I'm So Excited!

I just wanted to share with you all how gosh darn excited I am to get my very own mixer this weekend!!! Granted, it's this super old school, made in the 80s, standing mixer, but a mixer is a mixer and I'll take it! Until now, I've been baking everything with a wooden spoon. It's harder than it looks! It takes a lot more stirring and time than using a standing mixer and I'm so grateful for my mother being a baker too and having an old one I can take back to my apartment after visiting home this weekend. Now I can whip my own frosting and multitask while something mixes in the bowl on the side. I'll post pictures as soon as I bake up my first creation, which is looking like it'll be...drum roll please...PUMPKIN CUPCAKES!! (with a homemade cream cheese frosting.)

Happy Thursday Everyone!! Enjoy this beautiful fall weather!
Liz.

First Baking Adventure!

Yay!!! So today on my way into my apartment complex, my friend Kaitlyn, who lives two doors down, asked if I would be interested in making some cake balls sometime soon to feature here on my blog. Naturally, I accepted her offer and I'm so excited to let everyone know that our first post is going to be on cake balls! This is going to be my very first attempt at this treat so hopefully all will go well! I'm thinking we are going to do a few different kinds of decorations, maybe even some Halloween themed ones.

Hopefully we can get to baking soon, but unfortunately, things are getting crazy academically, so it may be longer than we'd like to be able to spare an hour or so to make these fun little cakes-on-a-stick. If anyone has a suggestion for what you'd like to see me bake here at Lovin in the Oven, please leave a comment! I'm always in the business of finding and testing out new recipes and then putting my own spin on them. :)

Hope everyone has been well! Yay for fall finally being here!
Liz.

Ordering Details!

I realize this is a bit in advance here, but for future reference, if you'd like to order any of the baked goods seen here on Lovin' in the Oven please contact me, Liz, through email at lizabethjane09@gmail.com This account has emails forwarded directly to my phone at all hours of the day so I am certain to receive your request! All pricing information is subject to quantity available and demand. For a quote, please feel free to email! Since I am small and local, as of now I am only able to deliver to Bloomington-Normal and a small surrounding area.

My dream in this is to be able to expand to more of Central Illinois and create many different kinds of cupcakes and bakery items, ultimately being able to open up a storefront. But that's way futuristic! Just thought I'd share a bit of what I hope this can become with you all. :)

Bear With Me!

So, I decided that I wanted to start something new, something that more accurately depicted what my passions are and how I express myself creatively, ergo BAKING BLOG!!! Yay!

Ok, so I'm going to be trying out a few new recipes and I hope to update with new goodies about twice a week. This is going to be a lot of baking, and a lot of cupcakes and other delicious goodies, so please, bear with me if I don't get a chance to update a couple weeks in a row. Aka, baking is not cheap, and I'm a broke (really) college student. But baking and decorating is something I truly enjoy doing and I feel is a great way for  me to express my artistic talents. And it's food. Come on. Who doesn't like a whole lot of cupcakes in their apartment to nom on after (or before, or during...) a meal?!

I'm also thinking of starting to sell the cupcakes if they become popular after giving away a few batches. Granted, I only have so much space in my little apartment kitchen to store all of these treats, so if you'd like some while I'm just starting out, PLEASE let me know! I'm more than happy to run some to your house! :)

Well, I think that about covers it for now! Happy Hump Day everyone!
Liz

As Of Recent...

Since I haven't posted in awhile, and obviously since I should be studying for my physiopsychology exam tomorrow afternoon, I decided to let you all in on what's been up in life recently!

It's that time of the semester again, test week of death. You know, that one, or two, or in my case three, week(s) where all your professors assign a ridiculous amount of homework and decide to have exams. Those weeks when you start to establish a serious caffeine dependency and the local coffee shop starts knowing you as a regular. Yep. It's that time.

So naturally, I got through six of twelve pages of my notes (typed notes, mind you, therefore a lot more information than you probably originally thought) and decided I deserve a reward. Ergo, blog checking time! There are so many wonderful little finds that I've been introduced to and love keeping up with. Granted, two of these three are my friends, but they're so creative and adorable that I keep spending my valuable waking hours ooing and ahhing over their style and making lists of to-buys based on their recommendations.

First is Kaitlin, or Kait, as you probably know her. Her blog is featured here: Kait Kulture. Kait is a super sweet, super stylish lass who never fails to make me giggle. A soon-to-be fashion merchandising graduate at Illinois State University and soon-to-be resident of Nashville, Tennessee, Kait exudes a personal style that effortlessly enhances her absolutely genuine selfless nature. If you're really looking to win this lovely lady over, go for a good pair of Steve Maddens or a burrito bowl from Chipotle.

Next is Kendi from Kendi Everyday. This girl. I don't know her, but she's one of those people who I think if we ever met, we'd be instant friends. She's so beautiful and her style is so effortless and doable, I make sure her posts are on my daily reading list. Also, as if that wasn't enough, girlfriend is funny! Fashion with a little bit of dry humor. It's an essential every girl needs in her life, like chocolate and fat pants. And a good Ryan Gosling movie. (Right, ladies?) If you're not already, follow her. You won't regret it. Unless you have lots of things to do, then you might, only because you'll find yourself reading for a ridiculous amount of time at once. Trust me, I'm speaking from personal experience.

Finally, one of my best friends, Courtney, just started a style blog! Girl is crafty, and it will definitely show. With a unique and hip sense of style, help me in welcoming Courts blog, Adventures and Eccentricity into the blogosphere! She's sure to not disappoint once things really get kicked off.

