Snow Days at Their Finest

More. Snow. 
If you didn't hear, Fayetteville got about 2 feet of snow last week.  Crazyyyyyy.  They said on the news that in 4 hours, we got 3 years worth of snow!  I also heard that if we miss 3 more days of class, it's considered a national disaster and we get tuition money back!  How sweet would that be?  I'm not getting my hopes up though...you know how these things go.  Belle (my car) hasn't moved in 13 days.  I've probably done at least a couple of months worth of sleeping in, brough-eating, and movie-watching in the last 2 weeks.  It really has been relaxing to get a break from school and spend some qt with friends.  However, I probably couldn't be more excited about the weather this week.  It's supposed to be in the 60s almost every day!  PTL for chacos and starbucks.
On Friday, I got to spend some time with my wonderful friend Randa.  I miss living with her.  We went to the mall, almost broke some bones slipping on the ice, almost got into a wreck, made the traditional stop at TB, and went through her closet at her apartment.  It was definitely a Friday night well spent.
Yesterday, Kel and I took a road trip to VB.  We stopped at A to Z in Alma, as well.  A to Z is like nothing I've ever experienced before.  I can't really even explain what it is. Here's a pic:

  Anyway, we went into the Sporting Goods one and it's basically the redneck version of Bass Pro.  There was this sketchy waterfall thing with the nastiest fish I've ever seen in it.  I'm pretty sure they were growing mold.  We also visited some sweet shops in downtown VB.  I got a really awesome book about Hong Kong.  It has some pretty legit pictures and I'm sure it'll be a great read as well.  Then, we went to good old Chili's with Kel's dad.  Man, he's great.
EXCITING NEWS ALERT!  We're for real going to Savannah for Spring Break!  So basically, a life goal of mine will be fulfilled in just a couple short months.  We'll also be hanging out in Charleston, SC on the trip.  I just love love love old south things.  I can't wait to road trip, see the mossy oaks, eat at Paula Deen's restaurant, and who knows what else.  About 10 other friends will be along for the ride, so I'm pretty positive it will be epic.
Also, this week I got a package with my t-shirt for this summer, support envelopes, and a bunch of other stuff.  I don't think it's actually hit me that I'm going to be in China this summer.  Weird!  I think one of the parts that makes me so nervous and excited at the same time is the fact that I don't know a single person that I'll be spending my summer with.  Sometimes I just really like not knowing anyone or knowing what to expect.  Kind of like I decided to come to U of A even though I was clueless, and look how that turned out! I was definitely nervous the first few weeks of my freshman year though. Of course I'm positive that God will again provide this summer, but it's still a little scary to think about.
I feel like I just vomited all kinds of information everywhere.  But that's all :)

Snow Days, Half Marathons, Greatness, etc.,etc.,etc.

I feel like I've slacked a little bit lately.  Oops.  Here's what's been going on:
Snow days:  We've had 4 so far this semester.  And it's only the 3rd week of class.  The first one was 2 days after class started!  The last 3 have been pretty great.  My days have been full of movie-watching, bursts of productivity, running (more on that later), piano-playing, and sleepovers.  As great as the snow days have been, I'm actually not too sad about going to class tomorrow.  I think I thrive off of schedules.  Actually I know I do.  One downside to the snow, however: I didn't get to go to Michigan to see my sister and brother-in-law.  The weather in Tulsa and Detroit was awful, and my flight got cancelled :(  Luckily, they're letting me either re-schedule or get a refund.  I'm hoping to still be able to go, but we'll see what unfolds.  Also luckily, my great friend Kel turned my room into Michigan.  By that, I mean she made cotton ball snow, a Michigan State emblem, and a drawing of Mallory and Dave.  What a pal.
Half Marathons:  We're still training.  It's still hard.  I'm shocked there haven't been more injuries from climbing up and down the icy hill between Humphreys and the HPER.  We're less than 2 months from the big day.  Continue to wish us luck.
Greatness:  One of the biggest blessings of the semester so far has been the incredible stuff going on in KD.  We started d-groups this semester  and there are 5 groups of girls, with a total of 23 all together.  If you had told me this time last year that 23 girls would be involved in a committed Bible study, I might have laughed in your face.  All this is just such a great reminder that God is so, so faithful.  I don't know why I'm still surprised when he delivers. 
Etc: I gave blood today.  Saved 3 lives AND didn't pass out.  I was pretty proud.

Today

Weird.  That's all I have to say about that.

How adorable is this?  This lady hand makes all kinds of dresses and sells them on etsy.  I wish I could make cool clothes.  One of the items on my dream list is to make a wearable outfit, if you didn't know that :)

Today has been very productive.  I've read a lot, cleaned my room, been to a meeting, etc.  Now I'm sitting at the desk and I feel like I might go insane.  Do you ever just randomly get super stir crazy?  Because I do. 
However, I'm looking forward to Stonemill leftovers for dinner and running with the girlies.  Did I mention I'm pseudo-training for a half marathon?  By that, I mean I would love to be able to run 13 miles by April, but it's probably not going to happen.  So, I'm just planning on running as much of it as possible.  Wish me luck.

