Things we learned in August

There's leaps of faith, then there's shoves of faith: Kelly has stepped into the world of travel nursing! After tiptoeing around the idea for a while and signing on with an agency over a month ago, she has decided to take a chance and make a good positive change in her career. She's been ready to do something else, and though a little anxious about the future, we are both equally excited!

Sister dates are still awesome: We made several last month, including a trip to Lexington to check out a new Good will! What can we say...we're good company? :)

Travel is hard...not just on the traveler: Holly's boyfriend Justin made a trip back home (yes, as in home home to Australia) and his journey back included a delayed and a missed flight, a late night phone call to friends in Louisville, a night of little sleep, and  a round trip drive to Louisville and back. However, we are very thankful for his safe return and for the time he shared with his family.

Wineries are great. Wineries with friends are even better: We had the opportunity to spend a rainy afternoon with dear friends of ours at a winery in Versailles. Oh man...can't recommend it enough. And the company was lovely.

Patience, time and grace: Doctor's visits, a few appointments and Kelly's foot/ankle is starting to heal. It's going to take a lot of time, but it's getting there. There have been some good days and some bad days, but the good days are far outweighing the bad.

There's something for everyone! We introduced two friend to Charming Charlie's, a store in the mall beside Lexington. It's jewelry, purses, shoes, a little bit of clothes and it is fabulous! Each time we took each individual friend we were there over an hour! There's a bit of satisfaction knowing we found something that fits our friend's tastes.


That's all for now! Keep reading and keep learning!

A Generalized Life Update #2

Kelly: So I've been at my new job gig for a little over a month now, and so far things are going really well. Our patient numbers (census) have been high for a while, which has made things crazy but so far nothing catastrophic or earth-shattering has happened. For the most part everyone has been calm, somewhat happy and haven't made any ridiculous demands. I really enjoy the staff I work with and we all have a good time and love what we do. I really enjoy the patients too, and gone are the days of constantly feeling like walking on eggshells. When working in psych, things were so unpredictable all the time, and you just never knew what may set someone off. So there's that. It's pretty smashing.

Secondly, Holly and I have been in the process of trying to find a house to rent. We can't quite afford swinging to buy one yet, but it's time for a change. We've been at our townhouse for a little over 2 years now, and a series of circumstances have left us ready to go. It's been overall a somewhat frustrating process, in terms of finding a house and making phone calls to prospective rental companies/landlords. We've learned the term "single family" does not apply to twin sisters, which sort of stinks for us. Neither one of us can really afford to live on our own, nor do we want to. We've had a lot of closed doors, but as of today two more prospective options have opened up. I'm not really trying to keep my hopes up, but there's a part of me that is optimistic that one of these two will work out. On the way home after just driving by to look at a neighborhood in where one of them are, we prayed while driving, and soon after came across the number of another house to rent. God is good! I'm going to make a phone call tomorrow to this other house and hopefully things will be in our favor. So that's what's going on in our lives for the time being. Thanks for hanging with us!

Holly: I spent all of last week traveling for work-related events: building two high tunnels and a VISTA training/networking/catching up weekend in Pikeville, KY.  Got to reconnect with a lot of VISTAs from my Atlanta training, and meet some more, all of who are doing some pretty awesome things in northern and eastern Kentucky. Speaking of VISTA, things are going very, very well; I am still really happy there and I'm learning more and more as every week passes.  I have about three and a half months to go until my term ends, and I feel like the second half has just flown by! As for post-VISTA....well, they liked me so much they decided to offer me a full time gig!! Yep, you are totally reading that correctly! :) I've known for quite a while now but have been essentially sworn to secrecy, but I think I've kept it a secret for long enough! I am beyond excited to transition into this new role and I am still blown away at just how much God has worked for good when He called me to do this crazy thing almost a year ago! I don't know any of the logistics yet, but...yeah, there it is!!

Yoda and Wiley (our pet babies) have been with us for three years now.  We still love them to pieces and they still drives us insane.  They've brought us so much joy and have kept us ridiculously entertained.  Neither of us are in relationships still, and we're still ok with that (Although I'm plotting...) And lastly, we're spending Memorial Day weekend in Indiana! You may remember when we went to their wedding almost four years ago! Yep...their little girl is due in July (their first!!!), and we are all BEYOND excited :)

So that's basically it.  Pray God will have His will as we continue to search for a house, and that all will go well for our dear Ashley and her little Nugget :) Thank you all for continuing to journey on this crazy road with us!

