Today is my close friend Rebecca's nineteenth birthday.  We have been good friends since our freshman year of high school and we have gotten the opportunity to attend the same university as well.  If I started school here without Rebecca, I think things would have been so much more difficult. 

I enjoy the hours we spend together, visiting the Puppy Store, watching movies, experimenting new coffee shops, Midnight Yell, and simply spending time with each other.

For Rebecca's birthday, I'm sure we'll discover an exciting adventure of some sort.  Even better, Ali is coming down from her university a few hours away to spend the weekend with us.  It will be a mini-reunion!  I've missed my old group of friends so much over these last couple of months. 

Rebecca, I'm so thankful you were born.  Your sweet spirit and your obvious heart for the Lord inspire and encourage me more than words can say. I am grateful that I've been able to begin this college journey with you.  I LOVE spending time with you.  Our conversations always bring a smile to my face, and when I'm around you, I know I will always have a good time.  I love you so much!

Happy birthday, friend. :)

So today I remembered that I used to have a MySpace page.  I hadn't been on in literally years, so I logged on and began to look through some of my old pictures and comments.  There was a "blog" feature similar to Facebook's "notes," so I clicked on that and found several private blog entries I wrote that I had completely forgotten about.  In fact, even while re-reading them, I don't remember writing any of them.  It seems like so long ago.  With each paragraph I read, it doesn't feel like me.  Not my writing style anymore, way too much sarcasm... but I know it was me.  Funny how much I've changed in the last four years.

I wrote the little journal-style entry exactly two weeks before my friend Gatlin committed suicide.  What's fascinating to me is the way the Lord was preparing my heart before I went through such a difficult time in my life.  Things were being revealed to me that would help me heal and grow over the next few months, but I had no idea why.  

Another thing that's neat about the entry below is that this was written right in the midst of my coming-back-to-Christ experience that has become such a wonderful part of my testimony.  I didn't remember that I had written something so honest and personal during this time of my life, but I'm so glad I did.  This leaves me in awe of the way God was transforming me.  He was working in my heart before my friend died.  His love for me is so evident here, even within the words of doubt and hesitation in the entry below.

This is brutally honest and contains many of my doubts, so I feel a little hesitant to share it, but I feel like I should.  This shows the awesomeness of God.  Tears are forming in my eyes the more I realize how He has worked in my life every step of the way.  I had no idea what was going to happen in two weeks, but He did.  And He was already preparing me to heal from the pain.

(The entry was incredibly long, so I deleted a few sections, but you will get the main idea of it.)

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Recently, I've been praying... a lot.  Mainly because there's been a lot of things going on the past few weeks that have sent me spiraling down into that moment where I'm sitting there in the midst of horror and I'm just like, "I'm about to get hurt, aren't I?" and then I have to decide whether or not to be depressed and bitter or to endure and trust God and push forward with my true friends.  Most of my life, I've chosen the depression.

Most of my life, when I get to that moment, I choose to pity myself and take all of my problems on myself and shut down my emotions and shut out everyone else and then blame God for absolutely everything.  It's a sin that I seem to fall for the easiest.  Only recently have I realized how wrong that truly is.

So that's basically what the past few weeks have been like for me.  A lot has happened.  It's just left me down in the dumps, and I'm refusing to become all depressed and suicidal, so I've turned to God for the first time in... forever.  Even when I am going through a rough patch--even if someone has taken my heart and then given it right back to me--I need to have faith.  I'm not all-knowing.  I don't know what God's plan is for my life, but it's my duty to trust in Him... not decide that I'm an agnostic every time something goes wrong.  I have to have faith.

So I've been praying and I've found out a lot.

Jesus loves me.  Hello, obvious.  I just haven't been able to accept that Jesus Christ actually loves me and died for me and cares about me just like He cares about every other human being on this planet.  I'm not worthless.  I'm loved too.  Everyone is loved, and most of us can't seem to get that.  I sure couldn't.  And now I think I can.

Recently I've been praying.  Even the most simple prayers have been hard for me the past eight months or so, because last year was crazy-bad for me and I lost a lot of faith.  But I've still been praying.  You know, this is your chance, God.  If you let me down this time, I'm giving up on you forever.  I can't handle this on my own.  Will you just help me get through today without having to hide to keep from crying?  And I wasn't quite sure what would happen, but wow... it worked.  God listened.

Life is getting better... I'm getting over it.  Disappointment is still there, but life is okay.  Everything is not all on my shoulders.  I can breathe for once.  Jesus has taken this burden for me and made me whole again... and that amazes me.  To think I have been trying to handle my own problems eight out of ten times my whole life--I have held that tiny bit of me from God, unsure if He could handle it--but now I've tried it, and look where I am! 

And suddenly, I want to help others.  I'm still embarrassed about what I've done.  I'm still finding out who I am inside.  But I've found out who I can go to when I'm hurt and when I'm broken.  I'm not alone in my problems.  God's not just here when everything's going great.  He's the one who's waiting to take my hand when I'm split in two, but He can only take my hand if I let Him.

So all I really need is to just trust in Him.

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Despite the fact that the little girl writing the entry above was broken and confused and about to be hurt beyond all words, I will treasure this journal entry forever.  I'm so glad I found it. 

The Lord is so loving.  Thank You, Jesus, for holding me through everything.

It's crazy to imagine that the "Facing Prejudice" social experiment I did with Ali was almost a year ago now.  One social experiment we were planning to do last Christmas Break was for me to dress up like I was a pregnant teen and see how I was treated.  Although I was already eighteen at the time, I have always looked younger than I am.  I'm only an inch over five feet tall and I am often mistaken to be fourteen, fifteen, sixteen years old. 

It took so many attempts to try to find the right pregnant belly.  We didn't have any sort of pregnant suit, so we kept trying to find various pillows and things to stick under my shirt.  The problem is, everything was either much, much too big or much, much too lumpy or lopsided.  Nothing seemed to look like a pregnant belly.

Most of the time, I looked more like the Octomom than a pregnant teen.

Another problem is that the pillows were making my tummy look fluffy and squishy, not pregnant.  My dad is a doctor, so we were sure he would have some advice for us, but for some reason, he wasn't thrilled about the whole idea of me walking around in public looking pregnant.  I wonder why.  :)  Rebekah's mom, however, did enjoy helping us find various pillows and sweaters to stuff under my shirt.  The bigger the item that could fit, the funnier the night became. 

