Senior Thesis

Sooo I should actually be working on my Lit Review right now...
But, I have writer's block and I find that sometimes I just need a distraction
I'm totally stressing
Please
Help
How do I do this thing??
I'm going to drown with all of this work

17th Birthday

Okay, listen up guys.

I literally have the best friends in the entire world!

So, my 17th birthday was Friday (August 21st)

I had zero plans

My best friend knew this and told me to save that day for her

That wasn't too hard because everyone had already told me that they had plans

Yeah,they lied.

They all made up stories of why they were busy

I mean, they were all busy, but not for the reasons they told me

They threw me a surprise party!

But not the normal kind, no way.

It was a secret scavenger hunt thing :)

The first surprise that happened (which wasn't part of the scavenger hunt) was that one of my bestfriends, Emma, showed up at my school and brought me brownies! They were delicious.

After that, I went home and waited for Olivia to show up

She was late.

But that doesn't matter, she told me to change and to head to her car

Since, I thought we were just hanging out, I took my time, which threw off the whole schedule

ANYWAYS, the first thing she did was blindfold me

I was so confused

She tied it on and put me into the car

Once we were all set to start our adventure, she read me a clue

It said "I am your best friend and 'partner in crime', I'm the mild to your wild, the one you tell everything to, and the one on the other side of the soccer field. I think you've probably already guessed who I am, so I hope this nails it home: our child is Judi Graham Vulcano. I am taking you somewhere that will hopefully become our new tradition"

That's when all the craziness ensued

I was supposed to guess where we were going, but she would never tell me if I was right or wrong

Our first stop happened to be Waffle House (I love Waffle House, and yes I know that is weird)

We got something to eat and then we were off again

However, this time I was not blindfolded, so I thought "oh okay, we're done, time to head back home"

Nope, she read me another clue...
"You might know me from my plentiful hugs, want for a goat,or maybe just the word duck says enough. If this doesn't say enough about me then here is one more hint: You will find me where you spend your days whipping with my mom and watching The Walking Dead just for me."
So, this clue lead me to Mark's house.
We picked him up and then had to make a pit stop at my house at the request of my dad
Apparently, my brother and niece had a little gift for me so we stopped and talked for a bit and then headed to our next adventure.
Clue #3 read "You maybe know me from the fact that we are considered the Three Amigos or maybe you know me from the phrase, 'you take so slow'. I also released the turtles you gave me for my birthday this summer. We are cadre leaders together and always pass out the Baskin Robins coupons to the visitors. We roomed together at Impact and share many memories. You might know me from Spanish Club where you called me you 'Fat Fish' or maybe you only know me because you love my mom. Either way, you will find us at the one place you have been wanting to visit all summer long and even want to take up the activity for when you possibly work at Sonic."
This place was CLEARLY Skate Center West
I LOVE SKATING!
We ended up arriving a little later than we were supposed to so they deferred me and drove me to Goodwill
There was this one lady standing outside of Goodwill as they were taking the bandanna off my eyes and she thought we were absolutely insane
It was hilarious
Mark ended up buying me my favorite movie and a disney cd
After we had spent an adequate amount of time at Goodwill, we went back to the Skate Center where they actually revealed that I was at the skate center and Jackson, Jordan, and Emma were there too
We skated for at least an hour before heading out again
I thought "Oh okay, I guess that was it"
So, I hugged everyone thanked them for coming and said goodbye
Then we got back into the car and they blindfolded me again!
"I thought we were just going back to my house" I said
And Olivia assured me we were but she just liked blindfolding me
Then we got to my house and they made me wait outside the car
it was dark, i was alone, and i was scared
So, like the curious and fearful creature I am...
I decided to CRAWL towards my house, I figured I knew it well enough
When they finally came back outside to get me, they found me almost to the front porch
They led me inside and unveiled me once again
EMMA, JACKSON, AND JORDAN WERE THERE TOO!!
We had cheesecake and pizza and I opened presents and we just hung out for awhile
UNTIL, they loaded me up once more
Our final stop was Mark's house where we watched my favorite movie, ever, The Holiday.
Emma had to go home, so it was just Olivia, Jackson, Jordan, Mark, and I
A great way to end the day
it. was. awesome.
I am so thankful to all of my friends :)

