The Unspoken

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Do you guys ever feel censored? Like you can't really say what's going on in your life because putting it on your blog for all the world to see will only make matters worse?

If you don't know what I'm talking about, then you're lucky.

If you do know, then I am sorry.

Because that's exactly how I feel right now.

I think of my blog like a journal and an opportunity to write for leisure. I get to share my life with you guys, and I am so thankful for the awesome, honest support system that I have through you all. I have tried to be as real as possible on here and not to appear fake in the least bit. Life is not perfect and I think it's okay to talk about problems and challenges instead of pretending like everything is okay. I feel like I've done a pretty good job at expressing my worries, fears, hopes, dreams...and everything else that makes me, me.

Lately a few things have been causing major problems in my life. I am pretty much responsible for building these hurdles that are now in my way. I wish I could write about them. It helps to get an outside perspective on the topic, but it also helps to just get it out of my head and onto "paper".

But, I just can't.

No matter how justified I believe that I am, I never want to intentionally hurt people (or start WW3) so these things are better left unsaid. These topics that are just "too much" for my blog to handle. I spoke with my Grandmother this morning and she suggested that I actually sit down and write about how I feel. Seems like the obvious, but it never really occurred to me. So that's what I'm going to do. Whether its a little post-it note or a novel, I'm going to start writing.

If you would, please pray for these unspoken things that I am currently struggling with. I am not in danger, nor am I sick. In the grand scheme of things my problems are minuscule, but as it turns out they are still challenging.

**I am sorry that this blog is a bit sad, but I am bit sad and I wanted you guys to know**

Cabin Trip Recap

Sunday evening Keith and I returned home from our 4 day trip to the mountains! I wanted to write this recap on Monday, but getting back to reality was a bit tough. School started again, and so did work, laundry, responsibility, etc.

So, here we go with the recap!

We left Thursday morning around 9am and picked up our bro/sis-in-law, Stephen and Ivey. We arrived at about 4:30ish thanks to a few construction traffic stops and the GPS taking us on a tiny back road, and again on a tiny mountain road. (Gotta love being GPS-dependent) Once we made it to the cabin we were blown away. It was gorgeous!

Our cabin in the middle, morning view on the left, night view on the right

Keith and I at the cabin.

Us with Stephen and Ivey...being nerds. :o)

We took it easy Thursday night and settled in, went to the grocery store, and cooked yummy fajitas! On Friday we headed to the National Park. A lady in the gift shop told us that there was a waterfall only 15 minutes from the shop, so we decided to check it out. Little did we know that we'd end up hiking an unnecessary 2-ish steep miles (that's what it felt like anyway) only to discover that we were on the wrong path. When we finally re-routed, we found the "waterfall".

The "waterfall"

After this, we decided to head over to a real waterfall. We hiked 2.6 miles round trip, and were much pleased with this one.

Top - Keith and I with the gorgeous view on the way to the waterfall; @ the waterfall
Bottom - Waterfall; Stephen and Ivey

Our friends Chad and Melissa arrived in TN around 5ish. That night we headed out to dinner and had a blast. We ate at Johnny Carino's and it was delicious! After dinner we stopped at the grocery store and picked up a few items...although I can't remember why now. :o)

Keith and I, Stephen and Ivey, Chad and Melissa

When we arrived at Kroger all 6 of us walked up to this door and stood there for quite a few seconds wondering why it wouldn't open. Chad even tried to pry it open...please look at the blue sign on the door. Lol, "Here's your sign."

On Saturday we headed into Gatlinburg and our first stop was Ober Gatlinburg (OG). It was so much fun! We road the tram, the scenic chairs, and the Alpine Slide. It was awesome!

Top - A cabin made to resemble a Barbie doll house; View from the tram
Bottom - Riding the scenery chairs at OG; KC and I on the tram

Chad and Melissa, Stephen and Ivey, Keith and I

The boys getting ready to ride the Alpine Slide...they were REALLY excited about it!

After OG, we headed to Calhoun's for lunch, and once again, the food was delicious! We roamed around Gatlinburg and enjoyed the day.

Top - Us at lunch (KC/me, Chad/Mel, Stephen/Ivey)
Bottom - Us posing at our "cabin neighborhood" entrance

A beautiful picture from the Thomas Kinkade Gallery.

That night we cooked dinner at the cabin and there was an intense Scrabble game going on. The guys ended up outside smoking cigars and the girls stayed in and watched America's Funniest Home Videos. :o) All in all it was a long, great day/night.