As the hours passed, our attempts began to work less and less, but we were able to brainstorm about what the social experiment could be like.  We decided I would wear a thick sweater of some sort to try to hide the fact that my pregnant belly was fake (if we could ever find a reasonable pregnant belly).  I would wear very little makeup (or Ali's idea was for me to wear heavy makeup, since a lot of young girls unknowingly put on too much when they first start wearing makeup).  I considered wearing pigtails but then rejected the idea, as that seems to be the default "I look younger than I am" disguise.  Wearing a brand directed towards a younger audience like Limited Too, Justice, or even Aeropostale also might quietly suggest that I was a young teen. 

Finally, someone brought me a bag of cotton balls and wrapped it around my waist with an ace bandage.  Somehow, this worked perfectly.  I looked like I was about seven months (but recognizably) pregnant.  And as far as I can tell, my stomach didn't look squishy, especially because of the tightness of the ace bandage.

Wow... I look pregnant, don't I?

For the finished product, I would wear a couple more layers or spanx of some sort to make sure and hide all of the creases from the ace bandage.  Otherwise, I was good to go. 

The picture above totally cracks me up.  It's so weird to see myself looking pregnant.  I'll admit that I still haven't posted the thing to Facebook... I'm a little afraid of all the responses I would get since it looks so real!

We never ended up carrying through with this particular social experiment. 

One reason was that I was concerned that someone would recognize me and I would have to explain away the fact that I wasn't actually pregnant but rather pretending to be pregnant... and what if someone recognized me and didn't say anything and then a rumor got out that I would have to awkwardly explain away?  It's not that I was scared everyone would think I was pregnant, because I would be able to show the evidence against it quite easily.  But see, in the wrong context, pretending to be pregnant can seem pretty... bad.  And very weird.

No, we almost felt the need to go out of town to perform the social experiment without stress, and we never found the time to leave town.

Another issue was the fact that I was eighteen, and although I look young for my age, I'm not sure if I look young enough for this experiment.  My fifteen-year-old sister could be a possibility, but we never sat down and discussed it long enough.

Perhaps over Christmas break we'll go ahead and carry through with this social experiment.  Who knows?

Man, every time I see that picture, I start to laugh. 

Something I've begun to learn recently is the meaning of disability.  Since I've been at college, I joined an organization called Deaf Aggies and Friends (DeAF).  I've been taking ASL as a foreign language and I've been able to get to know and befriend a few members of the deaf community in Aggieland. 

As a child, I always considered deaf people to be disabled.  In fact, if I saw someone signing at a restaurant or out in public, I usually sympathized with them, thinking, "How sad that he can't hear!  I wish there was something that could be done for him."  And I definitely never considered the fact that I could ever be disabled.  I was disability-free.  Me?  Disabled?  No way.

It's true that I don't have a physical disability.  I can walk.  I can see.  I can hear.  But being disabled can mean other things too, and I've come to realize that over the last two months.

Recently I went to a deaf social at a frozen yogurt shop with the DeAF club.  While there are several hearing members of the club, I arrived early with a friend.  For a while, we were the only hearing people there.  Everyone else was deaf.

As the people around me conversed in quick and flawless sign language, I struggled to keep up.  When it came time for me to sign, my words were broken and shaky and jumbled.  I had only been learning ASL for less than two months.  In order for me to be a part of the conversation, the others had to make an effort to include me and be patient with my mistakes and many questions.

For the first time, I began to feel like I was the disabled one. 

Out of everyone in that room, I was the one with the disability, not them.  I was the one everyone had to pause for.  I was the one who couldn't speak the language.  I was the odd one out.  Of course, everyone was very nice and didn't exclude me or make me feel guilty for being one of the only hearing people there.  However, despite everyone's eagerness to help me learn, it didn't change the fact that I was the one who was struggling to communicate.  Me.

Spending time with the deaf community has given me perspective about the meaning of disability.  Deafness is technically a disability, sure, but it definitely does not have to be a defining attribute... at least not in a negative way.  There is a beautiful deaf culture and community that I have come to see and appreciate over the last several weeks.  This community has been unseen by so many people.

Recently I was given the chance to see what it was like to be the odd one out in a room full of deaf people.  Hearing or not, I was the disabled one.  It certainly wasn't them. 

I'm quickly learning that disability is relative.

Friendship is what matters.

The fingerspelled letters come from here.

Lavin, the fourteen-year-old girl I sponsor through Christian Relief Fund, has been sending me letters like crazy lately.  I realize that Christian Relief Fund will occasionally send one or two letters from the child at once because of the great distance between Africa and America, but in the last month, I've received four letters from Lavin.  Wow!

Lavin and I have a special bond because we were able to spend a week together when I visited her school in Kenya, Africa.  We sang songs, shared stories, played games, and connected in a way I never thought I would experience with her.  Because of that, our letter writing has deepened beyond what it was when we were mere acquaintances. 

Since I've been at college, my mom has been sending the letters from Lavin to me after they're sent to our home.  Recently, she said the letters have touched her heart so much that even she wishes I could just go back and see my sponsored child again.  I hope to visit Lavin one day, but first I must raise the funds I need in order to travel all the way to Africa and stay for at least two weeks at a time.  (I'm not sure how to raise three thousand dollars at the moment.) 

Today I'd like to share with you the sweet, sweet letters I've received from Lavin over the last couple of weeks.  (I didn't change any spelling.)

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August 2, 2011

Dear Emily,

How are you?  I hope that you are fine.  Here we are fine too.  I am thanking you for the letter that I have just received now.  I have two friends.  There name's are Doddie and Emily.  I miss you so much.  I love all of them.  I would just like to request [for you] to come back again and meet them too.

I thank God for giving such good friends.  I am praying for your families that may God be with them.  I am praying for your friend Rebekah [after her knee surgery, since I wrote Lavin a letter asking for prayer a while back] too.  The weather in Kenya is hot and cold.  When it is cold, we wear jackets and when the weather is hot, we put on light cloths.  My friends would like to see you or meet you.  I would like to write you a memory verse.

Memory verse:

My memory verse come from the book of Romans, chapter 3:18.  It says: Their is no fear of God before their eyes.

Psalm 100:1

Make a joyful noise to the Lord all the land.

Bye Emily

Your lovly daughter,

Lavin

I love you Emily.

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July 6, 2011

Dear Emily,

I hope that you are fine, you and your family too.  I miss [you] so much Emily and I hope that you will come.  Am so glad to you and you family and I hope that you are okay.  I am in standard 5 [fifth grade] and I am 14 years old. 

