October--November--DECEMBER!

OCTOBER.

October was a pretty crazy 'school' month, so not much else happened besides reading, writing, and planning therapy! We did find some time to carve pumpkins, just to stay festive!

NOVEMBER.

The family slipped away for 4 days to enjoy a peaceful Thanksgiving at the cabin in Ruidoso.

We {obviously} stayed in our pj's for 3 days straight, and I read my first 'fun' book {thehungergames} in a very long time. I am obsessed and currently half way through the second book. SO GOOD.

DECEMBER.

I was lucky enough to go skiing in Breckenridge with some of the greatest people ever.



 

We got to be fans at the Dew Tour and watch some pretty awesome snowboarding 'slopestyle'!

I am a huge snowboarding fan {even though I ski} and this was absolutely a dream come true. for real.

It was a great eight months, and I was blessed by so many people and experiences.

I could not be more thankful for where God has me right now!

Happy New Year!



...still catchin' up

AUGUST.

Safari. Enough said.

Sadly, this ended my 3 month stay, and I headed back to Texas.

There really are no words for growth that came from this summer.

God is good all the time.

One week later, I retraced my steps to DFW to fly to Denver {my second favorite place in America} for a fellow pi phi/heidelberg friend's wedding! So much fun. 

Two days after the wedding, one of my best friends, Courtney, flew back to Denver after spending 8 months on a cruise ship as a dancer in the fun broadway-type shows! Adrienne and I met her at the airport with her family (who are practically our family as well). We then spent the entire week catching up, eating a lot, watching friends, and spending time in our favorite place, Grand Lake, CO! 

What a blessing it was to get to spend my first couple of weeks of culture shock with two of my greatest friends. 

SEPTEMBER.

My birthday month! 24...yikes.

We celebrated at Perinis.

yum.

To finish out the month, Court made a spur of the moment trip to TEXAS to stay with me for a week!

I suggest a surprise visit from a best friend to any and all grad school students...this was probably the highlight of my semester.



8 months later...

After my unintentional 8 month sabbatical...I'm back on the blog!

To fill you in on what has been going on since May {yikes}, I will attempt to do a 'picture-per-month' explanation. Here's the deal: some months deserve a little more than just one picture, so I appologize in advance. Lets just say that my Africa months will be more exciting than my grad school months.

So, last time I posted I was about to venture out to Africa!

{Jackie, Daley, and me on safari.}

So to start off, we have MAY.

This picture was taken after 24 hours of traveling, but who wouldn't be wide awake when being reunited with Abilene friends? Probably one of the most surreal moments of the trip. Who would have thought?

JUNE.

This is the where we brought back headlamps. These are by far the most essential items to have {and obviously, the most fashionable}. I may or may not still keep mine by my bed...

Throughout the summer we skipped back and forth between being Camp Bluesky counselors and working in urban and rural ministries.

I'll go ahead a deem this month--'camp' month. These were my 'Meru' girls from week 4...we had TOO much fun, even though I was shorter than almost all of them. Love those girls.

JULY.

This picture was taken at the Uzimatele slums where we put on a VBS for the pre-school there. We had lots of fun singing, using props (obviously), hearing Corbin tell/act out bible stories (via translator), and creating art projects. These kids couldn't speak English, but we found that holding them, spinning them around, and playing jump rope was as good a form of communication as any!

{view from my window...also, where my house dad milks the cow every morning at 4:30.}

Moving on--for one week, we seperated into groups of two and lived with a family in their hut in Western Kenya. This was by far one of the most impacting weeks. We ate with the families, slept on their bed, used the 'cho' aka the outdoor bathroom, planted trees and played with kids during the day, and lastly, preached at church on Sunday! I have never seen such hospitality in my life (besides my mother who has been known to invite strangers in line at Betty Roses to our thanksgiving...).

