School's Out!

Well, for me at least... and only until January 3rd. This Accounting thing is kickin' my butt! But I'm honestly enjoying school (?) and that's the first time in my life I've ever said that... ask moma! Hopefully by June I will have all my credit hours done for my Associates Degree in Accounting and I can start an internship somewhere in the summer or maybe the fall? That's the plan...

So in answer to Bill's question - Yes, I have learned something.
My brain is so full of stuff right now that I'm looking forward to the holidays to sort it though and file away the things that need to be remembered and send the rest to the recycle bin.
College isn't the only thing testing me right now though, dating is hard too.
When people asked me a few months ago, how are you and Brett? I would say, "Oh we're great... still like eachother and having fun". While that is still true, I would add to it, "It's HARD!" You find out so much about yourself and how you argue and how you handle situations with grace and be careful about what you say because you realize your words have so much weight to another person... even more than your best friend. Maybe not more than your mom, but close. Suddenly I realize the power of words and their ability to lift up or tear down. Yikes... I'm a name caller, that's for sure. Something to work on in the new year. But not til then?

I'm watching the Little kids right now... they're pretty darn cute. Especially around bedtime if you can imagine that.
That's when the slap-happy kicks in and the re-donkulous silliness comes out... the best kind of laughter.
Here's a pic of Adeline - she turned 1 on December 1st.


Anyways, they Nyswanders are coming soon - yay!
And we will see those bright and shiny Fritchy faces not too long after.
So many things to look forward to!!!

Peace and Love.

PS - why is it so flippin' hot outside!!! It just ain't right!

I've learned how to knit.

I figure if I'm going to be a godmother I should start doing godmother-type things...
So I'm knitting Isaiah Grace a scarf. And it's gonna get cold up there soon!

Here are the beginnings:


In other news,

1) You can now watch TV while you pump your gas at Walmart on 41.
Wrong, wrong, wrong.

2) I read a sign outside of a church last week that said, "God checks his kneemail".
Equally as wrong.

3) Answer me this... Why do some of the people I love the most have to live so d*** far away?
And reading their blogs seems to make it worse. It's selfish, but I'm mad.

4) I love the fall season. And I really love the season of life I'm in.
But it's so dang busy! I wish I had more time to keep up with you all!
Don't take it personally (AMY) :)

5) I turn 21 in 27 days.

6) I feel like I'm stealing Annie's list-making trademark, so I'll stop at 6 instead of going to 7 like she usually would.

Key Largo

...is amazing!
I landed yesterday afternoon and hit the Miami ground running trying to catch up on all the things my family has been doing for a month.
The house is awesome. Right on the water. And we have a long skinny dock out to our boat that is as useful as a car would be in Marietta. John showed me his collection of frozen sea life, including a shark (about 2 feet long) several mean looking barracudas (makes me want to sing that song) and the ever-loved "Steve" (JohnJohn likes to name things) which the boys found out is a hog fish. But still affectionately known as Steve. They've devised a (made up) point-system for every fish they catch. I think John's in the lead as of late.
Then we hopped in the boat and drove across the bay to a restaurant and watched the amazing sun set and ate delicious fresh yellowtail snapper. Seafood = yum.
It's good to be with my long-lost family again.

How was your Scotland trip?

I think I decided that you will just have to ask me in person.
There's NO WAY I could begin to sum-up all that happened over the last couple weeks in one blog... or even ten blogs! I felt every emotion possible. Everything from the happiest I've ever been - watching another person coming to know Jesus as their personal Savior, to being afraid for my life. It was intense to say the least.
I told mom on the way from the Miami airport (I haven't seen my family in a month!) that it felt like I had to be on guard the whole time I was there. It was like I shifted into defense-mode like we were going to battle. Darkness all around us makes the light much brighter to those who recognize it. I am so greatful and humbled by God's plan to use this team to bring glory to him in the country of Scotland. Those youth are amazing and I can't wait to hear how God uses THEM in this next year. Seeds were planted in them that week that will not be overlooked.
There are a million awesome pictures of sweet faces and fun games, but I forgot my memory card adapter so you'll have to wait until I get back from family vacation to see them...
Annie has them up on a mac website though, I think.

Cutest EVER!

This is Isaiah Grace's pool face.

She was so cute last week when Bekah and her and I went to their neighborhood pool.
Cutest thing in it!
Those Nyse girls are my fav-o-rite.

Love!

What even...

...does this even mean?!?!

Moma, Jeanne, and I went shopping this afternoon and on the way home, sitting in traffic on Polk Street, we stumbled across this little jewel of a saying.

"Wisdom is not attained by years but by ability"

Wisdom is attained by how able you are?
Your ability is how able you are to do something.
Is it saying your ability to learn.
Now I'm confused.
Maybe wisdom is beyond my abilities.

Anyway,
This started a long discussion and we decided quickly that this quote was very insulting to disabled people. Are they forever banished from being wise because their lack of ability?
Interesting concept... seems wrong.

We would LOVE to hear your interpretations...

Reunion

The "fab five" all got together last night for the first time this summer.
We went to Stone Mountain for a picnic and to view the ever-entertaining, never-changing lazer show! It's amazing how a lame summer tradition can be so much fun when you add good friends and food.
Anyways, the show was scheduled to start and 9pm so we got there at 7:30 to get a good seat and eat and throw the football. At about 7:45 when we had our blanket and food laid all out, it started trickle and by 8:00 it was POURING rain. Welp, we're all soaking wet (except for smart, prepared Lauren with her red bulldogs umbrella... so sassy) why don't we go play football?!
Leah, Katie F and I got soaking wet and Katie and I very muddy so we decided it would be an ok thing to jump in the little lake in front of the mountain (yeah, the one where several people have drowned over the years).
At about 9:15 the rain stopped completely and we took our seats for the lazer show.
What a fun memory.
The coolest part of the rain was watching it pour over the side of the mountain like little tiny waterfalls. It bounced off General Lee's (?) horses back.
And all along the smooth surface were these skinny little individual waterfalls.
It was neat, I think you had to be there.