Sleep[LESS] [SUN]day

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More sun, less sleep is how the entire vacation ended up going, but this was just the beginning. To have gotten the least sleep in a long time after a fun and late night out shopping, I surprisingly felt good on this run! We went out and back for the whole thing, a little farther toward downtown than we ever have. It was fun for me to get to see more and different hotels and shops! I didn't know that there were two places down Ocean Blvd so close to us that have a Starbucks and Ben & Jerry's right next to each other. I wanted to bike there one night, but that is still on my beach list for next year.

The little things make me so happy, including color coordination. I was so excited about this outfit, Mom knew she was going to have to take my picture before I even asked. Sometimes I feel dumb for asking her to take so many pictures, but it's a little thing that makes me happy. This bathing suit is pretty new; I've only worn it a couple times at the end of last summer, a new pair of sunglasses Mom got me for Easter (sporty, but cute with pink lenses), and a new Simply Southern visor! The bow on it even matches the color of my headband and a stripe of my suit. To complete the "head-to-toe," my toenails are pink! Oh, and the coffee cup has a pink lid and pink beach chair.

Oh shoot. I have been meaning to shorten these up, so I can catch up and do the ones for now...

 New cereal! Found on sale in the pharmacy section at Walgreens! Protein Apple Cinnamon. Tastes just like the Apple Cinnamon Cheerios but has a lot of protein added in! It's also National Egg Day, which I celebrate basically every day. My drink of the day was a new one that I saw in the cooler at Starbucks: Teavana meyer lemon with lime peel and lemongrass. I also got a super cute straw in there with pineapple pictures and candy on it! That made up for the unsweetened and added even more flavor (and coordination with my new drink hugger). Another picture today was inspired by Happiness Is.

Would ya look at these comics? They were right next to each other and convey total opposite meanings when you think about it. It was not intended and both were just for humor (I mean, it is the comics), but that's one thing I love about the funnies section. They do make me laugh, but they also make me think. One here is about family and enjoying a great breakfast, noting its importance to each day, while the other points out that not giving yourself enough to eat is frustrating and does not help you go faster! Like Coach Farmer always told me in high school, you can't run on an empty tank! This kind of stuff is seeping into every media outlet now, but it is good. Our culture has ruined us. Another reason that I hope in Jesus and that one day He will come and relieve us of all the pressure of the world. We can' t totally help the influences around us, but we can fix our eyes and hearts on His truth to help ease the struggles.

Building off of tying Jesus into this, today's Bible study was another thing I am finishing up before starting something new. (I have a bad habit of starting lots of things then not finishing them then getting overwhelmed by having too much going on.) This little devotion book is called NOW: Impacting Your World for Christ Right Now. It was pretty elementary, but it is good to get down to the basics sometimes. That's where we find our salvation and everything else in life to build off of.

I was a little over halfway through, so I picked up on a chapter about changes God brings to our lives. I'm not good with change, so it was fitting. The book began with discussing who we are in Christ and that He has a plan for us. It is important that we have a vision for what we see as God's will for us so that we can have a goal to focus on throughout our days. While our vision may be God-inspired, He may still change it. Personal example, my vision in life all through high school was to be a top runner in the state and region and use that platform to show the love and power and joy of Christ to all those who watch me. It happened! I had some great opportunities to share my faith in interviews online and in newspapers and magazines both small and large-scale; I met hundreds of fellow runners and their families. I impacted people who simply saw me and knew there was something different in me. However, as each season started so well, I fell off and never met the expectations that I set myself up for. That wasn't my plan. But through it all, God still had a plan. I could still share His goodness and strength in my shortcomings and weaknesses. Beyond high school, I had a new vision to go into college running and be a leader on my team and competitive in races, but that vision changed the moment I got on campus. But now, I look back and see that my vision was hindered because God knows everything behind the scenes and in others' hearts and minds that I cannot see. While I thought Lipscomb was the perfect place for me to grow in and share my faith and excel in life, God could see things going on there that were not right for me. Yes, my faith grew so much, but in a totally different way than I had pictured. But when I see it now, I really know God was caring for me every step of the way.

