Thunder Storms

This morning possesses some sort of magical quality that makes me feel so at peace and just in love with my life. It's all dark and rainy outside, which one may expect to have to exact opposite effect, but rain always makes me feel lovely. I just made a mixed fruit smoothie. My calcium, zinc, and Mg supplements are all together in a liquid form- which I thought would taste horrible because the bottle recommended mixed it into a drink- but it has this wonderful coconut taste so every morning I feel like I'm having some tropical drink, sort of pina colada-ish.

Last night, I went to Relay for Life with one of my friends from high school. The Less was playing there. (One of my favorite bands) I must admit, I was quite disappointed. I so deeply desired for them to just play their whole album, Loud Machines, but they only played like 2 or 3 of their old songs and then just covers and some of their new unreleased stuff. But overall, I really enjoyed Relay! Round of applause to the exec. team!

Right now, it's starting to thunder outside. I'm not sure if that means I won't make it to Twilight, the annual bike race, but it almost makes me more excited about going. I love being outside in the rain. It's raining heavily right now.

I also rediscovered one of my favorite bands from high school, sequoyah prep school, and they have a ton of new songs on myspace. So, I made a myspace account! They're just been on repeat lately. I'll have to post some of their lyrics soon so you can see what I'm talking about - incredible.

I've been thinking a lot lately....how much I would like to have a very full address book. Complete with phone numbers. Yes, I realize I could easily do this on my computer and it would be much easier...and I've started. But, my cell phones often break and I loose all my numbers. This would be the 3rd time it has happened in college. Plus, I love to send letters and thank- you cards and I almost feel that if I have to call and ask for the address....it looses a certain element of surprise. I absolutely love it when I receive mail that I'm not expecting. Once I start looking for a letter I know is coming...I'm usually slightly disappointed. (Please, don't ever let this discourage you from writing me- I'm always ecstatic to receive mail! so slightly disappointed would fall under "overly joyful")

I'm looking for a red, leather address book. Preferably with "Address Book" written in gold letters on the front. J.Crew made one exactly like this at one point in time. Puh-please bring it back.

Also, a daily planner. I always buy one every single semester....but I end up not using it! I'm convinced if only I could find the perfect one- one so charming that I simply wanted to have it with me at all times and always be writing in it would do the job! Perhaps that would help me not mix up dates and times. It's quite embarrassing to show up somewhere on the wrong day or at the wrong time. Maybe one that zips up- not as cute- but things are always falling out of my notebooks!

One more thing, while I'm on this organize my life kick, a passport cover. I think red would be perfect. This isn't essential....but very cool.

liberty

Well, it's official! I am now a Pre-Business major (marketing, hopefully) and an English minor. The days of undecided-ness bliss have ended and I'm well on my way to devising yet another life plan. I'm not going to cling tightly to this one.

Being an undecided major for a month or two was one of the best decisions of my life. It was was thrilling to have no clue what my life would bring. If you know me, you know that "free spirited-ness" has never exactly been one of my defining characteristics.

I'm a planner. I like to have plans. Plans are comforting. Just completely letting go of them and lifting my hands up to the Lord while saying, " You, Lord, are in control of my life. Allow my life to be fruitful and pleasing to you. I will go where you send me" was one of the hardest places to get to but one of the most wonderful states to be in.

Of course, eventually I knew I'd have to make a decision. Perhaps this one won't work out either but that's okay, but I think I will enjoy this one!

Yesterday, in my excitement for my new classes this summer and fall I decided to buy new notebooks and ended up with a filing box! Complete with folders! I've never been so excited to start organizing before!

Liberty of London has a line for Target right now. (So thankful for that!) They had adorable prints. This is my favorite print (the print on the teapot), the one I got notebooks and the filing box in.....

If only I had paid more attention- They are completely sold out on target.com and only a few items left in the store. I did find out that it is Liberty prints on non-liberty fabrics...which would explain why they are so affordable! Which is wonderful.

It's really silly- but I get so excited when I have cute school supplies. I know that they probably don't exactly yell, " I am a very serious student". At least, in my mind, they say, " I like my school work enough to care what my binder looks like"

rabbit food

I think we all have had encounters with "health food fanatics", the slightly hippie or extremely environmentally aware group that enjoys munching on carrots, crackers, and fruit while hydrating with the full recommended 8 glasses of water per day in preparation for their next 5K or perhaps triathlon. They are health conscious. Just as we ( all of those not following under this group) are conscious of our own short comings in the attempt to be fit and be healthy.
It's just annoying to thoroughly enjoying your raisin cane's chicken sandwich, fries, and a large coke when someone pulls out a granola bar and starts to stretch for their daily jog.

