New Blog

SO SORRY I have been such a lame blogger lately! I promise some things soon!! But for now HERE is the link to my new baking blog! This is just another step towards me fulfilling my dream to have a bakery one day!!

Looking Back

These pictures are from newest to oldest... It did that when I was uploading so I just went with it.. anyways, my first semester at UNA is over :( so sad! I has the best semester ever!! It felt exactly like how college is supposed to feel. I have found my happy place! I was thinking about how much happened this semester and wanted to take a look back....

I volunteered with my sisters.

I met new friends and got new nicknames. Young Hay Hay, Rowdy Riles, and A-town.

Went to my first formal.

Rode a camel.

Went to the zoo with my sisters.

Went to the beach for Spring Break.

Went to some mixers.

Had Casino Night.

Ate with the Chic- Fil- A chicken

Turned TWENTY!

Spent many Wednesday nights at La Fonda's

Made some fire with Sam.

Was a gangster.

Went to the circus with Chelsey!

Spent Mardi Gras in Auburn.

Played in the snow my first week there.

Had some lovely entertainment at LaFonda's

Made a quick trip to T-Town.

Bonded with my Big.

"Borrowed" some pizza rolls.

Got initiated into Phi Mu.

Met Lee Brice and Gloriana and got their signatures.

Left a car door open outside BWW on the busiest road in Florence. (whoops)

Pulled a few all- nighters.

Made some wonderful friends.

Had a roommate from Brazil.

Was freaked out many times by my haunted dorm.

Changed my major.

Survived tornados.

Went for numerous drives trying to find some country back roads.

Counted my blessings many times.

Cried to a Professer.

Had THREE flat tires.

Made memories more to last a life time.

I am home now and all I want is to be back in Florence with all my friends! I will NEVER replace my lifetime best friends from home, but there is a different bond with college friends. I am so lucky for all of them and going to miss them this summer! I'll be making many trips to Huntsville, Athens, and Florence for visits! I can't wait to be reunited in August and do it all over again! LOVE y'all!

"Thank God for all I missed, cause it lead me here to this."

MOTHERS DAY

Me and my momma! She is way to good to me and I owe her for everything I am and hope to be! I love you!!

A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. ~Tenneva Jordan

My sweet Grammy! (moms mom)

The sweetest sounds to mortals given

Are heard in Mother, Home, and Heaven.

~William Goldsmith Brown

Mrs. Deborah! I consider her my second mom!

God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers. ~Jewish Proverb

My dads mom, my Granny Peg!

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts. ~Washington Irving

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY TO ALL! I LOVE YOU!!

Volunteering

This past week I went and volunteered on our study day. Some of my sorority sisters and I went to Russellville to sort clothing items in a HUGE warehouse. There were TONS of clothes and water, but so much stuff they still needed.

I found Woody and Buzz when I was organizing the toys. It made me think of Toy Story and all the stories these stuffed dolls would tell if they could talk. These were a little boys toys once. He probably took them everywhere and adored them. He obviously out grew them and wanted them to have a second life.

This was a HUGE pile of stuffed animals. I wanted to sob looking at it. It was so generous for these people to donate so much stuff. I was just staring at the stuffed animals and toys for a minute and I wanted to cry. I may have even teared up. These sweet innocent children who lost their homes probably lost their stuffed animals too. Most children have a favorite "lovie" or blankie or something they take everywhere and sleep with. It most likely got swept away in the storm and thinking about that just broke my heart for them.

Sweet children shoes that were donated. I wanted to cry while sorting them also. There was a pair of itty bitty baby new balance tennis shoes. I mean they were just a little bigger than my thumb. I just thought of those tiny babys so innocent and didn't/won't even know what happened.

This wasn't even half of the water. There was probably double this. SO MUCH. I think when a disaster happens everyone automatically thinks WATER and CLOTHES. There were mass amounts of both.

Here are some of the boxes of clothes. It was a mess. We were sorting things by age/ size/ season. I think people will be covered with clothes for a while. There was only one mattress donated and maybe 10 pillows. I know it's not that easy to donate a mattress, but pillows are. These people do not have a pillow to lay their head on at night. I am going to buy some to donate when I go back to the shelter.

All I can think of when I think of this disaster is "I will praise YOU in this storm." Hearts are broken, lives are turned upside down, homes lost, but the love of Christ will get us all through this. I encourage you to pray for these families and those helping rebuild their lives. They need it. God Bless!!

Psalm 29:11

The LORD blesses his people with peace.

Little of this and that...

First of all I would like to wish one of my very best friends a HAPPY 20th BIRTHDAY!!! Ashley has been there for me forever it seems! I remember when we were in elementary school she never spent the night away from home. One night she stayed with me and got sick so her mom had to come get her! haha! During high school we had the same lunch period every semester but one (I think) and we always had some fun lunch times! She goes to Auburn so she's far away from me, but anytime I need her she it there either skyping or texting!! Ashley has such a smart head on her shoulders and I can't wait to see all the great things she does in her life! I love you Ashley and hope you have the best day ever!!!!

