The Making of Pascal

As a kid, I always wanted to make my own Build A Bear. However, when my birthday or Christmas rolled around, I always seemed to find another toy I wanted more. That being said, I never got one. So sad I know. I kind of forgot about that childhood dream until a month or so ago. I'm about to have another birthday and you know what I wanted? I baby panda. Like a real one. I'm being completely serious I swear. However, that''s not possible because you can't just have a pet bear. It will kill you. Disappointing I know. However, I shared my desire for a baby panda with my friends Gary and Sarah. And they gave me the idea to just go make a Build A Bear panda instead. I thought about it and decided that was perfect. Thank for that idea guys. Yall rock.

So, every year for our birthdays, my aunt takes us out for dinner and shopping. She was thrilled and so excited to take her 19 year old niece to Build a Bear Workshop at the Mall. We walked in and we both couldn't help but laugh and smile. It is SUCH a cute little store and I loved it. The first step was picking out the animal, and I got my panda. Then the worker tells you to pick a sound button to put inside. I chose the one that giggles. Its pretty dang cute if you ask me.  Thirdly, we stuffed the little bear and both my aunt and I put a heart inside of him to "wake up" the animal. The worker did a little poem about the bear's smile, hands, feet, etc. It was precious but we were all laughing. She said her normal customers are 5 year olds not college students. Haha but we had a blast! After stuffing,  i picked out the clothes I wanted for it. I chose red rain boots and they are SO cute. Don't want his paws getting wet when it rains now do we? The last thing we had to do was give the panda a name. I wasn't sure what I wanted to name it so I spent the past couple days trying to figure it out. I eventually decided on Pascal. Why Pascal? Well, my favorite movie of ALL TIME is Tangled, and Rapunzel's iguana's name is Pascal. It was perfect. I know I'll be back and I want to take my little kids I babysit (Hayes, Cam, Laney, and Kimbrel) there because I know they would love it even more than I did!

After naming Pascal, I made his birth certificate and we were done. I finally got my baby panda and love it! People probably judged me so hard walking around the mall with panda stuffed animal and cardboard house for it, but I really don't care. They are missing out. I like to think that you're never too old for a Build A Bear; it keeps you from growing up too fast :)

Stuffing Pascal! 

Listening for the heart beat 

Naming Pascal and making the birth certificate.

Ta-Da!! My baby panda 

86,400 Seconds

"Time spend alone with God is never a waste of time." -Unknown 

This past Sunday morning at church, Pastor Kevin Blackwell started a 5 weeks series called "One Month to of Live". During these 5 weeks he will teach us about the importance life, time, and what you spend your time doing. He will teach on living with passion, loving with a purpose, loosening our possessions, learning from pain, and leaving a path of righteousness. This week's lesson was about living with a purpose. To put it simply, he explained that the devil will try to destroy you and he wants you to waste your time on things that are meaningless. He wants you to spend your days absorbed in the world, and being conformed by it. He then challenged us to defeat the devil and spend our time on the one thing that will give us fullness of life - Jesus. 

He told us about a friend of his who was diagnosed with cancer and had only a short time to live. Following that story, he asked us this question: "If you were told you only had 30 days to live, what you spend your time doing differently?" Woah. That's a pretty big question. One to think on for sure.

As I sat there and listened, I was hit in the heart after he asked us how many seconds of our day we actually give to God. I've heard this question more times than I can count. And I can county pretty high. But this time was different, it actually caused me stop and think about it. I had to give myself an honest answer. Out of the 86,400 seconds a day, I probably give God about 900. (That's 15 minutes a day out of 1440 just by the way.) That's almost nothing. And once I realized that, I knew that it needed to change. God woke me up this morning, gave me breath to live, and all I give him is 15 minutes a day? Wow. I am so ashamed that I will only give that little amount of time to my Creator and the One who died for me. Not okay. 

So then, I'm all like "Holy cow I have to give him hours and hours a day. As much time as I spend working or with friends or eating, I have to give God that same amount." How overwhelming is that? And that's also way too much calculating and adding and math to do. it was then that I realized we don't have to spend 12 or more hours a day reading the Bible, going to church, etc. and use the remaining hours for sleep, working, socializing, etc. I"M NOT SAYING THAT"S WRONG OR BAD I"M JUST SAYING WE DON"T HAVE TO DO THAT JUST BY THE WAY. Here is what I have learned...

I have found myself getting discouraged that the only time I spend sitting and reading my Bible is right when I wake up and right before I go to bed. Wake up with the truth and fall asleep to it. But I felt that wasn't enough and wasn't "good enough." So I thought I needed to spend WAY more time in the Word and if I didn't, I thought I would be a failure. But you see, the time you spend with God should be constant, all day long, and personal. Talk to God throughout the day; just like you would a friend. You are in a relationships with God so treat it that way. You don't just talk to your closest friends and loved ones for a few minutes in the morning and a few minutes at night or when something great or terrible happens. You talk to them constantly and passionately. Do the same with God. He deserves that and more. How do you talk to him throughout the day? Well it's simple. When something good happens, tell him about it (Even though he already knows) and tell him thank you. When something bad happens, tell him, cry to him, and ask him for help. To be even more realistic and specific think of if like this... When you make it work or school safely, say "Thank you God for protecting me and guarding me." When a friend, employee, or teacher tells your good morning or gives you a smile, thank God for giving your people in your life. When you eat your lunch, whether it's what you wanted or not, tell Him thank you for providing food for you. If you get a good grade, thank Him for preparing you and guiding you. Those are all good things no matter how small they may be. And you know what? Every good and perfect gift comes from God. So tell him thank you every time you smile, laugh, and feel joy. Without him, you wouldn't have those things. 

