Boots and Brownies...

7 too early AM this morning I was greeted by and ADORABLE 2.5 year old singing "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" It was a day early and unexpected but it was awesome non the less. My little buddy Liam sang me happy birthday off and on all day. It was so cute. How'd we celebrate? I knew you'd want to know! Liam and I put on his rain boots and headed outside. We found some crazy awesome puddles and we splashed like no bodies business. Then we hit the playground where the cool twistie blue slide turned into a water slide. Yeahhhhh Buddy!!! So much fun! After getting completely soaked we had to change clothes and then had some snack (peanut butter and apple slices). Then the doctor, where we explored the building and rode on the elevators.... we love pushing buttons. On the way home Liam learned to FIST PUMP and bob his head to the music.... love teaching him redic things! When we got home it was time for a nap and then we baked brownies. Liam helped me blow out my candle and then we got to eat them... so yummy.

What life lesson did I pull out of today... well first off puddle jumping is fun no matter how old you are. More then that if it's gonna rain you may as well have fun with it or at try to. Instead of staying inside and being sad we made the most of the day. We jumped in puddles, we explored and we baked brownies. When it rains I tend to want to stay inside and sleep but today I was reminded of how awesome it could be if we focus on the positive and we end up having such a better day. Yeah I still dislike the rain... mostly because it messes up the ability to really go out and have fun but there are things we can only do in the rain like puddle jumping and dancing in the rain. So, when it rains... strap on those rain boots and find a big old puddle and start splashing around like nothing else matters... even if just for a few minutes to remind yourself that there is a positive in every situation.

Labor Day Lessons

Labor Day.... it never really made a lot of sense to me, but I always loved that it was aday off for most people I knew. Today I got to spend LABOR DAY with two really amazing kids and a pretty cool teenager. My pastor and his awesome wife attended a wedding while their fantastic kids and my baby sister and I hung out for the evening. It was a night filled with craziness and tons of fun. Video games with Malachi... we learned that Lego Star Wars is AWESOME. Tea party and glitter nail polishwithAbby.... she's such a girly girl! Chinese food... always a good call... gotta love fortunecookies! And what would an evening with the Bishop kids bewithoutwrestling... there was some body slamming, some climbing, some pillow chucking, and some all out crazy moves... good stuff. And then it was time to wind down and get calm so we turned on the TV and had some pjs and quiet time.

Kids have an amazing way of helping me see things. It's incredible the way they teach me things and they don't even intend to. Like today as we ate our Chinese food neither one of the kids was hesitant to try something new. We ordered something they had never tasted just because it sounded cool (we ordered food we knew they liked too), and they tasted it. They weren't afraid to try something new. I wish I was a little less afraid to try new things. But the thing they taught me that stood out tonight was... "She doesn't talk a lot when she doesn't know someone" and observation Malachi made about his sister. Yeah it was funny but it was amazing! It made me realize that some of us don't ever grow out of our quietness. I still don't talk a lot to people I don't know too well. I've been working on opening up with people but it's been easier said then done. I am however really glad that I have found some people I really feel comfortable opening up and being real with.

SUNDAY = SAWEEEEEEET

I LOVE SUNDAYS.... they are by far my favorite day of the week! I get to attend and serve at an AMAZING church which in my opinion is the BEST church ever... but I'm a little bias! We have an incredible pastor and an amazing church family. It is incredible to see how much our young church has grown over the last 3.5 years. I love seeing the lives that have been changed and getting to be a part of some of that. God is doing awesome things at the Point and it just gets better and better each week. Ourworshipteam is AMAZING and I'm not just saying that because oneof my childhood friends leads it. They are a talented group of musicians and watching then grow as a team, develop their talents and watching our worship leader develop in his leadership skills is incredible.

Today we had a special treat (not that the messages aren't AWESOME every sunday) but today our associate pastor Nick spoke for the first time ever in our new building.

In his amazing pink shirt he spoke about being WITH GOD and he quoted one of my favorite poems... Foot Prints. Such a great reminder of how NO MATTER what we walk through God is walking through it with us. I only listened to part of the sermon because I was needed else where. Which brings me to the reasons I LOVE Sundays the most. There are about 30 reasons I love SUNDAYs... (well maybe a few more but close enough). The kids of our church make Sunday even more amazing! Today our younger kids learned about the 10 commandments, they colored, made "parchment paper", sang songs, played with the parachute and enjoyed sensory bins... tons of fun. Ourolder kids learned about CHANGING the WORLD, we learned that every action we take or don't take has the potential to impact others and situations in life. Our objectwas a little gross, I volunteered for that one. Multigrain Cheerios, plastic baggie, plastic spoon and orange juice.... I didn't make the right choice by having breakfast at home so I had to make do with what I had. I poured my juice into my plastic baggie of cheerios and ate a bite.... after spitting in back in I let the kids know that oj and cereal in that way were TERRIBLE. We read a book called "The Boy Who Changed The World" by Andy Andrews and then we made pipe cleaner butterflies to remind us that even the smallest actions can make a difference.I LOVE SUNDAYS!!!!