To celebrate the 4th of July, we went rafting on the Nile in Uganda. There really are no words other than I was scared out of my mind before doing this and my friend Jackie had to sing kesha to calm me down/pump me up. 

It ended up being great, only a few injuries, and lots of great stories!

August through December: coming soon!

WILW

So, I've seen my friend katie do this, and I figure it's a great way to remind myself of what I'm loving today.

I'm loving that I leave for Africa in 11 days! I've already bought my 2 months worth of toiletries...which may take up half of my 50 lb limit.

And I'm loving that I get to take these babies with me to hopefully seem something a little more exciting than the turkeys that walk up to our yard...

I'm loving that I am getting to use my OCD packing skills in a whole new way. Moving out of a house AND packing for over 2 months at the same time. My life has revolved around one word recently: Lists.

I'm loving that I got to observe at a nursing home this week. I got some great experience in therapy for swallowing (one of my interests). Also, I finished my 25 hours of recquired observations. I love that.

(don't judge me for putting this picture on here.)

I'm loving that I get to leave the world of materialism for a few months. And not be tempted to buy things such as this.

rhinestone headband.

(Who doesn't need reality check about what really matters every once in a while?)

I'm making an exception. One think I am not loving is that my friends are all graduating this weekend and leaving me in Abilene to rot in grad school by myself. OK, that's a little dramatic. It kind of stinks though having to leave people 2 years in a row now. I'm still not over being seperated from my besties from Pepperdine. This will just add to the pile!

I'll miss yall girls.

and I'm loving that I still miss yall. Because that means yall are great. one time. enough said.

Well, I hope you all are loving your Wednesdays. I just freaked out a little because I thought it was Thursday, and I was writing a WILW post. But it's not. Close call. At therapy this morning the sweet lady with aphasia thought it was 2011. 'Poor thing,' I thought, 'It's 2012, she's so confused.' Well, apparently I may be the one needing therapy.

Happy Wednesday, May 12, 2011.

oh the places you'll go...

Well people, I'm officially old. Why? Because I graduated a year ago yesterday.

May 1, 2010. A day to go down in history when all 3 of my family members were in CA at the same time, all of my best friends' families got to be together (a first!), and the day I became emotionally unstable for a solid few months (don't judge).

{me walking into our graduation and happening to walk my family. random? yes.}

So what does this mean?

#1. I have to take off my pi phi sticker on my car. Yes, it's still on there because I can't let go. But I am. Tomorrow...

{pi phis at family beach dinner after grad}

As sad as I was to go {maybe the biggest understatement of the century}, I have definitely seen how life is not actually over at graduation. A wise professor my friends and I had our last semester gave us this picture:

{this is real stuff. don't give up hope you little graduates!}

So what happened after graduation?

I fell in love with these two little ones. Best summer job I've ever had. I can't imagine not having met the Peterson family!

{McKinley, your bangs and David's bangs are doing an oddly similar thing..hm...just sayin haha}

I made some incredible friends! {and got to be a part of lots of engagements.

Went to Harry Potter World with my mom and McKinley! Best idea ever.

Experienced a snow storm the century. In Abilene, TX. Snow days are one thing that Pepperdine never gave me!

{other highlights include: getting to be with close friends from highschool, experiencing guitars and cadillacs...and promising myself I would never go back, and the royal wedding. duh. I'm still recovering from that late night...like I said, I'm old.}

It really has been a great year of learning how to stay connected with my best friends who are literally all over the world, learn that God is faithful in His plans, and learning to live in Abilene again!

I mean, who would have thought that a year ago I'd be going to Africa {in 3 weeks!}?

It really is exciting to think that we don't know what will happen in the next year.

But for real, how awesome is it to be able to be confident in the unknown?

We are truly blessed.

Can't wait to see what the next year will bring! {other than late nights and stress of grad school...hah}

springtime.

I love springtime. I love springtime. I love springtime.

Yet, I can't help but smile and love days like today where I wear comfy pants, a grey sweatshirt, and a hat.

