Um. My niece is walking and has pigtails!

6 months ago we were praying for her just to register on the growth chart. 

But God is SO good. He turned on her appetite--for food and for life! Now, not only does she eat constantly, she growls... like full on growls when she wants something or wants to express herself. 

Ida  - from one girlie sandwiched between two brothers to another: I should have thought of growling. Ross and Jack will probably relate to you way easier that way. So, I say, keep rocking those girlie dresses, bows, and pigtails... but show the world that you can growl. Because there are big things waiting for you out there and no matter how tiny your starting point (or in my case, finishing point) - God's gonna use you to reveal His glory, Sweet Girl.

He already has.

Just wanted to say hello =)

I feel like its been a while. I also wanted to say how exciting I'm getting for my 1 year anniversary of my England Adventures [July 5]. I am very much looking forward to reading journals and blog posts from a year ago. You can look forward to some fun tid-bits and a few "one year ago today" posts [sorry in advance if they get annoying... I'll try to do only the special ones]. But more than just a wish to relive the magic of England, I'm really looking forward to celebrating God's goodness and approaching everyday with renewed gratefulness. It is honestly miraculous what God has done in that 1 little year. And it is miraculous that I'm pursuing what I am right now. But daunting at the same time and, to be honest, I've had a bit of hard time staying as grateful as I should be. I've been looking at these amazing opportunities and while I should be focused on how amazing they are, I've been too preoccupied with how much work they'll take. I mean, here I am, working away on scholarship and school applications--begging for more work? Not to mention the idea of living so far away from home for 4-6 years! Fear and weariness have been really messing with me lately. But, I am so excited to look back and remind myself that God deciding to blow up a vision and fulfill someone's wildest dreams is 1. POSSIBLE--He did it last year and 2. a privilege!! Where I'm at is a privilege and if it costs me more blood, sweat, and tears, so be it. He has big dreams and I'm so lucky to be involved in them--even when I can't see what they entail. So here is God "doing it again" and me celebrating even the hard things--like climbing the arc de triomphe and killing spiders =)

[via]

I look up to the mountains;

does my strength come from mountains?

No, my strength comes from God,

who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.

He won't let you stumble,

your Guardian God won't fall asleep.

Not on your life! Israel's 

Guardian will never doze or sleep.

God's your Guardian,

right at your side to protect you--

Shielding you from sunstroke,

sheltering you from moonstroke.

God guards you from every evil,

He guards your very life.

He guards you when you leave and when you return,

He guards you now, He guards you always.

- Psalm 121, the Message