senior year...let's go!

Guys...I'm a SENIOR in COLLEGE...whaaaa????  It seriously does not make any sense to me whatsoever.  This is my last September at NAU and I want to cry.  Since being up in Flag, the last thing I want to do is leave.  I love being here and feel so present at all times, which puts the world's biggest smile on my face.  I'm not ready to go home to student teach, but I mean that is in three months so I'll worry about that when the time comes.
Senior year has been even more than I could have ever imagined already, and it has only been 3 weeks.  We had our first YLNAU event which was a bonfire!  We met in the middle of the woods, drank rootbeer from kegs, danced around the flames and burned a couch (naturally).

The Coconino County Fair was here so I went with Patrick, Mango, Abigail, Robert, and Karla.  We had the best time!  I had never been to the carnival so they all made sure that I got the full experience which consisted of fried twinkies, the faris wheel, and of course rightly won stuffed animals.

 Oh yeah!  I got my cartilage pierced!

 Aly, Cheyenne, Maddy, and I had a roomie family photo shoot outside of our house...can this get any cuter??

 We had leader weekend this past weekend for all Younglife leaders at Lost Canyon!  What a time!  It was such a blessing to hang out with the other leaders and spend quality time with my homies!

I would say we have the best area director in the world, Jason Rinne.  Not only did he take us to Pine Country Inn to eat all the pie possible, but the carnival was in the town of Williams, so all of NORAZYL went on Pharaoh's Fury!  WHAT AN EXPERIENCE!  We completely owned that ride and threw out YL signs left and right.  We screamed the whole time and just laughed at each other through the whole thing...thank you Jesus for my life.

This semester so far has completely blown my mind, but it has taught me this one thing most importantly:  My relationship with Jesus is THE most important thing in my life and I will strive everyday to put Him first in everything I do.

meow!

I have a cat people!  I just got to Treasure Island and was pleasantly surprised to find this furry creature in my house, and learn that he is now ours.  He is my kitty and he shall be mine.  I'm not sure exactly what his name is...it's either Abel, Smokey, Totoro, Jack Sparrow, Hawkins...I'm just not sure yet.  But I don't care because he already has my heart :)  It sure didn't take long.

The thing that I don't get is I am not a cat person.  I hate cats.  But this cat...game over.

the land of disney

Sarah and I have had an a-maz-ing Summer together this year!  When we thought it couldn't get any better, her parents surprise us with a spontaneous Disneyland trip....YES PLEASE!!  A Disney trip could not be complete with princess rings, princess stick on earrings, and our Disney backpacks.

As we were checking in, the lady behind the counter asked if we would like to stay in a different room than we had booked.  It contained two bedrooms and a common area, we thought, "What the heck?  Why not?" Little did we know that we had just said yes to staying in the MICKEY MOUSE PENTHOUSE SUITE!!!!!  Yes people, that really happened.

DISNEYLAND!!!!  The classic picture of the Mickey face and train station...the entrance to pure magicalness :)

Da castle!

 Sarah and I always love going on Splash Mountain, but this time I was in the first seat and she was in the second seat...bad news bears.

 The one thing that HAD to happen, regardless of line length, was to see Rapunzel and my future husband, Flynn Rider.  I have the best friend in the world (she is very uncomfortable around characters) and she waited in line with me to make my dream come true!  Which one is the real Rapunzel?  I'd say the one next to Flynn Rider, for sure!

 Mint Juleps...Enough said.  This is a delicious drink that is popular in New Orleans, but of course, here at Disneyland we get to experience this libation without alcohol :)

 Ariel's Grotto!  This ride was so freaking cute!  You ride in a shell and journey through the story of The Little Mermaid.  It was especially enjoyable because everyone was sweating buckets outside and i was a nice, cool place to relax.

 Thunder Mountain!  This is the wildest ride in the wilderness!

 World's Famous Jungle Cruise! 

 Giraffes!

 Buzz Lightyear ride!  Sarah had the backpack and everything...what a true fan.

 Toon Town!

 Cars Land....EVERYONE and their mother was at this new attraction!  However, the plus side was that because everyone was here, no one was at California Screamin' or Hollywood Tower of Terror!  Short lines?  I don't hate it.

 Can't get us enough Toy Story Mania!  

 Sarah and I channeling our inner princesses.  We are at Disneyland, right?  I ask the nice lady at the register to put Tiana on Sarah's coffee and Rapunzel (duh, I mean do you know who I am?) on mine.  She asks, "Wait...how do you spell Rapunzel?"  WHAT?!  Are you insane?  Do you not work at Disneyland? Get outta here.  I told her and then she proceeded to spell it "RapunCel"...that's not cool.  Disney, that's kinda embarrassing, but I love you anyway.

 We never leave the hotel without these bad boys!  It's funny to see how we have evolved as young women because now our backpacks are accompanied by iPhones, Starbuck's, and sunglasses.

 We survived with a smile on our faces!

 Paradise Pier

 Main Street, U.S.A.

 Seriously, they weren't kidding when they called this establishment "The happiest place on earth".

 Mary Poppins and Bert!

 So, I was so stoked to buy as much Rapunzel treasures I could when I was in Disneyland.  However, they had NOTHING Rapunzel except for this beaut.  No I did not buy it, I have no idea why! ;)

These 3 days that we had in Disneyland were so ridiculously special.  Sarah and I never cease to have the most memorable time together and non-stop laughter.  We are both about to go our separate ways for the gazillionith time, but it never gets easier.  This Summer has been more than I could have dreamed, spending countless days with my other half.  Sarah, I'm crying as I'm typing this, but you mean more than the world to me.  There is no one else who knows me the way you do or who I never get sick of.  (it's weird how that happens)  You are incredibly special to me and my heart hurts I love you so much.
Thanks for being there for me.
Thanks for letting me be myself.
Thanks for listening.
Thanks for your wisdom.
Thanks for being honest.
Thanks for being my Buzz.
Thanks for being my Todd.
Thanks for being you.
"You've got a friend in me."
"Cooper, you're my best friend.  And you're mine too, Tod.  And we'll always be friends forever.  Won't we?  Yeah, forever."
And a million thanks go out to Rick and Robin Schmidgall, you guys are the best other parents that I have!  Thanks for loving me and treating me like a daughter!