Sunday morning we packed up and said goodbye to our lovely cabin...but not without taking a few pictures. :o)

Keith and Chad with their jumping picture...we never got a group one :o(
Don't they look like Batman and Robin? :o)

We had breakfast at the Old Mill Restaurant and then headed back to Charleston.

Overall it was a pretty good trip. When I was younger my family would go vacation with all of my cousins, but this was my first time going on vacation with a group of friends. There were definitely some pros and cons to this, but I'm glad we went. I really enjoyed the company, but I think next time Keith and I will be going alone. :o)

Tennessee or Bust

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Currently, it's about 11pm on Wednesday night. I am scheduling this post to publish at 9:00am tomorrow morning, because that is when our cabin trip officially begins! :o) We're heading to Pigeon Forge, TN for 4 wonderful days! I may try to blog from my phone, but if I don't I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Ciao! :o)

Wordless Wednesday

You wouldn't have won if we'd beaten you.
Yogi Berra

:o)

Oldies but Goodies

This week: Top 2 Favorite Old Pictures

1. I have sooo many favorite old pictures, but not a lot of them are on my computer. This picture is of me and my sister, Lauren. (I'm the taller one) Growing up we were always fighting, so it's nice to see us showing the love. :o) This picture was taken almost 20 years ago...

2. I know that 2008 wasn't that long ago, but it was the last Christmas that I spent in Louisiana. It was such a wonderful day, and it was our last family Christmas picture with my Grandfather. We called him Pe-Paw, and he went to be with the Lord in May. I'll never forget how great that day was.

(Top picture is of me and Pe-Paw (my Mom's Dad), next one is the group picture of my Mom's side of the family, and the last is of me and my Maw-Maw (my Dad's Mom)

And since I couldn't pick just two, here's some more!

3. For my 21st birthday I had a small little gathering at my friend Cat's apartment. At midnight when it was actually my day of birth, we celebrated with confetti and noiseless noise makers. I am so thankful for moments like these. (2007)

4. When I lived in Louisiana I used to watch my little cousins, Matthew and Micah, play soccer a lot. The pictures below show their pure joy after winning one of their games. I love these kids so much. (2007)

This video is one of my faves and is just too darn cute not to share. :o)


Micah playing soccer...sorta.

.lindsey. | Myspace Video

Oh, Monday...

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* This weekend was one of the busiest I've had in a really long time. It was finals week for me and Keith, so Friday night was spent taking exams and wrapping things up. On Saturday I headed to Savannah with my friend Rachel and sis-in-law Ivey to film a wedding. It was a really long day, but it was wonderful. The wedding was gorgeous, the weather was perfect, and everything went great! :o) Sunday I literally took a 3.5 hour exam! Talk about brutal...BUT I made an A, and I'm happy with that. I started feel pretty sick Sunday night, and I think that was my body's way of telling me to slow day. I'm really glad that it's the start of a new week!

* On Thursday, Keith and I heading to the mountains!!!

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We've had this cabin trip planned for a few months, and are spending 4 wonderful days in Tennessee! We're going with the bro/sis-in-law, Stephen and Ivey, and our friends Chad and Melissa. I've never seen the mountains (hills in California & Texas apparently do not count) so I am super pumped about this trip!!! It's a much needed vacation and a great way to spend fall break!

* I typically don't dress up for Halloween, but if I were to go as anything, I'd have to be the fabulous Dottie Hinson.

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A League of Their Own is one of my all time favorite movies, and yesterday I found a site that has replica (sorta) t-shirts of the Rockford Peaches uniform. I love everything about this movie and think it'd be fun to channel my inner 1940's gal. :o)

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* Found this quote over the weekend, and I just love it.

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Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.

Ashley Smith

Have a great Monday lovelies!

Our One Year

Keith and I have been talking about what we'd like to do to celebrate our first year of marriage. As odd as it sounds, our one year anniversary is only 5 months away! Where does the time go?

This week I came up with a crazy but wonderful road trip idea, and on Wednesday Keith agreed that this is definitely what we should do! Neither of us have talked to our employers about this trip, so it's not set in stone, but we are going to start putting money aside and hopefully everything will work out. :o)

Here's the plan!


This would be a six day trip (Friday-Wednesday) and our first stop would be Virginia Beach, VA!

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We'll probably stay here for one day and just take in the city! We'll also schedule a visit to Regent Law and hopefully meet up with a few friends that live there! :o)

Our next stop will be Washington, D.C.!

