The nice man in shorts

Kelly: Alas, our fall semester is complete, as of 5:00 today! Yippee!!!!! It was crazy and rough, and how we got through it is still a mystery to us. Definitely looking forward to a few weeks of downtime at home with family and friends. However, I am sad to report that this will be our last blog post for a few weeks; the internet at home is not good at all and to get on here and blog regularly is just not going to happen. However, we may be able to sneak in a few posts, so avid readers please keep your eyes open.

The purpose of tonight's post is to share a wonderful "God moment" story with you all. I will leave Holly to tell the story, but I have something that I would like to share before the story. While I was on facebook, a friend of mine posted that he had some "nursing questions" that I should be able to answer. Though for confidentiality reasons I will not disclose our discussion, but it just really made me feel useful. I am happy that I am able to console this friend and actually put my major to use when I'm not in class or in a clinical setting. SUCCESS. Before I hand this over to Holly, I just want to wish all of our avid readers a very Merry Christmas! I hope that God blesses all of you during this holiday season and that your time with family and friends is truly joyful! Peace! :]

Holly: This will be our last post until sometime after the New Year (less than desirable internet conditions at home), but this story is too good not to share.  I'm still smiling.  I suppose God is too.

Amanda (my roommate), Kelly and I were driving to a nearby gas station so Amanda could fill up her car to go home tomorrow morning.  I ran in to grab a frozen pick-me-up for Kelly and I and I noticed that there was a $20 bill in the cup holder.  Amanda had no knowledge of it.  (Just go with it...it comes back later).

I come back out to the car and Amanda tells me her tires are a little flat, so we pull up to the air pump thingamajig (after first placing a phone call to her mechanic stepdad).   Unfortunately, all three of us have NEVER put air in tires before, so we were completely clueless.  Out of nowhere, a man in shorts steps out of his pick up truck and asks us if we needed any help.  Mind you, it's about 30 degrees outside (about 1 C, for our Canadian/out of US readers).  Not only is this man in shorts, but he puts air in all four of Amanda's tires!  We were completely shocked...we literally just stood there the entire time.  As he's ready to leave, Amanda has Kelly go into the car and...get the $20 from earlier.  It is now in the possession of the nice man in shorts. 

We know absolutely nothing about the nice man in shorts.  We don't know if he was in a hurry, if he was a Christian, but we do know that he didn't have any obligation to help us, but he did.  It is likely that our paths will never cross again, but I don't think he'll ever know just how appreciative we are of him.  This.  This is what this time of year is all about. 

I hope that all of you who read (or do not read) enjoy a holiday season filled with laughter in your spirits and joy in your hearts.  :)

SERIOUSLY FREAKY. But with a good message.

Holly: Hol-eeyy crap.  This.  Is.  Freaky.  Like, legit scary.  

www.takethislollipop.com

As creepy as this is (my heart is still pounding), it sends a good message.  Don't give out personal information over the internet, because what this video brilliantly (and FREAKY) shows is that stuff like that happens every day! The internet is not as safe as it used to be!   I take that back...is the internet even safe at all?

Anyway, now that I've received my adrenaline high for the year, I'm going to do laundry.  And not go out at night anymore.  Cheers.

Kelly: I had seen this link circulating around facebook with comments like "omg it's so scary." I just ignored the comments. But for some reason tonight, I thought of it and it struck my curiosity. BUH!!!!!!!!

After the video was done, I went through all of my privacy settings and changed them so that only my facebook friends can see what I post, my pictures, etc. I even Googled myself, and my facebook page did not come up; the first thing that came up was someone with my name with a mugshot from Las Vegas. Now unless I have a hidden double life, it's not me. But yeah, seriously everyone; change your settings on your facebook, twitter, etc, and DO NOT accept friend requests from ANYONE you don't know (or at least that's what I do). Be safe and be careful with what you post; anyone can see it if given the opportunity. 

Relax, the end is nigh!

Kelly: The impending doom of finals is just around the corner. My first one isn't until Tuesday, so I still have some time. Lately though I've been feeling the end-of-the-semester crunch biting me in the bum. The most common sign is me being defiant; I just do not want to do anything. I've been getting more easily distracted, especially this week. It's becoming a bit bothersome because there's still stuff that I need to get done; hopefully this is just like I said, me just ready for the semester to be over. But, today was actually a really good day and I hope it will help me get over this "I don't want to do anything" funk and allow me to get through this semester.

The day started out with a brunch consisted of pancakes, turkey bacon and coffee with Holly and a friend of mine. We just talked, laughed and are all looking forward to the end!  When the morning was about to end, Holly received a phone call from some more dear friends who live in Lexington and wanted to spend some time with us. Of course, we said no problem; what made it greater was that another one of our friends was visiting for the weekend, so she was there too!! (You'll probably remember these dear friends from when they accompanied us to see Colin and Brad!!) We ended up venturing to a hibachi grill just about 15 minutes away. We had been there before, but Holly and I had never had their sushi. Man, it was DELICIOUS. Afterwards, I wanted ice cream so I spoke up and said I wanted ice cream, so we ventured to....Orangeleaf. Orangeleaf is a soft-serve chain and you pay by the # of ounces you fill your bowl with. It was great, and we all loved it! All in all, a good night, and I love my dear friends ever so much.

I cannot wait for this semester to be OVER!!!! 

Holly: But we didn't just eat awesome sushi/awesome frozen yogurt.  We played with puppies at PetSmart and bought shoes! Well...I did, anyway.  Kelly picked them out for me.  They're adorable. 

I too have been stricken with the defiance of I-don't-want-to-do-anything...I believe its common name is Senioritis with a minor onset of My Give-A-Crap is Waning!  But tonight was just what I needed: good food, cute critters, a new pair of adorable shoes, all with the best friends a girl could ever ask for!

This time tomorrow will mark the one-week countdown until home sweet home for three weeks! YAY! :D

Knee Socks and Beef Jerky

Holly: This blog post has absolutely no pertinent significance to life, the universe, and all its profound mysteries.  It has nothing to do with anything going on right now in our lives.  This is just merely a post about things that make us laugh. 

For me, since I'm a biology major, I have compiled a list of science terms that sound like (bad) band names.  Here goes.  Feel free to add more.  Enjoy:

*The Hydrophobic Effect (my personal favorite)
*The Michaelis-Menten Equation
*Central Dogma
*Topoisomerase
*Renin
*Lagging Strand
*The Genetic Code
*The Bohr Model
*Glusatory Pleasure
*Fluid Mosaic Model
*Competitive Inhibition
*NMR
*G-6-P
*Breaking Glycogen

Kelly: For me, today I was going through my Twitter account and looking at some of the tweets that I retweeted. Most of them are very humorous, but some are serious and actually thought-provoking. Listed below are some of my favorite "retweets."

