Introducing Future Guest Blogger

This is my roommate Liz. She will be guest blogging for me next week while I'm in Florida! So exciting!

Brownies and the Philippians

... just another day in the good ole Ox box

Love Me Some Ice Cream

This is what happens when I consume two large
dishes of ice cream in a short amount of time

Dinosaur Lamp

This was a birthday present from my friends for my 19th birthday...
my love of the Disney channel made them think it would be
appropriate to decorate my bedroom with a nursery theme

Bowling Round 2

Prayer Bear

Since this is Prayer Bear's second appearance on the blog, I figured I'd give him a proper introduction. Prayer Bear, formally known in the beanie baby world as "Hope," was given to me about 12 years ago by my mom one day when I stayed home sick from school. He began accompanying me during my bedtime prayers and for the next 4 years, he was always by my side when it was time to go to sleep. 

I made the mistake of thinking it would be a good idea to bring Prayer Bear to Hawaii with me for a softball tournament during my senior year of high school. Tragically, he disappeared and I spent the next few months devastated. Then, my best friend Jess surprised me on my 17th birthday by ordering me a new prayer bear, wrapping him up in a package that was supposedly sent from Hawaii, and writing a note that was "from prayer bear" himself explaining how sad he was that we had been separated and how much he'd missed saying prayers with me. 

It was probably the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.

So yes, at age 17 I was happily reunited with my "blankie" and we have spent many a wonderful night chatting with Jesus.

Current Obsession- Wearing Plaid

... and forcing other people to wear plaid with me so we can match when we go out in public!

I promise I'm wearing highlighter yellow shoes...
you just can't see them :)

Bible Study!

Jenny is 6'5"... and she's a freshman... and even when
standing on my couch, I am still shorter.

Kylie wanted to "see if anyone would notice" that she wasn't
looking at the camera. Um, yea... you blend in really well... :)

Song Obsession #5

Tegan and Sara, "I Won't Be Left"

Bowling Flashback with Spence, Welk, Liz, and Reid

Just Another Manic Monday

Actually... not really at all. Today was pretty chill. Love days like that. Today was my planning day and I was fairly productive which, fingers crossed, means I won't be running around like a crazy person on Wednesday trying to finish preparing for bible study while baking for bible study while eating dinner. I must say, I'm a fantastic multi-tasker but it is a skill I prefer to not have to use if at all possible.

Awesome new shoes from my awesome roommate

Cheeto!

Love that cat.

Adventures in Cincinnati

Liz wanting a t-shirt, she may or may not have
pushed over a few small children in the process

Welk and I, watching the cyclones
make a beautiful comeback...
only to lose in the shootout :(

The lovely lady I have the honor of sharing
a room with, posing with her cotton
candy mustache. She makes Liz and I so proud :)

Bucket List Item- Completion #2: Donating Blood

Bucket List Item- Completion #1: Skydiving

Flashback: Skydiving- Norfolk, Virginia 2010

Long Day

Today has been a looonngggg one.... productive, energizing, filled with wonderful people. But still long. So I'm off to bed :)

My new glasses came today! Which means two things:
1. I'm no longer blind
2. I'm having massive headaches
while my eyes try to adjust

Hobby Lobby visit... do u know what this means!?

Yesterday, I made a pit stop at Hobby Lobby on my way home from Hamilton and restocked my highlighter yellow string... which means that my obsessive bracelet making habits will be resuming shortly. Get ready world/oxford, the Neon Braceleteers are about to drastically increase in number :)

Roommate love. Also, what the heck is my right eyebrow doing?
Those things totally have minds of their own.

Random Blessing #1

Today, I was lucky enough to be able to grab a quick lunch with my mom and the two little ones she takes care of a few days throughout the week. Mom has been watching Paige and Greyson since they were born. I sort of conned her into watching Paige so by the time Greyson came along 3 years later, the woman was totally hooked... my plan all along :) 

Watching Paige and Greyson grow up has been one of those random, incredible orchestrated-by-God kind of things that has been really fun to be a part of. Here's a quick rundown of some memories that stand out.

I remember finding out that Katie was pregnant with Paige during the spring softball season my junior year in high school. It was a bittersweet moment because I knew that she was bringing a life into the world, which I guess is pretty exciting, but it also meant that she wouldn't be coaching me during my senior season, which was such a heartbreaking reality that I may or may not have cried a little bit at first. But then the black-haired tiny baby girl came and I quickly got over it.

I remember 16-month-old Paige's confusion after our dog died my freshman year of college and she would stumble around our house in her awkward "still trying to figure out the whole walking thing" strut asking where Nala was. And it brought tears to my eyes every time.

I remember where I was when I got the call that Katie was pregnant again, this time with a little boy- I was studying at the library my sophomore year in college and was PUMPED at the idea of having another little Treherne running around.

And then, today. Paige at 5, greeting me in the parking lot of the restaurant with a huge smile and her beautiful napkin art (because she refused to color on regular paper this morning). And Greyson, at a little over 2 years, talking in full sentences yelling, "Are you too big!?" when it took me extra long to get down the slide at playland. And for 30 minutes, I was able to forget the stresses of my life in Oxford and bask in the innocence of two beautiful kids who aren't even related to me but have totally shaped my life for the better. They've been bringing me breaths of fresh air for years and I'm so grateful that God, in his mercy, continues to refresh my soul through the presence of these little ones.