I love to make plans. That's one of the key qualities of me. I love to plan, organize, create, invite, share; I find joy in doing. I like to know what's going on. But do I ever really know what's going on? NO. Over the past two years, I have learned so much about letting go of control of my circumstances. It is a struggle because it is part of who I am, but I am much more at peace with uncertainty. The fast pace and sad state of the world leaves me disappointed and longing for something to trust, but that is where I turn to God. It is very freeing, actually. All I have to worry about is the things I know and can do, and I can trust that God is in control of everything, so it is all the way it is supposed to be. Good thing I'm not in control because I would mess it up! 
James 4:13-15 is an awesome passage on this topic. "...You do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life...instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.'" 
Being too absorbed in my own plans keeps me from being open to the thins that God brings to me. 
While we cannot help most of the change that happens to us, we can control our response. And that is what matters.

Shutting it Down Saturday

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Saturday, June 2nd

Second day and going strong! I got up a little earlier, and we went all day long! The run was good, but the wind was strong, slowing Mom and me both down some.

PS, Mom is now addicted to Starbucks Triple Mocha Frappuccino. So if you want to get her anything, this would be the winner. You could also call this a "hack" I guess, not to be trendy, I hate that, but she would get them in the morning and freeze them until afternoon! When I went up to get some food from the room I would bring it down and it was like eating ice cream! For my afternoon treats, I tried lots of new drinks I had bought over time. I need to hydrate, especially running and tanning in the heat and humidity all day every day, so flavor helps me! Today was a Neuro.

My Bible Study for today was tying up some loose ends of an old daily devotion and a Daniel Plan that I had gotten in my email. The last day of the month was the best one and so encouraging to my place in life.

"Keep Improving"

"No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." 1 Corinthians 9:27.

Not that I haven't heard and read this verse many times, but it means something different in different situations. That's why you can never get enough of the Bible, because God is always at work.

I admit that I am way too hard on myself both physically and mentally. But why do I push myself so hard? Rather than get caught up in the moment, I need to think about the future. Will this small mistake I made (that no one even notices but myself) matter tomorrow? I might spend "5 more minutes" on something, then "5 more" and so on because it's never good enough, but who cares!? I could be missing things or draining energy and motivation for things that God has in store for me here and in the future. If I wear myself out being a perfectionist, I won't have the focus or energy to give to other works, family, friends, and fun. I have a difficult time doing what I need to do now so I can do what I want to do later, but that is something God is teaching me to discipline myself in.

Second was a Daniel Plan devotion titled "Real Life" with the verse in John 10:10 where Jesus says that He has come so that we can have full life. LIFE is found in Him, not in my daily pursuits. I find that when I struggle emotionally, I have gotten caught up in trying to do more than be satisfied in what Jesus has already done. Even before we left for vacation, I had a hard time thinking things like, "What if it rains? What if I can't run as much as I want? What if we don't get to go shop here or there?" I had to remind myself that my joy does not depend on this beach trip. It will be over and done before I can feel like I've been there. Then we will be back home. That was a depressing thought. Not getting to go to the beach last year has made this a huge anticipation in my mom's and my mind, but it is just a thing that will come and go. I will always have Jesus. He has an ongoing plan for my life, and everything else is just details!

For the day on the beach, I read some comics and a part of a book and some word searches. It was a great day on the beach, and by the time we got to the big Coastal Grand Mall and sat for dinner, we were much quieter than we had been. We laughed at ourselves being so tired! We also joke about how "fancy" we eat at the beach; we use gift cards from over the year, and we go cheap! But that's how we enjoy it. We enjoy the beach and simply being there, so we don't have to spend so much money eating out at the places like Margaritaville. Tonight was Chick-fil-a! We hadn't been there in a long time, and it was very satisfying.

 

Mom and I split up to shop since the mall closed at 9, so that way we could do more faster. I looked around more than I bought (which is kind of a good thing!), but I did get some good stuff at GNC! I had a rebate for Optimum Nutrition Cake Bites, which look really good, so I got a few flavors as well as a carrot cake No Cow Bar. (PS, if you are interested in the rebate app I use, I can send you my referral link so we can both get extra points! I love it and currently have around $100 stored up) I also had an American Eagle giftcard from a return from my birthday I think, and I have not been able to get rid of it! I am highly disappointed in the quality of clothes over time. Prices go up, and quality goes down. Not just quality, but also coverage. Why should I pay so much money for clothes that look like they came out of the trash, are paper thin and/or have holes, paint splatter, whatever!? They're ugly. I could go on, but I'll stop. Finally I found some jeggings on the clearance rack to take care of one of the items on my "wish list" and a decent and cute shirt also on sale at Aerie! Before we knew it, the doors were starting to close all around us, and we had to head out. I can't believe how time flies. I used to think we shopped for hours and would run out of places to look. Well, tonight we shut the place down, literally!

