Bucket List.

Well, having this luxury life on the road and living out the dream that most musicians strive for (even though I'm not a musician...I still perform and tour), I figured it would be best to make a bucket list. Some are already completed, but some have yet to be filled out. SO HERE IT GOES. [in no specific order]

1. Go to all 50 US states. (in the process)
2. Go see dolphins at sunset. (happening tomorrow)
3. Sydney, Australia. enough said.
4. Get married to a guy who will be my lifelong best friend and who loves Jesus more than he loves me.
5. Seek the LORD always.
6. Face my fear and ride the Phantom's revenge at Kennywood.
7. See the Eiffel Tower.
8. Start a movement/ministry.
9. Have a black and white wedding. I'm wearing converse shoes. just saying.
10. Be the maid of honor to my best friend. AKA my older sister. (happening THIS SUMMER! :])
11. Jet ski.
12. Go to an island and present the Gospel. (complete)
13. Be in a movie.
14. Parasailing. (complete)
15. Have a love story/event that would be seen in a movie. Lame example: candlelight dinner on the beach or something.
16. Swim with the dolphins.
17. Get a surfing lesson.
18. Face my fear of fishies and go snorkeling.
19. Become a photographer for a band or huge event...maybe Passion;]

Alright...that's all for now. more to be added once these are complete:]

No one said it'd be easy...

Wellllllp, I am officially back on the road, and my emotions are going crazy. The first week being home, I honestly hated it. You go from going going going all the time to a complete stop. It was a very difficult week, sitting around thinking what the heck do I do now? But that mindset quickly left when I started enjoying the presence of my friends and family. By the end of break, let's just say it was getting harder and harder to even THINK about returning to tour. The thought of 60 more shows just made me cringe. At the beginning of tour, I would've been upset if someone complained about being on the road. We are so blessed to be given this incredible opportunity. I would not trade this opportunity for anything in the world. But by being home, I got a new appreciation for home and my parents. I used to be the type who would say, "forget pittsburgh! I hate this place!" but after being away for 4 months and coming home for a month, I can honestly say I was not expecting to feel this way. No one warned me it was gonna be harder to say goodbye the second time around. I have never wanted home more than I do now. I love tour. I love the road.I love my tour team family. I love seeing kids come to Christ like I did. I love seeing people from all over the country put on the same silver ring I wear as a symbol of them waiting until they are married to have sex. I love my life. But... There is a side of me that also loves home. I love Pittsburgh. I love my family. I love my friends. I love Moontown. I love my home church. I love my bed. I love my room. I love my community. Sometimes, when you love 2 things so much, it's hard to let one go. I know they will all be there when I get back, but that moment of leaving was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. And this was when I realized, it really IS a calling from God. God sent me here for a reason. I try and figure out the reason why every day. But I still don't know why. I am so very thankful for being here and a part of such an amazing ministry. God definitely showed me a verse that I needed to hear...more than ever. "Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." -John 20:21. I have been sent to be a disciple to all and I feel so blessed for God to want to use a broken girl like me to go out and share His love and mercy that He showed for me. Thank You Jesus. I will follow. Now, also during break, it made me think. ALOT. Mainly, being off the road for a month, I got out of the mindset of being on the road. This left me thinking about future plans and what I am gonna do with my life. Well, I discovered I want to do photography. I started looking into different colleges. If you know me, you know that I was so against college and everything about it. But after attending the recent Passion event, I stood in awe looking around me seeing 45,000 college kids all with their hands raised in worship. The reason I was so against college was the fact didnt want to surround myself with that negativity. 90% of my graduating class picked what school they were going to based on how many parties there were and how big of a party school it was. That wasn't for me. Seeing 45,000 college students that believe the same thing I do really opened my eyes. I realized I still didn't want to go to a party school campus. But the search was awful trying to find Christian schools that offered photography. I then decided to look into Robert Morris university which is 5 minutes from my house. Sure enough, it offered photography. I figured I could live at home and that way I wouldn't have the negativity of a college campus. Well....I went for a campus tour of RMU. I saw the photography program. And let's just say, I hated it. I wanted to cry. I really hated the facility and I knew it wasn't where God had for me. so, the search continued. I was searching online for anything at this point. Well, God showed me a college that I may have fallen in love with. I am praying and trusting in Him. If God has it in His plans for me to go there, I will get accepted...and that will be my deciding factor. Well, the college is...drum roll please... Indiana Wesleyan University. It is a BEAUTIFUL campus (at least so it seems in the pictures) and offers photography and youth ministry as a minor! It is 6 hours away from home....which is a little bit longer than I would have liked, but it is still close enough that I can possibly go home on long weekends. It is a Christ centered school and has mandatory chapel....how awesome is that! That is the type of school I want to go to. God will lead me to where I need to be and where He has planned for me. But in the mean time, all I can do is trust...