It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

It snowed... it stuck... it's Tennessee... in December... WHAT IS GOING ON?!?!

With all finals done (excluding one- the easiest one) I am feeling a lot less stress and a lot more Christmas.

Lee is staying with me for Christmas! He will be spending the night Christmas eve! No worries- Sonny is working so I'll be sleeping with mom and he'll sleep in my bed!! Mom and I wouldn't want anyone to have to wake up alone on Christmas morning.

January 4th Lee and I will be going to New Orleans for the OSU bowl game! I may not be an OSU fan but I definitely am a Lee fan and it's important to him so it's important to me.

I can already tell this Christmas break isn't going to be long enough... Lauren will be in Mississippi for Christmas so... Lauren, Blake, Lee, and I will be going to dad's on Sunday for our little Christmas... We are doing a themed Christmas!! We are all wearing our teams (OSU, Bama, Ole Miss, and UT) shirts!! How cute?? I know...


Mom, Sonny, and I went to the Rockettes with their friends on Tuesday! I forgot how much I enjoy that show! We had a lovely dinner at Olive Garden before hand!


Mom and I are writing Christmas cards and shopping and decorating tomorrow! Some of my favorite things to do this time every year! We went shopping the other day and we laughed all day! She is funny.. or crazy... I haven't decided yet... :)


Let's talk about being an adult.... I HATE IT. Ok sometimes it's cool but when you spend $156.50 (yes I had to tell you down to the cent) on brakes - that's when being an adult just sucks. I enjoy the freedom but I NEED A BIG GIRL JOB IF I'M GOING TO BE A BIG GIRL!!!!


That's all I have to say for now... Better get to sleep if I'm going to shop, Christmas cards, decorate, and work (at my non-big-girl-job.)... Good night.

Linds

Just once?

I only wrote once in November?? My bad! :(

Must mean my life is crazy...

Here's a brief update in a nutshell-

Thanksgiving in Ohio.
Grandmother passed.
Finals.
Christmas decorating.
Work.
Boyfriend.
Cousin Korie.
Planning a Party.

I'm ready for Christmas break- I get to hang out and enjoy my time with my friends and family without stressing about school work.

Girls night :) Can't wait. I'm ready for all of my girlfriends to be done with school and back home (the ones that live away obviously) so we can all get together and celebrate Christmas together!

My friend Samantha and I are planning a birthday party together! Her birthday is January 4th and mine is the 11th (like y'all didn't know)- so we're having a birthday party together on the 8th! I'm so excited about it!!!

Kenny's "Somewhere with you" tends to be on repeat in my head these days... No complaints though!

I think that's about all I have for now... Sorry it was so scattered and random.. but you'll understand.. right?

I love y'all

Linds

A little late...

So of course it's been a while since I've updated you guys... Sorry about that... Like I said in the first post- I'm TRYING to keep this up.

School is crazy busy. Professors are trying to get everything in before the end of the semester.

Work is nothing but ridiculous. DRAMA DRAMA DRAMA. I'm not the center of it or even in it so why does it bother me?? I think it bothers me because work used to put me in the best mood! I could have a horrible day and walk into work and just light up. Now a days I can be in the best mood- go into work and be ready to walk out in 5 minutes. There's nothing like a restaurant to turn mid twenties people into 6 year olds. I'm definitely getting tired of it. I'm thinking about looking for a job somewhere like a hospital? I think I'd like it. (or I hope so considering that's what I'm spending thousands of dollars to go into). I'm thinking about applying at Cheddars opening in Mt. Juliet soon. I know it's just another restaurant and it's going to be the same 6 year olds and the same drama but I think serving there a couple nights a week I could make a pretty decent amount. One thing about the restaurant business that I'll admit is good (if you're a server) is that if you decide you want to go somewhere (6 flags) or you want a new cell phone just because- you can pick up an extra shift and make some extra money that night.

On to more fun things-
Hannah is doing well and I love getting to spend time with her. I frequently think about my friends who are married (at a ridiculous young age) who don't get to have sleep over and silly nights with their best friends and it breaks my heart. I love the crazy nights I get to spend with my friends.
I miss Katie on a daily basis. I'm ready for Christmas to get here so she'll be home :)
Hailey's birthday is coming up soon (Monday). She is at MTSU now but somehow I see her just as much as when she was in Knoxville.... how does that happen??
Kristen had to withdrawl from Tech because of health issues. She has been diagnosed with all 5 types of epilepsy. Be praying for her please.
Mom is sick right now- some virus. It's sad :/ she's pitiful. We went to Christmas Village the other day- that's always one of my favorite things to do with mom. We have so many things that I will always enjoy doing- even if I don't see her as much these days...
Sonny is doing well. He started decorating for Christmas already.
Then there is my precious boyfriend. Every time I think he is just as good as it gets- he gets better. He is the sweetest thing. He got us Garth Brooks tickets :) He went to church with me :) He makes me laugh all the time... literally- ALL the time! He is the funniest person I know. Y'all will like him as much as I do- I know it. He will be going to the Welch family Thanksgiving with me and I'll be going to his family Thanksgiving with him (in Ohio... going North for the holidays..) And he'll be spending Christmas with me and all my families :) I'm so excited we get to be together during the holiday season. There would definitely be a huge part missing if he weren't here.