Me & Emma - Me - Me & Tennis Fans
Jackson, Olivia, Jordan, Me, Mark, & Emma - Olivia, Emma, Mark, Jackson, Jordan, & Me
Me & Claudia - Me, Emma, & Olivia - Tennis - Statue Man & Me
Mark, Me(blindfolded), & Olivia - Olivia, Mark, Jordan, Emma, Jackson, & Me

Live 

Laugh

Love

~Laurel <3

Brother Parker

Tonight was fabulous.
Not only was today our first day of school, but...
We really kicked the year off / my birthday ;) with a nice dinner at Puckett's
oh, and Brother Parker was there
No big deal
They're only the reason that we went, it's fine.
So, they had an amazing set.
They are wonderful artists, they can sing and play a plethora of instruments
Our group had a fabulous time and we were singing along the entire time!
Afterwards, we got pictures and chatted with the band (AWESOME!)
Then, you know, being girls, we totally fangirled when we got home
We posted pictures, tweeted, made a photocircle...
oh, and had a groupchat that lasted all night!
The best part, the band responded to us!
They liked our photos, commented on some of them (Millie and Maggie)
AND, one of them followed, favorited, and retweeted me on Twitter!!!! <3
Wow, this is a memory I will treasure forever (and a group chat I won't delete)

Live
Laugh
Love
~Laurel <3

First Day of Senior Year

OK, so today was the day
It is completely official.
I. Am. A. Senior.
Here's the thing, I'm actually super excited!
I'm a little nervous about some classes (like 2) but other than that, I'm good
I have an amazing schedule, amazing friends, amazing family, and amazing teachers!
This year could not seem any better
It's here and all I can do is embrace it.
:)
I can't wait to see what is in store for my life this year
I pray that in all that I do, I praise God each and every day for the blessings He gives
Let's do this thing!

Me - Me, Mark, & Olivia
Olivia & Me

Live
Laugh
Love
~Laurel <3

Shiloh

Last night, I got back from New York.
I spent a week up in New York with my youth group on a mission trip.
Oh my. I wish I could go back and stay forever
I miss it up there so much
Most of the week, we stayed at Camp Shiloh
Camp Shiloh is a christian camp for inner city kids
They have different sessions throughout the whole summer
I was assigned to Cabin E, which means I was the helper to that cabin's counselors
Rodjaney and Alyssa were the counselors in that particular cabin, and they were amazing
I think I miss them the most
So, for the first 5 days, we were like CITs (counselors in training)
We just hung out with the kids and ate with them and helped them clean and get ready for bed
We went to all the activities with them and kind of gave the counselors a break
We arrived on Friday, which was the beginning of what they call weekend games
That was hectic
We just had to jump right in, literally ;)
Our first activity was swim time which is the kids' favorite
We got split into teams for our games, 1 girl cabin and 1 guy cabin per team
That was not a good idea
The girls and boys were constantly bickering and fighting
It was trouble
Finally, after three days of weekend games, we got into the normal week schedule
Breakfast, class, worship, activity, lunch, rest, swim, snack, activity, dinner
Easy.
No fighting, no worries, just fun
I enjoyed it so much
I got so close to my girls and the counselors
Also, each night, we would have a special activity.
They. Were. Awesome.
We had wilderness night (campfire for dinner), ManHunt (ulitmate hide-n-seek!), Shiloh Bingo (normal bingo with goodies and DANCE BREAKS!), and then, the Talent Show
Nights packed with fun.
If the girls did good each day, they were awarded points and the points turned into fun night activities
So, on the last night, our girls got to have night swim and a party
It was so much fun. I am so glad we got to join them
Then our time at Camp Shiloh had to come to an end.
We woke up, had breakfast, and packed up
We had one final worship session (and we blew the roof off)
Afterwards, the kids loaded up the buses and we traveled to drop them off in the Bronx for one last goodbye
I was crying, the kids were crying, the counselors were crying, everyone was crying.
We had all grown so close in that one week it was hard to part.
We left once all the kids had found their parents and we headed off to the church that we were staying at that night
After we unpacked the bus, our group split up to explore New York City
My group went to the MET, Chelsea Market, the High Line, and Times Square on Thursday evening
I found out that there's no way I could live in New York, but visiting is fun (I'm not a big city girl)
On Friday morning, I went with my youth minister and a few other people to Tom's Restaurant a.k.a. the restaurant from Seinfeld. btw, I did not order Tuna on toast with coleslaw and a cup of coffee; however, I did order coffee :)
Then, we went to Central Park for a devo before we had to catch our plane home
It was certainly a jam packed week and my legs need a rest
I really do miss that place, and I can't wait for next year when my best friend will come with me!
Who knows, we could make it a special birthday and stay a few days by ourselves ;)
I wish I could describe every amazing thing that happened to me that week in one blog post..
But there's just no way.
So I guess this is it.

