Sacrifice.

Happy Veterans Day!!

Remembering our fallen heroes, those we have served, and those currently serving. Because of your honor, commitment, and service, I am forever grateful to live in the land of the free. Thank you for your sacrifice. Thank you for all you have done to ensure this country's safety.

Especially thankful for my granddad, my surrogate granddad, my big brother, both of my brother in laws, and my sister in law. I appreciate you each so much and pray God blesses you in astounding ways for all you have done (and for some of you, what you are still doing) for our country.

Also, thank you to the families of our military veterans and current service men and women. Without you on the home front offering support, love, and strength for those fighting, they would have not gotten through. I have an extra special appreciation for military families after last year.

Blessings,
Xoxo, Shelby

Busy

I am so addicted to Pinterest. It fuels my OCD and organizational needs very well.
Wine is my new favorite thing, aside from avocados and sushi.

Here is my random post for the quickly ending summer, since I have neglected to post anything since the end of May. I didn't make an outline for this post, nor do I really know what I'm about to ramble about. Be prepared. I am warning you beforehand so you can brace yourself for some strange English coming....:

Life is too crazy. During the past few months my life has been constantly in a number of different transitions. I am honestly exhausted. I like being busy, always keeping my mind active doing something; I feel its not busyness that is making me tired but rather the changes occurring. Maybe I am just exhausted from all the late nights I stay up playing word search. Or maybe its that my body is still adjusting to getting back into a good running routine. Or maybe it is all the stressing I do about life and silly, piddly little things. I don't know, but I need to. I like having a sense of control over situations, knowing what their outcome will be. All these changes and no-changes have made me very nervous of the future. Doors keep closing to opportunities, plans that have been made are suddenly changed, people I thought were supposed to be in my life for a long time are leaving. What the heck is going on? I know God has it in control though, so I need to just chill out.... wait....maybe that is just it: I don't really trust Him. Ah. He may have just gotten me thinking. I have become so consumed with ME and with what I want that I have pushed him out of the picture. Consume, take, want, crave, self, me. These words all go together. I'm so worried about what I want that I have lost sight of what is really important. Things like my family, my relationship with M, my relationship with Christ. I mean, really, I have pushed them away from the top and put myself above all. Its less about my family and their needs; less about serving others, which is sad for a future nurse; less about seeking out Christ and his plan for me; and I really feel like its getting less and less about my gentleman. I think it is time to get things back in order, starting with putting Christ at the top. Le sigh. Bisous, SLR

Thanksgiving

 This Thanksgiving was quite different and very interesting from any other Thanksgiving I've had in my life. First off, I wore shorts for the first Thanksgiving yet. As silly as that sounds it actually was upsetting. Judge me for being cheesy or whatever you'd like, but wearing cold weather clothes (at least long sleeves, long pants, boots, and a scarf) for Thanksgiving is important to me. Its like a mark of the season or something. Unfortunately the southern United States seems to be wanting to bask in warm weather. I honestly hope this changes before December rolls around.

  Secondly, my family and I celebrated the holiday at some of our friends' house instead of our own. This can be accredited to our glass cooktop being shattered and our oven fan going out. It would only happen to us right before Thanksgiving. Actually the cooktop has been out since April, but that is another story for another time. It is what comes with living in a family of 12...haha. While it was highly enjoyable not having to do so many dishes or cleaning (lol) and spending time with them I still slightly missed my home.

 Thirdly, my two older sisters, both of whom are married, were unable to be here this year. One lives in OK and is not visiting until Christmas, the other was at the hospital with her husband who was diagnosed with Susac Syndrome recently. I know people get older, move out, get married, and the like, but sometimes it is hard to accept change.

 So you see, it was not "normal" as I would have liked it to be. In spite of all of the above, however, it was an amazing Thanksgiving. I think more than anything else all the "abnormality" of this Thanksgiving helped me to see things in a different perspective and gave me more appreciation of things we all, me especially, take advantage of. Change really is alright. I am SLOWLY, and I do mean slowly, coming to realize this. The change that has taken place so far this past year has been really good in the long run. Sure there are many days, such as today, and events that happen where the good that is coming out of the change can only seen once you step back. Yet even when you have to step back it almost takes your breath away to see what intense and beautiful work is going on... and that it is all for the better. I would have never guessed that the year would have turned out like it has so far; I would have never expected to be where I am at, doing what I am doing, or be who I am. I have so many plans and goals for my life... when I step back occasionally to look at them I can see that they have been changed so many times; but that's great. If I would have wished for the same things or longed to do the same things I would be such a different person. And really, that would not be a good thing. Now do not get me wrong, there are several things God has directed me to do in life and to accomplish. I will strive my hardest to put everything in what He has called me to do. At the same time I shall do my best to keep in mind that change is okay... not just change that I am willing to accept, but all change. I look forward to the future with much anticipation for the glorious, wonderful things in store.

