What's it to do with studying?

I have recently found myself in the books. Not just in any book, my Psychology book.
I was studying one night, a week or so before the test I was studying for actually was,which was strange looking back on it because I never did that in High School (maybe because it was never actually required of me...). As I was studying, or at least I thought I was studying, my thoughts ran wild with terms, and numbers, statistics, distractions and annoyances that kept me from truly grasping what I was learning. I was severely annoyed because no matter how hard I tried I couldn't stop dosing,wondering and worrying.Burke officially freaked me out for this test too because he said he studied hard if not harder than I did for this same test and he made C's all semester on the tests for this class! Then as I decided to take a break and get a snack, God gave me this parallel. I thought about how we as Christians strive to spend time with the Lord everyday, but so many terms, numbers, statistics,distractions and annoyances seem to distract us and hinder what God is demonstrating to us. I also thought about how in the same way I let Burke's experience with the test cause me anxiety, many of us let other peoples mistakes, wrong doings and experiences affect us so much that we can not accomplish the task before us. I was holding on to so many fears and distractions that it created static in my head so that I could not think, so I just had to take a break and give it to God. In the same way, we all have static that we need to give to God so that we can fully function in God's kingdom and accomplish the tasks He has set before us and to understand the lessons He has for us to learn. God has so many plans and opportunities for us, some times it takes doing something out of the ordinary,taking a break and clearing the static from our all too noisy lives!

Things I love about my Parents.

1. They encourage me to be the best and never settle for anything in life.
2. They support the decisions I make and share their wisdom in every circumstance.
3. They have so much wisdom and they are so young, I hope to have the wisdom they do one day.
4. They have God at the top of our house-hold and their own lives.
5. They pursue my brothers and me. They always help us so much with college, money,friends,mates, anything they're there to guide us. They are is always there for us, all of us go to our mom for cuddles and when we need to talk.
6. The teach us and guide us. My parents don't let us run free and make mistakes. They have taught us to listen to the Holy Spirit and to make wise choices.
7. They are still happily married. That is sadly so rare these days and I'm so glad that they are always there for the better or worse as a couple and with my brothers and me.
8. They only made one of me. I'm not a twin or a boy ahaha. I'm the only girl and I love it!
9. They have taken me to church and taught me about the bible, and God since the day I was born.Praise God!

10. They love people, they see the good in everyone and truly love everyone.
11. They value family time. My dad likes it to just be the family a lot and I never understood why until I got my own home haha.
12. They love the outdoors, we have the most interesting/awesome family vacations. My parents don't take us to Six Flags and a hotel, they take us kayaking down a river, fishing,hiking in Colorado, snowboarding, wakeboarding and we stay in a cabin along the river.
13.They enjoy leading healthy lives. We ate pretty healthily growing up and we've always been very active.
14. They don't get consumed with the things of this world. Our family goes to the lake a lot, we all enjoy sitting and telling jokes(my whole family is very funny), relaxing, taking baths (everyone in our family still does) family time, watching movies, taking naps,being lovable, and we definitely don't spend a lot of time shopping, maybe because of the guys haha.
15. They value education. My parents have encouraged us to go to college since we started school. Not going wasn't even an idea. My dad recently got his master's in Divinity. He spent forever in Seminary it seemed.
16. They are hard workers. My dad has always instilled in us to work hard, to do everything as if we are doing it for the Lord. He doesn't like for us to be lazy, he for sure never is. My mom works very hard at work and has gotten tons of awards, even we she just started at Handango she was getting awards!
17. They are like teenagers. Not in the sense that they are immature but they are both very funny, very cool, up-to-date,they talk to each other on the phone every second they get,and they enjoy the same things we did growing up.

More to come...I gotta go to bed! Yikes!

My Valentine!

Burke and had our Valentines Day date yesterday and it was so incredible! He didn't tell me where we were going and as we drove into Dallas I saw a sign for a theater and said, "Oh, you're taking me there?" and Burke said, "Yea!". He also told me what the play was about and everything. Then as we were driving around the Dallas Aquarium, he pulled in the parking lot and told me the theater was down the street a little ways. When we started walking we walked on the sidewalk next to the Aquarium and I said,"Burke, I'm confused" and he said, " haha We're really going to the Aquarium!". I was SO excited because I have been wanting to go to the Dallas Aquarium for such a long time! The aquarium was incredible. God definitely was showing off when he created fish, they're amazing, and weird. My favorite part was of course taking pictures of everything but I got to see a little baby fish from Sri Lanka, India. It was as big as my pinkie fingernail! I also got to see the little shrimp off of Finding Nemo that says " Hello, can I clean your tank?". I loved seeing all the animals;monkeys, sharks,eels, sting rays (a.k.a Steve Erwin killers),penguins, dolphins,salt water bass and all different kinds of interesting fish.