a group of us on the High Line - Rodjaney & me
Me - Me, Laura, Alex, Delaney, Millie, Savanna, & Lindsay - Me - Me & Alex
Isyss & me - Me & Alex - Me - Me & Kaylin
masked kid, Rodjaney, me, Kaylin, & Milkah
Me & Brianna - sign - Me & Destiny - Me & Maricruz - Alyssa, Kaylin, Destiny, Isyss, Maricruz, me, Brianna, & Rodjaney

Live
Laugh
Love
~Laurel <3

Mexico

Okay, I went on a mission trip last week
It. Was. Amazing.
This was my 3rd year, and it gets better every time I go
I always look forward to spending time with the kids there
We stay at an Orphanage called "The City of Children"
It's beautiful
Anyways, I haven't had a lot of time to blog about it because I've been super busy
So, that's why 3 days have past
First things first, I had to wake up early to get to the airport on time
Our flight was to San Diego and that went great
But.....
When we got to San Diego, one of our buses was super late
So, the teens and a few adults loaded up one bus and headed to In N' Out Burger (which is more like sit and stay burger because people stay there FOREVER)
Most people left when we got there because there were 60 people in our group haha
So, we all ate outside on the sidewalk because there weren't any tables
And we fed the birds that were there and that was fun
Then we headed across the border, which was the easiest border crossing ever
And then, we FINALLY made it to the City of Children
The adventure began
We arrived late so not much happened the first day
Sunday really kicked off the trip, we had service (in Spanish and English) and hung out with the kids
We didn't have any down time tho
We had to decorate the kitchen to match our theme
And we had the best theme this year
*drum roll* it was CHRISTMAS IN JULY!
The decorations were great! We all had a blast putting everything together
Every year, we have a skit. And this year, I was an elf in the skit.
It was cool :) the skit ended up being great
On the last night, we got a surprise
One of our Elders who has gone on this trip with us for who knows how many years, showed up
He wasn't in great health so he didn't come down with us and we were all surprised when he walked into the room. It. Was. Awesome.
One of the best things that happened was that every night, the 5 girls Olivia and I had become friends with last year, saved us seats at every meal
It was like the cutest thing. ever.
Then, the work days began
On the first work day, I woke up and I was about to get ready and then Ms. Nancy opened the door to the cabin.
She looked right at me, and I knew instantly what had happened
My grandfather had passed away
It was one of the hardest things to get through that week, but I had amazing friends that surrounded me and helped me through
I miss him dearly, and I will always be thankful for the life that he lived <3
anyways... back to what everyone actually wants to hear about... (I just needed to include that because it's a big event (and I love and miss him very much))
We had 3 crews: 1 stayed at the orphanage, 1 delivered food to the community, and 1 built a house
They're all enjoyable
If you're on the house or food crew, you get to go shopping (typically for Lift of Salsa Verde chips)
So, all of that fun ensued for three days
And then, it came to Thursday.
We got up, dedicated the house we had built to the family that was going to live in it, went to the city to shop for a few hours, came back and ate lunch, played with the kids, ate dinner...
And then, the trail of tears.
We went up to the kids' dorms to tell the goodnight, not good bye but see you later
It's one of the saddest things ever.
I cried
and I cried
and I cried some more
We had to say "see you later" to the girls we had come so close to
They even gave us bracelets they had made, it was adorable
I will never forget this trip
The way that they love even through their hardships
It's one of the most beautiful things I have ever experienced
and I can't wait till next year

