it's a family affair :: part two.

yeah, yeah, yeah, i know. i'm sorry, but the family christmas vacation posts were just put on the back burner. so here we are again...

(see part one here.)

the next day was tuesday, december 31st.

after a good night's sleep and a yummy breakfast, we were ready to conquer our next day together.

the agenda:

ruby falls.

incline railroad.

rock city.

stop one:

ruby falls.

after receiving our tickets at the counter, we boarded the elevator that would take us 1120 feet below the surface. walking over two miles, we followed our tour guide through the tunnels--ducking and carefully watching our step as we made our way to the nation's largest and deepest waterfall.

it was incredible to be reminded of what an amazing an awesome God that we serve. the same God who created that cave and magnificent waterfall.

yup, definitely worth the second trip.

(we had been a few years previous)

after snapping a few pictures on the lookout tower, we were ready to move on to our next stop.

stop two:

incline railroad.

four words.

exciting, flat, steep, fearful... 

but so worth it.

the end.

yeahhhh, just what if those cables had snapped.....

yikes.

stop three:

rock city.

fun in the gift shop.

this place never ceases to amaze me.

God's beauty is seen all around.

fat man's squeeze and the swinging bridge are my favorites.

snapping a picture on lover's leap, our frozen bodies were ready for the heat of the vehicle.

arriving back to "the big house," dinner was prepared and the gas fireplace was a popular place.

a movie was watched and to bed we all went--

ready for our next adventure.

(to be continued...)

frozen feet.

we were going to see the sister in her neck of the woods the next morning.

the night before, mom, daddy, and i sat around the kitchen table discussing the next day's events.

mom suddenly suggests:

"you know, there's a 5k in greenville in the morning."

"are you going to run?" i ask.

"i would like to try to."

(mom has been out of the running group for a couple of months due to a leg injury. she has since started going to physical therapy and the chiropractor and has seen amazing results. so good, that she had been able to run a little the last couple of weeks.)

so, it was decided.

off to the sister's.... and to run a last-minute 5k.

that's just how we roll.

all last minute and stuff.

at 6:45 the next morning, with a fresh change of clothes in tow for after the race, we load up and begin the 1-hour long road trip.

i pop in my headphones to listen to the frozen soundtrack while the runners emotions begin to build. 

(you know, nervousness, excitement, etc.)

we arrive at the location an hour and fifteen minutes early and it is freeeeezing. 

(at least for us southern folks. ha!)

after filling out the registration form and receiving our large t-shirts (that's what happens when you sign up the day of....no more small t's), i quickly get back into the warm car.

until mom finds out that the city hall is unlocked for the runners to use the bathroom.

then, i go inside there and hang out in the heat....with mom and daddy.

about 30 minutes before the race begins the sister pulls up in her bronco.

yayyyyy!

(i have missed that girl so much.)

we all go outside and stand in the rays of the sunshine.

by this time, the weather is verrrrrry slowwwwwly getting warmer.

we get to moving and doing all that stretching your supposed to do before running 3.1 miles.

after the race being delayed for a few minutes due to the police escorts not arriving on time, we went ahead and ran after the buzzer was sounded. 

(daddy came to the rescue and directed traffic at the first intersection we crossed. THEN, there was a police just sitting there in his warm car, at the next intersection, watching daddy directing traffic. whatever.)

at the very beginning, there was a huge hill.

hilly, hilly, hilly.

it was a great, challenging course.

around mile 3, we had to run right passed where the race began and make a HUGE loop back to the finish line.

as i ran past, daddy, sister, and a few girl scouts (they were there to sell cookies to the runners) cheered me on.

i mean, how many runners can say that they've been cheered on by girl scouts?? hehe!

i could see the finish in the distance....and my amazing sister standing there waiting for me.

flailing my arms in the air just being silly, i smile and quickened my pace just a bit.

then, i see my daddy come over to stand with sister.

i start sprinting.

crossing the finish line in 31:11.

awards and door prizes were next.

mom smoked it and came in first in her age division with a time of 27-something.

i also won first in my age group.

and what do you know, i won a door prize.

you know what it was?

an hour long massage.

never in my life have i ever had a message like that.

yeah, if you need me, i'll be over there getting pampered. :)

what a great day it was.

Stats for Frozen Foot Race 5k:

Total time: 31:11

Age Division: 20-29
Place: 1st in my age group (not sure out of how many)

Overall Place: 10th out of 31 runners

Pace: 9:20

the kids need to know.

welcome.
this is the world.

it's a pretty cool place. 

....there's corndogs....

singing, dancing, and laughing.

laughing's the best.

some days, gross things will happen.

some days, awesome things will happen.

some days, you'll get ice cream.

some days you won't.

some days, your kite will fly high.

some days it'll get stuck in the tree.

it's just how it is.

you should give people high fives for just for getting out of bed.