There's just something about this rainy, dreary, WONDERFUL weather that makes me want to curl up, watch harry potter, and not go to work. So, seeing as I still live the flexible life of a college student, I will probably do just that.

But even though I love this weather...

I am so excited for all things springy.

this dress from anthro shouts classic, subtle spring. i love it. and if i wasn't going to be in africa all summer, i would probably dream about wearing it to one of the 7 weddings happening within the next 4 months.

I love this Lilly watch. And my sister has it. She should probably share the wealth...

Another thing I love about spring is Easter. duh. Who doesn't love Easter?

{funny story tangent}

Yesterday at Refugee soccer, I was leading my little small group of about 4, 7 year old girls. We were talking about what Easter is really about, and I decided to start off the discussion with the question...

have you ever known anyone who died...and then came back to life?

I was expecting them to say no, obviously, and then continue to talk about Jesus and how great our God is that he could perform such miracles.

Well, one little girl responded with "yes". Very nonchalantly. "My grandmother died once, and five days later she came back to life." What? I responded with "Really? Oh wow, okayyy? That is interesting." I will never know if this really happened. Maybe the medicine men in Africa are way more powerful than I give them credit for!

Anyways, that gave me a good laugh.

Either way, Easter is coming. Put on your Easter Bonnet. Time to sing my favorite church songs. Because up from the grave He arose (He arose)!

happy monday.

Random things to perk up my monday...

So yesterday, I kept complaining about my hand hurting. It's the outside of my right hand...so obviously its not really a common spot to be hurt. Last night at dinner I made a comment about how it felt like it was brusied. What do you know. There is a bruise. We decided that it was from a handshake. Yes, my miniature hands that still fit in childrens gloves also bruise after a somewhat firm handshake.

Am I the only person this happens to?

Probably so.

My friend, Adrienne, reffered to me as a peach. Because I bruise easily. Quite accurate. This just makes me laugh.

To make up for my bruised hand, I decided to order these way cute shoes.

I am considering these an Easter present to myself. Also, I need some good, light weight shoes for Africa!

{I am really good at justifying anything.}

Another Monday perk was when my roomie, Krista, showed up at our work with a fresh, warm, and doughy chocolate chip cookie. I have the greatest roomates ever!

We had a way fun weekend full of wedding fun! We went to Hayden and Jaxon's engagement party on Saturday night, and then we had Jaclyn's Lingerie Shower on Sunday! Too fun!

Hope everyone has a happy Monday!



things I am thankful for.

{thankful}

I am thankful that I am going to AFRICA for the summer!

Here's the cool part. I got a phone call from my friend Jason, who is living in Kenya right now, saying I am coming to Kenya this summer. I was not aware of this! Turns out they had an opening for a summer camp counselor, and they offered me the spot. Wow. I immediately felt an overwhelming amount of calmness and excitement about it. I'm not a rash decision making person, but I have never felt more sure about anything before! So, within 48 hours I had received the phone call, talked to my parents, filled out the application, talked to the director in Kenya, and had a flight booked to Kenya for 6 weeks from now!

So, I leave for Kenya in 6 weeks! I will work at a summer camp for missionary kids and local African kids for 5 weeks. Our summmer is split up by 3 weeks of traveling around Kenya to partner with different ministires along with experiencing more of the rural cultures. We also take a trip to raft the Nile , and at the end we go to this place where we get to see safari animals! There are about 10 college students from ACU and 10 from Georgia that I'll be working with all summer. {here} is the link of the ministry I will be working with.

It seems crazy that I am going to Africa in 6 weeks for the whole summer. But I am

so thankful God's plan and the peace he can bring in crazy moments and {new plans}.

 I have been getting a little antsy knowing that the next 2 years of grad school will be so time consuming. I think this will be so good for my soul to keep me from getting too stir crazy! I am so thankful for God's faithfulness. If only you knew all the things that have happened this semester that all add up to make me feel so at peace about going. I'll spare you all the details. But God is faithful in his plans. No doubt.

