Awkward + Awesome III

{DISCLAIMER:  Due to my lack of sleep, lack of time, and, ok, let's face it, this is just an excuse for being lazy....anyways, I'm sorry for all the spelling and grammar errors that are in my posts...I feel like my, ahem, quality of writing has gone down due to my busy-ness (excuses again), so please bear with me.  :P}

~Awesome~

Those friends that leave you with a stomach ache from laughing.

When friends come in to the coffee shop!  (Mrs. S., so fun to see you guys! :))

Car rides with Joe, all the windows down, Hunter Hayes and Josh Turner blasting at ear-splitting volumes, singing as loud as we possibly can.  I repeat, as loud as we possibly can.  And that's very, very loud.   :D  I can only be that much myself around very special people.  ;)

Chocolate.  Cake.

Caribou.  Coffee.   Specifically, blended turtle mocha's.  Perfection.  Absolute.  Perfection.

A customer coming in the day after you worked to talk to your boss and give him a good report about you....MADE MY DAY.

When you can finish customer's sentences for them.  "I'd like a skim latte please" ..."with no froth, right?" "That's right!"  *inside voice shouting*  "SCORE!"

When customers come in, you see them coming, know them by name, and start making their drink before they get to the counter.

You have some tests coming up and your boss said you could bring your books and study during the slower times.  You head over to your table in the corner with your backpack.  The group of about 8 grandpa's that come in every day are sitting at the big table nearby.  The convo goes something like this.... Grandpa #1 "Emily!  Are you leaving us already?"  You: "Nope!  Just doing some studying, I have some tests coming up!"  "Oh, what tests are you doing?"  "Western Civilization and College Composition!"  Grandpa #2, "Oh, you don't need that laptop! We gotcha covered!  Steve over here is a history teacher..."  Grandpa #3, "Yeah, and John here, he's an English teacher!"  Grandpa John, "Yep, you just write me a paragraph and I'll correct it for you!"  They continue telling you what the different Grandpa's are gonna teach you, and are all like "You don't need any books, we'll teach you!"  And then Grandpa Ray, who is a retired pastor, chimes in, "And I'll pray for you!"  You just die laughing.  "Thanks Grandpa Ray, I'm definitely gonna need it!  In fact, let's just skip the studying and I'll just take those test on faith!"  By this time we are all pretty much roaring with laughter...and I know this is becoming a ridiculously long story...but then Grandpa Ray tells a little story about a pastor who decided to not study for his sermon and just give it on faith.  He got up to the pulpit and prayed and asked God what his sermon should be, and God told him that actually he was just being lazy, and He didn't have a sermon for him.  (Enough he's and him's to confuse you in that sentence? Yeah, I figured.)  So you all conclude that you had better study, after all.  Those guys though....they just make you laugh. so. much.!!!

Phone calls with Joe while he's driving and he sings Josh Turner songs to me.  It's adorrrrrable.  <3

Coming up with specialty drinks at work.  :D

Going down a water slide the little brothers created down the root cellar...and screaming like you're on a roller coaster.  And an awkward would be...those swimming trunks I'm wearing?  Yeah, couldn't find my bathing suit, so my older brother's old pair of shorts worked.  XD

Coaching Calls with my amazing coach.  Where I go from super discouraged to on top of the world in about 45 minutes.  Can't recommend CollegePlus enough! 

Feeling like I have my own personal coffee shop, because my wonderful boss let's me go in before hours and make myself a latte early in the morning.  :D

Summer evenings walking around with the .22 hunting bunnies.   And being hunted by mosquitoes. That part isn't so awesome.




~Awkward~

You usually write down people's names on their order slips.  After weeks of writing down the same group of lady's names, you're pretty sure you remember this lady's name.  "It's Barb, right?"  Umm nope, it wasn't Barb.  That's what you get for guessing!  "Ok, so which one is Barb?!"  So you should get it right next time. ;P

After a long day at work, you're super tired, and just finishing up closing with a coworker.  Almost ready to go, and you clumsily knock her coffee off the counter and all over the newly-mopped floor.  Feel like an idiot, and there's a great cleanup job...just wanted to mop more! '_'

FaceTiming with Joe so late into the night that you get to the point of being able to do nothing but laugh hysterically because you're so tired....