...high fives are liiiike, hitting someone who is your friend...
uhhh, that's really bad.

just treat everybody like it's their birthday...

the biggest mess-up...not forgiving each other's mess-ups.

you.

you're awesome.

you're made that way.

you're made from love, to be love, to spread love.

let love be louder.

(corn dogs rule!)

i'm really glad you're here.

you're going to be important.

and 

you're going to do a lot.

remember to let everybody know that you're glad they're here.

you're awake.

you're awesome.

live like it.

--just some awesome encouragement from kid prez

2014.

yeah, yeah, yeah.

i know.

the new year was so 16 days ago, but still i wanted to share my past year with you.

so, late or not, here it is.

2013 in review.

what did you do in 2013 that you've never done before?
i ran my first 5k, 8k, and 10k. my mom and sister were right there with me.

did you keep your new year's resolution? will you make one for this year?
honestly, I don’t remember if i kept them. i have made a few for this year: graduate in june, develop some sort of business on etsy (i am still brainstorming this idea), become an aunt, and then there’s some other very exciting things… ;p this is going to be a great year!

did anyone close to you give birth?
nope. but we did find out that my sis and sis-in law are expecting!!

did anyone close to you die?
i knew people who passed away, but none that i was close to.

did anyone close to you get hitched?
YES! my sister married the man of her dreams in october. it was an outdoor wedding and was raining the day before and a little the day of rehearsal. God saw fit to stop the rain and was perfect for the big day and then it started sprinkling as the last box was loaded in the vehicle to go home after the wedding.

what countries did you visit?
jamaica on a 10-day mission trip.

what date(s) from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory?
- october 18^th-the sister’s wedding.

- december-the month i found out my sister, sis-in-law, and good friend were expecting their baby’s.

what would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
- my diploma.
- a ring.                                                                                                                                        

- a more hospitable spirit.

what was your biggest achievement this year?
being able to find greater contentment.

biggest failure?
ummmmm…..

did you suffer any illness or injury?
no. passed out a few times, but nothing major.

what was the last thing you bought?
chick-fil-a chicken salad sandwich with fries and a lemonade.

whose behavior merited celebration?
huh. ummmm.

where did most of your money go?
probably gas for my navigator.

what did you really get excited about?
sister’s wedding, becoming an aunt, and the future.

what song will remind you of 2013?
life is beautiful by the afters.

compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?
happier. i mean, how can a person be “sadder” with all the blessings all around them? life is good.

what do you wish you had done more of?
smiled more and sang without caring who was listening…expressing the song in my heart.

what do you wish you had done less of?
criticizing and comparing.

what was your favorite TV show?
duck dynasty. duh! ;p

what were the best books you read?
textbook, textbook, textbook. just kidding. i was able to squeeze in a few books of my choosing in there….somewhere. fascinating womanhood was SUPER good…it was a textbook.

what was your best musical discovery?
the Frozen soundtrack. the end.

what did you want and got?
more contentment and happiness.

what did you do on your birthday? how old did you turn?
invited a lot of friends from church over (plus, my boyfriend was here from ky) to the house and ate soup, went on a freezing hayride, and sang devotional songs inside around the fire. i turned a whopping 22.

what one thing would have made this year more satisfying?
i am blessed with a satisfied life.

how would you describe your personal fashion?
home: workout clothes or jeans and a T.
going to town: a comfy pair of pants or skirt with a cute top and accessories
church: a dress or skirt with a cute top. don’t forget the accessories!

what kept you sane?
- skype dates with my boyfriend.

- runs to clear my head.                                                                                                                        

- my sister and her listening ear. 

who was the best new person you met?
i am constantly meeting new blogger friends that are so encouraging. i’m afraid if i started naming names i would leave someone out. so, to you my readers, you are the best!

what was a valuable lesson you learned?
be happy! if you’re not happy, then most likely the people around you will not be happy. happiness is contagious. share the love!

2012 in review.

2011 in review.

the song let it go :: cuteness overload.

you know the movie frozen?

the best movie out there?

(at least, the best movie that's currently in the theaters...in my opinion.)

yeah, that one.

well, this little video has been going around social media and it's just too adorable not to share on my little corner of the world.

introducing the twins--maddie and zoe.

take it away little girls...

and just in case you haven't seen the movie yet (*gasp*), here is what they were singing:

the extra mile.

i awoke this morning to the sound of rain and hard wind with a mix of lightning and thunder.

at 6:30 a.m., i hear mom's voice as she quietly comes through my bedroom door:

"so, what do you think?"