On the other hand, when something bad happens, you know, we all have those bad days where everything goes wrong and we wanna wring everyone's necks. Talk to him on those days too. If you spill coffee in the car (happens to me about twice a week and it make me so angry), ask him for patience. When you get rear ended on the way to work, ask to give you patience with people and then thank him that it was only that and not a serious wreck. When you have to eat at Burger King instead of Firebirds (or somewhere fancy and expensive idk) cause your budget that week is tight, thank Him that you even had a budget and can eat at all. But also ask him to continue to provide means and money, even if i's less than you want. And when get home after this TERRIBLE day and your house is a mess, the dog dirtied up the carpet, and there's loads of laundry to do, take a breath and say, "God, thank you for a house to come home to. Thank you for clothes that need to be cleaned, thank you for it all." I know this is easier said than done, but if you thank God when blessings happen or ask for help when difficulty comes, you are giving Him your time. Just keep Him in your life more than just when you sit down to read the Bible. He is in all things we just have to take the time to look, see, and find Him.  And just like with people, time helps you get to know each other better and with that, you become closer. God wants that with us and we desperately need it with Him.

 One quote I love goes like this, "The greatest gift you can give someone is your time because you are giving them a portion of your life that you will never get back." With that being said, who better to give your time to than the One who breathes life into you every one of those 86,400 seconds per day? Time with God does not just mean reading the Bible and doing your devotionals. It's not just about how much read about Him, it's about how much you engage with Him day to day. Your time is given through reading his love letters to you, praising Him through the good times and bad, thanking him for every little thing, and asking Him for guidance and help. He is there with open arms and heart that loves you like no other. He won't leave your or forsake you or give up on you. He is waiting patiently for you to give Him your time. Waiting on you to give Him back the gift he has given you. So, learn to give him time even if it's a few seconds here and there. Because in the end, when your life is over, you don't want to regret the moments you wasted on worldly things instead of the infinite and everlasting. 

Getting Past the Heartbreak

"Pain makes you stronger, tears make you braver, and heart break makes you wiser.

So thank your past for a better future."

Alright, so I am definitely not a "love doctor" or even an expert on the subject. I'm so far from it. However, I do experience that has given me more wisdom and taught me more than anything else can. When I say, "Getting Past the Heartbreak", I realized that it is much much easier said than done. A heartbreak is defined as overwhelming distress. Completely accurate. I think that if you don't experience some level of distress, then your heart was not really broken. When something is broken, it has been fractured or damaged, and is no longer the way it was before - no longer, perfect or whole. Even though the heart is not physically and actually broken, the heart that we talk about in regards to emotions, love, and care, is broken. And I think that is even harder to repair than our physical hearts. Here's why...

Every single thing that you love, whether big or small, requires a piece of your heart. That being said, it is up to you what things or people you give that precious privilege to. I learned that recently and it was both amazing and devastating. Anyone who knows me relatively well knows that I am a giver, I care with everything in me, and I’m loyal. When I love something or someone (for the sake of this example), I made it obvious. I do this on purpose because it is so so so important that the people you love, KNOW they are loved. When I know that I love someone, I cannot help but show it and make it visible to them, and to others around. In addition to that, loyalty is important. Not just in a dating relationship or marriage but in friendships. If you practice loyalty in friendships, it will help you be loyal in a relationship. At least that's how it was for me. But even if you have these things, you aren't promised a perfect relationship or no heartbreak. Those can come at any moment, especially when you least expect it.

For me, I unfortunately experience my heart being broken when I was 17, then again when I was 18. Same guy. Yeah, I was that girl who dated a guy, broke up, dated again, then broke up again. both times we dated, I was happier than I ever had been before, and loved him more and more every day. But on the contrary, both times we broke up, I was the most upset and devastated that I have ever been before. And that makes sense. I started dating this guy (Jacob) my senior year of high school and he wasn't the guy I would have picked out of a crowd or even picked as my "dream guy". He came into my life, my school, and my heart out of nowhere. I didn't expect him or the things I would experience and learn because of him. My parents didn't let me date in high school so obviously this was gonna be tricky cause he wanted to date me, and I wanted to date him. Long story short, my entire senior year consisted of him and I trying to fight against my parents and their (excuse me but, absurd, rules). Even though I wasn't able to talk to this guy besides at school, or basketball games, we both found ourselves loving each other more and more with every memory made and day that went by. I've never dated anyone or wanted/tried before him so he was special because I won't date just anyone, or fight so hard against my family for just anyone. foolishly, him and I talked about how we wanted to get married. Yes, that is the reason we should date and the reason I wanted to date Jacob, but these conversations were what caused my heart to be broken later on. The conversations you have with someone about marriage, tug on your heart more than you even know. I had no idea how much of my heart I was giving him, or he was giving me, with every convo we had. I truly, with all my heart, believed he was the guy God had picked out for me. We made all these plans about literally everything from when we we wanted to get married,  how many kids we wanted, where we wanted to live, to what kinds of food we would cook for meals. Yeah. We had it set in our hearts and minds that we were going to end up together.

