::My Year In Retrospect

Panama

My year started off in the Darian Jungles of Panama with an incredible team. It was there I learned about what it meant to give everything you have and leave it all on the field. I  learned what it meant to be a love revolutionary and love everyone you come in contact with. 

NCFCA 

 Competed in my last year of NCFCA and had my best year yet. So tremendously blessed by the past six years in NCFCA. The metals and trophies pale in comparison to the relationships I've formed and hold so dearly to my heart. I am so thankful for the lessons that speech and debate has taught me. It's challenged me to think and reminded me that words have power to breath life or death. 

SOMEHOW made it to semi-finals and missed competing in finals by one vote. So blessed. God seriously must have a sense of humor. 

Graduation

I graduated from high-school with two friends I've known since forever. Funniest moment was when I was walking down the aisle and couldn't remember where my speech was and was preparing myself to give an impromptu speech. 

Down South::Georgia 

Went down to Georgia to visit one of my dear friends I met on my mission trip to Nepal a couple years ago! It was my first experience "down south" and I loved it! I loved the Southern accents, sweet tea, and quaint little coffee shops and restaurants. 

Camp

Had an incredible week at camp filled with failing at playing sports, conversations under the stars, memorizing dozens of verses, laughter and jokes, getting one crap of a sunburn, and learning what it means to leave everything at the foot of the cross. 

Nationals

 Had the BEST time ever at Nationals filled with trips to Walmart and Sonic, hours of conversation, losing my voice, endless heavenly piles of bacon, and some of the hardest good-byes I've ever had to say. Treasured each moment of this tournament and couldn't ask for better people to compete with over the past six years! 

Alaska

Spent a week visiting my best friend in Alaska over the fourth of July. Watched fireworks over the ocean, toured the Disney cruise ship, hiked a mountain (almost died multiple times), and ate wild berries like a bear. Cheers to seven years of friendship with this girl! 

Nicholas Tate

 Cheers 3 1/2 years of friendship, taking risks, laughter, sparkling grape juice, coffee shops, poems, trips to the emergency room, attempting to learn how to drive stick shift, music and hard good-byes with this guy. Constantly blown away by how Nicholas shows me God's love every day and makes me look at myself through another pair of eyes and treats me ridiculously well and buys me chocolate and opens up the doors for me. He's a keeper. ((Even though he hates bacon as much as I love it.)) 

Family

Learned to value my family in a way I've never appreciated them before. Thankful for how I've grown so much closer to my mom and am learning to respect my parents, even if I don't agree with them. I love them beyond words.

Here's to deep conversations, learning to love coffee and country music, taking chances, adventures, taking chances, learning to be loved by God, traveling, friendship, prisms, music, and moving mountains in my life. Cheers. Bring in 2k14.