Arizona.

We are National Champions, y'all.
I don't think that is supposed to be capitalized. Maybe it is. If it isn't supposed to be then it should.

I completely lucked out by getting a student ticket to the national championship game and a wonderful house to stay in with some of my best friends, the Knight Family! I got the chance to be on the sideline during the pregame and then run under the most massive American flag I have ever seen. It was thrilling and a once in a lifetime chance. PLUS WE WON.

I can't get over how much I loved Arizona. It was so amazing. I have never been THAT interested in the desert or mesas or adobe or the southwest in general but I LOVED IT. The cacti and rocks and desert were all awesome. Literally awe-inspiring.  We drove to Sedona and ate lunch in a wonderful restaurant there. We even got the chance to climb this beautiful mountain... mesa.. thing. Whatever it was it was amazing. It was ice and snow covered and I definitely fell an absurd amount of times but it was so worth it. I will let my pictures do the rest of the explaining.

21. Arizona - never been
Glendale, obviously.

The state list. Revised.

I know what you are thinking. It's something along the lines of Two posts in three days?! Have I ever been so lucky?? No, my friend. You have not.

Anyways, I am here to say that I am revising my state list. Again, I can hear your thoughts and they sound like this But didn't you set that list as a goal and knew that some of them would be hard and possibly unattainable? Isn't changing it kind of like cheating? And here is what I have to say to that. It's my life and I do what I want.

Just kidding.
Kind of.

I am replacing Idaho with Arizona. I mean, really, what was I thinking with Idaho in the first place? I do not know. And I have wanted to go to Arizona and am now going to get the chance to very soon. So here is my new and greatly improved list.


1. Florida
Harry Potter, Duh.

2. Mississippi - never been
How have I never been here?

3. Louisiana - never been
NOLA? Maybe..

4. Texas - never been
Austin? Dallas? San Antonio?

5. South Carolina
Hartsville, SC
Charleston, SC

6. North Carolina
Charlotte, NC

7. Virginia

8. Tennessee
Nashville, TN

9. Arkansas - never been
Little Rock, the home of the Deeter clan.

10. Illinois - never been
Chicago, IL
Visit Wheaton?

11. New York
New York City, NY

12. Pennsylvania - never been
Philadelphia, PA

13. New Jersey - never been
I just have to see it for myself. Maybe go visit Princeton?

14. Washington - never been
Seattle, I need to meet you.

15. Massachusetts
Boston. Visit Gordon-Cromwell? South-Hamilton, MA

16. Rhode Island - never been
Providence, you seem so cool.

17. Vermont - never been

18. Maine - never been

19. Maryland

20. Oregon
Revisit Ashland?

21. Arizona - never been
Glendale, obviously.

22. New Hampshire - never been

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

I'd be lying if I said I didn't love Harry Potter. A lot. Most of the time I try to downplay how much I like it, which may seem alarming to those of you who know me best. I've loved the books from about the age of 8. I even have a closet below my stairs that I would sit in and read and pretend I was Harry with my friends. It's a seriously nerdy life I lead.

Needless to say, when The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was announced I felt as if all of my dreams had come true. This world that I fantasized about for over a decade was coming to life. I was even more excited when on my 21st birthday I was presented with a ticket to use whenever I choose by Elizabeth Williams. So on December the 11th we arrived in Orlando. I truly wish I had the time and patience to expand on all of the wacky things that happened along the way including, but not limited to,  being in a hotel full of aggressive guidos with tendencies to fight in the wee hours of the morning, very interesting bus rides, awkward lobby decorations, weather changes, run ins with Florida Highway Patrol, and getting stuck on a ride.


Y'all. We got stuck on a Harry ride. It was kind of awesome and kind of scary. Awesome because it was hilarious and resulted in some ridiculous photos and kind of scary because we were leaning backwards and to the side which resulted in some serious headaches. It's a great story though. Ask me about it some time. It really requires a live telling. Me writing about it would do the story no justice.

1. Florida
Harry Potter, Duh.

The State List

Who is ready for some road trips?

These are places I want to go in my 22 year. Some of them are places I have been and want to revisit, some are places I have always wanted to go, and some are places that I just need to have been to.

1. Florida
Harry Potter, Duh.

2. Mississippi - never been
How have I never been here?

3. Louisiana - never been
NOLA? Maybe..

4. Texas - never been
Austin? Dallas? San Antonio?

5. South Carolina
Hartsville, SC
Charleston, SC

6. North Carolina
Charlotte, NC

7. Virginia

8. Tennessee
Nashville, TN

9. Arkansas - never been
Little Rock, the home of the Deeter clan.

10. Illinois - never been
Chicago, IL
Visit Wheaton?

11. New York
New York City, NY

12. Pennsylvania - never been
Philadelphia, PA

13. New Jersey - never been
I just have to see it for myself. Maybe go visit Princeton?

14. Washington - never been
Seattle, I need to meet you.

15. Massachusetts
Boston. Visit Gordon-Cromwell? South-Hamilton, MA

16. Rhode Island - never been
Providence, you seem so cool.

17. Vermont - never been

18. Maine - never been

19. Maryland

20. Oregon
Revisit Ashland?

21. Idaho - never been
Just feel like it needs a little love.

22. New Hampshire - never been

I'm thinking about making a new list every year of my life. That seems like a good idea now, I guess we will see how it goes in the coming years.

