ALEP Mid-Summer: A continued family reunion

H and K: Howdy! You get both of us again!

It's been a little while since our last post.  Can't believe how June has just seemed to slip right through our grasp.  Heck, next week is the 4th! We've been rather busy, traveling and going here and there. Unfortunately we still have not heard any word on our house-to-be, but we are keeping the faith and holding out that we will hear something soon.

But enough of that. Almost two weekends ago we went back to the Shire! Yes, that's right.  You may remember how all of this ALEP craziness started back in September. This gathering was not official, not planned, just whoever was available to escape for a weekend of unplanned relaxation, conversation, and generalized merriment.  And all of those it certainly was!

It's hard to capture the atmosphere we've come to love in this ALEP group.  We all come from such vastly different walks of life, from vastly different parts of the country, even (a few traveled from as far as Virginia, Texas, and even Canada!).  But what's so amazing about this time, these ALEP reunions, is that, for just a few days, there is no worry.  No stress.  No negativity, pessimism, or stress of any kind.  It simply ceases to exist as soon as you see the signs welcoming you into the Shaker Village. The laughter, the cheerful conversations, the food (oh. my word!), the time we cherish and spend together...it's the best form of therapy that we can possibly imagine.

The next event is in April of 2016. While we won't be able to go for the entire weekend (these fun gatherings do cost money), we will definitely return for a day.  Because even just one day is worth it!

Until next time! :)

ROBERT!!!! <3 

:) 

Sunset in the Kentucky Shire 

ALEP: More than just a long expected party

Holly and Kelly: I would also add sister bonding, music, weekend, unity and silly things to the labels part of this blog, but the label section cut me off after 200 characters. So much for that. Anyway, YES. This was the weekend of ALEP: A Long Expected Party. Now what was it? Fun, fellowship, geeking out, costumes, music, food, dancing, skits, workshops and PEOPLE. Lots of people! From all over the country and in some parts of the world...mostly Canada. It started this past Wednesday and concluded yesterday, and most people bought passes for the entire couple of days. As for the two of us, because we didn't know what we were going to be doing work wise and schedule wise, we opted for a Saturday day pass (bear in mind, we made these reservations 18 months ago. Not even joking. You wouldn't believe how fast spots filled up) And we're going to try and get some friends to come with us in 2017!!!!

We arrived Friday night around 7PM and checked into our room. Little did we know that's when the adventure would begin. We stayed in the West Lot Dwelling, which if you've ever been to Shaker Village, you know that....well, it's kind of out there. A mile and a half out there, away from the main part of the village. By the time we arrived it was starting to get dark. We got in the car and drove to the house, couldn't see the sign (which we figured out later that that was it) and then realized maybe we missed it and drove back to the main part of the village. We walked around for over an hour, going into the different houses where people stayed, desperately trying to find our room! Then, it dawned on me, maybe the building we saw the first time was it. So we drove allllllllllllll the way back out there (and it was dark by this point) and went to the first building we found, and sure enough, that was it. Holly's room key had two keys on it and mine only had one; the check in person at the desk said that she didn't need the second key but said to just keep it there so they wouldn't have to worry about it. We got to the West Lot house and the door was locked. I told her "try that other key the desk person said was useless" and sure enough, that spare key opened the side door. Thank GOODNESS we had it, otherwise we would have been stuck. So we moved all our stuff in, got settled and drove BACK to the main area, chilled out at the Dancing Pony, met a few people and that was the end of Friday. There were lots of catchy drinking songs; yes we have videos but they are too big and Blogger doesn't like that.

Saturday was a beautiful day! We got up early and I (Kelly) went downstairs to the kitchen and fumbled around trying to figure out how to use the complimentary coffee maker. It worked, after about 5 minutes of tinkering with it. Once we got to the main village, we just walked around, since nothing started till 10 in the morning and we got up there at like 9ish. It was nice to look around, explore and actually see all the sites in daylight! We ran into a few people we met the night before and bought some cool little trinkets (and I bought an Evenstar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) Right before lunch time we went to a workshop by an artist who showcased various paintings and sketches of Middle Earth from the beginning of it until the fourth age (the end of Middle Earth). Oh. My Goodness. Beautiful and stunning artwork....kinda wish we would have snagged some pictures of them. After lunch was a bit of chill time before we decided to join the Hobbit choir. Our selections were May it Be and The Road Goes Ever On, which is from the musical. Yes, there is a LOTR musical and apparently will be world touring next year. Wee.

The big party was at the site where our house was we were staying at, so we took naps! The party site looked pretty much dead-on to Bilbo's birthday party in Fellowship. There was also a Bag End site that was built by two of the coordinators of ALEP. Let me tell you it is a SPOT ON replica (pictured below). Holly also did a Bag End painting about a year ago...it's in our den :)

So anyway, thus the party began. It was all outside and there were tables and chairs set up under lights and paper lanterns. Like I said, it looked exactly like Hobbiton. We were joined at a table with the only person we knew at the time and met lots of other awesome people! What was so interesting was that we were some of the youngest attendees, with the exception of a few families who brought their young children. At this party, there was AWESOME food, music (major kudos to the Great Hobbit Jam Band) and a HILARIOUS skit near the end. I would post my video, but Lord of the peepers took over and its sound quality is a bit rubbish, but I still have it for my enjoyment. Holly has a video as well, but its watchers may endure a grand mal seizure in an attempt to view it. Anyway, after the sun went down it got a bit chilly but there were gracious individuals who were warm hearted...and also had a few matches to spare for some lanterns that had tea lights in them. After a final parting song, we made our way back to the Dancing Pony again where we chatted, nibbled and had some lovely tea and used our new tea pots. Then it turned into a mini bar where a bit of drunken foolishness occurred and we left. This was at about 1AM and we got back to our room and craaaaaaaaashed. 

