Love Is Not A Fight, But It's Worth Fighting For...

So in light of my extremely happy disposition, I was overwhelmed with sadness today as I watched the news!  Ann Presely a news anchor in Alabama died over the weekend, from injuries she acquired when someone broke into her home and beat her...almost to death.  She was unable to recover.  I don't even know this woman, but it just makes me sick!  I read about this story online on Friday, and it was made out as though she was expected to make a full recovery!  It really is just so so sad, so pray for her family!  She was only 26, and lived by herself.  There are no leads in her case at all.  I know stuff like this happens all the time, every day in fact, but this story just keeps sticking with me!  I cant even imagine what her family is going through.
-So I cant figure it out!  I have had this odd peace about everything for about two weeks now!  I am so so so happy, and I really don't know why!  I feel like God is either preparing me for an extreme amount of stress, or it really is just time for me to be happy and worry free!  I have never really thought of myself as a pessimist, but I've been really making a conscious effort to truly find the positive in everything!  And, I think it's really making a difference!  I'm just happy!  ALL THE TIME!  I've also been really wanting to read my bible!  Crazy for me!  I mean I always want to read it, but I never make the time for it!  Lately, I feel excited when the time presents itself!  It's pretty awesome!  I have been waiting a long time to experience the true passion for the word that so many of my friends have, and I feel like it's coming to me... not on my own terms, which really is so much more sweet!  I've been saying it a lot, but Life really is so so good right now, and I want everyone to know it!
-This weekend was not overly productive in that, I basically spent the whole weekend at IKEA~  I mean I can't complain, I really do love that store!  It's probably my third favorite place in the world!  Right behind, Pike's Place Market in Seattle, and Hobby Lobby respectively!:)  That store is so so cool!  Whoever decided setting up fake rooms in a store....Genius!  I mean really!  Love it!  
-My not so little sister turned 15 this weekend!  So crazy!  She is all grown up!  She is the most beautiful girl ever!  She has the best head on her shoulders!  At fifteen, I was still so terrible to my mother, and yelling that I was going to run away if I couldn't go to the mall!(I was pretty ridiculous, and dramatic!  It was those years that I picked up my nickname 'the evil twin', something I am still trying to prove wrong!)  She had a really good weekend I think, and I love that I could be a part of it!:)
-I need to be super productive this week in terms of school, because next week is lining up to be quite busy!  So far I have a project due on Monday, and then two tests after that!  Crazy Crazy!
-So I am always looking for good songs to add to the soundtrack that is my life, and well today I found yet another! I feel as though it is pretty easy for me to find songs that I can relate to my life, because well, let's be honest, I experience all of my emotions on a daily basis! However, this one really stuck out for me today, and I wanted to share!
This one is called "By Your Side", by Tenth Avenue North
It pretty much sums where I feel like God is leading me right now. I think learning things about our lives as it is happening is pretty amazing in itself, but when you can find a song that sums it up...that much more amazing! I'm pretty sure this has been on repeat in my car all day, and probably will continue to be until at least the end of the week...or until I find one to sum up tomorrow's blog!:)
xo a

The Final Product!

So we finished the re-decorating of the living room this weekend!  Now I am realizing that a 'before' picture would have been helpful, however, I didnt take one!  Just know that this is much much cuter than my living room has ever been!  I love it!  I was really nervous about the orange, and although I realize that some might hate this....it's my living room and I LOVE IT!

xo a

You Get The Best Of Both Worlds....

Hey Friends! So right now I am sitting in the education building waiting for my next class to start. Did I mention that BOTH of my legs are asleep at this point, and I am sitting on a really hard floor! The business college gets flat screen t.v.'s, leather couches, and hard wood floors! I mean I'm just putting it out there, but I think I might be a little less bitter if I was sitting on a pretty hard floor.:) I had a test today, and I think it went pretty well! It was in Fashion Merch. so I really don't think you can call it a test. It's like saying "Amber tell us why you wore that shirt today....but we are testing you...so DON'T MESS UP!" It's a fun class, and I love love love fashion, so...second nature! So Halloween is coming up and I am way super excited~! I don't ever dress up for Halloween, bc I don't understand why you automatically have to dress slutty when you are in college! Like it is some unwritten rule! I was looking at some costumes online, and they even managed to make nuns slutty! Total contradiction! So in keeping with my theme of trying not to look like a whore, I have decided to be HANNAH MONTANA! My whole costume is going to be based around some stiletto high heel boots.....covered in SEQUINS! I love sequins! They really should be on everything! They make me happy! Being sparkly makes me happy! I really don't think you can go wrong with Disney! And I also don't mind embracing a little immature fun! Most of my friends are going to be super hero's, since that is the theme of the party we are going to, but Hannah is two people....that's a super hero if you ask me! I can barely keep up with one life, let alone two!