But then, the summer before I moved to Auburn for college, I wasn't happy anymore, and I didn't think he was either. So we decided to take and break and end our relationship to "work on things we needed to work on". That's the dumbest reason ever to break up like I did that and it's so not true its just an excuse we give so we don't have to admit the real probs. I cried about this for weeks and weeks. Him and I both went from being civil with each other, to being more angry than ever before, then back to missing each other and regretting the break up. I moved to college with out him and was happy to move because it meant I could FINALLY move on from him. Too bad that didn't happen.

I was only in Auburn a few months before he came back into my life. I admit that I still wasn't over him and didn't think I ever would be, but I told people I was. Next thing I know, we were back together. I let the same guy who broke my heart just months ago, walk back in and steal it all over again. And he did the same. Some friends told it was stupid to do and others supported me. During that time (the second time around) I can honestly say was the happiest time of my 18 years of life. I thought, "wow. How many people get second chances at this?" The guy I loved with everything in me was back and we were gonna make it work this time. And we did, for a little bit. But once again, heart break was right around the corner. I got to a point where I knew we both were miserable (bc of distance, jealously, my parents, and his parents) and exhausted from the relationship, instead of happy and encouraged. After weeks of prayer, advice from a couple friends, and more prayer, I knew it needed to end once again. This time was even harder to actually break up because I knew there was no chance I would date Jacob again and that broke my heart. I also felt like and idiot for dating and breaking up with the same guy twice. But ultimately, I was terrified and upset to hurt him again. I told him that his happiness was what was most important to me, and that he was not happy in this relationship. Granted, if my parents would have let us date and not had so many boundaries, rules, and punishment, I think we still would be happily dating. However, God did not what that to happen. I didn't see why at first, but now I do.

Having my heart broken rocked my world because I loved him like I have never loved another human being on this earth. It was different kind of love, sacrifice, and loyalty than I had ever experienced before. I gave my whole heart, all my energy, and all my care to him, so once that was taken away, I didn't know what to do. I did not think I would ever find someone else who I could give all that too. And it took me A LONG time to get to where I am now. I have friends who break up with their bf or gf and then a week later they are dating someone else. It blows my mind every time and I don't know how they do it. I kind of envied them at times because it was taking me so long to move on; to even consider noticing some one else; to even think about dating another guy. It took me almost 4 and half months to get to the point where I was past the heartbreak, past the boy, and past the illusion that I would never find another man. But, now I am at a point where he is in the past, and I can move past it. Time is what I needed. For some people, it may be another guy or whatever. But for me, it was time to be alone and time to let the feelings and love all fade away. Now don't get me wrong, I still love him just like I love all people, and I still care about him more than alot of other people, but that's it.

A broken heart is just like a broken bone...

When you break a bone, there is pain and soreness, but there is also support and healing. Same with a broken heart. For me, I love so so deeply and so real, that my break was harder and deeper than most. It affected my day to day life, my personality, and my happiness. I think that is okay, but just for a little bit. The pain of  the broken bone eventually fades, but the soreness comes next. I got past the tears, pain, and depression thankfully, but there was still sadness and soreness left from the faults in the relationship, friendship, and break up. BUT, there's a positive side. Broken bones require help and support from a cast, medicine, and a doctor. Thank goodness God provided my heart with those things. He gave me friends upon friends who supported me, loved on me, and encouraged me. He gave me his word and His promises to comfort me, and He gave me Himself as a the doctor who mended my heart, and put it back together with His love. A love that will never fade away, diminish, or break me. His love is lasting and for ever. That is a lesson I learned and I would do it all over again. God made my heart and knows it better than any one else ever will. He is the lover of my soul and healer of my scars, who steady my heart. And because of Him, I am able to get over the heart break and have faith that God will guide the right man to me, and God will hold my hand the whole way. Remember that it is OK if moving on takes you a while. There is no rush. Anyways, no love is greater than God's love and when earthly love falls short, He is there with outstretched arms, ready to embrace me. And THAT is what got me through my broken heart, no matter how long it may have taken.

Summer Time Treats

           

  Here are some of my favorites snacks to either buy or make for the kids! We eat everything from sweet treats to eat by the pool,  to healthy snacks that are disguised by a cool picture! 

A beach picture made out of kiwis, bananas, and oranges. The kids didn't even care that it was fruit!

For these Chocolate Dipped Bananas, here is what we had to do: 

1. Make sure you have bananas, sprinkles, nuts, M&M's, etc for decorating. 

2. For the chocolate, we used Ghirardelli Candy Making &  Dipping Melting Wafters (at Walmart and Publix). Just follow the melting directionso on the bag. 

3. after melting the chocolate, dip the bananas in the chocolate and then quickly roll the now chocolate covered banana in the topping of your choice.

4. Put all the bananas on wax paper and put them on a cookie sheet or plate. Then place in the freezer for about 20-30 mins. This gives the chocolate time to harden and freeze the banana. 

5. Take them out and enjoy!! 

Dirt cup!! The kids LOVED making and eating these.
Just chocolate pudding mixed with whipped cream, crushed oreos on the top,
then gummy worms. 

Chocolate cupcakes with vanilla (and some with cream cheese) icing & strawberries on top.

National Donut Day!! 

I buy these for myself and the kids WAY too much. But these are a great surprise for the kids when I babysit in the mornings. I come over with donuts for breakfast and it definitely puts them in a good mood!

