Oh, Hello Again!

Hello, my dear friends. It's good to be posting again-- have you noticed that my gaps between posts just keep getting longer? It's just that time of year, I guess. I've got a very long research report that is eating my lunch, but once I get it done I'll be on the down-hill stretch to summer! Summer. Reallly? I just realized on sunday that summer is almost here. . . I don't know how I didn't realize that sooner! But then again, I didn't realize that a pickle was made from a cucumber until like last year. :)

Anyhoodle, [whoa. I just made that up.] In the past week, I've just been having adventures, working out, spending time with friends, babysitting, hanging out with my family and having amazing small groups at church. Oh, and on Friday I took my friend Rosie ice skating! {16 before 16 #6: check!} We also had a lovely back yard camp out, which you might have read about here. If you haven't, you can read it, but here are some pictures anyway.

I told her to think of Peeta... :))

Yes, the pancakes were as good as they look. The only problem is that the pan was also as hot as it looks, and I forgot I wasn't in the kitchen anymore... I resulted with a burn on my finger and I almost passed out, but I'm alive! And thankfully I think I must have burnt off the nerves or something because it doesn't hurt a bit. :)

Umm, so other than all this, I went into some enchanting woods with Adelle (aka Nina) and had the greatest time of my week. We explored undiscovered thickets and un-swum coursing rivers... or more like a creek. :) But we got muddy and covered in ticks and scars. So yes, it was a win. But I must say that the best part of it all was seeing Nina's little sister, who is usually more of a tom-boy than a girly-girl, try to push through the grasses and branches in the least tom-boyish fashion possible. Not to mention, she squealed about every 13 seconds. Win. Sweet T, I love you. :)) 

at the beginning I carried Nina on my back. :)

It seems that every word I say just gets less and less eloquent, so I think I'll stop now. Can you tell I need sleep?

xxx.

Lindseylou

{p.s. credit for photos 7, 8, and 9 goes to Rosie!}

Over The Weekend (such an original title, I know)

Just over the weekend I finally got to spend some time with a very dear friend of mine who I have been missing so much! Missing to the point of tears, in fact. Anywho, here's a little taste of the adventures we had together...

we ate ice cream for lunch after a bit of shopping

then, after getting lost and driving around in the city for 20 minutes, we found the bakery we were searching for... and they gave us free bread. :)

we set off for an adventure in the woods...

... and stopped for a picture on a bridge. 

then we continued throughout the woods, singing all the while.

and after we had muffins on the shelf of a little waterhole, my friend took about 537 pictures of us by this old fireplace/foundationofanoldhouse. Thanks, Neens! :))

Over the weekend, I also had a long Seussical rehearsal (5 hours) and we moved into the theater!! I got to practice on stage, which was very exciting, since it's the first time that I actually get to do a show on stage.


Happy Sunday!


Love and a hug,


Lindsey

adventures at golden hour.

{forget the capital letters.}

once upon a time there were four friends who decided to go on an adventure at golden hour and blow glitter in the air. so they packed their knapsack with cookies of many kinds and a canteen of water and hit the trails... well, the sidewalks. they walked and walked, passing a castle and a construction site, then entered a wood. shortly they encountered yeller and yankee, dogs of the forest... or rather dogs passing through the forest with their owners. 

shortly they encountered yeller and yankee, dogs of the forest... or rather dogs passing through the forest with their owners. finally they reached their destination: a lake, a hill, and some prairie. (aka ground of inspiration.)

they found a perfect picnicking place and ate all sixteen of their cookies, while freezing in the wind. therefore, the picnic blanket, which was actually a beach towel, doubled as a cloak.

after eating, it was time to galavant across the fields and skip to the top of the hill.

finally, when golden hour came, they felt they should add to the magic of their happy place by blowing glitter in the smiling sunshine. and they had one of the most magical times of their lives.

 and when the day was over and done, the photographer, who was in two of 118 of the photos, had produced two of her favorite photos yet.  (the last two :)) and she didn't mind at all because the joy of the day and of her work was so bountiful.

--..__..--..__..--..__..--..__..--..__..--..__..--..__..--..__..--..__..--..__..--..__..--..__..--..__..--..__..--..__..--

the simple joys of life are manifesting themselves to me daily. getting to spend time with friends, nice weather, growing new friendships, finding marvelous music, the beauty of everything at golden hour, laughter of children, a paintbrush in my hand, dreams. every little thing adds up to make me more thankful of how blessed i am when i reflect on the day.

of course, life is busy (especially with seussical, dance, babysitting, and now dinner theatre), but i think it makes me more grateful for the times when life is simply peaceful. life is good. God is great.



love and hugs,

lindsey lou

I have my plans... but I wonder if God has others...

We all love to dream. I know I do. 

I dream and plan for my future. I lie awake in bed, staring out the window, under the full moon, thinking. just thinking. And dreaming about my future.

Then I make a little plan.

  Let's see... Well, first I'll go to college and study art, I think. And a little bit later, I'll meet some amazing man. Then I think about that man, who he may be, what he may be like. I want to marry someone like this...I think to myself, as my mind begins to wander. After I meet him, we'll date each other, grow in love, and someday get married. It seems simple enough. And then I will travel the world with Celia and Adelle, and of course they'll get married too, so the six of us can take off for the world together. 

