Spring has Arrived

This is my new keychain.

Spring is finally here!! This is my favorite time of year. Here in Texas we are having our earliest bloom of Bluebonnets ever, so hopefully I will get you some pictures pretty soon here!

As the warm weather is setting in for good, its made it a perfect time to start jogging. Or coarse some of us *Cough* me *Cough* like to do something more along the lines of fast walking and calling it a day. My muscles practically died on me with what I did anyway. ;) 

This week I kinda rediscovered Casting Crowns and I got to hear there song "Love You with the Truth." It was amazing, has anyone else heard it? 

I love having friends. Not only is it generally awesome, but they have great ideas. You see that key chain in the first photo? Well it came in lime green and I was texting a friend telling her how much I disliked the color. And she was just like "Mikayla, why don't you just paint it?" I hadn't really thought of that. This is why I have friends to remind me of simple solutions. ;) 

Have you had any simple solutions to things this week?

Whats your favorite Casting Crowns song? 

Lately...

Reading... Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. This is my second time though it.

Watching... People go by. Yes, I am a people watcher. It is super fun.

Writing... Flight From Kelar which I started in November, emails, and this post!

Trying... to find a photo for a book cover! Apparently no photographer has ever taken a photo just like this before. ;P

Cooking... nothing. I really don't cook much.

Eating... Texas Hash. 

Drinking... Iced tea.

Calling... Nobody for the past few weeks. I'm not really a phone person. ;P

Texting... my best friends.

Pinning.. Toby Mac quotes.

Instagraming...  random photos from my week. Including photos of my new mug, and camera key chain.

Crafting... some cards for friends. I've never been very good at cards, so its getting interesting. ;)

Doing... a workout every morning. My muscles hate me every morning, but feel good every night. I can't decide if its worth it. ;)

Going... to do laundry in a few minutes.

Loving... spending time with my sister, the beautiful day, packages arriving in the mail... the list could go on.

Hating... the last bit of a cold still holding on. =P

Discovering... New authors and discovering I cannot buy every book I want or soon I won't have any place to sleep.

Enjoying... The quiet and unlimited internet.

Thinking... about my friends, and a project that my mom wants me to do.

Feeling... Happy about what I've got done last week.

Hoping... To get even more this week.

Listening... TobyMacs song Forgiveness.

Celebrating... the fact that I haven't Kate just finished the first draft of her book.

Smelling... lunch as its being made.

Thanking... God for all the awesome people and things He's given me.

Considering... Spending my whole day writing.

Starting... to write a book review.

Finishing... this post.



What have you been up to lately?

What If Its More?

What if its more then we thought? 

What if its more then just a feeling? 

What if its more then just a thought? 

What if its the deepest part of our heart

Pulling at us without giving up 

Telling us that today, in this place 

There is something for us to do 

Some word for us to say 

There is a mission 

We were sent here to fulfill

What if it comes in a gentle whisper? 

So easy to ignore

But if we do what it tell us to 

What doors will it unlock? 

Texas Capitol Dome Tour

Looking up into our dome

Looking up from the sixth floor balcony.

The ground of the capital. That white building with the path going right to it is the visitor center for the capitol. =) 

Me and Austin

The star at the top of the dome.

Last week I got to go on a dome tour of the Texas state capitol. Just as a note, if you ever were presented with the chance to do this, do it!!! 

So, they warned us about ten times that if any of were scared of heights that this probably was not a good idea. Now, I do have a slight fear of heights, but I was not in the mood to let that get in my way, so I didn't mention it. First they took us up a ton of stairs, then out onto a balcony. It was amazing! Seeing Austen from that view was incredible. Then they took us up again, and we repeated this process until we got to the two coolest part of the tour. You see in that first photo how there is a star up at the very top of the inside of the dome? Well, there is a ledge around it! I didn't even know that was there until they took us onto it. 

I thought that was the coolest thing, until they took us above that, and onto the highest balcony. It was a tiny one, but SO amazing. Amazingly, I had not had much of any problem with the heights up to this point. And then I looked up and the last part of the capital had clouds behind it moving swiftly and it looked like it was falling down on us. It was a terrifying two seconds. Our tour guide looked up, took a step back and went "Woah, I've never seen it do that before!" ;D 

Overall, it was pretty amazing. 