Me & mis amigos - Veronika, Me, & Olivia -Me, Veronika, Olivia, & Mr. Jeff
Lindsey, Veronika, Olivia, Me, & Ximena - Mexico - Jordan, Me, & nos amigos
Me, Olivia, & Veronika - Veronika, Me, Jackson, & Olivia - Addison, Veronika, Jordan, Olivia, Me, & Jackson
Me, Olivia, & nos amigas - Me & Olivia - Olivia, Matthew, Abie, Jordan, Jackson, Veronika, Me, & Linden
City of Children - Me & un caballo - Jacksom, Jordan, Me, Veronika, Carrington, Linden, Olivia, & Nicole

Live 
Laugh
Love
~Laurel <3

4th of July / Independence Day

Not much really happened today
I was going to have a cookout with some friends, but everyone was busy
So, I just had dinner with my family
Just as we were getting ready to go out and watch fireworks, it started raining... :(
So that was depressing
I was all dressed up in my red, white, and blue and I had no where to go
We ended up going to DQ and were going to watch the fireworks from our car
BUT as we parked, I got an invite to go somewhere...
Mark asked me if I wanted to go to his house and shoot fireworks
Duh, I said yes
We had a good time, or at least I did
It was me, him, his little sister, his parents, and two of his cousins
At one point he walked away to get more fireworks and Matt came up to me and said "just between you and me, do you like him?" he asked twice and I just responded with "we're just friends"
He finally stopped asking when Mark came back
After we had shot off all of the big ones, we started lighting bottle rockets
Light, count to 5, and then throw
Somehow they kept landing in the neighbor's yard
It was hilarious
Matt wasn't very good at throwing them... one landed underneath the neighbor's car! and then popped! and then one hit their screen door!
We were all cracking up
After it hit the door, we decided it was time to be done
And that was it.
My entire 4th of July
And I had a great time :)