The kids call this one "I'm Drinking the Ocean!" Add blue food coloring to sprite or 7UP for the blue ocean. Then add a Swedish fish (or 5) after you put ice in! We found out that the fish sink pretty quick, but it's still fun! 

MY FAVORITE!! Soft served chocolate ice WITH rainbow sprinkles that are layered. You can get this anywhere, but here in Montgomery, AL, I go to Nancy's Italian Ice for the best soft served ice cream and sprinkles. I go there about 3-4 times a week. Aside from ice cream, they also have tons and tons of different flavored Italian ice that is SO good. My kiddos ask to go to Nancy's every single time I babysit, and we usually go :) This is my favorite summer time snack!

Life Becomes Beautiful One Friend At A Time

 "Every once in a while someone amazing come along...and here I am." -Tigger 

To me, friendship is one of the most important things in life. It is something that has changed my life, strengthened me, and made me who I am today. Now I know friendship is something every one has, but for me, it's so much deeper than just having some people who like the same things as me, who are fun to hang out with, or who I get along with. Granted I do like the same things as my friends, they are all fun to hang out with, and I do get along with all of them. Those are the things that started the foundation of my friendships, but after the foundation is made, you can't stop there. You have to keep working to build the relationship so that it lasts and turns out beautiful. This process takes a long time like approximately your whole life. All throughout my life I have been extremely blessed by great friends who meant the world to me. Thankfully, I can say that I have never had a "bad" friend. Yeah, some of my friends slowly drifted away and we don't talk often or have much in common anymore, but that's life. You meet new people and make new friends as you grow up. That's exactly what has happened to me.

All throughout elementary school and highschool I had the same group of best friends for the most part. Considering I went to the same school for 13 years, that was easy. I never ever imagined that into my first year of college, that friend group would COMPLETELY change. Even though I'm still friends with those people, my best friends and most treasured friends have changed. And I am 100% content with who they are. Its funny actually, growing up my closest friends were always either my age, or a year older. Now, I have one best friend my age, one 3 years younger, 2 who are 5 years older (and marreid), and my sister. But because of that, these relationships are SO much better for me and I know they will last. Let me introduce these amazing people who came into my life:

 This is Alea. She is my youngest friend who is 15. I met this precious girl last Summer (2013). Our friendship started out slowly especially since I moved to Auburn for school only a month or two after meeting Alea. That didn't leave much time to build a solid friendship. I never would have thought that I would find such an amazing, encouraging, and joyful friend in this 15 year old. But thank God I did!! Over my first year of college, God allowed Alea into my life. I believe that He made us both realize that we needed each other's encouragement, joy, and weirdness in our lives. As the weeks went by, I found myself adoring this sweet girl. The thing about her that stood out most to me was her constant happiness. She ALWAYS finds the joy and humor in every single situation. And because of that, I hardly ever see her not smiling. This is something that I absolutely love about Alea. She is overflowing with joy and love that she has found in Jesus.I knew she was a keeper :) She and I will go from laughing about a tweet or an embarrassing moment to being in awe of our Savior and his love for us. This is something that I wish every single person in the world had. Our friendship is gowing day by day and I am so blessed that this adorable 9th grader decided she wanted a friend in me. She blesses me more than she knows. Our friendship is centered around Jesus and that is how i know it is one that will last.

JJ!! Ahhh so this is my newest and bestest friend. I moved to Auburn on August 15, 2013 and never expected that literally 5 days later I would meet my best friend. There was a BBQ the week before classes started that was hosted by RUF (Reformed University Fellowship) and I was encouraged to go by my sister. So, I went with one of my roommates (Mary) who was also a freshman. As soon as I got there, I recognized alot of people from Highschool which was comforting. Mary and I got our food and found a large group of girls who were clearly freshmen also. So we decided to join them. Upon seconds of sitting down, I found myself talking. laughing, and joking with the whole group of girls. After we all ate, we decided to walk around and just get to know each other. JJ was someone who I clicked with immediately. Oh and the reason she stuck out to me at first was because we were COMPLETELY matching: Black tank tops, jean shorts, sandals, and an orange purse. Crazy. This night that I anticipated to be kind of awkward turned into the night I met my best friend. God knew I needed JJ and he did not hesitate to put her in my path. My best friends from highs school who were also at Auburn, decided to rush so I never saw them and knew that they would soon have tons of new friends and make their college best friends in no time. So, JJ came at the perfect time. Once classes started, we hung out a couple times and grabbed some lunch a few times. Then we all of a sudden were hanging out every day. Then it turned into ALL DAY, every day. I soon knew that this country girl was going to be my best friend. And I was right. She has been there for me ever since day 1 and can't thank her enough for loving me and encouraging me every step of the way. Whether we are watching scary movies, walking around campus, shopping. laying out on the beach, or literally sitting on my bed doing nothing, I have a blast with her. She is one of the most selfless people I have ever met and is always willing to come visit me whenever  I ask. We have lots and lots of differences, but our personalities fit together perfectly. She has been the best friend I have ever had and I thank God for putting her in my life. I don't know what freshman year would have been like without her. She constantly reminds me that I can make it through any obstacle that happens in life. She also reminds me that God has a plan for me even if I don't know it now. Having someone who believes this truth and reminds me of it when I forget, is priceless and beautiful.

