forgotten frames

Finding photographs you'd forgotten about on a SD card is super cool. It's like getting an unexpected gift... from yourself! These are just some forgotten frames from my last visit to Goldendale. There was a large fire that closed the highway I usually take home, so we drove out the back way, and were able to snap a couple silhouettes of the mountain and sunset.

 the blood moons from Goldendale are always stunning. It was extremely exciting to be able to see one one the one night we were there!! (Please forgive the quality... This was snapped from a moving vehicle, and then cropped so that it could be seen. ;)

also. I just killed my bamboo plant... do you know how easy a bamboo plant is to care for?? The only care a bamboo plant requires is being refilled with water about once every three months! I think my skills in the gardening/plant growing area are non-existent... and it's kind of embarrassing! (but slightly humorous at the same time.)

Ten Places Abroad I Would Love To Visit // A List

source

1. London, England, and all the surrounding countryside. Seriously, with all the British Lit that I have read, and BBC movies I’ve watched, England has become a fascinating country, and I would love to take tours all over the lovely island. I would visit castles and gardens, and famous reformation landmarks, churches and cathedrals, coffee shops- lots of coffee shops, and tons of tiny cozy restaurants.  I would go hiking and backpacking, and probably accidentally drive on the wrong side of the road. I would listen to the people around me talk and become more than slightly desirous of their accents, and probably accidently mimic them. I would peep at the Queen’s castle, and take pictures of Big Ben, and really I'd take tons and tons of pictures. 

source

2. Italy Can I be 100% honest about this one? I think I would go to Italy for no other reason than to eat… Although, I had a lengthy conversation about traveling with my oldest brother a few years ago, and he insisted that I cannot travel to another country (Much less Italy!!) just to eat, and if I visit Italy I must do sightseeing and visit all the lovely touristy things as well. So I would duly visit the famous places, and I would love to travel the countryside as well, and maybe a vineyard or two. But I would be doing a lot of eating whilst “sightseeing.” :) Also, Gelato… I would eat lots of gelato ice cream.

3. India I have wanted to visit India for several years now. Ever since I first read a book or perhaps it was a documentary, about girls in the sex trade. I would love to go on a short-term mission to somehow either work with some of those girls, or orphans. I also have always wanted to touch and ride an Elephant, so India seems like they might have elephants, (maybe they don’t and I totally just embarrassed myself! :) But that would be pretty cool too. (ACTUALLY IT WOULD MORE THAN COOL IT WOULD BE TOTALLY AWESOME!! :)

4. Israel It would be fascinating and special to visit the Holy Land, and to see the places that Jesus lived, and walked, and taught. I've read about, and seen pictures of the great diversity of people and civilizations that are packed into the cities, and  I would love the opportunity to people watch and observe. People watching is one of my favorite hobbies. ;) I would want to swim in the dead sea, and ride a camel and try Israeli food. I would want to visit the wailing wall, (I just typed whaling wall…) and visit many, many other historical and biblical sights.

5. Paris, France Ever since watching Funny Face, with Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire, I have wanted to visit Paris. I would climb the Eiffel tower, (not ride the elevator, I think. It would be much more impressive to climb.), and walk along the banks of the Seine. I would listen to the people speaking French all around me and wish that I had learned to speak it. I would eat snails, once, because why not, I'd be in Paris... I have to eat them, and then I would eat a lot of other delightful dishes. 

source

6. Ireland oh, the Irish landscape. I want to walk along the cliff lines on the ocean and revel in the glorious views. I would hop from bed and breakfast to bed and breakfast and hike until I dropped. (not quite literally.) I would take pictures of sheep and look at the sea again. I think the sea is one thing I will never get tired of looking at.

7. Germany I don’t know off the top of my head what places I would visit, or what I would do, but I know there is so much history wrapped up in the cities and it would be amazing! It would be heavenly to listen to the Vienna Philharmonic. 

