"C"

you always hear older women talking about a friend they've know since they were in 

elementary school.

Well I've got one of those

I know im not like 80 years old 

But I know that when I am 80 ill be sitting on my front porch with all my little great grand kids

at my feet telling them about my friend Lindsey 

you see we have known each other since we were in like the 4th grade

im not going to say we were best friends then but we did know each other

through elementary and middle school

but it wasn't till we moved to the new high school in 11th grade that we really became besties

some of my favorite memories of High school were spent with her 

we had to suffer through 1st period together for 2 years with the same teacher

(I really loved her calculator so much!),

built a  skeleton out of card board in anatomy class

(Only to have our teacher step on and rip his leg and make us build a new leg without a model),

making a "AEC" product movie for Chemistry

calcium water is the only product I can remember that we made up

(we receiving the only 100 the teacher ever gave out for that project out of all the years she taught),

wearing footie pjs to school for spirit week,

having Steve B's pizza dates in our tacky wear,

and many more

Then the end of senior year came around 

and somehow I talked Linds into coming to the same college as me 

and thus we became roommates.

those 2 years of college were the best years of my life literally 

and every memorie has Lindsey in it somewhere

I remember the first night we were in our dorm it was about 1 am and 

we randomly decided we would play a card game 

so i climbed up on her bunk and we played that game for like 45 mins,

we spent many nights laughing at waffle house at 2 am,

decorated our hall for like 5 hours for Halloween,

made numerous trips to Asheville NC,

became friends with the peanut man,

discovered a secret cute little town called Highlands,

spent 6 hours scraping carpet tape off our floor with goo be gone

(this is probably one of our favorite memories)

There are just so many more fun memories I couldn't possibly list them all here 

God really knew that I needed Lindsey In my life

He has blessed both of us with a forever friendship

someone for me to call all the time and just talk to about the most random stuff

and she always seems interested even if its about dresses and manicures

(one day I will get her to go get a pedicure with me and put on a dress probably for my wedding)

but seriously Lindsey has always been that steady rock of a friend that I've always needed

and I am so blessed to have her in my life and to call her my best friend

Lindsey,

Thank you for always being there for me

Thank you for putting up with my craziness for all these years

Thank you for always making the effort to call and talk to me

you really don't know how much that means to me!

Thank you for just being you 

I always know I have a friend that will bring perspective to my life 

and help me do anything!

I love you like a sister 

and you will always be my best friend and roommate

even if we have not lived with each other for like 2 years now

always know that I am here for you and that you mean the world to me

and know that if you ever need anything that I would be there in a heart beat

no matter where I am in the world 

I Love you

Hannah

My Cheekys

were freshman in college

at a new school with new people

a little nervous but determined to make new friends 

praying that God would bring us someone that just gets us

a few short weeks into the school year we got our answered Prayer

it was just a little weekend Spiritual Life Retreat 

but little did we know that after that weekend we would have a new forever best friend

for the next two years we had the time of our lives at Young Harris College 

(until you had to leave me to follow your dream)

those were the years 

we spent many hours at waffle house,

nights staying up late watching movies or just talking,

took spontaneous trips to Murphy NC,

took a little trip to NYC,

played pranks,

stayed up all night studying in the student center

these are the memories that I will cherish forever

and will hold a special place in my heart forever

How has it already been 4 years since we have been friends?

my how time flies when your having fun

and boy what a fun 4 yours we have had!!

she is a friend that will

put me in my place when I need it,

Comfort me when im sad,

make me laugh so hard I can't breath,

and love me unconditional.

she is the sister I never had 

someone to arguing with one minutes and then laughing with the next

I don't know where I would be without my cheeks

Lindsey,

thank you for always being there for me

thank you for you support in all the crazy things I do

thanks you for having the patience with me when i didn't deserve it

thank you for praying for me and loving me through that time in my life

 when most would have turned their backs

thank you for always having my back 

thank you for you love 

and for being someone I can always call on 

no matter what time of day or night it is!

thank you for being like a sister to me

don't ever forget that I love you 

and that I am always here for you 

I always thank God for putting you in my life

He knew exactly who I needed all those years ago!!

