Psalm 19

 The heavens declare the glory of God; 

   the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 

Day after day they pour forth speech; 

   night after night they reveal knowledge. 

They have no speech, they use no words; 

   no sound is heard from them. 

Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, 

   their words to the ends of the world. 

In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. 

It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, 

   like a champion rejoicing to run his course. 

It rises at one end of the heavens 

   and makes its circuit to the other; 

   nothing is deprived of its warmth.

 The law of the LORD is perfect, 

   refreshing the soul. 

The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, 

   making wise the simple. 

The precepts of the LORD are right, 

   giving joy to the heart. 

The commands of the LORD are radiant, 

   giving light to the eyes. 

The fear of the LORD is pure, 

   enduring forever. 

The decrees of the LORD are firm, 

   and all of them are righteous.

They are more precious than gold, 

   than much pure gold; 

they are sweeter than honey, 

   than honey from the honeycomb. 

By them your servant is warned; 

   in keeping them there is great reward. 

But who can discern their own errors? 

   Forgive my hidden faults. 

Keep your servant also from willful sins; 

   may they not rule over me. 

Then I will be blameless, 

   innocent of great transgression.

 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart 

   be pleasing in your sight, 

   LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

New Habits

Hello readers! Goodness I have a lot to acquaint you with! I think I was busier over break than I ever was during the semester! Let me catch you up.


Last week passed too quickly. I was sick one day, the rest of the week I spent with Dearest Carl, worked on the puzzle, ate Chinese, watched The Help (awesome movie!), toured my Grandma's church (prospective wedding location), celebrated Carl's mom's birthday, went on a flash trip to Michigan for a day and a night, went antiquing, had awesome conversations about girly things with Melissa, laughed and saw God move in my life. In short, it was a great week.


Yesterday I started classes for my last semester! For the first 8 weeks, I have British Literature 1, British Literature 2, English Grammar and Technical Writing. For the second 8 weeks, I keep the first three but trade the Tech Writing for Finite Math (blech!), Critical Thinking and a Capstone course required to graduate. So all in all, those are much pleasanter prospects than last semester! No more anatomy! Also, all my classes are online this semester which I adore! No more wasting time listening to lectures and doing busywork.


So far, I'm still jobless but looking... and praying... and hoping... and trusting that God will provide.


Now then, I've been convicted over something lately. While I'm at home, I need to use my time better! I kind of had the frame of mind that I can live here but just check out till I get married. I'm busy with school and Facebook and Pinterest and Blogging and shopping and spending time with Dearest Carl. There are four other siblings to take care of things so I shouldn't need to help out right? Heh.... wrong!


Something that woke me up to the above was the picture below:

At some point one day, my little four year old sister had put her pink cowgirl boots right next to my boots in my room. When I saw them I just had to smile. She looks up to me more than I realize and I think all my siblings do. What kind of example am I if I don't do anything to help my mom? They're seeing me loafing around all day when I'm not doing homework and they learn to think that that is okay. When it isn't! 

So I've decided to pick up some new habits. Now this doesn't mean taking over everything because I do still have school and I do need a job but I can indeed help! I can do laundry, dishes, some cooking, cleaning and regular tidying up, maybe some grocery shopping, usual everyday tasks that my mom will appreciate and give me some experience for marriage. I pray that my remaining months here will be productive and a blessing to my family. 

Now then, here is your happy song. :)

Keep your smiles on! Until next time! 

“A good example has twice the value of good advice.” ~ Anon.

“The career of motherhood and homemaking is beyond value and needs no justification. Its importance is incalculable.” ~ Katherine Short

Happy New Year!

Hello again my dear readers! Again we have entered a new year! First though, I wanted to highlight some favorites from 2011. :) So here they are:

- Cheesecake making

- Study dates

- Watching Living Streams grow

- Fourth of July at the Lake

- Getting my first kiss

- Spending time with Blacksmith and Skunk Monkey all summer

- Seeing Karie at school each Tuesday

- Getting to know the Watkins family better

- Hiking at Turkey Run and Shades

- Visiting the IMA

- Housesitting for the Harris's

- My cousin's wedding in May

- Sewing with Grandma

- The LSCC Women's Retreat

- Building the epic Gingerbread Treehouse 

- Getting engaged!!!

- Smiling, laughing and making memories with family, friends and Dearest Carl

- Witnessing how much God loves me and getting to know Him more

Yes, 2011 was a great year. Now I am hopeful that 2012 will be even better! There are soooo many things to look forward to this year and I know that I'm going to be able to give you a lot of awesome posts. :)

Ok, here's your song. Enjoy!

I pray that God blesses this new year for you, my dear reader. Keep those smiles on! Until next time!

"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." ~ C.S. Lewis

"We will open the book.  Its pages are blank.  We are going to put words on them ourselves.  The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day." ~ Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Merry Christmas!

Cookies, cards, wrapping paper, parties, Christmas movies, laughter, friends, family.... I've never had such a busy week in my life! But it's finally Christmas Eve and I'm so ready for tonight and tomorrow! I hope that your Christmas is filled with family and fun and good food and wrapping paper. But don't forget, somewhere in all the glitter, don't forget to thank God for His awesome gift to us, for the little baby in the manger that would save the world. Oh how great is out God!

Merry Christmas! Until next time!

"The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other." ~ Burton Hillis

"While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them." ~ Luke 2:6-7

Feminine Friday: Warm and Beautiful

Hello my dear loverly readers! So today, I thought I'd tell you about a problem I've had. Winter is my favorite season however, you all probably know that I love wearing skirts and dresses! Well, when you get to winter, skirts and dresses became a problem. But I figured it out! I had a pair of leggings and a few pairs of tights and suddenly, wearing skirts and dresses and staying warm at the same time was possible! Paired with a cute sweater and boots, perfect! :D Here's an example of what I'm talking about. :)

Adorable right? I know. :) 

Fashion tip of the day: Don't be afraid to wear flowers in your hair during the winter months. They're still pretty then. :)

Okay, go be your lovely selves now and enjoy your day! And whatever you do, keep those smiles on! Until next time! 