Aside from blog creepin and homework doin, life hasn't been all too crazy down here in good ol' central Illinois. Just a few lovely fall nights spent with friends laying under the stars, laughing and talking until 5am, watching movies that turn out to be surprisingly good, and of course, grabbing a delicious pumpkin spice latte at the local coffee house.

Obviously, this hasn't been a super crazy exciting post, but I just wanted to give everyone an update and promote some things I fully support and am excited about! Hope everyone's enjoying the beautiful fall weather!
Here's to boot season!
Blessings,
Liz.

Amen

This is how I feel today. <3

Lyrics:
I’m alive to bring glory to You, King
God of victory, You are my passion
It’s in the way You are, You don’t change at all
Great and humble God, You are my passion

My strength in life is I am Yours
My soul delights because I am Yours

Your will on earth is all I’m living for

Jesus, I glorify; Jesus, my love is Yours
You are my heart’s desire; I live to know You more

Light that breaks the darkness, showing what true love is
Always full of goodness, You are my passion
You never do me wrong, the meekest Man, but strong
The most perfect song, You are my passion

As always,
Blessings,
Liz. :)

A Little Retail Therapy

Since apparently autumn was just being a tease this year and left us with summer weather through mid October, I've been thinking about how to adjust my wardrobe to fit the warmer temperatures. Especially since I thought I was done with all my summer clothes. Here are a few things I want to purchase/thrift to bring a little oomph to my closet. After all, retail therapy is some of the best therapy (next to chocolate and chick flicks with best friends, of course).

First, I've been thinking about it for awhile, and I really want a pair of crochet-type shorts that are scalloped at the bottom. Like these!

They're super fun and summery. Belted with a thicker braided or patterned belt and paired with some gladiator-esque sandals, a long necklace, some gold bangles, and flowy top would make this super cute to bust out on warmer days. Like today, when the high is yet again 81 and it's almost half way through the 10th month of the year.

Another really cool thing I've been wanting to try out is something I found on Pinterest. I'll for sure go thrifting for this one since it requires a men's dress shirt and those can be expensive! The idea is to use an old men's dress shirt and use it as a skirt. It's super easy to do too! Just button it up 3/4 of the way, step inside, tuck in the collar and tie the sleeves around your waist like a belt. Here's the picture linked to the site with the instructions on how to make this super easy, repurposed shirt skirt:

Super adorable, right?! I'd pair it with a different shirt, but i really like the idea of being able to use old things to make new things. I'm all about DIY crafts.

Also, I mentioned Pinterest earlier. If you haven't heard of it before, it's fantastic. It's this website where you find pictures of things you like and you organize your own virtual pin boards. When you pin things to your board, your followers can repin them onto their boards and you can repin things your friends pin onto your boards! It's a great way to share ideas about just about anything. And the best part is that a bunch of the projects have links to sites showing you how to do the crafts. Here's the link to Pinterest: www.pinterest.com
You'll have to request to join, or leave your email address in a comment and I'll invite you!

Hope everyone's having a fabulous Monday!
Blessings,
Liz.

New Outfit, New Outlook

Is it just me, or does anybody else feel like sometimes, simply changing your outfit can give you a whole new outlook on your day?! I was wearing something super blah to class because I was running late (go figure) and I wasn't feeling 100% myself. A tad bit mood swingy if you will. So after a day of discussions and coffee and class, I came home to watch a little Modern Family from last night and get things together for a concert tonight. I decided that I should dress a little cuter since, well, it is Mat Kearney and he is beautiful (not that that matters anyways because he's married, ladies.) but also because I've had moments before when I change something as simple as my shoes and it makes me feel so much better about myself and about the day ahead of me. Maybe that's sadly materialistic, but whatever works, right?

So as I was walking home from the quad, I decided to put on a little Mat and brush up on some lyrics. (Super nerdy, I know, judge me.) I didn't realize until I was practically singing aloud to my iPod just how much some of his lyrics really speak to my heart. Here are a few prime examples:

(From Girl America)

My girl America is just a youth in this world
Her smile is more precious than the sparkle of pearls
And though her age reads she's just a young girl
The age behind her eyes show the pain that she's swirled
Through the hand that's been dealt though it's quiet as kept
The weight that she felt last night when she slept
And as she crept into the dreams of the things of her past
Seems to have grown so fast, way beyond her own class
Though they're right there with her, her brothers and her sisters
A natural born leader even when her peers dis her
My girl, she's at a crossroads, people praying for her
Some are preying on her magazine ads, sex, drama
Smoking marijuana, longer for a father to call her, 'daughter'
She's part of a generation longing for reconciliation
And this future that they're facing and this poison that they're tasting
My girl, I know this love you're chasing

Boys with hungry eyes have been beating her door
Telling her that's what she's for, trying to rob at her core
Then leave calling her a whore, but still she knows there's more
I know she knows there's more because there is a voice she can't ignore
'Cause it was founded in the foundations, from the day of her creation
In God we trust engraved on the treasures of her nation
And the void that the boys can't fill
With the tipping of the bottle or the popping of the pill
But still most of her friends don't care as they glare
Ready to drown down the funnel as they frown down the tunnel
They stumble and they tumble breaking down into rubble
My girl America, stop can't you see
It's not the circumstances that determine who you're gonna be
But how you deal with these problems and pains that come your way
It's for you that I pray with hope for a brighter day
And so I say, your deliverance is coming
 

Faith like a child from your first birth
You left it in the dirt on your worst hurt
And I see each tear and every scar
The hands that have held you where you are
And I can see we've strayed so far
A king born under that morning star
As a crown of thorns was placed to erase
Each tear that's touched your face
And his palms and sides were pierced with spears
He hung in love just to draw you near
My girl, out of this whole world
Can't you see this is where we started?