When one of your "regulars", a coffee-drinking, sweet ol' Grandpa, brings in his grandson to meet you.... O.o  It was...yes, very awkward, but kind of funny too!  :P

When it's been a long day at the coffee shop, and customers comes in, "Can I have a medium latte?"  Me: "Yep!  What size would you like?"  They start to repeat themselves.  Then..."oh, I'm sorry, yes, you told me that, yup, I need some coffee too here, just been a long day, and you know, maybe I'll just shut up and make your latte now."

Another regular Grandpa who comes in and is all like "You just have the best smile!  All the young guys must love your smile!  You just have such a beautiful smile!...." And stands there and chatters away about your smile while you stand there and keep smiling...and smiling...and it's getting awkward and your smile hurts...and he stands there and keeps talking about your smile.  "IT'S DYING NOW, GRANDPA."  He's a sweetheart, though. :)

Your boss telling the ladies waiting for their lattes, "You keep an eye on her, she has this new boyfriend and her head is all in the clouds!"  Thanks boss. :P

Falling asleep while talking to your boyfriend.  Then wondering if you said anything stupid the next morning.

When a young couple comes in for breakfast, and kind of stand there at the counter making out... umm, let me know when you're ready to order, ok?  I can only pretend to be studying something on the register for so long.

Your car isn't exactly waterproof....and it rained.  So after a good 45 minute drive, you're walking around in public and you realize the whole backside of you is wet. '_'

When the part of your day involving driving to the cities and back (or trying to) pretty much goes like this: try to drive to destination (Caribou, this particular one that you've been to twice before), get lost.  Almost turn onto an exit ramp in your attempt to become un-lost.  Thankfully, you see the "DO NOT ENTER" sign before it is too late.  Run through a stop sign.  Finally get to your destination.  Study for a while.  Go to meet your boyfriend at Chipotle.  Get lost on the way to Chipotle.  Make it to Chiptole.  Eat Chipotle.  Go back to Caribou.  Park.  Get out.  Put your keys in your purse. (Ok, so you didn't.  But you could swear you did.)  Have Caribou.  Head back out to put your purse in your car and go for a walk.  Keys are not there.  Keys are nowhere to be found.  The next hour included phone calls, asking for a wire hanger in a random shop, trying to get it unlocked, no success.  So, boyfriend gives you a ride to the next destination, then home to get a spare key, then all the way back.  You finally arrive back at your car about 5 hours later.  You go to unlock it and notice the "TWO HOUR PARKING" sign in front of your vehicle.  '_'  Yes this story keeps going.  You get your car unlocked, FIND YOUR KEYS IN THE CENTER CONSUL NEXT TO YOUR SUNGLASSES, and get outta there asap.  Get partially lost on the way home.  Then, almost hit a deer.  Finally arrive home, wiped out, stumble into the house, and indulge in a late night snack.  One of your brothers wakes up, comes into the kitchen and is like "Em, you left your lights on...."  '_'  I was like FACE. PALM.  What else can I possibly do wrong today?  Actually, the more positive way to look at this would be, "I can't do anything else wrong today!  I've done it all." .... '_'  (Is that more positive?) Please don't ask me how I passed my driver's test.  I really do think of myself as a good driver...I never text and drive, etc. etc.  I just have these days sometimes....anyways.  Thus ends the saga of The Day I Did Everything Wrong.

