Party Liners

I have spent a good portion of my Friday morning reading through each of the possible Presidential candidates websites in order to familiarize myself with their stance on certain issues. I am taking a PoliSci class right now, and it has actually been incredibly interesting to me. I hope that if you plan on voting that you base your decisions on issues rather than what might be easier, such as voting party lines, whether Democrat or Republican. Challenge yourself to see the good and bad in both stances. Think about repercussions for everyone- not just yourself. From the poorest of poor to the most wealthy. It really makes you think and solidify why you believe what you believe.

In high school I didn't take the "normal" route. I mean, think about it. I grew up in East Texas. I couldn't vote at the time, but you bet if I backed someone I backed them for a reason. That is one thing that I respect. If you are passionate about a candidate because you are informed about their stances then you go and vote what you want to vote! Ignorance in this arena, I am afraid, is not bliss.

Go! Read! Inform yourself!

*Sidenote: Rick Perry doesn't have an "education issues" tab on his website. Just throwin' that out there.

Geriatric Jillian

Now back to my rocking chair, cats, and knitting.... I wish.

Sooner Stompin'

Today I started the first step in starting my own line of headbands/other things. Ordering supplies. I can't wait to receive them and get started on my first project: headbands! I've been doodling lots of different ideas in my Moleskine. It should be fun.

The one thing now left for me to consider is if I want to sell on Etsy or Big Cartel. Etsy charges per listing, as well a (small) portion of the profits. However, you can list as many items as you want as well as post many pictures. Big Cartel on the other hand has a free option. No charge to sell whatsoever. The catch with the free option on Big Cartel is you can only have 5 listings up at a time with one picture each. I like my pictures... I like my details. Does anyone have a preference? Any insight? I would love to hear it.

In other news... today is a big game day. That's right-- gross OU versus the Fightin' Texas Aggies. I'm very nervous. Very nervous indeed. If the game was at Kyle Field the boys would have a whole stadium backing them. Being in Norman.... scary. Win or lose, it will be a fun game. I just really, really, really hope we win. Funny to think. Last year I came down to A&M for the OU/A&M game and was heartbroken when the Sooners lost (such an upset) and now an upset is ALL I want! Gig 'Em AGGIES! You did it once, now do it again!

 Last year. Pre game. Not ashamed to be a Sooner. Just scared of the crazy fans. I wore a OU jacket and an A&M shirt. Conflict of interest.

Our group. I was probably pretending to be happy that A&M won this game. Let's be real. I was a pot of boiling bitterness. OK. Maybe that's a little extreme.

Also. Last night I watched the first Lord of the Rings for the first time. Ever. I know, I am sheltered and silly and a disgrace. BUT I FREAKIN' LOVE THEM. Can't wait to finish the next two and then watch them all over ten million times! Why have I waited so long for this?

Pioneer and Perfecter

Something to chew on on this beautiful Friday afternoon:

Therefore, since we are surround by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes of Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.


Hebrews 12:1-3

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What I'm Diggin' No. 2

Let's start with my jam for this week.... it's a tie between this Sara Bareilles cover of Little Lion Man (make sure to listen starting around 2:35) and one of my favorite winter songs, rightly named The Winter Song. November starts tomorrow (crayyyy!) so it's right about time for me to bust out the Christmas tunes!

I have a hard time eating my green vegetables, so when Emily told me about spinach smoothies she makes, I gave it a try. Let me tell you. They are wonderful. I can't even taste the spinach. In order to prevent my strawberries/bananas/kiwis/pears from going bad (I make about 2 smoothies a week) I precut all my fruit and freeze it--- an idea I first saw here. I will put up a quick recipe in the next day or so.

I really, really, really, really hope that one day I can see the Northern Lights. Apparently on October 24th there was a huge light show stretching from Canada to Arkansas.

This might be the most wonderful thing I have ever read.

It's about time for wooly sock weather. This whole board makes me giddy. I can't get enough of my maroon and grey striped socks. These things rock. Wonderful wooly goodness when my toesies get a little frozies.

The Holiday was being played on the Lifetime channel yesterday afternoon. Need I say more? Yesterday was just asking for me to be a lazy bum all day.