 In light of the holiday spirit and the different perspective I had the chance of gaining today let me list a few things I am incredibly and deeply grateful for. While some are obvious they are all very important to me:

* God and Jesus Christ

* My parents

* My siblings

* My best friends Jessi, Woody, Megan, Emily, Jonathan, Lindy, Megan, Hayley, Joe

* My health

* The ability to run  - as far and as long as I wish

* My bosses

* My job 

* My circumstance, house, school

* My opportunities

* My everything

* The Miss America Organization

xoxo, SLR

Two of my bestest friends and I... so excited they have won preliminary titles and will be going to state!!

Those who fill my life with happiness:

Adore Woody :-) He keeps me sane while M is gone.

I took this while JPyle's camera while helping him with a shoot. 

Love sunsets <3

Jon-Jon and C!!! COOLEST people I know :-)

Excuse my nastiness. These are 3 of my amazing brothers.

Haha, my daddy - He is wonderful and I love him!!

One of my sweet little sisters ... girl date with big sis ;-)

Stephanie Joy's wedding. One of the sweetest people on the entire earth.

You bette believe, J'aime Paris

My Adorable Nephew ... I love him :-)

A true example of happiness and joy

This past Tuesday, my mom and I drove to the hospital where my brother in law is in rehab. The main reason for the visit was not only to see him, but to let him see his little boy, Gabriel. Jeremiah (my brother in law) has not see Gabe since first being in the hospital, which was November 10th. While he knew family was coming, Jeremiah did not however, know his little boy was coming; it was quite a surprise for him the minute he saw his "little present" (as he called it)! If there was a true definition or example of happiness, joy, ecstasy, and delight combined, it was written all over Jeremiah's face. That had to be one of the most amazing experiences for me to encounter. It was also one of the biggest blessings of my life to see how happy he was. Of course, saying he was happy is only saying the very least. Needless to say, it was an incredible visit. Praise God Jeremiah is doing very well! He finally comes home on Thursday!!!! We cannot praise God enough for all that He has done. My sister is an amazing woman and I would pray I can show the same love, support, and strength if I was ever faced with such a huge responsibility. 

 

Current Adventures ....

     My brother in law is currently in the hospital with ADEM; a case that comes on rapidly, shuts a person's body down, then leaves them to recover ... my sister is there with him. My nephew, their 1 1/2 year old son, is here at my home. My brother in law continues needing a lot of prayer, however he has been greatly blessed so far with many prayers, words, love, and so much more. Praise God!

Pictures!!! (Cause you know I love em)

Randomness

I'm going to try to play, and memorize, the entire Pathetique Sonata. I've got the first movement down (gah, 10 mins long :-P), now for the 2nd and 3rd. I don't think they will be as hard as the first movement. My computer's hard drive crashed last week. Talk about a pain. There went all my pictures and photography that I was going to put in a portfolio for that photographer (the one I was trying to intern with...). It's okay cause now I can get a Mac :-D :-D Ooooooh Yesssss. Lego's are awesome. You should go buy a set and start playing with them... haha. They bring back so many child memories. I started thinking again about going into nursing. Then I had people tell me I should and I'd be good at it.... I'd love to become a nurse and be on the mission field as a nurse. But I guess it's whatever God has in store for me.

Okay, that's my rambling for the night. Lastly, here's my schedule for the week (which will probably change....):
Monday (today) - Babysit some awesome kids
Tuesday - Piano lessons, babysit, chill out at the pool, run
Wednesday - gym, and who knows...prob catch up on late bday gifts
Thursday - run, work
Friday - gym, study again for the last time
Saturday - TEST
Sunday - Church, wedding!! =D

"....If grace is an ocean ,we're all sinking..."

Rest of the 2008 year pictures...

SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER

DECEMBER


JANUARY

My year in pictures...

JANUARY

FEBRUARY
MARCHAPRIL
MAYJUNE
JULY

AUGUST