Long Lost Love

I've always loved crafting.  In fact, one of my first big hobbies was scrap-booking.  I used to make elaborate pages that would take hours to lay out.  It would be 9:30pm on a school night and I would get this urge to scrapbook so I would drop everything and let my creativity flow until the wee hours of the morn'.

Somehow I lost this.  I've still been crafty, but I've lost that love for creating.  I've lost that spontaneity.  If I'm truly honest, I feel like I lost part of myself.  Oh I've tried to get it back.  I have hundreds of photos just waiting to be scrap-booked with supplies galore.  But the urge never came; the love had been lost.

Until now.

Over Christmas I crafted a lot for the wedding.  I think somewhere in me the pieces began to come back together and since I've returned to school I haven't been able to get over it!! I scrap-booked my mac (I'm fortunate enough to have a clear case) and I'm working on scrap-booking my ipod (once I buy a clear case). Tonight I was doing homework when it hit me.  Must. Make. Cards.

So I did.  With limited supplies, I got my crafting on. What's a girl to do :)

Hello long lost love.  Its good to be back.

Real Life Ninja

I must say that I'm really enjoying this blog.  I might have jumped on the band wagon a little late, but I'm really glad I did.

Recently I've been getting a lot of "hows the wedding plans going?"  Well my friends, you're in luck because you read this blog and perhaps those people don't.  Here's the answer:  I'm stressing out!  The Save the Dates have been sent (with the exception of about 10 which we are acquiring addresses for) BUT they're late.  They should have been out before Dec 1 but they didn't.  All of the invitations need to get made still.  Hopefully next week.  The menu needs be picked, bridesmaids dresses need to get finalized, groomsmen need attire, I still need shoes, we need our bands, we need to secure sound equipment, and on and on and on the list goes.  Truth be told, it will all get done.  Do I feel a little overwhelmed with this list of things to do and a 18 credit course load and at least 2 jobs? You betcha.

This semester, however, I have found a stress reliever.  The gym!  Personally, I hate working out.  Up until now I hadn't found anything that was exactly fun and fulfilling (except perhaps hiking).  This has been a downfall for me and last year I gained at least 20 lbs.  This is not only unfortunate, but disappointing and kinda gross.  Last semester I took a fitness course and I lost about 10 lbs. Woo!  This trend has continued and when I returned from break I weighed a whopping 127lbs.  That doesn't sound too horrible if you ask me.  According to some person's study somewhere, I learned in my fitness class that the ideal weight for my height and age is 119.  Seems like I have a way to go.

But is it the number that's really important?  I would say yes and no.  It's a great indicator of where you are and perhaps where you should be.  Is it everything?  Absolutely not.  Each person's body is a little different and if at some point you begin to gain muscle, you're weight will only increase.  It would be nice to be 119, but I'm more concerned about my main goal. (Drum roll please)  The Bikini.

Now, I have heard some debate on this topic and I have my own opinion.  This is my own blog so I feel I can safely share it.  I am all for modesty.  You might have the goods, but its not so good if everyone gets a looksy.  This being said, I try to dress modest.  My necessity for 24 modesty, however, is about to change when I get married.  Hello, I'll be married!!  That comes with many wonderful implications to which I'm sure you can use your own imagination. After the wedding when we go on our honeymoon (look for a post on that soon) I would like to be able to wear a bikini.  I'll finally be married and have freedom with my husband and I want to look and feel hot.  No shame in that.  Getting into that bikini, however, is the challenge.

But there's a solution.  I'm in the gym at least 3-4 times a week and now have one more advantage on my side.  Besides doing 7 minute abs with the suite mates, I am required to take a skills class this semester.  I chose (another drum roll) Tae Kwon Do!  This Korean Martial Art is helping me get in shape and let me tell you it is kicking my butt!  Literally. We worked on kicks today that work the butt!  This class is going to be a serious adventure for me and I'm both nervous and excited.  Technically it doesn't make me a ninja because it's a Korean Art, not Japanese...but I still like to say "hiya" instead of haiiiiiii.  Look out this summer because my ninja skills be the bomb (boom)!! I'm one week into the class and so far I'm enjoying it. Hopefully it will not only be fun but help me reach my goal.  There's only 121 days left till the wedding so I have to step on it!