My favourite colour is green and brown.  My favourite number is 18.  And I want to tell you that I am doing well in school.  I am working hard.  I can remember the day that we went down to the field to play football and when we were dancing to school, we were singing. 

I can remember all the things we were doing in the school.  When I am going to sleep, I pray to [or for] you and your family.  When it is Sunday I went to church to pray and I must pray to [or for] you and you family.

I have a memory verse for you which comes from the book of Romans chapter 6:23.  It say For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Your loving daughter,

Lavin

I wished you all the best.

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May 1, 2011

Dear Emily,

Hi, how are you?  I hope you are fine.  Here with us we are fine.  I am working heared in school so that I can achieve my goals.  Am always glad to recieve your letters and my photo.  Am celebrating my birthday in 12th November.  I love you very much and God love you most.  May God give you a long life.

By.

Love,

Lavin

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Undated

Dear Emily,

Greetings, sister.  How are you?  I am doing fine.  Please give greetings to you family.

For me my family also give you greetings.  I miss you very much, Emily.  I have missed you and thought about you often for long, long time.  I am doing fine.

I'm just so happy to know that you are healthy and working hard in your school work.  I pray for you every day.  I love you, Lavin.  You are my sister in Christ.  I love to hear from you.  You are beautiful.  Read Romans 16:19.  My favorite thing is to write.  I write songs, stories, and poems.  Do you like to sing?  What is your favorite story? [The last four sentences are actually direct quotes from my last letter, which makes me chuckle.  Now I certainly know she studies my letters.]

God will bless you.

Love,

Lavin

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This may not be as adorable to you as it was to me, but it broke my heart.  It was so touching to read her memory of that day when we hooked arms and danced all the way back to her school after watching the "football/soccer" game, singing all the way.  It's so touching that she calls herself my daughter.  It's so touching that she prayed for my friend and that she knows the names of my siblings and friends (she's mentioned them in other letters).  I miss Lavin's smile, voice, and her hugs. 

I'm not sure what I can do to raise the money to go back to Kenya, but I long to be back on African soil.  Someday soon, I pray.

If YOU are interested in starting up a friendship with a child living in an impoverished country and providing them with an education, food, and clothes, then consider sponsoring a child through Christian Relief Fund for $35 a month.

I am a big Elvis fan.  I couldn't bring my two giant Elvis posters to college (no room for them on the walls), but I did bring a couple of small pictures to hang about my room.  The other day, I was out shopping at Michael's and I came across a few Elvis gift cards packaged together for a mere dollar.  A dollar!

Obviously, I purchased them and they're now hanging from the magnetic strip on my wall, along with a clipping I took from the newspaper celebrating Elvis's seventy-fifth birthday.  A cool fact is: he actually performed a concert at my hometown a long, long time ago.  I guess my small city isn't entirely unknown after all. :)

What I like about this picture is that it makes my little Elvis decorations look so old, like I am one of his fans from the old days.  (Actually, in the old days, I probably would have been more of a secret fan because I don't much like to be around rabid fangirls.  Here, I can enjoy Elvis music (and his good looks) without being mauled by other girls who take a slight crush and turn it into obsession.

And as you can see from the corner of my calendar there, it's finally turning autumn, even here in Aggieland where the weather is much, much warmer than back home.

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This right here is what I came to school and found on campus.

Three bouncy castles.  This has to have been one of the more exciting (or at least amusing) moments of my college career.  I mean, look at that thing!  It was open for anybody. 

Stressed-out students carrying loads of books and wearing seemingly permanant frowns would drop their bags on the ground, kick off their shoes, and allow a carefree smile to return to their faces, at least for the moment.  Nobody was an adult anymore.  These things reduced stern and studious college students to giggling children.

I have no idea why they decided to put up free bouncers on the campus that day.  Perhaps it was for a specific reason.  Perhaps it was to boost the students' morale.  Perhaps it was to celebrate the fact that the semester is halfway done.  (Hooray!)

Whatever the reason, I think they should bring back the bouncers more often.

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As you can see here, Charlie the betta is doing quite well.  This picture isn't crystal-clear since it was taken by my iPhone, but you can get the idea.

I bought him a betta bulb a while back and it has sprung to life quite nicely.  Charlie seems thrilled to have a new neighbor and I often notice him ducking between the tiny leaves of the plant.  Charlie's colors are still vivid and beautiful.  Every time someone approaches his bowl, he approaches them as close as he can reach and flares like crazy.  I'm not sure if he's begging for food or initiating a challenge.  He thinks he's so tough.

Mom gave me some pretty rocks to put at the bottom of the bowl.  They add a pretty nice touch, I think.  I love the way they contrast with the red background of the bowl.

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So these are a few of the things I've been up to this last week.  What are some of the things you've been doing?

(Sorry about the picture thing again, guys.  Thanks for letting me know they weren't showing up.  I'm not sure what the glitch is.  I re-uploaded them, so hopefully they will be working now.  If they ever don't work again, please let me know. Thanks!)

Today is officially my nineteenth birthday.  Just thinking about it feels weird.  I used to think nineteen was so old.  (At this rate, I don't know how I'm going to react when I turn forty.)

I got to come home for my birthday, so I plan to spend the day with my family, which is going to be great.  I'm so happy to be home, even if it's only for a few days.  I finally get to see my dogs and sleep in my bed and hug my grandparents and eat dinner with my family.  Ahhhhh, home. 

Because it's my birthday, I won't be posting anything more than this today.  (And I'm even writing this a few days in advance.)  Instead, I'm going to take the day off of blogging and spend all the time I can with my family.

I'm home. :)

My nineteenth birthday is coming up on Friday.  I've never really minded having an October birthday.  Sure, I don't get to sleep in because it's usually on a school day, but my mom would always make me my favorite breakfast (milk toast) and take me out of school to my favorite restaurant (Abuelo's).  Teachers would give me special privileges, I'd often encounter little surprises waiting for me at school (like a wrapped locker or a birthday hat to wear), and a lot of people would tell me, "Hey, happy birthday, Emily," which is the highlight of a kid's birthday. 

With summer birthdays, you can have pool parties and go to water parks, sure, but with an autumn birthday, none of your friends are out of town on family vacations.  So I've always enjoyed having a birthday in October.