As I get carried away, I think of the cute little house we'll live in, being poor, newlyweds, but having just enough to keep us afloat. And loving each other so much that we won't even notice. I think of having a family-- a big one, and a house full of lively children, who I'll teach at home. I ponder the memories we'll make, the laughter that will fill our home, and everything in between.

I fall asleep, and tuck away my plan for a little while.

But today I was thinking. Maybe God has different plans.

What if, before I even went to college, He called me to missions?

 What if He called me to singleness, to serve His kingdom somewhere, and I never married? 

And what if I never had my own family?

What if I didn't get to go to London, Paris, and Venice, but in stead was called to serve in Africa?

What if I wasn't given the cute little house I want, but rather a missionary's home or a simple home in a third world country?

What if I didn't have the memories and laughter of a family, but in stead had the memories and laughter of the children of His kingdom?

I don't know what the Lord has for me. I don't know if any of these things are in store for my life-- in either list. And I began to wonder, would I follow the Lord, and do what He called me to, even if it meant that I didn't get to live the life I've dreamed of? All I know is that God has an amazing plan, and that however it may work out, I need to follow Him in it. Because I don't write my story; He does.

In other news, I have two finds for the day:

A question-a-day 5-year journal-- I'm in love! 

And a yellow and cream striped sweater... you know me and my sweater faddish. ;)

(sorry, all these pictures are blurry and bad... they looked better on the review screen than on the computer.)

Love, hugs, & macaroons to ya,

Lindsey Lou

new year's goals and other such ramblings

this year i have quite a few of them!

1. drink more water, drink less soda. Eat more veggies and run more.

2. build up the courage and run track again.

3. read more.

4. become a better blogger and get to 100 followers!

5. work on core/abs strength. 

6. be a better secret-keeper. (i know this sounds terrible, but sometimes a secret gets

leaked to even just one person, and i want people to know that if they trust me with a 

secret, it will remain as if no one was ever told.)

and for my biggest project of the year:

7. i'm going to start a project called "365: a sketch a day" where i try to sketch

every day possible. (but really it will probably be about 340 because of two missions

trips in the summer). i just figure that since i'm planning on majoring in art, 

i should be a little better at drawing. so hopefully i'll do periodic posts about my better sketches.

of course, with all of these, i will be trying to grow in my faith, love for the Lord, patience and biblical love. and i pray that all of you will too! 

... now comes the part where i brag about my christmas presents. ;)

from adelle, now hanging by my bed to keep me dreaming for years to come. love it. love her more. 

some totally  a d o r a b l e  chicken feather earrings from Em! how cool is that?! i absolutely love them. and her! :)

the hunger games mockingjay pin. oh. yes. (i didn't actually get the book, i just figured it was more interesting than my hand)

my yearly calendar in audrey form once again! :)

my tiffin!!!

i am in love. but i still need an adventure to take it on. or at least somewhere to go to eat lunch.

from anthropologie!! we found it on super crazy reduced clearance and i fell in love.

I also got an awesome artist beret hat from lib that makes me feel like i'm in france. and cam gave me one of the coolest presents ever, but i didn't take a picture, so i may tell you about that later.

what did you get for Christmas?

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


did i ever tell you that i like the hunger games? well i do. i couldn't remember if i mentioned it or not. ;)
anywho, there's a song from the movie that's out and i just adore it. it's kind of sad, but i keep listening to it over and over again. you can listen to it here.

Have a wonderful evening, and read a book by candlelight for me, would ya?
I think i will.


Sending love and hugs,

Lou

Psalm 103

Praise the Lord, O my soul; 

all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Praise the Lord, O my soul,

and forget not al his benefits--

who forgives all your sins 

and heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the pit 

and crowns you with love and compassion, 

who satisfies your desires with good thins

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

The Lord works righteousness

and justice for all the oppressed.

He made known his was to Moses,

his deeds to the people of Israel:

The Lord is compassionate and gracious,

slow to anger, abounding in love.

He will not always accuse, 

nor will he harbor his anger forever;

he does not treat us as our sins deserve

or repay us according to our iniquities,

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

so great is his love for those who fear him;

as far as the east is from the west,

so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

As a father has compassion on his children,

so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;

for he know how we are formed,

he remembers that we are dust.

As for man, his days are like grass,

he flourishes like a flower of the field;

the wind blows over it and it is gone, 

and its place remembers it no mer.

But from everlasting to everlasting

the Lord's love is with those who fear him

and his righteousness with their children's children--

with those who keep his covenant 

and remember to obey his precepts. 

The Lord has established his throne in heaven, 

and his kingdom rules over all.

Praise the Lord, you his angels,

you mighty ones who do his bidding, 

who obey his word.

Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts,

you his servants who do his will.

Praise the Lord, all his works

everywhere in his dominion.

Praise the Lord, O my soul.

There you go, food for the soul. Honestly, I was only going to write the first few verses, but I read on and realized that it's so good that you can't stop there. I hope that you are having a great week and are not getting too stressed about Christmas presents, but are focusing on why we even give Christmas presents. I must say that I've had a bit of trouble with that this year (I'm knitting my sister socks and I don't know if I'll get them done in time). To all of you who have finals, I hope they go well! 

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go hang out with my bestfriend. Have a lovely evening!!

Much Love,

Lindsey Nicole

{p.s. I'm getting so excited to wear my dress for christmas eve! What are YOU wearing? I'd love to hear!}