Happening Lately

Ya'll...things have been HECTIC in my life lately and because of that things have been quiet on the blog front. I completely fell off the blog-tember wagon. Which means my last post was at the beginning of September. Whoops. But working two jobs, owning your own business, being a student, being active in your church, and trying to have a social life is tough.

With all of that being said, here are five pictures to sum up what I have been doing in my free time lately:

1...PreK took on our very first field trip. We went to Isbell Farms to the pumpkin patch. These sweet babies had so much fun. 

2...Fishing Fun. I didn't have to go to work one night after school, so we took the opportunity to go fishing. We fished for about an hour and caught over 10 of these huge catfish. 

3...I have been loving on this sweet baby a lot. He is so full of energy and has the cutest little personality. He has been super loving lately...but he will also grab your face like this and put his mouth right up to your face with gritted teeth, so I am never really sure if he is trying to bite me or love on me. Either way, he is adorable.

4...For Fall Break, the four of us packed up and hit the road for a quick getaway. We arrived at our condo late Saturday night and spent all day Sunday at Dollywood. That night we went out to eat to celebrate Emily and Heather's birthdays. The next morning we ate a big breakfast and went to a few little shops before heading back home on Monday. It was a quick trip, but we had so much fun. (P.S.: Major props to Ryan for surviving this trip with three girls. He was a trooper!)

5...Painting Pumpkins. On a spontaneous Wal-Mart trip, Hannah and I picked out these tiny pumpkins to paint and about three weeks later, we finally had a free night to paint them together. After painting my pumpkin with three different things, I finally started completely over and totally copied Hannah's idea. It was a fun sister-bonding night. (Bad quality picture, but it was the best we could get! LOL) 

PS: I finally figured out how to set it up where ya'll can subscribe to my blog...so if you like reading and you would like to be the first to see my posts, just enter your email address in the box to the right. Thank you! ;) 

Blog-Tember // Day 9: Wanderlust

Okay...so I intentionally skipped day 8 of the blog-tember challenge for two reasons. 1.) I do not have my very own house/apartment yet. 2.) My space at my parents house is really messy and I didn't feel like cleaning it up to take pictures. LOL! (at least I'm honest, right?)

So, today's blog is all about travel and if you know me at all, you know that I love to travel. The majority of my summer was spent traveling and I already have several trips in the works before this year is over.

I want to travel and see the entire world, but one place that I dream of traveling to is Thailand. This one has been on my travel list for awhile. The beaches, the temples, the cities, the elephant sanctuaries, the culture...it is all so intriguing to me.

When the time comes, I want to spend at least two weeks there. I need to do all the things. I need to eat all the foods. I need to take it all in.

I have started a travel jar for all my future adventures. Every time I find somewhere new I want to explore, I write it down and put it in a mason jar. Every year on New Years, I will pull a destination out of the jar and that will be where I travel to that year.

Where do YOU dream of traveling to?

Blog-Tember // Day 7: Five Joyful Things

It is day seven of the Blog-Tember Challenge and I am 7/7! YAY! Today's topic is five things that bring me joy. I find joy in all the things. The littlest of things makes me happy, so this blog post was a hard one. Here are just a few of the things that bring me joy.

1. Teaching...I teach PreK at a local county school. I teach PreK at my church on Wednesday nights. I teach 1st and 2nd grade on Sunday mornings. I love the babies. They are so sweet and so much fun. But ya'll...it is so much more than teaching the ABC's and 123's. It is loving and caring for those sweet little ones. It is holding hands and wiping away the tears. It is listening to all of their stories and reading books. Teaching brings me joy.

2. Coffee...I. need. all. the. coffee. It has become a requirement for me to get my mornings started. I am serious about my coffee. My kids at school will say, "Don't spill Ms. Mallory's coffee or else she is going to cry!" I think I have taught them well. I even collect coffee mugs.

3. Jesus...I have grown up in church and I was saved and baptized right before my tenth birthday. But the past few years, I feel like I have grown immensely closer with God. I have learned that by being dependent on Him, life is so much easier. I can honestly say that I do not know how I would have made it through the past year if it wasn't for my relationship with God and my Jesus-loving friends and family that have encouraged me every step of the way.

4. Fall...while I am a lover of all the seasons, there is just something about fall that makes me extra happy. The cool weather makes the coffee drinking ten times better. The fall scents are heavenly. The leaves changing, the cotton blooming, the fresh hay bales...it makes me happy.