How beautiful is that?! Really. I love that song so much because it speaks so much of how far I've come in two years. What a beautiful picture of salvation from all the absolute garbage of this world.

Another song I really identify with is called The Middle. I love the lyrics of the first stanza and chorus,

 I meant it all and every part and every word right from the start. I'll never let this love fall in the middle. Cause you know you broke the hardest part, you know you broke the hardest heart. I'll never let this love fall in the middle, through it all. No parachutes or safety nets here. One foot on the water to face these fears. I'm coming out strong like I can't be wrong. I say hey, I don't wanna fall in the middle.

Fantastic. I love that there's a song like this that I can identify with--not wanting to become lukewarm, always striving to keep having that faith to put "one foot on the water to face these fears."

I know this probably wasn't the most original blog post you've ever read in your life, but I hope you got something out of it regardless. :)

As always,
Blessings,
Liz.

Yayayayayayay!!

This is going to be the best birthday EVER!!!

I got somebody to cover my shift at work, meaning I can go with my friends to Naperville to see Jenny and Tyler, which I've been dying to do since, like, the beginning of summer. And if that wasn't enough, the weather is supposed to be perfect, with a high of 60 degrees. (No, I don't think that's too cold. I was made for the fall!) I'm so blessed to be able to spend time with people I love doing something I love in a place I've never been and am so excited to visit. I can't wait to see happy faces of everyone as we adventure through this (dare I say) monumental weekend! Bring it on, 21. You've got some big shoes to fill.

As always,
Blessings,
Liz.

And Then I Kickced That Test's Butt!

Thanks, God, for helping me pull a couple answers from my cerebral cortex and my hippocampus to beast that neuroanatomy test. Yes, that was supposed to be slightly punny**.



**If you didn't get it, the cerebral cortex is the area of the brain responsible for executive functions and higher order thinking and planning, and the hippocampus is responsible for information consolidation and memory storage/retrieval. Now you get it, don't you? :)

Talking with Best Friend > Studying for Brain Anatomy and Physiology

True life:  I have strange priorities.

Well, according to most people anyways.
I decided today to take a break from studying for my first physiological psychology test today to have a little chat with my best friend. Most people would say that's silly, that's a hard class, you should be more focused on it. By investing in this test, which is one of four tests in one class in one semester of one year out of the eight years I'll be in college, I would be missing out on this one conversation, which is one of hundreds, probably thousands, of conversations in one friendship in this one lifetime. Seems like a no brainer right? But here's what I have to say about that. What's more important in the long run, getting an A on this test or building a relationship with a person?

Of course, you've probably guessed that I'm saying the latter. There are always more tests to take to make up for this one, there's always extra credit and office hours to go to in order to help raise my grade, but there will never be another moment exactly like the one I would've missed when talking with Ky. I would rather be the long distance runner in this race of life than finish first in all the short sprints. What's going to be most meaningful in life isn't necessarily the "things" of today like grades on tests, but who we take with us along the way. I'm thankful for having a friend who will distract me every once an awhile from being so short-distance focused.

Hope everyone's having a super Monday!
Liz.

Today

Sometimes, all it takes to turn a bad week around is some good music. Today while getting ready to head to a rather long shift at work, I decided to get dressed and ready to an older playlist I made for my best friend. There were a few songs that made me laugh so hard and just completely brightened my day. If you know us at all, you've probably seen me and Kyla being a little bit ridiculous in public. Usually this involves us dancing around and then laughing really hard and only the two of us understand what's going on so everyone else thinks we're just nuts. Well. One of the songs we dance around to like loons came on. You've probably heard it, unless you've been living under a rock for the past year. Waka Waka by Shakira. The theme song for the World Cup in South Africa. We learned the dance and typically use it during dance parties, which usually is just me and Ky in her room in our pajamas. Let's be real. We are super cool. So when this song came on, instead of worrying about what time it was or what I was going to do for dinner tonight at work, I just smiled, and listened. And laughed.

This is probably a really ridiculous post, but I figured I can't be alone in this. Somebody else out there has had this experience too. When you're having a really really crummy week and then that one little thing happens and everything looks up.

Ok, now I really do have to go to work. So, hope y'all are having a wonderful day!

Blessings,
Liz.

Focus

To get into Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine I need to finish:

• 1 more semester of biology
• 1 more semester of chemistry
• 2 more semesters of physics
• 2 more semesters of organic chemistry
• Above a 30 on my MCAT.

I got this. Eyes on the prize.

9 Days

My birthday is in 9 days. This is both exciting and nerve-wrecking. Why, you ask? Well. There are a couple of reasons.

1. I'm excited because it's the first year since I was 10 years old that I'll be having a birthday party! A few of my close friends and I are driving up to Naperville next Friday to see one of my favorite bands, Jenny and Tyler, play a show and tickets are only $10. So great. It'll be a great night with a bunch of lovely girls.

