Mine :)

Taylor Swift is my favorite singer and of course I absolutely LOVE her new single, "Mine"! I can relate to the song so, it's probably my new favorite of hers. {There's not a song of hers I don't like though...} The music video really made me cry happy tears the other day so, I thought I'd pay the love forward. :)

and I just wanna say a big thank you to Taylor Swift for NOT being a sleazy celebrity like most pop singers today! She helps you remember true love really is out there and you shouldn't settle for anything less! ♥ And that is why I love her. :)




Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh

You were in college, working part-time, waiting tables
Left a small town and never looked back
I was a flight risk, afraid of fallin'
Wondering why we bother with love, if it never lasts

I say, "Can you believe it?"
As we're lyin' on the couch
The moment, I can see it
Yes, yes, I can see it now

Do you remember, we were sittin' there, by the water?
You put your arm around me for the fist time
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter
You are the best thing that's ever been mine

Flash forward, and we're takin' on the world together
And there's a drawer of my things at your place
You learn my secrets and figure out why I'm guarded
You say we'll never make my parents' mistakes

But we got bills to pay
We got nothin' figured out
When it was hard to take
Yes, yes

This is what I thought about:

Do you remember, we were sittin' there, by the water?
You put your arm around me for the fist time
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter
You are the best thing that's ever been mine

Do you remember all the city lights on the water?
You saw me start to believe for the first time
You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter
You are the best thing that's ever been mine

Oh, oh, oh, oh

And I remember that fight, two-thirty AM
You said everything was slipping right out of our hands
I ran out, crying, and you followed me out into the street

Braced myself for the goodbye, cause that's all I've ever known
Then, you took me by surprise
You said, "I'll never leave you alone."

You said, "I remember how we felt, sitting by the water.
And every time I look at you, it's like the first time.
I fell in love with a careless man's careful daughter.
She is the best thing that's ever been mine."

You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter
You are the best thing that's ever been mine

Do you believe it?
We're gonna make it now
And I can see it

I can see it now...

Oh, just some rambling...

I know every year has it's ups and downs, but this year's definitely been a rough one.
Luckily I have some fun things to look forward to coming up... and I still have 4 months left of this year to keep working on making it the best year ever.
My goal every New Years is to make "this year" the best year ever.

Between Pat's diagnosis, family issues, summer school ruining my summer, and practically having zero break between the three semesters of the year has really just taken a toll on me.
I AM TIRED!
I keep telling everyone that this year I need to be working on getting some sleep.
A bed time would be nice...
and sleeping the whole night through would be even more fabulous!
I don't want to sleep in as late as I do, but if you go to bed as late as I do, it's needed!
I don't ever feel like I waste my days away because I am still probably up and going at everything on my to-do list in the hours that I'm awake just as many hours as a "normal person."
It's just not healthy and I've got to do better.

We are already doing better this year as an Ike unit...
{note that I did not say better than last year. I am not comparing staffs because I can already go ahead & tell you...they both ROCK!}
...the students all survived their first weekend away from Momma and Daddy and there wasn't a flood on any halls!
Move-in went flawless and I have my fabulous staff to thank for that!
I feel like it's going to be a great school year! :)

I started my first class of the semester tonight.
This semester's going to KICK. MY. BUTT.
4 classes, working at the gym, doing the RD thing, and trying to find time to see family, friends, and Alex... man!
This is going to be a doozy!
I feel like it's been forever since I've been home and actually had time to spend there.
Any time I go it's for a reason, I have an agenda, and I'm in and out and back to Hickory before I know it.
Which isn't too too bad because I love living in Hickory!
I just wish that everyone I loved also lived in Hickory.

I do miss going to church.
I need to find a good church in Hickory.
I sure would miss Mike Devine's preaching though!

Anyways, back on the school subject... this is my last full semester of classes!
Ever!
And I mean it this time!
I will not.. I repeat: I will NOT be going to get my PhD so, yes, this is my last full semester of classes.
Next semester I will be doing a school counseling internship at a local high school while I take one class,
then next summer I will be doing an agency counseling internship SOMEwhere
{Lord, find me a place!} while I take my last elective class.

So do you know what that means??

THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS!

{I'll say to August 1st because, well, if I'm not done by then I might cry!}

So, in only 342 days, I will be DONE with graduate school,
either beginning a new job or job searching {Lord, guide me!}
and starting a new life!

I better enjoy my job, all the fabulous people that are in my life, and the flexibility I have in my schedule right now.
Don't get me wrong.... I'M BUSY, but my schedule is pretty flexible.
That I love.
I don't have an 8-5 job and Lord help me if I ever do!

So do you know what that means?

It means I have 342 days to
ENJOY, and EMBRACE.
No time for being down or worrying.
I put my whole life in God's hands and trust Him to work it all out!
I HAVE to... or else I would have gone crazy a looooong time ago! :)

Fam(ILY)

Family

I ran into a stranger as he passed by,

'Oh excuse me please' was my reply.

He said, 'Please excuse me too;

I wasn't watching for you.'

We were very polite, this stranger and I.

We went on our way and we said goodbye.

But at home a different story is told,

How we treat our loved ones, young and old.

Later that day, cooking an evening meal,

My son stood beside me very still.

When I turned, I nearly knocked him down.

'Move out of the way,' I said with a frown.

He walked away, his little heart broken.

I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.

While I lay awake in bed,

God's still small voice came to me and said,

'While dealing with a stranger, common courtesy you use,

But the family you love, you seem to abuse.

Go look on the kitchen floor,

You'll find some flowers there by the door...

