.Rest.FULL.of.JOY.

Last weekend I went on a retreat with the girls from my floor. 

It was a wonderfully restful and joyful 24 hours. 

It was a time for us to get away from school and get to know each other better.

We drove a snatch away to Oak Glen

where there are many beautiful apple farms.

We all caravaned in different cars...

but our caravan broke apart and the area

 we went to didn't get very good cell service.

So it took a few hours to get everyone together. 

Here are some snatches of what we did:

One of my R.A.'s Winnie and my dear friend Georgey.

Several of the girls that make life in Alpha so sweet.

Classic napkin head impersonation from The Holiday.

We did a lot of eating, too.

Los Rios Rancho is a lovely little store...

but it's so much more than just a store!

We tried yummy apple samples 

and tasted several variations of apple butters

and fresh baked bread...

mmmm so delicious!

This is Georgey. I'm her Lenny.

We're going to open up a fitness center for 

senior citizens someday.

((She blogs here.))

The pinkies matter. 

But mostly not really.

Playing some old school four square at the Christian 

Conference Center we stayed at.

It was like a summer camp but we were the only ones there!

Awesome roommate pic. 

Rinny is the one who usually takes all the pictures.

So I try to sneg moments with her in FRONT of the camera every now and then. 

((Posing on fake ponies is hard business.))

My other epic R.A. and good friend, Ruth

There was an old truck on the conference center campus. 

It was nice being the only ones there.

Needless to say it got pretty exciting!

I think this moment involved the suggestion, 

"Pretend you're about to get hit by a car!"

We keep it real classy.

Also, there was an old school one of these bad boys.

I'm pretty sure they've been outlawed like

everywhere. 

It was pretty sketchy...

and by that I mean amazing.

This is my lovely Lou friend. 

She is gorgeous.

Rinny captured her gorgeousity well.

It was an amazing golden hour.

Bah I love all of the girls that I got to spend 

those few hours with. 

We laughed often and talked even more often. 

Sporadic Disney songs and talk about boys 

rang loudly through the gorgeous trees. 

I delighted in SEEING the stars for the first time since Hume.

I felt RESTED in my quiet times with the Lord.

I sat with great CONTENT under a tree eating a fresh Jonagold apple.

I felt my HEART SMILE when I saw a leaf that had truly changed color.

We rang in the Autumn season well. 

((so thankful for these girls is this Maddy heart))

An Affair to Remember

Tonight I watched 

"An Affair to Remember"

Mmm. 

Classic Cary Grant. 

Such a good movie. 

These are just a few of my favorite moments. 

And some of the best quotes throughout the movie. 

Nickie Ferrante: But you have such an honest face.
Terry McKay: I have?
Nickie Ferrante: I can trust you can't I?
Terry McKay: Yes, I suppose so.
Nickie Ferrante: Good, come with me. 

Terry McKay: What makes life so difficult?
Nickie Ferrante: People. 

Terry McKay: Winter must be cold for those with no warm memories... we've already missed the spring. 

(((mmm a classily entertained night for this Maddy heart)))

Red and...Purple?

Three out of the five people in the office today 

were each wearing some variation of the color purple...

with red shoes.

{Me, Carri, and Rebecca}

It's kind of a random combination 

and I truly doubted myself as I put my red shoes

on my feet with my purple shirt. 

But it just felt right. 

And when I got to work, 

Carri got all excited because I matched Rebecca. 

And then she looked at herself and realized that she matched us too. 

[[Red Hat Society anyone??]]

Also I love red shoes. 

Also, we all got coffee today and it has been a long time since I had coffee. 

[[I didn't go caffeine-free this time, too...oye vey!!]]

Also my amazing little brohah just called me 

to tell me about how stoked he is for his English class. 

His teacher is using the film "About a Boy" 

to explain the idea of perspectives. 

Adam is so excited and it brought me so much joy to hear about it! 

((What a made day for this Maddy being))

Echolocative Joy

Dolphins make little clicky sounds 

so that they can gain their bearings

and understand their surroundings. 

Their happy clicks bounce off of objects 

and then come back and hit their foreheads. 

This process is called echolocation.

{Isn't that silly? How much God must have been smiling as he created those little guys!!!}

I like that they require the presence of other things to survive. 

Otherwise they would loudly stumble

their little ways through the ocean.

I feel like there has been an abundance of joy within my spirit as of latel. 

I'm learning that I experience joy in the

 greatest capacity

 as I get to share it with others. 

Joy stuck inside of me tends to get a snatch explosive. 

Therefore, I thrive off of

 these moments 

when I get to share my joy. 

I feel like a dolphin. 

Letting out my joy.

((usually in the form of many many words and the occasional squeallygiddy dance

I imagine that dolphins would be the best choreographers of dance if they were land animals))

I delight in watching my joy bounce off of the people around me. 

Seeing the beauty of joy rooted in Christ that encourages others, 

rather than joy that is centered around me. 

That is hard business. 

I admit, sometimes

 I like just reveling in my own joy, 

but that is stanky and selfish. 

I desire to intentionally share my joy to encourage the spirits of others.

Because when it encourages others it always has

a

way

of

coming

back. 

It bounces off of the people around me and hits me in the forehead. 

Or the heart to be more exact. 

