Day 302

October 29, 2011

the one where we went to the Mizzou game, watched Tangled, baked a cake, frolicked, celebrated George’s birthday and Brooke & Ann’s ring dunk! Overall, I’d say today was nothing short of MAGICAL. Speaking of magical, please enjoy the hilariousness of two of my favorite musicals combined!

Day 301

October 28, 2011

the one where I took a little roadtrip back home! There’s just nothin’ quite like a small town Friday night. Belting out great songs with Brittany and Erik + chillin’ on a dirt road + Green’s kolaches and Dublin Dr. Pepper + watching Rogers beat Rosebud-Lott + catching up with Marina and my family + finally getting to see Jacob’s tuba solo = I love the joys of the simple life.

Day 300!

October 27, 2011

the one where I celebrated DAY 300 (AH!) by watching people do “Thriller” by academic plaza (and I TOTALLY would have joined if I hadn’t been running late to class!), getting to hang out with my Aggie Awakening 93 family, and finding tons of surprise “300” pictures covering my wall (Stephanie Gatica! You rock. So glad you’re just as excited for this day as I am!) Hope everyone had a happy Day 300!! Enjoy the song of the day! :)

Day 299

October 26, 2011

the one where I spent the evening hanging out and being crafty with April! It may or may not look like Hobby Lobby exploded in our living room/kitchen/entire house. And I don’t think any of us have a problem with that! (Thank you, Pinterest, for bringing out the little creative genius inside all of us. You. Are. AWESOME.)

PS: Tomorrow is Day 300. (ISTHISREALLIFE?)

Day 298

October 25, 2011

the one where I felt my immune system start to make a comeback against the pathogens! (Little do the bad guys know they’re about to be annihilated! Boom, roasted.) Today I was so thankful to find one of these open in the library between my classes—and yes, I know it looks ridiculous, but believe me when I say this is one of the most comfortable chairs I’ve ever sat in. Ever. Only I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it if you have a lot of reading or homework to do, because it miiight just cradle you to sleep. But if you’re okay with sleeping in public places, then you should go for it!

Day 297

October 24, 2011

the one where my antibodies spent the day in an epic battle against the pathogens! Yes, I’m feeling a bit under the weather, which makes sense considering how busy I’ve been combined with the little sleep I’ve gotten over the past week. So today was officially dubbed Recovery Day and was spent sleeping in, drinking herbal tea, listening to the song below on repeat, eating soup, and resting in Thomas and Lucas’ dorm in between classes. They are so good to me, they even made me go get Yogurtland with them tonight, and I must say it brightened my day quite a bit! I may have also heard that today marks Thomas and Ashley’s first year of togetherness… so to celebrate, Thomas was sure to get plenty of Reese’s to remind him of you, Ashley. (Awww, I know, right?) PB&C for the win.

Day 296

October 23, 2011

the one where I was completely overcome with emotion from all of the graces and blessings of the weekend! God was seriously pouring all of His love into our hearts this weekend—staffers and retreaters alike—and this entire experience has allowed me to grow in ways I would have never imagined. Never in a million years would I have dreamed that God would call me to co-lead a 3-day retreat for high school youth…but with everyone’s love and support, I was able to conquer my fears, realize my own powerlessness, and open up completely so that I could simply be a pencil in God’s hand.

And just a few more things…first of all, Dylan, I couldn’t have asked for a better retreat partner. You were incredible, and I could see the spirit working through you this weekend so much that it gave me chills! You. Rock.

And you’ve got swag. :) Just sayin’.

Staffers, you all blew me away with your awesomeness! Thank you all for being so flexible, servant-hearted, and joyful! You all had a wonderful impact on the youth, and I’m so blessed to have gotten to know all of you! I also want to thank all of the wonderful speakers and to our coordinator, Ryan! This weekend couldn’t have been better!

Day 295

October 22, 2011

the one where we had Day 2 of our SMYRT retreat, which included:

*Exploring the forest and enjoying the beauty of creation

*Amazing talks by Jessica, Bridget, Andrew, and Tanya

*”It’s totes the best hun-cal fro-yo.”+ “OMG. OMG, mad! Mad I didn’t know about that!” + “Always.” + “Our diet starts tomorrow!” + “Don’t you test these besties.”