Me & Mark

Live
Laugh
Love
~Laurel <3

Senior Realization

So I'm back again to recap the rest of June. After Jackson's birthday occurred, the next big occasion was going to the beach with Laurel's family. On Friday morning, Laurel picked me up from my house. We weren't supposed to be leaving until two that evening; however, Laurel told me that she had some errands to run, and she wanted me to help. We started looking for a swimsuit for her, and ended up buying Wetzel's Pretzels instead. Who needs swimsuits if you have food? No one. Anyways, with no swimsuit in hand we went back to Laurel's house to get on the road. We loaded the Armada with Laurel picking in just about 10 minutes, which could be a new record. As soon as the car was loaded we headed towards Red Box. We ended up checking out Mockingjay, DUFF, and The Cobbler (in which we walked away unsure of if we liked it or not). With an hour or so left in the car we decided to lip sync to multiple songs on the radio. Which was one of my favorite memories of our adventures together. You can find our adventures of the beach on Laurel's post from what we ate to what we did. For me the whole trip was kind of a blur. An exciting and slow blur. I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent there with my best friend. She is a truly terrific best friend to have. We work together so nicely, and very rarely argue. I have no idea how long it would take me to adjust to a life without Laurel. After getting back from the beach (with our three new turtles for Jackson's late birthday present), the next day Laurel, Jackson, and I went to the movies together to see InsideOut. It was so adorable and I would see it again in a heartbeat. In case you haven't noticed, our group loves movies. :) That night I went straight to a babysitting job for five hours. It's been a packed couple of weeks. The next day was Father's Day. I was glad to have at least one day with no plans, and I just spent time with my wonderful family. The very next day we traveled to Impact. Impact is an annual event for Christians to get together to grow spiritually and make new friendships and whatnot. It is always a great way to keep your summer going spiritually. It was a week packed with 8 different classes and 9 sessions. Then when the day finished we would go to our Lipscomb dorms and chat for hours. I love having my girls by my side. We learned so much about love during this year's Impact. I really felt it take hold in my life. As we got ready to leave Impact to return home, Laurel slept about 45 minutes later than everyone else and was the last to leave the room (everyday). We were sad to leave, but had hearts full of the love of the Lord. We got home early Saturday; this brings us to Tuesday. I finally had my Senior pictures appointment arrive. I was the first of my friends to explore the upcoming duties of a high school senior, and it was nerve wrecking. Casuals were first as I had to choose one of four areas: water features, flower garden, railroad tracks, or "country". I choose the one the photographer recommended which was the "country" one. It was filled with a little, rundown house and an old, rusty pickup truck. Next I had the formals. I had to take cap and gown pictures and it all became so real. I'm going to be a senior this year. We can talk about it all we want, but now it finally became real. I'm going to graduate this year, and it will be a hectic time. Mexico is the last big event of the summer then before we know it, the shortest high school year will be here. All that's left to do is submit to the rollercoaster that is high school as we finish the grand finale. Senior Year.

Me & Laurel - Me, Laurel, Emma, Jackson, and Alex
Laurel - Laurel & Me
Our View
Me - Alex & Me

IMPACT

"Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful,is not conceited, does not act improperly, is not selfish, is not provoked, and does not keep a record of wrongs. Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. It hears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails." ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

I got back from my last Impact as a camper yesterday...
Next year I will be going as a roadie (someone who helps out behind the scenes)
It will be so different.
Senior year is really hitting hard.
I cried a lot this year, like way more than usual
God really "pulled up a chair for me" this year (that's a saying we have in our youth group for when you feel like God is speaking straight to you through someone)
I've experienced a lot of hurt in the past couple of years, like stuff that I wouldn't want anyone else to have to go through
Thankfully, God put amazing friends into my life to help me get through
This year's theme was LOVE, real love
So, each class that we went to had a different topic coming from 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
I really learned a lot
I also grew a lot closer to some of my friends
The girls in my room and I had nightly discussions as we ate a TON of junk food :)
I couldn't have asked for any better people to share life with
We talked about some deep stuff, but we also goofed off quite a bit
We never went to bed before 1 in the morning
Impact was created for Christian teens to grow closer to God, but it's also about having fun
and. we. had. fun.
We made bracelets, played 9-square, and listened to a bunch of cool bands and individuals in the coffee house
I'd have to say that the most fun thing we did (besides worshiping God, which was fabulous and fun) was that Lipscomb hosted a Senior Dinner.
We had catered food from SATCO, popsicles, a magician, and we made T-Shirts!
It was just super cool
I also filled out my first college application... and it was nerve-wrecking
I'm not ready for this
I want to stay with my friends forever
My friends inspire me, and one of the most inspiring things was watching Mark worship, I couldn't help but smile (I hope he doesn't get embarrassed by me saying that)
I'm gonna miss that feeling
I'm gonna miss everything about my friends
Especially how they always comfort me when I cry
On friday night, the last night of Impact, we always get letters that our parents have written for us, and I love that tradition that we have
Everytime I read them, I cry, like full out ball
I love my family so much and those letters are so reassuring
I never get homesick so I rarely communicate with them when I'm gone, but I always look forward to those letters
My mom included old pictures in it this year and they made me laugh at myself because I'm so weird and my dad wrote a 5 page letter that was like a perfectly formatted essay
Both of them mentioned how great of friends I have, and I could not agree more
Skid always says "you are who you hang around"
And I couldn't be any happier to be anyone else than my friends
I've begun the year of lasts
And I hope that the friendships I have now last forever
Impact will always have a special place in my heart and life
Till next time :)

