Passion

Passion can be summed up in one word...AMAZING! I know amazing is such a vague description because it can also describe the salsa that I am eating right now. Passion is a conference that is held in Atlanta for 18-25 year olds. What is so neat about Passion for me is that I was originally not supposed to go. When the Well was promoting it I wanted to go so badly, but I just couldn't bring myself to spend so much money on a four day conference. Every time they showed the video about Passion I would get so jealous and wish that I would be able to go. The tickets keep going up, so that only made it worse. After the cut off date to go with the Well had already passed Leslie Guider posted a status about selling her ticket for Passion at the lowest price they sold them for. I was so excited, but the spots with the Well were full. A little more happened, but that is far to confusing to explain. Then, on my birthday Samantha sent me a text and said that she had a ticket for the lowest price and a spot available for me to go. I was so excited that the Lord had made it possible for me to go even though I was being complete stubborn about the whole thing. Passion was amazing, and if I told you everything that I learned and experienced while I was there I could be here for days. One thing that I am trying my best to take away from Passion is what  I learned on the very last day. Louie Giglio was speaking during the last service, and what he spoke on truly spoke to my heart. His focus was on God's call for are lives. However, it wasn't your typical follow God's call sermon. Louie did something a little radical, he told us to stop worrying about God's call. He gave a really good visual  that I try and remember daily. Louie told us to write God's Call for our Life on balloon and then pop it. He told us that our call wasn't to do this or do that, but it was to daily both  fearlessly and boldy proclaim the gospel. He challenged us to take what we are doing and do it for God, instead of concentrating on what we should do or what he wants us to do. Although, I am far from doing this as well as I should I want this to be something that I continue to strive to do. I learned so much more at Passion, and the feeling that you get while worshiping with 44,000 people is so overwhelming and unforgettable. My advice for those who haven't gone and are the age to go, GO and don't be stubborn.

I got to have wonderful conversations with these girls in the van about boys, God, and spinach!

I got to see David Crowder Band play in their very last concert. They are so good!

44,000 people =lots of people

Good times waiting in line for food!

I got to help fight slavery. There are over 27 million slaves in the world today, which is mind blowing to me. We ended up giving over 3 million to help fight slavery and human trafficking. Praise the Lord!

Gotta love my Class 15' boys!

I pinned it, and I did it!

Most people have either heard of pinterest, or are like me and are addicted to it. I love finding crafts, recipes, and other fun things on pinterest to do. Unfortunately, in most cases I don't do anything but pin something that I think I would enjoy doing. This time, though I actually did it. A couple of months before Christmas I found a blog about making homemade wreaths on pinterest. It seemed simple enough that I could do for a present for my mom and Traci. I adjusted the directions a little bit, but for my first project I think it turned out pretty well.


Homemade Wreath
(this wreath looks much better than the one I made, but it was worth a shot)
1. Find long foam tubing. You can buy it at Lowe's for about 97 cents. I got the smallest size they had because it seemed to be the strongest. I decided to buy two and tape them together instead of using one bigger one.

2. Tape the two tubes together from beginning to end. I tour strips of tape just long enough to wrap around both pieces of tubing once. If you continued wrapping the tape around the tubing it caused the tubing to become warped.

3. After the two tubes are completely taped together form it into a circle and tape together.

4.Then take twine and use a hot glue gun to glue the beginning of the twine before wrapping it around the wreath. To make sure that it was secure, I would cut it after a while of wrapping around the wreath and glue the ending piece to the wreath and begin again.
5. continue wrapping until the wreath is covered in twine
6. You can really add anything you want to make it a little snazzy, but I decided to add a wooden letter to it for my mom. I painted the little red and hot glued it really well to the wreath.

2011 in Review

Even though we are already through day 8 of the new year, I was influenced by Aimee's blog to write about my year in review. I'm a little behind, but I've already thought of all I wanna post about each month so here it is.

January

 I got to bring in the new year with some great friends at my house and we even drank sparkling grape juice out of fancy glasses!!

February 

 David and I celebrated our one year! For my present he "surprised" me by taking me to see the Lady Vols play. He even did this on his birthday, points for him!

March

 This picture is from a random day of "studying" at the park with my roommates. It was random, but one of my favorite memories from the semester with these three. I also got admitted into the education program, but I don't have a picture of it. 

April

I got to watch the sunrise on Viking Mountain with my friends on Easter Sunday. It was worth the early morning rise on little sleep. 

