Move. Eat. Learn.

These videos have stolen my heart.

3 guys, 44 days, 11 countries, 18 flights, 38 thousand miles, an exploding volcano, 2 cameras and almost a terabyte of footage... all to turn 3 ambitious linear concepts based on movement, learning and food.



MOVE from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.




EAT from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.




LEARN from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

The Little Things, Number Eleven.

126. God's promises to provide, always fulfilled in His timing.
127. Good books.
128. Sunday afternoons.
129. Skype, and the ability to see the faces of people I love in Scotland and in Spain.
130. Laughter in the kitchen.
131. Converge Coffee Company's coffee.
132. Texting.
133. My bookshelf.
134. Seasons of life, and how quickly they come and go.
135. Learning to live fully in each season.
136. Reading out loud.
137. The presence of grace.
138. The Yellow Deli.
139. Sunny days.
140. Bright stars on clear nights.
141. Josh Garrels' Love and War and The Sea in Between.

Is this real life?

Yes, yes it is.

Currently, "real life," aka post-grad life, trying-to-find-a-job life, living-with-my-parents life, looks like this in my planner:

I feel like I'm kind of in a holding pattern.  You know, when a plane can't land at an airport yet, so it just has to fly around in circles, leaving its passengers anxiously anticipating their arrival?  I feel like a perpetual passenger on an airplane that doesn't know when or where it will land.  

I'm waiting to hear back about two different job interviews.  I'm waiting to figure out more details for Scotland before I continue raising support.  I'm just waiting.  God is teaching me patience in ways that I never would have anticipated.  And I'm choosing to praise Him for it.

Because although I'm running out of money, have no set plans, and am not nearly as busy as I was a month ago, I'm learning to just be.  I'm taking advantage of being able to sleep as late as I want every. single. day.  I'm reading books that I want to read, not books I have to read.  I get to choose to learn.  Choose to spend time with people.  Choose to organize the room I'm living in, because I've never lived in it before and everything needs a place.

I need to enjoy now, because now will never happen again.  

I do need a job.  And I'm actively looking for one.  But instead of stressing about it and being miserable while I wait, I'm choosing to learn and to enjoy where God has placed me.

Enjoying looks like:

 These two. Lots of these two.

 Saturday nights on the mountain.

 Much needed time with the roommates.

Bread baking. 

Boyfriend. 

Reading + coffee + boyfriend. 

 Getting creative in my salad making.

Loving the sunshine.

For now, I'm just going with it, thanking God every step of the way.

Lately, according to my iPhone.

Time for a photo update.

On the last night of classes, a bunch of us from Jungle did pilates in the commons.  In the middle of it, I suggested we should make a waffle house run (because of course you need greasy food after a work out).  We put rain boots over our sweat pants, and headed down the mountain for my last middle-of-the-night-waffle-house-run. ever.

Lyss + The Roommates went to Rock City to see the lights the night I turned in my SIP.  So good.

I have so. much. stuff.  How am I supposed to move across an ocean?

This happened on my last day of school ever.  And I promised I would never date a Covenant guy...

Last Day in Fouders: Me + AC.

Me + Caroline.

Love this rain + this place.

Christmas Road Trip!  Morris kids go to Savannah.

Christmas Eve.

IPC Savannah.

Candle lit singing.

Oldest + Youngest Cousins.

Time for presents!

12 + 21. Cousins.

Girls night + Baxter at Blythe's house.

New Year's Eve Bonfire.

3rd Annual Jug Drop - New Year's Eve Party at Baxter's.

Happy New Year!

Can't wait for this years' adventures.

It's Christmastime.

We're in Savannah for Christmas, spending it at my grandparents like we do every year.  The siblings came down on Sunday, and have done all sorts of things with the cousins.

Christmas Road Trip!

Coffee + Slippers + Christmas Tree + Christmas Movies

The Cousins go skating.

Aaaaand come home and crashed.

Yes, it was 76 degrees.

Callie came down from Statesboro and we met for lunch downtown.  It was a beautiful day, and it was so good to get time with her!

Bridge + River

Downtown + Independent's steeple

Nothing beats these trees.

Christmas Dinner, Round 1. This happened Thursday night when the parents arrived.  So good.

Tonight, we will be going to the Christmas Eve service at Independent Presbyterian Church, just like every year.  There is a lot of "just like every year" at Christmas.  It's funny, I don't think I've really stopped to realize that next year, I won't be participating in the "just like every year" sort of things.  Hopefully, I'll be in Scotland, making new traditions.  For now, I'll enjoy being here.  And I'll soak up every minute.

Listen to "O Come O Come Emmanuel."  Read Luke 2.  God sent his Son to save us.  This is the celebration of his birth, the first coming of the King.

Finished.

Today, I finished.

I finished my SIP. I finished my papers. I finished college.

Last night, I had my last family dinner with Allie. We went to mexican, and blasted T-Swift with the sun roof open and the heat on. I went to Amy's and watched one last Glee with the Office Girls. I went to the Yellow Deli with Josiah and Matt. I pulled an all-nighter, going to sleep at 8 this morning for a couple of hours.

Today, I started saying goodbye. I turned in my SIP. I turned in my papers. I went downtown with Lyss. [I needed that.] I took a nap. I prayed. I watched the sunset.

I have taken advantage of living on this mountain. Of seeing the sky painted orange and pink and yellow every night. I don't remember the last time that I stopped to watch. Tonight, I did.

I came back to catch the end of hall dinner and spend some sweet time with the women of Jungle. They have my heart. I hope they know that.

Tonight, I'm going to Rock City to see the lights with the roommates + Lyss. Can't wait.

My heart is so full.

Founders Nights.

Josiah made this. I love it.

founder's nights from josiah meneghini on Vimeo.