Brad Sherwood: Herman Cain giving his endorsement to another candidate is like a restaurant that gets closed for health violations telling you where to eat. (sorry if I offend anyone...)

Colin Mochrie: Hosting the Oscar Meyer awards where everyone is a wiener. Thank you...thank you very much.

Colin again: Just won an Emmy for "Most Likely never to win an Emmy" Eat it Kardashians!!!

Jeff Davis: I just discovered a long-forgotten jar of pickled eggs in my fridge. I'm terrified. And intrigued

Brad Sherwood: Daily thought; the world will always be full of people & ideas you disagree with. Relax. Things will never be just 'your way.'

Brad again: Daily life choices: cruelty or kindness, exclusion or acceptance, selfishness or generosity, judgment or tolerance. #BeNicer

Michael W. Smith: Religion is boring. Life with God is an adventure!

and the best for last....

Lord Voldemort: FINALLY! There is a cure for stupid. It's called; shut the hell up.

TA-DA!!! Hope we all brightened your day with some laughs. We're plugged into our last week of classes, so we could use all the laughs we can get. Share your funny stuff with us if you want, or just divulge into ours! Thank you faithful readers! Cheers!!!

It's the most wonderful time of the year!!!!

Kelly: Honestly, I had a rather rough morning. The results of my MRI came back normal, much to my surprise. Though I was relieved that surgery is ruled out, frustration soon took over as I left the office. Great, it's not this, but...what is it? SOMETHING is still going on, and nobody can figure out what. The doctor even told me "I'm just grasping at straws." Talk about comforting. So my next step has yet to come; nerve conduction studies. I left the office crying and eventually broke down in my sister's room. I guess the unknown of what is going on and on-going frustration just got to me. This vicious cycle....is exhausting. But I am keeping the faith, even though these times are really hard, but faith is all I've got.

Tonight was also the first night of the entire college music department's Christmas concert. The church we were at was full and the spirits were uplifted and joyful. During one of the songs I was singing, I really took the time to listen to the words. And during one part of the song...I just felt something inside me just....become happier.

Thank you for the Lamb
The precious lamb of God
Because of your grace I can finish this race
The precious lamb of God


And now, I'm in such a good mood. It just amazes me the wonderful power of Christmas and Christmas music can totally change one's outlook of an entire day. God is...awesome and amazing, and I thank Him that he can make a seemingly small situation and exposing it to me after a rough start. Peace be to all of you.

Holly: I too am in a fantastic mood! I received a good grade on an exam I just took (and this professor is notorious for rough exams), and I work with some really awesome people who always cheer me up and put me in a silly/good mood (I will blog about that at a later time).  But the moment that Kelly came in and was deeply frustrated and upset by the "normal" MRI, I put on my sister hat and just hugged her.  I didn't say anything.  There aren't words to describe how it feels when your sister is hurting.  But the power of presence is more that can be said.  Actions really do speak louder than words.

Anyway, the Christmas concert tonight is something that I have been looking forward to for a while now...mostly because I just LOVE Christmas.  But there is something to be said when you hear a church full of people singing carols! It's just heartwarming! I left the church smiling.  :) 

The content below is a conversation I had with a local pastor (who is a graduate of Berea and the temporary college band director).  I am not making any of this up:

"Do you sing in BME? Do you have a twin sister? I just LOVE watchin' y'all sing, cause y'all look so happy! And you actually have rhythm! 'Cause white people usually don't have rhythm! You represent white people well!"

I hope that you all are blessed by the sounds and sights of Christmas! :)

Worth Sharing

Holly and Kelly: NPR recently did a broadcast about Berea.  No, we're not making this up.  It's just over 5 minutes, and what's evident to us is something that is rare at a college: the students LOVE Berea.  They love what they are doing and they are not afraid to share it.  That's worth sharing.  Some of the students come from horrendous situations, and for many of them, Berea was their life-saver.  

At any other college, you go just to get a degree, but something about Berea is different: It really is an amazing place.  You fall in love with it, you fall in love with the people.  For more about Berea, please refer to this post.  But even that really doesn't do Berea justice.  If you really want to know about Berea and how it's changed our lives...ask us.  We'd love to tell you about it.  :)

http://www.npr.org/2011/11/29/142889056/hard-times-inspire-ky-college-students-to-action

In case you didn't get the memo!

http://richmondregister.com/viewpoints/x229372120/-Whose-Line-guys-improv-geniuses

NUFF SAID! :D

Read it.  Drop whatever you are doing and read it.  Read it RIGHT. NOW.  You know you want to.  It'll make you feel like you were there.  Do it.  Doooo ittttt! :]

A Lock Down kind of a day

Kelly: I woke up this morning, preparing for a seemingly normal Monday. My backpack was packed from last night and I emerged from a nice warm shower. I walked back from the bathroom to find my roommate talking on the phone to a friend of hers. She said "I'll let Kelly know since she's getting ready to head out the door." Confused, I grabbed my iPod and checked my email, noticing an email from the campus Public Safety. The first line read "There was a shooting this morning..." Reading further, I noticed that the campus was placed on lock down until 12:00.

The time is now 12:35. We are all still on lock down; the shooter is still at large, armed with possibly 2 rifles and a bullet-proof vest. According to LEX18 news (stationed about 45 mins. from campus), he was in the military and used to work for the college as a Public Safety officer. Two victims were involved; one has died and the other was taken to UK. It's scary, because we think nothing like this could ever happen to a small town such as Berea. But what I don't understand is what drove this man to take someone's life?

Also, the shooter "has a medical history." He served for our country. He used to WORK for the very campus I attend. What has happened to this individual? I pray not only for him but for the families that have been involved. In the mean time, I am chilling out with Holly and her roommate, trying to pass the time by reading what everyone else has posted on Facebook. Perhaps I will do some homework later, if this lock down remains for the remainder of the day. We've also received several rescue attempts (THANK YOU Middle Ages followers!!!!) We'll keep everyone posted as soon as we know any new information in the comments section. Thanks for caring everyone!

Holly: All of what Kelly said.  I was getting ready for biochem and checking my email when I read my email about the shooting.  At the same time my friend who works for the college called me and asked where I was; told her I was in my dorm and leaving for class in half an hour.  What she told me was "No you aren't."  That's when I read about the lockdown.  That was about 4 hours ago, and the original email said classes and work were suspended until noon.