After the Aquarium we drove around Dallas and took pictures of everything!
Then Burke asked if I wanted to go to Addison( it's a city north west of Dallas). Addison is so beautiful, very rich. I agreed and so we drove to Addison to take more pictures. When we got to Addison we drove around for a bit then Burke pulled in to Texas de Brazil and said " Okay we're here, let's go". I freaked out because we were supposed to be eating at a restaurant in Denton and I absolutely LOVE Texas de Brazil! The food an company was amazing as always and I had such a good time trying all the interesting foods again. After dinner we rented Employee of the month, bought some sparkling grape juice and went home to top off the evening together! It was absolutely wonderful to spend a whole day with the love of my life and celebrate us! Ill share some of the 800 pictures we took!
Happy Valentines Day!

21-30

21. He likes change. He styles his hair a different way every day. He takes different routes to stores etc. every time we go. He never likes to do the same things over and over unless it's his favorite food.
22. He likes to eat. He will eat and try anything, even if it hurts if you know what I mean. He loves these pecans that taste like potpourri at a restaurant in Ft.Worth called Fizi.
23. He loves art and finds art in everything. One day on our way to the gym we saw handle bars chained to a bike rack, someone had obviously stolen the other end of the bike but Burke took it as someone being artsy with a bike rack. He even decorates and arranges his food on his plate or food that I make.
24. He loves answering tough questions people have about the bible and God. He will sit and talk for hours with you if you've got the questions.
25. He used to cover his mouth all the time when he smiled because he was used to covering his mouth when he smiled or laughed when he had braces. SO his mom and I used to always pull his hand down when he did it.
26. He finds pleasure and contentment in everything, even if he is just sitting around at home. He loves all the simplicities of life, like naps on Sunday afternoons, walking in the rain,walking, and exercising.
27. He's a big complementer. He finds the good and talent in everyone and lets them know he appreciates it.
28. He is very sensitive to the Holy Spirit. One day we were pulling out of a gas station and he felt he shouldnt go then a second later a huge truck pulled out of no where and misses us! He also will just go and talk to anyone he feels led to, he knows just when to pray and just when to listen.
29. He is loving and friendly with everyone. He will talk to anyone that cares to listen, like people in the check out line or people sitting next to us!
30. He hates television. If it's on, he turns it off. If it has to be on he turns it down. He does like Heroes though haha.

100 Random things about My Burke.

1. He truly cares about people. No matter the personality or differences he truly cares and sees past every flaw.
2. He loves surprises. He gets upset if you even hint at what it is or how awesome his gift is going to be.
3. He loves the Lord and strives to be a man after Gods own heart, but thats not random, you can tell just by looking at him.
4. He loves vintage and sophisticated things. We love going to antique stores and old stuff. He also loves when I wear dresses and use my salad fork for salad and entree fork for my entree.
5. He loves spontaneity. We once went camping with some friends an hour away,roasted marshmallows,went fishing, hung out and left!
6. He loves sunsets, sunrises and being outdoors. We love fishing together, picnics, going to the lake, camping,walking in the woods, going to parks and just sitting outside in the sun.
7. He says "sweetie" when hes frustrated with me or is trying to make a point but trys not to sound like my dad haha.
8. He loves to kiss me on the fore head and play 100 kisses, which is just 1oo kisses really fast all over my face, its really funny and makes me laugh really hard.
9. He loves learning. Learning to wakeboard, snowboard,xml,ajax ( geek talk)Spanish and other languages, me, wolleyball, plunging toilets(someday) and anything else you throw at him.
10. He loves to sit down and talk about things we've done in the past. He loves childhood memories and memories of us. I'm so happy to say we have so many great memories.
11. He pursues purity. Thats a rare find in most guys. He pursues it not only with me but in all areas of his life.
12. He loves helping and blessing people. If he owes $26 he will give you $27, if you need to talk he will talk with you for hours. If you want something he will search it out and find it. Especially with me, he has spoiled me.
13. He loves adventure. He takes a different path to class every day and we love to just drive and spend time with each other. He loves to go to different parks and lakes.
14. He is daring. Fear is not a factor for him. Nothing can stop him from trying new things like jumping off jumps that he cant see the other side of when we snowboard.
15. He loves being comfortable. His favorite outfit is swim trunks and a t-shirt.
16. He is a true nature lover. In the summer we jump at any chance to be outside, but he hates cats.
17. He hates socks and shoes, he is happiest in his sandals,even in the cold.
18. He loves for his mom to cut his hair just because he loves the time he gets to spend with her.
19. His family is very important to him. We go back to his house in Big Spring every chance we get.
20. He's a mommas boy.