Sunday was very lovely. We arose a bit early, packed up our room and drove to the main village again. Debbie, who we knew and goes to our church and told us about this in the first place, led a mini church service so to speak. None of us were expecting a good turnout but actually about 20 people showed up! We sang, prayed and Debbie shared a devotional that she wrote, and it was lovely. After mini church, we stayed around for a bit and watched a fan made movie called The Hunt for Gollum. For being done by fans, it was really well done! The cinematography was stunning! Then we drove home, and on the way home my GPS got a bit wonky and we ended up driving through Danville. It was a nice detour to say the least. So there you have it. ALEP in a nut shell. Overall, the time was too short. It was too fast. We met a lot of awesome people, some only briefly, but there is no doubt we will meet again. It was more than just a bunch of costumes, dancing and food. It was a retreat, so to speak. A revamping of it all, not necessarily an escape, but a respite. It was different and special. And on that note, we will close with this: 

I (Holly) wrote this in my journal last night, and I think it captures the spirit and mentality of the weekend perfectly.  Until 2017...

I met so many wonderful people, all from such vast and different walks of life.  And yet, despite our differences, backgrounds, characters of choice, we were all bonded and united by this one love of this brilliant soul and his magical world that will forever captivate us...I pray for a continued, prolonged sense of wonder, that we will establish our own Shires, wherever we may be, and that we will never, ever lose sight of not only the time spent together this weekend, but of the One who made it all possible in the first place.

The Hobbit: what the book and movies mean to us

Holly and Kelly: We are now 10 days away from the second movie of the Hobbit Trilogy; The Desolation of Smaug. Now I am sure that most of you are sick of seeing the stuff we keep posting on our social media sites. Here's just a few reasons why we are so excited for the upcoming flick:

*Lord of the Rings: Yep, we totally missed out on that movie trilogy. We were 11, 12 and 13 when the movies hit the big screen. I remember seeing previews for those movies and thinking how stupid they looked. Someone should have gone Sam with a frying pan to our heads.

*A story of hope, courage and inspiration: When you get past the scary Wargs, Orcs, trolls and goblins, that's exactly what this story is all about. Bilbo is basically an average Joe Hobbit who is so preoccupied with his space and things. But out of the blue, Gandalf takes all that away from him, stating in the movie "it will be very good for you." In my life, God has been the Gandalf in my life; taking away my comforts and putting me on this roller coaster that's called being in a relationship with Him. It's crazy, but worth it!

*The actors and crew: I cannot stress this enough, they really do care about their fans! Peter Jackson was quoted saying "I don't make these movies for the Oscars. I make them for the fans." He also does video blogs and hosts fan events. How many movie makers do you see doing that? Not too many. We were watching the World Premiere last night that took place in Hollywood. The actors spent a LOT of time with the fans signing things, talking to them and taking pictures with them. I will post a video at the end that brings this point home. You'll see what I mean.

*Tolkien; He was a Christian! Need I say more?! If you read the book you will see hidden Christian themes, or at least I do. My favorite is at the end when Gandalf tells Bilbo " you really don't suppose, do you, that all your adventures and escapes were managed by mere luck, just for your sole benefit?" (and yes this is straight out of the book). Bilbo then states "Thank goodness!"

*Our faith: We can honestly believe that these stories have strengthened our faith and relationship with Christ. When you read about Bilbo and his struggles, Frodo and his struggles and the other characters and their struggles, you know they're real, even though the characters are not. Let's face it; we've all dealt with fear, pride, worry and doubt, and we've all had a Sam or a Gandalf in our lives to help us fight the good fight. Accountability partners? Exactly. I read about these struggles, reflect upon mine, am inspired and I thank God for what He has brought me through and for blessing us with an author and movie director that has inspired many, ourselves included. So there. Now you have it.

Prepare to grab some tissues for this one.

A brief, one-sided reflection of Hobbit Day

Holly: In the spirit of Hobbit Day (September 22nd, Bilbo and Frodo's birthday), with the seasons turning, cooler weather approaching, The Return of the King complete recordings playing, me halfway through Fellowship of the Ring, I feel compelled to write.

I wrote in my journal not too long ago about Lord of the Rings, Tolkien himself, and what this world, this Middle Earth, has done for me and my life.  I won't divulge entirely in the details, although I may post the entire entry at some future date, but I noted that I think, through my journey to Middle Earth, through both film and book, that I feel I have drawn closer to God as a result.  I feel at peace when I think of the hobbits I so relate to, of the wondrous descriptions of all the splendors Middle Earth has to offer.  They taught me to trust, to love, to feel unabashedly.  I draw strength from the music and from the books, and I thank God for this.  He has put people in my life who love Tolkien and his world, and who introduced myself to it.  I thank God because He knows how to speak to His children.  I thank God for Tolkien, who was inspired to bring Middle Earth to life, a world that gives so many people hope, even so many years after his passing.  I hope to someday pay my respects to Tolkien.

I think of the chaotic week that lies before me, and I have prayed fervently, and I know others have done the same for me.  But as Sam so eloquently says "Even darkness must pass."  And as I continue on my reading, my complete recordings listening, the open windows of my apartment letting in the cool of the day, the birds all about, the sun shining in and providing warmth to my cats, I think of what Frodo went through, what Bilbo went through, what I've gone through and what God has brought me through.  I'm not where I want to be, but I'm not where I used to be.  For today, I choose to just be.  To just be absorbed in my own little piece of Middle Earth, to celebrate 2 hobbits I dearly cherish.  "Even darkness must pass.  A new day will come.  And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer."

"We may stand, if only on one leg, or at least be left still upon our knees." 

There's always hope

Holly: Life has majorly turned for me in just a few days.  It's amazing the kind of transformations that can occur in one's life, even in such a short amount of time.  A week ago today I received a phone call: the full-time job I applied for back in May was being offered to me.  It's in my field, it's not teaching (something I have no desire to do....right now, anyway.  Things change), the pay is decent, and it's at UK, somewhere I have great experiences with.  I'm three days in and I just can't help but think: This! Is this what I've been missing?