It's now 12:44, and we are still on lockdown, and will be until further notice.  As bored and antsy as I am, I'm also kind of scared.  I mean, this shooter was in the military, and was a former employee of the college, meaning he knows the campus well.  He's been ruled as "armed and dangerous".  Two victims have been involved, and one is dead.  It's just sad.  Really, really sad.  It just makes me wonder what drives someone to this point where innocent lives and scared college students are involved. 

I legit do not want to be here anymore. Like, for real, I just want to go home. 

But i must post major props to our campus police.  They have just been on top of it, keeping us informed and safe.  So thank you, all of you.  Berea students give them a lot of crap and right now they are on top of their game and I am really grateful. 

We'll keep everyone posted in the comments section.  <3

We met Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood! :D What did YOU do today?

Holly: I'm still reeling from the last four hours of my life.  My head still hurts from laughing so hard!  Tonight was the night that Kelly and I have been eagerly waiting for.  Yes, tonight....WAS THE COLIN AND BRAD SHOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't know what I was expecting, but it was phenomenally better than I could have possibly imagined! I was literally laughing every five seconds, laughing so hard at some points that I thought I was either going to hyperventilate or my head was going to explode!  But shhhh, we managed to sneak in a couple of vids (which will be on tomorrow...maybe....Kelly??).

For me, though, the most memorable part of the event was that I was actually called up to go on stage and do a scene with them!!!! The audience may not have known it, but I was terrified!!  And trying not to panic, because I was looking straight at Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood!  And excited (because, hey, I was like 2 feet away from COLIN MOCHRIE AND BRAD FREAKING SHERWOOD!).  Like...they shook my hand! AAH! :D  But anyway, the game involved the audience members (me and three others) completing Colin and Brad's sentences whenever they signaled us.  According to my friends, I was the funniest one out of all of them, but, personally, I think I was horrible!  Being on stage for however long I was up there...it felt like forever...and being put on the spot was so difficult! Having said that, I applaud (and admire moreso) Colin and Brad for just being sheer comedic GENIUSES!  That's it. 
After the show Kelly and I waited in line to meet them/have them sign stuff/have our picture with them!  They are so nice!! And Colin is so adorably shy! :)  I told him that Kelly and I were twins, and he said, "Oh are you?"  AAH! :D

One of my favorite games they did was called "Crime" (I think?), and what happened is that Colin left the room and Brad had the audience shout out the randomest things in order to devise a "crime" for Colin to commit.  However, since Colin didn't know anything we were saying, Brad served as the interrogator and had Colin try to guess our sillyness, word for word.  And he did!  This is what we, the collective audience, came up with:

On November 18th, 2011, Colin Mochrie admitted to mailing a hamburger to India and peeing in the playground at nighttime, in Big Bone Lick, at Zeke's Otter Farm and Tattoo Shop, whilst leaving behind at the scene a "murse" (man purse) and Uncle Willy's Special Blend. 
No, I didn't just make that up. 

This night is going to be a hard one to top.   I'm just sayin'. 

Kelly: I still remember what I was doing when Holly told me she ordered the tickets; I was still 3,000 miles away gallivanting in beautiful Scotland. I still remember when Holly first called me and told me they were going to be in Richmond. "Kelly, are you sitting down?" "....yes, why, what's going on?" "Ok, just listen. I was looking at their website...and Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood are going to be in Richmond on November 18." *drops phone and screams*

It seemed so far away at the time when I received this call, which was in early July. And now, the fun-filled night is over. I'm so very sad that this night is indeed over, yet very glad it happened at the same time. I had....NO idea what to expect, but it was 10000000x better than what I expected. Seeing sis on stage too was definitely near the top of the list; she did so great!! I'm a proud sister! ^__^

Definitely the top part of the night came at then end when we got to meet them. Both were very friendly and were willing to put up with me trying to not act crazy. I think I scared Colin a little bit too; when I get really nervous, I just babble and talked about stupid stuff. I asked if they were both all right and were reeling from the dreaded mouse traps. I could barely watch; it made me cringe. Brad warmly told me it made them cringe too. WHY then, good sirs. WHY???? So we got our geeky fan pic, I shook their hands, put my coat on and that was it. Just like that; the night was over. This night was exactly what I needed. This night, whenever I am angry or sad or whatever, will be engrained in my mind to help me get through. This night will stick in my memory as I lay my head down momentarily to sleep. This night will stick with me throughout tomorrow as I have my...2nd MRI done and it will help me to remember the good times. Thank you, Colin and Brad, from the very bottom of my heart. Cheers!!

No picture will ever be this awesome

Holly, our friend Ray and me. Just arriving at the Center

The after show meet and greet. We were so nervous!!!

The moment you've all been waiting for!!!!!!!!

Love this.

Holly on stage with the guys!!!!!!!! 

Homecoming with a side of Pad Thai

Kelly: This weekend was Berea's homecoming weekend. For starters, Holly and I ventured to Lexington to visit with some good friends that we haven't seen in a while! (You may remember them from when our friend got married just recently). This was Friday night which involved excellent food at a wonderful restaurant, a good flick (Puss in Boots!!) followed by crashing at our friend's apartment. We then proceeded to make s'mores over their fireplace and laugh until we were in tears and our stomachs ached with the pains that jolly laughter brings. We awoke Saturday morning with a biscuit breakfast and ventured back to Berea for the homecoming festivities! One of the booths had SUSHI which was delish!!!!!!!!!!! Holly and I then attended our concert for the choir we are involved in, which is always an experience and definitely worth looking at (look up Berea College Black Music Ensemble for a rockin' good time!). It was just a phenomenal concert that we gave, and we were still talking about it for the rest of the day!

And now, it is time for my shameless plug. I received my Help Harry Help Others bracelet today :]. In case you are wondering, Help Harry Help Others is a cancer research organization based in Birmingham, England. Harry was an 11-year-old boy who recently passed away from an inoperable brain tumor. He funded cancer research by selling bracelets, and they have sold all over the world! But seriously, google it, look it up, and invest in a bracelet if you feel led to. It's such a wonderful cause that I am proud to support! *added by Holly: there is no set price for the bracelets, just a minimum donation of 2 pounds.*

Holly: I just finished a glass of Dr. Pepper.  I have spent, literally, the entire day working on an annotated bibliography.  7 pages and just over 2600 words.  I'm spent.  I'm tired.  It's been a long day.  But life is good. 

Words cannot express the, for lack of a better word, FUN that I had this weekend! Laughing until I cried and my stomach hurt...ah, man, it was like we've never been apart! It was like we were picking up right where we left off! I LOVE that about close friends.  I'm still smiling about it.

