Oh the fun...

After Friday's classes, Lucinda and I headed down to Mobile for a bachelorette party. The bride, Krista, is a longtime friend, and we, along with another longtime friend, are bridesmaids in the wedding. We reserved a room at the recently renovated Riverview Hotel (formerly the Adam's Mark), and prepared for an evening in downtown Mobile. I don't think I need to say this, but I don't spend much of my time in bars, much less the ones in downtown Mobile. I think it's okay to say that neither Lu nor I participate in the same activities as the other two. I didn't really know what I was in for, but it really ended up being kind of fun. I really just wanted to share some of our conversations with you, but I have to set the scene for each one.

I must interject: The Riverview is fantastic now! If you ever stayed in the Adam's Mark and witnessed the grossness of that, you will be completely surprised. I'm not sure why I ever stayed in the Adam's Mark considering I grew up about an hour away, but I did... and it was disgusting. Back to the story.

We started of the night opening up the basket another bridesmaid's mom made for Krista. I think details would be inappropriate for this blog. After dinner we hit the streets in our matching red and white bridesmaid's tank tops, and Krista in her veil and sash :) It was cute, let me tell you. Our first stop was Grand Central. This is only the 2nd bar that I had visited and I'm pretty sure it was Lu's first.

After they got their drinks and we all sat down we were immediately approached by Steve Alexander. He's a newanchor/weatherman/i have no clue for WKRG. Apparently Krista and Steve know each other from being at several other bars together. I'm pretty sure he's homosexual because there were a lot of meow sounds and clawing motions. He would do that with everything that he thought was so fantastic. For example:
Steve: Krista, what are you doing here?
Krista: We're here for my bachelorette party.
Steve: Oh, Krista, you're going to be a beautiful bride! Meow!!! (add clawing motion)

It really was hilarious.

Then two guys came over which prompted 2 different conversations. I give them to you now...
Conversation 1
Mexican guy: What do your shirts say?
Me: Bridesmaid
Mexican: Oh wow! That's cool. (Looking at all of the bridesmaids) Bridesmaid! Bridesmaid! Bridesmaid! (Now looking at Krista who is wearing a veil and a sash that reads "bride to be") Is it your birthday today?!?!

Conversation 2
Pink shirt guy: Richmond. Is that, like, the school y'all go to, or something?
Lu: It says "bridesmaid"
Pink shirt guy: Oh... haha. (Then he starts staring at the wall for several minutes)

After that we went to another bar where Ashton (the other bridesmaid) promptly got into a fight with some guy.

Then to bar #3 with some people Krista knows. Please keep in mind that it was about 1:30 at this time. Poor Lu had some guy trying to woo her all night long. And he was NASTY! I try to keep an open mind, but this guy needed a bath.
Nasty guy: Why aren't you dancing?
Lu: I just don't like to dance with strange men.
Nasty: You could just dance with me.
Lu: That's what I meant by the previous statement.
Nasty: Just dance. At the end of the night, I'll go to my house, and you'll go to yours. No worries.
Lu: Don't worry, I don't know where you'll end up but it won't be with me.
Nasty: How old are you?
Lu: 17. She (pointing to me) is the same. You might want to leave us alone if you don't want a record.

The next conversation occured at about 4 AM.

(Guy looking at Lu's red shirt with white writing)
Guy: Budweiser. Wow! Are you sponsored by them?
Lu: Can't you read? It says bridesmaid.
Guy: Too bad. That would be really cool if you were.

Finally about 5 AM we left the bars and headed back to the hotel room. Krista, Ashton, and friends were all sufficiently drunk. Lu and I were exhausted. I really dislike being around sloppy drunks, but I must say that Krista (who was not sloppy drunk, but drunk) is the most hilarious drunk person I have ever been around. And I've been around my fair share. I think the best moment of the night was when Krista decided to do an interpretive dance to the last song at the bar. If I had a better memory, or if it hadn't been 5AM, I would have had to include the entire conversation that we had on our way back to the hotel.

The morals of the story:
-Friends are friends, drunk or sober. You've got to love them even when you have to hold their hair back.
-I would have never gone to those places on my own, but I am thankful for the little bit of time that I had to hang out with Krista before she gets married. Even though it's not really my scene or crowd, she's my friend and I love her.
-If you have to stay in Mobile, the Riverview is a good place to stay.
-Fabaucher's is not a good bar to try to be inconspicuous in.

Muy Cansada

I've been way too busy lately.

After a weekend home, a weekend in DC, and a trip to Mobile and back (in less than 24 hours) this past weekend I have sufficiently worn myself out. These things have been so much fun though, so I can only complain about a few things :)

Spending the 4th in DC was pretty much amazing. I can't get over how much fun it was! We did a lot of walking and sightseeing, but it was so much fun just to hang out and laugh. I think it was the best group ever- and I would have never spent it with them if it weren't for Joel. Crazy.