SYDNEY!! Oh my goodness where do I even begin. If I had to describe her in one word it would be sunshine. Maybe that's cheesy but it's true! She is always radiating happiness and I can't help but be happy when she's around. I met her about a year and half ago and once again, I never knew God had planned for her to become one of my closest friends and greatest role models. Oh and this is super important-- shes the ONLY person Ive met who loves Target, Disney, Tangled, ketchup, people, kids, and school supplies as much as I do. Its kinda scary but I Love it. Anyways, we met because she was engaged to the brother of the  guy I was dating senior year of highschool and first semester of college. As soon as I met Sydney, I was like "wow. I want to be like her. " She has such an incredibly gentle spirit, a loving heart, and an encouraging personality. Ever since I've known her she has been super busy with school, graduation, planning her wedding, THE ACTUAL WEDDING, being a wife, and now becoming teacher. But you know what's awesome? Despite how crazy busy this 23 year olds life was, she always made time for me. I can't count the number of times she's taken a break to call when I was upset, let me come over and vent, or met with me just to hang out. She makes friendship and others a priority in her life and it's one reason I love her so much. My favorite thing she and I have done has been reading through different books of the Bible together. I love having someone who loves the Lord and brings that love into a relationship. She has been a constant source or advice, wisdom, and encouragement to me. I know that there have been times where Sydney probably thought I was crazy and being stupid, but she always shows patience towards me. That's just who Sydney is. She has a heart that puts others before herself and she seeks to lift up those around her. The friendship I have with Sydney is like none other that I have had before. I've never met someone like her and I am in awe of her life and how much love she has for other people and how much joy she expresses every day. She is someone who has truly changed me and influenced my life in a beautiful and godly way. She is truly one of a kind and I wish there were more people like her:)

Sarah Jones aka Say-Rah!! This awesome lady has also become one of my dearest friends over the past 6 years. She started out as my 8th grade basketball coach (bless her for coaching a bunch of Jr. High girls). As the years went on, I realized how strong, loving, wise, and kind hearted Sarah was. She was the best coach I've ever had for many reasons, but especially because she encourages. She encouraged more than criticized and reminded us as players to encourage each other as well. That is something that I always remembered every game and practice, because of Sarah. Once she was no longer my basketball coach, she became a friend. She took on a BIG responsibility with that haha:) There have been probably thousands of times that something crappy has happened in my life (some being a big deal and some being stupid small ones) and Sarah has been one of the first people I go to for advice. And you know what?? Every time she gives advice or wisdom, she takes it back to Bible and what God says about the situation. How awesome is that? Not only does she give me advice from her own life and from personal experience, but she backs it up with Jesus. It blows me away. Her desire and love for the Lord has encouraged me in my walk with God. Also, Sarah is married with a 17 month old baby and she is STILL just a available to help me as she was before she was married. As I've gotten older, I have loved seeing how our relationship has changed from her being my authority figure (as a coach) into someone who I can tell anything to and not be judged or discouraged for it. Someone who I can tell dumb jokes to and she laughs, sometimes actual laughs and sometimes pitty laughs. Someone who I can talk to about guys, school, Jesus, or basketball. I have loved having Sarah as a friend because has experienced so much more in life than I have, and she gives the best advice out of everyone I know. Oh and even though there are alot of times I don't listen to it, she still gives me another chance. She doesn't give up. I can confidently say that his woman has been the biggest influence in my life and I pray that I can influence someone the same way she has for me. I love Sarah Jones more than I can say and I thank God for putting someone like her in my life. He gives me blessing upon blessing and I don't deserve a single one.

All four of these girls, Alea, JJ, Sydney, and Sarah have help me make it through a life full of trials and struggles. God knew I would go through every storm in life, and so he equipped me with people who would help me make it through. And because of each of them, my life has become more beautiful than I ever thought it could be. So, a BIG thank you to each of you who have helped make me the person I am today & for showing me love and acceptance. I had to brag on each of you a little but because yall are irreplaceable and the best friends I girl can ever have!!

A Kick In The Butt

   Jesus replied,"You do not understand now what I am doing,

 but someday you will." 

{John 13:7}

If I had to pick one verse that describes my life thus far, it would be this one. God has done things in my life time and time again that shook my world and left me dazed and confused. He did things that made me question if He loved me. And to answer that question, yeah-He still loves me. He took away numerous things in my life and at the time, I didn't understand why AT ALL. But that is exactly what He tells us will happen in the Bible. We won't understand now, but we will later on. This is what I call God giving me a "kick in the butt." He kicks me in the butt when I am going down a path that is not the straight and narrow; when I am straying away from the flock; and when I am putting my faith, happiness, and joy in something other than my Creator. Every time he has kicked me, it has been because he loves me and has wonderful things in store for me if I would just listen and follow Him. He keeps on kicking me which shows that he won't give up on me.

I'm only 18 (almost 19) and God has taken more away from me than alot of adults. I think the best way to make my point is to show each of those experiences and what happened as a result. 