Up until a week ago, I was working two jobs.  One was in the pathology department at UK, pulling slides for physicians and faculty and getting mail.  It was 15 hours a week and I made just a tad over $8/hour.  Looking back on it now, it's ridiculous; I was driving almost an hour each way, working for three hours a day, then coming home.  There were many days in which I could only put $10 or $15 in my gas tank just to GET to work each day.  Please don't misunderstand me; it was not in vain, by any means.  Even though the hours and pay were so-so, I was filling large shoes in such a short amount of time, and I was often thanked and praised for doing the work I did (Which, let me also say, that's not what I was in it for, although the thanks and recognition were definitely nice).  I enjoyed the people in the department as well.  But I was barely scraping by, to say the least.  My second job is at Old Navy; I'm still there now.  But since I was spending so much on gas already, driving to UK's campus, I cut back to weekends only at ON.  Most Saturdays and Sundays I worked only 4.5ish hours a day.  When it's all said and done, altogether, between 2 jobs, I was making just about $200 a week.  I spend that much on my share of rent once a month.  So yeah.  Things were tight.  Really tight.  Like, losing-sleep-over-potentially-overdrafting-and-not-being-able-to-pay-bills/student loans-rent tight.  Literally sick to my stomach with worry.  I was envious of others.  I would walk past employees in the hospital and would literally think to myself: Yep, they don't have to worry about money.  Yes, I'm serious.  I drove myself mad over this.  Let me say this: it is not God's will for us to worry!  He wants us to trust Him.  This has taken many, many years and sleepless nights to get to this.

I looked over my journal recently.  My worries about money have spanned years.  Yes, you read this correctly.  YEARS.  And now, I feel all those worries just disappearing.  God has tremendously blessed me with this job; it's more than enough to meet my needs and then some.  He wants us to trust Him.  He wants us to have hope.  I know there are some of you who are reading this and are going through the same struggles, or perhaps different ones.  Please, please, please, please, PLEASE...don't give up.  I know it's hard.  God doesn't leave you, even when He feels millions of miles away.  He WILL provide, even if He just takes you somewhere else.  And if you don't believe in God, then I believe.  I believe in you.  I believe in the power of lives being changed in an instant.  It happens.  Let our stories encourage you.  Have hope.  Have faith.  I know it's a terrible cliche, but things do get better.  I'm a firm believer of that.  We were all put on this earth for a reason, for a purpose.  All will be revealed in time.  Just hold on!

Even darkness must pass.

Kelly: Sometimes, like now, I wonder "why me?" What did I do to deserve what I got? What I have? Why is it that I am blessed so greatly yet there are those who I know and don't know that are struggling severely with a given situation? It's God. I'm not trying to convert those of our followers who don't believe in Christ, rather I'm just sharing my own experiences and what He has done for me and through me! But if I can say anything, it's just hang in there. Believe! Believe in something or someone! I believe in Christ; what about you?

After I graduated from Berea and prior to getting offered my current job was a period of about 3 months. I can say without a doubt those were some of the darkest days of my life. I'm certain I experienced some sort of depression. I turned into someone I did not recognize. I was hurt, sad, lonely and angry. There were some days I dreaded getting out of bed in the morning, because I know I'd have to face another day of not hearing anything from a job, or logging onto my computer and checking my gmail account because I know there would be a job rejection or two, or turning on my cell phone and receiving no voice mails asking for a call back or to schedule an interview. I cried myself so many nights to sleep, begging God to just get me through one more day. My insides curled with anger when Holly would leave for work and I'd sit on the couch and bid her good-bye, then when she came home I'd say anything just to pick a fight. Just to have a reason to vent and blow off steam. I'd go to Walmart or Walgreens to get something just to find an excuse to get out of the house. A time or two I remember having the conversations, wondering how in the world we were going to pay next month's rent or make ends meet. I'm telling you; I've felt like I was in the dark. It sucks. It HURTS. But as famously quoted in The Two Towers; "even darkness must pass." And it did. It does.

So this is for those of our readers and followers (or someone who just happened to stumble upon this) who are struggling and going through whatever hurt or struggle they're going through. Hold onto those close to you; don't push them away. I shared a part of my story because I've felt strongly to do so for quite some time now. Someone out there is feeling the way I felt, and they don't know what to do. Please, whoever you are, please don't give up. I was about ready to throw in the towel and move back to Ohio when I got the call for my dream job. God is NOT giving up on you; He didn't give up on me. Now whether or not you reader or readers believe in God is entirely your choice, but I found my hope. I found hope in God; the one and only! There is someone or something that is keeping you going, whether or not you know it.

I lift up my eyes into the mountains; where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord; the Maker of Heaven and Earth. Psalm 121:1-2 (NIV)

30 Days of Writing; Something you're excited for.

Holly and Kelly: ALEP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In case you're wondering what that means, ALEP stands for A Long Expected Party. We first heard about it from someone at church who is also a huge Ringer (bigger than us) and had a part in helping us board the LOTR bandwagon. It takes place in Harrodsburg, which lucky for us is only about an hour away from here! Though we will have to continue to wait and anticipate what joy and fun shall surely come; ALEP is not happening until next September. However we have already put our names in and are working towards paying our dues, and it's a weekend long event but due to time and $$$ we're only going for one day. If you are interested in what goes on at ALEP, I've put the website below if you want to find out more about it! We are so freaking excited and can't wait!!! (There's also a Facebook page!)

A Long Expected Party: The Road Goes Ever On

Thus concludes our 30-day writing challenge. We enjoyed it and hope you all had fun watching us partake in the writing challenges! We will resume regular blog content shortly!

30 Days of Writing: A quote you try to live by

Kelly: "Practice gratitude and joy. Love with your whole heart, even if there is no guarantee."

To be honest, I don't even know where I saw this quote for the first time. I think it was somewhere at one of my many clinical sites. Even though it is pertinent to my future career, I think that it applies to anywhere in life. It's something I try to do, even if I'm not having the greatest day, but I used this quote actually today. Sis and I were eating lunch at Subway and a lady on a scooter was trying to get into the door but was having a hard time opening it. Without hesitating I got up from my seat and opened the door so she could get in. There were two guys who were closer to the door that didn't even move. It's not hard, people. It's about being aware. There are those who are less fortunate than us right at our doorstep.

Holly: "But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow.  Even darkness must pass.  A new day will come.  And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer."