*Teaching the retreaters how to say the prayer before meals to the tune of “A Whole New World”

*An intensely spirit-filled meditation and candlelit drama

*Quite the epic dance-off, plus some interesting and spontaneous stage performances

*Stargazing and flameless s’mores (graham crackers + marshmallow cream + nutella = MAGICAL.)

*Learning that the retreaters refer to Dylan and me as “D-Swag” and “J-Train.” Word.

Today was kiiiinda like an out-of-body experience. So thankful.

Day 294

October 21, 2011

the one where we left for our SMYRT retreat! Dylan and I were so blessed to have been chosen to lead this retreat, and we couldn’t have asked for a more wonderful staff! Belting out Hillsong on the road trip to Forest Glen + meeting about 50 rambunctious high school kids who we got to spend the weekend with + playing Human Bingo + Julie’s awesome talk + hearing Dylan’s intense bird noise + praising Jesus = I don’t know if I’ve ever had this much fun in the middle of a forest!

Day 293

October 20, 2011

the one where I revisited one of my favorite places to study on campus before my anatomy exam. Funny story: so if you keep up with this project, you probably know that I have a pretty rosy view of life for the most part. I’m very easily captivated by beauty, and I also tend to romanticize life and pretend like I’m in a movie…so it makes sense that I would be drawn to study in a place covered with these my freshman year! Well the funny thing is, back then, I snuck into this little overgrown garden area to do some last-minute reviewing about 30 minutes before my exam…and while it was a beautiful moment while it lasted, it would have been much better if the sprinklers hadn’t gone off on me! I kind of got annihilated, and was forced to laugh at myself! Thankfully my dorm was nearby, so I had a chance to quickly change into some dry clothes before my test! But yes, it was quite a moment revisiting this little overgrown alcove on southside.

Day 292

October 19, 2011

the one where I had another very busy day followed by an evening of preparations for our SMYRT retreat, getting candy and an uplifting card from Will, and getting to hold a guitar pick that Boyce Avenue used at a recent concert in Austin. AH!! Dylan, I still can’t believe you caught it—that is too cool!! And if anyone reading this has never heard of Boyce Avenue, prepare to be blown away by sheer mellow awesomeness.

Day 291

October 18, 2011

the one where we celebrated the first day of chilly weather! I’m beginning to see the leaves changing colors, slowly but surely! And after lots of studying (interrupted by watching this little critter frolic about), I concluded another very busy day by singing with my lovely choir friends! And I may have accidentally started a trend by saying the word “schveet.” Apparently it’s quite funny! (Or “schvhilarious,” as Julia and Paulina would say!) We miiight have a little too much fun at choir practice. But that’s the best way to do it!

PS: I tear up a little every time I watch this video! Love is a beautiful thing.

Day 290

October 17, 2011

the one where I spent 4-5 hours of quality time with Sterling (aka the library), and finally got to meet with the wonderful staff for SMYRT retreat #2! Can you believe our retreat is this weekend? And just look what I noticed on our fridge when I got home! Brooke is excited for us too!

I recently fell in love with this song, and I pretty much sang it all day today! Enjoy!

Day 289

October 16, 2011

the one where Coach Mike Sherman sat next to me during Mass (I know, right? I noticed that he had quite a strong grip when he held my hand during the Lord’s Prayer, and when we shared the sign of peace afterward—but I mean, he IS the Head Coach of the A&M football team!), and then I got to spend the afternoon having a reunion with my AA92 Leadership homies! So thankful for today! :)

Day 288

October 15, 2011

the one where the Aggies BTHO Baylor 55-28 (WHOOP!), I spent some time hanging out with Stephanie at Red Mango, and Brooke’s family came into town for a visit! I’m always so excited when I get to hang out with Brooke’s little sister, Bethany! She is just as sweet as can be; I kind of wish she could just live with us all the time! And I told her today that I secretly see her as the little sister I never had. (Awww…it’s true though!) Oh yeah, and sometimes we like to pretend that we’re dinosaurs. Just for fun. :) Happy Saturday!

Day 287

October 14, 2011

the one where I accepted an Aggie Awakening #93 marriage proposal! Raymond used pictures from my 365 Days to make a scavenger hunt that led me all around St. Mary’s, and even though I almost messed up the entire thing by getting distracted during Clue #2, I still managed to maneuver my way through the puzzle…in about an hour! (Hahaha! Sorry for the hold up!) And after reminiscing about Days 111, 126, 173, 198, and 274, I ended up finding Raymond in the Mary Grotto outside the church! All I can say is, my real husband has some big shoes to fill!

