My Best Friend

The concept of a friend, when you really think about it, is amazing. Family you are born with and I have been blessed to have the bestest friends within my family, but the idea of choosing who you want to spend your time with? That blows my mind. I know I'm spoiled. God gave me the most amazing friends as my family and I'll have them forever (the many joys of having a Christian family) but it is crazy to think about how I can choose to  have someone be my friend and they in turn can choose me.

I know this isn't making much sense but what I'm trying to say is that God gives you people. He gave me my family for my lifetime. He has given me people throughout my life to teach me something, to draw me closer to Him, to get me through a hard time, to just smile at me when I had a bad day, to help me out, to show me Jesus, to allow me to show Jesus, to just be with, to eat with, to spend late nights with, to plan with, to over analyze with, to argue with, to realize the person I do not want to be, and again, as always to teach me something. The amount of time that people have spent in my life ranges from a spit second encounter to years. When I was in Belgium I was terribly lost and I was with a woman a total of ten minutes and she possibly saved my life by getting me out of the rough part of town. She came into my life and just like that was gone. God uses people to fulfill purpose and I enjoy looking back to see the time when people came into my life and how God had it all perfectly worked out. 

My friend, Meghan, and I have known each other probably since we were born. Our moms are best friends so we went to each others birthday parties and church events growing up. We liked each other but I was too awkward at that point in my life (still am!) and she thought I never talked. We remained friend-acquaintances (fracquaintances?). The beginning of senior year I went with my mom to some sort of home party at their house. Amy (her sister and one of my dearest friends) and Meghan showed up as my mom and I were getting ready to go. Amy invited me to stay over. My immediate internal response was "no". That was out of my comfort zone to stay the night at anyone's house. I was definitely a home-body. Surprisingly though, I said yes. Meghan and I laugh about it now because she was thinking "Why is Amy asking her to spend the night when we hardly know her?" while I was thinking "Why is she asking me to spend the night when I hardly know them?". That night everything seemed to click. They thought I was hilarious (something I only thought Diane believed!) and I just loved everything about them.

Fast forward past numerous late nights, plenty of ice cream, dates at the lake, lots and lots of laughter, tears, drama, dance parties, sweat pants, Pride and Prejudice, lime green punch bugs, music videos, benches, a road trip, devotions, prayers, Owl City, a strange obsession with Christian pick up lines, and matching outfits and you have us now. Meghan came into my life when I needed her, when God knew that I needed her. I'm so thankful for this Christian sister that will tell me the truth in love, celebrate my victories, listen to my anxieties, pray with and for me, sit with me by the lake and just be there for me, be it by text, call or letter. 

She is proof, yet again, that I am so spoiled by my Father. For the last couple of years we have been planning/praying to go to Africa in 2013. Lord willing, we will be there in a year! God has broken both our hearts for the hurting and has put in us a desire to travel and share His love. I'm so blessed to have Meghan, even if we end up doing extremely ridiculous things (in public and private). I love her and I'm just so happy that I got to spend her 21st with her at our favorite place and doing our favorite things.

I'm so excited to see where God is going to take us both separately and together, He has such big plans! 

I can't wait till we're in the nursing home causing mayhem together. Everyone will still think we're crazy...even after all that time.

*CHEESE*

Where it all began.

We happen to enjoy some of the same clothes...

Our love of benches in incomparable

The best balm is friendship

She is the #1 reason I smile at my computer 

Location: Belgium and NY

Always my gorgeous date :)

Happy Birthday, Mom :)

I am convinced that half of my page views come from my mom. I don't tell her when I update the blog but she always seems to know and texts me after she reads it telling me that she enjoyed it. She is my greatest cheerleader and, along with my dad, has applauded each accomplishment and encouraged each failure, stating that my life will always be in God's hands and that whatever happens will be His Will. I'm so thankful to God that she is my mother. Growing up, I did not realize that I would soon reach an age where my mother would become my friend. I've always had a great relationship but it became different when I became an adult and I love talking to her honestly, knowing that she isn't judging and even if she couldn't understand...she tries to . She has encouraged me to go where I feel God leads, even if it is far from home. Even if everyone deserted  me (that would never happen), I could count on her to stand by and uphold me in her prayers and words. She has been my (and still is) my Christian example, teacher, advice giver, bad back-rub giver, listener, mentor, cheerleader, paper editor (those last minute papers definitely need someone else to check and make sure they made sense!), dearest friend, uplifter and encourager. 