8. Scotland - I feel like this one should be higher on the list. I would want to go everywhere and see everything and listen to accents and witness the highland games and just everything. :)

9.  Hawaii Technically not abroad, but it is over-a-sea. ;) I think diving in a warm ocean would be amazing and more than weird. But to see the colors and fishes and everything under the water would be stunning.

Source

10. New Zealand um, I would totally travel here because of the accents, the accents and the accents. Also because of their gorgeous accents. Just sayin'. There's also the stunning landscapes and hikes. But mostly accents. ;)

That's it! I just want to travel everywhere and see everything!! :) What are some spots you've always dreamed of seeing? 

it's a girl thing // polka dots and womanhood

I decided today was a favorite dress day. This one is twirly, polka-dotted and fun. The perfect pick-me-up for days when I feel less than great.  I thrifted it a couple of weeks before valentine's day this year, for the swing dance I attended with my big brother. It is absolutely perfect to dance in, paired with my favorite pair of black pumps. :) It's also perfect for church, weddings, sunny days and everything in between. It's basically my equivalent of a LBD. :)

"We are called to be women. The fact that I am a woman does not make me a different kind of Christian, but the fact that I am a Christian does make me a different kind of woman. For I have accepted God's idea of me, and my whole life is an offering back to Him of all that I am and what He wants me to be."

..."so the woman who accepts the limitations of womanhood finds in those very limitations her gift, her special calling--wings, in fact, which bear her up into perfect freedom, into the will of God."

Worship is not an experience. Worship is an act, and this takes discipline. We are to "worship in spirit and truth." Never mind about the feelings, We are to worship in spite of them!"

I've been reading Let Me Be A Woman by Elisabeth Elliot all week, and my-oh-my... it's fabulous! I had tried to pick it up several times before, but hadn't been able to really get into it. But it's totally a God thing, because this book is exactly what I need to be learning/reading and it's answering so many questions I'm dealing with. I've always been a very strong personality. I've always believed that women are perfectly capable, that it's fine for them to attend colleges, and have careers, that women could be called to do anything. And I still believe that, (as long as it is the will of God, but that is true of men as well!). But Mrs. Elliot has helped me realize more fully that the woman's role in society, marriage, and life in general is absolutely beautiful, special, and unique and it is something to be fully embraced. It's not that we aren't capable as women, it's that we were created for something entirely different.

blueberry picking and coffee

This morning I was able to join a group of girls, from my church and bible study, for coffee/breakfast and blueberry picking. It was wonderful to fellowship and great fun to pick berries together, something I'd never done before. I think some blueberry muffins are in order, and perhaps a cake or pancakes too. ;) They're incrudibally delicious. (Something about picking them yourself makes them way better than those bought from a grocery store. ;)

The rest of the day has been spent running various errands, doing laundry, cleaning my room, babysitting Lydia, and packing for a trip I'm leaving on tomorrow. I just know I'm gonna end up packing way too much stuff. But I think I'm okay with that, because 'tis better to end up with to much rather than not enough, right? :)

how has your week been so far?

these are a few of my favorite things // 2

+ sleeping in ('nuff said? :D )
+ journaling
+ writing prompts
+ early morning walks
+ friends that make time to just chat
+ lists ;)
+ dancing until my feet hurt and I can hardly breath
+ gorgeous soundtracks
+ spending time with my brother and sister-in-law
+ hiking trips with friends
+ this song by my favorite instrumental group
+ vitamin d drops. (yes, they're my solution to not spending much time outside. lol)
+ black + white mochas
+  nice barista's. (seriously, there is such a difference between sweet baristas and people who hate their job and thus hate you...) 
+ beautiful sunsets
+ watching Larkrise to Candleford again (made it past the first season this time. :)
+ warm, but not to warm, days
+ anticipating things
+ pepsi. (just sayin')
+  when brothers buy you caramel lattes!! :)
+ wearing my favorite dress
+ when it finally cools down at night
+ being busy
+ sunsets
+ planning a zoo trip with my bestie to see the elephants (!!!!)