(More) Things I Like

I am long overdue for a "Things I Like" post. Here's some things that I've been liking a lot lately!

• "In Christ, urgent means slow…" Some good things to remember here. I've made a bad habit of getting caught up in the busyness of life that I forget what's most important. It's cliche to say, I know, but to really live it is difficult--and more necessary than we know.  

• Pure Home.  OH MY GOSH, this site is amazing! One of the coolest home decor sites ever. You pick your style, your mood, and your room, and it helps you choose your colors and accessories. Seriously, go check it out. 

• Kohl's frames. Kohl's has been having some crazy good sales on their home decor and such. I got a $40 set of 6 (really nice) frames for $13, a $50 6-frame photo ledge set for $10 (and used Kohl's cash so essentially got it for free), and this wonderful (and oh-so-me!) bird-and-branches frame for $7:

I might have a slight obsession with frames.
And pictures. The more, the merrier (until you
can't see your walls--then it might be a problem)!

• This print. So cute.

via Handz Etsy shop

• This fun workspace. 

(via Lovely Undergrad)

• Cubicle shelving. Currently wanting one of these in black.

(via Lovely Undergrad)

• Log planter! How cool would it be to DIY one of these with a real log?

(via Pure Home)

• A photo book of Instagrams. Love this idea.

(via That's Happy)

• "Vergangenheit (Loss)" by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I love this poem. I can relate to it so very well, and can attest that this is true:

"That which is past will return to you again
as your life's most living strain,
through thanks and repentance.
Lay hold on God's forgiveness in the past,
pray that He will care for you this day and to the last."

Highlights of break so far...

(Okay, so I really like making lists!)

1. Hiking...here. What?!

Apparently, some pretty great trails exist like, 20 minutes away from my house. I've lived here for 7 years and never had a clue. I'm not exactly sure how this happened, but I am sooo glad I know about them now! Darren and I went on a nice 7-mile hike on Thursday, and it was seriously one of the most beautiful trails ever. See for yourself:

Gorgeous, yes? There are, of course, more on Facebook. :) I think I've decided I'm going to forget psychology and become a nature photographer instead. I'll just spend all my time in the woods, taking pictures, and living a happy life. Okay, not really. It's a nice thought, though.

God always tends to talk to me the most when I'm in the middle of nature like that. I just get so amazed at His creativity. I mean, everything from how the light reflects off the water to the different colors of the rocks...it's incredible to think that He actually bothered to think out every single detail. I always end up discovering some new analogy between life and His creation, and that's pretty cool to me. :)

2. Listening to music in the car with friends...especially Christmas music!

Tonight, I was with Darren, Quintin, and Tahir, and we spent the first half of the trip singing along to stuff like "Down" (of course) and "Whatcha Say" (it has become mine and Quintin's song for the time being. I love that kid!). The second half? Relient K's Christmas album, "Let it Snow, Baby...Let it Reindeer." In other words, pure awesomeness. I don't know what it is, but loudly singing "The 12 Days of Christmas" and "Deck the Halls" in a car with friends tends to make me feel really happy and Christmassy like nothing else. I love it!

3. Owl City concert plans?!?!?!?!?!

Uh, yeah. Owl City, along with LIGHTS (who I started listening to about a week ago), is playing in ATL on April 20. I'm going. You should, too. (In my case, all I can say is, thank goodness for Christmas money. Heh!) I am reeeeeeally excited. In case you weren't already aware, I really like Owl City. But I'm pretty sure you knew that.

4. Family!

My 5- and 6-year-old cousins are hilarious. They can be bratty for sure, but they never fail to make me laugh. At our annual Christmas family get-together deal at my grandparents', Eli was refusing to eat his ham because he insisted that it looked like shark skin. Um, okay. He also informed me that Copper the dog from The Fox and The Hound (which I still love) has very large ears that resemble steaks. ...Yeah, I kinda love him a lot. Levi, on the other hand, has a thing for cars. Like, really. As soon as he walked in the door, he was like, "Hey, Brittany," and proceeds to give me a 10-minute breakdown on every detail of his toy car. (He's 6 and knows more about cars than I do. Great.) Fortunately, I've become a pro at pretending I know what car-loving people are talking about (I've had lots of practice), so he and I get along just fine.

5. The Polar Express!

Well, this technically hasn't happened yet, but tomorrow, I'm going to see The Polar Express in 3-D with my family...at the IMAX I didn't know existed in my city? (I'm discovering all sorts of new things around here!) I am sooo excited. That is one of my all-time favorite Christmas movies. I love it!

So yeah, I'm thoroughly enjoying my break so far. Amazingly, I'm perfectly content still being at home (usually, that only lasts about a week. I've made it two so far!). I mean, I do miss everyone from Lee, but I am totally okay with the fact that there are still 3 weeks left of break. Still not quite ready to go back. I'm still recovering from last semester! Heh! This break has been good for me, though. :) Anyway, hopefully, there will be more Christmas break adventures to tell you guys about, coming soon!

Initially speaking...

Listening To: Cinema Paradiso (Se) by Josh Groban

I've been in such a writing mood lately. I'm not sure why. And I've been in the typing-writing mood, not handwriting. It's funny--they're two different things for me. So, hence the reason I am starting this blog. I don't know who is ever going to read it, but hey. If I can get it out, I'm okay with that.

I am so excited to be going back to school in five days. Really, I can't even tell you how much I've missed all my friends. You have no idea how much I'm looking forward to being able to text 5,000 people and say, "Jazzman's at 9pm?" Hanging out in the post office. Spontaneous trips to Walmart, McDonald's, and Steak & Shake. Medlin Movie Madness (oh yes...we are reinstating it!). Heck, right now, I'm even missing the daily grind of going to class, doing homework, eating in the dining hall... Wow, I think I'm losing my mind!

I'm also noticing that home seems to mean something else for me than it does for everyone else. Most people are not looking forward to leaving home and coming back to school. Or if they are, they have mixed feelings about it. (Like, two exceptions here.) I have halfway mixed feelings about leaving my family again, but that's about it. I don't get homesick. Ever. I always feel like I haven't been away long enough. I wonder if that will ever change? A week is about the longest of my preferred break lengths. I just prefer not to think about summer at all. Heh!

I'm curious to see if anything will have changed when we get back. By "anything," I mean all this crazy relationship-related drama that we had going on at the end of last semester. Seriously, I hope so. I just need some good, normal friendship. Enough of this who-likes-who stuff. And enough of the awkwardness!

Moving to the opposite end of the spectrum, I went out to eat with my family tonight. It was nice to spend that time with them. I'm glad I changed my attitude since our last family outing like that. Ugh! I'm working on it. I'm trying to change in so many ways...it's hard to remember what's what, but I think I'm doing okay. I hope so anyway. But it's stuff like that that I miss, I guess. I miss seeing them and talking to them and laughing with them. Yet those moments seem to come so few and far between, and you know, I'm really not sure why. I guess we all tend to get wrapped up in our own little worlds and don't really think about what else we're missing out out.

That being said, I'm going to end this and join "their world," so to speak. :) We'll see how well I actually keep up with this thing.

Much love, xoxo, all that.