2. I'm excited because I'm turning 21. I can just do so many more things now because of my age. Let's be honest, I'm not one to go out and party my life away. It's just not my style. But I can go to some bars now to see shows I wasn't able to see before, I'm allowed to have a glass of wine with a fancy dinner, I get a fancy shmancy new horizontal license and consequently, a new license picture! Hooray!

3. I'm nervous though because, as of now, I'm still scheduled to work that night from 6-10pm. Womp womp. I put up a post it asking, begging, people to please take my shift that night because, well, it's my freakin birthday. Have a heart. You'd think somebody would've stepped up and said, "Hey yeah! I'll take your shift! I wouldn't want to have to work till 10pm on a Friday if it was my birthday." Nope. Nada. Nobody has called me or posted saying that they'll take it. I'm trying to stay optimistic and tell myself somebody will be my good Samaritan and help me out when I'm in need. Is this not the golden rule we all learned in, what, kindergarten? Treat others the way you wish to be treated. If it was them, I'm sure they wouldn't want to work, and heck, if I didn't already have plans made, I'd take it!

So, if you're the praying type, and maybe this is super vain of me, but pray for people to have tender hearts so somebody can help me out here. It's been a long time since I've had a really happy birthday and I'm kinda hoping this could be the year.

Hopefully.

Something's Missing

Forewarning: this is not a happy post. But it's real. If you don't want to read something unhappy, then leave now. And really, if you think life should be all rainbows and smiles then I feel sorry for you and your ignorance.

To be quite frank, it's been a rough day.

One of those days when everywhere you turn you're reminded of something you're trying so hard to forget or move past or get over. And everyone keeps on going on and on and on and you try and try and try to keep up the act, but even the best actors break character every once and awhile.

For those of you who think I'm happy, I'm not sure I can agree with you. I can say that I certainly appear happy. But I'm a good actress. And today I'm breaking character.

It's hard to focus on anything when everything you wish you had is smiting you. When another friend gets engaged and you want to be happy for them, but you just can't be because it reminds you of just how lonely you really are. When your friends are being asked to write bachelor's theses and double majoring and you're struggling to pass all whopping twelve credit hours you're taking this semester. When everyone flaunts their spending ability and you don't know how you're going to pay the next bill and afford to buy groceries. When everyone else gets invited in your group of friends.



But not you.




This, my dear friends, is the story of my life.

It's a daily test of patience and holding my tongue. Sometimes I really want to call everyone out, "YOU'RE NOT BEING VERY CHRISTIAN!"

I think the ultimate theme of recent has been the utter alone-ness if you will I've been accustoming myself to. Exclusion is never fun. It's a lot like rejection. Ok, it is rejection. It seems like I've been facing a lot of rejection lately. From jobs, from boys, from people, from my bank, from my parents. No no no no no. Nothing is quite right. I'm not quite right. Not for them.

I don't know what else to do. Everyone can say, "Oh you're so sweet! We all love you! blah blah blah" but prove it. I'm sick of lies and deception and feeling utterly unworthy of anything wonderful and happy and lovely.

I need real people. I'm done with all the fake. It's all so surface level and fake sweet that it literally makes me nauseous.

You know what I'm missing? Love. Real, true, undeniable, unconditional love. I have found that in my Creator. But I'm not convinced that I can find it here on Earth.

Prove me wrong. Please. I'm begging you.

This Will Not Be At All Inspirational

But, I wanted to write these things down somewhere so I remember to do them! Also, it's a pretty good glimpse into my obviously all too glamorous life. (Sarcasm...)

1. Shower. Freakin A.
2. Clean room. Like, deep clean. Not just pushing all the clothes into the closet.
3. Eat something. Don't skip nighttime meals!!
4. Pack for home tonight because you know you won't be doing it tomorrow morning before work.
5. Apply at Norm Pub Lib.
6. Breathe.
7. Clean out refrigerator. Just toss everything. It's easier that way.
8. Go through old dance clothes and find tiny leotards and ballet shoes for Yana.
9. Never again sing along to "Moves Like Jagger." It will be forever stuck in your head.
10. Finishing reading Acts. It's starting to get really good.
11. Fill up with $15 of gas so parents will fill it up for real when you're home.
12. Buy more deodorant. Seriously.
13. Do laundry. Maybe make mom do laundry? Maybe toss laundry into family's laundry without anyone noticing...
14. Take dishes out of dishwasher and actually put them away. You actually have roommates this month.
15. Breathe.
16. Sleep. At a decent hour this time. Maybe.

Blessings

Today as I was driving home from the bank I was nearly in tears because of how overwhelmed I was when I realized all the wonderful things God has blessed me with today. It all started out with making it to the bank five minutes before close, despite hitting basically every single red light from Fort Jesse to Vernon, then on Towanda from Vernon to Empire. The story goes like this:

I hit the first red light and checked the clock. 5:17. Crap. I have to make it all the way across town in thirteen minutes. That sure ain't happening. What do I do? I have to get this check in the bank TODAY so it will clear in time for me to pay rent. I guess I could take the late penalty...but no, I can't, what if I'm accidentally late again? They can evict me after the first one. Shoot, then I'm homeless...I have to make it to this bank. Dang it light, TURN GREEN ALREADY!!

I hit the second red light and checked the clock. 5:19. Gosh darn it, I can't keep sitting at these stupid lights. Shoot, I'm almost to a quarter tank of gas. Another reason this check needs to get to the bank pronto. Come on come on come on. Change....NOW....NOW....NOW...I should've turned right and taken Towanda from out here...