This quote from Lord of the Rings has impacted me strongly, and it hits me differently every time I watch the movie.  The second time I watched the movies a lot of my loved ones were going through some rough times, and the words "even darkness must pass" just sort of became my mantra.  It still is, kind of.  I find myself saying it often when bad times come our way.  I try to live by it because it helps me to remember that we all are going through darkness, but it does pass and we do move forward and learn from it and become stronger from it.  And guess what? Things have gotten better for me, and things are getting better for my loved ones.

An Unexpected Adventure (18 months in the making...)

Holly: We have committed the date September 27, 2014 to our memory.  No, we'll both be graduated by then.  No, it's not our prospective wedding dates.  It's not another failed-predicted apocalypse, the inauguration of a new president, the starting date of a new job, or even our 24th birthday.

It's this! 

Yes, you are reading this correctly: an entire weekend full of Lord of the Rings enthusiasts, exhibits, frivolity, fun, food, laughter, relationship-building, autumn goodness...all literally a stone's throw away from our very home.    Since we are a bit financially strapped to partake in the entire weekend party, we have simply opted for a day pass; regardless, it certainly isn't hampering our enthusiasm any less!

Our registration has already gone through and been received, planning is already under way, we have until the 1st of September (of 2014) to make our payments (at just $30, I mean helloooooooooo??!?! Are you kidding me??!), and we are beyond excited!  BEYOND. Excited!  We are on the cusp of something we can't even imagine.  We are going to meet so many incredible, amazing, inspiring people, all from vastly different walks of life, heck, all from different parts of the country!  All sharing in this one thing, this one magical, beautiful thing.

I think even Tolkien himself would be proud!  :)

ikgfvuyh (Yoda agrees)

Kelly: It's funny that this happened. We were thinking of going to New York or another American city that is doing a premiere of the last movie. Not that we've completely ruled that out, but now we have something that is set in stone and definitely going to happen! I was so worried (and still am) that I was going to forget that this was happening. I'm thinking oh my gosh that's over a year away! I don't even know what kind of work I'm going to be doing, where I'll be living, whatever! So many unknowns. I did save my registration email though...just in case my big cracked brain lets it slip through.

I don't really know what to expect out of this. A jolly good time for sure. I hope that I meet a lot of awesome people who geek out on this too! My hope is though that even though this is very VERY exciting that I would not let it drive me. That I wouldn't be so obsessed and fixated on the fact that this is really happening that I lose focus. That I can concentrate on the now and what I need to do now, like GRADUATE...ahem. 2 months tomorrow!!!!!!! But once I get over that hump I can start to focus on those things. Taking it one day at a time...but I am really excited about this! And it'll be in the fall, the colors will be changing and the weather hopefully won't be too crazy. But yeah. It's coming! Super super excited!!!!

"Enjoy the journey of life and not just the endgame." -2012 in review

Kelly: Great quote by a great individual. Starting tomorrow is 2013. WOW!!! It is amazing to me how fast this year has gone by! So many wonderful blessings have been achieved by this year that I can't even begin to comprehend. Moving into our own place, falling in love with 2 of the greatest kitty cats in the world (just a bit biased), getting introduced to Sherlock and LOTR, and for me, being one more semester closer to graduating with a BSN degree!!!!! May 5 is the day! Almost four months to go.

Now normally, next would follow a list of cookie-cutter resolutions, such as I want to lose weight, get closer to God, save my money, etc. I'm not doing that for 2013. I have resolved to not make any resolutions. Instead of resolving, I am going to ENJOY. Enjoy what God has given to me, how He has blessed me and I am going to enjoy growing in Him more as a follower instead of merely a fan. I'm going to enjoy being healthier, because I am healthier, but I'm going to enjoy a treat every now and then and not feel guilty about it. I'm going to enjoy my last semester as an undergraduate and not just seek the end result which is to walk across a stage for 10 seconds, shake Dr. Roelof's hand and have him give me my degree. No. I'm going to do my best to enjoy my last semester and take advantage of every opportunity to be joyful and to thank God for His joy that comes through knowing Him.

I'm ready. I'm ready for what 2013 has in store for me. Though I'm not entirely sure what it will bring, I am prepared for whatever may come my way, good or bad. If the good comes, I will do my best to give credit where it is due. If bad comes my way, I will do my best to not run from the situation but instead face it and rely on God and my own strength to get through it. I refuse to be stagnant, go through the motions and blame others for my own wrong doings. I will be responsible for my words and my actions. But most importantly I will continue to grow as the daughter in Christ I am destined to be. How will I do that? I don't know yet, but He knows. And I have resolved to give everything to Him. Ready or not 2013, here I come!

Holly: We have come to the end of another year.  I think this one has gone faster than any I can remember in a long time.  When I started out the year I was still in school.  Since then I've graduated, gotten my degree, bid "see you later" to some pretty amazing people, moved out on my own, had a couple "real" jobs.

I did note some resolutions at the beginning of the year.  I honestly don't remember them (all except 1...ask me about it, it will give you a good laugh! lol).  I could do that now, but like Kelly, I'm not going to.  Instead, like her, I'm going to enjoy LIFE!!!  I'm going to smile, laugh, cry, be enthralled, swept away, mesmerized, scared, worried.  I'm going to make time for my friends, both near and far.  Saying "please", "thank you", and "I love you" go SO far!  There are people in my life who have inspired me, challenged me, in numerous ways...I want to tell them!  I'm going to read an ACTUAL book!  Or several, Lord willing.  I'm going to thank God every day for what I have and ask for His mercy to shower those who are not as fortunate as I am.  I'm going to wait with bated breath for the return of Sherlock and our first glimpse at Smaug.  I have several potential job opportunities awaiting me even as I type this; I'm going to get my bearings, investigate, and move forward, always seeking God's will.  I don't know if that includes Old Navy.  We will just see.  Most importantly, I'm going to do my absolute best to live like Christ.

