8/31/11 Last night in CO

I am really enjoying this pampering stuff. Sister and I went and got our nails done, I love mine! They are so pretty. And today Mom and I went to the Springs and had our hair done. I took quite a bit off! It looks really good. I would post a picture but I'm going to surprise Matthew, after that I'll put one up. I love it a bunch, :D And today we all did facials and pedicures! I am so excited to see matthew soon. I leave Wednesday afternoon. I am pretty excited and really sad at the same time. I am going to miss a lot of people here, and these Colorado stars, better then any others, hands down. I am excited to take our mini vacation when I get back! I love traveling with him :) I am very excited for the wedding! It's going to be so fun. I need to get off here and finish gathering all my stuff up. That's it for now.

8/29/11 This will be the best day..

There is something magical about early mornings. I have always been more of a night person, not saying it's my preference, just have been since I was a baby. So much so that when my sister came along and slept through the night my mom thought there was really something wrong with her. Isn't that something else! Lol. But, back to the good feeling I get in the morning. I have never really had a bad memory that has taken place in the morning.. well besides everyday of my school life. :P It is associated with fond bits and pieces of my past! The lighting, the fresh crisp cool air, the smell, the new arisen hope I find just by breathing in! That is probably the hands down top thing I miss here, are the mornings, the crisp snappy cold air. Sure I may not like being cold, but it is just so pleasurable. Like the morning of the hot air balloon festival last year, Maisey and I went into town to Riverpoint and got delightful hot chai's and walked around and just enjoyed the brisk cold morning as the sun slowly crept out thawing the dewy frost and warming souls. I am excited today my awesome sister and I are going to get our nails done, it will be a first for us both. It will be very fun to pamper ourselves a bit, followed by some at home facials and foot soaks, and giggling and a good time too of course. ;) Yay for us! I'm really not the girl who blows money on silly things like this, but I figured it's my money and I'm here only for a few more days until who knows how long it will be until I see my sweet sister again.. so.. you only live once right. :D Well, time to get up and running.

8/24/11

Tonight was great! This evening we all met up at the church and went bowling. It was such a blast! It was cool, a bit into the first game and they turned of the main lights and had it all lit up and crazy colors, then later then did black light/glow bowling. I loved it, maybe because it was my first black light bowling that I remember. I was excited, I got a 128. Hahah, I know.. not too good at all, but no one else had even gotten to 100 so it was nice. It was wonderful getting with some of the youth and Warren along with Nate and just hanging out, I have really missed it. I can't believe how much everything has been changing, my life and all around. I'm excited for things to come though! The other day we went and played in the river. The river has gotten so low and it was so warm compared to the lake. The first two days we went to the lake and cliff jumped and swam, then the third day we walked around town and played and swam around in the river. I have yet to hang out with so many people before I leave! Ahhh! I feel like there's not enough time. I am so excited to go to yet another wedding on Sep. 2nd! It will be the third wedding I've been to this year. I have done SO MUCH traveling this summer, it's insane. It will be nice to settle down and get a job, and start that class :) I can't wait, and can all at the same time. I am so excited to get back to my darling Matthew, I'm having Matty withdrawals! But I am having the time of my life up here in Colorado. I am not sure if I'm looking forward to the drive home, only because then like a day later or something we will be doing more traveling over to WI. But I do love traveling, as long as I have my camera!! I love the color of polish on my toenails, dark purple, soooo pretty. I'm still debating as to whether I am going to have my hair done or not. I love my beautiful hair! It's so very long too, I've been growing it out for a while. I guess it actually didn't really take much time at all to grow so long, but I have no idea what I want done. I was thinking cutting a few inches off, layering it thinning it out a bit.. I have plenty to spare for sure, and getting lowlights and highlights put in. I am incredibly picky about who touches my hair, thus is why I have cut my own hair for years now, lol. I almost want some side swept bangs, I used to love having bangs but I have always wanted my hair to be all the same length again. We'll see what I decide. I may just do really nice lowlights. I also may go get my nails done. Which I'm not really the go get my hair and nails done kind of girl. I feel like it's too fake for me, I love being natural, but it's still fun every great once in a while to do it and be 'pampered' so to speak. Well that's all for now, so goodnight.

8/23/11 - Life is great! :)

The last two days us three girls went to lake heron! I love jumping off the cliffs into the water and swimming. I will forever love to swim. We are having such a blast just hanging out and doing all sorts of things. Sister did my makeup tonight, it was fun. We each compliment each other's humor so well. I may post pictures at some point just because. Momma and I are planning on having a girls day here soon, we might go get our hair done, do some shopping and go for lunch, I mean duh a girls favorite things to do :) Well, some anyways. I love the weather here. Well this is a short blog so see ya!

