. I was incredibly busy for about the first month of it, but after my many trips and such, I can honestly say I have done nothing. I didn't get a job this summer (besides the VERY rare babysitting). It has been so weird waking up every morning and have truly NOTHING to do.

Needless to say... I am excited for school. I am craving the routine! This year is going to be a good one; I can tell already. I have changed A LOT since this time last year and I am excited to see how God is going to use me.

Suummmerr

2009-07-12T21:58:00.000-04:00

It is already July 12. I ask you... where did my summer go? It seems like last week I was packing up my dorm and moving out of Brody forever and the next thing I know summer is half over. This summer has been a strange one. Things have happened that I never expected and the things I actually did expect have turned out to be even more weird then I ever imagined.

Here is a list of the most impactful things that came out of this summer thus far...

The new found closeness I have with the guys in our group

Photography trips across the western United States with my Momma and Dad

Summer Staff at TWL

The deepness I now share with the friends I did Summer Staff with

A desire to start journaling my prayers... in that case... praying on a constant basis

The realization that school WILL NOT actually suck next year

Broken relationships effect deeper then origanilly thought

I cherish Sara Kells friendship more then I ever thought

Jesus is changing me from the inside out and I am more then ready

Old Buttons and New Family

2009-07-05T22:32:00.000-04:00

Today was a good day.

It started off with church then my mom and I went to Antiques on the Bluff, an antique fair along the bluff in my town, then we went to lunch. Times like these always amaze me with the conversations that occur between mother and daughter. Today was the first time that I really shared some things about last year and how I truly felt... deeper then the "Yeah. I liked school." It felt good to finally get it across just how hard last year was.

We also had a picnic with my brothers new fiance's family. I was a little nervous and not really looking forward to it, but it actually turned out really fun. Both my parents arent very social people, so it had the chance of being very awkward. But once again, it was great. It is really funny how alike our parents are; right down to looks and personalities. While at first I was pretty upset about this whole pregnancy thing, I am now getting more and more excited. I see so many more opportunities I will have to be in both the new baby's life and my brothers.

Amish Country!!

2009-07-03T20:41:00.000-04:00

Today my parents and I went to Shipshewana (spelling?) and had a grand ole' time chilling with the Amish folk. It is such a strange thing to be driving along and suddenly, WHAM, you are staying into the eyes of a horse pulling a little old man in a straw hat along side your car. Life just seems so different there... easier, more pure, dare I say better? I don't think this calmness comes along JUST with the Amish, just small, country towns in general. I live in a pretty small town, but when I go someplace like this tiny Indiana town I am instantly in shock of how small towns can really be. People in these types of towns always seem to know something that everyone else doesn't though. I think they know the importance of cutting away all the fancy clothes, ipods, and fast cars and getting back to the basics: God, family, and nature.

So lets take a clue from those jolly folk in straw hats, black suspenders, and buggies; lets put down our laptops and go churn some butter.

Time to Get Serious

2009-07-01T21:43:00.000-04:00

Alright. So I am bad at writing on this. When I started it, I was determined to keep at it, so this is me getting serious.

I am going to take it a little easy getting back into the jest of this and make a list of the
top things on my mind at the moment...

Unlike all the other times I have been away from school for long periods of time, I am actually NOT dreading going back to MSU.

I really miss Sara.

I have no idea how I will ever make even the slightest amount of money this summer that I will actually need for next year.

My brother is going to be a father and I AM GOING TO HAVE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN MY NEICES/NEPHEWS LIFE (especially their spiritual life)

I hate 5.9% increases in tuition

I have discovered a new love for classical music and Mother Teresa quotes

So thats it for now.

"In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love."

Mother Teresa

2009-06-20T19:39:00.000-04:00

Wow. I haven't written on this in awhile; I have good reason however! For the last two and a half weeks I have been working at one of myvery favorite places on this Earth, Timber Wolf Lake, a young life camp in Northern Michigan.

Two years ago I spent a month working at this camp, and while it taught me a TON about who I am, I can not say that it was the best month of my life. I guess I would say about the same for my experience this time. While it was amazing for me being at TWL spiritually and deepening my relationships with the people I came with, I did not form many new relationships at all.

One thing that Summer Staff did do for me was to show me that Younglife will continue to play a huge role in my life for the rest of time. If not my eventual career, I plan on leading in some sort of way. One form of leading that my heart is really pulling me towards is Capernam, a ministry for kids swith special needs. I know this would be amazing and something I would love. A lot of people question if these kids "get it" or understand God at all, but I know they do. Jesus loved these type of people, so why shoudn't we all?

The Perfect Picture

2009-05-24T18:08:00.000-04:00

I am currently in Moab, Utah sitting in our hotel room after a full day of sight seeing. Our family seems to love the West, seeing as we visit it just about every summer. This trip began yesterday morning at 3 am. So far we have visited Arches national Park and Canyonlands National Park. I must say that these places have proved to be stunning. We drive along these winding roads that seem like they will never end, and I look out the window at the scenery picturing God's hand craving and sultuplting the majestic stone. Once again I don't know how people can't believe in God with beauty like that.

My dad is a huge landscape photographer and at times I think my mom and I are on HIS vacation where the ultimate goal is the perfect picture. We drive along and are forced to stop at every place my dad is "called" to photograph. I have attempted to get into photography so I have something to do on these trips, but nothing compares to the love my father has for the art. When it comes down to it though, I would gladly sit in the car on the side of the road or follow after him on a 14 mile hike to see an arch that might have good lighting at the moment just to see him so happy about something. My dad is a shy guy and doesn't get very excited about much. Except these trips and the thought of that PERFECT PICTURE.

The Old and Dusty

2009-05-21T16:36:00.000-04:00

I spent all day today at my good ole' local library and loved every second of it. There is something about libraries and book stores that draw me in and soothe me completely. I spent a lot of time in libraries as a child and I think those good memories are the reason I could, and do, often spend all day walking amoungest the shelves filled with old, fabulous books. I always think about the people who read all these books. There are just so many of them. How often do books on these shelves go their entire lives without anyone picking them up and cracking their spines?

ANOTHER beautiful day out!! Crazy Michigan weather...

Take 2

2009-05-20T11:54:00.000-04:00

PLEASE take a second and look outside right now! I can not believe how dang beautiful it is today! I don't understand how people don't believe in God with sunshine like this.

Today I job shadowed at my old elementary school in the Special Education classroom. I am beyond happy that I decided to go in and do it. It has shown my that this is EXACTLY what I want to do with my life. Those kids are great and it breaks my heart that people consider them broken. You should see them. They are so loving and caring and welcomed me into their room the second they all met me. People keep telling me that they couldn't do that job, and I think I am just now realizing that it does take a certain person. That leads me to worry that I will turn out to be the type of person that can't do it. These worries are what freaked me out with African Studies. What if I go through college and get my degree in something that turns out I am not right for? I realize these worries are stupid though. I know what kind of person I am inside and how much my heart yearns for these speical kids.

This weather calls for a picnic. And kickball.

The Beginning

2009-05-19T16:33:00.000-04:00

So I have been thinking about starting one of these for awhile; some very strong and powerful people in my life have one and have showed me what it has done for them. So sitting at home on this beautiful spring day I have decided it is time. I doubt very highly anyone is going to ever read this, but I am kind of happy about that. I want this to be for me. Something I can turn to to get my words down. A place I can be creative. A place where I can show people the beautiful things God is doing in my life. A place I can be me.

Enjoy.