a favorite photo

Day 17 of the challenge : a favorite photo of myself and why

This photo was taken on a beautiful sunshine filled summer day in San Francisco a few years ago. I was on a three week road trip adventure with my dear friend Emily. I had just returned from Ecuador, Emily had just finished college and we packed up a car and took an adventure down the entire stretch of the West Coast (as well as a quick stop in Canada) It was the greatest adventure! We stayed with friends and family along the way, camped a couple of nights and even ended up on some guys couch in San Fran. It was such a precious period of processing the year that had just come before, experiencing new things and spending some good old quality time together as friends. It was such a bitter sweet finish when we reach LAX airport and I boarded my plane back to England.

This particular day had been filled with exploring San Fran on foot. We just couldn't get enough of this great city! Or the sunshine for that matter. We were walking along the pier when I spotted this wall in my favorite color. Photos had to to be taken. This photo reminds me of a great adventure, an incredible friend and a day of happiness.

day to day

Day 15 of the challenge : day in the life

Today you get the opportunity to hear about a typical day in the life of moi. The morning will always begin with the espresso machine. Yesterday I found out that taking a Political Methods and Statistics exam at 9am with no caffeine...is, well...not a good idea.

My day then goes a little like this: class / coffee date / study / skype date / work out / meetings / class / study / work / hang out with friends or room mates / study / evening fun. There are only two more days in which study and class shall be in this mix. The summer is so so so close. I can feel it...
Here are some moments that pretty much capture this incredibly blessed life I am living right now.

Wake up to these beautiful hills

Coffeeeeee

Class and Study 

Escape to the hills

Work

Work Out 

Time spent with sweet friends

Friends and College Fun

Dear Taylor

Beautiful Sunsets

my happy list

Day 14 of the challenge

Ahhh this is a good one : 10 things that make me happy. Now, some of these make me insanely happy. I am one of those people who will cry with happiness. Sometimes God and life are just so so so so good that, well, I just can't quite manage to contain myself.

1) Jesus. Wow, this guy.....blesses my life. He has my back and makes me solid in knowing who I am, what matters most in life and He is the giver of a hope, joy and peace that passes all understanding.

2) Coffee. It's my lifeline and my love.

3) Family. I am including friends here also.....I have friends in my life who I count as family. Friends, true friends, are also your family. How did I ever get so rich in life with friendships?!

4) Being outside. I love being outside and surrounded by natures beauty. I can't sit still inside for too long. If you try and make me I will get serious ants in my pants and just start going a little cray cray.

5) Music. I grew up around music and it was always something my bro and I shared/still share with one another. I have so many great memories of catching the train to London to see incredible shows with my bro. These are some golden memories that I will always treasure.

6) Leaning. I love and hate learning. I love learning in the sense that I gain new understanding, new perspectives and skills. However, sometimes, learning is hard and requires me facing some realities about myself or the world around me that are tough.

7) Dance Parties. Planned or spontaneous....

8) Travelling....the prospect of new adventures....makes my heart so happy.

9) Love.

10) Good food and quality time with dear friends. This is always a winning combination. There is nothing that can beat quality time. (If you have ever read about the 5 love languages, this is one of my top love languages!)

Sunshine and Coffee are always a recipe for happiness

day 13 : an apology

The challenge today is to offer a public apology.

Here we go......

Dear Family,


You got me. Happy days! I know that you (parents) maybe, maybe, knew what you were kind of, sort of, getting yourselves in for...but I am pretty sure having a daughter has greatly exceeded your expectations of craziness, emotional outbursts and I am certain I has tried your patience over and over again. But I guess I wasn't too bad, right? I mean you chose to have one more after me....so....I guess you liked me enough.

As well as being certain that the journey of my life (in which you guys are hostages) has been a crazy one, I am pretty sure it has been an unexpected surprise where we are today. Living in the United States of America. And, no, not on the East Coast either where things vaguely resemble the UK. But in the west where there are rattle snakes, cowboys, supermarkets that sell guns and HUGE trucks. You both amaze me with your ability to go with the flow - with me and with life. I am sorry that you got caught up in this wild adventure. Thank you for moving all the way across the world for me (because you clearly moved for me and your move clearly had nothing to do with your great new job and loving Jesus). I am sorry for all the lame jokes I tell you, irrational fears I burden you with and the strain I put on your bank account. Yay you have kids!

what i miss the most

Day 12 of the challenge: what do you miss?

So I had to have grace for myself there for a couple of days...been kind of busy...sorry y'all.
The question today is, what do I miss?

I miss The Netherlands.

I sort of, fell into / fate intervened / God surprised me and I ended up in a little Dutch town called Middelburg, in The Netherlands for my first year of University. It was tough to move. Again. I wasn't the most willing recipient of this new adventure that was handed to me on a plate. But, as time passed, I fell in love with the place, the country and especially the people.

It is a very strange feeling to find yourself in one place where you feel at home, yet know that at the same time your heart is longing to return to another place where you felt at home. When I am able to think rationally and I am not over emotional, I can see that living in three countries by the time I am 23 is a blessing - my goodness it is a huge blessing! I have met the most incredible people, had the most wonderful experiences and learnt a lot. But, when I am emotional....I miss The Netherlands. I have a homesickness that I can't shrug for The Netherlands. I miss the people there and the longing to return can overwhelm me and I kick myself for leaving. It is in moments like that in which I don't see my travels as a blessing but more as a terrible heartbreaking curse.

The Netherlands will always hold a special place in my heart. I would love to return some time. It was home for a special season in my life and I had people there who became my family. I miss my Dutch family.

a moment in my day

Day 9 of the challenge : a moment in my day

Yesterday was the most beautiful day. I was able to sleep in a little longer then normal, run some errands, take a meeting before heading to class. Then one of my class was cancelled so I enjoyed some sunshine and studied. I got to work out and then spend the evening with the wonderful people I work with in the park. It was a great and beautiful day. To all my European friends, it really is great to live in a country where I can wear shorts May - September.

A piece of advice

Day 8 of the challenge : A piece of advice

"The beauty of starting somewhere is that you will always end up somewhere else"

Someone spoke these words to me a few years ago and they have stuck with me. I think they have stuck with me so strongly because of how my life has panned out since then....I have started somewhere and ended up somewhere else, normally a surprising somewhere else, time and time again. My life is one great testimony to having adventures and trusting God. I happen to believe that God loves me and He knows my heart for adventure. Therefore, since He is creator of the universe and all and nothing is too big for Him to deal with, well, then He just kind of orchestrates life to enable me to have adventures. Since these words were spoken to me I have relocated to a foreign country multiple times, changed my University major, altered my goals in life and discovered more about the passions in my heart than I have every known before. 

So I give this advice to you also as a gift. Start somewhere and take delight in the fact that you will end up somewhere else, somewhere new and hopefully exciting. Don't stay stationary in life; move on, move towards greater things. I know a lot of you may be graduating college soon - what a great season of change and anticipation this is! It may also be one of fear and anxiety, but hey, we wouldn't be human if we didn't worry, right? When you find your peace and look back, it will be worth it to know you pushed on, trusted, and didn't let fear stand in your way.