.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))

Accountabilidice

This upcoming school year I get the joyful privilege of rooming with an amazing young woman.

Her name is Erin Whitlow. 

 I call her Rinny.

She is in my Torrey group at Biola and became one of my first (and dearest) friends this last year. 

I am SO EXCITED to live with her.

I get really slap happy giddy dancey joyful every time I think about it!

I'm stoked to get to know her heart better and learn how to encourage

her and love others better because of our friendship.

A few months ago I was trying to figure out ways for the two of us to stay connected

 in the midst of the craziness of our semesters. 

I was falling asleep one night ((this is the time that I become brilliant))

and I came up with the idea of the accountabilidice. 

Dice are hard to paint!!!!

Basically, you roll the di and the number corresponds to an accountability question.

These questions ask things like, "How did you love someone well today?" or

 "What fruit of the spirit 'themed' your day?" 

There are some lighter questions as well, like "What was the theme song of your day?"

We'll switch out questions when we feel like it to keep it fresh and interesting.

These little dice will sit in a jar/bowl on our coffee table (my trunk) in our room.

They will remind the two of us to challenge and encourage each other daily.

They will cause us to intentionally sit together and examine our hearts, minds, and souls. 

On days when we won't have time to sit and do this, the dice will be

 reminders to us to examine our hearts on our own. 

I'm so thankful that God has placed a friend in my life whom I can be held accountable to...

even with a silly thing like painted blocks. 

((so stoked to grow is this Maddy))