8/20/11 - Blog full of random odds and ends.

I'm laying on my bed listening to the rain pouring down, the thunder rolling mightily above. I close my eyes and take it all in. The window is open, letting in fresh air. I love that smell. I love this feeling it leaves me with, so natural, so familiar. The power just went out, random note. I am in back in Pagosa for the time being. I loved doing a surprise trip, I love peoples reactions when the realize I'm in town. :) The dog is freaking out so now he is laying with me all snuggled up. Anyways, I went to Kacey and Britton's wedding today, and it was so beautiful! I loved it, and enjoyed every second of it. It still blows my mind that she's married! But they were so meant to be, it's amazing. Sister and I went on a nice bike ride last night. I love riding bikes. It's almost scary how loud the thunder is, the crackling and booming, but I'm peacefully enjoying it right now. I'm enjoying being back a lot, but I am quite home sick. Never thought Iowa would feel so much like home. I miss my Matthew bunches, I really really wish he could have come with! I am enjoying having girl time and chatting constantly with my sister, I have missed her so much. As soon as I got here I think we talked for hours straight. The poor dog does NOT like this storm, lol. I have missed how well my hair does down here. I used to complain about this and that, but after living in Iowa I finally realize what a blessing Colorado weather is on my hair. Haha. I kind of really want to go out to dinner tonight, but I really rather save my money. Why spend money eating out when there is food in the house, that's how I see it. So maybe I'll dine in, make a yummy dinner and use candles, maybe even make a fort in my bedroom and make it some fancy french place! Ahh, I love using my imagination. I kind of can't wait to use it someday when I have kids. I have definitely missed Colorado, but strangely enough, not as much as I thought I would have. It's weird how much I've come to love Iowa. I think checking tomorrows weather and this weeks forecast and then a nap sound rather splendid.

8/16/11 God is good.. so good!

It's a beautiful thing to encounter the love of God! It's extraordinary, it's incredible, it's something that there just aren't enough words to describe it and the glory of it. I could just bask in His love forever more. Such a wonderful thing, end of story. Except the story goes on.. :) I am growing a lot closer to Him, the rough patch is starting to close up. The new, the fresh, the bold, the fire is becoming brighter. God has re-awoken my heart, He has made me new! Again, lol. I am falling in love with Him all over again. There has never been and never will be another to capture my heart like the Lord has, siiigh. :-D I'm excited to see how the next couple months go. Matthew, his mom and I are going to the fair tomorrow! I am so excited! It's going to be amazing, but then again it's always amazing hanging out with him. I just may be doing another blog tonight, or this morning if you want to get technical after I go for a run.

8/12/11- I'm starting to enjoy Iowa more and more.