I honestly don't know what awaits me in 2013.  Maybe I'll get a job I could have never imagined...or there's one waiting for me right now and I just don't know it yet.  Maybe I'll meet my future husband.  Who knows? But I'm 22, I'm still young and eager for life!  2012 was such a great year for me; 2013 can only get better! :)

I hope that all of you who read this are able to look back at 2012 with smiles, laughter, and even perhaps a few tears.  In 2013 I hope that if you are weak, you will look to those you love for strength.  I hope that if you are weary, tired, that you will get rest.  I hope that if you have been in the despairing shadow of unemployment, opportunity will come.  I hope that if you have been faced with some difficult circumstances, that you will summon your inner strength to accept them with grace and move on.

Be safe, everyone.  Thank you for an amazing year.  See you all when the ball drops.  :)

Why we are so excited about The Hobbit (AKA Tomorrow night!!)

Kelly: As you all know, Holly and I entered the Tolkien fandom rather late in life...as in this summer to be exact. This time tomorrow, we will be in Lexington awaiting to see The Hobbit movie at midnight!!! We are SO EXCITED! Now, here's a bit of news as to why we are excited.

*I am in love with the story line. If you haven't yet, PLEASE read the book! I've read it twice! P.S. If you want to borrow it from us let us know as we have a copy. It is such a terrific tail of an unlikely hero who gathers with unlikely friends and goes on an unlikely journey in his life. He doesn't know it at the time, but this journey is pivotal in the life of Bilbo Baggins. I cannot wait to see this pivotal journey on the bigscreen.

* Martin Freeman!!!!!!! Need I say more? I have really enjoyed learning about him more as an actor and from reading interviews he got into the storyline late too, just like us. I encourage you, all of you, to see some of his other work. We particularly like his work in Sherlock, but there are others of his we like too :]  (Um...that's a lie.  We pretty much like everything he's in.  Hi Martin, we're not psycho, we swear.  Let's have tea sometime.  ~Holly)

* Since we started into the Middle Earth journey so late, we missed out on seeing LOTR on the big screens. In fact, we saw the extended edition DVD's before we even read the books! Never saw them in theaters; we were 13 when Return of the King came out into the theaters. So yeah. This is our first Tolkien trilogy we are seeing on the big screen! And yes we are going to go all out!!! Better late than never, eh?

* If you really pay attention to some common themes, there are some Christian themes. I know!! It's not just about kicking butt, killing orcs and being invaded by dwarves. There's love, friendship, compassion and grace intertwined into the souls of the pages and the lives of the characters! To me it reflects Tolkien's character as well. So yes. This is why I'm excited about it. I hope you all get to enjoy it as much as we will! :]

Holly: FAR OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVER, THE MISTY MOUNTAINS COOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLDDDD!!!!!

Sorry.  I'm a bit slap-happy.  I'm sure you can figure out why.  :D

And I completely agree with all of what Kelly said.  Mostly I'm excited because of the experience of Middle Earth in the form of theatrical premieres.  We entered this fandom recently and later in life.  We weren't the fans who grew up with the books and movies, or had parents who did the same.  We didn't even watch the movies and read the books until a few months ago.   And we completely missed the Lord of the Rings trilogy and all the hype surrounding it.  Now we're going to be getting a little taste of what that's about, and it's pretty exciting.  And we get to enjoy it with two of our rockin' awesome friends.  And Martin Freeman, of course.  He's lovely.

We watched the live stream of the London premiere this afternoon, and during an interview the guy asked Martin Freeman to give a message to all the fans who were watching from all over the world.  He said "I dare you to be disappointed."  I know I won't be.  So many people have waited months, even years, heck, some probably even their whole lives, to see Bilbo Baggins on his grand adventure with the baker's dozen of dwarves come to life on the big screen.  For me, the anticipation has been unreal.  I'm looking forward to a return trip to Middle Earth.  The anticipation is insane, the fandom is going crazy.  I'm so ready!

Below are a few pictures I've collected over the last few months.  Enjoy.

Memoirs of a Saturday morning

Holly: Awake before 9am.  That has to be a record for someone like me who is notorious for sleeping in.You can thank the gargantuan thunderstorm that rolled in this morning: lightning, thunder that shook the apartment, pounding rain. Yoda is playing with a ping-pong ball.  Somebody call Forrest Gump! lol. It's actually still raining now....something we, and so many others, still desperately need. Kelly is perusing Facebook and marveling at how so many of our friends are moving on to new chapters in their lives, namely moving into their own places.  It's crazy to think that not even that long ago we were still running around in college without a clue in the world as to where our lives were going.  Even myself, 22 and living on my own, still has no clue what she wants to do when she "grows up".  If I ever get to that point! haha.  But plans change.  They always do.  I started college with a laundry list of bighearted dreams, and then I grew up, and they changed.  But you have to be flexible.  Hoping to see some of those dear friends this afternoon/evening.  :)

I'm 2 chapters away from finishing "Return of the King."  A brilliant piece of fiction if I do say so myself.  I highly recommend it.  But you should read the other two first or you'll find yourself a bit confused.  Kelly is almost finished with "The Hobbit"...also a brilliant piece of fiction.  Very cutely written.  Can't wait to see the movie!!! *&#$#*^

My cats are going into queer fits so I think that's a perfect time to turn things over to my sis...

Kelly: Oh yes, The Hobbit is fantastic! It's taken me a bit longer than I had hoped to finish it but that's ok because it's summer. :] Unfortunately my summer is almost over as classes start back again on the 22nd. It's my last year of school and I could not be happier! I have run this race so long and it is so refreshing to hear that it is almost over!!!!!!! I think that will be my motivation to just get going and get things done. My goal is to make the Dean's list this upcoming semester and I think I can do it!

I have come to the also realization that having cats is also similar to having children. They wake us up in the morning, demand food, love you then hate you at the same time. We feed them, brush them, cuddle with them, fish their toys from under the shelf or under the table and break up fights that sometimes occur. And to think in the middle of May they hated each other. Now they are best friends....and fighting with each other on  the table. Lovely. May have to break up another fight in a bit. Holly's reading Return of the King now and I heard thunder again, so another storm may be rolling in. Waiting for Catherine to get up so we can get this day started! Got grocery shopping to do.