After our BME concert yesterday, Amanda pants the roommate, Kelly and I decided to venture to a local Thai place (Kelly and I had not been there since our freshman year).  If you are a fan of Thai food and if you ever find yourself in Berea, Kentucky....then Wan Pen is a must!!!! Seriously! I ordered the chicken pad thai (without anything spicy because I'm a certified wimp) and it is TO DIE FOR!  I had the leftovers for lunch today and it was still TO DIE FOR!!!!!!!

So anyway...good friends, good fun, good food...good times! :)  Be blessed! 

Oh, P.S.  happy spaz moment in 3..........2............1...............


FIVE MORE DAYS UNTIL COLIN AND BRAD SHOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Friday Night dinner fun! 

Let the festivities begin

Us with our dear friend, James, whom we describe as an angry black woman trapped in a  white Southern  gentleman's body 

We finally got a serious pic! 

Kelly and my roommate at our concert. We do sign language!

Me and Kelly's roommate signing! :] 

Random Post XYZ

Holly: Helllllllllllloooooooo everybody! *waves*  I hope that everyone is having a wonderful day/week/month/LIFE! :)

Things have been kind of insane lately.  To begin, I am sick.  Again.  With what, I'm not sure (doctor's appointment tomorrow afternoon will hopefully shed some light on that), but it's either what I've been sick with for a while now, or something totally new.   Regardless, I began running a low-grade fever this afternoon and have been feeling craptastic since.  It must be bad because even when I went into work today to help out (I usually don't work on Wednesdays, but hey, labs don't prep themselves), my boss noticed I was off.  Definitely glad to notice others care about my well-being. 

But whatevs.  Life goes on.

Random tangent of happy news: next semester I might be TAing for a fun class! Stay tuned!! I'm really pumped about it!!!!! :D

Insanity bout numero dos: The previous week had me running about all like a chicken with its head cut off because of a lesson plan for my senior seminar class.  Stress, angst, stress, angst, stress, angst, stress, angst, ya know! One week and several communication issues later, the lesson plan was presented on  Monday and all went well! :)

Insanity bout number three: This evening, as I was in my shoebox dorm trying to recuperate from WHATEVER has me feeling so crappy, I received an email from Academic Services, (kindly) telling me that my current incomplete grade from when I went abroad this summer must be resolved by the end of finals or I will receive an F in place.

Ok...I'm sorry.........WHAT??!!?


I have turned in EVERYTHING I was supposed to (by "everything", I mean a one-page report of my experience that was due in freaking September!).  AAAHHH RAGE FRUSTRATION WHYDOESNOBODYCOMMUNICATE?!?!?!?!? @#$%^&*()(*&^%^t&*&^%^&*!@#$%^&%$#@


I know that blogging/ranting will not fix anything, but it is still very, very frustrating.  That's all.

I'm going to finish my tea, check my temp again, then probably go to bed.  Yes, I know it's before 10.  But I'm using the sick card.  Adios! xx

Kelly: All of these problems can be fixed with one thing...COMMUNICATION!!!!!!!!!! Ok, that's it. Seriously, it's not like I'm asking for a lot here. It's just....incredibly frustrating because...how are we supposed to know? NOBODY TALKS. I just feel like all this work for my abroad credit is going for nothing. because they already scraped my active learning experience (ALE) because they PUT ON MY SCHEDULUE a class that I look LAST YEAR that was NOT LISTED for the ALE requirement for LAST YEAR when I registered for it!!

Do you understand my frustration? Ok, now that we're all on the same page.

I don't want to talk about this anymore. I just want the proper people to do their jobs so that us hard-working students don't get screwed over. In the meantime, I will pull all the strings, take time out of my super incredibly busy schedule to deal with this. When did seemingly simple processes become so darn complicated. Can I have a cookie?

Need to get this all out

Kelly: I'm flying solo for this post. My mind is scrambling right now and I need to just get it all out in the open in hopes that it'll make me feel better. My hands are visibly shaking due to worry, frustration and honestly, a bit of relief. I just returned from another podiatry consult about my ankle. So for the half-dozenth time, I explained my whole scenario, starting back in February of 2010. I knew right from the get-go that this doctor was different. He wasn't going to give me just another cookie-cutter response and send me on my way this time. One of the first questions I was asked was for the MRI report. Yeah, like I have that laying around. Luckily, I remembered the name of the place and it was faxed over. First part of the frustration; I heard the report for the first time...TODAY. I had the MRI done in January.

Second part of the frustration comes now. The affected tendon in my ankle has been torn...this entire time. Not badly, but still. It's been torn slightly. I'm just wondering for these people...would that have been so hard to tell me? NO. I don't think so. Ok, enough about that. I'm talking to my best friend right now and my mood is lifting. But...still. I wouldn't be hurting as much if you know, they hadn't failed to tell me that from the get go. Ok, anyway. So here's what the doctor told me: to prevent further tearing, I am stuck in a brace until....I get the ok from my insurance for a repeat MRI.

This is where the worry comes in. If the problem has gotten worse, there's one and only one solution; surgery. Recovery time is 6 to 8 weeks. Physical therapy will follow. I don't even want to think about all of that right now; all the class work I'm going to have to get caught up in, all the work hours I might miss, that's the worry. The hardest year of my major....and now...THIS. Just when I thought things couldn't get any more stressful. So here's what I'm going to do until then; PRAY...constantly! Monday, talk to my teachers and keep them in the loop as much as possible. Consult with Holly as soon as she gets back from teaching lab. Call my folks this weekend to let them know. Tell people at church on Sunday. Try to keep myself from calling the MRI place and screaming at them...yeah, not going to help. Try not to think about the worst-case scenario and hope for the best. Keep the pain at bay as much as I am able. Enjoy the free time I have this weekend. Marvel at the fact that in 2 WEEKS I will be enduring quite possibly the BEST NIGHT of my entire life!!! Laugh at the silly things and thank God when I wake up each morning.

I just wanted to inform all of you what is going on. I'm doing all right right now; just finished talking with my best friend, which always helps. My advice to all of you is this, if you think there's something going on with you, investigate it. DO NOT STOP. Do not stop until you are at a point where you can go through your daily life and not be in pain, or whatever. You know yourself better than anybody; you owe it to yourself to explore the problem. Don't settle for just a "do this do that" response. Ok, that's all. I will let you all know when I hear back from when my repeat MRI is and then we'll just take it from there. Thanks for caring. I love you all. :]

Things are going to get better.