Then I got lucky, a green light through the intersection at College. Hoorah. This excitement doesn't last long.

Because I hit yet another red light at Von Maur Drive, or whatever it's called. I check the time. 5:21. Cutting it close. Bank closes in eight minutes. Should I call my parents and ask to borrow the money so I can pay rent? No, then they'll think you're irresponsible and they'll make you live at home again. Shoot, please be open, please stay open, please turn green!!!

Last light, traffic on Veterans is a slow 30mph while the speed limit is 45. Tailgating until my turn lane for Vernon appears and then I gun it. 35, 40, 45, pushing 50, back to 45, 40, 30, 25, wide turn, red light.

Freakin A. This light is NEVER red. Come on, come on, come on. Go greeeeeeeen!!!

Finally, I'm approaching Towanda, turn lane, yes, and of course, red light. Time check: 5:24. Six minutes. This is pushing it. I can't hit any more lights or I'm screwed. Hope there aren't any cops out.

Through another green light at Emerson and a hop skip and a jump and boom, turn signal on, sharp turn, and we're here. 5:27. Three minutes to spare. Window down, music down, sunglasses off. Hi, yes I'd like a checking account deposit slip please. Thank you. Scribble a few numbers, scrawl out my rather sloppy Hancock, check in, cash out, done. 5:30. This, friends, is where things get messy.

After I turn out of the bank parking lot and take a few deep breaths, I remember. Thank God. Really. I just sat there in my car and thanked God for providing yet again when I thought I was S.O.L. Thank God for a family willing to pay half of my rent, for a car to get to the bank, for making me sit at all these red lights to realize that He had me covered and that I need to stop being such a worrier.

Why is it so difficult to remember that sometimes? For some reason I seem to find it so very easy to forget about all of the wonderful things I've been blessed with and instead can only focus on the problem right in front of me. It's like having a giant tapestry, an artistic masterpiece, and only seeing a single thread. Francis Chan points out the realities of these things in his book, Crazy Love:

"Worry implies that we don't quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what's happening in our lives.

Stress says that the things we are involved in are important enough to merit our impatience, our lack of grace toward others, or our tight grip of control."

It's a constant struggle in my life and I know it is for others of you as well. It's something that we have to deal with, a consequence of actions humanity made long ago, and we need to challenge it every single day. But with the grace and power of God, and a whole lot of effort on our end, it can be easier. I'd forgotten about these verses for awhile, and while skimming back through the section of Crazy Love I just quoted, stumbled upon them again. Take them to heart and remember that God is there for us to lean on always.

"Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."--Philippians 4:6-7

Blessings,
Liz.

Because I Wish It Was Colder Outside

And because this is just freaking amazing and ridiculous and real life, which blows my mind most of all. Check out some of her other videos! Especially the virtuoso inspired by Rhianna's Please Don't Stop The Music. She's insane!

Little Things

Well hello again. I realize it's been awhile since I've posted anything new, and I'm sorry about that. Part of the reason is that I was away at a friend's house last Wednesday through Saturday, then had plans at home Saturday night and Sunday is always packed. Alas, my most sincere regrets. Hope you all haven't missed me too terribly! :)

Ok, so today it was stupid hot again, and the kids were so ridiculously energetic for 8am I wanted to shoot myself. (Ok, not really, but you know...) But, as the day went on I was gifted with some of the most adorable little blessings from these youngins! Before nap time today, the little girl I nanny, Yana, decided she wanted to fall asleep in the car on the way home from swim lessons. Which was wonderful, because usually she's a pistol to put to bed, and after she woke up when I pulled her out of her car seat, she fell asleep again on my shoulder as I carried her inside and up to her bed. Although it made me about ten degrees hotter, it was precious, so a little extra sweat wasn't even a problem.

Then, as I was about to leave the house for the evening around 5:15, I realized I had left the laundry I folded earlier in the living room instead of taking it upstairs to the bedroom where I usually do. As I walked over and picked up the basket, the little boy I sit, Arav, asked if he could carry it for me and put it upstairs where it belongs without question. Holy moley y'all. These little terrors are actually looking like tiny humans!! And it's great. Also, as I was walking out the door, both kids wanted to walk me to my car, and I got hugs from them both before I hopped into my seat.

I realize these things probably seem super lame to any of you reading this, but trust me, if you had had this job all summer like I have, you would truly realize just how wonderful these little things made me feel. Especially after getting flack yet again from the mother for something ridiculous. Oh well, she's taking me shopping on Friday and I'm PUMPED.

Well, that's all for now, until next time,

Blessings,
Liz.

Untitled

Forgive me, but this post is going to be a plethora of things that have been swirling around in my head recently. So I'm sorry if things don't transition or make sense, but that's life. It's messy around the edges, but somehow it manages to work out ok.

First of all, this song. Goodness, it's just so right right now. I could legitimately listen to it from the time I get home from work until the time I go to bed everyday and never get sick of it. It's so beautiful, in lyrics and in melody. Please, give it a good, honest listen.

Secondly, I've been learning more and more, and not the easy way, that the only thing worth truly pursuing with your life is God. As posted before, I got myself I nice little slap in the face on Sunday night, which made me realize that I'm not doing my part trying to balance the scales of pursuit at all. I run...and run...and run some more, but the endurance of God is never-ending. He will run after me until my muscles fail me and I can't run any farther. So I decided to give up trying things my way and trying things the way God wants me to do them. Crazy concept, right? Yeah, that was a little bit sarcastic.