And just in case you need a laugh, which I'm sure you could always use one, you can watch this video that Kelly and I can't get enough of!

One Last Time

Holly and Kelly: Dear readers, we apologize for not updating in a while. It has been a very crazy month of going here there and everywhere. But we are fine, all is well and now we are back. Thanks for hanging tough and bearing with us.

Yesterday was the final hurrah. The big finale. The movie to end all movies. The Battle of the Five Armies. And it was glorious.  It was also a time of gathering. As you all know, in September we attended ALEP (see our post on ALEP weekend here!) and met some pretty awesome people during that time. It was discussed at that time that there was a group who usually met up in December to see the current Hobbit movie in Nicholasville (about an hour from Berea). This group met up at Shaker Village the night before for a merry gathering, since it's almost Christmas. So needless to say we jumped all over that! We stayed at the village Friday night and got to meet up with some of the folks we met in September for snacks, conversation, laughing, a long slideshow and a little bit of tasty wine. Come Saturday we rolled out to Brannon's Crossing in Nickyville and gathered at the theater for pictures and a bit of singing, such as Misty Mountains and I See Fire- which was pretty incredible. Before we knew it there were other people taking pictures and videos of all of us, as the majority of the group were in costumes. It was awesome. Truly awesome. We kept saying "I love us." This group, these movies, as Kelly said, it was a celebration of the Christmas season, the love of Tolkien and Peter Jackson's work, how the books/movies have impacted us and our lives, and celebrating each other.

Now for our movie opinion; we LOVED it!!! We don't want to give too much away, because that's just not nice and we went into this movie having read no reviews, not viewed any clips, or seen anything else other than just the trailer.  We expected a few things, naturally, just because we're fairly familiar with the book, but it far surpassed our expectations!  There were quite a few moments that really surprised us, and of course, there were things that we weren't too thrilled with (but that's the case with the previous 2 Hobbit movies, and even LOTR too).  But what really made this movie special, aside from it being the last Middle Earth hurrah, was the company that was able to witness this cinematic adventure with us.  Many we met from AL3P, but we didn't get to have as many in-depth conversations and fellowship as we had wished (though there was still plenty!!), so it was really memorable to share life with these people.  We all come from such different walks of life, such different parts of the world, and when we all come together united by this love for Tolkien, wonderful things happen.  Now every time we see Five Armies, we'll think of this group, this family that we've been so fortunate to be welcomed into.  Plus...Billy Boyd's closing song is complete perfection to the end of an incredible movie series...and to our parting.  We will see each other soon, though.  There is no such thing as goodbye!

So ends this day
The road is now calling
And I must away
Over hill and under tree
Through lands where light has never shone
By silver streams that run down to the Sea
Under cloud, beneath the stars
Over snow one winter's morn
I turn at last to paths that lead home
And though where the road then takes me, I cannot tell
We came all this way
But now comes the day to bid you farewell

One Last Time! (Photo c/o Kelly Gable) 

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.

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.  :)

Question this! Yeah, we're pretty BORED!!!

Holly: A bajillion people have done this little questionnaire that we're about to do.  Figured we'd give it a whirl...heck, you might learn a thing or two about this dynamic duo.  :)

When were you happiest? I'm generally a happy person.  I suppose one instance is when I learned that the D+ on my transcript wasn't going to ruin my chances of graduating from college.

What is your greatest fear? Stagnancy (i.e. not changing, growing, progressing in life, etc).  And disappointing the ones I'm closest to.

What is your earliest memory? Watching my brother ride his gigantic black plastic bike down our driveway.  I was maybe 3 or 4.

Which living person do you admire most and why? It's always the answer given, but my folks, because not only are they incredibly hard-working, but amazingly supportive and caring.  They believe in even my craziest dreams.  And my academic adviser I had in college, because he dealt with a lot of stuff and still managed to inspire me and challenge me in ways I could have never imagined.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? I'm not as confident as I let on.

What is the trait you most deplore in others? Dishonesty and close-mindedness.