It hit me a couple of days ago that this will be the first year of my life without a birthday party.  I've always had a party with my friends, eighteen years in a row.  Sleepovers, scavenger hunts, murder mysteries... and in 2011, I won't be having a birthday party at all.

It's not that I'm upset because I won't get as many presents or I won't have a bunch of people over in honor of my birthday.  No, it's not that at all.  The thing that bothers me a little is that this is the first year I won't get to see any of my friends on my birthday.  We'll all be several hours away from each other, which feels a little weird.

I'm so, so blessed that I will get to go home on my birthday this year.  I'll get to see my family and spend some much-needed time with them.  And if I had to choose, I'd rather celebrate with my family.  I've missed them a lot these last few weeks.

I guess this whole birthday thing is just another part of college and growing up.  And there isn't any reason to mope around.  I will still celebrate my birthday.  I get time with my family on my actual birthday, and Ali is coming up to celebrate both Rebecca's and my birthday the next weekend.  It will all work out.  I'll see my other friends on Christmas Break.  It will be fine. 

I've never been jealous of those with summer birthdays.  In fact, I've always preferred mine.  Seeing all of my friends that day, being pulled out of school a little early, blowing out candles on a homemade cake from friends in the library before the smoke alarms go off (yes, I have really great friends), and Rebecca would probably agree with me that October birthdays can be pretty fantastic.

But this may be the first year I've ever felt a twinge of longing to have a birthday in June or July.  Just a little.  Maybe.

Okay, I'd still rather have my October birthday.  (See, now it gives me a reason to fly home from school for a few days and see my family for the first time in what feels like forever.)  So it all works out in the end.

Yeah, I'm pretty blessed.

Yes, some this week's iPhone pictures are a little odd. 

A few days ago, Rebecca and I went to Walmart to cover a gaping hole in her car's dashboard.  Yes, somebody broke into her car and stole her stereo.  Yes, this happened near Baylor, not A&M. :)

Anyway, we went to Walmart.  Every time I go to a store, I usually insist that we visit the toy aisle.  It's just so entertaining to see what bizarre toys they're selling these days.  Two toys in particular caught my eye.  Here is the first toy.  It's supposed to be a sad-looking puppy.  I suppose sad puppies are fun to play with these days?

However, those dark, thick eyebrows and the circles under the puppy's eyes didn't do much other than scare me. 

One thing I noticed about this puppy was that it wasn't very cuddly.  It was about the size of the average stuffed animal, but it was made out of plastic.  How are you supposed to hold and comfort a plastic puppy? 

I don't know... I'm not convinced I would have ever wanted a toy that looked like this when I was a little girl.

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This next toy made me literally facepalm the moment I saw it.

A Justin Bieber doll?  Really?

And if you poke his belly, he'll even sing to you.

The doll is wearing "Real Fashion from His Performance," which is interesting.

To be honest, I would be incredibly creeped out if I knew that stores were selling little doll-versions of me that would sing if you poked their belly and that wore clothes I actually owned. 

The tag says it's from "JB Performance Collection."  I wonder if that means there are more of these dolls out there, wearing different outfits and singing different Justin Bieber songs.

I wonder if Justin Bieber has a shelf of dolls that look like him in his house. 

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This next picture is of all the mail I got the other day.  My family has been great about sending me mail at least once a week.  I usually get three or four letters a week, which has been so nice.  Every time I get a letter in the mail, my day is instantly made.  I walk down the hall, carrying my envelope or package, with a huge smile on my face.

I love mail.

The other day, I happened to get four letters in the mail.  One contained a book from my Grandma Marcia, one contained a little package and a letter from Naana, one contained a letter from my mom, and one contained a letter from Ali.

When I opened my mailbox and saw that it was stuffed with mail, I immediately thought, "Oh wow, everyone must have gotten something today.  I wonder if any of it is mine."  When I saw that it was all mine, I couldn't stop smiling. 

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Finally, these are the awesome house shoes my sister Amy brought for me when she came and visited a couple of weeks ago.  How sweet of her, right?

They look like giant sneakers.  Aggie sneakers, which makes them even better.

Yeah, I do wear them all the time. :)

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(For everyone who couldn't see the pictures today, I re-uploaded them, so hopefully the images will work this time.  Thanks for letting me know about the error!)

One interesting thing about living on your own is the fact that you have to provide food for yourself.  Yes, there is a cafeteria and I have a meal plan, but you HAVE to eat your meals at the cafeteria.  You can't take any food out.  Needless to say, this can get old (and lonely if you don't have someone to sit with) and I enjoy eating a few of my own meals in my dorm room so I can relax.

I'm trying to stay healthy.  I don't want to gain my freshman fifteen any time soon... or ever.

This was my very first on-my-own meal.  A turkey and swiss sandwich, baked Lays, Dasani water bottle, three different types of grapes... and a Fruit by the Foot.  Hey, dessert had to come from somewhere.  I took a picture to capture the very, very momentous occasion. ;)

Pretty good for my first on-my-own meal, right?  Especially coming from someone who doesn't know how to cook.

I've been on my own for about a month now and my meals haven't changed a whole lot.  I still eat a lot of sandwiches, fruit, Baked Lays, and cafeteria food.  I still love Fruit by the Foot, although I get that more rarely. 

Oh, college food...

I need to learn how to make different kinds of things to eat.

Recently, Ali and I had the opportunity to visit some cows.  My Grandma Rhonda owns several cows and since she visits them every day, they're very sweet and friendly.  One of the best parts about getting to see Grandma Rhonda's cows was that she happened to have four adorable calves.  One was only three days old when we visited.  His name was... Beef Steak. 

The reason Beef Steak was named Beef Steak is because, well, that's what he may become one day.  It's a sad fact of life, but true.  Grandma named him Beef Steak to help keep from becoming too attached.

For now, I'm content to call him Cutest Baby Cow on the Ranch.  I mean, look at those big doe eyes.

My favorite calf was a reddish color and had big ears that stuck straight out from the sides of her head.  She was very bold and if she wasn't chasing her cousins, she was tiptoeing behind Ali and me, trying to decide exact what we were.  Red (I'm actually not sure of her name, but that's what I'm calling her for now) was quite the curious little calf, always getting into things.  She seemed like a very bright and intelligent... cow.

Another baby that was a slightly older (by a few days) version of Beef Steak was BB.  She was pretty cute as well, with big doe eyes and a velvety-looking nose.  BB often relaxed on top of a dirt hill or near one of her many mothers (the calves seemed to be content with nursing every mother cow out there... so we weren't really sure who was whose).  I loved BB's dainty little ears.  She was pretty cute.

