My little Patalie

I promised some talk of my girls, so here's part 1 of ?.

I'll start with Natalie because her birthday was a couple of days ago.
I have been meeting with Natalie for a little over a year and a half now. She just turned 21 a couple days ago. She's. A. Stud.

We first became friend her freshman and my sophomore year. We don't actually remember how we met, but we did, and I'm so thankful for that. I had a Christmas party one night at my apartment and she (and Rachel, another lovely lady who you'll get to know later) both came.

This is us that night. She's the beauty to my right your left. 

We hung out for the rest of the school year and she, along with Rachel and Brittany, was in my D-group at Kaleo. That summer was amazing. I grew a ton, and I got to watch them grow a ton. It was such a blessing to be called their leader. 

This was the night the girls (from left to right Rachel, Natalie, Brittany) got there. I started the summer by loading them up in my car and stating that my car smelled funny. Ha. So sweet of me, I know. It helped break the awkward real quick though. 

 

Anyways, I got to watch Nat grow so so much that summer.After living in the International dorm on campus last year and trying her best to share Jesus there, she lives in the freshmen all-girls dorm on campus. She's leading a Bible study there and meeting with her own girls regularly. When I say her own girls, I mean the girls that were in her D-group last summer (as well as a few new ones!). She's also an RA. She's also in nursing school. She's also going to India this summer. Yep. She's incredible. 

 

Nat is a blessing that I somehow get to call my spiritual daughter, and man does that make me excited. I'm one proud mama. She loves her Lord so much, and it is evident in the way she lives and loves others. She is teachable and asks good questions and you better believe that this girl is a servant. Even more than that she is a quiet servant. She does things because she loves people, but more importantly because she loves Jesus. If you talk Natalie, you will find that she is kind and genuine and warm in a way that can't be taught. She is humble and not afraid to ask for help and that is challenging and refreshing.

I adore her. I'm proud of her. I pray that I can be more like her.

Guard your hearts, boys.

Adoration.

I love a lot of people...well I think I do. But, one person I love and adore and admire so so so much is my little brother. I think he is wonderful, and I have loved watching him grow in college. In the past year and a half he has turned into such a man. A godly man. I have a friend, Jason, and I've been told that I treat him like a brother. When I told him that, he said I treat him meaner than I do my own brother because I think my brother is a saint. I laughed, but he's right. I do.

Recently, a group of us was bowling for my friend Julie's birthday. In the lane next to us a lady that worked at the bowling alley was putting bowling balls from the holder thing back onto the shelves. We were all watching whoever was bowling, but I noticed my brother get up and help her put them up. Granted, that's not a huge deal, but that is her job, not his. None of us noticed or even thought to do that except him. He does stuff like that all the time. I. Love. Him. SO much. 

Extra random thoughts.....

• I didn't know that I get a wedding band. Seriously. I thought my engagement ring was all I needed. I've been informed that I'm wrong. 
• Choosing colors is probably the most stressful thing I've done, except it's not really that stressful. I still haven't chosen, and I've decided not to choose. I think it will be easier to do it as I go. If you think this is the dumbest decision ever, please tell me kindly. :)
• Justin's back from Arizona, and I'm SO excited. I'll be even more excited when I can spend a good chunk of time with him. 
• I love love love that all of the girls are back in the building. They are so fun and wonderful. I will tell you about them sometime...maybe next time. :)
• Our save-the-dates are going out soon. Get excited. 
• My sweet sister, Sarah, is about to go back on the road for work. I've loved having her around this break.

I think 2011 will be my favorite year yet

Y'all. I've super slacked. My apologies. Let me update you as briefly as I can because no one wants to read a novel.

On the wedding front, here's what we've done:

• Registered at Dillards and Kohl's. (Please note the rhino statue and woodlands mug on the Kohl's registry...guess who did that.) Also, Justin only registered us for a pepper grinder, so if you decide a pepper grinder is the gift we need, maybe grab a salt shaker too. :) I love registering. It's so fun. It's so fun with Justin. We have one store left, and I think it will be my fave. 
• Bought Justin's suit! It was half off-bonus, and he looks quite dashing in it-double bonus.
• I feel like we are so close to figuring out where we're getting married. I'm real excited about that. 
• I got our save the dates in the mail yesterday. (Which I had 2 coupons for when I ordered them thank you very much.)
• We figured out where we're honeymooning-Denver. I'm thrilled. I've never been west, so it'll be new for me, and there's a zoo. I LOVE zoos, and I love Justin, so I'm sure it will be fun. :)
• I bought some stuff at thrift stores for our wedding. I'm excited about that. 

Here's what else I've done over the break:

• Been sick. Yep. The first day I moved home I got super sick. With that on top of other things, I was useless for nearly a week. Bummer. 
• Over Christmas I saw Trans-Siberian Orchestra with Justin's family and had Christmas in Conway with mom's side of the family. On Christmas day my daddy's side of the fam came to our house. 
• I went to StuMo Conference which was incredible! I'm so thankful for a ministry (and a church) that teaches truth even if it isn't easy. StuMo has been the thing God has used most to change my life in college. I'm thankful. I got to see tons of friends from my first Kaleo who go to other schools. I also got to see and spend time with my sweet friend Sarah who I don't get to see often since she moved to Kansas. She has a beautiful new baby and was full of great advice. I adore her-Shout out to Sarah: thanks for the registering advice. I soooooooooo appreciate it.

This is some of us at the conference

• After SMC some of us went to our friend Rachel's house in Bartlesville, OK, and it was so fun! If I were gonna live in Oklahoma, I'd totally want to live in Bartlesville. We went thrifting and ate super well. Rachel's mom is an incredible cook! (Her dad is a great griller too:) We watched girly movies and painted nails and did hair. It was a blast. 

We also went to QuikTrip. We love QuikTrip.

• I had so much fun in Oklahoma, but I was gone for nearly a week. I was missing home and missing Justin by the time I got back. Justin came to see me the first night I was back, and look what I got when he walked in the door-

I'm. So. Thankful. 

Tomorrow I'm moving back into Humphreys for the last time to start RA training. Now, I will go pack, so I can hopefully go with Sarah to get her haircut tomorrow. 

Lovelovelove.