What was your most embarrassing moment? I peed my pants in front of my gym class when I was in second grade.  I had to interrupt my mom's class so she could get me some clothes to change into.

What makes you unhappy? The fact that people are just downright nasty to one another.

What do you most dislike about your appearance? I break out like nobody's business.  Thank God for Mary Kay!

What is your guiltiest pleasure? Oh geez...."crap telly", any sweets, Sherlock/Hobbit/LoTR tumblr pages

What is your most unappealing habit? Speaking before thinking

What's the worst thing anyone has ever said to you? I'm pretty sure someone (they will remain unnamed) called me a "slut" once in high school.

Which words or phrases do you overuse? "I know, right?"

What has been your biggest disappointment? Not being able to find a job that I can use my degree with.  I suppose that's more of a frustration than a disappointment.

If you could edit your past, what would you change? I would say "I love you" more.  And listen to my parents.

What is the closest you've come to death? Not necessarily death, by any means, but I passed out when I was 12 and was out for over 30 seconds.  It just felt like sleeping.  As scary as the aftermath was, it was quite peaceful.

What single thing would improve the quality of your life? Seeking God.  Always and everywhere.

What do you consider your greatest achievement? My degree from Berea hanging up in my living room.

What keeps you awake at night? My neighbors and their fireworks, job-related stuff, Yoda meowing at the door, friends of mine going through rough times, those I love back in Ohio...

What song would you like played at your funeral? "Into the West"

How would you like to be remembered? That I made someone's life better just by me being in it, and that I did my best to live like Christ.

Tell us a secret.  I once dreamt that Martin Freeman showed up at my apartment.  We had tea, and amazingly I didn't manage to scare him off.  It was lovely.  Also, I want a corgi.

Kelly: Ok, now it's my turn. I'm an open freaking book people. Seriously.

When were you happiest? Stepping off the plane after landing in Glasgow. I was on a red-eye flight and horribly jet lagged, but that day was officially the farthest I've been away from home by myself. I will never forget that moment.

What is your greatest fear? Getting stuck in a job that I will grow to hate but will start out loving.

What is your earliest memory? I have the same memory as Holly, but another one I have was when I was  in kindergarten. I stuck one of those plastic wiggly eyes up my nose.

Which living person do you admire most and why? I have a few, but the one on my mind now is a friend who is going through hell right now, yet he still manages to keep the faith. If I were in his shoes I don't know if I would be as strong as he is. Praying for you, friend.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? I'm kind of loud sometimes.

What is the trait you most deplore in others? Close-mindedness

What was your most embarrassing moment? I was on a Med/Surg floor for clinicals. I had opened a patient's medications out of the packets and put them in the medicine cup. Reached to scratch my nose without even thinking and the meds went everywhere. My instructor made me call the pharmacy to order more. Learned a good lesson that day.

What makes you unhappy? The fact that our country is so admirable to many others, yet we have one of the worst violence and death rates among newborns. It's disgusting.

What do you most dislike about your appearance? My smile, to be honest. It's a long story.

What is your guiltiest pleasure? The dreams I have. Nothing PG-13 or R, just wild and stupid but they make me happy.

What is your most unappealing habit? Belching. Usually happens after I drink a lot of Coke or Dr. Pepper

What is the worst thing anyone has ever said to you? There was this one girl in high school. Said some horrible things about me. She knows who she is, but I've forgiven her.

Which words or phrases do you overuse? Turd

What has been your biggest disappointment? That after almost 3 years my ankle is still bothering me and that I've been to half a dozen specialists who claim to "know it all."

If you could edit your past, what would you change? I'd go back to Feb. 2010 and NOT WEAR HEELS TO CHURCH.

What is the closest you've come to death? Passed out from heatstroke in 7th grade. I turned a not nice shade of blue around my mouth. Bit of not good.

What single thing would improve the quality of your life? To quote The Good Book: Peace that surpasses all understanding

What do you consider your greatest achievement? Coming so close to completing a college degree, considering when I was younger there were so many who thought I couldn't.

What keeps you awake at night? Things people tell me, my friends and what they're going through, my parents and what they're doing

What song would you like played at your funeral? See Holly's answer, and a few others.

How would you like to be remembered? I'd like to be remembered as not being perfect but a positive energy with a contagious personality.