As if the morning wasn't awesome enough... I was told to stay home this evening so that I could have dinner with my family to celebrate my birthday (a little early but not everyone will be home on my actual birthday). So we hit Applebees and had some dinner.... laughs, food, family... good times!

My parents however thought it was an absolute MUST to let the waitress know that it was my birthday... this caused a few moments of the ducked head no eye contact posture. Although it was slightly obnoxious it was really nice just spending time with my family. I probably don't mention it enough but... they are pretty great!

So YEAH I def think SUNDAY= SAWEEEEET =)

WAKOS.... but I love them ALL

For the most part Saturdays in my world start like this.... "PANCAKES!?!!?" either from the kid who sleeps on my futon or a text from my older brother. I whip up a minimum of two batches of pancakes (one with chocolate chips and one with whitechocolate chips) and then my amazing family consumes them.

The rest of the day isn't always as predictable. Today my wakadoo family went shopping. Ok now my family IS NOT NORMAL!!!!! We can't go to Old Navy without one of my siblings posing with the manikins. Why would today have been any different? My baby sister and my older brother decided to pose with a family of manikins like they were part of their family.

NEVER A DULL MOMENT with these birds around. I found a super cool hat that I almost bought... I was later told that a friend would have beat me up if I bought it.... I guess it was a good thing I decided against it.

And then I dropped my Mom and sister's off a my baby sister's life long friends house. The rest of the ride home while laughing at my brother my thoughts shifted to people. I have become increasingly aware of how AMAZINGLY blessed I am with some pretty amazing people in my life.

First up my biological family... immediate and extended... I have been blessed with some awesome siblings, great parents, aunts uncles and cousins who are so great, grandparents who love(d) me.... not everyone gets all that... I'm pretty lucky.

Life long friends... not too many people have known their friends for 20+ years and usually your relationships like that deteriorate with time but some of mine have just grown and become even better... so thankful for my life long friends who continue to amaze me with how much they truly care about me.

"College friends".... I went away to school and built friendships with people during college and post college and many of those bonds are still super tight.... I am beyond blessed by my friend I met during that time.

New friends.... I have been given the opportunity to get to know some AMAZING people within the last few years and each new friend has helped me learn something new about me... esp my new female friends... they really bring out the girlie girl in me... I hear its a good thing so I'll just go with it!

People who speak into my life.... I have had some pretty awesome people, pastors, leaders, parents who have just simply loved me though situations. They have helpedme see things that I never realized were possible in my life. They have payed me some high compliments and helped me believe that God has an AMAZING plan for me. So thankful for those people!

Church family... new and old, this church and any other church I've been given the opportunity to attend... I have been so beyond blessed by the people who just pull you in and allow you to be a part of their world and their family.

My WAKOS are just geneticly connected to me.... I mean I love them too but I love all the WAKOS who have made my life even more amazing so tonight I am thankful for the people who have come into my life and left a huge IMPRINT on me!

Are you my mother?!?!?!

There's a book called Are You My Mother. A little chick falls out of it's nest and asks animals if they are it's mother, most of them look NOTHING like the chick and it's obvious that they are in fact NOT the little chicks mother. Clearly I know my parental units are but every once in a while I think... wow you're pretty amazing... could you adopt me? Don't get me wrong my mom is awesome and I am thankful forboth of my parents. There are just some people who I wish I could spend more time with and I am thankful for them as a part of my life.

I was having a tough day today... like from the moment I woke up and I just couldn't shake the feeling of being overwhelmed. I cried A LOT off and on all day. I kept it under wraps when I was around other people. I've become a little too good at that sometimes. On my way home I balled my eyes out and ended up texting 2 friends(at a red light) to see if they would mind if I got in touch with their mom just to ask her to pray with me through something. My friends were awesome and totally ok with the idea (thanks again). So I sent a text and she invited me over to talk. Four hours, dinner, a few tears and some laughs later my world became increasingly more AMAZING. As we sat and talked about life and the crazy things that get thrown at us and how awesome God is I realized that some people end up taking on some prettyamazing characteristics of God like compassion. Tonight as I sat and talked with one of the most compassionate women I have ever met my world seemed to fall just a little bit more back into place. My friends mom is one of the greatest women I have EVER met, if I could be like her when I grow up... even a smidgin, I think that would be the best thing ever. She's fantasical and she fears God. She's without a doubt the picture of a Proverbs 31 woman. She's such an inspiration to people around her. She genuinely cares about people who have been placed in her path. She's an amazing cook. She's kind and caring. She just an all around great person. And tonight she took time out of her life to invest in me. Shetalked methrough some things I was dealing with and payed me some amazing compliments which I simply said thank you to. But when she said she wanted to adopt me I seriously teared up. She said so many sweet and loving things to me and I just wanted to say.... THANK YOU.... thanks for being who you are and for loving the people God has placed in your path. (even though you will more then likely NEVER read this.... thanks for being you and for taking the time out of your night to make my day way better)