Wendell was Windy's son (I'll talk about Windy in a moment).  He was born about twice the size of a normal calf, so although he was around the same age as all of the other calves, he was much larger.  However, Wendell was also the sweetest calf there, just like his mother.  He was the only one who willingly let us pet him.  He was a soft, tan color and had big eyes.

The nicest cow of all was Windy, who would rather be petted than eat.  That's pretty impressive for a cow.  She happened to be Wendell's mother and you could tell, since they looked so much alike.  Windy tended to follow me and Ali around, nudging at our backs with her wet nose and trying to convince us to hug her neck.  I never knew a cow could be so sweet and gentle. 

(Notice Red getting into something in the picture below.)

I didn't like the black cows so much.  They mooed all the time and often head-butted each other while trying to get to some food.  The babies and Windy were much gentler.  However, Ali found a black cow friend.  She was still a youngster, only about three months old, although she was much bigger than the week-old babies. 

The cutest thing of all was when the babies would start to nurse. 

Ali and I never realized cows could be... nice.  Or motherly.  We always saw them as being, well, cows.  We were pleasantly surprised when we visited Grandma Rhonda's little ranch and saw the personalities of all her cows.  I can't speak for Ali, but I have to say... I will never look at a cow the same way again. :)

Check out a YouTube video about our day with the cows here.

And be sure to check out Ali's new blog where she shares about her journey through life with God's help, Big Hair Ali.

A few weeks ago, Ali and I spent three days at my Grandma Rhonda's house.  One of the best parts of living at College Station is being able to see Grandma Rhonda more often, since we're so far apart when I'm back home.  It was wonderful to spend the weekend with Grandma Rhonda and Ali.  We entertained ourselves with cows and food and plants and especially dogs.

All three of us love dogs... which came in handy, since my grandma has three dogs of her own. 

Three crazy dogs with their own hilarious personalities.

Two of the dogs were Giant Schnauzers named Kenya and Kika.  They were black, fluffy, and huge.  At first glance, they can seem a little frightening.

Kenya was older and a little more laid-back.  She preferred to sleep around, but never hesitated to come and sit on our laps when we happened to be on the ground.  Kika was excitable and eager to play.  She carried around a slobbery rubber ball and often "threw" it towards us, hoping we'd catch the ball and throw it back.  Both dogs are super sweet and will try to love on you until you almost feel smothered.

Ali quickly fell in love with the Giant Schnauzers.  In fact, about a minute and a half after she first saw them, she said, "What kind of dog is this?"

"A Giant Schnauzer," Grandma Rhonda explained.

Ali grinned.  "This is the kind of dog I want someday."

And that's how true love starts.

It's true though.  The dogs are pretty precious.

They're huggable...

They're kissable...

And they even matched Ali's long, curly, black hair!

My favorite of the dogs was a little hairy hairless Chinese Crested named Snickers.  He was super sweet, super cuddly, and couldn't stand to not be in someone's lap, cuddled against their neck.  I'm not kidding... this dog would let you literally hang him upside down, so long as you were touching him somehow.  He seems like the perfect dog.  So, so sweet.

I'd always thought of Chinese Cresteds as being similar to the evil dog from 101 Dalmatians... or perhaps prissy and strange like the Poodle stereotype has become.  But surprisingly, Chinese Crested dogs are very friendly and very sweet.  I met Snickers' girlfriend, Chemo, while I was at Grandma Rhonda's, and even while about to burst from being pregnant, Chemo was just as sweet.

Now Ali and I joke that in the future, she'll have a bunch of rowdy Giant Schnauzers... and I'll have a Yorkie and a little hairless Chinese Crested like Snickers.

I did really like the cute guy.  After all, I like quirks... and there isn't much that's more quirky than a Chinese Crested like Snickers.  Maybe someday... :)

What's your favorite breed of dog?

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to spend the weekend with my Grandma Rhonda and Ali.  We had all sorts of adventures together, like going to a French restaurant and ordering nearly all of the desserts on the menu, and staying up half the night talking.

One afternoon, Grandma Rhonda brought us to a Japanese garden near her home.  Despite the terrible drought that has affected Texas the last year, most of the garden was still beautiful and filled with life.  There were a few differently themed sections, but the most beautiful one was the Japanese garden, which featured a bridge, a beautiful waterfall, and a little creek that flowed through the garden. 

One area even had a place where you had to cross the creek on little stepping stones.  The water was covered with lilypads and filled with colorful fish.  Trees hung above us, shading our eyes from the bright afternoon sun and leaving small squares of light on our faces.

After you followed the stepping stone path, you came across a stone arch, surrounded by low-hanging trees.  Moss cloaked the gray stones.  Everything around us seemed to be so beautiful and filled with life.  Even the stones carried life.

Beyond us was a beautiful waterfall that sprayed the air with a cool mist.  After all, it was nearly a hundred degrees outside.

Another area of the garden was an American theme.  Little cottages that were hundreds of years old sat tucked amidst the trees and bushes.  In the middle of the stone path was an old-fashioned well.  There was no water in the well, sadly, but it looked so quaint and beautiful that Ali and I had to capture a picture.

Wouldn't it be lovely to have a little well like this behind your house, even if it wasn't real?

It would be wonderful to live in a cabin out in the woods, surrounded by shady trees and beautiful flowers and the scent of the earth.  It would be wonderful to live in such a quiet, secluded place, far apart from busy schedules and stress and time.

The garden was beautiful.  In a place of drought and wind and sun like Texas, a place like that was a sanctuary.

Day 10: 1 Confession

Today is the last day of my ten day blogging challenge.  Did you take the challenge along with me?  Will you take the challenge later?  If you do, let me know in a comment so I can follow along. 

I've been dreading this last topic because I'm not quite sure what my "one confession" would be.  I tend to share a lot of things about myself on this blog, so most of you know what I've been through and even quite a few of the struggles I'm going through right now.  I'm not sure if I have much of a confession to share.  But the day has come for me to write about "my one confession" here, so I should probably think of something, however lame my "confession" might be. 

Okay, after puttering around a bit, I've decided on a confession.  Ready?

My name is Emily and I still doubt.

Jesus Christ has shown Himself in my life in so many ways.  He has worked through me despite my many faults and stubbornness.  He has forgiven me each time I messed up, held my hand as I cried, and brought me through circumstances I never could have overcome on my own.  And yet after a particularly difficult day, I sometimes find myself questioning Him.