Kelly: Because eventually...they just have to. I am a firm believer that overtime so much bad comes our way that only good can be left. Bottom line. Like today for example...on Friday I'm heading to the 3rd outside consultation for my ankle problems that I've had for almost the past two years. Why? Because I know myself better than anyone, and NO ONE should have to be in constant pain for as long as I have been. Overtime, I've just gotten used to it that basically it's just the norm. More time goes by, and eventually I just stop thinking about it. But recently, the little voice in my head has resurfaced with that whisper of "ok, you can't just ignore this." So Friday...I go again. 1:45. I will update as soon as I am able.

Now comes the good stuff...I was feeling unsure about all this stuff that was going on with my ankle, and on top of that my best friend at home has been struggling with some issues. I won't mention them for privacy's sake, but...it's been really hard for all of us. But she's strong and she can handle it, and so can we. Anyway, so I was thinking about all that, on top of being in the ICU for clinicals all day which was super busy. I had just walked back into my dorm when I got a phone call from Holly. She was really quiet, and I thought she was upset. So now I'm uber freaking out, but then she told me "guess what I'm holding in my hand?" The rest is history...

The reason for our happiness!!

 Holly: I walked out of a test this morning feeling less than confident about it.  I spent over an hour on the phone today with my best friend from home, who is going through hell and back again.  I hung up the phone with her and broke down crying for about 10 minutes (which, if you know me...it takes quite a lot to get to me); I mostly just prayed "God, I don't know what to do anymore.  About anything!"  Decided at about 12:30 to check my CPO (which, again, on Tuesdays, because I don't eat lunch at food circus...I never do).  And out of ANY DAY OF THE WEEK/MONTH that the Colin and Brad tickets decide to be happily sitting in my CPO...it's today! 

If that isn't a sign that things aren't going to get better, then I sure as heck don't know what is.  I have hope.  There's hope.  There always is.  :)

Gold Star!

Holly: Today I witnessed first-hand the sheer goodness of people; people who go above and beyond. 

First off, my sister went through "the IKEA experience", she bought me a sick puppy; basically, a cuddly stuffed puppy that is...well, kind of sick-looking, to help me feel better (I've been battling an icky cold for almost a week now and I can't seem to shake it).  Completely unexpected and it completely made my day! :)

Instant number 2: One of my professors opened the lab up for us biology students today so we could finish our slide projects.  As if that isn't splendid enough, he actually came in for a bit to help us out.  ON. A. SATURDAY.  Ladies and gentlemen, this is why I love Berea!  I mean, would you get that anywhere else? I think not! 


Now that I have a sick puppy sprouting out of my lap, I will turn things over to my lovely sister! I hope all of you take the time to thank the people who make your day.  If not, be that person to make someone's day! :)

Kelly: Ahh, I have officially gone through the IKEA experience!! If you have not been through the IKEA experience, do so. Anyway, speaking of my IKEA experience, I have a gold star to award for today. Today as we were about to leave, I wanted a bottle of water, but I was 2 quarters short (they were $1.25 for a bottle). I asked my group if anyone had 2 quarters. Out of nowhere, some random guy gave me 2 quarters! Dumfounded by his kindness, I smiled and said thank you, then proceeded to enjoy that bottle of water the whole 2-hour ride back to the Bereaness of it all.

Flash back to....last night. Me, along with several other BCASN folk (Berea College Association of Student Nurses) planned, organized, set up and tore down a haunted house for the campus community and the community at large! We started set up at 5:00, the show started at 7:00, and we stayed until 11:45...PM...to tear down. One of our instructors (who posed as a psychotic patient on the loose) even stayed for a while to help us out. Then today, we got an email from this same instructor as read..."Just wanted to tell you how proud and impressed I am of the efforts that were put forth last night to create a fantastic Haunted House." It really makes me feel good to know that our efforts were not in vain...even if it was just a haunted house.

Well, now that I have concluded this day in a fantastic mood, more homework calls me away unfortunately. I will post pics of the work we did later (when I remember...) and some of our IKEA experience! Have a great weekend and start to the week. Cheers!

Man, these times are hard

Kelly: It started with church today...the topic of this blog. But before I delve into the real purpose of this blog, I must say watching very....oh ok, cute Danish gymnasts perform in front of our very eyes was definitely worth getting out of my room for! Mmmm mmmm...good! Ok enough about that; time for what is really on my mind. It actually started in Sunday school; our class is doing a video series by a pastor named Andy Stanley (he is FANTASTIC!!!) called Twisting the Truth. It is exactly just that; how an invisible world (Satan) is attacking and twisting the truth of our visible world...here. Folks, this is such true stuff; we cannot ignore it! Anyway, today's discussion was about exactly how twisted this world is. For real.

One particular example I could not get out of my head was Westboro Baptist church. If you don't know who they are, then you are a blessed individual. I'd rather not explain all it is that they do, because thinking about it makes me physically ill. But I mentioned in my class that sometimes people can try to twist God's truth, and so on and so forth. Then came to the message...titled Stronger Together. Over the past year or so, our pastor mentioned that there have been several issues regarding our church unity; basically there are tensions that are keeping some of us congregation members divided. It just saddened me actually; was I just naive or was I completely unaware that these issues were even going on?

Even if it's not what you believe in, just hear me out; the world is so full of....crap. Crap that is threatening to change our views on culture, race, and each other. So many of us are hurting day after day, but all this world seems to be worrying about is who to blame for the next financial crisis, the next recession, or finding the next predictor of Earth's tragic demise. In my honest opinion, this world needs more than just us good-hearted people; it needs a Savior. Readers, I am not trying to preach, but please don't misunderstand me. It's up to us to combat this evil in the world and hold true to what we believe in. Because honestly, in this day and age, for some people it's all they've got.

Holly:  I really have nothing to add, except this: Whether or not you pray, believe in God, it doesn't matter: please be thinking/praying for our beloved church.  It has changed my life for the absolute better and the fact that there is so much hurt going on that I didn't know about hurts me.  And if there is anything that any of you are going through that you feel comfortable enough to share with us, please do.  Let me know if I can pray for you or help you in any way.  :)

I was introduced to this song today.  Yeah, I know, it's about birthdays...but really listen to it! It's so much more than that. 