Then there's God... I've started a new devotional book- it's called "Jesus Calling"
I'll share today's entry with you-

"I am Christ in you, the hope of Glory. The One who walks beside you, holding you by your hand, is the same One who lives within you. This is a deep, unfathomable mystery. You and I are intertwined in an intimacy involving every fiber of your being. The Light of My Presence shines within you as well as upon you. I am in you, and you are in Me; therefore, nothing in heaven or on earth can separate you from Me!

As you sit quietly in My Presence, your awareness of My Life within you is heightened. This produces the JOY of the Lord, which is your strength. I, the God of hope, fill you with all Joy and Peace as you trust in Me, so that you may bubble over with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Sometimes I forget that God is always with me- of course I remember when I'm happy or I've been obviously blessed; but when I am afraid or worried I tend to forget WHO is beside me. The comfort I have when I remember God is beside me always and will never leave me is so far beyond any comfort even my sweet mom could give me as a little toddler when I was sick. There is nothing better than knowing My God will always love me and hold me close to His side. Even when I mess up I know He still holds me right under his loving arms. He won't let go... now it's up to me to hold on too.


Love you guys... see you at Thanksgiving. (Lee will see you too!!)
Linds

Laughter is good for the soul

Well this is the boy again :)

We always have this much fun- which would be the reason our first pictures together weren't serious. I think we would have a hard time ever taking a serious picture. We were eating cheesecake and had a little leftover... haha.

My abs always get a great workout anytime I see him. We laugh at the most ridiculous stuff. Things that no one else would find funny could keep us laughing for hours.

We watched Reba tonight with momma and had some great laughs with her. Mom is a funny person too- so she fits right in with us!!

I hope these pictures make you laugh :)

Love y'all.

The things we thought never went together.

Cookie dough pancakes? Yes please.

I'm learning lately that when you put two seemingly normal, but very opposite things together it turns out to be pretty great.

Last night I was hungry and mom had bought a pancake skillet for making "silver dollar" pancakes. They are the cutest things. If you live in my house you know that pancakes are my specialty. Cracker Barrel ain't got nothin' on me. I'm pancake princess around here. Well I saw the skillet and said let's do it! I bought some cookie dough the other day just to eat (that's another thing- I make cookies from scratch and they are what's up!). I buy cookie dough at the store because it's a guilty pleasure. Well I saw my pancake batter and my cookie dough and I thought- why not?? So I put chocolate chip cookie dough in one of my pancakes. OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!!! It was just wonderful. The cookie dough kind of half cooked and the chocolate chips were gooey and it was just perfect!!

I realize I just wrote an entire paragraph on cookie dough pancakes, but I think we all know I can't tell a short story.

A few other quirky things I like to mix- I love to put jalapenos on my grilled cheese sandwiches!!! yum! I like jalapenos on anything involving cheese really. I like Jack Daniels swineapple sauce on my hamburgers. Well let me just tell you about my hamburgers-

Mom grills great hamburgers. We also use sourdough bread as our bun. We grill the bread of course. I put sweet relish, swineapple, mustard, and tomato on my grilled sour dough hamburger. Yes sir! DEEEEEEELIOUS.

I think I'm hungry right now... That could explain a blog post devoted to food... Good thing I'm about to go eat at church! Nothing like a little C-of-C cooking!! :)

Eat well

Linds

A list of rules or something more?

(Try to hang in there- this one could get long)

Today I had lunch with one of my favorite people in the entire world, my very precious friend Katie. We went to Olive Garden like we do most lunch dates (guilty pleasure, I think so.) She lives in Knoxville so it's definitely a treat when she comes home!

She was talking to me about a book she's been reading called "The Shack"- maybe you've heard of it? Well let me interrupt myself to say I absolutely love talking to Katie because we have very similar views on just about everything- actually there hasn't been one thing we've ever disagreed on. She is the one friend I have never had a fight with and she's the one friend I've never even be mad at. I positively love this girl. Back to the nitty gritty. I haven't read the book (yet- I plan on buying it tomorrow or Sunday) but she was giving me the run down. Basically (her version) it's about a man who felt God called him to stay in this shack for a week. He spent a week with God. He is saying in the book that the Bible, the 10 commandments, the "rules" God gives us are just ways of having a relationship with Him. Which I'm sure is nothing new to you. Of course we follow the rules and make God happy. Katie verbalized everything I've thought but never knew how to explain. God doesn't say "you have to do this or you're going to Hell". These things He gives us are guidelines to living a life in a relationship with God. He doesn't make us follow these "rules". If you have a relationship with God you just want to do things to please Him, right? I do not believe this is an excuse to kill, lie, steal, commit adultery, etc but I do believe following these guidelines just comes with having a relationship with Him.

