My bestie turned 21!!!! I drove into the city to hang out with her and some of the people she's on project with. Before we got all classy and went out for the night-we spent some quality time catching up on life. I cannot express how much I miss seeing this girl! I pray we never live more than 5 hours apart ever again. But we know how God works. :)

I have to share this: when we were leaving the Signature Lounge of the Hancock building...it wasn't raining. 5min later there was a TORRENTIAL downpour. Second time this has happened when I have visited her in the city!! 21 of us had ended up going out for Allison's birthday-and we were all huddled under a building awning. Then the more adventurous of us kind of just faced the fact that we were going to get wet and just danced in the rain. THEN all of us were booking it to the subway. The girls were barefoot-some wearing the guys jackets. By the time we got on the train we were SOAKED. I'm pretty sure that 90% of the people who attended agreed that celebrating Allison's 21st was better than their own.

She is such a blessing.

Waiting for the traaaain.

Just silly awesomeness. :)

Ready to hit the town!!

Friday night some of my friends got married!!! It was one of the most beautiful weddings I had ever been too. The food was AMAZING and I'm pretty sure I danced for 3 hours straight.

I love Kendel :)

Mary=GORGEOUS BRIDE

I just walked downstairs and found an envelope addressed to our family. No return address. I could tell it had been opened already so I looked inside. Someone had folded the a Target gift card into a typed note that pretty much said our family was being prayed for in our time of need with my dad not having a job. It's completely anonymous. I started crying. Why? It made me think of all the times our family has been blessed by someone.

I feel so blessed.

My family feels blessed.

In high school my dad's job situation got a little rough-making our family's financial situation a little rough. Then with all my school transitions things have been rough financially for me. But-God showed up and blessed me through so many people inside the church body-and those who don't even love Jesus but believed enough in me to support me financially to go to FLI. BLESSED.

Our car situation has been craaaaaazy the past couple years. Two of our cars are from families in the church. Long story with the one, but the other was just from a generous heart. BLESSED.

Now that I'm writing this I guess I don't really have words for how thankful I am to belong to a church body whose members meets the needs of those who are in need. Not even just by my immediate church though!!! Over the past couple years I've met people from other churches in the community and it is AMAZING to see how no matter where you go-you can still come together and worship the same God!! BAH. Baffles my mind. I love it. A community who is trying to live like Jesus did.

[I would like to apologize for the ramble randomness of this. I have a migraine right now and am hurrying to finish before I head to work.]

Blessed. Thankful. I want to give back.

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS BLESSED MY FAMILY!! Your prayer, financial gifts, time, and friendship is just sooooo wonderful. :)

Oh my goodness.

The little artsy crafty creative portion of my heart is like BURSTING.

Gotta open that door.

5 minute ramble.

People keep asking me what I want to do when I finish school. GREAT QUESTION. Here's a list. And reasons why.

-Work at a church doing design: I love combining art with reaching people to glorify God.

-Wedding planner: hello. weddings are awesome. and they should be completely representational and unique to that couple-it's the details.

-Interior decorator: I love walking into spaces and just going ::aaaaah:: it's a sign of comfort and welcoming and I want to do that for places.

-Invitation/print designer: I loooove keeping wedding invites, birthday things, etc because they can be so beautiful. They say print is dying. I say "long live".

-Event coordinator: kind of like the wedding thing...except for birthdays, showers, etc.

-Photographer: this one is more for a personal enjoyment thing. I love detailed shots of things. Finding the beauty in the small things. thrumilens.tumblr.com/

Artsy stuff you know. I just adore design and color. I just pray that whatever I do in life involves these things. :)

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Anyone who knows me-I mean-REALLY knows me could tell you this: where I am at now is not where I expected to be.

Four years ago I graduated high school. I don't remember where I sat. I don't remember who I sat next to. I don't remember who talked or what they said. I don't remember what the choir sang. I remember what I wore only because it was awful. I remember who came because they were important. I remember where I was heading.

I feel like so many people can relate. Maybe not to the awful outfit choice.

Here was the life plan:

4 Years at Taylor University with a degree in Graphic Design. Maybe a job.

Here's a lovely little timeline of what actually happened:

Aug '07-May '08: Taylor University

June '08-August '08: Kanakuk

August '08-December '09: Kishwaukee Community College

January '10-May'10: NIU

June '10-August '10: Ducky's, Cornfields, Acquaviva Winery

September '10-December '10: Focus Leadership Institute

January '11-present: NIU

So what's the point of this post? Maybe the fact that most of my good friends just graduated college is getting to me. Maybe I'm exhausted from work today. Exhaustion=vulnerable moments.