Just Another Birthday- Casting Crowns

Sixteen finds me
Blowing out candles and making wishes
And all around me
Is everyone but the one I'm wishing for
And he sent me flowers
And gift-wrapped excuses
From a daddy whose daughter
Wants to see him again

And I know, I know
It's just another birthday
But I guess I thought
This would be the one
When he would call me, see me
Hold me and free me
But it's just another birthday

And I'll be fine
I'll be fine

Nineteen finds me
And I'm wild-eyed and wide open
I gave myself away to love
But backseat promises fade like a mist
I'm screaming at the midnight air
Everyone hears me but I don't care
My heart's clenched just like a fist
Cause, people, I didn't ask for any of this

And I'm not fine
I'm not fine

In the company of strangers
In a cold and sterile room
All alone with a child inside me
And I don't know what to do
Jesus, can You hear me
Come and heal my brokenness
Put the pieces back together
And be a Father to the fatherless

Twenty-one finds me
Blowing out candles and making wishes
And all around me
My barefoot princess twirls and sings
It's so amazing
Looking back at all God's brought us through
You are my happy birthday
And you were born to break the chains

Now I know, I know
It's not just another birthday
Cause I'm here, shes here
And look how far we've come
Since you've called me, saw me
Held me and freed me
Thank you, Lord, for another birthday
And we'll be fine
We'll be fine

So, it's 12:30 on a Friday afternoon...

Holly: So........................................

Hi everyone! *waves*  How's everyone doing? I'm usually still eating lunch right now, but sis and I ate early today and now I'm just killing time before my dreadfully boring Spanish class.  Listening to "I Want to Break Free" by Queen (only because I had NO IDEA that this great song is by Queen).  My computer is currently operating on no battery..."life support", as Kelly put.  Kelly's about to leave for her psych nursing class; she has an exam so send happy thoughts to her!!!!!!!

Shout-out to one of our lovely readers/followers: glad you are having a superb time in London! Wish we could be there too! :)

Oh, Berea students got paid today! Yay for income!

Um...yep.  That's it.  Have  a wonderful day filled with hugs! <3

UPDATE: Dreadfully boring Spanish class got cancelled and got attacked by my advisor's sweet chocolate lab.  Life is good.  

UPDATE AGAIN: Sorry, but this one's huge: Just checked my email, and the Berea College Board of Trustees has elected Berea's ninth president! A big day for Berea College indeed! So happy and excited! 

Friends

Kelly: Short and sweet post tonight, folks. I've been awake for a very long time, BUT my 4am rising times are over!!!! Ok, enough with the commercial break. Anyway, I've reminisced on the fact that I, well, we have just super awesome friends! A few times this week I have really seen this awesomeness blossom and put into practice. It started on Sunday when sis and I were in Sunday School (I'll have her explain it to you because she tells it better). Then came yesterday.

I was at work and I received a text message. I work at 9:00 in the morning and normally don't receive calls/texts until later in the day. Surprised, I clocked out and checked my phone. It was from a very very dear friend of mine and Holly's who happened to graduate this year. I haven't seen him since then and probably won't see him till next month for Homecoming. Anyway, it was in his typical mannerisms, it said this: Hello my love, just wanted to tell you that I love you and miss you! Please share this with your sister because I love her toooooooooooooo! 

Holly, James and me (this is from OUR freshman year. THROWBACK!)

Literally COULD NOT stop smiling for about 10 minutes, because if you knew our friend, he is very....southern. But oh my goodness he is the sweetest guy I've ever met in my entire life and I love him to bits!  Anyway, enough about that. We love our James! :] The most recent acts of love from our friends came yesterday. I received a Facebook message from my aunt saying my 90-year-old grandpa was in the hospital. No details were really known, but I was very worried, because well...my grandpa is 90 years old! I always worry. We later found out that his sodium levels were low, but he's doing better as of today (THANK YOU LORD). Within posting on my facebook about this sudden crisis, I had several comments from friends and family....it was so quick! And I was like, gosh, what in the world did I do to deserve such awesome people in my life? The answer....nothing. But I serve a great God who has blessed me with these individuals, and I thank Him every day for them. YOU ALL KNOW WHO YOU ARE!!!! <3

Holly:  Nom nom nom Tootsie Rolls!  Oh, sorry...hi there! *gives readers a mini Tootsie Roll*

I have really nothing concrete to add to this, except the church phone call: I checked my cell phone after Sunday school and I had a missed call from our delightful married friends.  P.S. They never call us (mostly b/c we talk on Facebook a lot and you know, they're busy, we're busy, blah blah blah), so I was thinking something had happened.  So I got a hold of my friend and she proceeded to tell me that she and her husband were at church and during the sermon, the pastor told everyone to take out their phones and call someone that they loved and tell them how much they meant to them.  I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP!  :)  Yes, we were the receiving end of this random act of kindness, and it completely and wholeheartedly made my day. 

Anyway, that's it, really.  We literally have some of the greatest friends in the world!  You all know who you are! :)

21st birthday! too much fun! :)

Graduation! :)

Our beautiful friends in their grad garb.  Yes, THIS MANY of our friends graduated that day!

From our 20th birthday.  we're a pretty rad bunch!

Best friends since middle school...well, freshman year for us, eighth grade for her! But still! EIGHT YEARS! :)

Dogs dogs dogs!!

Holly: We've got hardcore dog fever!!!!!!!! CRAZY!

To be fair, though, I haven't seen my little sweety pie since August.  Our bassett, Nala.  No, not from the Lion King "Nala."  If you really want to know the story of her name feel free to ask.  She joined our family in February of 2008 and we all love her to pieces; she's so funny! She sings...she especially loves the J.G. Wentworth commercials and "How Much is that Doggie in the Window."  Will have to record it sometime and share!

 

Nala

The four-legged beauty I still call my baby, though, is no longer with us.  She passed away in March of last year: chalk it up to old age and some kind of sickness (she was put to sleep).  Honest to goodness, THE sweetest dog you in the world! Wouldn't hurt a fly even if you told her to.  She also had those deep brown eyes that just seemed to say "I'm listening, and I love you."  I still miss her.  A lot.

Raven

I get "doggie fix" occasionally because sometimes my boss/advisor/awesome professor in my department brings his chocolate lab to his office; she's fairly young and she REALLY likes to jump and lick your face.  Oh, she's adorable and her name is Prynn.  :)  Another professor in my department has a 10-year-old long-haired wiener dog named Oscar, but he can't really use his back legs all that well, so he just kind of scoots to get around.  Kind of pathetic, but he's a sweetie, too.


Anyway, now that I miss my dog like hardcore...
:(

Kelly: Ahh, dog fever. I caught it today hardcore. Something else Nala does that Holly forgot to mention; she sings to her toys. Nala is...very particular about her toys, so she likes the ones with all the squeaker things. Anywho, sometimes she can't find the squeaker, so she provides the squeaker sound! At times it's very soft, but sometimes we all can hear it. Thus we proceed to either mute the TV or stop what we are doing to listen and giggle at her, because it is the funniest thing ever. Nala also really really really likes people! Last year for Thanksgiving break, we brought our friend from Oregon home with us, and she was all over her! However, Nala does not like other dogs. Seriously, she turns into the world's biggest wimp. It is pretty funny though, in pathetic sort of way. Other fears of hers include the broom, the vacuum, cardboard Christmas wrapping paper tubes, and...pretty much things that make noise.