I will always be your biggest supporter and always have you back

I love you so so much

Tee Tah

HKH

we were Hannah and Holly ready to take on the world

I was a senior and Holly was a Junior 

we had been besties for a year and were ready for another fun awesome year with our small group

we figured our group would stay the same 

just us, Chuck and the two other girls that came

but that year our group got quite a few new additions

one person in particular was 

Katelyn 

she was a sophomore in  High School 

so was a cool kid

I"m not going to lie she intimidated me for some reason

but after just a couple of groups we found out that we were a lot alike

It didn't take long for the 3 of us to become a team 

people know us as Holly, Katelyn and Hannah 

where there was one the other two would be!

I still remember the first time the 3 of us were a team

we went to feed the homeless with our church down town and then ate dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe

the 3 of us became fast friends 

these girls have been by my side through thick and thin

they were by my side when I need them most 

and I am forever grateful for all they have done for me

over the past four years the 3 of us have grown closer together
we are a team
were all in different university's miles apart
but we still find time for one another
we love each other through our faults and weaknesses
we are there for each other in times of sadness and times of celebration
they are my forever supporters 
and I don't know where I would be without them

Holly and Katelyn,

thank you for loving me 

thank you for supporting me

thank you for being a shoulder to cry one and friends to laugh with

thank you for encouraging me spiritually and holding me accountable for my actions

thank you for all the little things you do for me on a daily basis

thank you girls for being there for me my senior year of High School

I know that was a long time ago 

but those where heard months for me 

and I will always remember yall driving our to take me to dinner after my track practice

those will always be precious memories for me!

I am so so so blessed to call you girls my Best Friends

I don't know what I did to be so luck!

I thank God for putting us in each others lives

he knew we needed each other for the rest of our lives 

to love and encourage each other

I can't wait to spend many many many more years

laughing and crying with y'all

I don't want you to ever forget how much I love you!!

Love you to the moon and back

Nanna

Weekend Review

Friday was spent sleeping in till 12ish

I'm not going to lie I love sleeping in 

I know that you waste a day doing it 

but I would sleep in everyday if I could

then me and Tawni went to the sand dunes out in Concon

it was something we wanted to go and see and check off our list of things to do before we leave

it happened to be super windy Friday here so therefor sand was being blown around everywhere

we were literally covered head to toe in sand I still am cleaning it out of my ears

but it was really cool to see 

and the views of Vina from the dunes are so beautiful so it was worth it!!

on a side not I dropped my camera in the sand and now the lenses cover is stuck open 

and I can't get it closed 

Saturday I went to Santigo with my most mom here

I was SOOO hot 

It was seriously like night and day between Vina and Santiago that day

it was cloudy and cold in Vina

and super sunny and hot in Sanitago

we went to an area that was just shopping everywhere

there were cloths, jewelry, shoes and purses every way you turned

I'm not much into the whole chaotic shopping to find the best deal its just is to overwhelming to me

I hate digging to find the right size or color of something

but If you did like to do all that than this is the place for it!! 

the only things i picked up were some cute little wooden puzzles for some cute little friends of mine

Sunday was the last even that the school hosted for us

they took us to play paintball

I am not so great at this game Im quite scared to get hit

so I probably wasn't the best team mate 

but I did the best I could and only got hit once!!

   

Coming Up

God has blessed me beyond measures 

with the friends He has placed in my life

so this week I'm going to be doing something a little different

along with my normal post I'm going to be 

write a little note to each one of my friends

they deserves more than just a nice post written about them 

for all they have done in my life

but there really isn't enough thanks yous and presents in the world to express how grateful I am

so check back through out the week

and see the girls that have helped shape me in to the person I am!

Happy Thanksgiving

source

How can it be Thanksgiving already?