This whole new way of doing each day has been exciting. I wake up not quite knowing what will happen, but that whatever does happen, will be for my good in the end. Some days are filled with generous blessings, others with trials, but at the end of the day, I know that no matter what has happened, I'm that much closer to God and striving to live everyday like he commands me to.

So I spread writing this post out over two days. Mostly because I got distracted when I was writing originally, and now I feel focused, and better rested. I originally also couldn't come up with a decent title for this post, but I think in the shower today, it came to me. You have to lose your life to find it. I think that's an appropriate title today. Forget about what you want out of life and drop your plans. Just start living and you'll find a life fuller than you can even imagine. This is a tough one for me because I can be so Type A sometimes. I like when things match, are planned to the minute, and when people actually use their turn signals. (But really, people in this town drive like maniacs.) But I'm trying to better, and for now, that's all I can do--just keep trying.

Also, while I was looking in the mirror trying to decide whether to straighten my bangs tonight or in the morning I got this:  Glory be to the Father. And it made me think, how much am I taking credit for in my life? Because in all reality, none of it is me. It's one of those things I want to remember so badly, I thought about getting it tattooed on. (Too far, mom?) (Psh, like my mom knows I blog.) But really, think about that one. Are you taking credit for things that you shouldn't be? I don't want to make you feel bad, just convicted. Which is a good thing! And God rejoices in the confession of not giving credit where credit is due. (Shameless college ministry plug--for a wonderful message on the beauty of confession, go here: http://www.fueleveryday.com/media.php?pageID=32)

So, to conclude this post, I thought I'd leave you with another song that I've been a little bit obsessed with recently. It's so lovely and simple and the lyrics are so sweet. Here you go! Hope everyone is enjoying their week and if you live anywhere near the midwest, hope you're beating this heat!!

 Blessings,
Liz.

That Awkward Moment When You Realize You've Been Ignoring God For Nearly 10 Months

Hey y'all. I know it's been awhile since I've written, but honestly, besides it being ridiculously hot outside and babysitting, not much has happened--until tonight. It was one of those days where you get the good news and the bad news but they're kind of the same thing. Yeah, I realize that was vague. You don't need to tell me twice.

So here's thing, long story short, it's another one of those drawn out boy meets girl stories, but in this one, girl realizes she wasn't doing the right thing all along, is about to dtr* herself, and then gets dtr-ed* by the boy out of the blue after a game night at the Christian girls's campus house after church. This story doesn't end well for the girl in one way, but at the same time, it's a good thing. Confusing? Probably. Sorry bout it. I'm trying to not get too detailed here, otherwise this story would go on forever, and I would really like to keep the identity of said boy anonymous as well as possible.

If you didn't catch on here, I am girl. I got to go through that awkward moment where you're like, "no really, I talked to God and He was like, 'girl, what are you doing? I've been trying to tell you for awhile now that he's not right,'" even though you told a girl literally a week ago about your crush on this boy. But true life, I wasn't in a good place before, let's say Thursday for the sake of argument, and it wasn't until then that I realized what had been right in front of my face for, well, awhile. What's awkward now is going to be going to work and having the mother of the kids I babysit ask me questions and me having to answer, "Yeahhh about that..." I'm awkward enough without being thrown into extra awkward situations. I'm not so sure I can socially handle that one. Whatever though, I'll figure it out as I go. Hey, maybe she was right about the eyebrows and if they were nice, I would've landed the man. (Sorry, still bitter.)

Tangent. My bad. Back to business.

So where I was going with this story was that I've realized that I can't keep trying to fit World-shaped pegs into God-shaped holes. It's just one of those times in life where legitimately EVERYONE AND THEIR MOTHER is getting engaged, so it's like, oh you're 20 and not in a serious committed relationship?? What the heck?! And then you're like, shoot son, I gots ta get me a man! Which is such a lie. A big, fat, ugly, worldly lie. And it's only taken me way too long to figure that one out. But, I'm ok with it, because I did figure it out and now I'm able to focus my attention on things that deserve my attention. (cough cough, Jesus, cough.) And when the timing is perfect, Mr. Right will walk into the picture, preferably in a nice pair of Toms, just sayin, and life will be splendid.

But for right now, I get to work on the most important relationship in my life and I'm really excited about it. God time is good time. And I need it badly. So I can only see things going up from here. Super.

Well, this seems like a good place to leave the story for now. Until next time,

Blessings,
Liz.
*dtr is a term used by young adults in my Christian community meaning define the relationship. so there's no more awkward, "oh I think he likes me" stuff. It's typically the guy's responsibility, as a Christian, to step up to the plate and start a dtr conversation. And this time, I got lucky and had a guy with enough (excuse my language) balls to bring it up himself. 

Welcome To The Midwest

Holy begeezus y'all. Today was a scorcher! By the time I left my apartment this morning at 8:10 am, it was already 90 degrees out. I don't think I've ever sweat more in my young adult life than at the park today while merely pushing a toddler on a swing. Call me a loser, but summer is not at all my favorite season. I would say it's spring, but heaven knows we don't even get a spring anymore. Nope. It's just freezing, freezing, freezing...oh, now it's hot, hot, hot...oh, now we'll add the humidity and call it summer. Barf. They're calling for rain tonight and I couldn't be more excited. Hopefully a little water will cool this place down a bit. (I mean, it obviously won't if I'm still living here, but...) (jk lol) (I'm so modest.)

