Finding Jesus Everywhere

Rose, Thorn, Bud

Rose
I am completely and fully in LOVE with my nephews. Like head over heals. I just can't get enough of them. God is so good.

Thorn
I am a bit taxed with feelings of inadequacy and I am trying to process where I am as a human. I am also a bit stressed because I am still trying to decipher what I wanna major in. I am relying on the Lord's direction BIG TIME for that one.

Bud
This Friday I get to see my cousins!! I haven't seen Caroline for 5 months and I haven't seen Becca for almost 2 months! I miss them! So much!

Rose Thorn Bud!

I want to write a blog post but I have nothing to write about. This is a completely irrelevant story but... About ten minutes ago, I hopped out of the shower and placed product in my hair, lotioned my body, and cleansed my face of any remaining makeup left after the scrub. But because of the facial cleansing... My eyes are now cloudy because of the makeup remover that leaked into my eyeballs.

Okay, you probably don't care so I am going to do a Rose, Thorn, Bud.

Rose
There were quite a few roses this week.
Last weekend I got to spend the WHOLE weekend with my brother Aaron's family at the lake property for my birthday and I loved it. We met up with a different set of their friends everyday of the weeked. I spent hours with Keegan and the most exciting thing about that is that he can now say Dog and Ball!

It was my 20th birthday this week! wow I am in my twenties. That makes me feel old. I didn't do anything exciting on my birthday and it was kinda nice. My parents and my friend Jessica took me to dinner and then we watched a scary movie, per usual.

I got a hair cut and I actually like it!! I discovered that I don't get haircuts often but when I do I cut a bunch off and then usually hate it for the next month so I changed the Cycle. I still cut about five inches off but I LOVE it.

The lighthouse festival was also this weekend and that was a lot of fun!I spent the whole day with my friend Katie. We went to the parade, the festival, watched the fireworks with our friends, and then ended the night watching Amityville Horror (the new one with Ryan Reynolds... yummy).

Thorn
I didn't go into work that much and when I did, I didn't mentally enjoy it that much. I am having a very hard time with work. I think that I am craving stability and I don't get much of that there. But that it a segway to my bud!

Bud
I am nervous to stay this because it waivers daily but... I am looking forward to moving back up to Bellingham. I do have a lot of mixed emotions about this because I still don't know how I will pay for it and I am not ready for the classes, I am excited to see my friends and go back up to my church community there:)

Whelp that was random,

Rose:
There are so many roses this week. I think that is because I am taking time to notice the little things that I normally take for granted. Here are some of the roses from this week:
1.  I have gotten to spend countless hours with my best friends, doing goofy things.

2.  I am done house sitting and it feels so good. It was so nice having an abode on my own, but it is nice being back home and having an opportunity to unpack my school stuff. 
3.  The weather is BEA-u-tiful!

 
4.  I had the opportunity to go watch my other nephew, Josiah on saturday, and I fell in love! He is growing up so fast.

5.  Work is going a lot better and I am excited for our upcoming summer camp.

Thorn:
On Monday's I usually get to watch my nephew, Keegan. He is the cutest 9 month old around and I love him. He is full of energy and curiosity but he still loves his snuggle moments. Watching him would normally go under my "rose" section, but I don't have him this week or next, and I MISS HIM! I am counting down the days until I get to squeeze him and hear him giggle. Until then, I will just have to look at these pictures and hope that they suffice.

Bud:
Two Saturdays from now I will be heading down to Seattle for a concert with my two of my favorite girls from WWU who are just wonderful. I hope we will be able to somehow meet Landon Austin.


That's all folks,

Rose, Thorn, Bud

Here is my next installment of rose, thorn, bud.

Rose
There have been so many roses! I finished my freshman year of college. I am house sitting for a beautiful home. I get to take part of a new ministry. And I have gotten to meet up with so many wonderful people from my past.

I think that my best rose, this week, came out of a Thorn situation. Yesterday, a woman asked if some of us from my work and a few students could come to her home to do some work for her to prepare her home for being sold. Reluctantly we accepted not being fully aware of our duties. When we arrived at her home the weather had drastically changed, the sky was dumping buckets. After parking the trailer, I walked up her her home and asked her what she needed for us to do, partly expecting that it would take part inside of the house. She pointed to a mound of mulch that was probably the size of my car and asked us to spread it 3 inches thick around her whole home... Okay, let me tell you, that was a moment to choose happiness. So I slapped a smile to my face and we proceeded to spread mulch in the pouring rain. There was another person there helping this woman out who happened to be one of my good friends from middle school. It was so fun joking and laughing with each other as we worked to help this woman out in the rain. 

Thorn
I am back working for the same place that I worked for this last summer and I love it! The thorn portion of that is that I am struggling mentally because I am struggling with the thought of me possibly being phased out. I would love prayers of guidance and peace. Guidance from the Lord of where he might take me if I am, and prayers of peace if I am, that I can be content with the change. I probably am completely wrong, but My mind isn't at ease with the thoughts and it would really sting if I wasn't able to be part of the amazing group.

Bud
As I said in my last rose, thorn, bud, I am watching my nephew, Keegan this summer. Last Monday was my first time for this summer and we had lots of fun. I did struggle getting him down for his nap though, so my goal and my hope for looking into the summer is that I will be able to get him to sleep smoother. To get him to fall asleep last time I had to take him on a 4 mile walk in his stroller.

Here is Keegan finally asleep at Costco after our walk. 

 

Here is the little man awake, fighting his nap.

Rose, Thorn, Bud

Man! It's been a while! This quarter has just flew by and it has taken all of my energy. I have much to update you with. Be looking forward to an update blog and a full blog just dedicated to my San Francisco Mission Trip.

Today, I will be introducing, hopefully, a new weekly blog post titled, "Rose, Thorn, Bud." In my small group we call these "Happies and Crappies." In these post I will talk about a Rose, something that happened during my week that was great, a thorn, something that was not so great, and a bud, something that I am looking forward to. I hope to post these once a weekend because I feel that it will provide good closure to the previous week and a great start to the next.

So... without further adieu, here is my first "Rose, Thorn, Bud."

Rose
This summer I will be working for my church again, full time. My brother called me this week and asked what my work schedule was going to look like? I told him that I will be working everyday except for Saturdays and Mondays. He asked me if I would like to nanny for my nephew, Keegan, on Mondays. I am beyond excited for my Mondays with that little nugg now! I am warning you now that there will be a surplus of photos of him scattered about this blog that summer.

Thorn
Every Tuesday I drive about 40 miles to an elementary school that I mentor at. My time there is drawing near and this last week with them I had to report an incidence that I was informed of because I felt that the child might not be completely safe at their home. It was difficult because I didn't know if all that I heard was true but I had to take the precaution in case there was something going on and this child was in danger. I am nervous to return next week because I will be heart broken if I was right. I have been praying for this child's safety and I hope you do to.

Bud
This year is drawing to an end and I am excited to go home for a few months, but I will really miss the people I have met up here this year. I am looking forward to this weekend because my cousin Caroline may be coming up to visit me. If she does we will probably go downtown and visit some of our favorite places. Oh! and another bud is that I only have 4 more hours of my Shakespeare class! Woo Hoo!!

 Well, that's it. My first Rose, Thorn, Bud.