-Also, since we are on the topic of Disney, HSM 3 comes out in a few days! (I swear I will be done ranting about my immature tendencies in a second). My bible study and I are all going to go see it on Tuesday when we finish up! Way fun!

-Side note about babysitting this weekend...cutest thing ever! The little girl Avery, who is three years old was so excited to see me! She had extended family over, and she individually introduced me to everyone as her friend Ms. Amber. She was just way too cute! She couldn't get everyone to leave fast enough so we could play! I love love love kids!

-We finished painting the living room....I may have already told y'all that, but it looks good! Hopefully we can start moving stuff back into the room tonight! On Friday we are going to go to my 2nd most favorite store in the whole wide world.....IKEA! We are going to be buying two chairs that will match the room better. I also want to get this light to sit behind the side table in between the two chairs...but Ash isn't so sure about it. What do you think? I just like it! Also, for you more savvy bloggers...do you know how to insert pictures anywhere into the blog entry! See if would have made sense to just have the pictures down here, instead of the links...but every time I add them they are at the top of the entry....annoying! Oh well.

-My little sister is turning 15 next week! It is so so so crazy! I cant believe she is all grown up! She is the most beautiful girl ever, and I am so proud of her! We used to have kind of a rocky relationship, and I think I was kind of hard on her!:( She had really low self-esteem, and I was just inconsiderate! Makes me sick to think about it! She seriously could model now, and I love her so much! We def. get along, and everything is good, except that I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO GET HER! She is really into horses, but she is not a girly girl at all! I am the epitome of girly...so to pick out something for her that isn't pink, and she will like....SO HARD!

-Phi Lamb girls are going to playoff for Intramural Football undefeated! Exciting!

I ♥ Highschool Musical!

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So Big/Lil Sis has come and gone! So amazing! I got Emily, which is who I wanted...so yea Jesus! She is probably the cutest thing ever, and she crafts! I really think it was meant to be!:) We all went out to dinner @ Mamacita's afterwards, so that was fun! So today is Tx State's Homecoming...and you know where I am at?! WORK! yuck! It really is not that fun, and I am a little sad that I am going to be missing out! I need a job that doesn't require EVERY day of the weekend! Although, I do also need money! I was talking to a friend last night, and he told me to quit and just live a little.(so I could make an un-planned trip to Houston to visit) I found this all kind of ironic, bc I am working non-stop to live! Funny how things work!:) Ash and I are making progress on Operation Re-Decorate the Living Room. I have to be honest, I was getting really nervous about the color! I was driving around San Marcos the other day, and I def. saw a Volkswagen Bug the exact same color that we are painting the walls! That to me was a bit of a red flag! I also kind of think that when we
open the blinds...our living room might glow from the street!:) It def. looks better now that we have put a second coat on the walls, but still pretty bright! I think once we have everything in the room it will look a lot better...but I am still a little nervous! Either I am going to love it, or hate it! It's up in the air! That's all for now, I'm sure ill have more tomorrow!

xo a

Living Happily Ever After...Just Short of The Prince:)