Wondeful Fayetteville

I arrived back in Fay on Tuesday, and so far it has proved to be just as wonderful as I imagined.  Friends, relaxing, no studying, qt, the quad.  How much better could it get?  Classes start Tuesday and I am feeling very unprepared.  I'm afraid I might forget to go to class.

Also, I'ved discovered a website that I really love.  Etsy.com.  Check it out.  It's just a bunch of really cool handmade stuff.  Cute clothes, cool furniture, etc. 

OH.  I'm going to China.  This summer.  I. am. so. excited.  I just started filling out my passport application.

Also, I'm in the process of filling out an accident report.  Kel and I were part of a minor mishap last night.  Don't worry, we're both fine.  However, accident reports =annoying. 

I feel like this post has been very ADD.  I'm currently hanging out with Jules and Kel.  I've had some qt with Celeste, Randa, and Roomie, and Kels and SJ will be here soon.  Beat that.

Well, 2010, it's been great

It's almost 2011.  Weird!  I feel like a lot of great things happened in 2010.  It was good to me.  Here are some highlights.
January: SMC, moved in to 211 in the KD house.
February: Found out I was going to be an RA in Humph!
March: Turned the big 2-0.
April.  I literally can't remember anything that happened last April.
May:  Finished my sophomore year and headed to Destin for Kaleoooo!
June:  Spent an incredible time in Pensacola with Kels, Jules, and Abbey
July:  Came home to Bville and moved in to parents new house
August:  Moved in and began to sweat in Humph.
September: Saw Arkansas football get off to a good start for the first time since i've been in college.
October: Uhhhh.  Again, I can't remember anything specific.
November:  Celeste's surprise birthday party and Thanksgiving in Bville.
December: All nighter in the lib with Jules and Kel, Celeste's engagement, and Christmas with my fam.  December was a grrreat month. 

Isn't it weird how so much changes in a year?  I feel like I'm getting old, which I don't like.  However, I do like how faithful God is, how wonderful my friends and family are, and how those things aren't going to change.  It's been real, 2010!

My New Year's Resolution:  To wear my retainer 5 nights a week.  Hold me to that, okay?

Now, SMC!!!!

Readings

"If we cooperate with Him in loving obedience, God will manifest Himself to us, and that manifestation will be the difference between nominal Christian life and a life radiant with the light of His face...Why do some persons "find" God in a way that others do not?  Why does God manifest His presence to some and let multitudes of others struggle along on the half-light of imperfect Christian experience?  Of course, the will of God is the same for all.  He has no favorites within His household.  All He has ever done for any of His children He will do for all of His children.  The difference lies not within God but with us.  Pick at random a score of great saints whose lives and testimonies are widely known.  Let them be Bible characters or well-known Christians of post-biblical times.  You will be struck instantly with the fact that the saints were not alike...I venture to suggest that the one vital quality which they had in common was spiritual receptivity.  Something in them was open to heaven, something which urged them Godward.  Without attempting anything like a profound analysis, I shall say simply that they had spiritual awareness and that they went on to cultivate it until it became the biggest thing in their lives.  They differed from the average person in that when they felt the inward longing they did something about it.  They acquired the lifelong habit of spiritual response.  They were not disobedient to the heavenly vision."                                             A.W. Tozer

My heart says of you, "Seek his face!"  Your face, Lord, I will seek.        Psalm 27:8

Is that beautiful, or is that beautiful?  I like Tozer a whole lot.  One great thing about Christmas break is that I've had the chance to do a lot of reading.  One of the books I'm currently reading is The Pursuit of God.  If you haven't read it, you should.  I own it, so you can borrow it from me.  There's even a picture of a deer on the front. 

The countdown:
4 days til SMC!
7 days til party in Bville
13 days til Fay

I still miss my friends.

Christmas is Upon Us

It's Christmas Eve!  Yep.  I like Christmas a whole, whole lot, so today is a great day for me.  Since we're going to my grandparents tomorrow, we had to change up the Golden family tradition a bit, but it has still been great.   What did we do today?
9:30 am - worked out (probably a good idea, seeing as I've pretty much eaten my weight in Christmas candies, cookies, cakes, etc. that my mom has made)
11:00 am - traditional Christmas brunch (we had to move it to Christmas Eve) complete with biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs, fruit, and some great juice
12:00 pm - watched Miracle on 34th Street, aka, my favorite Christmas movie ever.  I bet I've seen it at least 50 times.  Maybe more.
3:00 pm - started packing for Kansas, showered, and so on
6:00 pm - Christmas Eve service at church

Me and Cooper before the Christmas Eve service

7:00 pm - took a drive around Fantasy Land Forest.  What's that, you ask?  Only the greatest display of Christmas lights in Washington county.  It's a true Oklahoma show, including bison, a teepee, and a bucking broncho.
8:00 pm - traditional Christmas eve meal of hors deurves (is that you how spell it?).  We always make homemade queso, cheeseball and crackers, wings, guac, pinwheels, and a bunch of stuff I can't remember.  I don't really know why we do that, I guess we just always have.  Weird.
9:00 pm - opened presents (this also had to moved to Christmas Eve because of our trip to Kansas).
Tomorrow at approximately 7:00 am we'll be loading up and heading out to Colony, Kansas - population 300ish.  A bunch of my family will be there.  I'm convinced it will be wonderful.
Merry Christmas to All!