Have you ever been on a tour of your capitol? 

Love Always Trusts || A One Sentence Dialogue

Here is the next part of my one sentence dialogue series. I'm glad it only took me two months to get back to it this time. January 29'th marked one year since I started this series. Who knows how long it will take me to finish it. 

Want to know whats going on here, but forgot, or haven't read the rest yet? Here part one, two, three, and four.

Where to next?

The post office.

You haven’t received a letter in weeks.

That doesn’t mean there won’t be one today.

This girl has sent you on quite a ride.

That’s one way of putting it.

You’re only going to leave saddened.

I assume so.

Then why don’t you just stay home today?

Actually, I’d like to.

Then why don’t you?

I can’t.

Why not?

I have to trust she will write me.

Why in the world do you need to do that?

Love always trusts.

And what is love?

God is love.

Then why do you have to trust?

Because God lives inside of me, and I am His light.

That’s a lot of responsibility.

He helps me.

But trust has hurt you so much.

I know, but I must keep fighting for love.

Don’t you just want a break from the fight?

Every day.

Then why don’t you stop?

God didn’t stop fighting for us.

So?

How can I do less when He laid down His life for me?

It seems pretty easy to me.

Well, since He took away my debt of sins, I now owe Him a debt of love.

That crazy.

It does seem that way sometimes.

I’ll just take you to the post office now.

Thank you.

I just have one more question.

What?

Why do you continue?

Because when you owe a debt of love to the Master of the universe it is freeing.

That doesn’t make sense.

It would if you knew Him.

He makes you trust when it hurts?

He helps me to.

And you willingly follow Him?

With my whole heart.

Then I was right.

What?

You’re a fool.

Perhaps.

January Hightlights

Hello everyone! Happy February! Ready for my highlights? Here we go: 

I cut my hair. Not much, but it was my first one, so it was scary enough as it was. I'm enjoying my slightly shorter hair.

A statue in Alabama I belive. =) 

I was in Walmart, using my cart as a skateboard like any mature seventeen year old would, when random middle aged dude number one walked up to me. Now as this rarely happens, I was very unsure of what in the world this guy was doing. Then he just held up his hand and said "I just need to give you a high five for using the cart to skate like that. Anyone who can have that much fun in the grocery store deserves to be congratulated. Yes, this was a very fun experience.

The Mississippi. =) 

I had two cat try to adopt me. On two separate walks I just pet a cat, and it followed me. One of them followed me all the way home! I kinda wanted to keep that one, bu reluctantly sent it on its way home. 

The most awesome thing that happened this month was that I got to surprise one of my best friends for her birthday. What made this about twice as awesome as it would have been was that she lives in South Carolina, I live in Texas. My mom and oldest sister drove me three days to get there, and while Sarah was sick none the less. I did manage to keep it a secret the whole way there and the look on her face was priceless. One of us hit the car horn, but I'm not sure who. XD The picture above is of Jessica. Isn't she gorgeous?? Meeting up with her made me wish I could see all my friends again.

Charleston

While I was at Jessica's house, she and her awesome family took us around South Carolina. We got to see Charleston, Cowpens, Gaffney, and lots of little towns I do not remember. Above is the Gaffney water tower which I was told I could not leave town without seeing. ;D

Me and Jessica.

I got to meet Rachelle Rea Cobb!! She is a fantastic author and an awesome person. It was amazing!

While I was in South Carolina my dog disappeared for five days! Thankfully he came back right before we came home!

Cowpens

Around nine thirty at night one time my sister Rebekkah and I just randomly decided to play Twister. No reasoning there, we just felt like it. I got beat four times in a row. I am not very good at the game, but I had a ton of fun getting beaten. ;D

Total: 10

My favorite was At Every Turn by Anne Mateer. It was amazing!!

You Win Fifth out of Ten 

Encourage + Inspire Burning Youth 

Why Snail Mail Is The Best Totally Graced 

Pity Party's Are My Specialty Whimsical Thoughts

Beware Twilight to Dawn 

Drowning Chasing Moonlight

100 Things I'd Rather Be Holding Totally Graced

I Got My Book The Introverted Extrovert 

How was your January?