May

I got to go to Peru and experience God in ways that I never have, but will always remember.

June

I got to go to church camp again, and I am so blessed to have this camp to serve with. I love these little girls, even if they ate all my oreos!

      I also got to go to the beach with David and his family. Although, David took 28 million dollars from me and all his sisters when I had a "Just Say No" card I had a wonderful time!

July

I got to go to  the beach with my family as well. We played lots of games, spent lots of time on the beach, and played with C!

August

I moved into my house with the girls. First "adult" move with bills and such. 

  I also got to go celebrate C's first birthday were I found out that I was going to be an aunt again!!!

September

 I was a part of my first flash mob with ministry team, and it was super fun. I also got to take part in my very first Cupcake War with Class 15'. It was dirty, but so much fun!

October

 I got to go to Asheville with Carly, OJ and David over fall break and I got to try Thai food for the very first time. It was a very beautiful drive through the mountains because of all the leaves changing.

Carly and I dressed up as Mario and Luigi for Halloween!

November

 I had a spaghetti dinner and game night with my Class 15'. The girls kicked butt at Catch Phrase.

Decemeber

I got to spend Christmas with my entire family!

Tender Tennessee Christmas

I'm clearly behind on blogging, but I've just been enjoying family and driving back and forth to work. Christmas was amazing and it was a wonderful time with my family. So since I'm so late I'll just leave a few pictures and try to sum it up as quick as possible.

First of all this cute little guy was with me for almost two whole weeks. We did lots of playing with cars, throwing things backwards and hitting Aunt Hannah in the nose, running down the hallway, playing the piano, and pushing his trash truck around in the kitchen.

David and I did our Christmas a couple days before Christmas because we knew we wouldn't have time with our work schedules and family Christmas. We got a little more dressed up than normal for the two of us, and went to Fatz and a movie. We also traded gifts that night. I got him a watch that I was super proud of because he is really hard to shop for, and I picked it out myself. I got a kindle cover (he got me a kindle for my birthday), a Reign of Kindo shirt, and a super cool thing to plug into my cigarette lighter that will allow me to charge my phone, listen to my iphone through my radio, and also make phone calls through the radio because it is blue tooth compatible. It was a wonderful and very fun night.

Although I don't have any pictures of us playing these games we spent lots of time playing these two games. My family is very competitive and game oriented. I love playing games with my family, even though one of us usually ends up mad before the night is over. 

We did our Christmas on the 22nd because we were all home and I didn't have to work at all that day. We started out the day with one of my favorite traditions with the family.We  have, for as long as I can remember been known as the dessert family for both sides of the family around Christmas time. We all chip in and work together to get it all done. Although, it is very interesting to have so many bosses in one room for so long, I wouldn't trade it for anything. C even got to help out a little this year.

We also always do dinner as a family and we did that later that evening. After dinner we gathered around our living room and opened up presents that we had gotten each other

I had to work a really long shift the day before Christmas Eve and an 8 hour on Christmas Eve and since family was coming over on Christmas day we decided to let "Santa" come on Christmas Eve Eve. Santa was generous as always because I got lots of clothes, a really nice curling iron, and money for passion.

Christmas Eve was spent at my Mammaw and Papaw Ws' house. It was so much fun to eat, spent time with family, and open presents with "A Christmas Story" playing in the back ground.

Christmas Day was wonderful although I started to get sick and didn't have a voice. We started out by getting to go to church as a family and then coming home for the Shelton's to come over.  We don't all fit on the couch anymore, which is so exciting and we can't wait to add one more in February.

The day after Christmas was a good day to relax as a family, open our stockings, and of course play games.

21st Birthday

This is really late, but turning 21 is supposed to be a milestone in someone's life so I had to blog about it. My 21st birthday was on a Saturday this year, and it started out with a lifetime movie and strawberry pancakes my dad made for me. I don't think any birthday could start out any better than that. Then, I went to see my first friend get married. It's kind of crazy, but she was a beautiful bride.

I went to the reception with Kristy and afterward we hung out at her house, watched TV, and caught up on life. We of course ended the night with Mont's, but then again what would be a day with Kristy without Mont's included. Sunday night my family came over for a birthday dinner. Jason, Traci, and C were supposed to come in Sunday afternoon around 3.  However, they surprised us by coming in a little earlier, just in time for our church dinner after service. My birthday party was perfect with great friends, my wonderful family, David, and of course yummy soup and cake.