Big yellow sweaters, library computers, Colorado adventuring, and spring.

Has it really been nearly 4 months since I posted? Crazy. I'm sitting here at the library on a gloomy day in April, blocking out the people around me (I'm in the "quiet room," which makes it easier,) and typing away. Out the window, directly in front of me, I can see into the parking lot. . .all the parked cars and people going about their day. There are white blossoms on the trees, and even though it is overcast, spring has finally sprung here in Ohio, and I am happy, happy, happy. Also big yellow sweaters. Because when you find a sale at The Gap. . .and then this huge, bright yellow, oversized sweater with the tiny hole is marked even lower. . .it makes you incredibly excited and you have to buy it. Especially since an over sized sweater is everything you've always wanted (in the fashion world, anyway,) and tiny holes can be fixed. And yeah. . .$5.99? Deal of the century!

You may wonder why I'm at the library. . .well, the desktop computer at home "crashed" and is currently in for repairs, and so much has and is happening and so many blog posts are crowded together inside my head. . .I needed to type. Even though the library computer system is ancient and the wifi is slow (grumble). Tablets (which are all I have to work with at home,) don't let me type quickly and have that annoying automatic spell-check (curse the thing!). . .so here I am.

Good to "see you," bloggie friends! I've missed you. I've also been insanely (and when I say insanely, I mean insanely,) busy. So much has come up since I last posted. . .and literally, all of a sudden everything is crashing around me and-needs-to-be-finished-right-now. Blogging is on that agenda. I really want to fit a regular blogging schedule in there somewhere. It will happen. Someday. I promise. ;)

Before you get bored and stop reading (or skimming. . .don't deny it, you know that's what your doing. . .) I will fill you in a bit on life in the now. Hang tight.

 ❥ something i did ❥ Costuming in Michigan for a highschool production of The Wizard of Oz. That was my February. I mentioned it a bit in my last post (alll the way in January! Sheesh.) While there :drumroll: I turned 24. Yes. . .I am officially old. I mean. . .in 6 years I'll be 30. Help. In a huge way I'm loving this time in my life. . .I'm more mature and sure of what I want to do, but at the same time. . .24 just seems very old. 

 ❥ something i'm doing ❥ Preparing for a summer in Colorado. My sister Anna and I were hoping to get counselor jobs in North Carolina at a Christian camp, but things fell through. Major, major disappointment. Also confusing, since up until then it all seemed to be God's Will. Ah, but His ways are not are ways! It's pretty awesome, actually. Anna had researched dude ranches a few years ago (we love cowboys and anything western,) and stumbled on a ranch in Colorado that looked interesting, but wasn't a possibility at the time. Well, she took a chance and contacted Wind River Ranch, even though they were no longer hiring for the summer. . .and almost instantly got a response. Long story short, after filling out an extremely detailed application and waiting. . and praying. . .and waiting some more. . .Anna and I will officially be going to CO this summer! We truly serve an awesome God. :) Wind River has a very strong ministry-oriented worldview, a huge passion of mine and something I am so, so excited about. I will be working as a kitchen server, and Anna is working with the staff kids. I'm also trying to raise money for the ranch as part of their "Adopt a Staff Program," so if you'd like to hear more about how YOU can help, check out the link! 

❥ something i've discovered  ❥ How my body works and WHY it does what it does. This may be my most exciting news yet. For years I've struggled with anxiety, brought on by stress and different circumstances in my life. . .and I fell into a pit of depression and hopelessness. Thanks to a dear friend of mine (pretty cool story of how God brought us together--another story for another time,) I have been feeding my body only clean, whole, pure foods, and am taking lots and lots of vitamin B12--or as I like to call it, my happy, life-saving pill. Seriously, if your a girl reading this. . .anyone, but especially girls. . .take B12. Its an amazing little pop of cheerfulness and honestly has been healing and restoring. . .everything. My mind, my personality. I've also discovered that I'm most likely gluten-intolerant, so I've cut gluten as well as most soy, corn, sugar, and caffeine, (waaaa coffee!) from my diet. I'm not completely vegan, but I eat mostly plant-based, and honestly, I feel so good I don't even miss "bad" food. I think, if the topic of health and clean eating is of interest to you, I might add another category to my blog. I'd like to start vlogging (though I'm not very good at editing. . .any programs you'd recommend?) There are so many yummy recipes and life-changing tips. . .I've become a bit of a smoothie diva. ;) What do you think? Would you like to hear more?? 

❥ something i'm working toward  ❥ Growing my hair out. I've had hair issues for as long as I can remember. . .some of my older readers may remember my woes on my old blog, after I got my perm (er, two perms. . .in one week, ) and my hair started falling out. Yeah. Not fun. Horrifying, especially to a teenager! It's really never been the same since. . .the texture has changed-- its a lot finer now--and when it gets past my shoulder it become split and stringy. However, I love and am constantly envious of Pinterest-long hair. Soooo I started looking into natural hair growth. . .and I found a secret ingredient that actually works. Caster oil. I don't want to give too much away yet, since I want to write up a post about it, but yes. I have been doing an oil mask every other day for my hair and drenching my eyelashes every night. . .and ladies. . .my eyelashes are growing. My boy-short, stick-straight eyelashes are growing. Wonder of wonders. 

❥ something i'm loving  ❥ Spring! I never thought it would get here, but now that it has, I have a huge energy burst. I can hardly sit still, which is good, as I have a ton of work to do. Event planning, blogging, job hunting, fitness, health. I've been power-walking Belle every day, and ladies and gentleman. . .after a year of hard training, Belle now behaves perfectly on walks. Milestone. She heels, she walks nicely past people, she is polite towards other dogs. . .and I'm happy. This is when I really start bonding with my dogs. . .after about a year of training. She's almost 2 and the cutest, nicest puppy around. :) 

Well, time is up here at the library. This post isn't all I hoped and planned it would be, but it is something. I am hoping to get the desktop back in a few days, and oh boy do I have some fun post ideas for you! In the meantime, check out my Instagram for some pictures that correlate with the topics in this post. Then leave a comment and tell me what is making YOU happy and excited this spring. ❥