Last night Holly and I finished the LOTR movies for a second time (we didn't watch them all in one day!) and I have fallen in love all over again! I am so looking forward to December 14 and my goodness it could not get here soon enough. I have my Treebeard shirt on, which is what I plan on wearing whenever we go to see it. In light of what happened in Aurora, Colorado, Holly and I have decided not to see it on opening night...and for other reasons too. We also do not want to see it in 3D either; 3D movies make me dizzy. We have also discussed possibly seeing it a second time when we go back to Ohio for the holidays and having a sister date! :D Stay tuned for that. Ok I'm going to stop rambling now. Places to go and things to do.

A little bit of Jesus, Lord of the Rings (namely Pip), and Yoda

Kelly: Yoda is sitting on my lap as I start this, so don't be surprised if she makes a surprise guest note in this post. gvkb,dey h (yep, that was her). She's gone now so I will proceed. Anyway, this blog post is about a rather interesting conversation Holly and I had earlier today. It's another reason why we absolutely love being twins!!!!! She just started the Return of the King and was talking to me about it (she'll give you her take during her part). But we were just talking about different parts in the books, the friendships that were built and destroyed and how everyone was there for each other. I think what I really enjoyed about this series was how genuine it was. Think about it; EVERYONE carries some sort of burden, or Ring throughout their lives. They choose to either tarry through it alone or choose close friends to help them along. Though the close friends cannot carry the burden, they can carry the goer through. Like Frodo and Sam and their journey to Mordor. Many of times Sam noticed "Mr. Frodo, just let me carry the Ring for a while." But no matter how many times he persisted, Frodo insisted that the burden was his to carry but Sam was more than welcome to come with him on the journey.

Anyway, I was just thinking about Jesus. Ok, try to follow me. Jesus had a mission the minute He was born. He had 12 disciples that went on the mission field with him. They started out together and eventually broke off to carry out the mission field in their own lands. Like Frodo, he too was on a journey that he did not find out till much later in his life. The Fellowship went along on the journey, and circumstances broke them apart and the journeys continued for peace in Middle Earth. It was something about this book series that I had never really thought about. Perhaps it was the reason I was so drawn to it and it just sucked me in, sort of like my relationship with Christ. When I discover something new about Christ in my life, it sucks me in and I can't let go. And like Frodo, we as Christians are all on a journey that never has an end, even after our time on Earth is through. So yeah. That's my spiel. And I started The Hobbit yesterday and I am IN LOVE. As I posted on my facebook, Peter Jackson cast the PERFECT Bilbo. 135 (give or take) days till opening night!!!

Holly: I fail to come up with clever titles on demand.  So take it or leave it.  :P

I have to admit that I've struggled with reading all these books.  I feel like I'm going through them SLOWLY (it took me almost 2 weeks to finish "Fellowship").  Just feel like it dragged, I suppose.  Anyway, I started "Return of the King" this morning at work and I am already 112 pages in, which intentions of reading more before I go to bed.  Kelly warned me that this book had a dark tone to it.

She wasn't joking.  Now let me tell you that when I get into something I get into it A LOT.  I've read plenty of books in my days, but I am not exaggerating when I tell you that I have never been so enthralled or my emotions evoked so strongly in a book, until today.  Yes, this even tops Dumbledore.  That darkness Kelly mentioned...I could feel it as I read on.  My heart literally ached for my Hobbit friends (I am in love with the Hobbits, sorry!  Merry and Pippin now...Frodo and Sam don't come in until later).  Here's Pippin, with Gandalf, separated from his best friend Merry, wondering about him and where he is.  Meanwhile, here's Merry, with strangers, wondering about Pippin, where he is, wondering about Sam and Frodo, heck, not even sure if they're alive at this point.....I had to put it down for a bit.  I don't know how Tolkien did it, but he did and he did it well.

Now Pippin.....earlier today Catherine (our Tolkien/Ringer roommate who we have to thank for introducing us to the series at all) asked who our favorite LoTR character is.  At the current time I am really enjoying Pippin's character development.  Essentially he starts out as a wide-eyed, slighly naive child and now he's an esteemed part of Gondor, basically a right-hand to the King and having to make crucial decisions for someone in power.  Of course he still longs for the Shire comforts, but now he is more aware of the impending danger lurking and what his part to play is.  Where I am in my life I can easily relate to him.

One more quick note...bit of a coincidence (?)...I just noticed that Jesus was around 33 years old when he was crucified.  Hobbits come of age at 33.  Do you have some explaining to do, Tolkien? I think not.  :)

Pippin (R)...has a lot of growing up to do and does so beautifully! :)

Two will become three....and some crazy dives!

Holly: Well...it's the end of July, going into August, and it's an even numbered 4 year period, and you know what that means??

SUMMER LYMPICS!

Yep...from London this year (tears!!!!!! considering I was there this time last year...).  Anyway.  Enough of that.  The three of us (and two very uninterested felines) from humble Apartment #1 are pouring over the diving men's finals right now.  Wow!  Such poise.  And they're SO together!  It's practically perfection, flawless.  How do they do that?  And two guys from Mexico just did a 4 1/2 inverted somersault...so much spinning...perfect spinning!  Crazy!  Perfect!  But we always cringe when they jump off because they're so close to the board and I don't want to see lovely toned divers go splat!  We watched the Opening Ceremony when it came on, but I'm sad to report that we missed James Bond/the Queen parachute in.  But we did catch the bajillion-foot Voldemort and the crazy era music dancing montage.  And the doctors and nurses.  A bit odd, but still well done if I do say so myself.  Hopefully this evening on the beach volleyball front, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh will pull another win....man, that stuff is just as exciting as Sherlock!

Now, onto the second big piece of news that's sweeping the nation...literally!  I'm sure many of you are familiar with the Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit series.  If you're not, I suggest you claw yourself out of that rock you're hiding under and remedy that as soon as possible.  Seriously, I have just recently seen the light and I have no clue why I waited so long.

ANYWAY....