5. Being an aunt...nothing compares to the love I get from my babies. Not to mention, I am an aunt to three of the cutest little ones. Kyndall is ten and she is in that stage where she likes to pick and aggravate. We fight like sisters and I pick on her just like she picks on me. Libby is eight and she is a D-I-V-A. We bond over things like makeup and lipstick and dancing. Jase is one and a half and the only boy around here. Needless to say, he is spoiled rotten. He has his Mal-Mal wrapped around his little finger. He is learning all sorts of new tricks that are just hilarious. Being an aunt is seriously the best.

What brings YOU joy?

Blog-Tember // Day 6: September Playlist

I am a music junkie. I hate the silence, so I have music playing almost all of the time. I am a fan of all genres of music and it changes with my mood. When I find a song that I love, I play it over and over until I find another song to replace it.

Here is what my playlist looks like currently.



What is on YOUR playlist right now?

Blog-Tember // Day 5: Most Memorable Birthday

I have had several memorable birthdays. Around here, birthdays are a big thing, so we always go all out. My parents go above and beyond to make sure I have the best birthday, no matter what age. But 22 has been my most favorite. You can read 22 thoughts at 22, here.

My actual birthday fell on a Wednesday this year, and it was also right after school had started back. So, taking all of that into consideration, we planned to celebrate my birthday on the weekend before and after my birthday.

On the weekend before my birthday, the whole family got together and celebrated at Chili's, my favorite restaurant. We all ate and then went back to my house for ice cream cake. YUM! Before I could blow out my candles, we all jammed out to Taylor Swift's song, 22.

On my actual birthday, we went to church and after class, my best friend and I went to the back to talk about something. As I was walking out to head home, all of my church people surprised me in the kitchen and sang 'Happy Birthday' to me, followed by cookie cake. (Thanks, mom and dad!) See, I told you they always go above and beyond. And yes, I cried happy tears.

(I know this isn't a great picture, but if you look real close, somewhere inside that huddle of children, I am there. Hugs and kisses all around from all of my church babies.)

The weekend after my birthday was spent celebrating with a few of my closest friends. We kicked it old fashion with a slumber party and movie marathon night.

And let me tell you, I have not found a meme that is more accurate than this. I love to sing 'Happy Birthday' to other people, but when you are the one that everyone is singing too...it is kinda, sorta, very awkward!

I don't really know why this birthday has been my favorite. But I loved spending it with all of my people. My family and friends sure do know how to make a girl feel loved. 

What is YOUR most memorable birthday?

Blog-Tember // Day 4: Currently in September

Reading...Wild and Free by Hayley Morgan and Jess Connolly
Playing...catch up on all my etsy orders!
Watching...Grey's Anatomy! LOVE!
Trying...to stay ahead with my schoolwork.
Cooking...nothing. I am not the best cook.
Eating...BBQ Nachos. My favorite football season meal.
Drinking...all of the white chocolate mocha's.
Calling...to buy tickets to the Belong tour! AH!
Texting...my girl friends planning a girls night ASAP.
Pinning...lots and lots of travel ideas.
Tweeting...nada. I am not a big 'tweeter'. I need to step up my game.
Going...to the pool for one last time before summer is officially over.
Loving...this weather! The cotton is beginning to bloom & the fresh hay has been cut and rolled. I love it!
Hating...being broke during internship. Can a sister get a pay check! LOL!
Thinking...about how bad I need to get in shape!
Discovering...the only person you can really trust is God! He is the only one who will never let you down.
Feeling...tired. Like all the time. I need more sleep!
Hoping (for)...God to move in big ways! Just waiting on His timing.
Listening (to)...FGL's new album. On repeat.
Celebrating...graduating! It's not until December but I am excited!
Thanking...my friends and family for being my rock lately.
Considering...a master's program!
Starting...redecorating my room and bathroom. And cleaning out all my junk!
Finishing...COLLEGE.

Blog-Tember // Day 3: Goodbye, Summer

This summer has been one of the best summers of my life! From vacations with friends to vacations with family to pool days to shrimp boils to mission trips, it has been jam packed. I have loved every minute of it! Here is a recap of some of my favorite memories from this summer!

1. Family Beach Trip. The whole family usually takes a big beach trip every summer, and this summer was no exception. However, I think this trip will be more memorable than the rest. Nine out of twelve of us beach-goers caught a funky 24 hour virus while we were vacationing! We had one room dedicated to quarantine for the entire trip. But we ended the trip with a bang and all of the girls went to see Keith Urban, Brett Eldridge, and Maren Morris in concert. It was a blast!