This crazy woman (along with my father) thought it was a great idea to have four children and have my mom stay home with them. God had different plans and sent twins (my dad likes to tell me that I wasn't planned) so, with five children under five, my parents raised us to be the people we are today.

I'm so thankful for my childhood filled with the sweetest memories of a crazy house with two young parents. I couldn't thank God enough for my mom who freely gives of herself, not only for her family, but for anyone who needs it and radiates the love of Jesus when she walks in the room.

She will blush to read this but it is true I wouldn't be Krissy without Penny in my life.

I love you Mom, happy birthday, you young thing!

I picked this particular picture because I'm wearing her wedding dress. Before I left for Belgium she thought it would be fun to have me try it on. I'm not sure if she thought I would die or what but it is a special picture of me, my mom and her wedding dress :)

Full Circle

Khloe and I settled down on the couch TWO HOURS AGO to write this post (Khloe wasn't going to be contributing today). I got distracted. And by distracted I mean like "wow, I can't stop reading!!!!". The internet on my computer went so as I waited for it to load I continued to read a book that I just. can't. put down. How am I supposed to deal with this sensory overload?! Oh right, it is because both my brain and body have been fighting with each other these last couple of weeks and are finally coming to terms with each other. That is what's happening...

My best friend (who actually was my date to my most recent wedding engagement) sent me this link: friendationships and my mind was blown! I felt like this woman and I were the same person...it was really weird. I loved spending the last two hours getting to know her. She is a couple years older than I and works for Compassion International. Her blog is open and honest and she loves Jesus, what could be better?

Now that I have told you about her, I am going to put in another plug for the book I'm reading. I follow OwlCity's official blog even though I still struggle with a little bitterness towards Adam. My heart was sold after meeting him and I have been trying to get over him since! Oh, but it is so wonderful to have met a Christian musician who actually seems real. I'm so thankful for the experience and I pray that he continues on the path God has planned for him. Anyway...back in December, Adam blogged about Deitrich Bonhoeffer. This wasn't the first time I had heard the name (thank you History 235: Nazi Germany) so I kept his name in the back of my mind as I made my way through the semester. Today I made it to the library to find Desiring God, a book recommended by both Adam and a friend (this friend is actually real and active as a relationship in my life....unlike Adam....sometimes I really have problems haha, oh I'm such a dreamer). However, I could not find it so I browsed through the new book section. That is when I saw Bonhoeffer's face and was thrown back to December where I promised myself to read more about this influential Christian man who stood up against the Nazis. It is a heavy read but I'm so excited to continue this book and journey with Bonhoeffer.

I'm truly sorry that I did not write sooner. This semester was easily my worst and I am so thankful to God that I passed International Trade (thank you Kristen!!) and managed to survive, in one way or another (always the dramatic). I didn't realize when I boarded the plane in August what wonderful relationships awaited me. They were like presents in my life just waiting to be opened. I still get this fluttery feeling in my chest when I think of the ways God showed himself to me the four months in Belgium. As I boarded that plane I was seated next to a friend of a friend. We knew each other but hadn't had the opportunity to develop our relationship. I sat next to her and (being the dork that I am) told her that in four months we would be sitting next to each other with so many experiences behind us... "Imagine what will happen, who we will meet!?" She nodded, smiled her sweet smile and agreed that it would be very weird in four months to look back at what taken place. I didn't realize though how close we would get and how many experiences she and I would have together. I was/am so thankful for her friendship abroad. She and Julia got me through my sickness and inability to do ANY academic work (you remember those struggles, don't you?!)

This is Kristen and I, August 22nd, 2012. Please remember that I had just cried my eyes out. It was a rough day. But I can officially say that this is the day Kristen and I became "friends".