Me & Emma - Me & Mark - Jordan, Jordan, Jackson, & me
Me, Averi, Emma, Alex, & Olivia - Me & Austen
Olivia, me, Emma, Jackson, & Alex - Olivia, Emma, & Me (with the band Brother Parker)
Me, Mark, & Emma - Me & Austen

Live
Laugh
Love
~Laurel <3

The Beach :)

First of all, I would strongly suggest that y'all listen to "When I'm With You" by Ben Rector
I have this playlist that I always listen to when I blog and it's the first song on there
Plus, I got to go to the beach with my best friend this week and when I started listening to that song, I just saw pictures of us at the beach go through my head
The song can be about anyone you're close to: a best friend, a boyfriend or girlfriend, or just a friend
It's an adorable song.
Anyways, this week at the beach has been amazing
It was pretty relaxing, wind in our hair, sun in our face, the beautiful view of the palm trees and the ocean, just wonderful

DAY 1
We painted our nails because it always makes pictures of your feet in the sand better ;)
My dad lost a pair of sunglasses and his hat to the waves
The waves were so rough

DAY 2
We rented bikes and just cruised down to Seaside and back
I almost lost my hat when we were biking... my favorite camo hat, but I got it, no worries
However, my dad was not as lucky, he lost another pair of sunglasses
I'm not sure the waves will ever let up
One of my favorite things about the beach is the way my hair gets wavy and blonde
It's wonderful
Any time that I get to spend with my best friend is wonderful
Especially when there are cute boys around ;) haha
But neither one of us are brave enough to speak to them

DAY 3
Tonight we went to Old Florida Fish Market, and I really wanted some hush puppies, so I asked the waitress to substitute fries for hush puppies and she said, "how about I just bring you some and you don't tell anyone, and if they ask, just say you have no idea how they got there"
She was hilarious, they were real HUSH puppies, she was keeping me quiet haha
And, Olivia and I played rook against my parents and we didn't finish until like 1:00 am and then, being teenage girls, we stayed up even later talking

DAY 4
So, I think both of us got a little red today... Not good
I also got a new swimsuit! It's very cute :)
We played volleyball on the beach and then soccer with a volleyball
The waves were less rough so I actually got out and floated (ish)
Afterwards, we went back to the condo and watched a few guys paddleboard
One was really good and he was riding the waves, almost surfing. It was really impressive
For dinner, we went to "The Red Bar"
The food was great, which made up for the long wait (we waited for over an hour)
Their menu was very interesting... They didn't have printed menus, they were written on chalkboard and there were only 5 things to choose from... But everything tasted amazing!
And again, Olivia and I sat on the balcony before bed
Just enjoying each other's company and chatting away - and snapchatting Mark ;)

DAY 5
Today was just super relaxed
We went to the pool in the morning and the ocean in the afternoon
We both read "not a fan" by Kyle Idleman
It's a very good read, it's about deciding whether to be a 'fan' or a 'follower' of Jesus
I highly recommend it
Anyways, the waves had finally calmed down enough for me to go out for awhile and just float
Then, when we had gotten back to the condo, my parents had made dinner
We had brie and artichoke & crab dip for our appetizers; shrimp, broccoli, french fries, and bread for our main meal; then, for dessert... ICE CREAM!
And, we played quelf, the card game. It was hilarious to play
Then, to end the night, we watched Jimmy Fallon on tv and Olan Rogers on youtube (they are both super funny guys, if you've never seen them, you're missing out on a few good laughs)