Tell us a secret I don't eat milk in my cereal. The very thought of wet cereal makes me sick to my stomach. Haven't eaten it that way since I was a kid.

The Band Years

Kelly: Maybe it's because it's Christmas. Or maybe it's the fact that I'm graduating college in almost four months. I'm not entirely sure why, but Holly and I have been thinking a lot about our marching band years. We strapped on ridiculously hideous and hot uniforms, piled onto a small school bus and traveled all across the state to football games and/or competitions. And we did this willingly. Every Friday and/or Saturday from the end of August until the beginning of November for 6 years. And we LOVED it.

I remember when I was a little girl, getting dragged to high school football games. I would only go to see the band play. "Mom, I want to be in the band!" I remember seeing the local college at their homecoming parade. "Mom, I want to be in the 110 someday." In 7th grade, Holly and I both had a choice to make. Prior to 7th grade, we had both done gymnastics for a few years. The choice was ours; either continue with gymnastics or quit and pursue marching band. When I look back on it now, I realize that the choice was obvious...since I didn't think I was that good at gymnastics. I was not meant to be a gymnast; I was meant to be a band geek! So many fond and wonderful memories of high school were usually associated with the time I did marching band. The places we traveled to, the conversations we had, the sometimes drama that occurred, the friends I made and the experiences I gathered. Nothing can even hold a candle to what I experienced for those number of years. It's sad to say though, now that I'm in college I don't think about band as often as I used to; I haven't picked up my clarinet in almost four years. I'm not even sure I'd remember how to play it. As I look it's still sitting in its case behind my bed. It's not that I've forgotten about band, but I'm sad to say that that part of my life is over and has been for quite some time now. But I have not nor will not forget all that I did and the wonderful fun times I had. When I graduate in May, I'm writing something very special on my hat that I have carried with me.

"DO IT!"

Holly: We managed to summarize six years of insanity into a navy blue three-inch binder, packed with programs from competitions, our show music, pictures, random fliers, etc.  We call it our band book.  It's in our pile of stuff that's going back with us to Berea.

We endured horrendously hot uniforms, unflattering polos that were at least two sizes too large, uncomfortable shoes that were at least a size too small; shoes that felt every crack, crevice, stone, and grass.  We waited on "the band guy" whenever there was a ding, scratch, or missing key in our instruments (I particularly relied on him after I literally fell on my flute.....THAT'S another story! lol).  We heard the Mountain Dew story about 15 times.  The crazy weeks at band camp, staying up way too late and doing stuff that need not leave the walls of the dorms.  Blistering sun, pouring rain, snow, hail, freezing cold...sometimes all in the same day (Riverview, anybody???).  A concession was deemed good if it had something other than hot dogs and burgers (Cowtails, large dill pickles, and Sour Skittles were our favorites).  If your throat wasn't sore and raw by the end of a competition night, be it from screaming or laughing, you weren't doing it right.  We bagged on Waterford all the time.  Our leadership meeting senior year wasn't much of a meeting...it was comprehending how in the world we were going to carry on our Fed Hock band legacy without our "Big Papa" and his tent.  It was at a football game in Belpre my junior year when I found out that one of my best guy friends liked me back.  We met our best friend through band; almost 10 years later, we're still friends.   The small door of the RCA Dome in Indianapolis opened for the first time as we stepped onto the field for our pre-show at Bands of America Grand Nationals, and all of us wondered how we ended up there.  That dang dog whistle will forever be the bane of my existence.

I don't really know how to close all of this, other than the fact that the stories we could tell would go on for years on end, and the memories will last even longer.

Potpurri post #6

Kelly: To start this post, I would like to point out that it is 11:30 and I am still in my PJ's! Goodness I love Christmas break already. Also, I would like to mention that today is my parents 31st Anniversary!!! :] <3 I hope that one day I can find somebody who can put up with me for that long. But yeah; even after 31 years it is so evident that my parents are still crazy about each other. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! I got my final grades on Tuesday; not bad...didn't fail anything but still got one C. The rest were A's and B's. At first I was rather upset because I always think I can do better, but hey, I actually did try. I utilized excellent work/study habits and for my nursing classes it paid off! I scored the highest on my two nursing finals than I ever had before! Must have done something right! So yay me. Ok now I'm done bragging about myself.