So here's a video of a wonderful song by a wonderful artist that you should all watch because you have nothing better to do. :)

That's Pretty Sketch...

Recently, I've found myself being even more attention deficit than usual. I've been so sketchy, and not in the creepy way...ok, maybe a little bit, but we're all creepers at some point or another, come on now. I've been sketching and painting things just because I have free time and, if I may, I've been getting pretty good at a few of them. Granted, mostly I only sketch at work, which means while nannying, which means most of my best work has been on a Magnadoodle and got erased by impatient kiddos all of five seconds after finishing. But those were glorious five seconds and I was proud of those sketches. I'm planning on trying to recreate some of them. Like this really sweet horse I drew while trying to emulate the knight chess piece on top of a kid's trophy.

Most of my best sketches end up on my walls. With paint. Like the other day, I drew a pretty sweet looking tree on my white board where I leave my roommates notes telling them where I am so they don't freak out. I haven't erased it yet, and I don't plan on doing so until absolutely necessary. Anyway, one afternoon I was spacing out, staring at the empty space on the wall above my computer when I thought, 'I should paint that.' So I did. I made a run to Hobby Lobby, bought some sale paint and brushes and a cheap-o palette and got started. I ended up painting a giant tree right above my bed, so it looks like the trunk is coming out of my pillows. It wraps branches over onto another wall and continues onto my ceiling, extending at least a good two feet over my bed. I inscribed the verse Colossians 1:10-11 on one of the branches, too. And with silver accents on all the branches, if I do say so myself, dang that tree looks good.

I always knew I liked to draw but I never found myself being particularly good at it, especially compared to some of my extremely gifted friends and family members. But I think this is something I'm going to try to keep up with. It's a good way to get away from the world for awhile and just let my brain create. I think next I'm going to mural some big ol' purple flowers on a wall. Should make for an fun weekend project at the very least.

Mostly, I think the point of this post is to encourage myself to be more spontaneous. To just create and not be afraid of messing up or it being ugly. Art is art. Somebody out there would probably find it super inspirational and pay big bucks to put it in their gallery full of weird abstract pieces.
Well, that's all for now folks.

Blessings,
Liz.

Sometimes I Wish I Was British

And not just for the sweet accent. No, really, I wish I lived in England sometimes because of the fact that, well, it's in Europe. And in Europe, it's pretty easy to get from country to country traveling around, which is exactly what I would love to do while I'm still young. Maybe it's super unpatriotic of me to want to live in the country that we freed ourselves from. But then I think about it, and I really don't care.

Also, let's just be honest here. How great would it be to get the legit Harry Potter movie premieres every year?!? Yes, I am going to nerd out here for just a bit. Bear with me.

I remember very distinctly during the summer after 7th grade finding some Warner Bros casting information asking for extras for the 4th installment of Harry Potter. I immediately peed myself (sarcasm...) and ran up to my mom's office to find three good pictures I could send in with my application. Did I think about how I would get to Europe? No. Did I consider I would have to drop out of junior high, which I don't even think is legal? Definitely not. Did I realize that all of the recent pictures my mom had were of me, braces clad and hair twice the size of my head? Probably yes, but it was charming because I was only 13, right? Probably not. Anyway, I wrote out why I should be picked as an extra for the movie, filled out a super bogus resume listing the three plays I was in during 5th grade and how I was in the district choir in junior high, and addressed the envelope for Warner Bros.

True life.

I'm pretty sure my mom took that one right out of the mail before you can say, "WinGARdium LeviOsa!" And of course, she did it out of love, with the best intentions.

But really, how sweet would it have been to be at the final installment's premiere in London just earlier this week?! Maybe I'm just super nerdy and into the series, but can you honestly blame me? I grew up on those books. We read the first one in my 3rd grade class. I remember Drew Heineger's dad coming into our room, 3B at Lincoln Trail Elementary, to read us that story once a week. And it was the best treat we could've been given. Well, at least in my opinion. It was definitely the catalyst for my love of reading today though. I went through a period of time when I despised reading anything EXCEPT Harry Potter.

So of course, me and my best friends are heading up North on the 15th to catch the final movie on the big screen. I think it goes without being said that we are all beyond excited for this. (Not only because we're super nerds, but because this movie just looks so EPIC!) I have to be honest though, I don't know what I'm more excited about--the fact that I get to see this great movie or the fact that I get to spend the entire weekend with people I haven't really gotten to see all summer long, and may not see again after. I think it's a fairly equal pairing of the two, maybe a little tipped to the friends' side.

Well, that was a fairly embarrassing, not-so-lengthy post, but you get the gist. Until next time,

Blessings,
Liz.

Mornings

Good morning, all! It's a fine, sunny day here in Central Illinois and I have had the pleasure of just waking up about an hour ago. That's right, another day off of work and I couldn't be more excited for 5 days free of the 7am alarm. It was another night alone here in the apartment, meaning another quiet morning with all the shades open so the sunlight can pour in. I like it that way. Sunlight makes everything look a little prettier. Maybe it's just because it casts such great shadows on everything in the room, or maybe because I'm just nerdy and notice stuff like that. Oh, the down side of growing up with artsy parents...