2. Cruising with my girls. Me and two of my girl friends booked a cruise to Cozumel and Progresso and it was the most fun and relaxing vacation ever. We soaked up the sun and all of the beautiful scenery while enjoying way too much food. IT. WAS. AWESOME.

3. Nicaragua Mission Trip. This year was my third year to travel to Nicaragua and spread the gospel. I have been blessed to get to see the boys that I bonded with on the first year, every year that I have went. I am the 'loca gringa' that takes every baby that I come in contact with but I just can't help it. They are so adorable.

4. Dixie Chicks. Need I say anymore? I mean, who doesn't love the Dixie Chicks? I was so excited when I heard they were going on tour again. So my friends and I searched and searched for some good seats, but we ended up in the nose bleeds. But you better believe that I stood up and sang at the top of my lungs to every song they played.

5. Lake Days. After years of asking dad for a boat, he finally got one this summer. He came home with a pontoon about three weeks ago, so every weekend since then has been spent at the lake on the boat with the family.

Blog-Tember // Day 2: Current Goals

It's day 2 of the Blog-Tember Challenge! Today's topic is Current Goals. I am not a big goal-setter, but this was a good topic to get me thinking about what my major goals are right now. So, here are four of my major life goals at this current moment.

1. Graduate. Ya'll...I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I am finishing up one last elective class and completing 70 days of internship and I am DONE! The countdown is on until December 10th.

2. Stop hitting snooze! I am SO not a morning person. I have my alarm set for 5 AM every morning so that I can wake up and get ready for school, but I don't get up until about 5:45. I really want to get a good morning routine started so I can have some quiet time and drink my coffee before leaving for work. But the only problem is, I hit that oh so convenient snooze button 79 times before I roll my sleepy butt out of bed! Someone please teach me how to wake up! LOL! Ya'll...its hard being a sleepy girl with a busy life.

3. Move out of my parents house. This goal has been one that I have set for a long time now. I'm talking years! I will set a move out date, then change my mind. Set a new date, and then change again. Considering there is still A LOT of work to do to the apartment that I am moving into, I have not set a new date. Instead, I have set lots of little goals to help me along the way. 

4. Grow my business. I have a small etsy shop that I run out of my house right now. It is just something that I enjoy doing and I am lucky enough to be able to make a profit off of it. Lately, business has been BOOMING and very overwhelming. I want to add a wider variety of options to my shop, expand into boutiques, and then have my very own online shop. Big dreams...but hopefully they are attainable. (;

What are some of your current goals?

Blog-Tember // Day 1: All About Me

For the month of September, I am going to be joining the "Blog-Tember Challenge" with Bailey at Brave Love Blog. The goal is to blog each week day during the month. Today's topic is Introduce Yourself. 

Hey Ya'll! 

I'm Mallory. I am 22. I was born and raised in Alabama and being southern is all I know. I live on a farm that my family has owned for almost 80 years. I currently live with my parents, but I have already laid claim to my piece of the family land. My sister lives just a hop and a skip away, right through the woods. From my sisters house, I can throw a rock and hit my grandparents house, right across the creek. On the farm, we have cows, chickens, guineas, horses, one mini donkey and four dogs. (I'm working on adding goats and pigs to the mix.) We have two ponds stocked with fish...catfish in one, goldfish in the other.

I am a broke-as-a-joke college student, pursuing a degree in Elementary Education. I will graduate in December...hand to heaven! 

I am a PreK auxiliary teacher at Mount Hope.

I am a PreK TeamKid teacher at Mount View Baptist.

I am an aunt to three of the prettiest children ever.

I am the coolest of three sisters.

I survive on coffee and sweet tea.

I am a small business owner.

I am a music junkie.

I am a frequent traveler.

I am a lover of books and also of writing.

I am terrified of spiders.

I am a missionary.

I am a self-proclaimed, professional napper.

I love every season equally.

I adore the simple, cliche things of life.

Breakfast foods are my favorite.

Nicaragua holds a large piece of my heart.

I have the best friends a girl could ever ask for. 

I cry way too easily.

I am not the best cook.

My dream is to travel to Thailand.

I hunt and I fish.

I occasionally run.

Halloween and Christmas are my favorite holidays.

I have 4 TV shows that I watch faithfully.

I collect coffee mugs.