"Why would You let this happen to me?  Why does life have to be so hard?  If You're here for me always, then why do I feel so alone?"

I have no right to question the Lord, and yet I confess, I still do.  Sometimes I still wonder if it was the right thing to let Him take control.  I still recklessly attempt to take control of my own life.  I still stumble, fall, and return to Jesus with bloody knees and scraped palms... and He always takes me back.  Every single time.

I cannot comprehend how powerful His love is.

I don't deserve to be loved by Him.  I don't deserve to be forgiven.  He gave everything so I could be saved... and I still pull away from Him.

After everything I've done, after every mistake I've made, after every unnecessary doubt that has passed through my mind, He still loves me.  He still carries me through every trial.  He still picks me up off the ground and kisses those scraped palms and knees.  I owe everything to Him.

My name is Emily and I am LOVED.

Day 9: 2 Words to Describe Your Life Right Now

The fewer topics there are on the list, the more I'm beginning to think that this may not make a very long blog.  Two words.  Really?

Hmm... how can I share my heart while only being able to write two words?

I know.  A picture is worth a thousand words.  I may only be able to describe my life in two words, but if I share two pictures as well, I'll really be sharing 2,002 words, which should be enough to get my point across.  Ready?  Here goes.

Two words to describe my life right now would be...

Blessed.

Loved.

What are two words to describe your life right now?  If you are a fellow blogger, I challenge you to make a blog post sharing two words and two pictures to describe your life right now.  You don't have to take the challenge to do this.  The post can simply be titled "My Life in Two Words."  Then when you're finished, comment with the link to your post so I can read what you had to say.

Day 8: 3 Things You've Learned Recently

1.) I've learned the value of relationships.  I'm an introvert by nature.  Back at home, I was often happy to spend several days alone in my room (or in my house, if my parents went out of town) with only my writings and guitar to keep me company.  Here, I get alone-time all the time and after a while, it's not fun anymore.  It's just plain lonely.  Since the closest family I have is two hours away, I've had to rely on friend-relationships, which can be difficult when you haven't made any close friends yet!

I'm finally starting to make a few close relationships.  I've really connected with a friend from Impact named Stephanie.  She's sweet, positive, and has a huge heart for the Lord.  I'm growing closer to Rebecca, who has been my friend since middle school.  And I've made a few godly guy friends who have blessed me in so many ways. 

I'll admit: it's still lonely being away from my family and most of my "usual" friends.  I don't like living hours apart from those I love.  However, without the relationships I'm making here, I don't know if I could make it through.  Close relationships are vital to happiness.  I can see now why Adam was so lonely in the Garden of Eden.

2.) I've learned that as a Christian, I'm a minority.  Never before have I heard so much cussing in casual conversations all around me.  Never before have I seen so many immodest outfits worn on a day-to-day basis.  Never before have I heard so many people mock God and the Bible and faith.  Honestly, it's broken my heart. 

As I write this, I'm wearing a t-shirt that says, "If there is no God, nothing matters.  If there is a God... (flip to the back) Nothing else matters." 

I've heard so many students say things like, "I hate church.  I don't believe in God.  The Bible is a joke."  With each angry word, they are spitting in His face.  And then I look all around me and see the pain and confusion in the faces of so many young people.  There's an emptiness in their lives that is so evident, but they just don't see it.

Where I came from, nearly everyone was a Christian.  I lived in the Bible Belt, attended a Christian school, had nearly all Christian friends, was surrounded by Christians.  And while some were Christians in name only and may have turned away from Him with their actions, they still believed in God.  They often still went to church and were part of a youth group of some sort.  Here, it's flat-out denial.  A big adjustment from where I've come from.  As a follower of Christ, I'm the minority here.  When I mention Him, I get weird (or even irritated) looks.  There is a lot of prejudice against my faith and stereotypes about who I must be. 

But you know, I'm not sad that I'm here.  In fact, I'm glad.  I'm willing to be a city on a hill and do my best to shine for Him, even if I mess up sometimes (which I know I will).  Texas A&M is a huge mission field.  There are so many students who only need a seed to be planted. 

3.) I've learned that I don't know nearly as much as I once thought I did.  A few years ago, everything was black and white to me.  I treasure knowledge and I like to know what I believe and why I believe it.  People would often come to me with questions about theology and controversial subjects and say, "What do you think about this?" because I nearly always had an opinion about it... and if I didn't, I was eager to research it and form an opinion.

After a year of confusion and emotional (and spiritual) struggles, I've finally come to realize how little I actually know.  I'm young, I'm naive, and while I might have knowledge about things, that doesn't mean I know.  I was just having a conversation with a friend the other night about how that during this difficult transition time of starting college and all that, the only thing that we can know with absolute certainty is God's unfailing love.  Life and death and earth and beauty and everything is His.  He loves us with an everlasting love... and right now, even if I'm exhausted or confused or in the midst of the struggle, I am content to let His love be enough. 

I'll still research and learn things because I do like to know what and why I believe, but above all of that, I want to place His love as what matters most.  Sometimes I'm going to have to sit back and say, "I don't know why this has to happen" or "I don't know whether this is true," but ultimately, I can look to Him and He will love me through it all.

---------------------------------

What are some things that you've learned recently?

Day 7: 4 Photographs that You Love

1.) Puppet

I actually didn't take this picture (obviously), but it brings a smile to my face every time I see it.  I actually have it hanging up in my room.  The location is Kenya, Africa. 

There was a soccer (or futbol) tournament at the Ring Road school.  I was watching the tournament with a big group of children.  After a while, I could tell the kids were beginning to get restless.  As a child, you can only watch soccer games for so long.  We sang some songs, played some games, and then I pulled my journal out of my bag. 

We began to play Hangman, although I renamed it "Puppet," because I wasn't sure if "hangman" would be a very good title for a children's game.  Even though the kids said they had never played before, they were great at that game.  They caught onto the words very quickly and would have played for hours if I had let them.

What I love about this picture is how many kids are swarmed around and totally focused on the game.  You can see it in their faces that they want to guess the answer.  They are so innocent and intelligent.  And I have my "teacher" face on too.  :)

2.) The Lion

This next picture was also taken in Kenya, although I was the photographer of this one.  I took it when I was at a wildlife park in Nairobi, I believe.  There were so many beautiful animals.  The lion happened to be asleep right up next to the wire fence.  I managed to poke my camera lens through the fence and capture the lion close up.  It was such a neat experience.