My obsession with Target could be considered unhealthy. I just love it!! I have a gift card from returning something so I went yesterday and found some awesome items in the $1 section. A popcorn bucket, beach pail, and stars and stripes small bucket. I got these because I want to use them for themed cake pop displays. I am considering doing a bake sale to raise money for the Lighthouse Retreat listed in the post below. I can't wait to be home and bake (I'm sure my mom can't wait for messes in her kitchen either :)
I also got this cute princess cup and snack holder. I may be 20 but I love princesses! I mean they were just a dollar :)
I pulled an "all-nighter" earlier this week to study for a test. One of my teachers gave a test the week of finals. Who does that?! I studied out in the study/ common area of my dorm floor and I had a camp set up. People would laugh when they saw me! lol I had 4 drinks set up beside me and 2 more in my bag. I need to stay hydrated all night! I have discovered Fanta orange ZERO! No calories, fat, carbs, or sugar!! It was so good!
We got an adorable cupcake place in Florence and I am so jealous of it! I want my own bakery! I went last week and got 2 cup cakes to try! (no I didn't eat them both at the same time!) This was the peanut butter chocolate one. The peanut butter drizzle on top was the best part! The chocolate icing was a little to rich for me.
Red Velvet- YUM! The cream cheese icing was the best icing I've ever had! The cupcake part wasn't the absolute best though! The lady who has this bakery is probably in her middle twenties. I want to talk to her about what all it took to open this but she was busy when I went in. It is seriously my life dream to open a bakery. I think I talk about it every day and I know I think about it every day. I mean, I have fabric, chairs, colors, and ideas picked out... this has gotta happen! I'm going to try and get a job here next fall so I can get some experience in the small bakery business!

Finals started today, but I don't have one until Monday! Yesterday was dead day and I went to Russellville to volunteer sorting donated items for tornado victims. I will do a whole post about it! Also I am going to post all the ideas I have for my bakery soon :)

Have an awesome day!!!!!

Lighthouse Family Retreat

Hello blog world!! I wanted to share a letter that I have sent friends and family and I am asking for your help too! God has provided me with this special opportunity and I am excited to share it with you!! Please read!!

God has once again provided me with an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of people affected with cancer. During my senior year of high school, October 2008, I participated in the Nike Women's Half- Marathon in San Francisco. It is a race to raise money for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. As most of you know I lost my dad to cancer 6 years ago, so being able to do this was such an incredible experience for me. I was able to raise over $5,000 and appreciate every single person who contributed. Now, I have been inspired by an incredible opportunity to serve sweet children with cancer and would like to briefly share this opportunity with you.

The Lighthouse Family Retreat is a ministry dedicated to serving children with cancer and their families at a seaside retreat. The Lighthouse provides a place of hope and renewal to families facing fears, challenges and sheer exhaustion that many people won't ever have to face. The retreat helps the families to laugh again, restore relationships, and find hope in God. I am part of a volunteer team and will be serving on one of the 10 Lighthouse retreats this year. All of the retreats are held on the Florida panhandle and we will serve 12-14 families at the retreat.

Each volunteer is asked to send out support letters to let our friends and family know about our upcoming experience. Without your support this retreat is not possible. We are asking for your prayers as we serve and to consider supporting us financially. The volunteers are asked to raise $750. A $250 deposit per person is due immediately in order to guarantee my spot on the retreat. The remainder of the money is Due by July 1st. While there is no cost to the families we serve, it costs the Lighthouse about $2,500 per family to cover the expenses involved to provide retreat activities such as a Luau, beach games, arts & crafts, a night out for the parents, devotions, a talent show and more. If I am able to raise more than the volunteer support required, the additional funding will go directly to help sponsor a family at my retreat.

Please prayerfully consider being a part of this team through your encouragement, prayers and financial support if possible. If God leads you to join us in prayer – please pray that He would prepare the hearts of the families, volunteers, and people in the surrounding community for the work that He is going to do. If you are led to support us financially, any amount that you contribute is greatly appreciated.

I am so so excited to see how God will use our team of volunteers to demonstrate His love in a real way and hope that you will want to join our efforts. This is something that has always tugged my heartstrings and I can't wait to help these families and hopefully be a light in their life. Please feel free to contact me if I can answer any questions about what we, as volunteers, will be doing specifically or about The Lighthouse Family Retreat.

Gratefully In Christ

Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

If you feel led to contribute financially, comment with your email or let me know and I will be in contact with you on the next step. If you can't contribute financially, prayers for the volunteers and families are gratefully accepted. :)