Playing broom ball and scavenger hunts (or duck calling) with a ton of friends from Young Life in Brazos valley.

An interesting article from National Geographic about Food Arks and their importance as we keep climbing in number. Current population of the world as I type? 7,000,054,385. Yes, a seven, not a six.

And lastly, I love me my ENO and hanging out in it with this guy!

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. Isaiah 40:28

Mid-Pre-Adulthood Life Crisis

This week the schedule of all the Spring semester classes came out. This means nothing more than drop all your homework and spend the next 3 hours researching professors and determining what your schedule should be. Not that I did that or anything. So here I am scheduling along when I kind of realize, "Oh hey! Looks like I will only have 31 hours left after this Spring semester. Wait a minute...?"

So. It looks like I will be graduating a year early. Which is CRAY CRAY to the max. I always planned that I would be graduating a semester early because of AP hours. But goodness, the idea of one whole year early has definitely took me for a loop. I won't really have a true senior year in college experience. Which is sad. But I don't think I want to extend out my schooling just to do that. I am only taking 13 hours this semester, then 15 and 16, respectively. That means 3 more semesters of being a not-real adult. SCARY. Of course, this will only happen if the classes are offered when they should be, etc. etc. I will still be applying for medical school with my normal class. Which means I will have a year to live at home (Oh hi, Mom and Dad!), have a job to make some doll-hairs, preferably go on an extended mission, all before hopefully entering med school. I guess that's the reason this freaks me out so much. Because I will have at least a year (I pray no more) of waiting. In case you guys have figured it out.... LIFE IS GETTING REAL. 


So, mid-pre-adulthood life crisis out in the clear. That's my story.

In other news, A&M had a Bazaar, aka craft fair today. OH MY YES, I did just say craft fair. So I was in heaven. And I love my school. And I bought a headband (no surprise). And it made me really want to open my own Etsy shop again, because I think that the stuff I make would be about 14 (ay, ay, ay, ay, ay) times cuter than anything I saw today. Seriously though. Should I? Real talk: even if I don't sell anything I would still wear it myself. So no doll-hairs lost, right? Right. I am thinking headbands (mainly), small home decor type items, ornaments and cute garland type things. I don't know. I also think it would be a cool idea to give a portion of my profits to one of my favorite organizations. Crafting for a cause, eh? Aside from the fact that I love crafting, continuing to pursue my hobbies and actually doing something with them would look really great for medical school application. Always lookin' ahead, nom? So anyway. Etsy store, yay or nay?

What I'm Diggin' no. 1

In attempts to make my blogging more regular I am going to start a weekly list of the things I'm vibing on. Our inaugural list:

Song for the Suburbs has been on repeat for the past week. The whole album actually. Listen to it. You'll be glad. Lovin' me some BR.

This ministry, this cause. If you don't tithe to a church but want to give your offering somewhere, the latter is an awesome choice.

For all my nerds out there... crazy fantastic cell animation. This stinking blows my mind. I think I chose the right field of study.

Seriously, these shorts are my favorite second to my Paties. (They deserve their own entire post. More on that another time). Hit up Lands' End Canvas... they are on sale for 20% off $16.99. I am thinking about buying the two colors I don't have. I don't ever buy anything. This is saying something.

I wish I had a porch so badly right now. Autumn + hammocks + porches + books makes me a happy camper. Speaking of camping:

I spent the weekend camping in Pedernales Falls State Park. It was incredible. Add camping to the things I am now (and always) diggin'.

Let's be real here. When am I not loving this face?

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst forth in song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Isaiah 55:12

Happy Fall, y'all.

It's October, my favorite month of the year! Here's a look back on what I was doing one year ago this month. It's crazy how much things have changed. But I couldn't be more happy with that change.

 Hayden came up for the first weekend of October to visit me. We went to Turner Falls and just had a wonderful time in the beautiful Oklahoma autumn weather. Can I tell you how happy I am that six hour trips are no longer necessary? Blessed, blessed, blessed.