21

1. Learn to play a song on the mandolin.
This was definitely a long shot.. Guess there is always 22!

2. Read The Count of Monte Cristo.

3. Go to a trapeze or aerial class.

4. Finish 'Lost'.

5. Let my oldest sister teach me how to make a real meal.

6. Make an outfit for my nieces.
UGH. I bought the fabric and everything I just got overwhelmed with other things.

7. Paint.

8. Go to a movie alone.

9. Start, and maintain, a semi-regular journal.

10. Write at least 3 unexpected letters.
Still planning on it! Just waited too long..

11. Return to my high school weight.
Ok, I don't even know why this was on the list. This was never going to happen.

12. Memorize a passage of scripture.

13. Explore this place -> http://www.atlantavintagebooks.com/?page=shop/index

14. Spend a week (or mooooorrre) off of Facebook.

15. See "Singin' in the Rain"

16. Actually sell something I make.

17. Make a new random friend from a stranger.
(and get their picture)

18. Go to Jule Collins Museum.

19. Learn how to change a tire.

20. Make someone's day.

21. ?




Ok. So, I didn't do 4. YIKES. BUT, I decided on what 21 is.


Who is ready to hear? Eh? Eh?


I'm going to keep blogging. And even more, I am making a new list. A 22 list. But it is going to be very different than this one. Possibly a little more exciting. I hope you think so because I am very thrilled about it. I haven't finished the list yet so I am going to wait to tell you what the list is really about until I finish it completely!


Thank you all so much for enjoying this with me and I hope you stick around for the next big adventure!

Miller and Henry

My birthday is bittersweet.

Very bittersweet. Henry Cart, a friend of mine and fellow traveler to Romania, passed away on my seventeenth birthday. He was a great guy and a great friend. He loved the Lord greatly and would be a senior in college this year. I remember with all too much clarity the morning of September 30th, 2006. I woke up with a call that Henry had died in the early morning hours. My friends and I spent the rest of the day laying in the room of Henry's girlfriend and one of my great friends. That was the most surreal day of my life. This memory makes it hard to celebrate on September 30th.

On September 20th of this year, only ten days ago, Miller Nuesse suffered from and ultimately died from a mysterious aneurysm. He was another friend from the same Romania trip. He was young and strong and great. Godly and joyful. He led a life of service and aimed to become a doctor one day. His sacrifice, even after life, saved the lives of 8 people. If you get a chance, read this. This is making this day bittersweet as well. But why? That is so silly. They are both in heaven PRAISING JESUS. IN HIS PRESENCE. At this moment! There is literally nothing more exciting than that. Nothing at all.

At Miller's memorial service, his mother and brother both spoke with unfailing joy and strength of the sort that only comes from the Holy Spirit. I could write a book about what they said that afternoon, but I won't. So come ask me about it sometime.

Mrs. Nuesse read some scripture. She read the wonderful Psalm 24.

 ¹ The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it,
       the world, and all who live in it;   
² for he founded it upon the seas
       and established it upon the waters.
 ³ Who may ascend the hill of the LORD ?
       Who may stand in his holy place?
 ⁴ He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
       who does not lift up his soul to an idol
       or swear by what is false. ^[a]
 5 He will receive blessing from the LORD
       and vindication from God his Savior.
 ⁶ Such is the generation of those who seek him,
       who seek your face, O God of Jacob. ^[b]
       Selah
 ⁷ Lift up your heads, O you gates;
       be lifted up, you ancient doors,
       that the King of glory may come in.
 ⁸ Who is this King of glory?
       The LORD strong and mighty,
       the LORD mighty in battle.
 ⁹ Lift up your heads, O you gates;
       lift them up, you ancient doors,
       that the King of glory may come in.
 ¹⁰ Who is he, this King of glory?
       The LORD Almighty—
       he is the King of glory.
       Selah

So today is a day of celebration. Celebration of the lives of Miller and Henry. Mourning may stay for the night, but joy comes in the morning!


12. Memorize a passage of scripture.

My Dad's Turkey Chili

Ok, it's not MY dad's turkey chili exactly. It's Souper Jenny's dad's chili and, no offense to my wonderful, loving father, I'm probably glad it wasn't created by my culinarily challenged dad. Nonetheless, it was my oldest sister Katie's recipe of choice for teaching me how to make a meal. Since I am incapable of doing anything at an appropriate time or when it would be most convenient for everyone involved, i waited until 2 days before my birthday, when my sister was in Atlanta and I in Auburn to get her to teach me. But teach me she did. She sent me the grocery list and recipe early so I could prepare. I had to call her from the grocery store multiple times to ask questions like "does this mean TWO cans of 28-ounces or two SIXTEEN ounce cans..?" and "what exactly are 'white' beans?" Once I finally got all of my ingredients I headed home and began to prepare. I began with dessert and whipped up some Oreo Surprise (which is dominating my fridge, so please come get some.) After my classes ended for the day, I began chopping.. and chopping. Katie was concerned that I had gotten hurt because it was taking me so long. Katie made sure I checked in at least every 15 minutes. And good thing I did. I had to keep asking if I absolutely had to use all of those tomatoes or a whole bunch of cilantro. She allowed me some creative freedom and I'm thinking the chili was better for it. Maybe. I hope. She was able to teach me how to follow a recipe but where I had room to wiggle. And I only cut myself once and burned twice! However, I have an enormous amount leftover. So please, PLEASE come get some.

(pictures to come)


5. Let my oldest sister teach me how to make a real meal.