Those are the flowers he brought for you.

He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue.

He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise,

You never saw the tears that filled his little eyes.'

By this time, I felt very small,

And now my tears began to fall.

I quietly went and knelt by his bed;

'Wake up, little one, wake up,' I said.

'Are these the flowers you picked for me?'

He smiled, 'I found 'em, out by the tree.

I picked 'em because they're pretty like you.

I knew you'd like 'em, especially the blue.'

I said, 'Son, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today;

I shouldn't have yelled at you that way.'

He said, 'Oh, Mom, that's okay.

I love you anyway.'

I said, 'Son I love you too,

And I do like the flowers, especially the blue.'

|author unknown|
 

 I read this tonight on someone else's blog and it spoke to my heart. No, I don't have children yet, but I do see parents speaking to their children in this way in times of frustration- and I too am guilty of treating some that I love {and who love me the most} the worst at times. It's something that convicts my heart and I pray about often. I try to catch myself but often times I find it easy to just lash out because I know I am unconditionally loved. 


Which also got me to think...


Does that mean we're abusing that unconditional love? Or are we taking it for granted? Or taking advantage of it? Does everyone do this- or is it just a couple of us horrible ones? 


I feel like at times, as Christians, we also do this. We take our Father's unconditional love for granted, knowing that He loves us no matter how harsh we are, no matter what stupid things we do, no matter what we say. He is there to forgive us if we genuinely ask for it. I appreciate this, and realize how often I might take His love for granted. Forgive me Father, because I certainly don't want to come across this way- I don't want to BE this way. I want to act like I love you, because I love you. I want to do what makes you happy, because I love you. I simply want to live as if I love you. Thank you, Lord, for your unconditional love, and forgive me for my selfishness. 

I'll end tonight's blog by getting back to family...

Here are some are my favorite quotes about family. Enjoy! :)

"You don't choose your family.  They are God's gift to you, as you are to them."
{Desmond Tutu}

"To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there."
{Barbara Bush}

"Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family."

{Anthony Brandt}

“One of life's greatest mysteries is how the boy who wasn't good enough to marry your daughter can be the father of the smartest grandchild in the world.”

“A son is a son till he takes him a wife, a daughter is a daughter all of her life.”

“The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.”
{Theodore Hesburgh}

“A father is someone who carries pictures in his wallet where his money used to be.”

“Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands.”
{Anne Frank}

“Families are about love overcoming emotional torture.”
{Matt Groening}

"Treat your family like friends and your friends like family."      

The Boys of Fall

I am in love with the new Kenny Chesney song "The Boys of Fall."

Alex is completely obsessed with football and I never really understood it until I went to watch my brother, Pat, play Friday nights for North Lincoln. Watching this music video takes me back and makes me miss those times. I can't believe my little brother is almost 20 years old! I miss Friday nights at Lincolnton High watching football games...but the experience is totally different when you're there, rooting for someone you love, {and understand the game I need to add.} I should note, Alex played for Lincolnton, and I "went to watch him" but I didn't understand a lick of football then and, well, couldn't tell you anything that ever happened during any of the games. It was different for some reason when Pat started playing. I started to understand the game and actually look forward to going and watching the games. Now I get to go see my cousin Nick play for Lincolnton and I can't wait for those fabulous Fall Friday nights!!

Actually- I can't wait for FALL in general because I am sickly looking without a tan. {Thank you summer school & work!} So I'm ready for cute boots and scarves weather & cool nights! Not to mention those BEAUTIFUL sunsets.... Fall is seriously the most awesome time of the year.

I never got a pic with him in his uniform but don't think I didn't snap a few after some of the games!

And I have to throw in this one of my bestie, Ale, and I because she sure was a NL supporter with me during our college years....Lord, love us! :)

Now here is a future trip down memory lane for Pat from his football days... ♥

interception!

NL's first TD of the season, made by Pat, but of course called back. Ugh!

ready to go!

Homecoming Senior Year

Senior Night

one of my most favorite pictures ever

senior night (again)

"Dropping the bomb"

the crowd joining in!

Dropping the bomb again!

Mom is his #1 Fan!

Family supporters in Salisbury for the playoffs!

I am back! {Totally random update}

So, if you know me, you know that summer school kicked my butt this summer! I have been either been working at the gym or working on school work literally almost all summer! It has not been fun. I am grateful for my $job$ though because it gave me an opportunity to get some school work done.

A lot has gone on since I last really got to blogging...I can't go into too too much detail right now, but pray for my family!

Soon I'll be finding out where I'll be doing my practicum {job shadowing} for the Fall. Either way, I recently met and discussed high school counseling with the fabulous school counselor at Maiden High School. I would love to do both my practicum and my internship in the Spring there, but if not, it will be at North Lincoln High School, so, no complaints there! I've heard great things about the counselors there. It's where my brother went to school. It's a new facility with a low turn-over rate...so either way, the Lord is blessing me! I never thought I would say this...but I think I might want to be a high school counselor!! Eek!! We'll see how this practicum & internship go...

Doggy training's doing well! We go to lesson #3 tomorrow night. My dad said you can't teach an old dog new tricks but, we'll just have to prove him wrong! ;) I love Lisa at PetSmart in Hickory who's doing the training. I highly recommend their training program with her there!

I got my Isenhour roster this week for the Fall. We are going to be a PACKED HOUSE! Every room is filled, every spot is filled...even the old show room! This is going to be an interesting year....I can see it now! I have faith in my staff though! Hopefully it'll be another fun year!