On the 4th we stumbled upon a demonstration of sorts that I can't stop thinking about. At first, all we heard was something about pot. Maybe to legalize it? I'm not sure. Then, a Rage Against the Machine cover band took the stage and it turned into a huge anti-government scream-fest. Now, this part doesn't surprise me. It's something that I would expect from a crowd like that. The fact that it was happening on the 4th was a little upsetting, but freedom of speech is one of the great gifts of our country. They had every right to be there. However, what made me so upset was the passion in their voices and actions. It broke my heart to know that this, bashing the government and smoking pot, was their life. On that day, the most important thing in the world was to be heard. As a Christian, with a group of Christians, it was so evident that they've completely missed the point. All their energy was going into supporting an ungodly, fleeting worldview, and one day none of it will matter anymore. I desperately wanted them to know that there was more. That their political views wouldn't really matter because one day we will all die and either go to a very real heaven or a very real hell. And I want to be able to see them in heaven one day. I really REALLY want them to be there. As we left and walked along the Vietnam Memorial (I was also upset that the veterans working there had to hear the ruckus) I held back tears as I prayed and prayed for God to reveal himself to them. I hope that one day He will.

I wonder all the time what is in the works for America. What is God's plan for the seeming fall of morality all over the world? The only comforting thing about it is that one day it will be over, and he is using it to glorify himself.


This past Friday Lu and I went to Mobile for a bachelorette party. We definitely stuck out like sore thumbs at the bars they drug us to. I might post some of the conversations we had later...

I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it!

The 4th of July has been my favorite holiday for a few years, and I'm SUPER excited to be able to pass the weekend in DC with A-MAZING people. So, Kinzie, Adam, Joel, Adam, Virginia, Leslie, Brenna, and Shane, it's going to be a good weekend. I'm thankful I that I will be able to spend it with all of you.

Book Review

It has been a while since I've taken the time to read a book for no good reason. I'm in the middle of a few books that aren't related to classes, and while they are very beneficial to my life and learning, I wouldn't necessarily say they are "fun" to read. So, when I was home after my finals, I raided my mom's book stash and found "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert. I had heard a little buzz about this book, but didn't really have a clue what it was about. However, it did have Oprah's approval, and she has pretty good taste in books. I figured it was worth a shot...

The book is somewhat of an autobiography chronicling Gilbert's path of self-discovery. After a very bitter divorce, bouts with depression, and an unhealthy affair, she decides to take a year pursuing pleasure in Italy, prayer in India, and a mix of the two in Bali. Gilbert's writing style is the number one draw for this book, in my opinion. Her stories are good, but would be, well, lame if she wasn't such a good writer. However, the further I got into the book, the sadder I got.

The book starts with Gilbert hearing a voice from "God." I put that in quotations, because I'm certain that she is not referring to the one true God. Throughout the book she keeps hearing this voice, but recognizes it as herself... or rather, the god within herself. Her four months in India only serve to urge her in this line of thinking. I certainly don't know this woman, but it saddens me to think that she spends a whole year learning different chants, meditations, and learning from all kinds of "gurus" only to decide that she is her own god. The story is very inspiring, and Gilbert does end up a more stable person than she started, but after spending a year and thousands upon thousands of dollars, she misses God. She never comes to a knowledge of what she was searching for.

It saddens me that people like Elizabeth Gilbert are inspiration for the world today, but the majority of the press that the Gospel gets is Joel Osteen... not a great representative. Praise God that we serve a God that is mightier than any book, media, or even the seas.

Exodus 15:10-12 (English Standard Version)
10 You blew with your wind; the sea covered them;
they sank like lead in the mighty waters.
11 "Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods?
Who is like you, majestic in holiness,
awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?
12You stretched out your right hand;
the earth swallowed them.

Parents these days...

I spent the first week in June as the 4 year old coordinator for Parkway's VBS, and it was so much fun! I hadn't been a part of a VBS since I was in high school, and I didn't realize how much I missed it. I really haven't worked with kids very much at all since I moved to Auburn (with the exception of Pine Cove, but that still didn't involve much QT with the kids). When I was in high school I babysat at least 3 days a week and served in the children's ministry as much as possible. Maybe it's just because I don't have that frequent interaction anymore, but I'm very surprised by the things I observe when I'm around kids now. It seems like they're never entertained enough, and they're growing up way to fast.