Yes, I personally am very happy for these extremely healthy individuals...but seriously....I always feel so bad...suddenly I'm aware that I only exercise for fun (exercise,in my mind, is the perfect excuse to get together with the girls and for a walk-and-talk) and that I never count calories or watch what I consume. I haven't looked at a food pyramid in years. I have measured my health based on the fit of my clothes. They still fit? check. So in my mind that means all is well and I'm in no danger of having to shell out money that I don't have for a new wardrobe. Avoidance of weight gain was just the best economic decision. Nothing ruins a mexican dinner or trip to checkers more than the one person that orders a salad and water. In my mind...I just know that on some subconscious level...they are, indeed, judging what I'm eating.

Well, recently, due to health complications, I'm having to eliminate majority of all carbs, lacoste, and stay far away from sugary sweets. Literally, I have to drink massive amounts of water, take a handful of vitamins and supplements daily, eat more vegetables than I've consumed in the past year in a month, and stay away from fast food. Yes, I'm aware that I've turned into that girl that I can't quite stand. So, please. forgive me. There is nothing I would like more than to head to Chicken Express with you.

I really like brightly colored focal furniture pieces. Here are some favorites

Lesson learned today.

It's always super awkward if you're the only person in a bathing suit.

Dear J.Crew

I've been legally blind since about 4th grade. Perhaps even a while earlier....I remember sitting in Dairy Queen on one of those BookSharp ( you read a book and take a test on the computer- if you pass then you get a certain amount of points for that book) fieldtrip. In Elementary school, there was a humongous bulletin board that contained cut out planets or giant ballons. Every kid had a small "marker-like" piece of a paper- in a shape corresponding to the larger theme- that contained their name. Every time one moved up to the next level...by gaining 50, or 100, or 150 etc. points they could move their name up to the next level....and I loved this. I wanted to have more points than anyone else...unfortunately there were always a few kids that would move their names more quickly than me.

Anyways, I went on a field trip to Dairy Queen...along with everyone else that was obsessed with reading, and they all just so happen to wear glasses. While sitting in our booth...me sans glasses...and the other three with glasses...decided to start trying on different people's glasses....and I put on this girl's ( her name was kerleshia) glasses and looked up at the menu from across the room and realized that I could read it! It was one of the most wonderful moments of my life. I think I thought her glasses just gave her super powers to read things...but I told my mom about her super neat glasses and well...she put two and two together and we went to the optometrist.

Ever since then I've been wearing incredible thick glasses. I hate the thin and small framed glasses. I was overjoyed when thick plastic glasses came into fashion.

Right now, I'm thrilled because lately I've been seeing oversized glasses worn. A complete vintage look- the large "D" shaped glass. This is perfect! Nothing gives me a worse headache than looking up, down, or out the side of my glasses.

So Dear J.Crew,

Thank You....perhaps because of your lovely models and fashions I might be brave enough to purchase and sport these rather large glasses. It might permanently end the headaches associated with the lenses being too small to look through all the time.

With much admiration,

-T

Chloe

Adam

I just wanted to suggest one of my all-time favorite movies. It's a sundance film festival feature and won the Alfred P. Sloan prize if you're on the edge on whether I have good taste in films or not. It's quite alright...there really are quite a few awful movies that I enjoy.

It's called Adam. (Plus Hugh Dancy is the leading role). It's one of those beautiful, touching, and emotion invoking movies.

I certainly don't want to explain it to you...because I think one of the reasons I found it so wonderful was that I had no idea what it was going to be about. It's such an interesting idea to try....You just pick a movie based on the cover...or you show up at someone's house when they tell you they're watching movies...and you don't ask a million questions about the movie...(The trick to being successful here...stop watching so much tv!!- you will greatly reduce the number of movie previews you view) and then you watch it. it's simple. no expectations. no preconceived notions.

I'm really selective about which movies I like. Yes, some are awful but I maybe have less than ten movies that I would suggest that someone else watch. I think half the time I dislike movies because they weren't what I thought they were going to be. It's kind of similar to the notion that movies rarely do books justice.

P.S. I think that if you really enjoyed 500 days of summer...you'd also enjoy this movie. well it all depends on why you liked 500 days of summer.

Going to Atlanta with my mom for the day....She's super exciting about getting a new sewing machine...one that can monogram anything...so if you start seeing me with monogrammed sweat pants....we're probably just overly excited about it.

To see her is to love her
and love but her forever;
For nature what her what she is
and never made another.
-robert burns

The only thing to do with good advice is to pass it on. It is never of any use to oneself.