As of today, the illustrious Peter Jackson (if you don't know who that is....oh geez, just look it up) announced today that the originally slated two part movie series of "The Hobbit" will now become a THREE part movie series!  Of course, I have some.....concerns.....with this:  First off, the book is only 271 pages.  Now, there is plenty of material for two movies, but even with some series drawing out, editing, tweaking, etc...it will be interesting to see such short of a book into 3 parts.  I mean, the LoTR series itself is WAY over 1000 pages, and each of those movies is well over 3 hours.  So that makes sense.

My second concern is that of the actors.  Kelly and I are now hopelessly "Sherlocked", and, of course, the illustrious actor playing the hobbit protagonist Bilbo Baggins is also the charming Dr. Watson in Sherlock.  I'm just wondering how that will work in terms of filming and production.  See, Sherlock's seasons are only 3 episodes, but they're 90 minutes.  Season 2 finished in January of this year, and Season 3 starts in January 2013.  The Hobbit (part 1) is being released at the end of this year, December 2013 next year, and now with part 3, theoretically summer 2014.  How will this work??????????????????

Until then, I shall wait anxiously for The Hobbit.  And Smaug.  Who is being voiced by the smooth-as-silk Benedict Cumberbatch (who is also Sherlock).  Can you say SPAAAZZ??? &^%@(*&P_)_)(#$(*&^@#^%$^&

Kelly: As I posted on my Twitter earlier, I stated that I was going to be cautiously optimistic about the fact that a 2-part movie is now going to be turned into 3. Though my concerns have nothing to do about characters, plot holes or material. The way I see it is simple; MONEY. Think for a sec; the LOTR trilogy pulled in over $2 BILLION. No...not million. OVER 2 BILLION DOLLARS. So really it seems like a no-brainer; die-hards will watch and wait for a 3rd movie. They'll wait and pay to see the three movies. Shoot, I'll wait and pay my dues to see the three movies as a recent Ringer. Like Holly, I too am concerned about the overlapping in Sherlock and this third Hobbit film. Again...cautiously optimistic.

And US just won a bronze in diving! TEAM USA!!! For what it's worth though the Chinese team were really good (they won the gold). Mexico completed the most difficult dive and they walked away with the silver. Let's see what is coming up next...YES. Beach volleyball! May-Treanor and Walsh are coming up next and taking on Czech Republic. We've been waiting patiently since Friday, so we are getting very excited. I really have nothing else to add so I am going to post this humorous picture that a fellow Sherlock fan of ours linked to me and Holly via Facebook. Enjoy the Olympics and don't shoot walls if you're bored.

Holly and I have friends. Sherlock doesn't. Except Watson. 

Who would YOU like to meet?

Kelly: While browsing the web, I came across this website that posts really thought-provoking questions. One of the questions was "out of fictional characters from a book, TV show or movie, who would you like to meet?" And I thought this would be a good blog topic.  Wow this is hard. Really really hard. Ok, well here goes. (FYI: We apologize for the wonky fonts. We don't know how to fix it. Please bear with us as we try to figure it out.)

TV: Ooh that's an easy one!!! That's soooooo easy. My answer: Dr. Carter from ER. We have so much in common!!! Like me, he started out as a bumbling student wanting to save lives and practice medicine. Except he's a medical student and I'm a nursing student. He was anxious to get started and was hesitant at first but then just jumped right in and saved a man's life! Though he faced many hard times and even a severe setback involving illegal substances, Dr. Carter got back on his feet and continued to do what he loved. If I could meet him, I would shake his hand and say "thank you." He also provided with me some words of inspiration that I am carrying with me. "You set the tone." It was said to him as a medical student and he said the same words to an aspiring medical student.

Book: This is a tough one for me. I've REALLY had to think about this. I was going to say Jesus, but I believe that when I die I will see Him anyway. I think the purpose of this was to stick to fictional...oops. Anyway...well, to be honest. I really can't think of anyone at the present time. I'd really love to meet everyone from Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings and The Bible, but shoot that would be a long list. Well, there you have it then. There's my list :P

Movie:  Again, another easy one. First I would like to acknowledge a bunch of my friends and church goers for continuing to feed my addiction to the Lord of the Rings series. Second is now the answer to whom I would love to meet from the movie. That would be Frodo, or as Sam calls him, Mr. Frodo. Frodo, like all of us who are Christians or others pursuing life's journey, are on a quest. It is up to us to respond to it and venture into a journey, sometimes not knowing the outcome. Frodo did such that. Sacrificing his home, belongings and nearly his life on several occasions, Frodo took the call as the Ring bearer and carried it to its final resting place. He had no idea where he was going or what he was doing but gained some trustworthy followers on the way to his quest. Though others tried to help him carry the burden of the ring, he refused, stating it was his to carry but they were happy to join him if they pleased. Like me, I too am on a journey as a Christ follower. I have had to carry my fair share of Rings and others have offered to carry them for me. But I too have stood firm and said they were mine to carry, and I gained followers and supporters along the way. I've got some great Sams in my life, and Sam was an honest and loyal companion to Frodo, especially when Frodo's hope was dead and buried. If I were to meet Mr. Frodo, number one he would live at my place, probably in some small confines that I have in my apartment. And then I would say "we both have faced great journeys, but we are not alone. We never were."

Plus, Elijah Wood is re-gosh-darn-stinking adorable!! ;]

Holly: Well, Kelly, we must be related.  Because some of yours are also some of mine!