On the way out, we heard some thunder and saw lightning off in the distance, but little did we know of the rain that was coming! I got drenched in the parking lot, even though I only had to walk two steps from under the awning... In the hotel, I had seen a brochure paper for a new ice cream and candy shop that was between the mall and the hotel, so Mom took me by! I got some great chocolates from the do-it-yourself section and tried lots of new flavors! For the chocolates, I got dark chocolate covered pretzels, espresso beans, and pomegranates, chocolate coconut almonds! I love the places that aren't so generic. These flavors I got were banana pudding, salted caramel cheesecake, rum raisin, maple nut, white chocolate raspberry truffle, heath yogurt, and peanut butter pretzel! Their to-go containers were so good! The styrofoam kept it cold already, but when I got back to the hotel and opened it, there were Yeti brand paper things on top! All that goodness and care for packaging, and it still wasn't expensive.

Beach

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When I go to the beach, I do not go to primp and be fancy.  I go to get away from home and chill out!  I love having time away from the normal routine and stresses of being at home.  I enjoy using this time to refresh my soul in many ways!

 

Mom and I left home at about 4:00 am on Sunday, June 8th.  I got up around an hour before to do some exercises and make sure that I had everything ready.  I was looking forward to hitting the road!  For now, it was only Mom and me, but Dad woke up to tell us goodbye.  Mom doesn't like having to go through the mountains by herself early in the morning when there is so much fog, but luckily this year was not near as bad as last year!  I like to sleep, so that is what I did.  Laid out across the whole back seat, I slept until we got to Spartanburg for a bathroom break and then farther to Camden for breakfast.  Mom got a McDonald's oatmeal and coffee, while I got a milk and coffee to have with a travel sized cereal I brought.  After that we only had a little over two hours to go, and I sat up and read my Bible and did little word and cell phone games until we got there.  Driving to the beach is even exciting for me!  When we got there, we changed in the bathroom and went on out to the beach, because we knew at that time the check in desk would be crazy.  Our hotel, the Long Bay Resort in Myrtle Beach, has a Starbucks, so I used a little giftcard money to get a blueberry, nut, seed, honey and spice oatmeal for lunch and took it out to the beach.

That night we did our Walmart shopping for perishables and other things that we didn't bring along for the ride.  That shopping center that is also across from the Tanger Outlets has a Cold Stone Creamery!  Last year I decided to try it one of the last days of our trip just because I hadn't been there before, and boy did I find out what I was missing!  I have never tasted ice cream like this in my life!

The only negative thing I have to say about the beach is the wind.  It was always blowing South to North, at least for our trip's majority, so at least it was predictable.  It helped me hold up my hat with no hands!

I am not a fan of pizza that you order and get made from anywhere; they are all so nasty and greasy and usually poor quality.  However, I love this place!  It is not like that at all!  I ate it three times during our two-week trip!  We ate at the Ultimate California Pizza location at Barefoot Landing.  They have specialty pizzas on the menu, or you can personalize your own, personal, medium, or large, any way you want with all kinds of toppings and choice of white or wheat crust!  They also have many more things besides pizza, like wings, lasangna, sandwiches, and salads.

I got wheat crust, Ultimate Red Sauce, roasted chicken, onions, red bell peppers, spinach, broccoli, and some spices.

The first morning, the tide was low, so I ran on the beach for 8 miles.  This was my longest run in a good while, so even though it was flat, it felt really tough!

A lovely post-run bowl of cereal on our balcony

"Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow."

I loved this picture Mom took of me on the bridge at Barefoot Landing our first night out!

This trip I was so proud of Mom for being an active little mother!  All but three mornings during the first week of just us two, she followed me on her bike while I ran!  She actually enjoyed getting to ride around and see all the pretty houses.  She threw the volleyball to me some, too, so I could hit it back!

One night, I decided to get crafty and make some crunchy peanut butter and honey rolls.  As you can see, one flattened out in the oven like a cracker, but it still tasted great!

First I cut the crusts off slices of bread, then cut them in half and flattened them out.

Then I spread on the peanut butter then stuck on the peanuts, then drizzled it with honey.

