Faith, Hope, and Love

Well... after spending 10 days in Orlando, wrapping up my #30daysof30 took some effort. I was exhausted, but every second felt worth it and I'm so glad I had been able to go. And while not all the remaining days were as exciting, they were just as meaningful in helping me start out this new year of life in the best way possible. Day 23: Coke Float I had just flown back in from Orlando the night before and had to go straight to work. I had barely slept the whole time, so I was dragging just a little bit. But of course, there was a surprise on my desk. From sweet Jess again. And it was Inca Cola! My favorite drink from my trip to Peru last summer! And later that night, I went to my favorite ice-cream place for a coke float. All-in-all, it was a good way to come back home and keep on celebrating. Day 24: Got My Hair Did Goal... look good as a 30-year-old. So of course that means getting my hair done. My cousin came over and worked her magic on me. Day 25: When Plans...

It's so hard to blog when you are having the time of your life! The month of September was AMAZING! I literally celebrated turning 30 for all 30 days . I felt a little silly doing it sometimes. Like how self-absorbed could I be? But honestly, each day reminding me to have joy in this life that God has granted me. To be thankful for the relationships and opportunities that have been given to me. To live without abandon and enjoy both the big and the little moments. I have no clue what the rest of 2015 will bring. Or even what this 30th year will bring. But celebrating my 30 days of 30 was a great way to start it out, and I'm glad I did it. Here's the recap of what else I did! Day 8: Peter Pan Date My sweet friend and co-worker Jess started the day out with a surprise on my desk! I am not big on flowers. But purple is one of my favorite colors, and this little bouquet was such a great start to my day... which I remember not starting out so great. I remember start...

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.....

All throughout the day, I find myself writing mini-blogs in my head. But somehow these blogs never make it to the actual web. I tend to put things off and then it slips my mind altogether, or feels too late to bother. It's why there was one mega-blog about my California trip, and why there has yet to be any post about my adventures in Peru (they are coming, along with some epic photos). The plan is to do a lot better... especially while I'm in India. I hope to write a few times while I'm there. Well, I actually, I feel honor-bound to write. You see, last year, I did a run for As Our Own . My I put off really training (although I did run about 4+ of the 6+ miles I was supposed to), I put off writing thank you notes to all the people who supported me. And I put off raising money for the mission trip I am about to depart on in a little over a week. Just before Peru, I finally sat down and sent out a few letters to my childhood church families, and then wrote out letters ...

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...