The world didn't end yesterday as it was said to. Obviously. If we all went back to the simple truths from Scripture, then there wouldn't be this problem in the first place (for reference please refer to Matthew 24:36). It just irritates me that so many people bought into this whole world ending thing. I mean really? Ok, suit yourself; I'm going to stick with the truth and what I actually know is true, which is God's word. Enough about that. I find it hard to believe that 2012 is almost over!!!!! Is it just me or did this year go by really fast? Like...REALLY fast! If this is any indication on how fast 2013 is going to go then shoot! Graduation will be here in no time! I have so many goals for this upcoming year that I want to accomplish; something sis and I are going to do is keep a jar and write down good things that happen throughout the year. When the year is over we're going to re-visit it and see what happened! :] That's enough for me now; time to shower and actually become a decent individual in the world again. Cheers! Hope everyone has a good Christmas!

Holly: It's now 11:36.  Still in my pj's.  lol.

I really don't have much to say.  I know that may come as a surprise to many of you.  haha.  But no, really.  Like Kelly I too am surprised that 2012 is coming to an end so quickly.   It's been kind of a big year for me. It's hard to believe that when this year started I was still in school.  In that same span of a year I've been in school, graduated from school, been done with school, moved out on my own, and am now on my second "real" job.  And gotten hopelessly hooked on several entertainment franchises that now consume the majority of my free time.  lol.

I am eager to see what 2013 awaits for me.  For many people that I'm close to it's going to be a big year for them.  But for me, it's kind of a question mark.  All I know is I don't want to fold clothes at Old Navy for the rest of my life (NO. OFFENSE!)  My dream is to work for my alma mater.  It gave so much to me and I would love to give just a little bit of myself back to it.  That's all.  Maybe 2013 will open a door for me there.  I pray it does.  But other than that....question mark.

Tomorrow we meet up with an old and dear friend and return to Middle Earth again.  Christmas is three days away.  And we're with family.  Life is good.  I hope all of you have a magic-filled, wondrous Christmas.  Hold close those who are closest to you, and ALWAYS count your blessings, because you have more than you could possibly realize.

Hugs from Ohio.  <3

One Hundred

Kelly: Readers, avid readers, and strangers; I present to you with good news. This blog has reached its 100th POST!!!!! *cue wild cheering, confetti, party horns* We are so excited and honestly never thought that it would get this far. Hey, it's hard to keep up with something like this when our lives are taking such busy and definitely interesting turns. Oh...public service announcement: THE LOUD MUSTANG IS GONE!!!!! Turns out it wasn't a mustang that was across the street from us, it was a Pontiac something. Goes to show you how much I know about cars. Whatever. What I'm thinking about is how much new stuff we have gotten into in 100 posts. WOOT. Go us and our crazy fandoms! But what I'm most happy about is how I have felt my relationship with God grow and flourish! I am different. SO much different than what I used to be; even more different than the start of the summer. Gosh. What has happened in 100 posts?

We: met Colin and Brad, Holly graduated, moved into a new place, became mommies to two fuzzy children, got hooked on Lord of the Rings, Sherlock and the Hobbit, made new friends, lived, laughed and grew in our joy of the Lord. WOW! It blows me away how much as people we have grown! It's awesome and we couldn't have done it without God and your all's warm and wonderful comments! Thank you all! 100 down...100 more to go!

Holly: I have a purring Yoda on my lap.  We just ate an amazing dinner (Seriously).  We're wearing our new hobbit feet slippers (you can't make this stuff up).  We're about to go spend time with our amazing church choir family.  :)  I am so different of a person now than I am from a year ago, life isn't AT ALL what I imagined it would be, and yet I couldn't be happier.  We're Skyping with one of our best friends this evening.  All is just unbelievably well!  :D

If you have been riding on this roller coaster with us from the start, then I must thank you.  Knowing that there are those out there that take interest in what is going on in our random, hectic lives makes it the very reason that we've reached 100 posts.  Here's to 100 more, hopefully!

