hello sunshine.

it's hard to believe that we have almost made it through our first year here at indiana wesleyan. where did the time go? students finished their finals this past week, and most are now gone for the summer. graduation was this morning for the seniors, and really besides them all who are left are those staying for the 3 week crash courses of May Term. you can def. feel the emptiness on campus compared to the 3,000+ students who live here during the school year. they get done so early here, and they still manage never to start until after labor day.

the weather here has been so wonderful. i've been soaking up the sun and warm breezes, trees are blossoming like crazy, flowers are blooming, and IWU did not dissappoint with its array of tulips (my favorite flowers). i've been so tempted to pick just a few, i do hate to uproot them, but at the same time i love having them in my apt. so i did, and they are currently full blossom on my window ceil.

i had the kiddies outside for a good four hours yesterday. all that running around sure did tire keagan and myself out, however, of course not ellie, she refused to fall asleep during nap time. *sigh* ah well. i hope to tire them out some more in the coming weeks as the weather stays nice.

alas, not too much to update on. after may our life gets crazy again for a summer filled with, dare i say, a bit too much travel. i'm kinda just soaking in the calm breeze before the whirlwind hits. so i'm off to relax with debo, and maybe play some old Sega Sonic games with him before i curl up outside on a blanket. may your weekends be lovely and oh have a tulip or two from me to you.

13.1 miles baby!

so ironically, the day after my last post...the sun made its way to indiana, and it has been absolutely beautiful ever since, and i have felt so much better ever since!

currently today it is 72 degrees, there are live bands playing outside the dorm, and people are all about sprawled on blankets and socializing. it's lovely.

i started out my day this morning by waking up at 6:30 am, and getting ready to run the "Hodson Half-Marathon." it's a half marathon that happens here at IWU every year. i have never run one before, but truthfully it was one of my life goals.

it was crazy, considering i've never run more than 5 1/2 miles at one time. however, i kept a steady pace with debo, and one of our RA's for 9 whole miles!!! i was so proud, then we walked mile 10, ran 11, and mixed walking/running for 12 and 13. we finished in 2 hrs and 28 minutes, which for me was just great, i felt so accomplished. then after eating something and drinking a ton, i showered, put on a sun dress (yah warm weather) and flip flops and hung out with one of my girlies outside sprawled on a blanket in the warm sun. i'm not going to lie, i'm super super super sore. the last 3 miles were a killer, and my muscles had already started to feel it pretty hard after mile 7.

i just feel so happy. the weather, the run, getting to the run with debo, seeing one of my favorite girls, and just relaxing outside to music. i feel like i'm glowing. lol. i also feel like a dork for just writing that!

i hope you all have a lovely weekend, and i hope the weather is blessing you where you are! :-D

blah.

i just feel blah. it's cold. i am ready for summer. i feel unmotivated. uncreative. bored. tired. and irritable. blah blah blah.

so i thought i'd share on here.

He is Risen.

spring is all about renewal. rebirth. growth.

what once was alive, then died, is now alive again.
it's funny how nature itself is such a reflection of its creator.
such a reflection of hope.

i fear death too much. our pastor mentioned at today's easter service how 80% of health care insurance is used the last year of a persons life. for me i know what comes is better then what came before, but i think because i have a tendency to invest more in myself and in this world then in my Lord, i am overcome by fear. when you spend so much time and energy trying to hold onto this life, trying to protect your world, keeping it in your control, you end up with instability.

i don't want to live in fear. i don't want to hold onto this life. i want to invest in Him. i want to live transformed, knowing because of His life, i can take dominion over my sin. through Him we can conquer sin.

spring is such a beautiful reminder of all these things.
and Easter is the beautiful reminder of how God came as a man, and conquered even death.

He is Risen, indeed.

walk into the sun.

turn your head. look.
have some faith.
listen. love. even when you don't want too.
don't judge. don't criticize. don't tear yourself down.
hold. embrace. stretch. reach.

respond.

fancy some fringe?

why hello there! i have returned. my trip to pittsburgh was absolutely wonderful. we arrived wednesday around 1 up at geneva. i spent the afternoon/evening/night catching up with friends (some graduated & in the geneva area/some still in school). it was so nice to see these girls/guys and just hang out. i however, had decided to head home to spend the weekend with me mum.

so then bright and early thursday morning i hopped onto 76, to 79, to 279 and drove up to see the beautiful city sprout about in my horizon. then taking 28 i came to my neighorbood, the new childrens hosptial even bigger and ever more visible from my street. my mom was waiting for me and we spent the morning talking over tea and then taking a walk at the allegheny cemetary [ it is the 11th largest in the U.S. and literally there are deer in this fenced in cemetary located admist the inner city neighborhoods of pittsburgh. it is also a piece of history i might add as it was founded in 1844 and has large and elaborate grave stones all over, people just don't make stones like that anymore]. so, yes we walk in a cemetary, but honestly it's one of my favorite places. perhaps it's an escape from our urban metropolis, or because it's just so peaceful there, or perhaps even it's a reminder to me of our mortality which doesn't have to be morbid thing when you think of what's waiting for us.

my mom and i did lots of talking, lots of shopping (she spoiled me rotten), and ate yummy things, watched movies, got petticures and just enjoyed each others company. i also got to spend time with my dad and brother and it was lovely. i just have such great family and i feel so blessed to have them. God is so good. what a beautiful visit. debo also got some much needed time with his guys up at geneva. since so many of his close friends were a year behind him (most of my close girlfriends graduated when i did) i think it was just nice for him to visit with them and hang out, and have guy time with people who don't know him as an RD, his friends. so yeah we had very good times.

on another note i got my hair cut. i kept the length, trimmed my layers, and yes...i did it i got some bangs! (or as the british say, "fringe")... here are some snapshots i tried to capture in a mirror...my sad attempts...but they will have to do because i'm lazy. it's a change. i'm kinda diggin them, and debo loves 'em, so that's a plus. lol.

and well we're back to work, easter is on the horizon and we are staying in the neighborhood (we decided we didn't feel like traveling) so it will be nice just to be home here in indiana. debo's sister is here for the weekend as well so that will be nice to have some company over. it was hard to leave pittsburgh, it always is. however, with 3 of our like 7 weddings coming up this summer being in the area, i know we will be back there come june!