For now it's back to homework.  I'm super excited to finally finish bridesmaids shopping tomorrow! Yippee!!

p.s. I promise to post a picture of me in my Tae Kwon Do uniform as soon as it comes, just so you know I'm not lying :)

Julianne Appreciation Day

Surprise for me!!  This morning I woke up to a most wonderful surprise.  Not only did I have a day off of school in the honor of Martin Luther King Jr., but apparently it was also a holiday dedicated to me!  Now, I'm definitely not saying that I am as important than MLK, I'm a big fan of him, but it is pretty darn cool to have a holiday.

I have the B-E-S-T suite-mates in the whole wide world!!!!  When I woke up this morning I found Savannah decorating the hallway and I smiled before getting into the shower.  I pretending to ignore it and when I was finished getting squeaky clean I found breakfast for me on the counter!!

BEST SUITE-MATES EVER!! The day was just beginning and there were more surprises in store!

Savannah, Jess, and Krys took me on an adventure to a place I've wanted to go to forever!! Savannah made me cover my eyes as we pulled into the parking lot of (drum roll please) color me mine!!  I LOVE creative places and crafty things and this place is kind of like heaven to me.  We picked out mugs (and in Krys' case a bowl) and began our painting process.  We all chose different techniques from scratching, to sponging, to stencils, to bubbles!  It was an absolutely fantastic time and I cannot wait for our pieces to be fired and picked up so I can drink yummy coffee out of my new mug made by one and only me!!

Next we went to Paneras and then came home.  Honestly, this was one of the sweetest things that anyone has ever done for me.  Especially since I'm almost never at the dorm.  I have been going through a hard time lately and these ladies really made me feel loved and appreciated.  I hope that we can continue this tradition and each wonderful woman can have their own appreciation day!!

There was one person who was left out of this group due to unfortunate circumstances.  Best friend Sara was supposed to be coming to surprise me this morning BUT her car wouldn't start. Boo.  She has a kind brother though who fixed her car in time for her to go to work.  Where the next wonderful part of my day took place!!  I got to visit Sara at work (don't worry Sara I won't say where) and I got a bonus: a car wash! I LOVE going through the car wash!  It reminds me of being little and excited.  I got to go through 3 times and it was the icing on the cake of an excellent day.  Best friends, crafting, more friends, visiting Sara, and car wash.  Not to mention spending time with Jude :)  This has been a blessed day and I am so grateful for my wonderful friends!!  You are loved and appreciated!!

p.s. did I mention they bought me a plant? Best day :)

The Good, Bad, & Ugly

Break is over and its the second day of school.  Who would have thought that in 3 days so many things could happen?!

I left my house at 8 am Sunday morning wishing I could stay forever.  When I first left for college 4 years ago I was ecstatic to be free and away from my friends and family adventuring into this new life!! It took over a year for homesickness to kick in and by now every time I go home I just want to stay.   I attribute this to the realization that while I'm at home I have less responsibility and more freedom.  It's nice to be able to sit on the couch, eat some soup, put a log on the fire, and watch jerseylicious all day.  This glorious reality ended abruptly as I packed the car Sunday morning and waved goodbye to good ol' New Jersey.

The trip to New York was pretty excellent.  I picked up my awesome friend Raychel as well as Jude and waiting for us in Lima, NY was Sara Berkemeier with an odd looking (but yummmmmmmy) beef stroganoff.  Even though I didn't want to come back to New York, the day was going really good.

This didn't last. Jude surprised me by taking me to my first bridal expo in Rochester, but we were a little late and the person in line in front of me got the last gift bag.  Bummer.  Our tickets also most likely didn't make it to the raffle. Double Bummer.  We left there and decided to go back to campus before heading on a movie date so that we could pick up our books from the Library before it closed.  It was already closed. And the mail office was closed where my other books were.  All of this was crumby, but then it got ugly.  I dropped my computer of the car.

Now, for those of you who know me well, you understand that I have a curse following me in which anything nice that I have ever owned ends up broken.  Most of the time due to my own stupidity.  This was once again the case and I just wanted to go home.  Really go home.  My bags were still packed and I was ready to head back south.  The computer was indeed kaput and (drumroll please) my warranty had ended only 5 days before.  I sat and cried for hours.  This was the icing on the cake of my emotional mess.  Already I was dreading returning to school and have already been under stress concerning the wedding and immigration. This was a bad day.

