thursday and friday!! :-)

so the past two days were probably the longest craziest and most interesting in a looong time. :) start off thursday i had classes and lunch with the band and then kelsey seaman, an amazing girl from danville, came to visit and we hung out in the afternoon. then i packed and took a little nap and then we threw tyler a surprise birthday party... and we TOTALLY got him! :) then allison and this girl heather and i left for oklahoma. we went for mallory's wedding. it was SO much fun!! we left at 9pm and arrived at 8am. then we went to the mall and all got either pedicures or manicures... talk about suh-wheat!! :) then i went back to mal's house and slept all day so we could drive back that night while allison was with the bridesmaids and heather with some friends. after my nap i went to northview and hooked up with the baileys and emily. it was SO much fun!! :) i was gonna hook up with abe too, but it never worked out... not sure what happened. and then the wedding was BEAUTIFUL!!! mallo's MARRIED!!! :-) funny story... we blew bubbles at mal and adam as they ran out of the church and got in adam's mustang... only to find that it was out of gas, so adam had to fill it up. only, when he filled it... it was flooded. so they had to drive away in a car that didn't say "just married"... sad but ironically funny. :) so here's some hot shots from the past couple days... i keep wanting to say weekend, but today is the weekend... yesterday wasn't. :)
hope you have a good weekend!!

waiting for tyler... geez, he's slower than moses!

guess what guys!?! he's coming!! he's coming! in three minutes... let's hide! (it was much more than 3 minutes) :)


we hid but then tyler went to the bathroom, so jonathan told us to all hide in the doorway of the bathroom and we did and TOTALLY and COMPLETELY scared him!! YES! happy birthday tyler! :)
YES!

me and kelsey at the par-tay!

that's blaine and me and kelsey!!
next up...
when i went to visit the baileys at northview...

me and tina! slash brittany

emily liked to take facial shots so here's some of each of us...


she got one of me talking to tricia... momma bailey



all the girls (momma on the phone!) :)
i love you guys!!

what a beautiful bride!


they're husband and wife!!!
YAY!!!

i got lots of pictures of casey and allison. :)

me and al-e-cin

the three of us!!








mm... i love roses. her bouquet was amazing!

abby was adorable


so were these two little fellows


me casey allison and reagan

dig for that garter! :) ha

traveling buddies...




bubbles!

headed for the car


filling it up :)
bye youngs!

we stopped at mcdonalds on the way out of town...

so much fear

a lot has happened in these past few weeks since break, yet i've been running, running, running and i am still running and barely ever have time to stop and post and reflect. well... i'm tired of running and so i'm taking a break. here's my reflection and some pictures that follow of the past 2 weekends, the first in wabash indiana with the band and my family showed up... it was amazing and the most wonderful surprise in the world! and the other weekend was this past in traverse city michigan with work. there were 22 inches of snow and josh, amy, tyler, brenda and i had sooo much fun playing in it! hope you enjoy the pictures.
i think the biggest thing i have learned in these past two weeks is that God really does listen to my prayers and he cares about them even if i feel like they are petty or insignificant or stupid and i should just stop praying. that's not true and he loves me! there've been many sad and scary moments in these past days. i'm getting ready to pack up my room, move to ohio, and then journey to egypt where i will live for four months and while i am excited i am TERRIFIED!!! questions fill my mind all the time... legitimate ones, and others that are just silly. i was going through my cds 2 weeks ago and i found a worship song on one of my kids tapes that i sung over and over to myself this past weekend especially when i was just overcome by fear, and i will continue to sing it as i go. i wish that i knew more about technology slash blogs and the internet so that the song would play for you as you read my blog. i would love to hear it play every time i logged on! but anyways, it goes like this...

trust! trust in the Lord, lean not on your own understanding.
in all, in all of your ways acknowledge him... he'll make your path straight.

my eyes can only see the ground beneath my feet
but your dreams are greater your ways are higher, o Lord, please show me!
when i trust

trust in the Lord, lean not on your own understanding
in all, in all of your ways acknowledge him... he'll make your path straight.

you'll be my guide for life. i walk by your side.
with your hand in mine, i will go where you lead me!

oh, [kara], trust! trust in the Lord, lean not on your own understanding.
in all, in all of your ways acknowledge him... he'll make your path straight.

bless my choice! my dreams, my imagination...
step, step by step... your delight... your creation!

trust! trust in the Lord, lean not on your own understanding,
in all, in all of your ways acknowledge him... he'll make your path straight.

i am reminded over and over again of my grandma burkey and her amazing trust in Jesus in spite of the cancer that she is facing. those dear sweet words are often on my lips "tis so sweet to trust in Jesus... how i've proved him over and over." i KNOW that i can trust him and i know that i am going to make it through all of this... these last several days of crunch time and deadlines and studies and tests and projects and presentations and meetings; packing and shots and finishing things and turning papers in. and i KNOW that i can trust him just because his word says i can. psalm 125:1-2 says: Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forever. he's surrounding me!! what do i have to fear?? AND!! psalm 20:7-8 says: Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm. if i keep trusting in him, i will rise up and stand firm... there will be no falling!! what is there to fear??? he is WITH ME!!!
AMEN. let it be so.

"i see you got a lot of lit [homework] done there" -erin duey

If only I could push a button and as easy as that would then appear snapshots that are locked in my head, thoughts about life, and impressively smart things I have said in the past weeks on this blogspot. Yet, I find myself trapped searching for more time, more energy, more, more more... in order that I for real can actually post to you and share with you my life. Ya know, I feel this way about my studies too. If only my intentions were what really shone out. If only I could push a button and all the things I want to study, all the time I want to spend reading, all the conversations I wish I could make time to have would be done and had. Yet there are no magical buttons, so until I have more time and energy, I remain trapped and leave you hanging waiting for the day I will put more of my life out here so you can view it.