Next I rolled them up and stuck them in the oven to bake until they got crispy.

When you take them out, they have a nice crunch, and the flavors are roasted together wonderfully!

One of my favorite reads:  Runner's World Magazine.  We've been subscribed to it for a long time, and I always look forward to when a new one comes in the mail each month!  Every issue contains stories, humor, advice, recipes, training programs, race info, special articles, featured athletes, and tons more!  My favorite section of the magazine is around the middle, in a part called Personal Best. 

This is another outfit that Mom got to surprise me, and it was a good one!  I love this dress she picked out and got me for Easter.

While browsing Salsarita's website, I saw a link for the Cantina Club and thought that is what I need!  Salsarita's is my favorite, and we end up there a lot with cross country, track, and travel.  They are so tasty and convenient.  All I had to do was pick up a card at the restaurant and register it online; now I'm earning points towards free food there!

The Salsarita's we go to at the beach is South from our hotel off of the 17 bypass in a shopping center, 3731Oleander Drive, 38th Avenue.

They have outdoor seating which is relaxing to enjoy dinner out in the warm, especially since in the summer anywhere you go is blasting the air conditioning.

It's not a trip to Myrtle Beach without going to one or both of the Ron Jon Surf Shops.  This is a new color shirt out for this year.  (I got a long sleeved one)  A lot of the brand name items are very expensive, but there are some things that aren't.  Like any good store, they have clearance racks!

I also got a new Sex Wax (a brand of surfboard wax, I promise!) air freshener for my car and sunscreen chapstick-both coconut scent!

Mom and I enjoy going in Tiki Jim's at the beach, too, to look at souvenirs, hilarious shirts and accessories, and the Life is Good items.  You never know what you may come upon in there!  This was on a lunch box, and I had to snap a photo because Snoopy is my favorite!  I was also definitely feeling a crabby stomach this week so far.

I ate some really good desserts while we were gone.  I mean, big, rich, top-quality, expensive, any-way-I-wanted-it, desserts.  Most of them were frozen yogurt, which is my absolute favorite.  Broadway at the Beach has a Froyoz, and this was the first of 2 times I went there.  This one had a big "wheel of fortune" like wheel outside the door to get discounts of differing amounts.  In my opinion, this was the prettiest dessert picture I got.  Not sure what all flavors I for sure got, but I know there was pistachio and some kind of cake and peanut butter with cocoa krispies, recee's pieces, and butterscotch chips on top.

 

After a morning workout, I got another Starbucks oatmeal to enjoy out on the beach for breakfast.

Our lifeguard doing his job well!

Why on earth this kid ran around for over an hour around our hotel one evening wearing a unicorn head, we will never know...

I was eating seafood on the beach!  Not fresh, though...

Mom and I stayed on the beach extra long a couple days so we could relax and enjoy it all day.  We went up to the room just to grab a couple things.  I warmed up tomato soup, cornbread, and vegetables while Mom ordered a grilled cheese from the café.  Then we headed right back outside to eat it.  After we ate our dinner, Mom loaded up the laundry, and we went out to the Starbuck's patio to sit, read, and eat a treat!  She got a cream cheese danish, and I got a Breyer's Blasts Reese's ice cream.

Another beach breakfast:  Cheerios!

The night we went to Salsarita's, I told Mom that we should drive through that shopping center to see what else was there (I had thought I saw a cute sign that was like something a yogurt shop would have, but I couldn't read it), so we did and I found a new place I'd never heard of:  Yogurt in Love.  I had a really hard time finding any information on it at all on the internet.  All I found was franchise information and addresses of existing shops.  On our way home from the Coastal Grand Mall, we stopped by to get a yogurt for me.  The store was really nice inside!

 I found a new place to eat.  I am upset though, that we don't have one anywhere near where we live!  Friendly's is a great family place to go!  The prices are not bad at all, the staff is very friendly, helpful, and patient (imagine that), and the food is terrific with tons of options!  The waitresses will bring you spoonful samples of any ice cream you would like to try.  For my meal, I got a burger on wheat with any toppings I wanted, then I got a build-your-own creation with five flavors:  Hunka Chunka Peanut Butter Fudge, Reese's Peanut Butter Fudge, Vienna Mocha Chunk, Butter Crunch (like butterscotch), and Pistachio, topped with lots of cool whip.  On our way to pay, I saw a sign with even more flavors than were listed on the menu (I hate when places do that!)  It was just irresistible to me-two of my favorite things:  peanut butter toasted marshmallow, all in one!  I had to get a cup when we paid to leave!