So, Kenya here I come! Oh yeah, and one of the most awesome things is that I get to spend the summer with 2 of my best friends who moved to Kenya in January! I just feel very thankful.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever.

Psalm 136:1

greatness.

Okay, so my spring break ended up being full of Abilene fun. As promising as the week was looking to be (sister and I had already made up a rap by Sunday...) we decided to head off to the mountains for a quick 3 day trip. Totally worth it.



This was McKinley practicing riding in the back seat the day before we left for our 6 hour venture...

...to here. aka heaven. or my heaven at least. My Aunt Debbie and Uncle Bruce have this amazing cabin in Ruidoso, NM that we have been so blessed to call home for as long as I can remember (aka middle school). 

And I got to eat my favorite. The Buttery. Yumm.

It was a great trip. The week after SB was my week from down under. I had a big test, 4 papers, a few chapters to read, and a big assignment in my acoustics class. It was a rude awakening, but so is life.

I did get to use one of the cool new white board learning rooms in the upstaris library! My love of whiteboards made my studying much more fun...

{yes. I did take a picture of part of my work of art. It's a weird thing how much I love whiteboards...and if anyone is suffering a cognitive disorder...here are some things you might need to know.}



This past weekend my friends Kellie, Tara, Hayden, and I got a quick getaway to Lake Brownwood for the day! It was perfect, 90 degree weather. We put on the sunscreen and basked in the sun for a good 4 hours. We had a blast. I love these girls!

After being owned by the sun {which drained us of all energy}, we drove back in silence...listening to John Mayer...and loving how wonderful the day was. minus the wasps.

Hopefully everyone has had a great Monday. We made homemade lasagna. All I can say is {yum}.

We are kind of lost wthout the Bachelor, still.

But life goes on.

So,

{enjoy your week}

happy birthday to the other casey!

Well, we've made it to Thursday!

Which is St. Patrick's day, but also even more importantly, MRS. Casey Marchbanks' Birthday! You can see all of her incredible talent {here}. She is an wonderful photographer and has an amazing talent for all things graphic design.

 

Casey and I were quite the pair in high school. We were known as "the k/caseys" or "kc squared". Clever, I know. Our shared name is why all of our friends called us by our last names. I seriously don't think I was called "kasey" until I was in college!

We've been through quite a bit together, to say the least. I'm starting to realize we never really took normal pictures...this one was when we met up {I was in Germany, she was in Oxford} for the weekend and toured Christ Church aka where parts of Harry Potter were filmed. obviousy a must.

 Our latest 'big' destination was her wedding this past summer.

 I'm so thankful to have you in my life caseyloro! I'm so proud of this girl. Love you!

Can't wait to celebrate

here...

next week! Love love Love!

Things to look forward to...

So, this is my first spring break in 4 years to not do something cool.

I had a little pity party on Saturday, which was quickly cured by SzeChaun take out and watching Morning Glory. So cute by the way!

Even though I'm not in Greece, NY, or Malibu, I'm looking forward to a reason to do nothing but catch up on a few favorites that get pushed to the side on a regular basis.

{my life would not be complete with my real simple.}

\

{I usually only get to this mag when I have nothing to do, but I still love it.}

{I get to watch my TODAY show girls for the next 5 mornings!|}

{maybe I'll get a little further on my alexandra book...I promise it's not a 'self-hellp' book. Even though the title may promote such thoughts...it's about decorating, promise!}

I'm also excited to make lots of long distance phone calls to my loves on the west coast.

AND last but not least, I'm trying to take our yellow lab on a walk once a day. Little Molly doesn't quite understand the concept of a leash, but we're working on it.

Hope everyone has a happy Monday! Bachelor tonight, get excited! Go Emily!

love love love.