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Since D.C is only around 4 hours away, we'll have the entire day to be tourists! We plan on seeing the Lincoln Memorial, WWII Memorial, the White House and also touring the Smithsonian! We'll only be here for one day as well, so we're going to try and squeeze everything in!

Next stop, NEW YORK CITY! :o)

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We'll stay in the city for three days, and I have not a clue what our plans will be! I just LOVE this city! I know that we'll definitely go to Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, Yankee Stadium, and the Empire State Building. I also would like to visit Brooklyn Law School on of our days. :o) On the day of our Anniversary I'd love for us to be totally consumed by one another and do romantic things...like ride in horse drawn carriage and have dinner overlooking the city. *sigh* Oh, how that would be perfect!

The last day of our trip would be spent driving back to Charleston. I am very excited about this tentative trip, and I really hope it becomes a reality!

Have a great weekend lovelies!

Joy vs. Happiness

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This past week I have been feeling down in the dumps. Not every moment of every day, just a lot of them. I tend to allow other people's actions to affect my mood, and this week was no different. I do not think I am depressed person or even have an awful life. I am well aware that things could be worse. I have my health, a wonderful husband, great friends and family, a roof over my head, money in the bank, and so much more. I am also the King's daughter. I am so blessed.

So, what's the problem then?

The problem is that I depend on circumstantial things to bring me happiness. I have been listening to podcasts from my old church, and the message was on the pursuit of happiness. During week three's message there was a lot of great points that have been stuck in my mind.

1. Happiness is circumstantial, joy is relational.

2. Happiness is a destination, joy is a journey.

3. Happiness is self-focused, joy is others-focused. via

This message has made me realize that I need to really get with the program. Life is too short to be upset over insignificant things. Life is not about circumstances making me happy. It's not about always looking towards the future and thinking "Once _____ happens, then I will be so happy!" It's about being content and joyful in the Lord and where I'm at in the present.

Presently, I am in Charleston, SC with my husband. This is where he grew up and is where I moved in January 2009 to be closer to him. It's no secret in my household that South Carolina is not my favorite place. I grew up in Louisiana, have lived in California and Texas, and I can say with confidence that I strongly dislike SC. The location itself is pretty, but most of the time I feel alone. I just haven't found my niche. I know that we will not be here forever, but while we are here I need a new outlook. I need to appreciate my surroundings and the people in them.

So that's what I am going to do. I am going to dive deeper into my Bible and fill myself up with the Word. I am hungry for more information and am seeking the Lord's goodness. I want to be joyful, and not just happy! I know that I am where I am supposed to be for the time being, and there are things that God is trying to teach me. I am ready and willing to be taught, and to be joyful.

I love this, and it makes me joyful. :o)

Timeless

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Just Being Honest...

I was going to do a weekend recap/misc. Monday, but I decided to delay that until tomorrow. I'm not in the best mood, and would prefer not to fake it. I hope Monday treats you better than it's treating me!

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77 Days

Yesterday I received one of the most lovely emails that reminded me how close CHRISTMAS really is...(Sorry Chloe and all my Yankee hating friends.)

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Can you imagine having a Christmas party at Yankee Stadium?!?!? That would just be ahmaziiiing to me. :o) I have not been to the new stadium yet, but I did tour the House that Ruth Built in the final season. (woop woop!)

Okay, okay so back to the point --

There are only 77 days left until Christmas!

Since this is my first Christmas as Mrs. Christmas, I am thinking I should deck out the house with Christmas decorations and really put my volunteering skills into action!

For decorations, I'd love a beautiful tree, lights galore all over our house, and one of these bad boys in the front yard.

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Lol so what do y'all think? Would this be considered tacky?

Two years ago when Keith and I were dating, I was visiting him in SC and went with him to buy his Christmas tree. We decorated his house a bit and had a blast. I can't wait to do it again this year as a married couple! :o)


As for volunteering, I'd really love to go visit a nursing home and spend time with the folks there. I've been wanting to do this for a little while now, but it seems like this idea has been put on the back burner. Whenever I see elderly people my heart strings are tugged and I feel like just running up to them and hugging them. Everyone has a story, and I can guarantee that some of their stories are simply amazing. I really hope that I can make time this year to visit them.

I'll leave you with this clip from A Charlie Brown Christmas. It's one of my absolute faves...gotta love Lucy. :o)

Have a great weekend you guys!

