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Friday, September 16, 2011

Summer Days



Alas, dear friends, I have been a negligent or otherwise LAME blogger.


You must forgive me yet again... I plan to set of a regular schedule for myself as soon as school gets under way (Ohio State University starts the 21st of September!  HEEEELLLLPPPP!!!)

This summer has been extraordinary in so many ways.  I have been gone a LOT, which is partly the reason I have been so terrible in keeping up with my blog.


My mom, sisters, and I all took a wonderful trip to Wisconsin, and then on the way home, we stayed in Chicago and toured the city for three days.  It was wonderful to spend some quality girl time, laugh, buy yummy food, and shop a lot.

I came to realize how much I adore the city.  Especially this city.  I don't know why, but Chicago has now become my ideal "yuppie" place of residence.
This is me and my 3 lovely sisters on the Navy Pier with the city of Chicago behind us. 




Then for two and a half weeks, my whole family went on vacation.  It was incredible... we visited Niagara Falls, Toronto, Montreal, Juliette, Quebec City, Bar Harbor (Maine), Portland, and Boston.  





It was a whirlwind of a ride, but we met some wonderful people, had some amazing (and funny) experiences, created memories, and learned a lot.


I also treasured this trip because it helped me to understand my family a little more...


I was able to grow closer to my brother and sister and spend some time with my little sisters -- something I should do more often.



Besides being gone, I've been working a bunch (which is both good and bad... good for the money, bad because I'm not fond of my job), getting together with friends (which is something I can never do enough), and attending Labor Day Family Camp.







This year is the second time I've gone too this camp, and it was been a life changing experience both times.  God has met me during Labor Day weekend in ways that I didn't think were possible.  I felt a reassurance from Him that He has my life in the palm of His hands (which of course I believe, but it's a fact that is really hard to live out day by day).


I was able to find a peace about where my life is headed and know that He has my best interest at heart.  There have been some tough decisions for me to make lately.... college, money, job, car, future plans, BUYING A COMPUTER (ughhh!!).... and all of that I've had to rely on Christ and be secure in the knowledge that His plans are greater than I can imagine.  NOT an easy thing to do.  And I'm still working on it... trust me. :)




I've come to realize a few things lately about my life.  My friends are wonderful.  I love you guys.  I have such a solid, strong support group surrounding me and we all are the body of Christ.  I've come to realize how blessed I am to have so many like-minded, and yet totally different people.




 Recently I feel like I've gained some new friends, and at the same time lost a few more.  And then there are those old friends who I've known so long that we don't have to talk for months, but when I see them, they can read me like a book.  God is good to me.




Also, I've come to appreciate family.  Not that I didn't appreciate my family before, but I think I have a new respect for my family and how we work together.  It never hard, and usually my family members are the ones that bug, torment, and hurt me the most.  Yet, I'll have them forever.  People will come and go in and out of my life, but my family is there FOREVER.  It's a comforting thought (and then there are times when I'm like, "I NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE!")  But we all have those moments.





No matter what I do, say, think, or feel, I know they're there for me.  Thank goodness.  We can grow, fight, learn, cry, and journey together.... but the point is that we're really in this together.  I've realized that as much as a adore my friends (and many of them are adopted siblings), no one understands your heart as much as a family member.




I also turned 18 this summer.  EIGHTEEN!  I don't feel that old.  I remember being 10, and my grandpa came up to me and said, "Only three more years and you'll be a teenager!"   Those were the days.... lol

So, yeah... this has been a sincere attempt to try to "catch up" on the past three months of blogging.  However, there is no such thing.  I am determined in the future to live up to my own expectations of a consistent blogger... let's see if I keep my word.  Please hold me to it!

(Oh! And all the pictures... well most of the pictures... were taken and edited by my sister Jennoelle :)

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