Here's what I do know.

I AM OKAY WITH THE FACT THAT I WON'T GRADUATE COLLEGE UNTIL I AM 24 GOING ON 25.

also.

I HAVE HAD WONDERFUL EXPERIENCES THE PAST FOUR YEARS.

also.

JEALOUSY GETS YOU NOWHERE.

also.

GOD HAS A PLAN FOR MY LIFE BIGGER AND BETTER THAN ANYTHING I COULD PUT TOGETHER.

yep.

I guess there's a lot of things I want to do with my life right now. Get better at photography. Get out of debt. Find dates for weddings. Do more art. (oooooh might get to paint a mural at a new local restaurant) More things. I also want to get involved in the prison ministries. I just need a girl who is over 21 to team up with me. Praaaayer.

Okay. That's the end of my ramble. To those of you who actually read this, just keep me in your prayers. Send me messages and I will pray for YOU. :)

the end.

Oh hey HIGHLIGHTS

Do not be misguided by this title. I did NOT get highlights. Yes, there are feathers in my hair, but no dying of these strands has happened lately.

Okay. So here you are. Highlights of my 21st year of life!!! (in reverse order)

COLORADO!!

Technically this was my birthday...but...it was a highlight!

Hiking!!!

Spent a TON of time with Andrew and Maggie!!

Got to see these wonderful women graduate!

Hung out with Jules in Chicago!

Allison :)

Sushi girls night!

Jess got ENGAGED.

Coffee date with Heids!

Spent time with the cousins!

Our cousin/sister Laura got married!!! (Seriously...couldn't find pics on my computer! shoot)

You're Forever Written on My Heart

This was my fierce lifegroup that I spent the semester with!

Breck!! Sarah and I spent the whole day wishing we were boarders.

Garden of the God's hike!

P31 Bible Study!

Every single sunrise and sunset.

Women's retreat hike!

Halloween with Joooooy! (and everyone else!!!!)

These women :)

Bishops Castle!!

Going to a wedding with these boys :)

hehe.

My semester at Focus Leadership Institute.

Roommates. :)

Our "bonding" hike!!

Time with the sister!!

Heidso and I visting Rutzen at LGYC!

Bigger and Better with Allison :)

After surprising L2 at the airport when she got home from her super LONG mission trip.

Biking with Netty!!

My friendship with these women!

Seeing Shena and Dave get hitched.

Yes. Finding this advertisement was seriously a highlight.

CRAVE Chicago boat tour!!!!

Turning 21 and celebrating it with Heidi, Justin, and Maggie!!!!

A ton of other stuff happened as well! This is just the stuff I could find pictures for. God blessed me in SO many ways and I learned so much about myself. Things not included: stuff with family and PASSING portfolio review!! I'm thankful for all the adventures and am excited about this 22nd year!!!

2 months later...

Okay for serious I don't know why I have this blog half the time. It's fun to look back on...but I'm thinking my journal might do me more good for the most part. Anywho. Update.

April: I don't remember.

May: Lot's of crazy.

In the past two months: I finished my 4th year of college, passed VisCom portfolio review (praise.God.), found out I have 3 years of college left (shoot), participated in a Good Friday service (seriously one of the most amazing worship services I had the joy of helping lead), switched college youth group locations, and then pretty much led an easy-breezy life.

What have I realized the past 2 months? I need to spend more time with those who need Christ. I need to continue seeking Christ with all that I am. Basically a lot that has to do with my life and Christ.

This past weekend I visited Taylor University for graduation. It was seriously one of the weirdest visits but one of the best visits. Highlights were getting to spend some time with some of my favorite people on the planet, seeing those people graduate, and getting to road trip back home with Heidi. :)

Tomorrow I jet off to Colorado for the week! While there I'll celebrate my 22nd birthday-which I'm pretty pumped about. I have to say that my 21st year of life has been my FAVORITE! So many blessings from God! I should do a highlight blog post. Maybe.

My triplets. Amy&Heidi

Me. Lori. Amy. Heidi. :)

Loooove these two! Maggie and I had Andrew stand on the steps so we would seem taller.

Some of the original 3EO!

Heids and I on the way back home! Such a blessing to cry with her, share stories, have heart-to-hearts, and sing a long to many songs on the drive back home!!

Consider this updated.