perspective change

major points of the week:
1. two crazy late nights to pull off number 2
2. surprised steph and caroline in order to see caroline give her talk 
3. met and hung out with girls at wyldlife, both old friends and new
4. watched caroline's face light up as she spoke of the Lord, i will never forget that
5. drove back for a day of classes before returning back home
6. caught up like old times with steph and caroline
7. went to first priority and were late, nothing has changed...
8. spent the day with mother on the lake touring homes (details below)
9. pizza with daddy and steph while watching AFV, i miss that
10. hanging out in the student section with my freshie babies, that time is so unbelievably special to me, they'll never know how much i treasure time with them
11. saw nate, the only person i cried about leaving when i left for school. i wasn't "supposed" to see him til christmas, if even then. and he was just as thrilled to see me. 

this week has been great, and this weekend is going to be superb as well. i have so many loved ones up at tech this weekend, its extremely overwhelming, but in a positive way for sure. 

but explaining number 8: i spent the day with mommy. and i love her to death. the last two years of high school we really started getting closer, and i love the genuine interest she takes in anything i say. she always laughs at my storys, cries when i'm upset, and asks me about boys. anyway, as much as i love her, i think she totally guilted me into coming home friday. i was planning on staying at tech because steph and caroline were going to come up this weekend, but she left me an adorable voicemail saying that we could do whatever i wanted, and her hint wasn't very subtle, but i loved spending the day with her. we did something pretty cool too. there is a charity home showcase on the lake that you can go to by boat or car where really nice or cool homes are on display and you buy a ticket and the money goes to charities. and my mother is always looking for ideas at our houses, and i love seeing how other people live, so it was a win win. we got out the boat and cruised to the other side of the lake to tour the homes on a perfect fall day, it was really spectacular. we got lunch on the water, and it was just really great quality time. but the last house we saw...11,000 sq ft. like really? 14 person movie theater, gym with sauna, 6 bedrooms on one floor, a hidden door. it was just ridiculous. but the Lord spoke through it to me, and i thought that was really great. my old self, a couple of years ago, would've left that house feeling insanely jealous. i would've compared my life to the people of that house and feel terrible. but instead, i was walking down the stairs describing to my mom that i'd never want a house like that. i want a tiny house. yardsale furniture, chipped dishes, pictures everywhere, lots of blankets, a tv and dvd player for movies. yesterday i noticed just how much the Lord had changed my heart about what i want my life to look like. i want it to be love. i want to give it away. a couple years ago, i wanted the cars, the house, the clothes, the jewelry. i don't anymore. and i'm thankful for that. "the old has gone, the new has come."