CrossFit

This is Drew before our workout (he may or may not be embarrassed by this photo)

If you haven't heard of CrossFit, I suggest you look into it. Drew got me into it, and I am pretty pumped about doing exercise in this way. It kicks my butt almost everyday and I love it. It is a fun challenge that brings me success every time I leave the gym. Carley Brown, you'd like this! :)

PS- Drew's a stud. He's pretty strong and can do a million pull ups.

I think farts are really funny.

Where did farts even begin to be a funny thing?

When did farting in public become an embarrassing thing?

What about picking your nose?

Or tripping in public?

I always wonder where all these silly/embarrassing things first became silly/embarrassing?

No Knowledge Can Cure The Broken

I probably took 20 personality tests in high school alone, and a few more in my college years. My personality hasn't changed much, maybe with a little more maturity I have learned to relax a bit, and have less reasons to be bossy. But overall, I have always been a pretty "sanguine" person. Being a Psychology major leaves me taking classes like Theories of Personality and Developmental Psychology, and Social Psychology. I am consistently learning how different people work, as individuals or groups. How different personalities react and interact. How disorders affect an individual.

Someone around me is hurting. And these classes aren't helping me.

My knowledge is almost useless.

I can't relate, I can't help, and I am starting to find myself running away. I want to go into the field of Psychology so I can help, but I am learning that it may be the hardest thing ahead of me. It is scary.

I am beginning to detach myself from this person, losing a connection, being cold and numb, because I don't want to accept there is hurting so deep that no hobby or close friend can help.

The worst part is, is that I can't understand, I can't feel what she is feeling, I can't fix what is being broken, and I can't convince her to love life like I do.

a little piece of heaven

A time full of precious moments. A little piece of Heaven it was, with a little angel named Whitney.

My best friend (and boyfriend) will be back in Washington in 4 days! Life is so much better when he is near by. On a side note- I'm going snowboarding today and am totally pumped!

it's moments like this that create my passion for seeing the world

I think about India everyday. This is one of my favorite moments while I was there:

I just stood there. Sounds of horns, people, vendors, and cars. Sights of oxen, staring, and more people. India is loud, India is busy, and right then, in that small market, there I stood in the pouring rain. As it poured harder, I didn't see the people and the vendors, I didn't hear the cars and the horns. No, I didn't see. I Didn't hear. I felt. I felt peace, I felt joy, and I felt love. Peace, because I knew where I was standing at that moment, was where I was supposed to be. Joy, because I wanted to be there, and love, simply because God is good. Friends and family, wherever you are, I encourage you to embrace the moments God gives us, and just stand there.

Life Word

Jan Term has begun and my roommates have returned! AnnAlise is still home, but she will be back soon, making our home complete once again! Jamie arrived yesterday and it was such a JOY to see her walk in with her captivating spirit yelling, "Hi Hills!" I love having my roomies back. It makes life a lot more fun that's for sure! My Jan Term class is going to be super easy, fun, and interesting, and that will make this month a time to relax and hang out lots.

I have been catching myself getting into these moods of stressing about money or being too tired or not having enough fun or in other words- just not being able to do what I want when I want.

I don't like that I have been in a funk of such crummy thinking, so I am going to step out of it, take a deep breath, and just be thankful. Because there is so much to be thankful for.

I have a job that allows me to be bubbly and friendly everyday.

I have a job that allows me to hang out with some amazing girls.

I have a home that is cheap to live in and cozy to sleep in.

I have a family that visits me a lot and treats me well.

I have five beautiful roommates who I can count on.

I attend an awesome university.

I have a God that I can rely on.

It's hard not to worry or stress, but when I do, it's always good to stop and remember what I have, where I've been, and to remember what I am thankful for.

When I returned from India I chose a word for my life, "Remember." If you haven't chosen a "life word" you should. It plays a big part in my life. This is an excerpt from "Sex God" that I fell in love with, and helped me find my word.

"When we’re not at peace, when we’re not content, when we aren’t in a good place, our radar gets turned on. we’re looking. searching. and we’re sensory creatures, so it won’t be long before something, or somebody, catches our attention.

and it always revolves around the “if,” doesn’t it? if i just…

the idea creeps into our head and heart that we are lacking, that we are incomplete, that this craving right in front of us is the answer.

the “if” means we have become attached to the idea that we are missing something and that we can be satisfied by whatever it is we have in our sights. there’s a hold, a space, a gap, and we’re on the search. and we may not even realize it. when we are in the right place, the right space–content and at peace–we aren’t on the search, and our radar gets turned off.

this is why gratitude is so central to the life God made for us. until we can center ourselves on what we do have, on what God has given us, on the life we do get to live, we’ll constantly be looking for another life. that is why the word remember occurs again and again in the Bible. God commands his people to remember who they are, where they’ve been, what they’ve seen, what’s been done for them."