Falling asleep while studying.  Oh, it was in the middle of a coffee shop.  *wakes up* *wipes drool off face* *looks around* No one saw that, right?  *shrinks under table*


And that wraps up this edition of Awkward + Awesome!  Til next time!

thankful

So I'm not sure why I have a blog, because I never post on it.  :P  Every once in a while I get a blogging bug, and write out a post in my head, but actually sitting down to type it out?  Doesn't happen very often (obviously).  Life is insane and a little overwhelming sometimes, but I'm loving this season.  I'll be 19 next Sunday, and I'd be happy to stay 19 for a long time yet.  18 was a good year.  It was by far the hardest year of my life, but I'm a different person now than I was a year ago. I'm very thankful for every one of those darned hard days, weeks, and months, and how God used them to shape and refine me.  Right now, my days are full of work and studying.  It gets overwhelming at times...so much to do, so little time.  Just trying to take it a day at a time, and not think about how much there is to do in the next several weeks.  My goal is 23 credits this summer semester, and I've done 6 so far...so I still have a ways to go.  =}  But I'm determined to get it done, or die trying.  The latter is looking like a likely possibility right now.  ;P  The days when I'm so overwhelmed, it's good to remember how much I have to be thankful for.

I'm thankful for the fact that I even have the opportunity to go to college and learn all these things. College wasn't something that was a part of my plans even 6 months ago, and I'm thankful God opened those doors.  So when I'm muddling through Ancient Greece, I have to remember, I'm blessed to have the opportunity to learn.

I'm thankful for friends who are super-ultra-encouraging.  One friend in particular, the kind of friend who brings marshmallows to study parties (do those words go together?), gets me chocolate covered espresso beans from Trader Joe's (a taste of heaven, I'm sure), and sends the most awesomely encouraging texts that make me laugh and motivate me to press on.  (You know who you are!)

I'm thankful for my dad who encouraged me to go ahead and take my psychology test instead of cancelling it like I almost did...and it ended up being my best-scoring test thus far!

I'm thankful for my mom who got out the chocolate cake after I started crying to her over this stupid, I mean wonderful, Western Civ yesterday morning.  I don't know how much of that stuff I ate, and I don't care.  It. Was. Wonderful.

I'm thankful for my amaaaazing CP coach, who pretty much makes me feel like I can conquer the world.

I'm thankful for my completely amazing boyfriend...he's the kind that makes me feel so much better when I'm stressing out, instead of telling me how dramatic I'm being, is beyond encouraging, and also the kind that buys me Caribou coffee beans and sends chocolate bars in the mail.  (Anyone noticing a chocolate theme here?)  In other words, he's the bestest kind.  ;)

I'm thankful that I have a job that I LOVE, and the new opportunities arising from that.

I could keep going, but these are a few of the things that remind me, I have it really, really good.  God has blessed me, and life is beautiful!  So with that little update-of-sorts, here's some pictures from the Great Little Adventures of Emily these days.  ;)

^^ Attending a beautiful wedding with this beautiful friend.  We even raided the kitchen for extra deserts after the reception was over.  *sly face*  And then there was the large cold pressed Caribou coffee on the way there....it was ahhhmazing.  

^^Locked my keys in my car for the first time.  '_'  

^^Hanging out with my bestie, taking cute selfies. :P

GoKarting with Joe for his birthday!  I was ahead until he knocked me off the track.  :P

We went fishing on his birthday too...I caught a 4 pound bass!  Not even kidding!  Couldn't believe it, it was the biggest fish I've ever seen.  :D  Unfortunately I don't have a picture though...we released it.  Ok, kind of an accidental release.  :P

^^This picture makes me happy!  They literally wrestled for like 20 minutes while I laughed at them. =)

^^I taught Joe how to play backgammon, and he found this app, and it's going to be the death-by-sleep-deprivation of both of us.  May or may not have spent several late nights playing each other... we're both just a little competitive....

^^My life.

so there's this guy...

I've got some news to share with ya'll! Remember, way back in January when I posted about that crazy, weird guy who dropped a pickup line on me?  Yeah....that one.  Well, the story didn't end there, and four exciting months later, Mr. Pickup Line is now my boyfriend.  And to say this has been the craziest, awesomest, most blessed and fun story ever....is an understatement.  Let's just say I didn't see this one coming...God is a God of surprises, and I'm so grateful for that.  :D
Sometime when I have time (ha!) I will share the whole story, but for now, meet Joe. :)

hey there!