 

I got Mom to pose for me.

A quote I once read in my devotion said, "Faith is not knowing where you are being led but trusting the One who is leading."

Here's Mom and me sitting outside Starbucks on the patio one night after dinner and dessert in at the hotel again!

I took this one morning before a run.  God's creation of the earth and all it's amazing natural beauty is just so peaceful.  I think it's important to take it in and appreciate it.  The sun always rises there and sets on the other side.  The tides only come up and go out so far.  The things in God's plans will last; our man-made lives and materials will not.

Here's a collage of some things from the week of Mom and me!  I really love spending time with her.  We disagree on a lot of things, but we both love the beach and also find many things we agree on or can at least deal with each other!  We had a lot of fun, and it was very relaxing getting to do so much away from the stress of home.

Sunday afternoon, June 15th, Dad arrived!  We all went inside not long after he got there, and we cleaned up to go back to Barefoot Landing to eat at the delicious Joe's Crab Shack.  I love my seafood.

I got blackened redfish with black bean corn relish, fresh green beans, and an ear of corn!  So tasty!

I had always passes the Kohr Family Homemade Ice Cream Shop, but never tried it, so when we went past that night, I sampled, and loved!  I got a cup with coffee on the bottom and soft serve swirl peanut butter and chocolate on top!  Homemade is always so good and creamy!  Mom and Dad got a block of fudge at the Fudgery, and I got a cup of Happy Tracks and Coffee in there, too.  The Fudgery carries Blue Bell Ice Cream.



Happy Father's Day!

We had our umbrella reserved for two whole weeks!  Mom says we are locals.  

Colby, on the left, has been our lifeguard for the past three years, and we've become good buddies!  We had the chairs and umbrella right next to him this trip, so we all got to talk even more.  He is so nice and fun and always helpful to our family.  This year, I also got to talk to the lifeguard from one stand north, 73, named Erik.

It is hard to read here, but on my phone and instagram you can see my little armor of God man I drew in the sand!  From Ephesians 6:10-18, we have the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, feet fitted with readiness that comes from the gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. 

 "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes."

(Ephesians 6:11)

Fast food hamburgers are also on my "Ew" list, but not when you can get them done right!  Fuddruckers is one of my favorite burger places because like this sign says, "We grill it; you top it," and there are no limits on those toppings! We ended up going here twice during the vacation, too.  The first time I got a buffalo burger made with, as you might guess, buffalo meat!  It is super lean and tasty!  I got it on a wheat bun, topping it with tomatoes, lettuce, salsa, pico de gallo, onions, pickles, mustard, and black pepper.

The next time we went, I got a beef burger on wheat with guacamole, added the same toppings along with cinnamon chipotle spice!

Since you can get all the toppings you want, I always got a load of tomatoes, salsa, and pico de gallo to eat on the side because I love that stuff, and if it's unlimited, why not?



That night, we went shopping at the Tanger Outlets then to Cold Stone for some delicious dessert!  Dad took this picture of Mom and me.  She loves their cheesecake flavor, too!

A recap of the day:

A great run with Dad

(Not pictured:  fun in the sun, of course!)

Tasty dinner

Shopping (but not dropping!)

Delicious dessert-Salted Caramel Froyo, Cheesecake (mom got it, too), and Marshmallow

The beach is a beautiful place to take in God's creation, so I drew several things in the sand!  Anchors go well with oceans, too.

"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure."  Hebrews 6:19

 

We had some new things go on while we were at The Long Bay this year.  They had music with the poolside bar some days, and they had entertainment come some days!  Once there was a DJ set up doing karaoke and dances with kids (and adults), and one day these people came and played drums and danced like a shark.  It was actually really good!

 

 

Before going to dinner at Barefoot Landing another night, Mom and I took a couple pictures in the scenery.

Another Ultimate California Pizza!  This one was much better than last time.  I guess sometimes it just depends on the effort of the chef.  I also ordered extra sauce on it this time because I like it saucy, and they didn't do much.  This was the best one I've had there!

 

Here we are sitting on the patio chowing down on our pizzas!  Photo taken by our waiter.