10 things how bout 10 million

So I was thinking about the movie 10 Things I Hate About You... not because Heath Ledger was AWESOME (that's true too) but because I was feeling pretty girly.

I can relate A LOT to Kat... not just because of her name but her and I are a lot alike. She was so guarded and afraid to let someone in. See I've been pretty honest here on my blog but in all reality I'm pretty locked... I don't really let people get super close, not right away anyway and if I feel a threat like you might hurt me I like Kat pull away. Sometimes I even push people away. It's not intentional I just don't want to be hurt. See Kat and I are a lot alike we both seem to have it together and we both seem to be self-confident but the truth is both of us are a little fuzzy on some things and we lack that confidence more then we like to admit. And we both want to feel that love but are afraid it will hurt so we close off so that it wont hurt... and instead potentially miss out on things. Not just in a "romantic" relationship sort of way but in general people were only allowed "this far" and NO MORE!

I'd like to say I'm going to change over night and let people in but honestly its a work in progress.... so tonight... I'm praying God helps bring me peace so that I am willing to open up more and allow people into my life in even greater ways.

Punch Me in the FACE....

Tonight my AMAZING friend "MB" pointed something out to me as she and I were texting. She said to me.... "hahahahahaha if 'you' nine years ago could see 'you' now." I thought about it for a few seconds and realized wow... I really have changed. My response was "she'd punch the real me in the face!"

Here are some reasons me 9 years ago would punch the me today in the face....

1- I get my nails did!

2- I straighten my hair (sometimes)

3- I blow dry my hair (sometimes)

4- I get mad when I break a nail (and not just b/c it hurts)

5- I like to cook

6- I enjoy baking (and not b/c i want to eat it)

7- I eat healthier

8- I cry openly (wayyyy more then I used to)

9- I match my socks with my shirt

10- I match in general

11- I wear nicer girly jeans (and not sweats ALL the time)

12- I wear jewelry

13- I get my eyebrows done

14- I have pretty (not old lady) flowery sheets on my bed

15- I get frustrated that my glasses don't match all of my clothing

16- I get a little embarrassed that I have to wear glasses

17- I sing in the car.... really loudly

18- I dance in the car... sillily all by myself

19- I smile a whole lot more then I ever did

20- I own pink clothing and actually wear it

21- I think about the future with an actual expectation of wanting something great to happen.

22- I draw hearts and flowers on things

23- I'm a lot more honest about my feelings

24- I actually enjoy hugging people and being hugged in return

25- I watch snuggle with a batman pillow (no wait me then would have liked that one)

26- I blog

27- I like receiving flowers

28- I have a flower tattoo on my foot

29- I clean my car and my room all the time

30- I enjoy jogging and exercising (even though i played sports I was lazy)

31- I journal

32- I actually TALK on the phone (with a handful of people)

and there are probably 3BILLION other reasons I would punch me in the face... but in all honesty.... The me I am today and continue to grow to be is the real me... it was just a part of me that I was afraid to let show. I was scared that not being tough would cause others to think they could hurt me. I'm realizing that even if I act tough there is still more then a possibility that I will get hurt so it's not really worth it to act tough. I was afraid to be the "real me" because I was afraid people wouldn't like me. I never wanted people to see me as anything other then a tomboy because I knew how to be that really really well and it was less risky. I was afraid if someone saw the real me it would be easier to hurt me. I never thought it was ok to be girly and like pretty things because I never thought I was worthy of that. I didn't think I was allowed to even try to feel pretty or think I could even try to pull it off. This "new me" is really tough to let shine through even though I like her... she challenges me... and I really am not a fan of being challenged =)

Pre letting the girly out... wrist guard is from punching a brick wall

On the way home form amsterdam in my hoodie and sweat pants snuggling with the bat... (verge of girliness)

(in the RI snuggling with a cow and my ALLY... so not the girliest thing ever... lol)

(at a friends wedding last summer... hair did, nails did, and in a DRESS... the girly is out)

(at my brothers wedding witht he mini me... girly girlness alert)