Hellooooooo people's!  It's meeeeee again.  Just staying sane, or not, over here, and loving all the craziness.  Can I say it, again?  Life has been crazy busy. I know, I say that every time.  I swear, (ok, no, I don't swear) it really is busy-er every time though!  Between work, school, home and farm life, and, ahem, social activities, life is full to the brim and running over.  :D  Occasionally, I will melt down and cry over nothing, and send my poor friends foot-long texts of venting, but most of the time, I've been thriving on the craziness.  :)  Here's some random ramblings to let ya'll know what's been goin on!

I get up at 4am every day, and make my cup of liquid happiness.  Then I do my chores around the house, have devos, go for a run, murder myself in the form of crunches and push-ups, do devotions with the family, run my dogs, do farm chores, and then leave for work or studying around 8am.  Studying has been going awesome - I'm currently studying for my first CLEP exam...sociology!  So far, so good. I haven't died yet or anything!  Actually, I've really been enjoying CollegePlus!  I have had a couple calls with my coach, Hannah, and I absolutely love her.  We have a lot in common, and I know she's gonna be perfect for me!  It's super nice to have a coach to keep me accountable - we set goals, made action steps, etc...really helpful!  I'm so excited! 

Studying at Dunn Bros ^^

Anyone else loving the weather!?!?!??!  It's capri and tank top and flip flop weather!  Errr, something like that.  :P  

Last night there was an incredible sunset!!  There had been a bunch of rain, and then the sun came out as it was setting, and there was a rainbow.  I was heading out to the barn to bottle feed a lamb, and I saw the sunset and was like, I gotta watch this!  So I went and climbed up into one of my favorite trees to take in all the lovely-ness.  Well, ok....so it was all picturesque and everything....I climbed up the tree, settled onto my favorite branch, rested my feet on the small branch below that and... ummm...yeah.   It may or may not have just kind of crumbled.  I may or may not have I lost my balance.  And I may or may not have fallen out of the tree.  Extremely.  Ungracefully.  I was pretty sure I broke my nose, and my wrist, and my ankle.  I laid there on the ground for a little while, wondered if I needed an ambulance, but realized I didn't have a phone or anything, so I decided I was fine, got up, and tried again.  I was a little more careful this time, and didn't go on anymore, ummm, unexpected flying adventures.  Actually it was beautiful....I probably sat up there for a half hour, talked to God, cried a little, watched the sun go down, and just basked in it all.  Those lovely moments, aside from the retarded times of falling out of trees, are....so beautiful.

Got to take this wonderful guy on a date last week.  I seriously have the best lil' brother in the world, folks.  Whoever gets this guy is gonna be one lucky lady.  <3

I recently re-discovered hot curlers, or whatever they are even called.  They have changed my life!!!  OK, not really.  But I love to curl my hair, but it takes forever because I have so much hair, so taking five minutes to roll up my hair in curlers, then get stuff done while they magically curl...it's so wonderful.  Let's just not talk about what I look like mid-process though, ok?

Yes, I have a new obsession with Snapchat, in case you were wondering.  :P

Yup, just drinking more coffee.

Speaking of coffee, my job!  Ahhhh I love my job!  It's been so fun!  Getting to meet super neat people, forming friendships with co-workers, and generally, getting to make people's days a little better with liquid happiness.  Seriously, groups of little ol' ladies are my favorite.  Try saying "how are you lovely ladies today?" when they walk in the door....their responses. #adorable

Went on a lovely run with a couple dogs one evening....it was absolutely gorgeous out!!  So fun!  

....well, most of it was fun.  Let's just say, running a couple Pyrs can get....interesting, and painful, sometimes.  :P

THIS was TWO DAYS after the pictures above!  Like it was 70 degrees the one day, and then THIS.  Really, MN, really????

