The Mountain

     I grew up with Mt Rainier in my back yard. One of my favorite things about walking to high school was seeing the mountain in the background coming around the corner. For a couple days I spent time with my mom in Sumner, WA, which is about 30 minutes from where I grew up. I spent the morning down the street at Starbucks with an americano (with white chocolate of course) in hand, sitting outside in my sweater and boots, sitting by the fire, listening to a Solid Rock Podcast all underneath the shadow of the great Mt Rainier.

     Like I said before, I grew up with the mountain out my window but I can honestly say that this is the first time I have really NOTICED the mountain. I was completely taken back and amazed by the magnificent piece of God's work that overpowers the western Washington skyline. I couldn't stop looking at it, and I've seen it all my life! 

    If there is one thing that I defiantly miss in the South it's the mountains. The "mountains" that I have seen around here have well... been more ....hilly. Not saying that they are not beautiful, the South defiantly has it's own beauty and wonder and mountains and hills, but there is nothing like the cascades. There is nothing like letting Mt Rainier, Mt Baker, Mt Adams, Mt St Helens, or Mt Hood wake you up in the morning. A mountain isn't a mountain unless it's got snow on it all year round. 

     That morning sitting at Starbucks was one of the most peaceful mornings I have had in a long time. The sermon from John Mark was so encouraging and I loved being able to take my time and wake up! I love getting ready in the morning but now that I also work at Starbucks in Little Rock I always work the morning shift. As hard as it is to get up in the morning (especially when the morning becomes 4am) it is so worth getting up even earlier than needed, because it's more than needed! No matter what time of the day it is the only time that is really "your" time is the morning. Before your day starts. Before you look at your planner or to-do list. Before you walk out the door, take some time to spend some time with the God of the universe. I guarantee it will change everything for the good. 

     Also, I have decided that I am going to create my own "windows to the Northwest" in my room in Arkansas. One said will have Mt Rainier, the other Mt Hood. That way I can wake up everyday, even 3,000 miles away, to the wonder and majesty that is the MOUNTAIN.

Mt Rainier over Tacoma

Mt Rainier behind Kentwood High School.
Home of the Conquerors

Til the next new day ♥ ,

Ready for a Recap?

     Ok so the rest of the time I was home I didn't have a chance to continue with my blogging so I'm going to catch ya'll up now! So just FYI The next couple posts are all going to be on the same day but they will recap the rest of my adventures home! From going up to the Seattle area to standing by one of my best friends as she marries the man of her dreams and being back on the OSU campus for the first day of school. ... so if anyone wants to know... well, here ya go!
 Til the next new day ♥ ,

Sweet Conversation and Great Coffee

     One of the things that I realized that I missed the most from back home was conversation. Good conversation. Sweet conversation. Conversation that lasts for hours and hours around the dinner table and goes from side splitting laughter to serious world topics to God's grace and beauty. And that is an example of God's beauty I think. A great conversation between friends willing to be vulnerable with each other and share life together. Being home this week has blessed me with a number of opportunities with friends to have sweet precious moments like this. I am not saying anything against my friends in AR but I'm still new there and no one knows me like my friends up here do. Their willingness to talk and share life for hours even if it means putting our selves on the line, being humbled and letting people pour into us with everyday issues. We sat and talked for hours and I loved how the conversation just flowed from one topic to the next without missing a beat over a great cup of the NW's best coffee.
     I think that is why people love coffee so much. At least up here. Weather it's a Starbucks or not there is a coffee shop on every street corner and inside you can find tables and comfy chairs full of friends, mentors, first dates, interviews, families and study partners filling their entire morning and afternoon. It's an entire culture up here that I grew up to love. I mean Corvallis even has a coffee shop called Coffee Culture (they do have the BEST white chocolate americanos btw)... One day we woke up, all had a cup of coffee with our quite time, talked some, then decided to "go get coffee" which always means another hour at the minimum of drinking unthinkable amounts of caffeine and talking some more.
     These are the times I miss the most. These are some of my greatest memories with friends. I love listening to people and I love sharing my life with people I love, trust and want to grow a relationship with. So weather you have amazing news, a gut wrenching confession, something funny happened on the way to class that is really only funny if you were there, or just want to talk about the weather.... let's go get some coffee :) Til the next new day ♥ ,

