Birthday 22

I've talked about how I have the most amazing friends ever. After the rough jr. high and high school years, I was defiantly blessed in college to have amazing friends that complete me. They always are entertaining me and standing by my side with each and every struggle that I am faced with. This last  semester in particular they have been amazing!

They have always gone above and beyond at my birthday, since its over break its hard to all be together but the past two years they have made that possible. Birthdays are special and even more special when you spend it with people you love. My friends are those people, and my family of course. To say that my birthday this year was great is an understatement, my birthday this year was amazing! It will be a birthday I don't forget because of the friends that I got to celebrate with. And the ones that surprised me throughout the whole day.

Tomorrow, hopefully the whole story will be told. I really want it on here along with all the amazing pictures. Until then enjoy this pictures, my oldest friend and my newest friend. Gotta love them!

Christmas Past

Remembering what Christmas use to be like when I was little puts me in the spirit a little bit more today.

Our house use to be busting with family, moms side and dads side. Aunts, Uncles, and tons of cousins. The door was like a never ending turn stile. The basement was packed with people we loved, packed with warmth and so much noise. The kitchen was filled with food, ham and 2 turkeys (when we were really little). The night went on forever.

Christmas Eve Mass 1998

In the last couple years, it has changed a lot. Less people, less food, less work. Which has made the holidays more relaxing to some extent. The basement isn't as loud anymore, and now the party is in the garage. The dynamics have changed, no more little kids running wild, just us big kids.

When Uncle David was in town for Christmas, things were so special. We had potato peeling contests, and stayed up late/got up really early to watch Christmas movies when we were too excited to sleep. It was fun to have the family all together. The visits would go on all week, one
week in particular it consisted of pizza for dinner almost every night and leftovers.

Christmas Cookie Decorating with Jacob
2001
(The last time we celebrated Christmas with Uncle David)

There was so much magic in just having all my family here. There was something special about eating breakfast, and showering fast so we could watch our new movies. There was the times when Santa's footprints were all we could talk to our family about and made our dad save them until our cousins came.

Plumbrook Christmas Party 1999

Now the magic is still there and the family is still there, but there is something different. We've gotten older and things have changed. It doesn't change why we celebrate but it changes how we celebrate. It's a little more low-key and a lot less stress on my mom and grandma knowing that we can help with a lot more cooking and cleaning.

One thing is for sure, the magic that is seen at mass tonight is my favorite part of the Christmas season. Children's mass will always be fun no matter how old I get, it will be different no Fr. Doc or Fr. Jerry to tell the story but the story is still the same. Jesus has arrived.

Me and Kyle Christmas 2010
My favorite Christmas picture!

Introducing something crazy!

See my mom travels a lot. And when she sees something silly she usually gets it for us or sends it to us at school. I have received multiple restaurant coasters, hotel paper and pens and countless other random items. The best purchase though would have to be this crazy bright blue pinata. It has become a favorite of my friends, and I get many questions about what in the world this crazy thing is that I have in my room.

Rachel and Brian both wanted me to bring it back to school. Becca is dying to see it in person. Lucky for Morgan and Cindy they did see it. It even left a note for Brian from Becca and I one weekend on Facebook. And its scarier in person, trust me! Especially when you wake up in the middle of the night and its starring at you.

I have decided though it needs a name. And an EPIC name at that. Not sure my sisters and I will ever demolish it. It just brings on so many conversations about the random things in my basement. He for sure takes the cake though!

Home for Christmas

Each Christmas, for at least the past 4 years that I have been at school, I have always hoped that when I got home for Christmas there would be someone else there home for Christmas. But each and every year, he isn't. Each and every year, I hope to see the TN license plate driving around with all the other out of state plates. It never is.

But then I remember the joy and excitement that there is for just me to be home for Christmas. Time to catch up with family and friends. This year will be no different. Do I have a lot to share. COE, and SA will be the biggest conversation of this break. So excited to share in what I still cannot believe is happening.

Hoping to get into the Christmas spirit after my PLS final today. If only it would snow!

God Gave Me You

Have you ever heard the saying that God places people in your lives for a reason?
How about how God places you on a path to run into people that you once knew?
Or how God has plans for your whole life?

God has placed many people before me, many that have stuck around and a good amount that have since left my life. But the ones that have stayed by my side are my rock that I cling to when days are rough. They are the ones that I can call at any time or any day to tell them something bad or something good. They celebrate with me and cry with me.

This week my those friends have seen me at my weakest. Over joyed with news and sadden on the same day with other news. They were the rocks that made me make it through the week.

But who are these friends? I've shared the journey to my friend Michelle and her birthday celebration. And it was always my goal to share my journey to all my friends, the ones that impact my life and allow me to be who I am. After last week, I have realized how much they mean to me, the old friends and the new ones. And my with my new adventure to South Africa on the horizon, I am realizing who I am leaving behind for those 6 weeks and its making me sad. So let the stories begin.

Morgan and I also have a very interesting story. I know my friends laugh when I say we meet twice, but really we are totally different from when we were 7 and 8 and in elementary school to now in college.

Transitions Leader in 2009 led me back into her life, HE had this plan. By chance I was assigned to her building. We swapped numbers, hung out all week, and I introduced her to the gang. The rest would be history, but our journey has continued just as with all my friends. Faith has brought us closer. Sunday mass, Retreat, and just the everyday beauty that we both see.

HE had this plan. Who would have ever thought that after many years of being friends in elementary school, Morgan moving and me going to Jr. High that our paths would cross again 150 miles from home. HE did! And its just the story that I love.

We talked about it tonight at mass, and ever since I have been smiling about what HE did. There is no way to explain why Morgan would give up a scholarship to Wayne to come to GV and that I would be her Transistions Leader.

Only HE knows what is ahead for in our lives, but to have you by my side is the best feeling ever!

 Morgan, who knows what life will bring us but KCON and COE lay in our futures. Living downtown and studying hard. We joke that I have become you...and emotional mess, but really I think I can take the cake on some of the things that went down lately. Remember APs, Salt and Vinegar chips fix everything--especially when your best friend gives them to you. But really, when HE placed our paths to over lap in college who knew that we would be the same friends or even better friends that we were in elementary school. The best part of you and me is that we have an awesome history to go with our future as friends. (Our story has to be one of the best, because its so unique!) Who else can say that they meet their best friend twice in life?!? lol Love you lots!