• At at 6 my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. She fought it on and off for almost 5 years. Then at age 11, God took my mom away. At that point, I did not understand why a loving God would do that. However, later on, he showed me why. I was a Christian since about age 5, but around the time my mom died,  I wasn't living that out. God knew I needed something to happen to put my focus back on Him. My mom's death caused me to lose trust and faith in God, blame everyone on earth for her death, and distance myself from everyone around me. This kick in the butt caused me to need ANOTHER kick in the butt. 
• God put a life long friend in my life, Virginia Jacks. I  grew up with her and her family and she was one of my best friends, sisters in Christ, and teammate. Her love for Jesus and desire to please Him in all she did was so attractive and contagious to me. I wanted that. I wanted a love for Christ that would not crumble no matter what happened. My 8th-10th grade years at school were the years Virginia really invested in me and helped me grow in my faith. God used her to do this at the perfect time because He had a plan. My 10th grade year, at age 15, God took Virginia away. She died in a car accident that caught me and everyone else off guard. This was God's second time to kick me in the butt. He took away another one of the most precious things in my life. This time however, I listened.I didn't know why God took Virginia away; no one did. But eventually, God showed me that it was to open my eyes to see how luke warm my faith was. To show me that I needed to cling more closely to my Savior than to anything in the world. That's when my life was turned around for the better. I thought God was done kicking me. But no...
• The end of my junior year, I felt my world crashing down yet again. My coaches and two of my closest friends and influences were about to slip away. My parents did not want me having a relationship with them and they made it impossible to communicate. In addition to the parentals, my school decided to cut them off and not let them coach anymore. I was heart broken and confused and angry. I was not ready to lose two more of the closest people I had in the world. The fear of losing them consumed me. It was a terrible feeling and it caused me to display hatred towards my parents and school at times. I knew there had to be a reason, but I just COULD NOT see it. 
• Senior year. I was getting better with the struggle of losing my coaches and friends but it still was a fear and still hurt. But, God was slowly showing me that I needed to show my own family and parents the respect and love I was showing towards my friends and coaches. This was one of the hardest things to do (and still is). BUT God began to mend my relationship a little bit with my family. That then led to Him "giving me back" my coaches a little bit. As time went by, both relationships improved. 
• But here comes something else. senior year/-freshman year of college: God put a boy in my life that I never would have predicted or expected. An amazing guy who I felt I didn't deserve but was thankful to have. A guy who I loved with my whole heart and would do anything for. A guy who was the most important person in my life and the guy I genuinely thought I would marry. I never would have guessed that God would take him away too. When we broke up it crushed my world and broke my heart. I felt like I couldn't breathe. I asked God why so many times. I thought he was perfect and 'the one'. But, God had a different plan. As much as I may have believed that this was the man I was going to marry, God did not think so. He had to break my heart for me to see that He had a plan that was different than mine. He took that relationship away because He has a different and better one in store for both me, and that guy. I see now why God ended it and why he took it away and as much as I still love and care about that guy, I am glad God kicked me in the butt because He was protecting me and saving me for something greater. 
• Lastly, I did not think I was going to attend Auburn University for college. I prayed and prayed God would open doors and finally HE did. I went to Auburn in the Fall of 2014 and fell in love with it. It's just a college I know i know but I loved it and never wanted to leave. I grew in my walk with Christ more than ever before while there, I found the things I really believe in and stand up for, and I met my best friend while there. It was literally perfect (besides grades). That being said, my parents pulled me out of Auburn after the first semester. I had to go back home, go to school there, pull up my grades, get a job, and then try to go back to Auburn. Once again, my life wasn't going as planned and I felt totally out of control. I assumed being home would suck and be miserable. However, after all the complaining, hatred, and disgust I had towards my parents for bringing me back, God blessed me. He helped me pull my grades up some, get a job, and learn more about what it takes to succeed in college. It gets even cooler. He also gave me back that relationship with my coaches!! Moving home allowed me to grow closer to them than I ever would have imagined. Thank you, Jesus :) He also gave me other friends like Sydney, Alea, Olivia, and Emmy. I finally was able to see that God brought me home for reasons more than just money and school. He brought me home to invest in and love other people. I am SO thankful He did that. I wouldn't change it. I really wouldn't.

God does things that blow my mind and that's one reason I love Him so much. He gives AND He takes away. But I promise you, when God takes something away, He always replaces it with something better. Why? Because He loves you. He loves more than you can fathom. So trust Him; trust that His 'kicks in the butt' are out of love and are to help guide in the path He has set before you. 

Becoming Aunt Karel {est. Feb .19, 2013}

"I will praise you; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made." 

Psalm 139:14 

God has truly blessed me in more ways than I can count in my 18 years of life. One of the greatest and most meaningful blessings has been my friendship with Gary and Sarah Jones. They started out as my junior high and high school basketball coaches. The first year I played on my school's basketball team was in 7th grade and it was okay. I was kinda scared of my coach and of playing haha but I still enjoyed it enough to play again the next year. I heard we were getting new coaches and  I was hoping and praying it would be a nice and encouraging coach who I could learn from and look up to. And that is exactly who God provided for me and the other girls on the team. God placed Sarah Jones (Sarah Bura at the time) in my life at that moment. At the same time, the Varsity team had a new coach as well- Gary Jones. I didn't really play with Gary as my coach until the next year (9th grade) when I played JV and Varsity. However, during my 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th grade years of highschool and basketball, God began to weave together my relationship with both Gary and Sarah. Oh and when they got MARRIED I was even happier. Two of my favorite people, coaches, and role models together. Meet the Jones :) 

However, there was lots and lots of different drama and problems came up over the years between my teammates, friends, and parents that could have (and probably tried) to break that bond and friendship I had with them. There were SO many obstacles that got in the way of our friendship and Gary and Sarah could have just thrown in the towel and said "forget it. We aren't dealing with all this drama." BUT, they didn't. They continued to love me and find a way to make relationship work. But as tough as it was, they never gave up and neither did I. And now, almost 6 years later, I am happy and blessed to call them two of my best friends. They have impacted my life more than they will ever ever know!! But it gets even better...

