Tracy's Wedding

TRACY'S WEDDING

This weekend I had the privilege of standing up and being a bridesmaid for my good friend Tracy. Tracy and I met at college, but our friendship has really gotten deeper since college. She is such a blessing in my life and I honestly am so grateful to have a friend like her. Congratulations Tracy and Josh!

BRIDESMAID LUNCHEON

On Friday morning, all of Tracy's bridesmaids met up in Warsaw, In and had a luncheon together. It was such a great way to actually spend time together without all the hassle that surrounds a wedding.

The moms and bridesmaids and Tracy

Ang, Katie, Tracy

L-dog and ABo

DECORATING THE RECEPTION DEPOT

Friday afternoon we all went to the Train Depot and decorated the place. It was such a cool place for a wedding. The building was an old train depot and had a lot of character to it. The colors and the place settings looked so great! All of the bridesmaids even had special made t-shirts that matched her colors!

Jess, Ang, Laura, Katie (ignore the shoes...lol)

REHEARSAL

Ok, well this isn't quiet the rehearsal, but someone took this picture of me as we were headed to the rehearsal and it makes me laugh, because it's such a typical picture of me. Cheeze-it's and PB somehow always can be found in my car.

THE
WEDDING PARTY

It was a beautiful, hot day out for her wedding. The dresses looked so great on everyone and the color was perfect for summer. Tracy of course was stunning!

Katie, Tracy, Ang

My Favorite Girls and Best Friends.....which one's next???

My Family

Sometimes I forget how blessed I am to have such a loving family. When I look at a picture like this, it makes me smile, because I am reminded that I have such a wonderful family who loves Jesus.

E4 Record

This post is kind of just for myself, so that in the future I can be reminded of what my next goal needs to be set at. Ok, so most people know that I workout a lot. Some people take drugs to get high, well I workout to get that "high" feeling. Point of this post is that, I always workout for an hour and 5 min (cool down) at a time and I always know about how far I go and the calories I burn. Well previously the record was 6.4 mi. and 749 cal. but today I set out to break that record. I went 6.46 mi and burned 755 cal. in that one workout. Most people could probably crush this number, but for me it was a true milestone and felt like a huge accomplishment.

Memorial Day Getaway

This past week has been a very up and down week for me. It's been extremely busy, but more than the business of the past week, I've really felt like I have been under a lot of spiritual attack. This past week I struggled with feeling very alone and very forgotten. I know a lot of it had to do with moving everything out of my classroom all by myself and then not having a place to put it all, then attending a wedding all alone and not really knowing anyone, and then calling friends and never having them return my messages. On top of all of that my grandma was sent to the ER and is not doing well. I'm know a lot of my feelings emanated from a feeling of emptiness. This past week I felt so disconnected from Christ. In the midst of my self pity and loneliness I had disregarded Christ. Like I so often fail to do, I tried to take life on myself and failed. Sometimes I just think life is easier by yourself....but it's not......it will catch up with you like it did for me this week and bring you to a halt. That halt came to me this week when I was attempting to drag a large box of books into my apartment. As buff as I am (haha), I could not carry it, so I was dragging it slowly into my apt. It was steaming hot, I was sweating, I had no idea where it was going to go, when a bird flew overhead and pooped on the box. Completely frustrated and overwhelmed I stopped look up in the sky and surrendered "Ok, God, I get it. I fail without your help." Sometimes God is funny. I realized that I needed this weekend to reconnect with God. To find time to just enjoy who he is and be reminded of all that he has given me. In a week where I felt like everything was just coming to an end, I needed to be reminded that everything is just getting started. That however uncertain life is right now, that however much lack of conversation I've had with people I miss, that however little I know about the future, that he still is in control. So with that thought in mind, I left this weekend and went to my grandparents summer home on Lake Michigan. It's always been a place of solitude/reflection for me. It's a place where I can go and just be outside and seek the Lord without distractions.

I could write about what my heart thought about, but I think a simple picture walk may be all that's needed to really put into words how renewing this weekend was for me.

I've prayed for rest, and God provided a beach to rest upon (and a little suntan) ;)


It's not everyday that you witness a dear just a few feet from you. As I sat outside and read, this deer came out of the woods and hung around for awhile. I love how God meets us where we are at. I needed a tangible reminder of who God was and seeing this deer brought me to this passage:

Psalm 18:32-34 For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God?
It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights.

Psalm 111:2-4

2 Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them.
3 Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever.
4 He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate.

Psalm 112:6-8

6 Surely [she] will never be shaken; a righteous [woman] will be remembered forever.
7 [She] will have no fear of bad news; [her] heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
8 [Her] heart is secure, [she] will have no fear; in the end [she] will look in triumph on his foes.

Isaiah 46:9-10
9 I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.
10 I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.

I’m in the middle of reading a great book by John Piper and in it, it talks about becoming alive to life. I feel like that’s what this weekend did for me. I think this weekend helped me become alive to life. To wake up in the morning and be aware of the firmness of the mattress, the warmth of the sun’s rays, the sheer being of things. It helped me see what is there in the world—things that, if we didn’t have, we would pay a million dollars to have, but having them, ignore. It made me more alive to beauty.

This weekend, provided much rest, solitude, and many reminders that I am not alone, that I am not forgotten, that I am secure, that I need not fear, and that my heart will remain steadfast. God is good, all the time.

Jenna's Wedding

I had the privilege of being a bridesmaid in one of my high school friends wedding. Jenna looked so beautiful and everything was so gorgeous. Jenna and I competed together in tumbling for many years and then really got to know each other when we had some classes together in high school.

Gift Card City

Ok so on the list of top 5 reasons why I am going to miss Grove Elementary:

I am going to miss all of the gift cards. Superficial....yes. Seriously though, whatever happen to the days of an ornament and homemade banana bread as teacher gifts. That's all I remember giving teachers. I'm not complaining though :)

Easter/Birthday

Well, it's official, I am 26. Time goes by so quickly. Sometimes, I feel like such a kid still and other times I look and think, Ang, your 26....most people are married with families by now. I like to think though, that this year, has taught me so much about myself and I feel like I really know who I am now. Sometimes, it just takes time to have experiences that shape you into who you are. Experiences I never saw coming, but am so glad they came. This past year has really shaped me in so many ways. I'm grateful for each one. As I live my 26th year of life, all I want is for one thing.....I want to remain joyful in all circumstances. I want to live from the heart and I don't want fear to hold me back from any joy that the Lord may have in store for me. I know change is coming in my life. What that means for the future, I don't know, but I'm excited because I know without a doubt that the maker of the heavens and earth is holding/shaping/and leading my heart on a journey closer to His.

My Cousin, Erika, came and visited the family around Easter. I forget how fun it is to have a cousin close to the same age. I just might have to take a trip to PA to visit her this summer!

Each year we have an Easter egg hunt. My mom, who is such a kid at heart still, hides all the eggs. She honestly gets more excited than anyone else! For the last 2 years I have been the Easter egg champion. :)

My family always has this cake (that we call Spinach cake) around Easter. I'm not actually a huge fan of it, but it's kind of like tradition in the family.