Haiti, Here We Come!!!

So here I am. At LAX, full from Chili's, and SUPER excited.

Definitely a different trip then my mom and sister have been on. I am going with a high school and I am a chaperone. Let's be honest, I will probably end up being more like the kids than in charge.. what's new.

PAUSE: so cool, just as I am writing this, a lot of the kids gathered around the guitar and started singing "No Place I'd Rather Be." I am already so blessed by these kids. I can already see how much love they have for each other and for Jesus and for each other. SO STOKED for this trip to get rollin.

Well, we are boarding!!!

Almost the weekend!

I had made a bit of a promise to myself that I would post every weekday for the rest of the summer in order to keep a bit of consistency....

Oops. Like that was actually going to happen.

I traveled a lot this week so I will give myself that, but I really am going to try to stick to that for the rest of the summer!

A little recap of the week:

This perfectly captures our relationship.

.:tuesday:.

I took a trip up to Orange County to see my dearest cousin, Mary, and her lovely husband Shane.

Let me just say, we made THE BEST pizza ever. I am planning on making it tomorrow night so recipe is soon to follow :)

Mary is such a blessing to me and I absolutely love that she is close enough to me that I can come up for a day and just sit with her and look up youtube videos with her and cook and talk and... the list could go on and on.

I love you Mary. PS: Gwirth.

Remember her :)

.:wednesday:.

 Right after I received my shots for Haiti (I leave Sunday by the way... what!?), I ventured up to Murrieta to visit my other dear cousin, Abbie to help her with wedding planning for her wedding at the end of August!

So much fun to get up there and not only spend some time with my beautiful cousin, but I also got to lead worship with her fiancé, Will. Let me tell you something... I miss leading worship. I really do. There is something about it that just really gets me. I love singing with such talented people and creating something that pleases God. 

The team at their church is quite the talented bunch!

Oh! I also got to see my Beck brothers for a little which was quite the treat!

Anywho, I can't wait to help out more with the wedding Abigail Ashley!

.:thursday (aka today):. 

Today was a pretty relaxed day. I went to lunch with Ms. Cassi A. Such a lovely lunch date with a girl that has been such a blessing in my life (ps I still use the blanket you made me! Happy graduation Cassi!!!). Then home for a little rest time, some laughs with my mom and then off to dinner at the Reeds to see our long lost friends the Marbreys! So You Think You Can Dance started up tonight and I couldn't be happier.

You know I think the things I can't do move me the most. I LOVE So You Think You Can Dance more than any other competition show on TV and I think it is because I can't dance (.. well I can grove, but I can't "dance"). Honestly, I hate to admit that I am a baby, but I am moved to goosebumps, chills, even tears during almost every show. So funny that I am talking about this, because last night's message at church was about "taking over the world" and using the gifts God gave you to do so. It's just incredible that God has blessed us with such different talents and we should be using them to our fullest. 

I continue to pray that  God uses me in Haiti!!! 

Family Dinner in the Jacuzzi

It was such a nice day outside that we just HAD to eat dinner in the hot tub! So fun. I love my spontaneous family :)

Speaking of how much I love my family, this weekend was CRAZY because of Heidi's graduation party... aka a ton of family/people who might as well be family came over. It was so much fun, but it meant there was SO MUCH cooking to do. Never a bad thing, but boy oh boy did my feet hurt on friday night. I will be posting a recipe or three for a few of my favorite appetizers in the near future :)

I am leaving for Haiti on Sunday. I can't even wrap my head around that. I am so excited for this experience. Honestly I am going in with NO expectations. I feel like when I expect things, I try to control them and then when whatever it is doesn't happen or goes wrong, I feel let down. I just want God to be present. That is the only thing I am expecting. I can't wait to meet Shirley!!!

I got to skype my dear Esther girl today. Always a plus.

OH! And I am off to Orange County to see my lovely cousin Mary. I can't wait!!!

Also, here are a few pictures from the photobooth at Heidi's grad party and by a few I mean 70 or so... oops. Sorry I'm not sorry.

Twins haha.

My Haiti buddies :)

Sisters... they never change.

The following few with these three are gold.