Let's be real here, I am really not a morning person. Wake me up before I finish my 8 hours and I will not be a happy camper. But looking on the bright side, there are a few things about mornings that are nice, or at least make me laugh in hindsight. This first of which is how absolutely ridiculous I look when I wake up. Most mornings I don't even bother flipping the bathroom light on or looking in the mirror at all because I work full-time and 7 am is early folks! I don't think my eyeballs could handle the intensity of light coming from those two light bulbs at that hour. But today, since I don't have to work and got to wake up whenever I wanted, I flipped on the lights and WOWZA. I am a hot darn mess. But here's the kicker, it totally made me laugh. I don't think I'm very conscious of what I put on before I go to bed, as long as it's comfortable and keeps me warm enough. So today when I took a good look in the mirror I remembered my feet freezing last night and putting on my snowflake patterned fuzzy winter socks, not switching to warmer pants and instead keeping my soccer shorts on, and putting on an over-sized sweatshirt I totally nabbed from my dad's closet. It was like Risky Business meets Bend It Like Beckham meets the 90s (because really, everyone's clothes were over-sized in the 90s). And I still haven't changed. And I don't plan on it unless a certain friend returns an email saying we're hanging out tonight. Then I'll change. Well, maybe.

Another thing I love about mornings is how quiet they are here. Aside from the hum of traffic outside our window and the air conditioner softly blowing, I can actually hear myself think. Which doesn't often happen during the daytime. Especially with my job. (Nannying two little terrors who talk constantly and loudly. I literally end up talking to myself out loud because that's the only way I can hear myself think.) So this whole peaceful thing is a nice little trade-off. I can just plop down here on our living room couch and write and not worry about anything--just relax, or read, or write a bit.

Mmmm, well the coffee's a-brewin' and my stomach's a-growlin' so I'm heading out for some delicious breakfast. Until next time,

Blessings,
Liz.

Big Dreams

For as long as I can remember, I've been a dreamer. Not just the during sleep kind. No, I had my sights set high from the day I learned I could be anything I wanted to be. It started with a prima ballerina when I was just 2, it turned into a singer when I was 8, moved to a professional volleyball player when I was 12, a surgeon when I was 16, and then to a lead on Broadway when I was 17.

I like to think that I've always held onto that big dreaming persona, it's just that my big dreams have changed into things that are slightly less "exciting." Things I dream of now are things like working for God in Africa, falling in love, traveling with my future spouse, having a family, and instilling those dream-big values in my own kids someday. I suppose my alternative view on the future happened when I started to see myself as less important, and began to focus my life on others first. And honestly, until I just reread that first paragraph for any overlooked grammatical errors I hadn't realized that all my young dreams had a selfish focus. I wanted them for the prestige, the money, the lifestyle, but not for doing good for others. And that's where I'm at now. I'd rather focus my life on serving others than making it big for myself. I think deep down I've always found my joy in seeing others succeed than when I succeed myself.

Shoot, I think that's something worthy of being painted in over-sized font right above my computer so I'll look up and see it everyday, or get it tattooed on my hand or something. But hey, less is more, right? Maybe a post-it will do the trick. Remember this life is not of you, therefore it shouldn't be for you. Perfect. And all of you who are reading this, hold me accountable, got it? Thanks, loves.

Well, I was going to say more, but it just feels right to leave it here. Short, but sweet. Until next time,

Blessings,
Liz.

Under Pressure

So I think we've all heard that sweet 80s song, Under Pressure, right? If you haven't, YouTube that right now. It's a classic. Anyway, where I'm going with this is I've had a blog before that I used to update regularly with this really deep stuff, but then school started and stuff got hectic and the blog went into the, "I'll get to it eventually," pile. Then when I actually managed enough free time to write something, I felt like it had to be so profound that I got stuck. I couldn't out-do myself after particularly insightful posts. And I began to give up on it. But that's not what I want from my blog. I want it to be something I can pour myself into with whatever happened that day, whatever is on my mind, profound or rather mundane.

This is how I see it:  I get enough pressure from my job, school, and my parents to feel pressured by my blog. So please forgive me for any crass remarks I may make, or any posts that may seem silly or pointless, but welcome to my life. It's not always exciting, but it's never boring, if that makes sense. I hope you stay, but I won't be offended if you leave. I do have to say, if you do stay, you just might get lucky and find a few little treasures in the occasional post with deeper meaning. Maybe you'll find yourself finding yourself alongside me finding myself. And that is the coolest thing I can hope to happen as a result from this little diary-style blog.

Blessings,
Liz

My Philosophy

Hey y'all. So since this is my very first post on this blog, I figured I should give some sort of an introduction to myself. This is me in a nutshell.

Before we get into the nitty gritty, I suppose I should start with the basics. I'm 20 and an official junior at Illinois State University, which I chose to attend on a whim, and haven't regretted for one second since. It's here that I've met my best friend, a girl who knows my heart better than any other person, here that I found my life's true calling, here that I've made memories I will never ever forget. I'm an apartment-living, sweet-tea-addicted, free-hand-painting, purple-loving, messy yet clean girl just trying to find her place in this big world. Man, that sounded cheesey. But hey, it's honest.

But that's just the surface stuff that you tell people when you first meet them and you have to go through that blah blah blah of small talk. Me, well I'm here, best found in the depths of my words, the breath of the pauses, the sound of the silence between the sentences. If you keep reading, I think you'll find me, the true heart of me, and I hope you like it.

I write because my heart can't contain these words and my mouth often doesn't have the courage to speak them. The things I say are honest. So take them as you will, but I hope that every time you leave, you feel something. After all, this world needs more feeling.

Blessings,

Liz.