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    Finality & Rob Bell

    I’m pretty pensive right now so if you are looking for a good laugh, visit awkwardfamilyphotos.com instead. If you want to struggle through holiness more with me, continue on.. I spent probably an hour last night reading all the facebook wall posts of Aaron Fry and Bryce Hilgenkamp. Both young college aged men that died way before their time. I actually read Aaron’s wall frequently because he is normally at the top of my friend’s list. What is fascinating to me is what an impact death can have on life. Both guys were very cool people, so life-altering that people write on their wall consistently. It’s been almost 2 years…

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    Belkin, Holy, & Home

    I’m going to go ahead and warn you that this is going to be a good one. Lots of things have happened recently and life is good. To start, I bought a cover for my iPhone screen from Target. I was pretty stoked because I hate those nasty fingerprints that I leave all over the screen. When someone asks to use my phone, I hand it to them in a state that says “I just ate a bucket of KFC chicken and I smeared the grease all over my phone”. I put the cover on, worked out all the little bubbles, and voilà – it still smears. Jonathan Storment is…

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    HEB & Meatballs

    We had a group of students come yesterday that were all first generation students or low income. They were one of the best well-behaved big groups that have come through in a while. Something within me loves to be with those kind of kids. They are so real and open about how they feel. With them, there are no false pretenses or stained-glass masquerades like our buddies Casting Crowns sing about. The director of this program told me that I held their attention better than every other tour. That’s probably because every other tour stuck to the script and bored them to tears. These kids haven’t seen colleges before. Do…

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    DMV & Miley

    Why does no one tell you the downside of marriage? Yea, living together can be tricky and arguing about money and other things is an issue but no on warns you about the worst part… No one tells you about sitting in line for hours to get your name changed. I was pretty fond of Sparks. I had it for 21 years and I really grew to love it. Now here I sit with every important document of my life fighting for a seat at the stinky DMV. I wonder if the people that work here have any friends. They sure aren’t trying to make any durig the hours of…

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    Rubberbands & Megatrons

    The most unfortunate part of Junior High is all the physical changes that happen to your body. Acne, voice cracks, braces… it’s just such a terrible time to look back on. The pictures from that era of life are unbearable. I think the worst thing ever, though, is headgear and those rubberbands that make a cat’s cradle in your mouth (a throwback to the 90’s for anyone who adored string art). This poor kid on Sunday had about 84 rubberbands extending from every tooth in his mouth. When he opened wide to sing, you almost cringed in fear that one would pop out and smack you in the eye. How…

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    Baseball & Introductions

    Today was the best day EVER in campus visits. There was a tournament in Abilene for like 20 high school teams so we had around probably 7 or 8 families walk in wanting to grab information about campus. Baseball boys are my favorite I think (especially since Taylor was one). This one boy and his mom walked in and immediately I could tell they weren’t that interested even though they wanted information. Another lady had offered them the campus tour at 1 but they declined. In comes Sarah, the salesperson of the century (or so I become on things I really love). I started by telling him that it was…

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    Orphanage & Rats

    This weekend was Al & Shannon DeZonia’s weekend. It was a pleasant time, but even more pleasant was the 5 grown individuals we had staying at our little duplex. It was really funny and slightly insane. It made me glad that they knew they were welcome to stay here even though we’re the old married couple. Luckily Estebaan and Whitney will join us soon as grown-ups. Here’s how ridiculous the Brooks’ Orphanage living arrangements were and how cute our friends look all cuddled up together: and here is the future Ice family’s newest addition, Lucy: Lucy got to stay with us this weekend, too. What’s funny about that is how…

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    Walks & Quilts

    I just went on a walk. It convinced me that heaven will have a sweet iPod mix and a beautiful walking trail. Maybe even a dog to walk with you. I just love the carefree feeling with music blaring in your ears and a breeze in the air. My playlist was playing our wedding mix and it reminded me for the ump-teenth time how blessed I am. I have a fabulous husband…end of story. So this might be the funniest thing ever if you don’t already know about it. (Allison, if you read this one too you’ll love this.) Yesterday, we had a group of kids come to sing. Luckily,…

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    MK & House

    I got to see Mari-Kate on Sunday for the first time in forever. She brought her boyfriend (who I didn’t really get to meet at the wedding seeing as a: she was deathly ill and b: I was getting married = preoccupied) who I decided I really like. I’m really happy for them…but more happy that I got to see her. We have the kind of relationship that is unexplainable. I strongly believe that MK and I were born half boy/half girl. We have a very boy-ish friendship where we say exactly what we think no matter how much it makes the other mad, we spend a few hours apart,…

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    Elwood the Great & Arkansas

    I’ve been dreading this day since I was little. Uncle Elwood was and probably will always be my favorite uncle. It wasn’t that he played games with me or taught me funny songs. I don’t know what it was about him but I loved every time I got to see him. He was always mismatched – and I mean severly. Stripes on stripes, Dickies full-length jumpsuits…he wore it all. When I was in elementary school in Omaha, Papa, Claxton, and Elwood (the Smiths were very fearful of generic names) all came to pheasant hunt. When I was going to bed one night, I asked my mom if I could take…