Life is so so good right now! Wow. I def. got a 95 on my Social Work test...and this can probably go without saying, but AMAZING! Like I really think this might be my 2nd or 3rd "A" on a test in a long long time! And, being that grades are a seriously big deal this semester....it's GREAT! I have been so crazy busy with school, and granted I feel like I am always having to do a project or study for a test...I can't help but wonder where I would be right now if I had only applied myself like this 4 years ago! It's okay though, I'm not bitter. I had to do an interview the other day and we started talking about being indecisive and she told me not to get discouraged, bc "Life Is The Best Teacher". Isn't that the truth! I know I have thought along these lines before, probably at some point when I was feeling down about myself! I don't know, hearing it just made me think AMEN! So I have been hanging out with my big sis in phi lamb, and it's been amazing! She went inactive last year, so we really didn't keep in touch too much! Life has been way too fun! I think my sis has felt a little left out, but I am working on that! She doesn't usually like to hang out with my sorority sisters bc I guess she feels like she cant relate..? I don't know, she wont go to bible study with me, or anything! I really wish she would, but obviously I cant force her! I don't know, I just think she would grow so much! Spiritually where I am today, is far different than even a year ago! It's crazy, and I love it! I wish she could see how much I get out of it all, and be curious enough to get in on the action! It's just a fun group of girls! We talk, giggle! And just bc we've decided to give each week a theme and dress up! Oh and we are all equally lame!:) It's awesome! On that note, socially, my calendar has been FULL... I guess that's a good thing, but oh man have I been busy! Jenna, Whitney, Haley, and Macy and I are always doing something! I am either at school, work, their house, or an intramural football game! It really has just been great hanging out with everyone again! Work is getting a little smoother too. Ive just been trying to limit my hours at the law office, until things pick up a little. No worries there. I'm looking forward to this weekend, tonight I'm going to my favorite restaurant ever with a bunch of girls I love so it will be a nice end to my week! Tomorrow night is Big Sis/Lil Sis for Phi Lamb, and I am super excited! I signed up to take two this year, so it should be exciting! I loved being a Big last year! Getting to continually show love to someone for no reason is pretty awesome, and it just feels good too!

Some other reasons to be extremely happy:

I was freezing this morning when I left for work at 6:30am! Granted, it was still dark outside, and it has been raining...the cold air was amazing! Even at 3:00, it is still slightly chilly outside, and that is way exciting for me! I love love winter! At least for a few months anyway! I'm excited about winter fashion this year too, bc it is all so dang cute!(lol, this is my new fashion merchandising knowledge coming out). I bought a yellow pea coat like two months ago, and I have been dying to wear it!

I get to babysit two of the cutest girls ever this weekend! One is only eight months old, and I LOVE babies, so...enough said.

We are getting closer to November 1st, which is when I have decided I am going to decorate for Christmas! I'm just going to skip Thanksgiving this year! Jenna decorates incredibly early too, and why not! 1 month really isn't long enough for all the festive cheer that Christmas brings about!

Still Here!...

OK, so yes, I am still ALIVE!  Life has been so absolutely crazy this past few weeks!  I have never in my life been so busy with...well life!:)  School is def. taking it's toll on me this semester!  I only have classes two days a week, which in theory sounded like a good plan...until now!  I am realizing that means that all of the tests then have to be squeezed into two days a week as well!  Studying, def. not my cup of tea!  I hate it!  Anyway, enough about that....my life is stressful, and that is that! So i have finished my tests for the week today, and my sister and I have decided to re-decorate our living room!  FUN!  We do this about once every six months or so!  We are a little obsessed with places like IKEA and Pottery Barn, which only fuel our obsession and drain our bank accounts, but OMG it is so so much fun!  So for this go around we are going with a girly theme!  We want something really girly and fun!  So fun that we have decided to paint the walls......orange!  Crazy I know!  But don't think crayola orange...think "It's Fall and beautiful!"  It's def. more of a dark color, but we are accenting with cream couches and chairs and livening it up with bright floral throw pillows!  Now the only thing we cant decide on is curtains.....I was thinking maybe like a gold tone...but I really can't say yet.  I will def. post pictures as we make progress!  Right now, we are just trying to clear our room and clean!  Amidst all that craziness, we have also decided to re-decorate our recently vacant back bedroom!  My sis and I started out just the two of us, but we had a roommate all summer!  She graduated, and has now moved out...so it's just the two of us now!  We are going to just make it a guest room for guests...haha we don't really have overnight guests...ever, but whatev!  It's going to be cute too!  Anyway, so that is my life for now!  Crazy Busy!  More posts to come!  I have been so sad....I really have just not had the time to blog!  And it has been so hard!  Study....or Blog...really I have found myself thinking this a lot lately!  Obviously I went with the studying!:)  Love you all!

xoxo a