For instance, the teachers at VBS were constantly trying to make up games and attention grabbers because the children didn't know how to sit and listen or even how to just play together. I realize that they are 4 and their attention span isn't very long, but it was a little ridiculous. It's not too much for a 4 year old to sit and listen to a story. And they all expected to watch a movie in the classes. Really?! 4 year olds shouldn't be so media minded that they expect all information to come out of a television. It makes me wonder how much time and effort is put into some of these kids. I think that technology can be a very good and important tool for development and teaching children. But when it becomes the main source of learning and entertainment it honestly seems a little lazy on the parents part. Is that too big of a statement to make? All I'm wondering is why so many kids (very young children) have all of these games/movies/etc. to entertain them? What happened to playing outside and finger painting? And what happened to the social skills that kids developed when they took part in "normal" kids' activities? It's just weird to me. I saw these on this website. I know statistics are relative, but it is something to think about.

In the United States -

19% of children aged 1 and under have a TV in their bedroom.
29% of children aged 2-3 have a TV in their bedroom.
43% of children aged 4-6 years have a TV in their bedroom.
And this:

“I watch CSI…[S]he sits down and watches with me. I don’t know how harmful it is to her. It’s something gory, but it doesn’t seem to bother her. She hasn’t had any nightmares from it.”

-Mother of a 1-3 year old, Irvine, California

Why in the world would an infant need a TV in their bedroom?!?!

If I think about this too long I get aggravated, so I'm going to stop now. However, I definitely have more to say about kids growing up too fast. This may come in a different post.

A few of my favorite things...

I take a lot of things for granted. Recently, I've been thinking of the little things that I overlook in my day to day life. Some are HUGE blessings... some are just fun and make my heart happy. I thought you should know about these things.

#1- I LOVE storms!! I don't really know why, but they just calm me. In fact, there is a storm brewing in Auburn as I type. I think that my love for them started when I was younger. I began to see hurricanes as a common occurance at a young age, and I remember the excitement of preparing for them. Once everything was secured, I loved being able to settle in with my parents and spend real quality time together as we waited out the weather. For me, it felt as if the world stopped for a little while. No one could leave the house... the electricity was off... family came up from the coast to escape danger. It was fun to just hang out and play cards for a while.

In the spring of 2007, a terrible storm system came through Alabama. It included several tornadoes which destroyed parts of Enterprise, AL. I do hate that that had to happen. Really, I do have a heart. However, I remember spending the evening with my favorite Lucinda and my favorite Joel watching movies and laughing. That afternoon was one of my favorites from all my time in Auburn thus far.

#2- This, friends, is Auburn football. If you know me at all, then you'll know that I don't really get excited about the actual game. But I do love how for one day so many people can come together for one purpose. (This would be more beneficial in several other situations, but I'll take what I can get.) I love tailgating and hearing "War Eagle" as I walk across campus. Basically, I love the social aspect of it. And, sometime I even love how my neighbors celebrate... don't tell anyone though :)

#3-
and
I've become a hot tea fanatic. Especially Tazo tea. I think I'm up to 2-3 cups a day now... it's a problem. I've just recently added the black tea to my cabinet, and while it's not a favorite yet, I had to have something with a little more caffeine. It's a little ridiculous, but at this moment I have 3 boxes of this stuff in my cabinet.

#4- I didn't really realize how much I appreciated the common toilet until mine broke... 3 months after moving into this apartment. In 2005. All of the stuff on the inside keeps breaking, and I just keep "engineering" it all back together. Friends, the ASVAB said I'm mechanically inclined, but it lied. Safety pins and paper clips aren't really effective. Last week it broke again, but I'm waiting to fix it. I guess I'm just hoping it will fix itself. Until then, I have to stick my hand down the back to flush and hold the chain so it won't get sucked down the drain.

#5- This one is my favorite :)
FRIENDS!
As an only child, I get pretty attached to friends. They're like family. Unfortunately, a lot of times I keep few close friends and lots of acquaintances. I would like to be better at building close friendships. But no matter what kind of relationship it is, I love it! The people in this picture are in no way the only people I'm talking about. This just happened to be the first one I thought about. It's so great to have such a wide variety of friends, in so many places, with so many different strengths and characteristics. And I'm glad to say that the majority of the people I call my friend really are family... in a much more eternal way :) I thank God that He has called you to himself not only because it's good to know there's that support there, but also because I see the way that He is working in everyone's life and the way that people are serving him. It makes my heart happy.

Kids can be lame.

One of the shows that I used to watch (I'm 90% sure it was Home Improvement) had a producer by the name of Pat Richardson. This also happens to be the name of one of my P.E. teachers at the time. I used to seriously think that this show was filmed in Mobile and that's why my P.E. teacher was able to have both jobs.

I also thought that roads moved underneath cars instead of cars traveling across the roads.

And I thought that outer-outer space was real.

What a loser.