this friend of mine

So I have a friend. A very beautiful and patient friend. She is one of my very bestest friends. Once upon a time she liked this boy and this boy liked her. Her name is Shelby and his name is Wesley. And then they starting courting and liked each other even more. Our friend Kelsey and I were kind of sad to not spend as much time with her but we were happy for her because her and this guy were perfect for each other. Well, they are so perfect for each other and love each other so much that they are going to get married. Yes! They are going to get married! And yes! They LOVE each other!!! They got engaged yesterday. And I screamed when I heard it. And now I am a very happy, proud, and excited friend! Its so great! They are so happy and adorable together! I can't wait for the wedding!

Shelby and I go way back. We have countless memories of times spent laying in the grass or curled up on the couch talking. Or Woods dates, or baking times, or the list goes on. We are so very different but that is what makes it fun. We have been friends for ages and I know we will always be friends... for the rest of our lives. I am so very excited for her as she enters this new stage of life and I know without a doubt that she will make a wonderful wife. Wes is a very blessed man!!!

So... Congratulations Wesley S. and Shelby L.!!!!!!!!!!!! You two are a marvelous couple and God has truly been honored by your relationship! To Him be the glory! Love you!

The Dominican Republic

Here is a short video of our trip to the Dominican Republic! What a wonderful God-filled week it was!!

Mission Trips - Dominican Republic from the INN on Vimeo.

the building

The cold air bites my ears, my backpack weighs heavy, and my steps are slow as I make my way to the music building laden with an armload of things. I can see my breath, there is mud on my shoes, and the only things I can hear are my slightly labored breathing and the hum of a car in the distance. I open the door to the building... and whoosh! It hits me! A wave of toasty warm air. AND the sound of many pianos being rapidly played by musicians. This is my building, my world, my life. At least for the moment it is. Suddenly life is good again. Sure, entering that building means hours and hours of work for me. But it also means a strange sense of comforting normalacy. I am not in this world of music and practice and performance alone. The music building contains a sweet sense of comraderie, although often you go hours without talking to anyone because of practice. Maybe its just knowing other people are doing exactly what you are doing, or maybe its just that they are musicians, or maybe its that we all love music. I don't quite know. But somehow and in some misterious and geekishly musical sort of way the music building and its occupents are a family. We are united in the common love of music. We slave away hours upon hours to accomplish and perfect just a few pages of music, which in reality are thousands of notes. We learn theory and history together. We make mistakes in front of each other. Our greatest highs and our greatest lows (musically speaking) are often experienced in front of each other. We critique each other and yet our greatest encouragers are members of this music department.
We puzzle and wonder over the most trivial of phrases or cadences. We laugh and cry over performances of pieces. We get each other. Its kind of an unspoken thing. But it exists. Thats why... I just love the music building and its people.

Overdue in the New Year

So I haven't written in ages.
But I have an excuse.... life.
Its amazing how much can happen over the span of 3 weeks.
I have to sit back and marvel because in a way it seems like its been months (when its really been weeks) and then it seems like yesterday. I guess thats how life works. Frankly I don't always understand life. Actually maybe its more like I very rarely understand it.
Its hard to know where to begin, what event or idea do you name? What takes precedence over all others? Is it even worth naming? What has impacted me the most?
Well... I suppose I should write the short story, because if you know me at all, then you know the long story will be *long*.

December 18 - two of my best friends married each other. To say this was a momentous time in my life is an understatement. I have never had such mixed emotions before. My smile couldn't get any bigger when they became man and wife, and yet I pretty much bawled my eyes the next day. Ah life. They were beautiful, still are beautiful, and are just the cutest married couple ever.

December 25th - the first Christmas without Grandpa. I read a letter I wrote to him at our family gathering. God is good. But I still miss Grandpa a lot.

December 28th - the wedding party minus the bride and groom comes over to my house. It was a night filled with fun, laughter, pizza, root beer, movies, and seriousness. Great friends!

December 31 - Watched movies to welcome the New Year. Barely made it to midnight and then went to sleep before my parents.

And now... its 2011. That kinda leaves me speechless. I'm pretty sure this year is going to be unbelievably awesome. Its been in existence for 8 days, yet so far its pretty cool.

My favorites so far... in absolutely no particular order...
* Fun long talk with Emily S. at a New Years Party - thanks for hanging out with me
* Holding Annalynne D. for the first time and admiring her perfection - what a beautiful family!
* Starting my 11th quarter of college... thats just wrong
* Going to a boy's high school basketball game with 5 of my all-time favorite ladies -Go Storm
* Watching the old Star Trek with my sister - space
* Being completely disorganized the night before school started and not caring - why not?
* Realizing the sin in judging and the value of having a good quality friend - thanks Braden Z.
* Letting my fingers fly during music at Grace - I love music!
* Late night talk with Kelsey S. about everything pertaining to singleness - boyfriends at the same time Kels!
* God showing me sin and giving me grace - I am so unworthy
* Seeing Emily A. for the first time in months - How I miss that girl!
* Games with old friends - its amazing how many fantastic friends I have!
* TobyMac - such good music
* Bach and Lizst - the thorns in my side
* Going to bed before 10pm on a school night - history was made

In short... my year, short though it has been, has been packed full of blessing already!
Thank you Lord! Happy New Year!