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.

SB 11

I went to Indiana for my spring break. Downsides of this: a lot of rain and grey skies, ruining 2 pairs of my shoes in mud and puddles, forgetting to take pictures (which isn't really related to being in Indiana). Highlights: Seeing some of my favorite people in the whole world.

God kind of did something in my heart on spring break. I stayed at a friend's house and somehow got locked out one day. I spent that hour on their porch just writing in my NEW journal and watching a cat chase squirrels. I'm not going to share much of what God laid on my heart other than this: God laid desires and passions on my heart during the fall semester and I REALLY need to actually die to myself and chase after those things to glorify Him. End of story.

And now for the 2 pictures I took on break:

(Scott, Kendra, and I at Ivanhoes. yay mini FLI reunion!!)

(Heidi and I!!!! Typical that she's the only person I take a picture with.)

Spring Break 2011. I ended up catching with some of my favorite people in the world. Not even kidding. Some people I haven't really gotten to spend time with in a couple years. It's crazy how you can just pick up where you left off. Side note: Downtown Muncie in the spring at night is one of my new favorite things.

After going to Taylor, I went to UofI to see my best friend and give her a ride home. I got to go to the bible study she leads with her roomie. Oh my gosh. Those roommates. Hilarious. A constant babble of babaes and memoos and such. Pretty sure I can't spell it right. But still. They're great. :)

dream.

mmmmmm.

I used to sketch designs for rooms all the time. Like, all the time. Not only that but full house designs. I LOVED the idea of becoming an architect. I think that whole dream started when I was young. I bought a few floor plan books and just looked over them like crazy. There was also a dream of going to Texas A&M to study architecture. If you know me at all, you know that didn't happen. Currently I'm on college number 4 and studying graphic design. Different.

Today I started sketching again. I haven't sketched much in awhile-a true shame. But today it was like I was breathing again. I drew up a couple floor plan samples for a coffee/book/music/art house. I seriously want to open a place like that. Be Jesus-loving owners and have the local youth group kids work there every so often. Host married couple discount nights, bible studies, art shows, musicians, etc. I want a huge wrap around counter thing where people can sit and just chat.

I love dreaming.

(this picture is from a localish coffee house that i loooove. see the wrap around bar? yeah. awesome.)

Just deactivated facebook.

We'll see how long that lasts.