Dancing the night away at the Lighthouse + choosing an EPIC table theme + laughing my head off while watching Will and Casey do the Wobble more expressively than I ever knew possible = PERFECT way to celebrate the end of this crazy week! :)

Day 286

October 13, 2011

the one where I began a scavenger hunt to find my future Aggie Awakening #93 husband! Can you believe this? He’s using pictures from my 365 Days as clues! Clue #1 is a picture from Day 238: the one where we had our Casa Agape housewarming party. Hmmm…it’s a mystery! Can’t wait for Clue #2 tomorrow!

Aaand here’s the song that I discovered today! Enjoy!



PS: I have 2 big midterms tomorrow, so prayers are always appreciated! :)

Day 285

October 12, 2011

the one where I tried to slow down by sitting outside the Bright building sipping on an iced latte and trying to simply focus on the feeling of a cool breeze on my face. (If I could, I’d give it a sweet little smooch on the cheek for being so awesome.) If only it were possible to take a picture of the wind! I’m realizing more and more everyday that many of the greatest blessings in life simply cannot be captured in pictures.

But a lot can! We have a sweet cat (who April named “Oprah”), and she’s been hanging out around Casa Agape lately, but she needs a home! We’ve been feeding her, but we aren’t allowed to have pets. :( So please, if anyone would like to adopt Oprah, let us know!

Enjoy the song of the day!

Day 284

October 11, 2011

the one where I spent the morning studying, had pizza with ‘Rikman, met with Dylan to plan out our SMYRT retreat schedule, and got to spend some time de-stressing by talking to Natalia! Thank you so much for helping me calm down, re-focus, and remember to take things one day at a time. You. Are. AWESOME. And such a blessing! Although the next several weeks are going to be extremely busy, I know that everything is in God’s hands, and He never gives anyone anything they can’t handle!

Day 283

October 10, 2011

the one where I celebrated Columbus Day by dominating my linguistics exam, studying all afternoon, and coming home to find a secret delivery from my wonderful Tiffany! During AA92 this summer, she introduced me to Seattle’s Best Coffee, and I fell in love with it…so the other day, I told her that I’ve got a busy week ahead of me, and I’ve been having trouble finding this awesome coffee at the store, AND LOOK WHAT I FOUND BY MY FRONT DOOR TODAY!! Good. Ness. Today’s blessing may just look like a picture of awesome coffee, but the real blessing of the day is YOU, Tiffany! (The award for “Most Giving Friend” definitely goes to you!) How lucky am I to have this sweet and encouraging lady in my life? I’m so thankful for you, it’s kind of unreal. :) Love you!

Aaand here's the song that's been stuck in my head today!

Day 282

October 9, 2011

the one where we celebrated Brooke’s actual 21st birthday! Waking up to the sound of raindrops on my window (“Sunday mornin’ rain is fallin’…”) + saying goodbye to Caitlin (who is such a good friend; she drove 5 hours yesterday, but was the best birthday surprise ever!) + going to Cheddar’s for a birthday lunch with Brooke’s friends from OSU (true friendship once again) + excitedly getting to use my umbrella (ella, ella, eh, eh, eh) for the first time in months + going on a rescue mission when Katelynn and April got stranded (we got yo back, rooms!) = “roomie love? TRUE love.” Happy birthday, Brooke!

PS: I can’t seem to stop singing this song today; it’s such a good rainy day song!

Day 281

October 8, 2011

the one where we celebrated the day before Brooke’s birthday! A super-surprise visit from Bailey (which may or may not have surprised Brooke so much that she cried with joy!) + Saturday evening mass + gathering lots of friends together at Casa Agape + spaghetti and meatballs + finally giving Brooke her gift: a pastasaurus! + a beautiful birthday cake (complete with dinosaur) made by Sarah + sparkler candles that mysteriously reignite after they’ve been blown out + watching the Lizzie McGuire movie + whooping when we heard that the Aggies BTHO Tech + a trip to the gates of north at midnight = happy birthday, Brookie P! I love you!

PS: this video might just be one of the coolest things EVER!