It feels like just yesterday

I was pulling out the swim suits

This Thanksgiving is different for me 

Im not with family 

Im not at my Aunt Lisas house eatting all the fried okra my heart can desire

Im not preparing to stay out all night with HKH 

all that saddens my heart 

but its also not what thanksgiving is about

and being so far from all the holiday festivities

makes me realize the true meaning behind the season and all that I am grateful for

I have so much to be thankful for in this life

but what Im most thankful for is a  Lord and Savior 

who continuly coverrs me in grace everyday

There is no way I could truly thank Him enough 

he has blessed me beyond measures this past year

and I am so grateful for all He has done in my life

Im so grateful for a wonderful family 

that loves me no matter what 

and supports me in all that I do 

And my wonderful amazing friends

I would not be who I am today with out 

your presence in my life

and I am so glad that God put each and everyone of you

in my life at the perfect time

I hope everyone has a wonderful 

Thanksgiving 

here is a little video 

to ponder about what it means to be thankful

                   

ABC's of Thanks

this is just a little list of what Im thankful for from A to Z

I'm linking up with Finding Joy 

{A} Air Conditioner they don't have it here in Chile and Its hot

{B} Bravissimo Ice Cream

{C} Chile my time here has been sweet and Ill always cherish it

{D} Dogs most of the time the stray dogs drive me nuts but their barks have become music to my ears

{E} Eats I love love to eat plain and simple

{F} Friends God has given me the most amazing friends and I would be lost with out them

{G} Grace im so thankful that the Lord loves us enough to cover us in grace

{H} Hogar Nino Amor I've been so blessed to be able to visit this place every week 

I love those Kids and it really hurts my heart to have to leave them

{I} Internet I love that I can be hundreds of miles away from my family and friends but still talk to them every day

{J} Journals I've loved that I've finally been able to fill up an full journal plus 2

{K} Kindness of everyone I've meet in Chile

{L} Laughter it really is the best medicine   

{M} Mondays I actually look forward to starting a new week with new adventures

{N} New Relationships I just love that being here in Chile after 4 months I now have forever friends

{O} Opportunity I thankful for all the opportunity I've had this past year

{P} Palmaras I get this pastry at least 5 times a week

{Q} Quilts I love old quilts that have been passed down from generation to generation
{R} Relax Time sometimes spent at the beach most of the time spent in my room
{S} Smiles I love seeing one of the kids at the Hogar smiling or passing someone on the street and sharing that smile of hello 

{T} Time Changes I love that I am 2 hours ahead of home and that I have more hours to talk to everyone

{U} USA I feel so blessed to have grown up in such  a wonderful country
{V} Vacations where ever they may be
{W} Water that I have clean safe water to drink everyday
{X} "X-Change" (made up the word) Im thanks for for mail and that I can "xchange" post cards with friends around the world
{Y} You for reading all the randomness I post on here
{Z} Zip Lining and the thrill that comes along with it!

A little Rafting and Zip lining

This past weekend me and a group of friends went to a little town outside of Santiago 

for a weekend on the river

its take a while to get there you  have to take a bus, train and a taxi

it takes about 4 hours total 

we got there on Saturday we had a rafting reservation for 4:30

we got there right in time to get camp set up and head to get geared up for all the fun

once we were given the instructions we started the adventure

our guide is on Chile's national rafting team

her was super nice and spoke pretty good English

the river was a class 3 it was not super intense at all 

we didn't loose anyone during our run

but other boats were loosing people left and right

at one point  a guy fell out of his raft so our guide went to save him

he rushed to the front of our raft and then proceeded to tell us to go back 

so every single one of us thought that meant everyone scoot back a row

well that was defiantly not what he said he just meant for us to paddle backwards

he laughed forever about that 

told us we made his day

once we were done rafting we headed to get food and stuff for dinner 

it took so super long to get everything cooked 

we didn't end up eating till about 11 pm that night

after dinner we headed to bed 

the next morning we kinda slept in till about 10 

once we got up we headed to breakfast and then just waited around till 1:30 for zip lining