Yup, this was definitely a random post.  And I've probably never posted this many selfies. But like I said, I have a new obsession with snapchat, so this is watcha get.  Sometime I will sit down and right a post about all the things I've been learning...reading some good books, listening to good sermons, and God has been teaching me so much!  It all feels like an adventure, it's crazy exciting, and I'm blessed.  <3

Alright, I'm off.  One of my co-workers and I joined a Refit class and so I'm gonna go kill myself in the form of dancing.  It's a super fun class, all to worship music!

  Talk to you all later!  ("You all" meaning, all the non-exsisting people who I imagine read my pathetic blog).  

Oh man, life is just so exciting!  *insert happy grin/jumping up and down/gigling*  The past week has been just. plain. fun!!!  My first day at work last Thursday was totally awesome.  My boss is awesome, the other coworker is awesome, the customers are awesome, and the coffee is awesome. 'Nuff said?  Yup, I'm gonna love it.  So blessed. <3

Then, I officially started my college classes (through CollegePlus) yesterday!!  I spent the day at Dunn Bros studying/getting organized, and may or may not have consumed three large coffees. :P  Exploring CollegePlus has been so exciting, and I've already "met" a bunch of awesome people!  I can't wait to have my first call with my coach, I already know I'm gonna love her.

So, that's a min-update for you.  I worked 8 hours today and I now have studying to do, so this barista is checking out!  Talk later!

Awesome + Awkward II

DISCLAIMER: This was written in a coffee-less state, and also in a hurry, so it probably contains lots of gramatic-al and sentence-al and sense-ical errors.  But I really do not care, because I only have so much time for blogging, so this is just whatcha get.  My non-perfect writing.  You have been warned.

Awesome:

~Friends who know exactly the right time to send a text and let you know they are praying for you and hope you are having a great day.  And it cheers you up so much.
~ Having a family who is so supportive and encouraging to you in your new ventures.
~Working your first day, and your dad stops in in the morning to drop off your lunch, which you forgot, and he takes out his phone and takes a picture.  His little girl all grown up!  ;-)
~Also on your first day at work, later in the day, your Mom and brothers stopping by! You're  washing dishes in the kitchen, look up, and there they are peeking around the corner, taking pictures. =)
~Your boss starting out your first day at work by making you a mocha.  Yes, please, and thank you very much.  You may have found your calling in life {drinking mochas}.
~How understanding and helpful your boss/coworkers are to the newbie!
~Tear-jerking testimonies at church.  Testimonies of God's love and grace, it's so awesome.
~Knowing that God has a plan for your life, so you don't need to stress about things, just enjoy the ride.
~Friends who bring you chocolate and coffee.  Those are the best kind of friends.  Ever.
~Going skiing for the first time!
~Riding up the chairlift with an 8 year old boy....  you strike up a conversation with him, asking him how long he has been snowboarding, etc., etc.  As you near the end, he looks at you and says, "You know, I'm really glad I came on this chairlift with you, I think I had a lot more fun than I would have on a different one!"  Melt your heart.  It was so cute!
~Snuggling babies. <3
~The beautiful weather!  Wearing capris, t-shirts, and flip flops!  It's like 40 degrees, people! :P
~Your sweet little brother who always asks you how your day went.  He's so thoughtful.
~Your coworker telling you she really enjoys working with you.  Makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.The feeling is mutual!  She's so sweet.
~Opportunities to share Jesus with the lost!
~Friends who you can be your weird self around.
~Getting to spend an afternoon with your bestie, who lives in Colorado right now.
~Skiing with five guys and pretty much feeling like a doted-over little sister the whole day.  Every time you crashed, one or two of them was there to help you get back on your feet and on your skis and going...you feel totally spoiled...it is kinda awesome though. =)
~The lyrics of this song: "I wanna live like there's no tomorrow, love like I'm on borrowed time, it's good to be alive."  So inspiring, and so true!
~Getting to spend the weekend with your wonderful Grandma for her birthday.  She is the sweetest person in the world, and you love her so much.
~Having a productive day...getting up early, having devos, getting your chores done, going to work and working for 8 hours, coming home and jogging a mile, then getting a lesson done for your class, and...writing a blog post or two.  ;)

Awkward:

~The things auto correct does to your texts.  And then you correct auto correct, and auto correct corrects you, and you correct auto correct, and auto correct corrects you.  Repeat three times.  Pull hair out.