Flashback: October '06. Hanging out with a newborn Paige.

 December '09. Greyson joins the crew.

And today. Chasing the two of them around
Chick-fil-A's playland was quite the workout.

Lazy Sunday #3

This is Caspian's 2nd guest appearance on the blog.
Such a snuggle bug that one.

I'd like to claim that this is the less dorky
way to wear the headband but something tells
me that the general public probably disagrees.

The Incredibly Exciting Happenings of a Freaking Cold Saturday

This is how my day unfolded:

8:47am: Wake up to go to the bathroom and even though I've had a solid 7.5 hrs of sleep, decide to go back to bed.

10:58am: Wake up to go to the bathroom again...decide to stay up this time. 10hrs of sleep will suffice I suppose.

1:15-2:51pm- Work the scorebook at little kids' basketball games (I was supposed to be there at 1:00 but couldn't for the life of me remember who to get to the elementary school, even though I'd been there multiple times and have lived in this town for 5 years... whoops).

3:03-3:15pm- Krogering, which yielded a salad from the salad bar, 2 avocados (for future homemade guacamole enjoyment), and 2 Powerades.

3:18-3:25pm- Attempt to rent a disturbing movie (American Beauty) from Family Video, only to discover that someone had already checked it out. In the words of Liz Snyder, "What kind of freaks rent out crap like this?!"- a statement stemming from the past frustration of the video store being out of "Silence of the Lambs" when we were looking for it a few weeks ago. 

4:00-6:02pm- Watch 2 episodes of Battlestar Galactica. 

6:55-7:30pm- Ride the stationary bike while reading "Unbroken." I have discovered that the key to not quitting after 3 minutes on the bike is to distract myself with either the Disney Channel (usually my first option) or by diving into a good book.

8:15-11:02pm- Get work done at Kofs... and by "work" I mean finally starting a reference form for a friend that I was supposed to do about a month ago :) 

All in all, a good day. LOVE the snow. Hate the cold. Sadly, the two generally go hand-in-hand.

A shirt I borrowed from my little cousin about 5 years ago...
 and have no intention of returning

Attempt at Creativity #1

1 faithful customer + 4 employees + 2 groupies= Kofenya love

Happy 40 Days!

My dear bloggers. All 2 of you. We have been together for 40 days now. How exciting is that!?

Picking Edward's nose... this is what happens when
I'm left alone for long periods of time.

Glasses!

Testing out possible glasses frames options. Also,  this is probably
one of the top 3 most unflattering pictures of me. But at this point, I think
I've pretty much established a "no holds barred" approach to this blog
 so what's one more embarrassing picture? :)

Aortic Blindness

Yesterday, I went to the eye doctor for the first time in like 6 years (how I've managed to not get my teeth knocked out in softball during that time remains a mystery to me). I ordered some much-needed glasses which will hopefully be arriving in the next couple of weeks. No more squinting and straining and getting massive headaches. I will finally be able to see clearly... at least with my eyes. If only my heart worked the same way.

Instead, my heart is a muddled mess clouded by past wounds, inaccurate views of who God is, the influence of our JACKED UP culture and an almost (and I repeat, almost) uncontrollable urge to do exactly what I know I shouldn't be doing. My heart sees everything through flawed lenses and I hate it. My soul knows that I'm missing something... understands so well that my heart is incapable of fully experiencing all that it was meant to while I'm still on this earth. And so I run towards things that I think will bring a sense of fulfillment and adventure. I attempt to blindly navigate relationships and situations through my feelings (an incredibly unreliable source) and I flirt with sin because it seems fun and exciting and rebellious.

And yet God in his ridiculous, incomprehensible adoration for us, his creation, sent Jesus so that we wouldn't have to figure it all out on our own. At the end of the day, I get to run back into his open arms whining and frustrated saying "Dammit, I did it againnnnn." And yes there are sometimes really crappy consequences and there is discipline but ultimately there is warmth and guidance and the knowledge that nothing I have done, am currently doing, or will ever do can separate me from my Creator because it was finished when Jesus died for me, for us,  2000 years ago.

So yea, I'd love to get rid of the bullshit in my life. But the truth of the matter is that I'm going to be messy until Jesus comes back or until I die (whichever comes first). I am a redeemed, beautiful, restored mess. But still a mess nevertheless. Prayerfully, in time, I'll be just a little less of a mess than when this whole thing started.

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." Lamentations 3: 21-24

Flashback: one of the dorkier ones that I've had archived

on my computer never to be seen by anyone... until now...

because I forgot to take a picture of my outfit today

Just Call Me Betty Crocker

Using a chair to get something from above the stove
that anyone over 5'2" would be able to reach

Made some chocolate chip pumpkin muffins/bread
for staff prayer tomorrow morning... yummmm

...And Then I Found $20

No really, I did! Actually, I didn't find it. But I won it. Which is just as good.

Super Bowl total points: 38
My total points guessed: 43
Closest guess aside from mine: 51
What a steal :)

Bowling!

Nuthouse Love

TGIF

I was forced to watch the Addams Family Values tonight. Weirdest. Movie. Ever.

Flashback: Mine and Sara's awesome hotel room, Indy CC 2011

Love Me Some Quarter Barrel

So. Tired.