I spend way too much time on Instagram and Snapchat.

I plan my whole life on Pinterest.

Lastly...ROLL TIDE.

22 thoughts at 22

Other than actually being able to jam out to Taylor Swifts song, I have never really looked forward to turning 22. In my mind, after turning 21, every other birthday was just another year. But honestly, this year is holding more for me than I could have ever imagined. So far this year, I have got my dream job. I have made more memories in a single summer than I have in previous years. I am graduating at the end of the year. Ya'll...this year is monumental!

Here are 22 thoughts from 22 years:

1. I believe surrounding yourself with Godly, uplifting, and encouraging friends is the best medicine.

2. I love music. Music is good for the soul. All kinds. At all times. For every mood.

3. Coffee and sweet tea are requirements to make it through the day.

4. Doors close and doors open. God has a funny way of doing things, but it all works out in His perfect timing. Praise Him in the hallway.

5. Travel and travel often. This summer has been the summer of travels and it has been the best one yet.

6. I love when life slows down and I can take time to admire the beauty of the little things. The stars. The setting sun. Storms. All the cliche things.

7. I fully believe you must treat yo'self. Buy the makeup. Go to that concert. Eat the ice cream. Get pampered.

8. Invest in bath bombs. Take time at least once a week to fill the tub up and relax.

9. Go on a mission trip. At age 22, I have been to Nicaragua for mission work three different times and it has totally and completely changed my life.

10. I am so thankful to be involved in a church where I am encouraged and uplifted. I am equally thankful that several of my dearest friends attend church with me.

11. Go outside! Whether you move yourself from the couch to the hammock outside with a book, or you are going for a run. Take time to enjoy the outdoors, one of God's most beautiful creations.

12. I am thankful to own my very own small business where I get to be creative and share that creativity with the world in the form of t-shirts and tank tops.

13. Writing can double as therapy. I write all the time. I journal my thoughts and feelings. I make to-do list. I document the all little details that I adore in life.

14. Pray. Study your bible. Find a small group.

15. Know your self-worth. Do not let anyone belittle you. Do not settle for anything less than what you deserve.

16. Rid your life of anything that is toxic. Also know that toxic doesn't necessarily mean cruel and uncaring. It is also people or things that do not encourage you to be the best YOU.

17. Be DEPENDENT on God. When you rely fully on God and His plan for your life, everything is much easier.

18. Be happy with yourself. Do not let your happiness depend on someone else.

19. Be uplifting to. Compliment others. "If you see something beautiful in someone, speak it." -Ruthie Lindsey

20. Children are the absolute best. They are so funny. Their words are genuine. They are so loving. Wednesdays are my favorite days because I can walk into church and so many of those kids come running to give me hugs.

21. Jaclyn Hill is perfection. I totally fan girl over her.

22. Pretty Little Liars will NEVER END.


I don't know about you, but I'm feeling 22! 

Cozumel and Progresso // Adventures with MEH

Okay, so in my last post, I said that cruising was the life and it definitely is. However, I do wish we could have had a longer period of time to stay at our destinations. Especially Cozumel! I am the type of person who wants to see all the things and eat all the foods. But, to have had just a few hours at each place, I think we had a pretty good experience at both destinations.

Cozumel:

OH MY IT IS BEAUTIFUL! We had not booked an excursion for this island, so when we got off the ship we talked to a few of the tourist guides and found our destination for the day. We went to Buccanos Beach Club and ya'll...it was what I imagine paradise to look like. We walked in the entrance to the private beach and literally all you could see was sand, crystal blue waters, and palm trees. There was a restaurant, a beach with enough layout chairs to hold the army, a pool, a massage and spa center, a rock climbing wall, a snorkeling adventure, tequila tours, and lots lots more. For $30, we paid for our transportation to and from, snorkeling, and access to the private beach and pool.

While we were at the beach club, we laid on the beach, swam in the ocean, swam in the pool, ate at the restaurant (which was amazing!), and tried out the snorkeling adventure. And an adventure it was! A little advice...if you plan on snorkeling, you first need to make sure you are okay with/capable of: a.) having fish and other sea creatures swim right up next to you, b.) breathing out of your mouth, c.) swimming. You see, we did not think this through very well. Emily hates animals of all kinds. I cannot breathe out of my mouth to save my life. Heather cannot swim. I am sure we looked like dumb, dumb, and dumber out there. I imagine it was quite hilarious for anyone who was watching.