And now, some random awesome pictures:

Change thinking to change feelings

Kelly: The last few weeks I have noticed a change in myself. And no, it's not just the 8 pound weight loss. This again is another change for the better. I have been happier. Much happier than I was this time last year. I remember thinking about this time last year; I was so on edge. About everything! The littlest things set me off and it was because I was just so...burned out, stressed out, worn out, worn down, and exhausted. Getting up at 4AM on Tuesdays was extremely draining and it was just go, go, go 24/7. No rest for the weary. And now? I'm not stressed (as much), I'm not tired, and I can't even remember the last time I had a genuinely bad day. What does that even mean anyway, to have a bad day? It's all relative. Anyway, but everyone keeps asking me what my secret is? How did I lose 8 pounds? Why am I so happy and cheerful?

It's GOD.

It was, it has been and it will be. Every morning when I wake up I consciously think in my mind "God, I'm here now. I want you to shine so brightly through me that people notice. I want to have a smile on my face and pass it on." Those thoughts vary daily, but for the most part I start my days with God just changing and transforming my mind. And let me tell you it is AMAZING how good I feel!!!! I smile more, I laugh more and I think positively more. This is also benefiting me because I have more time to PRAISE instead of PLEAD. Not that pleading to God is bad, but I can think of more times when I've said "Dear God, thank you for now" instead of "Dear God just get me through this!" There have been times when some troubles have come my way but I've learned (and am still learning) to just deal with them as they come. And I pray ALL the time "God have Your way in this situation." I don't ask to take it away because we might miss something if we just lock up all our stresses and worries in boxes and pray that they just disappear. I've  EMBRACED those challenges and saddled up the courage to face them. Finally. Now bear in mind, these changes I've made have taken many many months of pre-meditating, thinking and praying. But also these changes have come from inside me as well. I've had to pluck up courage from my strength (which comes from God) to just GO. To just go and live, because it is not God's will for me to live in bondage of all that holds me down. And here's something else; words are just words. Make a plan, pray about it, think about it, and follow through.

Holly: But God...

I am speaking from experience, as well as in concordance with Kelly, but every single word she says is true. This way of thinking has completely revolutionized my day-to-day ways of looking at things, situations, bad drivers, work issues, scary bills, crappy attitudes, cats that won't chill out, etc etc etc...But ever since I've taken the focus off of me and MY schedule, and MY current feelings, and all that I have to do for the day, and turning it into "Hey, God, um, thanks for EVERYTHING, I'm not sure what's going to happen today, but I totally trust You," things have just gotten better.  By all rights I should be having a conniption fit.  I don't have a job in two months, I have student loans to pay off, we're getting zero help from the college in terms of living expenses next semester...there's just a lot stacked against us.  I have hardly zero anxiety.  Seriously.  Because I rest and stand firm in the simple fact of all that God has brought us through, and I strongly believe He will not have brought us to Berea, to here right now, only to just be like, "Well, just kidding."  No.  That's not the God I serve and love.

The thing about faith, though, is that even though God has more than enough faith for you and me, sometimes we have to have faith in ourselves.  I've had lots of conversations with people about how stressed they are, how they're not sure they're going to make it, and they trust God, I can see that....but maybe it's themselves that they don't trust.  Let me tell you: there were plenty of times in my last semester of school where I wasn't sure if I was going to pass this one class.   I decided to shift my focus on GOODDD, saying, God, you've brought me through four years of school.  I'm giving this class to You!  I did that, but I also just kept telling myself, Holly, you're going to make it.  You are.  You have to!  You have so many people rooting for you!!

If you haven't been reading a word of this, please read this: YOU. ARE. NOT. ALONE.  Someone out there is rooting for you.  Someone has faith in you.  Please know this.  :)

My challenge is this: just try to shift your perspective, the way you think.  It takes time, believe me.  But it's worth it, I promise.  Let us know if you need encouragement, prayer, etc.

"You have to change the way you THINK in order to change the way you FEEL." -Robin Roberts

Happy Birthday blog!

Kelly: So here we are! Today is the 1 year anniversary of The H and K Chronicles!!!!!! *insert cheesy applauses here* It's hard to believe that this tiny tiny idea has blown up into THIS! Doesn't already help that I am beyond excited and happy already today! I still remember the conversations Holly and I had before starting this blog. We jotted down some ideas, were thinking of titles and all sorts of things. Didn't really know what was going to happen once we started; sis and I were never the greatest at keeping diaries or anything like that. Too many things would happen and it'd be months and months before it would be picked up again. But hey...this blog hasn't done too bad.