Adjusting to Home

     First couple days back home have been amazing to say the least. Just being back in Corvallis is a sweet spot in my heart. I have been able to see a couple familiar faces and for now am staying with two of my best friends who I have missed dearly since I have moved and I still have a whole bunch of people to see this weekend! Everyone I know is going to be at the Ranch later this weekend and a couple people have been trying to convince me to go out there but with the wedding on Friday night I have no idea how I would get there unless I can borrow a car or something just for Saturday. It's the OR/SW Washington Regional Leadership weekend and one of my favorite weekends out of the entire year. I am trying to not let my self get super worked up about it because chances are, even if I tried to just go visit people for the day it proabaly isn't super realistic.
     Being back on the west coast has stirred up some new thoughts in me though. Part of me wished I was a clone becuase I do love Arkansas and the south but I LOVE the PNW. It's something about coming home. "Mama said home is where the heart is".... right?
     It does something to you.
     I went for a run along the river this morning and the early morning in Oregon when the sun hasn't broken through yet is something wonderful. An outsider would say it's just gray and gloomy but the cold pacific breaze and the sound of the Willamette flowing by watching the Blue Herons swoop down to the river shore is something else. The gray isn't sad right now. It's calming really. It's refreshing. It's home.
     Part of me thinks that I will end up back here someday after the work that God is doing through me in Conway is done but if that move ever happens I feel like a couple years down the road I will want to move back. Am I just going to be a wandering nomad of a soul forever? I want to be everywhere and know everyone and do everything but I can't. I'm different now too. I seeing old friends have made me realize that there is still a great place in my heart for who I was and having them in my life but people change over time and it's not really good or bad it just happens.
     I like traveling and living somewhere wierd gives me the chance to do that for occasions like this. Seriously though airports are probably the greatest people watching area ever! I like being able to COME HOME.
     I get to see more friends today and tomorrow... I get to go dancing again for the first time since March! (ok I went once in Nashville over the summer but I was by myself and didn't get to swing or two step so it didn't count). I am so excited to see people that know me. Know my heart and being here the last couple days with Kel and Shan has been such a blessing.

HOME

       I didit. I'm here. I'm back. I'm HOME. And get how cool this is, I'm still on the freeway! The HUT shuttle that will take me straight from PDX to the Oregon State Campus has wifi now so that's awesome right? I'm not going to lie I am a little nervous about being back. Things have changed. I've changed. It's been a big year and a big summer but as I am sitting on the shuttle driving down the road seeing signs for "205 N to Seattle" and things like "Fred Meyer" and "Interstate 5" again ;) it's a good feeling.
     I am excited to be back for a bit and to get to celebrate with some friends but I was kind of sad to leave Arkansas this morning. Conway has it's first club tonight and I am sad that I am missing it, especially after knowing some awesome high school friends and a couple potential new leaders :)
     This is good though, I needed this I think.
     Oh and another thing, I can feel it, smell it almost really. What is that? oh wait... NO HUMIDITY!!!

Doesn't look like a ton now but it's
OREGON BABY!

This is on the back of my car right now.
Represent PNW in the ARK!

    Til the next new day ♥ ,

Flying West

     Welp, ya'll. I must say I am kind of nervous but tomorrow I will be dropped off at the Little Rock airport by a dear friend to jump on a plane at 8:00 in the morning to arrive hours later in Portland Oregon! I have no idea how I am going to react about being back in OR/WA for a couple weeks but I promise to keep ya'll updated. Some of my friends this summer at STC said I developed an accent from being in the South so we will see if it holds true.
     I'm excited to go home but I am shaking in my boots as well. I'm a different person now from when I left and I am excited to come back to Corvallis but I left a lot of things there that I am not sure I am ready to face again but I know I am coming back for a bigger picture. Two of my great friends are getting married and I will be there to support them. The first is on Friday (technically they are already married but they are having a Corvallis reception and I am honored to celebrate with them) and the other a week and a day from then and then I will be able to stand next to one of my best friends on the planet as she marries the man of her dreams. They two of them are perfect for each other and I could not have been more honored to be apart of their day.
     I will see familiar friends and a familiar town in a new light with a new me and I could not be bouncing off the walls more. Who knows if I will be able to sleep tonight. It's like going to Disneyland in the morning! ... oh yeah. better start packing huh?

Tim Riggins & my Roommate

     If you haven't been hooked into the phenomenon that is/was Friday Night Lights (the TV show not the movie) well you should jump on the band wagon real quick like! It combines the drama side of a "i need to see the next episode now" sitcom and my personal obsession with the feel of a friday night high school football game.   Contrary to what some might think I was introduced to this from the guys at SharpTop Cove this summer in Georgia. So guys and girls... get ready to be hooked! The show follows the life of a small town Texas high school football team and it's players, coaches and their friends and families. You have to get it on netflicks or something now though. Anyway point being me and my roommate (and many of both of our friends) are completely hooked and obsessed. Here is the opening of season  1 just to get you started. Coach Taylor. Jason Street. Smash. Matt. Julie. and Tim Riggins. oh yeah. you'll like it.

     Now as I said before me and my roommate love this show. And we are also pretty crafty. Most of our house  consists of things we saw on Pintrest and we both blog and could spend hours in Hobby Lobby and Michaels. We have a wall dedicated to our canvas paintings, my bed is made out of pallets and we have a great surprise idea for our living room. Well out latest craft project was inspired by a favorite friend of ours and we are in love with them! well. just take a look for yourself :)

Clear Eyes Full Hearts Can't Lose

    It was pretty easy to create these mugs. We found some cheap ones we liked and preped them with an All Purpose Sealer. Let that dry for 30 minutes (we used the time to watch another episode of course!). Then we used regular acrylic paint to make what we wanted. (I have the QB1 and CYFHCL ones). After that dried we painted a satin varnish over it to protect the paint and after that dried we baked them at 250 for about an hour to set it. I personally can't wait to get well into season 3,4 and 5 (we are in the middle of 2 right now) and curl up with some home made cider and my FNL mug! So easy! Paint whatever you want!

Til the next new day ♥ ,