TV: Ok, well...I could just be really snarky and say the entire cast of E.R. because at one point all of them have just been like woah to me!  But like Kelly, I also have to go with Dr. Carter.  He starts out as this shy, unsure, timid little med student, but then becomes a warm, well-respected, model physician.  Along the way he deals with all sorts of junk: losing his grandmother ("Gamma"), getting stabbed by a crazy dude and in turn, losing a friend (yes, even though he and Lucy started out hating each other, they DID become friends...so...yeah), a crippling narcotic addiction, a bajillion (in my opinion...crappy, lol) girlfriends, becoming disowned by his family, and finally, falling in love with a woman but losing their child (and, for the record, I'M SORRY KEM, I know y'all lost your little Joshua, but FOR GOODNESS SAKES, HE LOVED YOU!!!!!!!!!! //end rant).  Plus, the passing of the "You set the tone" torch from, WAY back in the beginning, Morganstern to Dr. Greene, from Dr. Greene to Carter, then Carter to Gallant, and finally Carter to Morris= aahh! Brilliant! :D


Book: Ok...again, a bajillion could go here.  Of course Harry Potter: unabashed bravery, loyalty to his friends, his love for his parents...and he defeats Voldemort.  Hello?!?!?!?  Freaking.  Awesome.  But from Lord of the Rings, I LOVE THE TREEBEARDS!!!!!!!!!!!!  Or Ents.  Whatever you prefer to call them.  They keep Merry and Pippin company and just make me happy!  I want to just hang out with an Ent for a day.  Or forever.  :)

Movie: Dangit, Kelly, you took mine again.  The Frodo/Sam storyline is perhaps one of my favorite relational stories in fiction.  So here's sweet, brave Frodo, who gives up his Hobbit comforts, friends, and security in order to take on a very dangerous and weakening mission: destroying the One Ring.  He plans to go at it alone, but Sam shows unwavering loyalty to his master and decides to go along on the arduous journey with him.  Though Gollum tries to break them up (P.S. Gollum is an evil little booger...sorry!  And that "precioussssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss" thing...super. legit. creepy).  But anyway, towards the end of the journey, Frodo is so weak, he doesn't think he can go another minute, and Sam is asking what he can do...and Frodo just says carry the Ring.  I'm done.  And Sam tells him "I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you."  Daaww....still gets to me, even though I've only seen the movie once.  But to have a Sam in your life, to have someone stay by your side through EVERYTHING, the good, pretty, and ugly...it's rare, and it's love.  Plain and simple.  I hope to have someone like that someday.

Well dear us, how in the WORLD could we forget these dashing, charming Brits? None other than Mr. Holmes and Dr. Watson! :)

In ________ we trust?

Holly: Trust is one of those words that gets thrown around a lot.  What does it mean to "completely" trust someone?  Are we too trusting, and what does that make of us?

To say that I had trust issues as a teen is a pretty fair statement.  I mean, they weren't to the point that I couldn't even function in society, but more often than not I found myself wondering to myself about the hidden agendas of other people.  I suppose that being bullied was a contribution to that.  There were also some family issues going on that I'd rather not disclose.  Even as a kid though, I was very shy (believe it or not).  At times I was even called "too trusting" of other people, which, back then, was frowned upon.  Insert the terms "naive" or "gullible" here...

So where do I stand today?  I have to admit that I'm a little too cautious for my own good.  I always lock my car at work (and I work in the middle of nowhere) and we always make sure the apartment doors are locked (even when we're all home).  As Kevin said this morning in his sermon, we have become a society of suspicion...we are ALWAYS suspicious of what's going on around us.  I have warmed up around people now, much more so than when I was younger, but I am always exercising caution in unfamiliar places.

To play the faith and follower in Christ card, lately I've been struggling with trusting God too.  I suppose that being on your own and losing any and all forms of security (i.e. a regular, stable income, convenient food, and a place to live that you don't have to pay for) post-graduation from college will do that to you.  Just the other day I made another phone call to home asking for money.  I HATE worrying about money.  I really do.  That night I went to bed and wondered in my mind to God how we were going to make it through to our next pay day.  Yesterday I received the card from home and inside it was WAY more $$ than what I had asked for!  I asked God for a handful and He gave me an armful!

When will I learn to trust?  I'm still learning.  But today's sermon was a great reminder of such: I must trust God.  I have been praised in the past for always being strong in my faith and I intend to continue down that path.  It hasn't been easy.  But God is still proving faithful.  TRUST.

Kelly: Again I walked away deeply challenged. Like I posted on my facebook, I don't know what it has been about these past few weeks. Not that I'm saying the sermons in the past have been bad by any means...but these past few have been ESPECIALLY good!! Like Holly said, I used to have trust issues with people. Especially people who hurt me. Every now and then something strikes in me where I am caught thinking about "what if I did this/say that?" I never held grudges, but secretly distrusting others was in a way doing just that.

As it was said in church, you can't trust everybody. It's a sad truth. I remember growing up not even locking our house or the cars; we lived out in the middle of nowhere. It was something we never had to worry about. Then our house got broken into. Ever since then all the doors and windows locked, all the cars locked. And we live out in the middle of nowhere. I would be lying if I didn't say that when we were at home alone, I would watch an on-going car to make sure it didn't stop in the road. Much truth was said at church; our society trains us to be suspicious. Can't trust anybody.

Having said that, there are those I can always trust, no matter what. I will now use an example from Lord of the Rings. Yes, we recently became fans; I don't want to hear it!!!! We lived in the middle of nowhere! There was a scene in which Sam and Frodo were on their way to Mordor to destroy the ring, and they were led by Gullum...a hobbit-like creature. The ring, which he referred to as "The Precious," caused him to have a split personality and caused him to become a very disturbed individual. Smeagol, his friendlier personality, would often fight with Gullum. Anyway, because of a minor twisting of the truth, Frodo eventually left Sam and continued on with Gullum/Smeagol. However, Frodo eventually discovered Sam was right; Gullum wanted the ring for himself. It just amazed me how much the truth can be twisted by only a few words. And people believe it...ALL THE TIME. So it leaves with the question; who can we trust? I know my answer. Sometimes I don't always behave in a way that is pleasing to God, but I do my best. It's not easy. Just worth it.

In the meantime, what shall we do? What can we do about overcoming a distrusting world? The answer is simple; know yourself. Other than God, you know yourself better than anybody. Ask yourself; is this REALLY true? If you don't know, ask the source. It's better to put out the flames than continue to fuel them. Holly and I were talking about this last night. Second, find someone you can trust. If it isn't God, then I pray you will/do have someone you can trust. I will leave with this. Also, LOVE. In a song I know, one of the lines is "You can never love too strong." I find this to be very much true. If you can love others, then they will love you in return. If they love you, they can trust you. But you have to love and trust yourself too.


"Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."  1 Corinthians 13:7