 One thing I do miss about Oklahoma? The evident change in seasons. The color changes, the cooler weather, the awesome sunsets. It has been different experiencing one hundred degree weather in College Station a few days before October. I feel like last year I was already rockin' long sleeve shirts (one of my favorite things) a few weeks into school. 

If this picture isn't an all-encompassing autumn picture, I don't know what is. These are two girls I miss quite a lot. Trying to find a great group of girls to live life with has been my biggest struggle thus far at A&M. I am thankful for my roommates and my boys that I hang out with, but I am also trusting in the Lord that he will provide for me lasting friendships. If you think of that in your time of prayer, do you think you could lift me up?

I am training for Young Life again this semester because the programs at A&M and OU are pretty different, but I am totally OK with that. I will be placed in a small group that meets every week here soon, so I am confident that I will build relationships with the girls I meet there. One thing the Lord has been putting on my heart is being in pursuit of those people. I can't just sit around and wait for them. I kind of feel like a freshman all over again-- but I am strangely alright with it!

One happy/exciting/amazing/WONDERFUL update for you all- the little peanut that is to be my sister's new baby is officially a boy! You know this little guy is going to be the most spoiled thing in the world--- rightly so!

Thanks for sticking with me in my small hiatus from the blog. It's been pretty busy around here studying and running everywhere. However, I would say that the studying has been paying off, at least for one class. I made an A on my first organic chemistry test-- one of seven people in my 100+ class. Not to toot my own horn, but toot-stinkin'-toot! I feel like my blog is a place I can relish in my achievements, right? Now to just keep up those grades and raise all my other ones!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend spent with the people you love!

This evening I took my first ballet class I have taken since my junior year in high school. The rec at A&M offers an advanced ballet class every Sunday, so I thought it might be a way to enjoy kill myself. And yes, this does mean getting into a leotard (or reotard, as Emily used to say) and tights. If only I was still in the shape as I was dancing thirty hours a week. Le sigh. I would be lying to you if I said I didn't miss ballet, because I do tremendously. Here is a collection of personal pictures and pictures from our Nutcracker photographer for many years. Nutcracker season started Saturday, so what better way to honor the best time of year than a look back at my life from age seven to seventeen. Unfortunately, the last two years of my career are not documented via photographs. 

Rehearsal for my first Nutcracker. Of course, I am being true to form--- working hard and sticking my tongue out. I am on the left in the pink skirt. Look closely and you might see other people you recognize.

My first Nutcracker performance in "Mother Ginger." I was the second smallest girl, meaning I was one away from getting to pop out of Mother Ginger's skirt. I've known no greater disappointment. 

The infamous Mouse role. I died at least three times per performance. And my dad was almost the Mouse King. Also, here commences my love of mice. Scarred? Most definitely.

One of my first performances on pointe. This picture makes me cringe. Terrible, terrible technique. Gotta start somewhere, right?

Dancefest is comprised of two shows: a classical ballet pre-intermission, and a contemporary show post-intermission, as shown here. I'm in the awkzores position on the right.

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My very favorite part in Nutcracker- Marzipan. This year I was in purple, although it's not different. To this day I can still perform this choreography flawlessly. Oh, and now you know why I have steaks for calf muscles. Cool.

Front and (right wing?) for Swan Lake at Dancefest. I feel like I should be playing the part of "Dead Swan". Oh, those feathers.

So that's that. Enough embarrassing pictures to last a lifetime.

Last night (yes, on a Sunday) was my first A&M game as an Aggie. It's absolutely crazy being in the stadium with 89,000 other people, especially when the entire stadium is yelling in unison. One reason I was excited to come to A&M was all the tradition--- yell leaders, midnight yell, 12th man, ring day, etc. I feel like there wasn't a lot of tradition that carried on throughout the years at OU, so coming here kind of made me feel like I was part of something bigger than myself (cheesy, I know). I didn't take many pictures last night but here are a few I managed to snap.

Brothers before the game. A lot of people bring gallons of water to the game to drink because it's so stinkin' hot.

Gig 'em roomzores and besties.

Kyle Field, all three decks. Ay ay ay ay ay!

Two of my favorite people for suresies!

The game's MVP: Most Valuable Potato!