((joyful dolphin-hearted is this Maddy girl))

Nehemi[[ayeayeaye]]ah

One of the classes I'm taking this semester is called

Oral Interpretations. 

It's a communications course and involves reading out loud. 

Literature + talking= a very happy Maddy. 

Our assignment this week is to cut 

((fancy way of saying choose))

a selection from the Bible to read in class. 

I chose a passage from Nehemiah. 

Nehe-who-ah??

Yeah, I promise I'm not trying to go for the hipster Bible reading

by choosing something a little bit more old school.

((I'm pretty sure that Paul referred to the Old Testament as "old school"

inside his mind as he wrote so many letters to New Testament churches.))

But Nehemiah stinking ROCKS!!

I'm going to read verses four through eleven from chapter one. 

{I imagine this is what he would look like. mostly because he has a rad beard}

I'm ever so excited to highlight 

the depth of Nehemiah's heart for God's people. 

God had placed such a specific passion inside of his heart

and he let it break him so that he would be fully engaged. 

He chose to intercede in an amazing way. 

I'm stoked:)

Also I realized that I need to check in on my new year's resolves...

I've been succeeding in everything except for the memorizing of 

"Handlebars" by the Flobots. 

I think I've found my Sunday afternoon activity!

Also, I miss this kid

kinda  lot. 

My little brohah is such a stud!

Adam started his junior year of high school this past week

and I'm so excited for this year!!!

((so many heart-thoughts for this Maddy-girl!!))

Biology: The Study of [REAL] Life

Today has been a studyish kinda day. 

Besides taking a break to stritzy-straighten my hair and

 watch Stranger than Fiction with my brother...

{such a good movie}

...it has been a nearly productive day. 

I have been concentrating most of my 

current energies 

on studying for my Bio test. 

eyuck right? 

[NOPE]

I have been ever so excited about this test. 

And studying for it has proved to be a thorough delight as well. 

Firstly, you really must know that 

I experience a snatch of a thrill in test-taking.

Took the SAT twice...because I could (and wanted to!!!)

Secondly...life is just such a fascinating thing to study!!!

I was working my way through my flashcards earlier 

and the distinction between the 

rough and smooth

 parts of the endoplasmic reticulum

struck my fancy. 

Although I'm sure they both serve other functions, 

the main distinction between these two parts is this:

rough ER: [noun] has ribosomes attached,

smooth ER: [noun] is ribosome-less. 

So when I think about the smooth ER, 

I just think about the fact that it has the absence of ribosomes.

In my mind, it is known for the very thing 

that it opposes-the ribosome-ful rough ER. 

Kinda depressing right? 

Than I thought about what my life might look like on a flashcard. 

You know, if someone was choosing to study me for a test.

[what does that even mean?!]

I wonder what would be written on it about me, you know?

I don't want to be known for things that I oppose, 

the things that I choose to be against 

in my life, 

in my relationships,

in my culture, 

in my world. 

These things are so very much a part of me.

But I do not want to be defined by them. 

I want to be defined by the things that are required of my life as a 

Little Christ.

I want to be known for the things that 

I work to be every day

in my life, 

in my relationships

in my culture, 

in my world. 

((Maddy: [noun]  love fully attached.))

Fa(hahahaha)mily

I came home this weekend for a few days to celebrate 

my wonderful father.

My brother, mom and I took him to our favorite Mexican Restaurant. 

Cafe Rio makes me want to weep the tears of a foody fool in love every time I go. 

The people in line in front of us were friends of my dad's. 

They passed on to the staff there that it was his birthday. 

His face turned so red as they belted out the classic birthday song.

In front of a full crowd. 

He yelled out, "I'm going to Chipotle!!"

It was a shining moment:)

We laughed 

and shared stories

and yogurtlanded 

and fist pounded 

and presented 

and rejoiced 

and celebrated 

and loved

and laughed. 

A lotta lot.

I love celebrating people...

my daddy is the most amazing, significant male 

that is in my life and earthbound. 

His wisdom has shaped so much of the formation of mine...

and allowed me the space to grow and learn on my own. 

He has taught me what standards and expectations

 I ought to have as a lady for the gentlemen in my life. 

He has encouraged me to laugh when I'm stressed 

and pray when I'm even more stressed.

I love that man. 

It was a joy to bring him joy yesterday. 

I realized I was truly home this morning 

when rather early on I heard a loud thump at my bedroom door

and my little brother threw it open and 

his deep, much to loud for the morning voice, 

told me that I really must give him a ride to practice 

otherwise

he'd have to skateboard. 

In my semi-conscious state I very nearly said yes.

Crazy right?

My unconscious self is much too generous.

I claimed my right as a very tired Maddy

and felt only a snatch guilty for telling him 

"HECK NO KID!!!"

((with a sweet heart and a promise to myself that I'd take him out for ice cream later))

Round two wakeup involved the little puppy scratches at the door 

that I've missed oh so much.

Mostly because these little noises are most often accompanied 

by a sweet mommy who is sending the dog into to see if I'm awake:)

Her joy at my consciousness was a snatch overwhelming to my morning self. 

But her bubbly energy and delight made me want to jump out of bed and start the day. 

Mmm I love being home. 

((Happy homey [very well fed] Maddy))