One night (I think in July), I went to a movie with the Jones and two of their close friends. After the movie, they told me that they were PREGNANT. I honestly thought they were kidding at first but they sure as heck weren't. I was beyond excited for them to become parents and I couldn't wait to meet baby Jones. A few months later they found out they were having a little girl and were going to name her Kimbrel Lynn Jones. I think I cried when I found that out actually... but anyways, I was so so ready to meet Kimbrel, who was due February 20, 2013 (I think). And then, on February 19, 2013, little miss Kimbrel was born. Tears did flow and my heart was so happy for Gary and Sarah. The next day I went to the hospital to meet Kimbrel and congratulate the new mom and dad. Oh and side note- Sarah looked GOOD for just having a baby haha. I got to see Kimbrel's sweet little face and then I got to hold her in my arms. I couldn't believe this day had finally come and I didn't ever want to let go of her. At that moment, my heart was overflowing with joy. I prayed that God would use me in Kimbrel's life and that I could be a fraction of the blessing and influence to Kimbrel, as her parents have been to me.

Meeting Kimbrel for the first time

Thankfully, God has given me more time than I ever imaged with Kimbrel. I don't remember when exactly Gary and Sarah started calling me Aunt Karel, but I was honored and happy to accept that title. She has grown up SO fast and is the most joyful, charismatic, and playful baby I've ever met. I'm blessed to be in her life and to have been here to watch her grow up. When her first birthday rolled around, I couldn't believe she was so old. Her first year had flown by for me, so I cant imagine how quickly it went by for her parents. Her party was a success and she looked adorable getting covered in cake! Friends and family all gathered to celebrate this precious little girl's life and it was one of the happiest days ever. 

Kimbrel is One!!

Kimbrel is now 17 months old and is happier and cuter than ever. She loves to smile, dance, kiss, read books, color, and meet new friends. Every time i get to see her I love her more and more. She's taken up a HUGE part of my heart and I smile just thinking about her. I love spending Sundays with her, Gary, and Sarah at church, Thursday with them at Ultimate Frisbee, Saturdays at church frisbee, and all the little random movie nights and dinner dates we go on. All 3 Jones are like family to me and I love it. I'm looking forward to watching Kimbrel grow up and see how God uses her in life. He made her fearfully and wonderfully, and I pray she will do wonderful things for Him and for His kingdom.  I never thought I would get to be a part of such a precious little girl's life but God has blessed me in one of the biggest ways, with one of the smallest things. I wouldn't change a thing about Kbaby. And yes yes I know she's just a baby, but sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart :) 

"A child reaches for your hand, but touches your heart. -Unknown" 

Add Some Glitter, Glue, and Color To It

"Creativity is contagious. Pass it on." -Albert Einstein 

We made our own puzzle! 

Butterfly! 

Close up of the homemade puzzle

Flower masks! 

We LOVE using pastels for art & crafts

If it's messy you know you had fun! 

Paint everywhere!! 

Waiting on Prince Charming

Waiting (n.): the action of staying where one is or delaying action until a particular time or until something else happens.

Waiting is hard and as a girl, I completely understand the want and need for a boyfriend and eventually, a husband. Even as a little girl, I dreamed about my future wedding, who I will marry, and all those things we fantasize and sometimes, obsess over. We are girls and that's what we do. I have no idea if guys even think about a wedding until they are actually in one, so I can only speak for the girls in the world.

Anyways, I think as we get older, specifically in the high school and college years, we begin to want nothing more than a boyfriend; someone who is our soul mate, lover, main squeeze, etc. That's natural so it's okay. However, there comes a point where we think we have been single too long. At this point, patience becomes almost impossible. I have a number of friends who just dated a guy (even though he was not good for her and she knew it) JUST so she could have a boyfriend. Just so she wouldn't feel lonely anymore. Yall, that's a terrible idea. It causes you to give your heart, emotions, time, and energy to someone who shouldn't receive it. Jefferson Bethke views it like this, "Dating with no intent to marry is like going to the grocery store with no money. You either leave unhappy or take something that isn't yours." He is completely right. There is no point in dating someone 'just cause' or 'because everyone else has a boyfriend." Disclaimer: That's not true-everyone else does not have a boyfriend, I promise you. There are so many single girls out there. You're not alone.

If you are single, wait. Do not jump to the first guy you meet. Don't give your heart to someone who doesn't deserve because you will regret it. Wait. Wait for the guy that God has made PERFECTLY for YOU. He has a guy out there who is shaping, molding, and preparing to meet you, date you, lead you, and marry you. he has someone in mind for you and He promises that He will send that man to you, when you are ready. In the book Is God Saying He's The One? the author writes...

This is so so true and I couldn't say it better myself. If you are single, there is a reason. You are precious and beautiful in the sight of God and he wants what is best for you. He knows the kind of man you need and he is preparing that man for you day by day. Just because you haven't met him yet, does not mean that you will be single forever. Take the time that you are single to work on your own friendships and your relationship with God. Take this time to do the things that make you into a worthy girlfriend and wife. Because just like God is preparing a man for you, He is also preparing you to be someone's wife one day. So just be patient and trust God's timing is better than your own. 

