A Break

My dear, sweet friends,

well, it's been a while, hasn't it? Oh, I know I posted, but it hasn't been me. Summer is not good to my thinking/writing skills.

Consequently, I will be taking a blogging/computer break during September. This break has several different reasons.

1. to help me focus on Jesus and my devotion time
2. to start me off on a good foot for this school year
3. to give me time to keep working on my photography and to start my journal up again
4. and just to stay focused on what is truly important.

I'm planning on being completely off-line except for a very few (no more then 15) minutes a day to check and reply to emails. I'm so excited to see what Jesus is going to do with the next month of my life. (Comments go directly to my email, so, if you need to contact me, that's a way to do it.)

See you all in October! :)

Thank you for your love.

Our Vacation at the Lake {Part Uno}

 In July, my family was up at my grandparents for two and a half weeks- only coming home for a few hours for the funeral of Mrs. D. It was a wonderful family reunion and we had a wonderful time holding babies, waterskiing, eating amazing food and watching the Olympic trials.

Pictures will probably stretch into two or three posts... don't worry, they're quite interesting. :)

The sunset our first night... it was a great return. :)

Holding Pax for the first time

Reading to Zoe and Gus

Curious George

Red, White and Blue Popsicles!

Ellie and a baby doll

Pax and I hangin' out one morning

Riding the four wheeler with Pap (Hannah in blue, Ellie in purple)

Myself with Pax, Jenna with Ty

The mens' fishing party

"Helping" push Ty

I painted all three three year old's toes

A family picture :)

A second post coming next week. :)

Ponderings: HPA, Death & Trust in the Lord

It has been a crazy month.

And probably the hardest-craziest-busiest one that my HPA family has ever faced.

I talked a little bit about Marissa's Momma passing away on July 3rd.

The shows announcement was later then it has ever been, not coming out until July 14th.

We had a whirlwind of a two and a half weeks, memorizing monologues and singing "Oh, the Thinks You Can Think."

Friday, July 27th, we went to a party. It was full of laughter and friends, no one even imagining what would come next.

Sunday afternoon, the 29th, Bre's Dad called mine.

Sam and Christianna's dad had died. Extremely unexpectedly.

We had seen him just two days before.

Auditions were only 5 days later, on August 2nd, leaving HPA with an month that can't be looked at lightly.
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It really makes me ponder death, this having two of my friends' parents leave this earthly home. We knew that one was coming, the other shocked us all, leaving hundreds of speechless people all over our area.

I had a hard few days, hurting so badly for both of these families that I have grown to love. It's hard to trust sometimes, but after lots of Bible reading and prayer, I know that God has a plan for everything that's happened, both the pain and the good. I'll probably have deeper thoughts on this topic when everything has sunk in a bit more.
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Auditions went really, really well. I had to do some last minute adjustments, which are never fun, but God really came through and guided me the whole way. I could so feel His presence and love throughout the whole day... in the hugs He sent my way, the dance party I had with a few friends to relieve our stress, and the answers to the prayers I prayed.

All I can say, is that I'm glad that it's all over and that I'm not in charge of casting. I'm so happy that I can trust in the Lord.
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 And really, that's all life is about. Trust in the Lord, and He will make your paths straight. He doesn't promise it will be easy, but He does promise He'll be with you.

He's the best. :)