This was taken the day after we got her. She had just woken up

  

But today, like I said, I caught dog fever majorly. My psych nursing professor brought his dog today. Ironically, she was a 13-year-old...basset hound. She didn't look anything like Nala, but boy she acted almost exactly like Nala. I'll have to put a picture up later if I remember...but anywho. Me and some of my classmates had a group presentation, and she would just wander around the room. It grew to be very distracting, but it was a good distraction nonetheless. During the first part of the presentation though, one of my classmates brought her two dogs to demonstrate Pavlov (if you don't know what it is..I pity you). The two dogs had a tendency to nip other dogs, so Addie (that was the dog's name) had to wait outside. Throughout the presentation, we could hear her barking. Not a bad bark for a 13-year-old dog. Once the Pavlov demo was over, Addie proceeded to join us in the room...and wander around...then finally fall asleep.



Then she wanted to be my bff, which included begging for my coffee and drooling on my jeans. That's my day in a nutshell, as I wrote on my Twitter: BRING IN THE DOGS!!! Great day. Hope you all read this and go give your dogs some lovin'. If you don't have a dog...well then, drool and marvel over the pictures. Cheers!

Addie :]

What a beautiful wedding!

Kelly: Yesterday afternoon, Holly and I had the pleasure of partaking in a lovely wedding ceremony of a dear friend of ours, Ashley. We met Ashley our first year in college, and we've hit it off ever since! She wedded her high school sweetheart, Derek. The venue was Wea Creek Orchard in Lafayette, Indiana. So on Friday afternoon, we loaded up and drove the almost 5-hour drive with another dear friend of ours. The ceremony was just absolutely gorgeous; a very simple, "country" style wedding. It was a very small wedding party; only about 100 guests from near and far. Most of the guests were family, but there were some friends there as well (like us!). What was so great about this weekend as well is that it happened to fall during our mini fall break, here in Berea known as reading period. In other words, we don't have classes till WEDNESDAY. Holla!

The ceremony started at 2:37...PM, and I must say, the weather was GORGEOUS. It was a bit warm, yes, but the sun was shining and there was a breeze every now and then. I actually cried in the beginning (I always cry at weddings, such a joyous occasion.) However, I was also crying because I was just very happy to be there, considering we almost weren't able to attend. I really don't know what else to talk about; it was just a perfect weekend! After the ceremony, us and our three friends went to the hotel we were staying at, went to Steak and Shake in our PJ's, and just laughed and talked the whole time. What a blessing. Ever since they all graduated, I feel as if a piece of me has been left behind that only they can fill up again. I'm so grateful for my dear friends, and I wish Derek and Ashley the best of luck as they start their new life together! Cheers to them!!

Holly: I have absolutely nothing concrete to add to this.  The wedding was absolutely beautiful and lovely and fit Ashley and Derek to a T.   I am simply overwhelmed with joy for being able to be a part of my dear friend's new chapter in her life, as well as being able to catch up with dear friends who have also moved on to new chapters in their lives.  In one weekend I have never laughed so much and been so happy and blessed.    This weekend was the perfect reminder of why I am so grateful and blessed for my friendships, both near and far, and this quote from the wedding program sums it up perfectly:

Technically, you have no obligation to be here today or be there for us any other day; but the fact remains that you are here now, and you have always been there for us.
In a few months I will be recipients of these ever-precious words as I receive my bachelor's from Berea, and friends near and far gather for this as well.  So here's to Ashley and Derek, to wonderful friends, laughing, and remembering this special weekend we spent together! :) <3

A perfectly beautiful day for a wedding!

Mr and Mrs! :)

Our lovely newlywed friend! :)

cake!!

Beautiful wedding with beautiful people! :)

Up on the Mountain

Holly: Berea College is a pretty spectacular place.  If you don't believe us, please refer to this post here.  

Every year, right around the beginning of October, Berea cancels classes for the day and ships students out to an outdoor area with hiking trails and the like.  It's called Mountain Day.  Yay!  Other than free food, student-led performances, and other free stuff (such as henna tattoos and face painting), some of the most gorgeous hiking trails are open and they lead you to some spectacularly amazing views!  I mean, it's literally almost like touching the sky. 

This year is my last year celebrating this fall-centered special day, as I am graduating, so Kelly and I decided to hike the 1.1 miles at sunrise to watch the sun come up.  And let me tell you, if you are not completely mesmerized and awestruck by the glorious orange ball rising slowly in the pink sky, then you need your eyes checked!  When it happened, literally, the entire mountain fell silent.  Amazing!  There really are no words. 

So, here's to you, Mountain Day!  May you continue to provide students with a break from the demands of class and work and captivate us by your beautiful nature and happy atmosphere of students!  Cheers!

 Kelly: Keeping it short tonight...reeling from a crazy day with adolescents and screaming, sand-throwing hair-pulling children...or just one child in particular. For more details, please read tonight's post on my separate blog. Enjoy! Anywho, I'm not going to steal Holly's thunder, but we were just talking about the fact that if there was a survey about our favorite holiday, she would say Mountain Day. And it would be funny, because nobody would have a clue what she was talking about.

Ok, I'm going to stop my "I've-been-awake-since-5AM-ramblings" and let the pictures speak for themselves. Here are some pics from yesterday's and some previous year's Mountain Days. Enjoy!!!

From our first year! :D

Our crazy friends (I was not present that day) did this! We are AWESOME

From our Jr. year. Again, I (Kelly) was not present. (I was on physical restriction due to bad ankle)

These remaining are from this year!!

There's me!

I just love this

Holly (left) and Me (right)

I took this of my wonderful sister :]

The sun greeting us on a beautiful day

From a while back. Captured this stunning photograph <3

Can't have Mountain Day without Tilly!!!

Learning to Love Laughter: A Whose Line is it Anyway tribute

Kelly: Holly and I would like to talk about something we love very much, other than Jesus Christ, our family, friends, each other, Berea College, etc. Yep, this is another "this is why we love this" blog. But today's topic is actually regarding a television show, one of our favorite television shows to be exact. I'm not saying it IS our favorite, because MY favorite of anything changes every five seconds or so, so I'll just say it's one of our favorites. I think you get the point. Anyway, today we're talking about Whose Line is it Anyway? If you don't know what that show is, I pity you.