Progreso:

Okay, so this destination did not have the same beauty that Cozumel had. However, it was beautiful in a different way. We booked an excursion while we were in Progreso and ya'll...it was a snorkeling excursion! Again, we did not think this whole excursion through when we booked it...We were slightly distraught at the thought of snorkeling all day after our previous days experience. We rode a bus for two hours to the caverns where we were going to be snorkeling in at a little Mayan village. Our guide took us to the first spot where we were to snorkel and I almost backed out. To get into the cavern, we had to walk down steep steps into this hole in the ground. Looking from the outside, I had no idea what to expect to find on the other side of that hole. But it was beautiful! The water was shallow and crystal clear and there were no fish! This was the perfect snorkeling conditions for us.

We went to two different caverns to snorkel and explore. After snorkeling, we had homemade Mexican food waiting for us. We were able to watch the ladies hand-make the tortillas. The food was delicious!

We had a great time at both of our destinations! We are already planning our next getaway. What are some of your favorite excursions that you have been on?

Cruising Carnival Triumph // Adventures with MEH

Y'all...cruising is the LIFE! I loved every single minute of it! Unlimited food and drink. Unlimited ice cream and dessert. And tons of live entertainment and fun! I think we ate four or five FULL meals a day. There was every kind of food you could possibly want available on the ship! My personal favorite was the cheeseburger. I don't think I have ever had a cheeseburger that good! We literally had one every. single. day. right before we would get ready for dinner. At dinner, we were able to choose from a variety of options of food and we tried just about everything-even ox tongue! Our waiters were hilarious! I apologize for the blurry picture, but this is an accurate description of how our dinner was every night. They kept us laughing!

There was a ton of live entertainment on the ship. The dancers put on several shows, many of which had live music. And there was at least one or two comedy shows every night. Rob Little (pictured below) was one of the comedians and he was absolutely hilarious! One night, a magician performed and it blew my mind...it was awesome!

Being on the ship itself was so relaxing. There were tons of lay out chairs available and the baristas were constantly at our service-checking to make sure we were okay and bringing us drinks. It was so nice being able to kick back and relax and enjoy the ride.

I was amazed at the view! Looking out over the ship, all you could see was the bluest water for miles and miles. I will never look at the color blue the same again after this trip! All the different shades of the ocean were absolutely beautiful. And the sunset...YA'LL! I have never seen a sunset more beautiful! (Pictures do not do justice.)

Our room was very nice, to my surprise. I was expecting a tiny room with an even smaller bathroom and hardly any space to move around, and a tiny little port hole window. Our room consisted of two beds and a couch that pulled out into a third bed. We had all the counter space three girls could possibly need and plenty of room to all get ready. And instead of the tiny port hole I had expected, we had a pretty large window. And that was the best sleep I have ever had! The room was super dark at night and the swaying of the ship rocked me like a little baby!

The ship itself was very complicated to navigate around. I promise you, we got lost going to dinner every night. Every. Single. Night. Not one time did we find our dining room easily. (According to Emily, a very frequent cruiser, this ship had the worst layout of any that she had ever been on before.) We spent a lot of time on the elevators trying to find everything. (Disclaimer: we got on the elevator one night, took a few pictures, talked for awhile, then started wondering why the elevator wasn't moving. Apparently you have to push a button if you want to go somewhere.) The pools on board were very, very small so they were always super crowded. I don't think it would been very enjoyable for anyone who had small children who would have wanted to be in the pool all the time. Next time, we will definitely cruise on a different ship.

I half way expected for at least one of us to get sea sick and I was really afraid it would be me. I get car sick super easy so I wasn't too sure about how I would feel on the ship for five days. We had plenty of medicine just in case, but luckily none of us got sick.

I had the best time cruising with my girls. It was so laid back, relaxed and drama free. It was a much needed girls getaway and an escape from reality for awhile. We are definitely planning another cruise in the near future.

Where have you cruised and what is your favorite cruise line?

New Orleans // Adventures with MEH

Since the cruise was leaving from the port in New Orleans, we decided to drive down the day before the ship left and experience New Orleans life for a day. We headed out at 5 on Friday morning and got to New Orleans around lunch time.

We booked a room at InterContinental New Orleans through Groupon. The hotel was located about two blocks from the French Quarter, so we were in walking distance of just about everything we could possibly want to see. The room was very, VERY nice and cozy! Our total for the room was right at $150, so split three ways, it wasn't too bad of a deal. 