A Wee Bit of Me #2

1. Grilled or fried? It depends on what I'm eating. I prefer grilled chicken, but I love fried shrimp. I'd say it's a healthy mix. :o)

2. If you could change one thing about where you live, without worrying about money, what would you change? I'd love to totally redecorate the living room and Keith and I's room. I want the living room color scheme to look something like this:

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And our bedroom to look like this:

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3. What is your favorite time of day? During the week, it's 5:30pm when I get home. Keith always gives me the best hugs after work. :o) On the weekends, it's in the morning when I first wake up. I feel like a free bird.

4.What's your favorite cereal? I'm not a big cereal person, but I love Fruity Pebbles and Kix.

5. Do you open your mouth when you put mascara on? Ohhh yes...and I look ridiculous!

6. If you could make any fictional character come to life, which would it be? I think I'd have to say any of the American Girls, but especially Molly! I'd love to just chat away about life in the 1940's.

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7. What are your favorite pizza toppings? I love pepperoni, bell peppers, and onions paired with pepperoncini peppers! Mmmmm yum!

8. Are you a heavy or light sleeper? I am a very heavy sleeper. I have literally slept through a few hurricanes back home in Louisiana, and unless my hubs tries reeeally hard, I'm a goner.

9. What is your favorite board game? Monopoly, hands down! I use to beg my cousins to play this with me when I was little!

10. What star/celebrity do most people say you look like? People don't really tell me that I look like anyone in particular, but I have heard Sarah Michelle Gellar before.

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A Better Idea

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Have you ever planned something and had complete confidence that everything would work out perfectly? Did those plans crash and burn?

Welcome to my world.

I often find myself making plans for the future. Ever since the idea of law school was planted into my heart I have been constantly trying to figure out where Keith and I will end up in 2012. Will we stay in South Carolina or head to New York? What about Georgia? Oooo or how about Virginia?!?! I have made countless spreadsheets comparing the pros and cons of each place, an I've even calculated the distance of each school from South Carolina (KC's side of the family) and Louisiana (My side of the family). I've been planning my future since I was in elementary school and decided that I was going to be a figure skater. (Lol obviously, that did not happen...whew!)

Here's the thing -- I am not in control. God is guiding my path. He is the one that will ultimately decide where my hubs and I will go on our journey. God is the one who will give me strength to do well on the LSAT. He will open doors, and He shut doors.

It's not my way, it's God's way. I received another awesome email from Rick Warren's ministry that really put things into perspective for me. I enjoyed it, and I hope you enjoy it, too.

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Sometimes God Has a Better Idea

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Have you noticed that things don't always turn out the way you want them to? That sometimes God has a better idea?

The Bible says in Proverbs 27:1, "Don't boast about tomorrow. You don't know what tomorrow's going to bring." (ESV)

It's okay to make your plans, but remember that life is unpredictable and God says we shouldn't presume on it. On the other hand, we shouldn't worry about it because God is in control.

James 4 tells us the proper attitude to have: "Now listen you who say 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make money.' Why, you don't even know what will happen tomorrow. ... Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.'" (vv. 13-15, NIV)

James is saying it's OK to make plans, but just realize that ultimately God has the final word.

The right attitude is to always keep your plans submitted to God. Make your plans but say, "God, if this is what You want, this is the direction I'm going to go. I'm doing this with flexible faith."

Proverbs 16:9 says, "We should make our plans counting on God to direct us." How do you do that? By praying. When you get up in the morning and have your quiet time, say, "God, what do You want to do with this day?"

Then when interruptions come, you'll remember God is in control. It will dramatically lower the frustration level in your life as you remember it is not all up to you.

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La Vie En Rose

* This weekend was absolutely wonderful. The weather was seriously gorgeous and Keith and I were very productive, in a relaxing kind of way. We spent Friday night relaxing, and my sweet husband even agreed to watch Sabrina with me. :o)

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Saturday was delightful. We slept in, then went run a quick errand. Keith did some yard work, while I cleaned the front porch. This part sounds like a drag, but since the weather was amazing it was really fun! Then we headed to church, watched Serendipity (loved this!), did homework, and caught up on college football.

Pictures from the day. :o)

Sunday we did more homework, and then headed back to church to volunteer with the student ministry. Overall, I really enjoyed myself. We are always so busy, but this weekend we seemed to really embrace each other and the beautiful weather. Yay for Fall!

* Here's a picture of my nephew, Baby Joe.

Is it just me, or does he resemble the cutest version of E.T.?? I love this kid mucho and miss him very much!

*Dear New Orleans Saints,
Please stop the madness! I know that a win is a win, but seriously??? If y'all don't stop this I may lose some, if not all, of my hair this season. :o) WHO DAT!

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I hope you all enjoy your day today!