To end with, I found a quote that I love and I feel like it applies to this pretty well :) 

"Cinderella never asked for a prince. She asked for a night off and a dress." - Kiera Cass

Basically, Cinderella didn't want to go to the ball to find a prince; she wanted to go to have fun and do something different. She was just living life and little did she know, she unexpectedly found her prince charming. If we are patient, the right man will come into our lives. Maybe when we expect it, but maybe when we least expect it. Your prince may be right around the corner and if you wait for him {the right one}, your fairy tale won't end with heart break, but with a happily ever after! 

From Babysitter to Babysitter

Alright so babysitting has been my favorite thing to do since i was about 12. So for past 7 years, I have been a babysitter and during that time, I've had to figure out some crafts and fun things to do so the time doesn't draaaaag on. So, I wanted to share some of my tips, tricks, and ideas with all those other babysitters out there. I know Summer babysitting days can be long and boring so here are just a few of the things my kids and I have made over the years!

1. This is super simple and fun for girls! We made picture frames and decorated them!

• Go to Michael's or any craft store and find the plain wooden picture frames and chalk. At Michael's and Joann's they are $1. (I know, great deal!) 
• Then, either get paint or chalkboard spray paint. For these, we did chalkboard paint! 
• Spray the frames with chalkboard paint (make sure there's alot of newspaper under so you don't make a mess. And do it outside). 
• Let them dry for about an hour. 
• Then, attach a stick of chalk to it with ribbon, string, etc. 
• After that, decorate the frame with your chalk! 
• The chalk erases easily with a wet papertowel or napkin. This makes for a fun, creative, and re-decoratable (just made that word up) picture frame! 

2. Gingerbread House: Of COURSE you have to make a gingerbread house during Christmas! My kids LOVED doing this. We just bought a few kits from Walmart and made them. You can get them at Walmart, Target, Michael's, or any craft store. The kit comes with everything need and directions. However, we did it a little different. 

• We didn't just make the houses, we had a crazy fun contest. I have 4 I've babysat over the past 7 years. There's a 10 year old boy, 7 year old twin girls, and a 3 year old boy. So, we split into teams. I was with the 3 year old and one of the girls. And the 10 year old and other twin were on a team. We each had a house and all the supplies, candy, icing and ideas we needed. 
• I had a prize for the winning house: a stocking with candy and  hot chocolate mix in it. However, the winning teams' favorite reward was getting to peg the losing team with 20 snowballs! They LOVED THIS. 
• The judges were kids parents, haha so it was fair. 
• This is something that's simple, but we added some spice to it! 

P.S.- I also gave the losers candy and hot chocolate! They just got it AFTER the snow ball fight :) 

3. National Cow Day: Every year chick fil a celebrates this holiday by giving free meals to anyone who dresses up like a cow. So, of course, we took advantage of this and wanted to get some FREE CHICKEN. The outfits were simple and super cheap. takes about 30-40 mins.

•  First of all, get plain white tshirts. you can buy a pack of men's undershirts for like $8. 
• Then, find some black construction paper and cut out spots. Its literally so easy. 
• Tape the spots all over the shirt.
• for the legs, we just wore black leggings, jeans, or shorts. 
• The signs are what take the longest. I hand drew our signs, but you can print them off the computer too which is easier. 
• I used sharpee to write "eat" "more" & "chicken" on white pieces of printer paper. (just good search the chick fil a sign and copy how the letters look)
• Then there you go!! You have cow costumes and free food!!

  4. Happy Hands: This was just a random idea I had one day. The point of this craft was to see and learn about how God is creative. So, we used our hands to show that God created all things and made all things  beautiful! Each person is unique so each of our hands are too. We loved learning about Gods creativity by being creative like Him!

• Trace each child's hands on a piece of printer paper and then cut out the hands.
• Next, let the kids decorate their hands however they want. We used makers, glue, glitter, sequins, and crayons. Other materials you can use are paint, pom poms, stickers, scrapbook paper, or beads. 
• After decorating, you can glue all the hands together (if you want). Doing this helps you to see all the different and unique hands. Pretty cool! 
• You can also write on them. For example, on the palm, write the kids name (ex. Cameron). Then on each finger, write his/her fav thing. (Color, song, animal, vacation spot, and food). This shows how each person is made so different from everyone else. Its helps to see how God made each person unique and special! 

On mine, I made it like a butterfly. I put the verse in the Bible
about how God makes everything beautiful. 

5. Indians: This one is my FAVORITE! We decided one day we wanted to be Indians. So of course, we made costumes. They took us about 45 mins to make but we wore them all day long and had so much fun. The kids looks precious and their parents & grandparents loved them :)

• First step- take brown construction paper and cut strips about 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick. Cut the paper long ways to it fits around each person's head.
• next, get red, yellow, and orange paper and cut out 3 feathers. 
• Take the feathers to the front (but on the inside) of the brown strips of paper.
• Then, wrap the whole thing around the head and tape it in the back so it stays! 
• We also decided we wanted face paint.
• I just took washable white and red paint from the house and painted stripes on our cheeks with my finger. Washes off in the tub! 
• We had so much fun and the kids didn't want to take off their headresses or face paint. 
• **I braided the girls' hair to make them look even more like indians!** 

Just some simple and easy little things that i love to use when babysitting are things like markers, sticker, paper, sequins, crayons, etc. If you just have some different kinds of craft supplies that kids can use to decorate paper, that's great! Its simple and easy :)