December 17th, 2012. Okay I post this picture with hesitation because it is not our best. The flash caused both of eyes to go blinky and I had only slept ten minutes. We had both just RAN to our plane because the airline bumped us off the flight. I almost cried. Wait, I did cry. Then they found us tickets and told us to run. ooo I look so attractive plus I have probably five pounds of face fat (something I coined because in my family when we gain weight it is first in the face and you CANNOT tell until you look at pictures...it is dreadful. At least I could tell if my pants didn't fit. Nope, I need a face measurer to find out if I'm gaining weight). It was the Belgium chocolate...and the Dutch food....and the Bible Studies at Bill and DeeDee's place. I blame them :)

The point of these two pictures (besides comparing how four months in a foreign country can wreck your body!) is to show our "full circleness" and how it related even to this semester for Kristen and I. On the flight home Kristen and I did sit next to each other (after we convinced someone to move for a while because a certain someone was bumped to first-class [Kristen] while I was back in economy living the dream) and we talked about how four months ago we had no idea what would happen and who we would meet, etc. It was the epitome of a full circle and it blew my mind even if I was expecting it since August. 

Sunday night I took pictures off of my wall as Kristen took down my glow-in-the-dark stars (I will always have them regardless of how how I am). She mentioned how we were again at full circle because at the beginning of the semester she had joined the "work party" formed by friend to make my room look/feel more like home. During that time Kristen designed the constellations on my ceiling, allowing me to be surprised each night as I turned off the light and looked up to see the "Great Sky" (I want either glow in the dark stars or a sky light for my future house/hut/whatever building God puts me in). She put them up in January and took them down in May and stuck with me during the months in between. It was a blessing having her because we could reminisce about Belgium, the people, the stories and the memories. I didn't have to worry about bothering her by saying "Belgium this" and "Belgium that". We converted our friends to the love of speculoos and pulled all-nighters together while she kept tabs on my eye condition and the fact that my body and mind have been in a constant battle since leaving the US in August. 

It is funny how, even though this was a really rough semester, things ended well. Our school has this brilliant idea of Senior Week. The week after finals Seniors hang out and have events scheduled each day till they graduate. Some of us lucky people (aka RAs) have to stay to close the dorms. At first it seems like an inconvenience till you realize how awesome it is to stay on campus to SLEEP (a concept most students forget about come finals) and hang out with friends without the guilt of a paper to do or test to study for. Last year I had the best time just hanging out with various friends and doing whatever we wanted to do or nothing at all! My favorite day of Senior week consisted of spending the day with two of my best friends; we just hung out in the sun and took pictures while walking around campus (I have a LAKE a minute from my dorm). That night I went with them and two other friends to an African Orphan Choir concert at the church I go to up at school. I almost died at that concert, it was so perfect. My friend (who knows me so well) looked at me at the conclusion of the concert and said "After I saw them before I wanted to go to Africa, and I never had that desire. Here you are and you've wanted to go....you must be ready to board that plane." I cheesed at him and probably said something unintelligible because that is what happens when Krissy gets excited. She claps her hands and smiles till her cheeks can't do it anymore and her eyes have thousands of crows' feet. The group of us then got ice cream and watched Pride and Prejudice. It was a wonderful night doing some of my favorite things with some of my favorite people. 

The senior week this year involved different people but still such sweet memories. Though, almost a year after saying good bye as he graduated, I got to see my friend who stood by me at the African concert and understood my babbling excitement. We've kept in contact but it was weird to have him on campus. Again, it was like full circle and we were back a year earlier saying good bye to each other as he entered "post-grad world" and I packed up my life for Belgium. His timing was perfect as I was discouraged from a rough semester and honestly, from not having enough time with the love of my life, Jesus. What I appreciated about the conversations we had (though I'm sure he thought/thinks I am depressed) is that they were centered around God and His workings in our lives. I don't know if he was on an encouragement mission but that is what he brought to me. You see, regardless of how this semester was (it was good overall ....just God was teaching me some things), God used it and will continue to use it for his glory. I can rest easy in that. For "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you...." Jeremiah 1:5 

Finals

I struggle every semester around finals. My "last minute" personality gets me into trouble, but somehow I survive. I don't know how I do....I always go into finals thinking that it might be the death of me (dramatic much?) but then it never is...

I also struggle with my ever present urge to complain and the small voice in the back of my head that keeps saying "You're so lucky....so very lucky". Because, despite all of my complaining about not sleeping and having stress, I'm going to school. I'm living the life countless people only wish they had. My biggest problem for the next four days is to check all the assignments off my list. Really? That is not a big problem in comparison with what other people are going through. It is all about the perspective. Who really cares if I fail this. God uses every opportunity and regardless of what I do (though I try my best), His will will be done in my life. It is out of my hands and into God's.

So when I get that (constant) urge to complain, I just have to remember that wow, I'm a truly lucky girl.