DAY 6
Sooo, we slept in a little later than usual, woke up for lunch
Then, pool and the ocean
And, for our final night, we went to Seaside for dinner
But, before we could go to bed, we had to have ice cream, again :)

DAY 7
Our last day...
We were leaving rather early
So, Olivia and I went to the ocean one last time
We sat and read, and did a little bit of people watching (it sounds creepy but it's pretty funny sometimes)
Our fun had to come to a close though, so we headed back up to begin packing and cleaning

We came, we saw, we conquered... then we cleaned

Me & Olivia

Live
Laugh
Love
~Laurel <3

Another View

Hey guys! This is Olivia; Laurel wanted me to post as another side of view for the blog. I'm just now getting around to writing on it and have never written anything publicly before that wasn't for a grade so we'll see how this goes. The summer has started quickly as I just now realize that we've finished the first week of June already. The first event of the summer, at least for Laurel, Alex, and me was my sister's wedding. It seems like she is too young to get married only at age 20; however, I believe they will make a blissful life for the two of them. Their wedding was very "rustic on a budget", but was gorgeous enough that I would be very happy if it was my own wedding. I was maid of honor, and as I walked down the aisle before her I could hear the distant sniffles in the crowd and the other bridesmaids. The actual wedding day went very rapidly, but the days after the honeymoon have led to slow days filled with her at our house (because their house is not yet ready) and her husband at work. It has been tense at times, but we still love each other dearly. It will be sad to see her actually go, as right now it doesn't seem much different. I will continue to avoid the sadness of her leaving with the distractions of perks with the absence of "the couple". Kids Camp has been a terrific start to the summer as we realize what we should be doing with our time this summer: growing closer to God. During my time at Kids Camp I was put on the yellow team which is also known as the Stalwarts. We came in dead last, but we believe we had the most team spirit and the best experience there, which is all that matters. While at Kids Camp, we had to mentor a few of the campers on our team. When I was told this I began to be a tad frightened; however, the more I mentored, the more I felt spiritual and leadership growth. I left Camp with many hugs from lovely girls I had met and mentored, fantastic new friendships, and a renewed love for Jesus Christ. Two of my three camper girls even got baptized at camp/ at church the next day. I realized once I returned home that I should've gone to Camp all along, because I feel like I missed out on some great memories that could have happened, and we only have one year left. I feel as if this could be our motto for this next fun-filled year: "one year left". I'm sure by the end of this year we will all be brought to tears, as on one night singing in the amphitheater Mark decided to pray for the graduating and upcoming seniors, which alone made us misty-eyed. One day passed and we arrived at Jackson's birthday. We had a great time doing all that Laurel posted, and although it was very last minute, I truly believe we accomplished what we wanted which was to show him the thought of how we care for him. He is truly one of our best friends, which is why we are the three amigos. This group means a lot to me, and I believe it has been a big contribution to me beginning to come out of my shell and try new things. I am eternally grateful for the times we have had, and will have in the future because this year we believe in making the most of things with no regrets going into college. From events such as Prom and Summer Dance,  bigger events like Camp and Mexico, or smaller events like shopping trips and birthdays: we will leave behind no stone unturned or forgotten. With this in mind join us on our journey to have no regrets, and make the most of our last year together: Senior Year.

Me & Jackson - Me & Laurel
Me - Me & Laurel
Laurel & Me - Alex, Me, & Laurel

Jackson's Birthday

Today was one of my best friend's birthday. He turned 17.
Now, he can legally drive more than one person in his car ;)
A few of my friends and I planned him a surprise party (we like to say it was as much a surprise to us as it was him)
We planned it all last night and had it a lunch time today.
BUT we had fun, and that is all that matters
We went to Kids Castle and had lunch under the pavilion.
We ate, enoed, and played on the playground like little kids (even though we're all teens)
Afterwards, we went and saw "Tomorrowland" - btw it was really good
All in all, I think today was a success.
Happy 17th Birthday Jackson! :)