"The dress must not hang on the body but follow its lines.  It must accompany its wearer and when a woman smiles the dress must smile with her." ~ Madeleine Vionnet

"Fashion can be bought.  Style one must possess." ~ Edna Woolman Chase

Feminine Friday: Feeding Him Well

Hello my lovely readers! Boy have I got something to show you! Okay, my whole life I have always wanted to be able to feed my husband well when the day comes. I want to be a good cook and not the kind for which unburnt out of the bag chicken nuggets is a feat. I want him to look forward to coming home to a good tasty meal at the end of the day. And I'm working on it! It helps that I love to cook too. :) And oooooooh myyyyyy goooooooooodneeeeeeeessssssss. If you like cooking, you HAVE to check out this website I found. It is never ending tastiness I tell you! There is sooooo much I want to try and I cannot WAIT until finals are over to get my apron back in business! Seriously! Just take a look at some of it!

Hungry? hehe ;) 

Keep those lovely smiles on! Until next time!

"A way to a man's heart is through his stomach." ~ Old English Proverb

"She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants." ~ Proverbs 31:15 

Christmas Cheer

Hello my wonderful readers! Today is cold and kind of blah so I thought I'd give you some Christmas cheer. :) Here are a few pictures of some of our Christmas decorations. Enjoy! :)

Keep your smiles on! Until next time! 

"The best way to spread Christmas Cheer, is singing loud for all to hear." ~ Buddy the Elf


"But I am sure that I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round... as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely." ~ Charles Dickens

Feminine Friday: Dreaming With Reality

I'm sure you've heard this quote before. It's a pretty common quote to find on people's living room walls and Facebook walls and any other walls you can think of. Normally, I'm not a big fan of these quotes but with everything that's been going on in my life, this one struck me. 

I read this quote and what jumped out at me was "Don't be afraid!" If you've been reading my blog for a while, you've probably figured out that I'm a dreamer. I love fairy tales and happy endings and English cottages. But until recently, I've been very overwhelmed with the world and reality. Honestly, I've been afraid to dream because the world rarely has happy endings and I've not wanted to get my hopes up when they seemed impossible. My ideas and hopes and dreams for what my life might look like have been in a box under my bed. 

That being said though, I never did stop asking God to change my prospects. I mean, He healed blind men and sick men, fed thousands of people on two fish and five loaves of bread and raised men from the dead.... so surely I can ask Him about my dreams right? Well, He taught me "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." (Matt. 7:7-8) All I have to do is ask and He does indeed answer! And not only does He answer, but His answers go far and beyond what I even asked for! Know what that taught me? DREAM BIG! Don't be afraid to dream the impossible! God has the power to bring your dreams about if it's in His will so don't be afraid to ask! 

Now that being said, I've also learned not to get lost in dreamland. We do live in reality and we can't pretend to live in a fairy tale. So while I'm dreaming big, I do need to live my life to the fullest today. I can't wait around for my dreams to come true when I could be bringing glory to God. 

So while you're dreaming big, my lovely readers, don't forget to live in reality and pray for those dreams. God has the power to make those dreams come true. :)

Keep your beautiful smiles on! Until next time!

"For those who dare to dream, there is a whole world to win!" ~ Dhirubhai Ambani

"If you don't have a dream, how can you have a dream come true?" ~ Jiminy Cricket

Advice, My Lovely Life and A Christmas Babble

Hello my dear readers! In case you'd like to know, yes I'm still floating on clouds and dancing on sunshine. :) *happy sigh* I love my life. 


Things around here have been just peachy! The Christmas tree is up and gorgeous, there's 2 and a half weeks of school left, it's actually cold outside and wedding plans are being tossed around a lot. Dearest Carl is already tired of them. hehe :) We've not set the date yet but I've started looking at the wedding budget with my wonderful Daddy. Lately he's so encouraging and happy and just much more pleasant to be around. I AM BLESSED! Anyway, we've got some ideas so once some things are set in stone, we'll really get rolling. One thing I do want to ask you, dear reader. If you live out on your own or are married or you just have some good ideas, what are some things I should think about asking for for my own home? Living with my parents my whole life, I'm sure there are things I won't think of until the day I have my own home and "Oh my gosh! I don't have this!" So if you have any thoughts, please let me know! I would greatly appreciate it. :)


Time for a holiday babble? Yeah, I think so. *deep breath* I'm loving this time of year right now! The Christmas music is out and there are so many activities to look forward to. And this semester is almost over! :D *happy dance* Boy will I be glad to be done with Anatomy!!!! Maybe I'll throw a party or something. But really! I'm so excited about quite a few Christmas gifts. And Christmas is going to be awesome this year! This is the first year that I'll have two families to do Christmas with! Twice the celebration! :D *happier dance* Also, the mime for Christmas Eve is turning out to be absolutely awesome!!!! I'm soooooo excited to do it! The two girls doing it with me are working very hard to memorize it and they are very excited about it as well which makes me happy. :) So in 2 and a half weeks, life will be all crafty, cookies, friends, carols and fun. :D hehehehehehehehe..... I can't wait! :D 


Ok ok I'm done. Here's a fantastic Christmas song by Dear Harry, the Christmas music I grew up with. :) Enjoy!

Keep your smiles on! Until next time! :)

"Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time." ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder


"I wish we could put up some of the Christmas spirit in jars and open a jar of it every month." ~ Harlan Miller