After getting ready, we headed out to explore. We took off toward the French Quarter and stopped at all the cute little shops along the way! There is a Lush Cosmetics right on Royal street and all three of us were in handmade cosmetic heaven! 

We stopped at Gumbo Shop for a late lunch/early dinner. Now, I have never had cajun food before this trip, so I wasn't too sure about it but I was determined to try something new so I ordered the Creole Combination Platter. It included Shrimp Creole, Jambalaya, and Crawfish Etouffee...DELICIOUS! The restaurant was so cute and the service was outstanding! If you are looking for a quick place to grab some lunch while visiting NOLA, I highly recommend trying Gumbo Shop.

We made our way to the French Quarter after lunch and I absolutely loved it! The buildings were beautiful and as soon as we got there, we could hear the live jazz music playing on the street. I felt like I was walking into a movie scene. The artwork that filled the street was so unique and beautiful! And there were palm readers every where you turned (We didn't get our palms read...even though I really wanted to. Emily said it was of the devil and wouldn't let me.)! It was everything I had hoped it would be!

For dessert, we stopped by Cafe du Monde to try the beignets and they did not disappoint! The cafe itself was very crowded, but to get the full experience we found a table and sat down right in the middle of the chaos and enjoyed our delicious deep fried donuts.

After dessert we made our way back to the hotel and crashed for the night. For breakfast the next morning, we walked down to Cafe Beignet and devoured a delicious belgian waffle and, of course, some more beignets. The cafe was super crowded but we lucked up and got a seat inside.

When we got off the ship, we came back to Cafe Beignet for lunch. A friend had told us to try the muffalettas, so we did and it was so good! This time, we sat in the little seating area right outside the cafe. While we were eating our yummy lunch, we also got some free entertainment. A man was playing and singing right outside the gate. Again, I felt like I was in a movie. It was so cool.

New Orleans is definitely one of my favorite cities. Since we were only there for one day, I know that we did not get to experience the entirety of NOLA so I definitely plan to return for a longer amount of time. If you have been to New Orleans, what are some of your favorite things to do? What are some of your favorite places to eat? 

Nicaragua

In one month I will be returning to Nicaragua with my church family. Ya'll...I am so blessed to get to go on this trip. When we started planning this trip I did not think I was going to be able to go. I had just quit my job and was not able to afford the trip nor did I have enough time to raise money by the time we were going to buy tickets.

I was not the only one in this situation. Two of my very close friends were not going to be able to go, and if I somehow came up with the money to go, only one of my parents were going to be able to go (because, you know, my parents are a little overprotective and they just can't stand the thought of me traveling to a foreign country without one of them tagging along).

One thing led to another and the date for us to purchase tickets got pushed back A WHOLE MONTH! That left me one single month to raise money to go on this mission trip. A dear friend of mine (who was also not able to afford the expenses of the trip due to being a broke as a joke college kid, like me) and I hosted two paint parties at my church, sold sheets, and sold t-shirts, and the outpouring of love we felt from our friends and family was so humbling. 

I also had two people who are very dear to my heart contribute to my mission trip with very generous donations. These people donated this money out of the goodness of their heart solely for me to get my feet on the ground in Nicaragua and spread God's love. All along I had been questioning if God wanted me to go on this trip or not and when I received these donations, I could do nothing but cry because that was a clear sign to me that God wanted me there. 

My trip was paid for in full by people who bought sheets, bought shirts, attended paint parties, and made donations and for that I am forever grateful. There are no amount of words that can describe how blessed I am to have people in my life who support and encourage me the way these people do.

NOT ONLY am I getting to go to Nicaragua, but BOTH of my very good friends are getting to go, as well as BOTH of my parents!! 

GOD IS SO GOOD!

In exactly one month I will have my feet on the ground in this country that has a huge part of my heart. Our current plans are to host a VBS, feed the villages, and have one on one time with families where we distribute necessities and talk to them about God and His love for them. I am so PUMPED to see what God has in store for us this time. 

I pray that I get to see and love on all of my babies that I have grown to love so much over previous trips. I pray that God will use us and that we will lead people to Him. I pray that through the people on this team, the people of Nicaragua will feel an outpouring of Jesus' love. 

Please be in prayer for me and the rest of the team as we prepare for this journey! Our team could still use donations of flip flops, shorts, t-shirts, hygiene items, ramen noodles, and plastic bowls. Most of all...PRAY, PRAY, PRAY!!