~Pulling up to a red light, rolling down window to wipe off rear view mirror. Try to close window. Window won't close. This is normal in your car. Light turns green. You pull on window, push button, and creep through the intersection, making faces as everyone watches.
~The big post-it-note on your car window that says "LIGHTS OFF".  After leaving them on for the 50th time, it was time for drastic measures.

~Sitting at the gas station in Dassel with your hood popped (left your lights on again), realizing what a reputation you and your car are making in your small town.  *disappears*

~Running into the bank three minutes before it closes. You fill out your deposit slip for $70, and then count out $90 to the bank lady.  She looks at you.  "Did you want to deposit $70 or $90"?  You feel  ridiculous and begin babbling about it being a long week and no sleep and you don't have coffee and nonesense while you fix your slip.  I think the people in the bank are getting used to me though, I do something to embarrass myself every time I set foot in there.  

~Seeing a mouse and screaming so loud. So. Loud.

~Texting people in the middle of the night. It gets interesting. And awkward when you are so tired that you can't think straight and say stupid things.  Then going back and reading it in the morning.  *facepalm*
~When the shower malfunctions and gets stuck on, blasting COLD water.  At your Grandma's house. 

~Getting up from your chair in a restaurant and trying to push it in, only to realize it's bolted to the floor.  *Did anyone see that? See what?  Was that me?!*
~Shopping in Walmart, going to check out, and a helpful worker tells you to go to aisle 8.  You smile, say thanks, and walk over to line 7.  Then you look up, see what line you're in, and just kind of crawl over to line 8.  Yes, I feel retarded, why did you ask?
~Writing out a check at the grocery store while a friend you're hanging out with for the day is watching.  The total is fifteen something.  You write it out carefully.  "F-i-f-e-t-e-en."  You look at it.  It just doesn't look right.  You look at your friend and he's just silently laughing.  Did I really just do that?  I know how to spell, I really do.  And I've never spelled fifteen "fifeteen" before.  Of course, said friend will never let you forget it.  '_'
~The fact that while writing the above sentence, you wrote "It just doesn't look write."  Oh my word.  I need more coffee.  It all boils down to coffee, people.  Pretty much 99% of these awkwards happened when I didn't have coffee.
~Sending kissy faces to guy friends.  Those emojis, they just always get in the way of each other.  And make life very awkward for me.
~Stopping to give a tract and some money to a homeless man.   You pull up next to the curb, hand it to him, he says thank you, and you're all like "Yep, thank you!" And he's like "you're welcome!"  And you drive away and look at your brother and am like, "Did I really just thank a homeless man for me giving him money....?" :P  Feeling very blonde.  You don't always think on your feet very well.  Or off them, for that matter.  Anyways.
~Sneaking coffee into the library.  Your mom, skilled coffee smuggler, says, "Just don't make eye contact with the librarian!"  Your mom does it very gracefully.  You, on the other hand, am just the picture of awkward.  *Walks into library.*  *Holds purse in front of coffee*  *Thinks it looks a bit suspicious* (IT DOES).  *Holds it normally* *Face burns* *Stares anywhere but at the librarian* *Tries to act normal* *Fails* *Studies the ceiling* *Tries not to walk into anything* *Sneaks a guilty look at the librarian* *Pretends you didn't see her* *Wonders why this is so difficult*
~Sitting in said library, head phones on, studying and listening to KLove.  A favorite song comes on and you are unconsciously movin' to the music....only to look up and see an old lady walking slowly past, just looking at you. *shrinks away*
~Leaving your piano student's house.  Student: "Have a good drive!"  You: "Thanks!  You too!"  You: walks out front door, realizes what just came out of your mouth (other than the foot you just spit up), and *facepalms*.  "You too."  Gets me every time. WELL WHENEVER YOU DRIVE SOMEWHERE, I HOPE IT'S GOOD.  '_'
~Working in the coffee shop and asking a customer, "Would you like some soup with your crackers?"  Pauses and thinks.  Then, "What I'm trying to say is, would you like any crackers with your soup?"
~Making some shots of espresso, and you kind of forget to hold the little espresso cups underneath.  Oh yeah, forgot that...running espresso down the drain really isn't gonna help anyone is it?  Grateful for a very understanding customer who made me feel so much better when she said "We're all new at something every day!" Thank you, because I feel very new right now!
~Eating crunchy food while you're on the phone.  "Sorry CRUNCH if CRUNCH I'm CRUNCHING in your earCRUNCH."
~A sweet lady coming into the coffee shop and telling you, "You look just like your mom!"  You: "Aww, thank you!" You, to yourself: "I don't even know who you are...?!?!"  But it was still sweet. :)
~Going out to dinner at Olive Garden after skiing with five guys all day, and not realizing that was a HOT pepper that you just ate WHOLE until after the fact. You sit there and guzzle water and stuff bread in your mouth while the guys laugh at you, feel bad for you, and make suggestions to you.  "Really *SNIFF* I'm fine, you guys *WIPES EYES* just give me a minute *SNIFFFFF* I'll be ok *STIFLES A HOWL* that's just really hot.... *AND I FEEL LIKE I'M DYING*"