while we were waiting we played a little hackey sack 

lets just say im not that great at that game

I tend to exaggerate my kicks a little much

once 1:30 rolled around we headed to the zip lining place

it was not a super long line 

it took us about 40 min to do the two lines

you go across the river then back 

it was super fun 

I didn't got o fast on the first one because the wind was blowing super hard 

but the second one was going the direction of the wind and I flew in

I was not expecting to finish so fast 

I think i got a little whip lash

once we were don't zip lining we got camp all packed up and headed home

it was a fun little weekend trip 

Im already excited to get home and go rafting again!

Kisses from Katie

 I just finished this book

source

It was AMAZING 

I was tearing up one page into her story

Katie Davis was just an average teenager graduating college

when she did what most people will never do in their life time

she obeyed Gods call for her life 

and left everything she ever knew and the plans she had for her life

 to live in Uganda and teach kindergarten

once she was there Uganda had her and she knew she was never going home

she became a mother of 14 before she turned 22 

and has spent her the past 4 years of her life living Gods demand for us

caring and loving orphans and the widowed

this book left me encouraged, inspired and challenged

to listen to Gods calling for my life 

and follow after it with a passion like Katie does

I would urge everyone to read this book 

be ready to laugh and cry along with it

here is a little video about the book and the work Katie is doing in Uganda

                              

you can buy the book on Amazon or at WalMart

Philippians 4:13

"For I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength"

Philippians 4:13

2 weeks ago I was hiking Torres del Paine in the Patagonia

It was one of the most challenging things I have ever done in my life

It started off ok the first day but from there on it was difficult for me

when I thought I couldn't make it any further 

the only thing that came to mine was

Philippians 4:13

"I can do ALL things through CHRIST who gives me strength"

this verse doesn't just apply to specific things it apply to everything 

how amazing is that?

we could be doing something as little as 

raking the leaves

or something as big as 

climbing Mt. Everest

and God will still there right by our side no matter what

giving us the strength to move forward

so for the 5  days that I spent hiking that verse became my 

strength and

encouragement

Hiking Torres del Paine was one of the most challenging and intense things I have ever done

but being in God's creation for 5 whole days

seeing the mountains he made 

and the glaciers he formed 

just blew me away

it was really hard to keep the tears back

I have never felt so at peace and aw like I did standing up on those mountains

it was an amazing and incredible experience 

I am so thankful that God allowed me to be able to see all I' saw 

I feel so incredible blessed!!

here are a few pictures and videos from the time we spend down south

Valle del Francés

getting our tent set up the first night

A Weekend In the Big City

this weekend I was lucky enough to have my mom come and visit me again here in Chile

we meet up in Santiago Chile

which is the capital of Chile and a MASSIVE city

I really love the atmosphere there I think it mostly has to do with the fact that it feels like NYC to me 

We had a wonderful weekend full of

eating and shopping

we spen 3 whole days just exploring the city and wondering around the streets

we found a huge market that sold everything from cat food to strawberry's 

It was probably one of the neatest things I have ever seen

I had such a hustle and bustle atmosphere

there are people shouting, buying and rushing around every where

its almost to hard to walk in there

The whole thing is about 3 blocks long and about 3 blocks wide

it was like the Sam's Club of Chile 

you buy everything in bulk and most people take it back to their stores and resell it 

I seriously could have spent all day wondering around the place just taking it all in

there is already some plans in the works to go back!

I am so glad that my mom came down and spent the weekend with me

just what this girl needed!!

I only have 27 days left

yep 27 days that's it

how has time gone by so  fast?

I really can't believe that my time here in Chile is almost over

Im going to be spending my last few weeks here enjoying the warm weather

before I have to head home to winter

verse for the week

Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who hope int he Lord

Psalm 31:24

hope everyone has had a wonderful Monday 

and had a wonderful rest of the week!!

Im linking up with Carissa at Lowercase letters today