I love lions.  I think they're so beautiful and majestic... and of course they remind me of my experience in Africa.  Look at how wonderfully the Lord made this great cat.  She's so big.  You can tell by her giant paws and the muscles in her shoulders.  She was so big and strong and golden.  I just wanted to run up and throw my arms around her neck and hug her forever.  Her big nose is just so sweet.

I will always love this picture because when I was in Kenya, taking close up shots of the zebras and monkeys and rhinos and lions, I felt like a wildlife photographer.  Animals are so beautiful.  This was such a peaceful and gorgeous lion.

3.) My Tall, Tall Friend

This might seem like a silly picture to choose.  It's a bit blurry and taken from far away.  At first glance, there might not seem like anything remarkable about this picture, but if you look closely, you'll notice something odd... perhaps you'll notice someone doing something amazing!  This is a photograph I love, so I had to share.  The two people in this picture are two of my best guy friends, Zeek and Caleb/Muber.  This was during a service project at our school where we had to clean up a camp ground.  After we finished cleaning, we had a bit of free time to be silly and take some pictures and videos.

Now Zeek is an amazing, amazing dancer.  Because of that, he's extremely flexible... (and it helps that he's 6'6!)  He can kick very high and his legs are crazy-long, so we challenged him to touch the ceiling with one foot while keeping the other foot on the floor.  To our shock and amazement, he could do it!  Zeek loves pictures (like we all do), so he yelled, "Take a picture of me, Emily!" and tried it again.

About the same time, Muber decided he would try.  Since he's shorter than Zeek, he stood up on a ledge... and you can see how far he still had to go before his foot hit the ceiling. 

Man, Zeek is just so TALL!

4.) The Cutest Puppy in the World

I am proud to say that I am the photographer of this image.  To my eyes, this seems slightly out of focus, but that doesn't even matter because of the sheer cuteness surrounding this picture.  Although I've shared it many times on this blog, I had to share it again and include it on the list of four photographs I love.

This would be Jack, my precious Yorkie, at about seven weeks old.  Wasn't he the cutest puppy ever?  It's like a cute explosion.  Don't look for too long or your eyes might fall out of your head.  His stubby little legs, his huge eyes, his ears, his round little nose, the blue blanket... everything just worked together in the moment to create one of the cutest pictures of Jack ever.  Some of my friends called him a Pokemon dog when I posted a few pictures with his giant puppy eyes. 

I'm so proud of this picture.  Jack was the cutest ever.  I mean, come on.  How could anyone resist that fuzzy little face?

Day 6: 5 People Who Mean a Lot to You

Okay, there are so many people I can think of who mean so, so much to me, but I thought I would go ahead and list the five people in my immediate family.  I miss them so much.

1.) Dad

Daddy, I admire you more than words can describe.  When I am in a difficult situation, I often think, "What would my dad want me to do right now?"  Your wisdom and faith are so inspiring.  The fact that you've overcome every adversity in the past few years and you've still been an involved dad amazes me.  These days, fathers are often not around, and yet I've been blessed by someone like you.  You're not only "around," but you're an active and supportive part of my life.  I look up to you so much.  I'm so proud of you for being an elder at our church and a constant missionary at your job.  The way you use every opportunity given to you to reach out and invite people to church and share your faith is so encouraging and inspiring.  I am so thankful that you work hard to support us.  Thank you so much. I love spending time with you and I cannot wait to be able to wrap my arms around you again and just hug you.  I love you, Daddy. 

2.) Mom

I don't think anyone has a better mom than me.  Seriously, I talk about you all the time to my friends and the people sitting next to me on the shuttle.  You've given me guidance and support throughout my life, but you've also given me the strength and encouragement to think for myself and depart on my own adventures.  You'll always be my mommy and I'll always be your little girl, but our relationship has grown so much deeper than that alone over the last year.  We're also friends.  You're someone who I'll never be afraid to talk to and ask for advice.  I love spending time with you, whether it's at lunch or the movies or shopping.  I know I can always bare my heart to you and you'll be there with a smile and a hug and the right words to say.  The fact that you've been such a wonderful mother has encouraged me so much.  God has given you such a nurturing heart and you've blessed so many people.  You've blessed me and Amy and Luke and Ali and so many others too.  I love you so much, Mom.

3.) Ali

You have changed my life forever.  There are so many things about our relationship that I can't even put into words.  I don't think I've ever grown as close to a friend as I have with you... and now it's even better.  You're my sister.  I'm so proud and blessed to be able to say, "That's my sister."  You encourage me with your steadfast faith and positivity.  I'm so blessed to know you.  You are beautiful and strong and you have so many qualities that I admire.  Your forgiveness and your strength and your boldness and... okay, okay, the list could go on and on.  I'd better be careful or you could use this against me someday!  ;)  I love our inside jokes and our multiple mini-social-experiments.  I love staying up alllllll night with you, even though we'll know that the next day we're going to be blaming each other to the parents for making us tired.  :)  I love making videos with you.  I love stalking people on Facebook with you and hearing about your adventures at college.  I love watching corny movies with you and spraying you with a water bottle when you fall asleep (or smacking you... or pushing you over... or... okay, I should stop).  I love YOU, Ali.  I'm so blessed to be able to call you my sister.  I love you!

4.) Amy

I love you so much.  I know we've had our differences throughout our lifetimes, but one thing will never change: you are my sister and I love you.  It doesn't matter how often we spend time together or how many things we agree upon.  We are sisters.  I see beauty in both your heart and in your outer appearance.  You have such a giving and generous spirit.  I look up to you because of that.  I admire your boldness and your perseverance.  I can tell already that God has amazing, amazing plans for your life.  He's made you to be strong and brave and very stubborn.  (You might get the stubbornness from me.)  Ultimately, it won't matter how many friends you have or don't have.  It won't matter how you look or how popular you are.  When you look back on your life, the only thing that matters is Christ.  He's given us such a beautiful family.  It's so special to have you as my sister.  I love you.

5.) Luke

Lukie, you never fail to bring a smile to my face.  I admire you a lot, you know, even though you're younger than me.  Your unfaltering faith in God is so pure and wise.  I love your innocence and your sweet, sweet spirit.  I love the way you stand up for what you believe.  It warms my heart when you cover your eyes or leave the room during bad scenes on TV and in movies.  My friends often notice how sweet you are.  I think every single one of my girl friends has come up to me at one point and said, "I want to marry someone like your brother," because they see Christ through your actions.  Keep respecting girls the way you do now.  Keep standing up for the underdogs.  And keep your humility.  I know you're good at a lot of things, but always remember that the Lord should always be the One to get credit for those gifts.  There is so much in store for you, Lukie.  You're so talented and I'm so proud of you.  I love you.

