Faith, Hope, and Love

Yesterday, I began a new chapter in life. I turned 29. Holy cow! It's the last year of my 20s!!! I don't even what to contemplate what that means... should I be excited? terrified? Last year, I was not all that thrilled about turning 28. I think I was just down about life not being all I expected it to be. And as the days grew closer to my birthday this year, I could feel myself feeling all down and pathetic about life. Like getting older was a curse, instead of a blessing. So I decided to change my tune and celebrate life. FRIDAY: I got to sing the National Anthem at the an Astros game !!! Granted this wasn't planned in honor  of my birthday, but it was a great way to get the weekend started. I'm not a huge sports fan, but I am a huge fan of new experiences. And this was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Check that off the bucket list! And the best part is that the Astros were playing the the Rangers! And... THE RANGERS WON! (Sorry, Astros fans.....

"I've been around the world, they say that love is blind, but I love you cause I've seen you a hundred times So amazed at the world that You made"    -- Jimmy Needham, "How Great Thou Art" That's exactly what I think when I reflect on my trip to Peru. From the ocean to the mountains and valleys. The salt mines and ancient ruins. I was constantly in awe of the beauty this world holds. And how can we live in a beautiful world and doubt that there is a God? It's hard for me to fathom because I couldn't help but give glory and worship God as we drove up mountains, took trains and boats along the riverbed, and trekked through the rain forest. Peru is a fabulous place. When I first decided to do this trip, it was solely to see Macchu Picchu. I read some National Geographic article about "Places You Want to See Before It's Too Late," and they implied that the government might shut Macchu Picchu down to help persevere the archa...

School got out at the end of May and the first chance I got I started my vacation off in style with a trip to CALIFORNIA! I had been to California once before. I was four and all I remember is going to Disneyland. And all I remember about Disneyland was a yellow submarine ride and being upset that Mary Poppins looked nothing like Julie Andrews (I mean, what four-year-old likes impostors?). So when I won a free ticket last year and had to use in by this June, I figured I'd squeeze in a trip to see some friends and explore the West Coast. First Stop: Carlsbad/San Deigo, CA When planning my trip to Cali, I decided on the location because of my good childhood friend, Valerie. Val is an absolute doll. She moved to Nigeria in '95/'96 and I remember down the long driveway to her house, knocking on the screen door and introducing myself within days of her family's arrival. We became fast friends and even when we both moved back to the States and lived in different state...