"i don't know....what do you think?"

i had payed the entry fee a few days before and was supposed to run in the hope inspired ministries 5k + 1 mile.

we both sneak downstairs without waking daddy and i check the weather radar.

it's iffy.

it seemed to have been calming down a bit outside so we decide to head to the starting line at the armory.

we all get dressed and grab our rain jackets.

i grab a breakfast of peanut butter and pretzels to go.

we arrive and it's misting.

we see a few lightning strikes and hear the rumble of thunder.

the race is supposed to begin at 8:30.

it is put off until 9:30.

they finally decide on 9:45 for the time to begin the race.

by this time, the rain had stopped and was cloudy with a slight coolness in the air.

perfect for running.

the horn buzzed and the runners were off.

a huge downhill was at the beginning...so nice!

but then the monsters came.

uphill challenges awaited the runners.

i would make it halfway up a gigantic hill and would fast-walk the rest of the mountain.

out of all the hills we conquered, twice i had to walk up the monstrous hills.

boy, were they some doozy's.

and then downhill we would go...

(ahhhh. so nice.)

mile 1, 2, 3, 4....

up again....down again....

at one point in the race, i had to wait for a firetruck (with sirens blaring) to pass before crossing the road.

(never had that happen before. haha!)

at the end of mile 4, i could see mom walking towards me on the downtown sidewalk.

encouraging me to keep at it, she ran along side me the last few yards. daddy soon appeared and cheered me to the finish.

my time flashed as i sprinted across the finish line:

45:20.

yet again i was so thankful for the ability to be able to have the health to run...

and tackle the uphill hills.

God is good.

as we waited for the awards to be handed to the winners, we enjoyed time chatting with our runner friends.

and then the sun came out.

(God, you're so amazing.)

the award ceremony began and names were called.

age division 20-29.

third place....

second place...

first place...marli reese.

i was overwhelmed with thankfulness.

being able to "go the extra mile" in today's race made me think about how we ought to be going to the extra mile in our everyday lives.

99% or 25% just isn't good enough.

we should give our all--plus some.

yeah sure, 100% is nice, but how about going further? 

i pray that we'll all be able to go beyond 100%.

run that extra mile.

you can do it.

Stats for Hope Inspired Ministries 5k plus one mile:

Total Time: 45:20

Age Division: 20-29

Place: 1st out of the 3 in my age division

Overall Place: 28 out of 68 runners

Pace: 10:48

it's a family affair :: part one.

it was monday morning--the 30th.

the brother-in-law and sister had spent the night with us.

our bags were packed and ready. 

(at least some of them. hehe!)

we were looking forward to the adventures that awaited us.

the car was loaded, and the brother and sis-in-law had arrived.

our time of departure (9:30 a.m.) came and went and we were running fashionably behind as normal.

hey, we didn't care--we were on vacation.

our caravan of the tahoe and suburban pulled out.

everyone keeps a plastic bubble pipe behind their ear, right?

first stop:

cracker barrel for lunch.

yum!

second stop:

unclaimed baggage.

he's going to be the coolest daddy.

dvd's and a chi straightener were our purchased items. 

the backpack child carrier was almost bought, but it was restored back to it's spot on the shelf.

until next time, mr baby carrier.

third stop:

the grovery store called "lucky's" to buy the remainder of the groceries that we would need for the week.

fourth stop:

our house away from home.

the big house.

we unloaded the trucks and prepared dinner.

we watched some tv and then popped in sherlock holmes.

it was going to be a good week.

(more to come.)

not once, but twice.

yup.

that's right.

i'm going to be an aunt TWO TIMES in july 2014.

sister and sis-in-law are preggo.

we're just a tad bit excited over here at my house.

(completely an understatement.)

(insta @purposelyathome)

the first day of the last.

today is it.

the first day of my last semester of college.

boy, howdy.

how i have been looking forward to this day.

it seems like only yesterday i was registering for my first semester of online classes.

and yet, it seems like it was eternity ago.

as i look back over my wonderful experience of college life, i am reminded of all the blessings that i experienced along the way...

`being able to stay at home and complete my assignments in the comfort of my own home.

`having a family that was there all along the way to support me.

(mom, i couldn't have done it without ya.)

`not having to worry about being "late" for class when i could just hop on the internet and be there in the midst of class session.

`being able to go to bed at 9:00 like an old grandma and not feel pressured to stay up with college friends.

`having the flexibility to spend more time with family and friends instead of having to sit through lectures in a college building classroom.

...sitting at the table in my pj's, just me and my lecture notes, studying for a final.

...being able to answer a discussion board in the empty library on my lunch hour.

...having the privilege of being able to take women's Bible classes and learning about how to be a homemaker and virtuous wife.

...having the most quaint classroom of them all.

...and sometimes, mid-term week just called for a breakfast of chocolate graham crackers with peanut butter and a diet coke.

...oh yeah, and then the little reminders for everyday.

yes.

it was an amazing last four years.

even with all the tears that were cried over accounting 1 and 2 homework and the instructors who would take weeks to email me and grade my work, these past four years held some of the greatest blessings in my life.

so here we go.

last semester, let's get you knocked out.