~The fact that I have so many more awkwards.  But, I gotta go be productive, so, later ya'll!

College, Coffee, and Crazy

Well hello there!  It's me again, I'm back!  And I don't even know where to start, cuz it's been a while since we've talked, huh?!  Yeah just like, umm, over a month.  I *facecpalm* whenever I think about saying I'd try and post every week.  Haha...haha...haha.  

Wellp, I'll just sum up a few of the important events in my life lately: I got a job, I'm starting college, and I quit coffee.

Did you pass out?  

OK, if y'all are revived now, I'll elaborate!  

So yeah, lots of busy-ness and changes lately!  I've been praying about what's next in life for me.  I've dabbled in a few different ideas but wasn't really excited about anything.  Mom was asking me "what is it you love to do?"  Since I was little, I've always wanted to be a midwife.  I looked into doula training, but it just didn't seem the right fit for this time in my life.  Mom asked me if I wanted to pursue music more, and suggested talking to my piano teacher.  I sent her a text, and when she texted back and said she'd highly recommend getting a degree in music, I just knew it was what I was supposed to do!  I got excited and had a peace about it right away, and started looking at different college options.  I'm determined to pay my way through or bust, so saving money was definitely high priority!  So anyways, after a lot of help from people, phone calls, and research....I'm starting online classes through CollegePlus this next Monday!  I'll be taking 29 credits of generals through them, and they estimated it to take 6 months.  I'm gonna try and get it done sooner than that, but I don't know how possible that is!  But I should get them all finished up by September, Lord willing, and then I'll be going to Crown College to pursue my music degree!  I'll be commuting every day, because staying on campus is expennnnnsive.  So yes, it's nose to the grindstone, I've got five hours of studying to do every day.  And I'm excited!  Ask me again when I'm doing algebra and chemistry.  '_'

And a job.  Obviously a big part of starting college was making more money, and I was blessed with getting more piano students.  Then, while I was hanging out working on college stuff at a coffee shop, the owner came up and asked me if I needed any part time work!  He gave me a job application, and I filled it out and brought it in the next day.  To make the story short, I'm starting my job as a barista tomorrow morning at Papa D's in Dassel!  I'm super, super excited!  I mean, coffee lover's dream job, right?!  Which reminds me...

