Livin' the Sister Life

I've been living with my sister, brother-in-law, and nieces for the past month. I came from living alone in Kentucky, to having people around all the time! I've got to learn to balance my schedule more! I am in grad school online through the University of Kentucky and having sweet little babies running around can be distracting sometimes. EEk.

One thing I have loved is having a friend around all the time. We shop together, make food together, work out together, and do silly things together. It's what I always wanted in Kentucky with a roommate! Too bad I couldn't still be there and with my sister too.

I miss you, Kentucky!

Harper Rae, looking cool in her shades!

Mis Maddy doing what she does best, being CUTE.

SHOPPING!

The loot from our Goodwill trip today!

Giveaway at Ruby Rae Handmade!

Hello everyone! My sister's new shop, Ruby Rae Handmade is having a giveaway! I hope you will enter! It's easy!

You'll win a Cozy Owl Pillow by The Sunshine Marigold (thats me!), a Yoyo Headband from Ruby Rae Handmade, and a T shirt basket crocheted by With Eager Hands.

To enter:
"Like" Ruby Rae Handmade on Facebook
"Like" the other participating artists The Sunshine Marigold and With Eager Hands
Invite your friends to "like" Ruby Rae Handmade

Each of these is an entry and for each friend you invite, you get an entry.

You must comment to Ruby Rae Handmade when you have completed an entry. The friends you invite must comment to tell who sent them so we know who gets credit for the entry!

Any questions? Comment to Ruby Rae Handmade on Facebook!

Thanks :)

Tra la la

Alas, I shall press on. Living without Internet is difficult for keeping up with blogging, yet I will not give up. There are some cool new happenings in Whitneyland. I am studying for the GRE in April. Eek. Its definitely a process. This leads to that, that leads to something, and somethings leads to everything. I hope.

I am thinking it is important to have special things to look forward to periodically, especially when you're out of school.When the holidays and breaks are gone working day in and out can get so daunting. I am fortunate enough to have friends close by and a family visit about once a month or so. And this summer I am looking forward to moving in with a dear friend of mine! My lease is up in July and I get to move to a new place. At first the moving and coping to a new apartment was stressful. I didn't feel like I had a home and I was sad a lot. But when you embrace it, it can be super fun. You get to change and be new! I get to see a new side of the city I love, I think its going to be nice to be away from the nuts of living so close to largest mall in the state. Hooray for new adventure!

Here's me getting ready for good times at ALDI.

Potential

I have always felt that I had lots of this, potential. But how do you turn your potential into being? I didn't plan any specific resolutions this year, except to live up to my potential. I want to try to excel at things I've tried and know I am good at. I want to be the person I imagine being. I concluded that my last relationship was full of potential. That's why it ended. Full of unmet potential, I was in love with what "could be." And now its gone. I am not content any longer to let my life be like that. No more longing for what I know I can be!
I can be an artist, I can be a blogger, I can volunteer, I can get my masters, I can be a missionary, I can be healthy.

I know that with God's help my talents can be used to accomplish these potentials. I call them potentials because, they are more than goals. These are already within me. The seed is already planted, its just a matter of blooming my potential into reality.

Now besides potential, I am also really good at excuses. I blame my living arrangements, my financial stability, my emotions, my work schedule. I know its nothing that cannot be easily overcome. Part of the joy of reaching potential is knowing how greatly you worked for it. I am blessed to be living in a fantastic city with free Internet everywhere and if achieving potential is something that matters to me, I'll drive to the Internet if that's what it takes to create a new blog post. Often I find myself dried up of the inspiration to craft. I tell myself, "If only you had a roommate to talk to you'd want to doing something other than watch T.V." Yet, as time goes by, I accomplish more and more by myself and it feels good! My crafting isn't about anyone but me and the One who has given these abilities. Anyway, this is about living up to MY potential, not my roommate's or my boyfriend's.

When I turn around and I look at myself I just have to smirk. In college, I never believed I could do anything alone. I needed my husband. I needed him to work for me. I needed him to protect me. I needed him to help me. I was waiting for God to present me with this man who would do these things for me. Instead he empowered me to do these things for myself. As I had been planning my life, so was He.

You will be hearing more from me. After-all, I'm potentially a brilliant blogger. :)