It's finally here!...summer 2012

When school started last fall, it felt like the winter was going to be ETERNAL.  This was our weekly check-off for co-ops ^.  

But now... SUMMER 2012 is HERE!!!  

Memorial Day parade with Molly. :)

Open houses!  This picture was at Erin's...can't believe we graduated!  I'm going to miss her so much this next year!

I feel like I learned about 5 times as much this year as I have any other year.  God brought me through so many things.  * I learned that I shouldn't take any time I have for granted.  Soon it'll be over, and you'll never regret the time you spent with people, the hard work you did, and the memories you had.  You WILL regret not living to the fullest.  * I learned that God answers prayer.  Even if it takes ten years, God answers prayer.  * I learned that life is so temporary.  What's eternal is what matters.  * I learned that we need each other.  We can't make it on our own, and we should never take any person for granted, because we might not know how much we need them until they're gone.  * I learned that I need to care about people, because if I don't, who else is going to?  Sometimes a prayer or a kind word is all that's necessary to keep a person going.  * I learned that God brings people into our lives at EXACTLY the time we need them.  Not before, not after.  He knows.  

I feel like I'm a much different person than I was this time last year.  Thank You, God, for what you've taught me, and for constantly drawing me closer to Yourself, even when I can't see the big picture.  I can't believe my senior year is done!

Photo shoot and Pinterest :)

Graduating in 3 days... ahh! :)

We surrender...

...all to You.  All for You.

There's No Place Like Home

Being part of HPA's Wizard of Oz was probably one of the best experiences of my life.  God has taught me so many things this year that I didn't even know were possible.  In fear of not being able to write in a way that does this whole thing justice, I'm gonna stick with pictures.  :)

Andi was a tree, poppy, and jitterbug...

...and I was an ozian and munchkin. :)

Maddie, Andi and me.

The whole cast...98 kids. 

I'm gonna miss this so much next year, but I think knowing that it was my senior year really helped me to give it all I've got.  No regrets. :)  

The little things.

I rush way too much. I overlook the things that make me smile. Today I didn't do that. Today I thought about the things that made my day brighter. :)

Getting coffee with my sister. :)

Living on a farm. Well actually, this is a huge thing, and I thank God for it all the time. Today, when I opened the barn door and saw that the pigs had gotten out and were running and squealing all over the place, I smiled. I smiled as I sprinted up to the house and called the whole family for help, and I laughed when everyone burst through the barn door ready to herd pigs. :)

Before you go to sleep tonight, try to remember a couple things that made your day a little brighter. I guarantee there's something.

The happiest people are the people who see the good in whatever situation they're in. Don't always be looking for something better. Simply thank God for where you are.

Let the little things in life make your day.

I'd fight for you.

And He does. He sees us. He fights for us. He rescues us. Again and again, we don't measure up, we let Him down, and He loves us anyway. He doesn't leave us. He doesn't let go.

Are we willing to do the same? Are we willing to fight for the people who let us down? Are we willing to look past their insecurities and mistakes and stay with them anyway? Are we willing to fight?

It (love) always protects, always trust, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

1 Corinthians 13:7-8a

Love fights back. Love never gives up.

We really can't love others until we experience God's intense and overwhelming love for us. It doesn't work. So let Him love you.

*The study of God's Word strips the blindness from our eyes

bit by bit until we begin to see what was once invisible.*