I quite coffee.  Yup, I really did.  I decided one day that I really need to learn to survive without it, so I quit, cold turkey.  In fact, I actually drank water instead.  The self control, I'm tellin' you!  Pretty amazing, if I don't say so myself!  So yeah, it lasted for 11 hours.  I quit coffee for 11 hours.  And then decided that life is too short to be tired, crabby, and coffee deprived, and I welcomed coffee back into my life with open arms.  <3  Haha!  That's the slightly dramatized version... :P

For other news?  Ummm life is kinda pretty much crazy.  But I've realized lately, I thrive on crazy.  I love being busy, always having places to go and people to see.  There is still those times of quiet though, reading scriptures, writing in my journal, and realizing how incredibly blessed I am.  I wouldn't trade anything in my life for anything else.  Even the tough stuff, it's all blessings in disguise.  God is so abundantly good to me.  

I have an Awkward + Awesome post coming up.  The amount of awkwards in my life lately....it's awkward. =P  Meanwhile, here's some pictures from the last month!

Me and my besties at Rachel's (far left) bridal shower!  

This is my mom's "we have coffee and chocolate in the library and we shouldn't!" face.  :P

This is me drinking coffee after my 11-hour fast.  #pureblissandhappiness

The sunrise was coming through the foggy window.  <3

Oh, y'know, just out for a jog in the freezing weather.  =]

Got to spend an afternoon with my big bro, Brandon.  He took me to the Porsche dealership where he works - it was so awesome!!!

Hanging out with Bran, his girlfriend Sam, and a friend of theirs.  The guys were not being photogenic.  

He took me for a ride in his new wheels!

A friend sent this to me.  I have a feeling this will be me in a few days.  :P

This is my awkward happy face after being hired at Papa D's!

Hanging out with my bestie friend forever!  So good to see you again, Serena!!  I miss her like crazy!

We are weird sometimes.

Solving the world's problems over Caribou coffee.

Leave me in a house with paint for the afternoon, and there may be more paint on me than the walls by sundown.  Yes, somehow I dumped paint down my leg.  I even had white freckles!  

Beautiful scriptures.  <3

The sister-of-the-bride and I at the groom's dinner.

Beautiful sunrise, dirty car window.  

I clearly have my priorities straight here.  I buckled in my thermos of coffee, because it is oh-so-precious.  This is on the way to the wedding.  After playing hockey for a few hours the night before (the most painful and injury-ful game of the season) and going to bed at 1am, I showed up at the church with a thermos in one arm and a large mocha (with an extra shot) in the other. Everyone started laughing when I walked in.  I kind of looked down and was like oh, yeah, this is a lot of coffee, isn't it?!  WELL I'M READY TO TAKE ON THE WORLD!

I went skiing for the first time ever!  All day!  And I went over big jumps!  And box rails!  And I was so proud of myself!  And I feel like a 90 year old lady who got hit by a train now!  I can hardly walk! Yay!  And I'd do it all over again!  Because it was that fun!

This is Me, Joe, and Tim, heading up the lift.

Left to Right: Tim, Jason, Me, Joe, and David.  Jason is a friend of Joe's and David is a friend of Jason's.... this was supposed to be a class reunion for my graduation class, but the only people that made it were Joe, Tim, and I.  Party poopers!  And that's how I ended up to be the only girl, too.  Slightly awkward, but then I kind of felt right at home being I'm an only girl anyways!  We had a blast.  Oh, and this picture?  Umm yeah, they are totally holding me from going down the hill backwards there.  :P

The only picture I have of me skiing.  Don't I look like a pro?  :P  Trust me, I couldn't even get up the bunny hill at the beginning of the day.  Like I crashed when I tried to go up the tow rope.  And my friends died laughing at me.  Thanks, guys.  =}  And I crashed coming down the bunny hill.  And then after three or four times of that, the guys are like "Ok!  Now we go to the big hill!" And I was sure they were trying to murder me.  But by the end of the day, I was getting air on the jumps, and landing them too.  Ok, most of them.  Others, my skis were flying far away, and I was head over heels rolling down the hill.  I even got awarded the best crash of the day by the guy running the ski lift.  :P  Eventually, though, I mastered the big jump!  #feelingaccomplished

Hanging out with my bestie before the wedding!  I'll post more pictures of the wedding later!  

  

And now, friends, it's time for me to hit the hay!  Tomorrow I start my barista journey!  Wish me luck!  Over and out.