And because I know you read my blog daily and we've hardly been able to talk this last month, I have to send a quick shout-out to you too, Naana.  You're my hero in so many ways.  You have a servant's heart that I admire SO MUCH.  Without you, I would have never even found City Church.  You've influenced me so much.  It was in part because of your passionate example that I've fallen in love with mission work.  When I was in Africa, I couldn't stop thinking about you and how I wished that you could see in person everything that the Lord was doing there.  I think about you all the time here too.  You've shown me Christ in so many ways.  You are one of the most giving and loving and passionate people I know.  I've missed you so much.  I love you and cannot WAIT to see you in October.

Day 5: 6 Things That Make Your Day

At this point, lots of things make my day.  Even a simple Skype call from a best friend can bring a huge smile to my face.  But here are some big ones.

1.) Getting mail.  One of my favorite things ever is to get mail.  I check my mailbox in the front lobby probably four times a day.  The feeling that somebody took the time to write me a message or stick something in the mail for me brightens my entire day.  Plus, it's so good to hear from people I miss.  Lately, my family has been great about sending me things in the mail.  I've gotten several packages and cards from my mom and my sister.  My Naana has been wonderful about sending me things regularly that always make my day.  Other grandparents have also sent me some sweet things.  Just yesterday, I got a new beanbag in the mail.  Hooray!

I actually just went and bought a letter box today from a craft store.  In it, I will place all of the letters and notes and cards I get from my friends and family.  Right now, they're in the shelf where my blog schedules should be.  I'm a letter-hoarder.  Back at home, I would keep my letters in a big scrapbook, but I don't have the time to do that right now.  At the moment, they'll be just fine in my little letter box. 

2.) When a favorite song comes on.  Isn't it one of the best feelings ever when you're on the bus or at the store and a song that you not only recognize but really like starts playing on the radio?  That always brings a smile to my face.

3.) Seeing other people smile.  Since I can get lonely over here, sometimes a mere smile from a stranger can brighten my day.

4.) When I catch a meaning in a song you've never quite understood.  I love when this happens.  You're listening to a song that you like, but then a lyric hits you and you think, "Ohhhhhhh...." and from that point on, you can't even listen to the song without a bit of awe. 

5.) Inspiration.  This comes in so many different ways, but sometimes when I write for my blog, I'm not really inspired to write.  That's usually why I have blog challenges like this one.  They keep me focused.  After a time in the desert of writer's block, something will hit me and I'll find a source of inspiration that keeps me up for all hours of the night, scribbling in a notebook or typing on the computer.  Sometimes I'm inspired to write for this blog.  Other times I write a song or a poem or a story.  Whatever I'm inspired to create, writing gives me so much joy.

6.) Starting a new book.  I don't get the chance to read a whole lot these days, so when I find a book that interests me, I love the feeling of cracking open its brand new pages (or opening it for the first time on my Kindle).  Even better is when I find a book that I know will catch my attention enough for me to take the time to finish it.  Truly good books are so hard for me to find these days.

What are some things that make your day?  Make my day and leave your answers in the comments below. ;)

Day 4: 7 Things That Cross Your Mind a Lot

1.)  Poverty.  I feel like I constantly must remind myself about what breaks the heart of God.  It's so easy to become self-centered.  I like to be comfortable and have things, but there are people around the world (and in the town where I live) who don't have food.  Instead of spending four dollars on a drink at Starbucks, why not donate that to help the 2,000 families who lost their homes from wildfires in Texas recently?  Instead of spending twenty dollars on that new shirt, why not use it to help a starving child in Kenya?  Jesus didn't live as a wealthy man.  Why should I have that right?  I need to sacrifice more than I do.

2.) Being a witness.  Witnessing has come to my mind more often in the last month than it has in a while.  Since I attend a big state university, I am a minority.  Most of the students here don't know Christ.  So many people around me are lost and it breaks my heart.  Lately, I've been striving to be a witness in my actions and my words.  I also try to integrate my faith into every conversation I have, which can be tricky at times.  I know the Lord is calling me to be a witness for Him, just like He has called all of us, and it's scary.  However, it's been a huge blessing to begin to reach out to several of my peers.

3.) Homesickness.  I've been living on my own for about a month now and it's tough.  I miss my family so much and I think about them often.  They cross my mind multiple times each day.

4.) Homework.  Sadly, this is also something that crosses my mind a lot.  I've never really had homework or studying to do in the past, so I've had to learn how to work hard in school.  Even though I had a great high school, I feel that because I didn't struggle academically at all, I wasn't fully prepared with the difficulty of the schoolwork here.  So homework has been on my mind... constantly.

5.) Stories.  I constantly have little characters floating through my mind.  In some ways, I think being a writer is like a form of schitzophrenia or multiple personality disorder because there are people speaking in my head all the time.  Okay, not really, but they're there.  And they do have distinct personalities and voices.  And they do seem to write my stories for me... it just takes a little imagination on my part.  Even when I'm not currently writing fiction (like now because of my busy schedule), my characters still whisper to me and ask me when I'll turn back to writing them out onto paper.  Soon, my children, soon... (Okay, I added that part just to sound creepy.)

6.) Friends.  I've been so lonely here that wherever I go, I'm keeping an eye out for a new friend.  Sometimes when I'm walking by myself, I see someone and think, "I wonder how they would react if I ran up to them and gave them a big hug."  In my head, I imagine them either smiling and patting my shoulder awkwardly, jerking away from me, or hugging me back and willingly becoming friends with me.  I should probably stop admitting these things.  I bet I sound like a crazy person by now.  Anyways, what I mean to say is that I'm actively looking for friends because I don't have many right now.

7.) Puppies.  I miss Jack like crazy, my grandma's dog just sired some puppies, and there is a puppy store where I live that I visit frequently.  I have the puppy blues right now.  I think about them often.

(Don't you just love that picture of Jack?  I took this when I got home from school last year.  He really, really, really wanted to play.  That's him standing on the stairs in between me and my bedroom.)

What are some things that cross your mind a lot?  You can share big things like poverty or reaching out to the broken people around you... or little things like homework or job stress.