- Oscar Wilde

Because...life is just easier when you have the right words.

quidam

(kwee'-dahm, kwid'-dahm ?) n. someone; an anonymous or unknown person [from Latin quidam "a certain thing, certain, one, somebody, something."]

xanthochroi(zan-thock'-roh-wee, zan-thock'-roy) n.pl. white persons having light hair and fair skin. adj.& singular form: xanthochroid (zanth'-uh-kroid, zan-thock'-roid). adj. form: xanthochroic (zanth-oh-kroh'-ic). [from New Latin xanth- "yellow" + Greek ochroi from ochros "pale."]

eleemosynary(ell'-im-oss'-in-air-ee) adj. of, relating to, or supported by charity. [from Latin eleemosynaalms.] ontic(on'-tick) adj. of, relating to, or having real being

bathos

(bay'-thos) n. 1: in speech or writing, a ludicrous descent from the sublime to the commonplace; an anticlimax. 2: sentimentality, mawkishness.

katzenjammer

(katz'-en-jam'-ur) n. 1: hangover. 2: distress; depression. 3: a discordant clamor. [from German katzen "cats" + jammer "distress".]

abulia

(ay-byool'-ee-uh) n. abnormal lack of ability to act or make decisions.

pleonasm

(plee'-oh-naz-um) n.1: redundance of words in speaking or writing; the use of more words than necessary in expressing ideas. 2: an instance of this. 3: the redundant word or expression.

kakistocracy

(kak-uh-stock'-ruh-see) n. government by the worst people. [from Greek kakistos "worst," superlative of kakos "bad" + cratos "rule, sway, authority"].

gallimaufry

(gal-li-maw'-free) n. a hodgepodge, jumble; a mixture of diverse things [From French galimafrée "a stew, hash, ragout," from galer "to make merry" + mafrer "to eat heartily."]

I'm back home in Madison, Georgia for Easter weekend. I just love the way my house smells after I haven't been in for a while. A little background information on my hometown- Madison has the largest designated historic district in Georgia and during the Civil War, Sherman's Army spared the city of Madison because it was the home of pro-Union Senator Joshua Hill. Travel Holiday Magazine voted Madison as the Number One Small Town in America.
I love the antebellum homes....I used to serve water and lemonade growing up during the Tour of Homes in the summer. It was also a lot of fun but I had no clue while women would want to walk around in summer heat to look at old houses. Crazily enough, I would love to actually take the tours now. Over 100 antebellum homes are still standing. Anyone interested in going to Madison in May Tour of Homes on April 30th with me?


Courthouse
Heritage Hall
One of my favorite houses in Madison

As of right now, I'm an undecided major and it is such a glorious feelings. Perhaps I should feel overwhelmed that I have no concrete plans for the next upcoming years. Perhaps I should be hard at work until I discover these plans and map out my future.

But...I started thinking about it. I DO have plans. I have lots and lots of plans for the immediate future. I just haven't made a life long bucket list yet or careers plans...

I do plan to:

-Delight myself in the Lord daily
- Love with my whole heart
- Giving freely without expecting to receive
- Learn how to sew from my mom
- Take Spanish in Spain this summer
-Spend a semester in Italy
-Get a puppy - preferably a seeing eye puppy so I can take him everywhere with me
- Triple Play @ UGA....let me know if you're down...I haven't completed any!
- Ask a football player for a ride on his scooter
- Star gaze on the physics building
-Take pictures with all the bulldawg statues
- Go to level/aftermath ( I've never been!)
-Go scuba diving
- Take a ballet class...just for fun....I am realistic
-Continue teaching Perfectly Polished because I love children, etiquette, and dancing
- Learn how to garden
- Continue collecting pictures and ideas for my dream house
- Start designing my own dresses and make them a reality!
- Learn how to cook absolutely delicious meals
- Spend much more time with my girlfriends- simply loving them and listening to their laughs
- Have more "arts and crafts" days
- Learn to speak in accents for club
- Go on many many more walks
- Find more mentors and spend time learning from them
- Continue making Thank-You letters an absolute must
- Convince my roommate that we really don't need television...
- Attend more seminars at UGA...after all they are free...
- Make daily quiet times a must! and get tough with myself about it. To stop being lazy with it
- Pay much more attention to my diet and health
- Read more just for pleasure
- Write more letters
- Simply let people know how grateful I am to have them in my life.

Si Dios Quiere

Over Spring Break I traveled, along with 50 other Young Life leaders, to Jarabacoa. Jarabacoa in located in the center of the Dominican Republic. Vida Joven was founded in the Dominican Republic in 1986 and has since then spread to six different locations within the Dominican.