Looking back now, I had no idea we would still have this. I was worried that we would run out of things to write about, but our ideas have increased ten fold. I enjoy the time that Holly and I devote to this blog; it gives us a chance to relay our thoughts to not only each other but to all of you who read this. Then I think about how much I have changed since a year has gone by. I know it's incredibly cliche and somewhat corny, but gosh. I have grown so much as a person, a Christian, and a fan. My interests have changed and the way I see life has changed. I've had so many struggles but way more joys and happy moments. I've made better life choices that have already started to reap positive results. I've grown to love things I never thought I would love (ahem Lord of the Rings and Sherlock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!). But yeah. We've made it! This blog has made it to one year. It's just...really awesome for a lack of a better word. It's still kind of strange to me; the idea of this blog. When we first started it, I just gave it to God and it has blown up and grown up. Yeah it isn't splashed all over the internet. Yeah thousands of people don't read it every day. But it's ours. It's mine and Holly's piece of the internet world and I hope that those who have read this or just skimmed it find something they love. Something they can relate to. Something they can appreciate. Something that touches them or makes them laugh. So this is also not for us but for all of you. THANK YOU for sticking it out with us, because without all of you who read this we wouldn't have gotten anywhere with it. Cheers for one year of blogging and hopefully there will be many more years of blogging to follow!

Holly: It's kind of hard to believe that one year of this silly little thing has already passed! So much has happened in a year, now that I look back on it.  I mean, a year ago today, I was still in school, preparing to start my senior year, I lived in a shoebox with a crazy person (sorry Amanda, I still love you!!), I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life, I had never seen/really heard of Lord of the Rings or Sherlock.  In between that time I did some more growing up, reeled from an AMAZING summer in England, met two of my comedic idols (ahem, hi Colin and Brad *waves*), roared through my last semester of college, said "see you later" to some pretty amazing Biology people, graduated, moved out of my folks' house, moved into my first apartment, got my Bachelor's degree, learned how the unemployed feel, got introduced to Lord of the Rings and Sherlock (though not at the same time) and was HOOKED,  got to know some really old and sweet Beagles, spent some more time with two pretty awesome friends who live nearby (now that we have a car!!!!!), learned a few lessons in customer service, and.....

Now I'm here.   And there were many others in between.

It's hard to say where I'll be in another year from now.  My life is not anything close to where I  imagined it would be, and yet I've never been happier.  I'm relishing in this time now, where I'm just working and putting myself out there, praying that something better (and maybe a little closer to home) will come along.  But in the meantime I will gladly continue to drive 90 mins each day and dance with the sweet old Beagles in the hallway.

Like Kelly, I also didn't know where this blog would end up, and to be honest, I'm amazed it's been a year.  This is the longest we've been able to keep up with.....well, anything, really.  We just get so busy sometimes. But we stuck it out and I'm glad we did.  I love looking back over what God's brought us through, where life has taken us, and I look forward to reading these entries again 20+ years down the road.  I wanted to close by thanking all of those who take the few minutes every time we update to read over these entries.  You are the reason we do what we do, and most of the time, you readers inspire us.  So thank you.  Here's to another year of chronicling! :)

One year ago: right after we published our first blog post! :)

One year later.  Taken about 10 minutes ago.  Cheers! :)

The beginning of the end (aka Holly graduates from college)...IN PICTURES!

A truly perfect, amazing, wonderful day full of happiness, laughter, hugs, and memories.  :)

I found my sign! lol

Me and my lovely friend Grace :)

sisters <3

4 years of stress, sweat, prayers, tears, and memories= totally worth it for this!

Roommates!

We did it!!!! :D

My hat!

My awesome friend Tim!!! We met freshman year at Berea.  He drove six hours to see me graduate!

My parents and two of my wonderful Biology professors

My lovely friend Ashley, a 2011 Berea grad

My crazy friend Priscilla, another 2011 Berea grad

The BEST academic adviser, Biology professor, labor supervisor, and go-to person anyone could have ever asked for!

YAY!

My unofficial cheering squad.  Friend Ray caught all of them in a candid moment.  I crack up every time! :D

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! :)

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! :] 

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! :)