Our love for this improvisational comedy started.....oh, man I can't even remember. I watched it on and off in high school when I could, and at one of my friend's birthday parties we did some improv and had a great time! Holly took a drama class in high school, but she probably could tell you more than I can (I'll have her mention the gun story. Don't worry; nobody was hurt). But going on, it wasn't until this summer when Holly and I were on campus in our cozy basement room and for some reason we just wanted to start watching it again. So we did. I actually found a website (thank you Lord for stumbleupon) about a year ago that has EVERY SINGLE episode, both the US and UK versions online!!!!!!!!! Every night though this summer, we would watch 2 or 3. Some had us chuckling every now and then, while some had us on the floor in tears laughing so hard. Seriously, I LOVE COMEDY. Laughter in my opinion is the best medicine; for me it
provides distraction, relieves the stresses of nursing school and allows me to spend time with my sister. And it's contagious! One part of an episode sometimes keeps us laughing for days!!

Now though, since sis and I are so busy, we usually watch Whose Line once a week, sometimes 2 days a week. Every time though we get the same satisfaction of living just a few seconds longer. I read a study on the internet that said every time you laugh you live 2 seconds longer. I think I just added 10 years to my life since we started watching Whose Line again. And the best part? NOVEMBER!!! What's going on in November? Well, the definitely us going to Richmond (about 15 mins. away) to see a live performance from none other than Colin and Brad (2 regulars from Whose Line!) I've read NOTHING but good reviews, and I must say I am so freaking excited beyond belief! 6 weeks on Friday! November 18. Remember that day, folks. I close with this; laugh. Find something, anything, every day that makes you laugh. You will be amazed at how much better you feel. That's all. Off to bed; my butt's gotta get up at 4:00. No, not PM. Cheers!

Holly: Oh man, this is so great!  I really have nothing conducive to add to this (other than my pathetic attempt at improvisational comedy), so I will just reiterate what my dear sister said and say that I will cherish those basement room memories, and the countless times since then, for the rest of my life: growing closer as sisters and laughing at four fully-grown adults making complete goofs out of themselves and getting numerous laughs from just a couple of stressed-out college kids! And I do agree and fully support the theory that laughing really does make everything better. 

Ok, now for the story, and I promised myself that if I ever got the opportunity to meet ANYONE from Whose Line that I would share this story (so Brad and Colin, beware): My junior year of high school I did backstage work for the drama club, and one day my teacher/the director asked me if I would play a small, non-speaking role as "the killer" in the play (I wasn't even credited...no one really even knew it was me, except the cast and crew).  Of course, I enthusiastically agreed, but the only condition was that I had to fire a gun onstage.  Don't worry...it was just a starter pistol loaded with blanks.  Opening night comes around, it's a totally packed house, and the lights go down and it's my time: I tiptoe on stage in my all black and earphones (yes, it was loud), and I go to pull the trigger and I hear a "click".  Nothing happens.  I pull the trigger a few more times, but "click", "click", "click".  Not even a few seconds have passed, and, realizing the gun is not going to work for me, I yell "BANG!" as loud as I can.  The audience completely erupts in laughter and (bless their hearts) the cast continues as if the gun went off. 

All I have to say is, 1. thank God the play was a comedy, and 2. my teacher/director absolutely LOVED the "bang!", so much so that it was kept in for the next two shows! 

I am also completely stoked out of my mind for November.  Just in case you didn't already know that.  Hope you've laughed today.  :)  If not, then, watch the video below (it's Kelly and I doing what we love to do on a Friday night).  Blessings. 

Have you laughed today? :)

(video shooting courtesy of my roommate Amanda!)

A Three Dimensional Glimpse of Our Childhood

Holly: Missing the Richmond shuttle was the best thing to have happened to Kelly and I last night. 

My overly gracious and amazingly awesome roommate saved the day by driving us up to the theater to partake in what Kelly and I saw as "reliving our childhood": Yes, folks, we watched The Lion King in 3D!

We aptly called this Friday night adventure "reliving our childhood" because this movie came out originally in 1994...we were FOUR years old!!! Crazy to think back on that! From the first opening sounds of "Circle of Life", I had chills everywhere and, almost instantaneously, I was five years old again.  Watching it again at 21 made it much more surreal; the 3D just completely captured and perfected this Disney classic that I will probably watch again and again, even when I become old and decrepit.  Also interesting and sort of awesome to note: Many of the children that I saw in the theater last night were probably seeing that movie for the very first time! CRAZY!

What really sold me this time was the music!  Never in the umpteen times that I have seen this movie have I ever been so captivated by the music; I was singing along to every song in the theater (nonetheless probably pissing off the people in front of us, but, hey, I paid a small fortune for this ticket and I was going to get my money's worth!).  I was so much so captivated by the music that when I returned home to my shoebox Berea dorm I proceeded to download several Lion King tracks, including a few from the second movie!

Bottom line: If you get the opportunity to see Lion King 3D, SEE IT! Do not miss it!  Period! 

Wait, there's no mountain too great...hear these words and have faith, have faith!

Kelly: (this is straight out of my journal. I wrote this this morning)

He lives in You, He lives in me. He watches over everything we see. Into the water, into the truth, in your reflection, He lives in you. 

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me. Galatians 2:20

Growing up, the Lion King saga was by far my favorite Disney movies. I don't know what it was about them but that's just the way it was. I knew all the words to every song and would watch the movies over and over. Rewind to last night; seeing the first one in 3D. It was as if I was watching my childhood all over again right before my eyes. Last night when I was alone in my room listening to music from the movie, I suddenly remembered my favorite song from the second movie, titled He lives in You.

Sure, it makes sense. A young prodigy in the shadows of her king father. Anywhere she looks, her father is inside her. What occurred to me was that, hey...this is what being in a relationship with Christ is like. That's the sheer beauty of it; everywhere I am He is in me. When I look at myself in the mirror every morning, He's also there looking back at me. Maybe there was a reason that as a child I enjoyed that particular song so much. Maybe that was God trying to tell me something. I didn't understand it then, but I do now.

I will cherish last night for the rest of my life; such a captivating experience to relive wonderful happy times of my youth. But let me tell you; the thoughts that I have included in this blog I will cherish as well. I love that God's works and mysteries are in every aspect of my life, including cherished childhood movies.   And now, for your listening pleasure, I have attached our favorite Lion King songs. Enjoy and have a blessed weekend/week to come! :]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjfM6NiMGG4 (He Lives in You, from the second movie!) :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcOJTCSyvx8 (We Are One, from second movie)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOf78z3Hi4U (score from first movie)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5uYB9T_GlY (Our favorite...if you don't get goosebumps at 4 minutes onward then you are crazy!)