My mother assured me that I could not return home.  She also did the most loving thing she could do and  volunteered to help me get a new computer.  Some may say "that's what parents do" but I don't think that it does justice to the sacrifices my family has made for me.  They always bail me out and they love me no matter what.  It made me want to be home with them even more.

It's in the midst of gray skies that one's yellow rain boots stick out the most.  In the middle of being upset, my roommate changed everything.  She didn't give me a speech (or chocolate), she gave me a scarf.  The prettiest scarf I've ever had.  It made me realize that I was missing the point and switched me into the gear of being grateful.

This scarf, my parents mercy and gracious giving, and Jude helping me back up my harddrive and search for a new computer made me think of how good I really have it.  Sara is now at school with me! I have my two best friends here with me and have made other good friends while being here.  Other awesome friends are only forty minutes away!  This year I am getting married, I have an awesome wonderful fantastic job for the summer, and I will finally have my degree.  I need to remind myself that even though this will be a difficult year, it will still be a good year.

So here I sit, typing this on my new mac!! Well technically it's used, but it's new to me :D  I am now part of the mac family and have my dream computer.  Such a horrible day produced so much good after all!  It will take some time to get used to, but I am enjoying every minute of it.  I especially love the photo booth and how God has blessed me with so many awesome people in my life!!

Hello 2011!!

Happy New Year!!

Ok, so I'm a few days late on spreading the New Years cheer, but I plan on celebrating the New Year for the whole month.  Just to remind myself that God makes all things new :)

This year, I spent New Years with some of my all time favorite people.  New Years Eve began with a field trip!! I drove out to beloved New Ringgold, PA to pick up 3 of my 5 Summer 2010 roommates and we headed to Halifax, PA for the wedding of Matthew and Catherine Creigh.  Now, if you have known me for more than a week you know that I have a bad habit of being late.  In fact, on the day of their wedding I left my house twenty minutes late!! But somehow I ended up at Bekk's house twenty minutes early.  Yeehaw!  The celebration didn't last long, however, as we were zooming to the wedding with a target time of (drum roll please) 40 minutes late.  Thankfully, we made it on time and the wedding was beautiful.  My highlight of the reception was Angelique Harris giving Matt away to the bride before the cake was cut. Priceless.

After the reception we headed to Blue Mountain Christian Retreat to see the burnt hole in the ground where the main building used to be.  I will admit that it was sad to see the windows of the nursery where we used to scare Angie all black and blown out because of the flames.  It also made me excited to see what else is about to happen!! We stopped into Partners Hall and joined in on a Chinese Church service which was delightful.

Next, we made our way to the Billet's house where fun awaited us.  I can honestly say that I haven't laughed so hard in a very very long time.  I really cherish the friends that I have made at BMCR that have become more like family.  I am looking forward to the 2011 Summer Season with pure joy knowing that it will be the best summer yet!!

I have made some New Years resolutions!! I used to hate making them because let's face it, I fail most of them.  This year, however, my goals aren't about losing 5lbs or reading a chapter of the Bible a day.  They have to do a lot more with my outlook on life.
1. Stay better connected to those that I love
2.  Learn to forgive easily
3.  Learn to pray to God instead of complain to God
4.  Laugh more than any other year!

These goals are not as concrete as some may like, but they will be essential to me.  I am entering into what will be the hardest year of my life.  Some people say that your first year of marriage is the hardest, and I think that's ok.  There's nothing wrong with that.  While the beginning of that is still 4 months and something odd days away, we're 3 days into the New Year and the difficulties have begun. Most of you know that Jude is from India.  God has been faithful in providing all of his needs to remain in the country to complete his education, and we believe that He will show Himself faithful once again.  Without sufficient funds for this semester at Robert's Wesleyan, Jude will be eligible for deportation on January 11.  We are praying that the funds will be provided and that he will be able to stay in the country to finish his studies (and graduate in May) as well as be present for our wedding.  Please pray with us that God would provide and get the glory for such a miracle!!

Hello 2011! You may be the hardest year yet, but I'm prepared.  I think I see victory right around the corner!