Well on Wednesday the 10th Matthew and I got back from North Dakota. It was a blast, had a great trip. Dad and all the family really like Matthew, which makes me extremely happy. I already knew how to drive standard, but I wasn't really confident in it or the best, so Matt taught me how. Haha, it was stressful for me and I made it stressful for him. Teehee, oops! But soon I was getting very pro at it, well on level ground anyways. So on the trip home, back to Iowa I got to drive, until we got to Minot.. which is where we encountered an accident on a hill, so Matthew just had me pull onto another street and we swapped spots. I guess it wasn't ideal driving for a first timer, and I'll admit I was upset because I felt that I was ready, and I really wanted to deal with it, but I'm okay with getting more practice in first. I think I just may get a standard when I get another vehicle. I am finally starting to socialize more and more. I am just not the best at making new friends, people are picky and I don't know what to say all the time, which just makes me shy and awkward, and then I get nervous. Boo! But I am making a lot of progress, I think I'm getting more and more comfortable with who I am, and learning more about who I am and who God wants and is trying to transform me to be. :) I had such an incredible time at the state fair tonight! I went to see Casting Crowns and Sanctus Real! They are two of my most favorite bands ever. I loved the concert so much, and they did these super incredible, astonishing fireworks afterwards. It blew me away, I was in such awe and wonder. I am posting the video of them on fb sometime soon! I tried.. wait for it, waaaaait for it, FRIED OREOS! It was different, I guess it was just too much for my stomach though, too sweet and the fried stuff always upsets my tummy without fail. I rather eat a home grown carrot, now that is yummy goodness. I parked pretty far away too, so it was nice walking to and from the fair. I really enjoyed my walk at night back to my car, it was refreshing and relaxing. I had a wonderful night, God was all over my heart like no other! I really became desperate for all of Him, for what all of me; every inch of my body, every corner of my soul and every depth of my heart was longing, aching for, HIM! It was good, real good. I think it hit me hard, God just slammed open my heart and eyes when Mark Hall, the lead of Casting Crowns was speaking in between songs. Long story short, it lit the fire again, the fire that has been strangely dim for the last few months. I finally acquired the break through that I have been aching for, literally it seems. You know we always say, "Oh, what I would do to have the kind of faith it takes to climb out of this boat I'm in onto the crashing waves, to step out of my comfort zone into the realm of the unknown where Jesus is, and He's holding out His hand. Oh what I would do to have the kind of strength it takes to stand before a giant, with just a sling and a stone, surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors shaking in their armor, wishing they'd have had the strength to stand." Yet we don't realize that we say, "Oh what I WOULD DO, to have.." it's like saying we would do anything to have that faith, to have that strength, when Christ is saying, "HELLO, YOU CAN! YOU CAN! IT'S RIGHT HERE, NOW DO WHAT IT TAKES TO GET IT! YOU CAN DO IT THROUGH ME, WITH ME, I'M ALL YOU NEED TO ABTAIN IT." I know, I just really realized that tonight. Why don't I actually put all I have into it, instead of half heartedly making attempt? Well, from now on, I'm going to do what the, oh what I would do, and actually get those things! God did not create me to sit back, to fear and fret, to stand in the way. I was created for so much more! and it's time I start doing something about it, to start living and I mean really living this way. I have a heaping pile of things to work on, and I know, I know, it will forever be a journey, but it's past due for me to start putting more legit effort into these things. Random thought, I am so happy that we shampooed the carpets, they look so much better then before. My relationship with Matthew teaches me something new everyday, I learn so much wisdom and life lessons from God through this, it amazes me. I am ever grateful and thankful without end for the chance to share experiences, tidbits and ends, memories and life, growing in Christ and pouring into each other, lending a helping hand and heart, uplifting, encouraging, showing each other what God's truth really is and means, learning, filling each other with scripture and goals, for the chance to do all that and much, much more! I am quite excited to go to ladies night tomorrow, dinner at Olive Garden. Good food (I hear, never have been there.), good people and God at our center, sounds like a recipe to an awesome evening! And I'm also profoundly excited to go to the fair on Sunday with Matthew!! We are seeing Tenth Avenue North that night! Yay! I absolutely, positively love them! So full of God! Well with all that said, I have some cleaning that needs to be tended to, and some picking up to do. So I should be getting off my laptop and getting my butt to work. I will be blogging more tomorrow, well that's the plan any who.

8/08/11 - New Blog :)

Well, Matthew and I are finally up in North Dakota right now! So glad it happened! We had planned on coming up in order for him to meet my dad and other family, and so far things have been wonderful! :) Things are going great, I have such a positive hope filled outlook on things, future, plans, God's doings, just life in general! I couldn't be more happy. I'm really excited for things to start shaping up and taking place. This trip has had some bumps along the way, but that is the way life goes, gotta love it! I really don't mind, life would actually suck more if it was all perfect. I love being up here seeing family. Matt and my dad have been getting along great, they chat bunches, genuine talk too. I was actually quite amazed how well they hit it off. I just love life right now even with the ridiculously hard parts, they just make ya or break ya.. and I'm not broken, so truth be told they are making me stronger; and better at life! I have been looking at what I want to do schooling for, but there are just so many things I want to go for, ahhh! I just don't know about all the time and money it will take, especially money! We were visiting my dad's sister n my cousins and her eldest daughter's bf came over, she was introducing us all and when it came Matt's turn my aunt introduced as my fiance. It was so funny, we all had a grand time! :) I love spending time with my family. I have actually really, really, really enjoyed spending time with both my dad and Matthew all together. I'd say Matthew fits in perfectly. Haha, my dog is sleeping and dreaming.. baring teeth and all, a nice short bit o entertainment for Matthew and I. I know, I know, matthew, matthew, matthew.. is that all she ever talks about? noooooooo, but what can I say, I was blessed with an absolutely wonderful, crazy incredible best friend and boyfriend! I can't wait to get a job and get some money. I have some money saved up but I think I will spend that grand and whatnot on a really nice camera, I've been dying to get a new one!! I love how exciting life is for me. It's amazing. I can't wait to see how much things have changed and what they are like months from now. I had a ton more to put in this blog but it's getting late and were on a decent day schedule right now, so I think I'm turning in for some sleep.