Thats all for now...more to come later!!

A lesson learned.

I wrote my first speech today. It's about obesity in America. It's funny because all the super smart wanna sound kids have had the hardest time understanding exactly what this speech is supposed to be about. I've never heard so many complicated questions haha! I also went swimming today HAH in winter. I swam laps and played around in our rec center. We have a lazy river,whirlpool and a 40 person hot tub, which isn't actually that hot, its more like a big chlorinated bath tub. I also find it interesting that no matter your age or intelligence you still aren't allowed to swim in pools deeper than four ft. haha. I also love professors that tell you they wont keep you long because they hate people who talk just to hear themselves talk but in all reality they themselves love to hear themselves talk and tell you pointless stories about ex boyfriends that you pay thousands of dollars to hear, but you get a piece of paper in the end so I guess it's okay. They also don't teach you to NOT use run on sentences so I will continue to use them. It's also fun to avoid psychos you unfortunately met in high school because you don't want to get that business started again. I also have come to love hearing 39 year old men talk about themselves for 6 hours at work. I also love waking up at 12 in the afternoon and wonder where my day has gone. I do love the spontaneity of college. Who goes fishing just because they can on a Tuesday afternoon,catches a 5lb trout,brings it home in the back of a Volkswagen Passat, watches it swim in the sink until it dies then throws it away. I've had sooo much fun so far learned so much about people, life and friends that I have never known before. Relationships are more important now than ever and drinking every drip of life is a priority. I've learned to love what I dont love, love people I dont love and care about what I don't care about. The weird kids are no longer weird, the long winded are sweet and need to talk too, the day is still seizable no matter the time and randomness makes the heart young.I guess I've learned how to become all things to all people so that I might win some. Thanks God for yet again, changing my mind.

College life!

I've come to find that college life is awesome!I can go to sleep at 3a.m and wake up at 1 p.m without anyone saying a thing and no one will wake you up!Except maybe Burke taking pictures of me...

College life also requires you to make dozens of cookies all the time, feed boys good cookies once, you have to forever.

Me and Ash made 8 dozen oatmeal scotchies and reeses chewies for the super bowl party.


For the first time ever...I watched more than 5 minutes of the super bowl! Note to self: it's not that great.

Gods creation expressed through an image...

" Pure and Undefiled Religion is this;to look after orphans and widows in their distress..."-James 1:27












" For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord;to prosper and guide you, to give you a hope and a future..."-Jeremiah 29:11














Jesus you are my life;so I don't mind to die, just as long as I am hidden in You.
If I could just sit with you a while;if you could just hold me,
Tell me you love me though I'm wounded, though I've died,
If I could just sit with you a while;if you could just hold me,
Moment by moment till forever passes by,
Just as long as I am hidden in You.

My Burke,
I think I've found the true definition of God's love...I've found a passion and persuit thats not of this world, I've found a picture of two people that represent kindness,patience,selflessness,adoration,respect and love and not in a physical sense. I praise God that our most "intimate" moments have been spent talking about Him, our quiet times or praying together.
I know that we share common interests and enjoy those comment interests together. I know that we are free, not only freed by Christs astounding love for us,but free to be ourselves. We don't have to look perfect or play perfect. We're not perfect, but we are perfect for each other.
A perfect commitment: I feel we have the freedom to ask for each others hearts and affection because we can back that request up with commitment.We're dating but we dont portray the worlds twisted way of dating and drag Christs name in the dirt. An effort to proclaim Christ name is always present.This relationship is not based on self-fulfillment but the good of others, the glory of God and each other, it's self-less, gives sacrifices and dies to its own needs. Our relationship is not governed by feeling, it's a choice. We choose to commit each other, we choose to care for and respect each other, and it's sincere. We look at our relationship with a future and a hope, not "just another relationship". We dont let our feelings set the tone of the pace of this relationship, instead we try to allow wisdom, patience, and God's love to guide us.
Most importantly we passionately pursue purity. Not just purity in our relationship but in our hearts, minds and actions.Love is many things and over time we have come to find what that word means to us. Our adoration was exchanged for love,not a tossed around,exaggerated word, but a choice,promise or commitment we both have never known. You have know idea what you mean to me Burke, I love you so much.

Life's New Adventure

I recently graduated from high school (early) and am excited to be in college!! I love living on my own (with a good friend of mine) and spending time with friends and boyfriend. I enjoy cooking and taking care of my apartment too...

I started my new job as a photographer for a company (not disclosing where) and am loving it. Yesterday I was slapped by a one year old when I tried to get her to smile. It was quite funny!

My mom and brothers all came to visit me this weekend and my mom helped me create this. We are having a good time together...so I'm out of here!