Day 280

October 7, 2011

the one where Thomas and Lucas turned 19! (Can’t believe the next time I sing them “happy birthday,” they won’t be teenagers anymore?! SURREAL! Hope you both had fun at the RHS homecoming game!) And on top of that, we also celebrated the feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary today, and I got to spend some time catching up with Diana during our spontaneous dinner date! (I’m so thankful for you, my dear!) Happy weekend, everyone!

PS: 10 points to Matt Kolker for serenading me with this song today!

Day 279

October 6, 2011

the one where I spent some time with Thomas and Lucas, who are celebrating their 19th birthday tomorrow!! Only our class schedules conflict on Fridays, so I gave them their presents, took them to YogurtLand, and spent some time hanging out with them today! (Yes, I do realize this is my 3rd post this week that involves eating sugary deliciousness…I’m aware of this! However, I feel like celebrations call for that sort of thing, so I’m going to associate “week of eating fro-yo & gelato” with “week of things to celebrate!”) Hope you have a wonderful day tomorrow, guys! Happy birthday to two of the most hilarious and random velociraptor impersonators I know! :)

Aaand here’s the song of the day! It pretty much sums up the entire purpose of my 365 Days of ABCs!

Day 278

October 5, 2011

the one where I honestly spent most of the day studying and doing homework. But don’t worry; it wasn’t quite as boring as it sounds! Things that made me smile today: seeing someone in the car next to me at a stoplight belting out the same song as me (KSBJ knows what’s up), working on SMYRT retreat plans with Dylan and Ryan, running into Tiffany and Greg during my evening HEB excursion, seeing real Italian gelato and thinking of Carolyn…and immediately deciding to buy it, and watching a guy purchase a dozen red roses with a smile on his face.

Curious what song me and the stranger in the car next to me were singing today? Well, good news; here it is! Enjoy!

Day 277

October 4, 2011

the one where we had our annual Texas A&M Terry Scholar Banquet! Reuniting with amazing people + having the opportunity to shake the hand of the wonderful man who is paying for my college education + hanging out with President Loftin in all his bowtie-wearing glory + eating delicious food with the same dishes and utensils used by George & Barbara Bush + keeping it classy with multiple plates, 2 different knives, 3 different forks, 2 glasses, and a small coffee cup + listening to a beautiful speech by the Associate Dean in the College of Science, who reminded us that the key to changing the world is by appreciating everything we’ve been given, and living our lives for others rather than ourselves + a quote from Sir Isaac Newton: “If I have seen further, it is only by standing on the shoulders of giants” = Thank you, Mr. Terry, for being that giant and allowing me to see and experience things I wouldn’t have been able to without your help. I only hope that I can one day become a giant so that others can see further and live fuller lives because of me!

I am so thankful. How I can have this many blessings is beyond me!

PS: Enjoy the song of the day!

Day 276

October 3, 2011

the one where I tried to study outside in between classes...but ended up journaling, listening to Jason Reeves, and basking in the beauty of the day instead! And even though I have a test tomorrow, I wouldn’t have had it any other way! (Okay, I admit it...the weather may be messing with my head a little! I would have trouble getting anything accomplished if every day were this beautiful!) Other blessings included: Brooke’s birthday present finally coming in the mail (mwahaha, she has no idea what it is!), working on things for the first SMYRT retreat this weekend (and getting our SMYRT shirts!), and finally framing one of my favorite pictures I took when I was in Paris. The blessings abound!

Day 275

October 2, 2011

the one where my family came to C-Stat for a visit! 12 o’clock Mass + Fr. Michael making my day by greeting me with “Hello, gentle lady” + gathering around the biggest booth in Red Lobster with my parents and brothers + chattin’ up a storm + several hours of girl time with Momsie followed by a quick stop at YogurtLand before saying goodbye = I am so blessed.

Day 274

October 1, 2011

the one where I celebrated the beginning of October with lots of studying, a 2.5 mile run, and the epic conclusion of the LOTR series: “The Return of the King,” aka “The Return of the SMACKDOWN!!” (Which may or may not have made me cry twice…ergo, this is now officially my favorite part of the trilogy!) A ridiculously perfect conclusion + “he’s an angry elf!” + watching my friends throw a football back and forth across the street at almost 1AM = today was awesome.