After pizza dinner, Dad went to the driving range to play golf while Mom and I shopped in the Christmas Mouse.  Then we stopped at the older mall to go get me dessert at Yogurt Mountain inside Books-A-Million.  They have the best and most variety of toppings of any froyo shop I have ever been in!  I got the cake batter, chocolate, and peanut butter fudge yogurts topped with Reese's Pieces and Puffs, cheesecake bites, s'mores clusters, cappuccino bites, and Muddy Buddies!



Bible reading on the beach:  relaxing.

Shook up a new drink in my big Tervis!  I mixed up a propel packet, added a little extra water, then some orange juice!

I was super excited to get to start another new book I got from Mom and Dad for Christmas!  The more I get to read it, the more I will share what I'm learning.  He Walks Among Us is a book compiled of stories from around the world where Christ is seen at work in even the most unlikely places.  Rich Stearns is also the CEO of World Vision, the organization that I sponsor a child through.  Rich and his wife Renee share their encounters with people who simply love the Lord.  I believe that we can all learn so much from such humble people.  The people we learn from in these stories have endured life long struggles, poverty, and much more, yet still have a heart that praises the Lord for all of it.  They are learning and growing and living and thriving in such an inspiring way.  Here in America, no matter what our "struggles" may be, we are blessed, yet we take advantage of it.  I myself am so guilty of this!  I hope reading this will help me to take a better perspective on life.

Salsarita's night #2!  Here we are out on the patio before heading to Broadway at the Beach for a final night out.  The weeks flew by way too fast!

My mom and I love going in The Stupid Factory if for no other reason than to look around at stuff and laugh.  You have to have a certain kind of humor to get some of it, and the not-so-bright would see a lot of it and laugh, not understanding that it was making fun of people just like them.



Mom and Dad both agreed that I needed to get the "I pooped today" shirt.  I mean really, who doesn't have a much better day if you poop after you get out of bed!?

I really wanted these magnets, but not for the price, so I just took pictures!  I love breakfast more than any other food group (although, dinner is growing on me more and more)!

 

Pugs are my favorite dog, too!

I got my mom the "Soft Kitty" pin because she loves to watch "The Big Bang Theory" and sing the soft kitty song that Sheldon loves.  (In the video I have a link to, they start singing at around 1 minute, but to hear the background story, watch the whole thing!)

 

I also got some other items:  a pin with a puppy with a cupcake on its head for two of my friends, and for myself:  a pin with an acorn that says, "nuts about nature," a pin with a moose, a stacked hot cakes keychain, and the pancake magnet!

Dad and I have always taken pictures on the dinosaurs at Broadway at the beach.  I mean always.  We have pictures here from my first trips and every year beyond!  I still think he looks as young as ever!

Believe it or not, this pretty scenery is at the entrance to the Dragon's Lair mini golf course, which used to be the highlight of my vacations when I was little!

 

One night Dad went back to the Cane Patch Driving Range, and he took me to play with him!  I know I'm not very good, but I just wanted to go so I could say I did it.  My arms were actually sore the next day!

Friday morning, we made our run/bike a family event!  I was so excited!  I wish we had these opportunities more often.  

I don't know why it took me so long to think of a drawing to do in the sand.  How could I forget my Charlie Brown and Snoopy?

Our last full day at the beach was a long one!  We stayed out until 5:30 before going up to get ready to eat there at the hotel.

On the last morning, we got out earlier than any other day!  I got another Starbuck's oatmeal so I could have all my other breakfasts packed in the car and take this one out to the beach.  It was a windy day, but still sunny enough.  We left around 3:30 after coming in and changing around 3:00 because we could see a storm coming.  Good thing we left when we did because it got ugly!

I thought this verse was good to post this day since it had stormed the night before and stormed again just hours after I took this.  The weather is at The Lord's command!  We shouldn't complain!  I am terribly guilty of complaining about the weather, but I am trying to remind myself of this fact!

While Mom and Dad gassed up the vehicles at Walmart before we went home, I had to grab a final Cold Stone Creamery.  I ate it slow to savor every last bite.  The lovely cheesecake, marshmallow, and salted caramel were the flavors again.  They also have really cool looking cakes, cookie sandwiches, cupcakes, and take home pre-made icecreams, but they are crazy expensive!

 

I hate that it's all over, but we have to go back to the real world sometime.  I love getting to learn from each and every day.  Next year will come fast enough!  Too much to do, way too little time!