On Saturday, March 6th, we boarded flight 409 to fly from Atlanta to Puerto Plata. At the start of the week I could already tell that the Lord had many blessings in store for me and my fellow leaders. Upon arrival, we were dismissed from the bus to haul our luggage up a dark, muddy hill, to our then invisible destination, Pico Escondido. I laughed thinking of how the Lord delivered us safety to the foot of the hill but yet still required us to walk up the road to camp. Many of us giggled because we were all unaware of how long the road would be and just how muddy would be upon arrival.

I loved how rain-drenched and mud-covered we arrived. We were in perfect condition for the tasks set ahead of us. The next morning, we journeyed by what I would call, an original hummer-styled motor transporter, to church. A tarp was draped across the bars encompassing the back end of the truck. Spanish church was such a delight to experience. Worshipping the same God in an unknown language, or in my case- one I am attempting to learn- is thrilling. It just awakens a deep knowledge of God's infinite power. God is never limited by language barriers and neither should our love for Him. Love for the Lord cannot be defined by a certain culture or by certain customs. "Santo, Santo, Santo" translates into "Holy, Holy, Holy". There, 50 something Young Life leaders from Athens, Ga lifted up songs of praise in a tongue unbeknownst to them while knowing that worship transcends all barriers. The Lord hears our hearts. Not our words.
I used to think that our choice of words meant so much. I would search for the perfect prayer, the ideal way to express my heart. Singing in Spanish made me realize how little the correct choice of words matters...there, in a small outdoors church, the different between singing with my heart and singing with my mouth became apparent.

After church that Sunday a large group of us hiked up a mountain to jump off into a water fall. The water was freezing and absolutely liberating.


Monday through Thursday we all awoke at 6am- literally to roosters crowing- for devotional and hot chocolate or coffee. I was on the landscaping (flower planting) committee which I thoroughly enjoyed and felt extremely blessed to have. I was able to learn about gardening. My mother is an avid gardener and I wholeheartedly regret never taking the time to learn more from her while growing up. I usually simply picked, pulled, or planted what I was told- no questions asked. The quicker I completed my task the quicker I was free from garden work for the day.

One of my favorite memories from the week was the Vida Joven club performed for us by the Dominican leaders. It was absolutely hilarious.

Many girls showered in the river daily. For three days in a row they described the breath-taking beauty that accompanied the river. They spoke of the trip up the mountain with excitement that they could hardly contain. Finally, on the fourth day, I tried it out. I wish that I could say I developed a deep and newly founded love for "river showering" but I'm still extremely partial to hot, steamy showers. Plus, rocks got all inside my bathing suit. That was just unpleasant. I will remain a enthusiast for swimming in new waters....but strictly swimming...not bathing.

I also developed such a passion for learning Spanish. Speaking with natives is so drastically different than repeating after a professor inside the class room. The excitement of overcoming language barriers is thrilling.

I think this is one of those "absolutely-must-have-at-least-once-in-your-life" brunches

Eighteenth Sonnet

The Eighteenth Sonnet
by William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate;
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date:
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm'd
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance, or nature's changing course, untrimm'd
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;
Nor shall Death brag thou wanderest in his shade
When in eternal lines to time thou growest
So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

Holiday Inn

I was riding the car a few days ago when I recalled a certain thought I possessed as a little girl. See, I thought that all “Inns” were connected and part of the same business but created specifically for your needs.

There was the Sleep Inn, which was designed for sleeping. I imagined you walked in, someone would come over, take your bags, and you would be escorted to a silent room with a large, white, and fluffy bed in which you would immediately start to slumber. I thought this would be an ideal place for grown-ups traveling. There was the Holiday Inn. I imagined this Inn to be festive and lively. I couldn’t decide if it was only open during the holidays for those traveling to visit families or summer vacations or if it was merely an Inn that pretended that every day was a holiday. I hoped for the latter. There was Days Inn. This Inn was one at which you stayed if you needed to be there for a few days. Staying just one night was not an option. The Quality Inn seemed pretentious to me. The mere fact that it only advertised “quality” seemed to imply an air of priggishness. The Comfort Inn would have been my Inn of choice. It seemed to be the only one that included the possibility of having everything I could ever desire in an overnight hotel stay.

Often, I would worry that if we checked into a hotel and then changed our minds that we no longer wanted a holiday but would prefer to rest for a while that we would have to pack up and switch the the Sleep Inn. I always took notice of the locations of these Inns while riding in the car, feeling it would always be better to stay in one surrounded by the other Inn options.