Jordan & Me - Our Chaco Star
Me, Jackson, & Jordan - Jackson, Me, & Jordan (flying off)
Olivia & Me - Mark, Jackson, & Jordan
Jackson, Jordan, & Mark

Live
Laugh 
Love
~Laurel <3

KIDS CAMP

John 17- "we are not of this world"
Today, I got back from Kids Camp.
It was awesome! This was my first year, and I was a counselor.
I had so much fun spending time the elementary students and my fellow counselors.
Our theme was "not of this world"
So, we did everything as if we were in space
Our teams were battleships with outer-space names.
For instance, I was on team Andromeda (which is a galaxy)
Kids Camp is hard to explain but there are different teams that compete for points and whoever gets the most points wins.
We play different games like dodge ball, kickball, sack races, tug-of-war, etc.
The last night of camp, we play "the big game" and you have to go searching for tiles with letters on them and figure out what the letters spell out and whoever gets it first launches off a firework to notify everyone that their team won.
This year, the blue team won "the big game" but, the orange team won overall.
My team came in 5th, which isn't too bad.
All that really matters is that you get closer to and learn more about God and you have fun!
I loved being able to hang out with my friends and compete against them.
I enjoyed every moment of camp: the sleepless nights, singing in the amphitheater, chats on the basketball court, team events, meals with the kids, devos, skits, the wheel of funny, and especially the campers' love for God and their love for their counselors
I can't wait for next year.

Me & Jackson - Me & Olivia
My Team
Jordan & Me - Me & Mark

" because we're all about that space, bout that space, time travel

we're all about that space, bout that space, time travel

we're all about that space, bout that space, time travel

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

you can see Andromeda using just your eye

because we are the galaxy so close by

we wear green because we're good and we don't tell lies 

we're a crew that serves because we want to follow Christ

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

you know we're all about that space, bout that space, no trouble 

we're all about that space, bout that space, no trouble 

we're all about that space, bout that space, no trouble "

Live
Laugh 
Love
~Laurel <3

The Summer Dance

Okay, so I meant to write this awhile ago...
Anyways, two of my friends decided to host a dance to raise money for an orphanage in Mexico. The dance was a hit. It was so much fun.
I went with Mark. And we had a blast! (at least I did, I hope he did too)
Leah (my cousin) got to go to, she went with Austen.
Neither one really wanted to dance so they just looked at stars AND planets ;)
I am so glad I got to go.
Leah and I were a tad late because I played in a tennis tournament that day in Chattanooga.
Honestly, I'm glad I lost my last match, otherwise I would've missed the dance.
The dance was definitely a great way to kick off the summer!

Me, Mark, & Olivia
Me & Mark
Austen, Leah, Mark, & Me

Live
Laugh 
Love
~Laurel <3

Graduation

So, graduation was yesterday. All the seniors are officially gone, which means, I'm a senior!
I don't think I'm ready for this...
1 week and then SUMMER!

Me & Ellis

Live
Laugh 
Love
~Laurel <3

Yearbooks

Well, yearbooks came out today.
Somehow my order got messed up so I didn't get one, but I will later.
I did still sign a lot of other yearbooks. So many that I didn't have time to do them all at school so I took 2 home.
When I was signing one, I started crying.
I'm just now realizing how close I actually am to becoming a senior.
I need to schedule senior pictures, apply to colleges, start my senior thesis.
There's so much to do!
I'm just not ready for this phase in my life.

Live
Laugh 
Love
~Laurel <3

12 days till Senior Year

Hi, I'm Laurel.
I've decided to make a blog for my Senior Year.
I want to keep track of all the memories I make before I leave.
One thing you should know about me is that I cry very easily.
Part of the reason I wanted to make this is so that my friends know how special they are to me. They are as much apart of my life as any of my family members.
Maybe someday, when I'm off at college, they'll come back and look at this and remember the fun times we've had.
I'll really start this thing up in a few weeks. Once summer begins :)

Live
Laugh
Love
~Laurel <3