If you put it into another relationship it's easier to see. Parents. They've got rules right? And their rules are there because they love you (or that's what they tell us anyway). If a child doesn't follow their parent's rules that doesn't make the parents love them any less does it? It will however put a strain on the relationship. You will have a hard time ever getting along. As children we don't really want to follow the rules or do the things our parents want us to but we do it out of respect because we love and appreciate our parents. If parents didn't have rules kids would probably feel a little unloved or un-cared about (if we are honest). I have a feeling if I asked my mom about not following her rules she would say something like "I will always love you, nothing you could do would ever change that (she said that the other day so I know for sure she'd say that part) but I have guidelines to living here and being around me; if you can't live with those then you may move on". A very Felica thing to say.

We also use this when choosing friends. If there are people who do things we don't like or we don't approve of do we keep them around? Do we hang out with them outside of school or work? Nope. We may not hate those people and we may even respect them but we still don't have much to do with them because they aren't like us.

We should probably try this in our other relationships (such as significant others). As a younger girl I had soooo many rules and lists for guys. I wasn't a very good girlfriend. I had rules and guys had to follow them... The guys I dated had rules and I had to follow those. Lately I've realized I don't need rules for guys I date. That's so stupid!! I should like the guy for who HE is- not who I MAKE HIM. I could like anyone if they followed my stupid rules. What a GREAT feeling to not have any rules but have a guy do or not do the things I like or don't like because he respects me and our relationship! It's so so so ridiculous to have rules in relationships! You don't want someone who is just doing something because it's on your list of things that is ok because that's just you doing all the work. Let someone show you they care by not doing something they know would hurt you or upset you because they WANT to. Imagine the divorce percentages, the young heart aches, the high school break ups that could have been prevented if the world started using this method of dating or marriage? You know the things you can live with and the things that are a deal breaker- if your significant other doesn't satisfy these then move on! Don't try to change someone!! Just go fishin' and snag you another one! Oh how I wish I had known this earlier! I'm only 19 so I guess I'm lucky to know it now!!

Imagine our relationship with God if we used this with Him. If we did things He appreciates because we love Him and we long for a great, healthy relationship with Him, and not because we look at the Bible as a list of rules He gives us because He has nothing better to do! God has plenty to do without checking up on us and checking His daily rules checklist for Lindsey Welch today.

Easier said than done though. I'm preaching to myself more than anyone here! In the God aspect I sometimes think "Wow God I don't feel like following rules today" (Just being honest). I shouldn't think of it that way. In the parent aspect I don't agree with my mom's rules but I respect her so I'll follow them but sometimes I honestly do it just to keep the peace (again just being honest). In the significant other aspect I don't have rules (you can't go here, you can't talk to her, you have to text me every 2 hours, etc) but sometimes boys don't make the best decisions so I tend to try to make them see it my way (still not a list of rules but let's BE HONEST AGAIN and just admit boys need a little help.) As a female I can look at a sitaution before I do it and say "would I be mad if he did this" or "how is he going to feel about this" (most of the time I'm good at that) and if I decide I wouldn't like it then I can say I care more about him to hurt him like that. It's a simple concept but so hard to put into practice.

Prayers for that are appreciated!! :)

That's all... sorry if it took you your whole lunch hour to read this!

Love you all.

New adventures...

Well I have decided I've been boring waaay too long. I'm trying to change that! Yesterday I went on a 3 hour motorcycle ride! I've never been on a bike before but I just hopped right on the back of a harley and took off without thinking twice! (Thanks to my friend Seth!) It was great! Not that I'd want to drive one but riding was awesome! I also decided to try to learn a new hobby I guess you could say! I am learning how to play the guitar! I'm not so great right now but today was my first lesson! (Thank you, Barrett). It hurts my fingers but I think I'm really going to like it! Now if only I could sing too! haha I'll take what I can though!! I don't know what my next adventure will be but I have a feeling it will just come to me!! I'll do it without being afraid though! I'm so excited about my new adventures!

Love you all,
Linds

Too much freedom?

Never.

Except now.

Today in English we were reviewing for our test on Thursday and the last question on our test is worth 15 points and it is probably (or should be) the most simple answer of all. It's not even a question- it's just to list 5 topics we would want to write about for our research paper due at the end of the semester. No guidelines, no limits, and no rules. Anything goes. Mom thought sending me to Ezell would prepare me for college... I think maybe Dr. Rummage missed this one... free write. Not a simple paragraph free write- no a RESEARCH PAPER free write. Most of my grade is riding on a free write!!! I'm not sure how to handle this seeing as I'm the MOST indecisive girl ON THE FACE OF THE PLANET. The very simplest things are the hardest for me. What should we have for dinner? That is probably the hardest part of my day. I'll never be able to pick! These 5 topics are supposed to be something that interests us... which brings me to my next problem (as if my english grade relying on a free write wasn't bad enough) I have to come up with 5 things that interest me. I don't play sports and I'm not a quilter, sewer, or dirt biker. I'm interested in typical things- not things that you can write a paper over. I am interested in people- how people can be so different- free spirits and planners. I like Paris and Audrey Hepburn. I'm interested in my favorite tv shows, my favorite books, and so on.


I am thinking I'll write about Nicholas Sparks (people like me are the reasons teachers hate assigning free writes). My friend gave me the idea of writing about the differences in his books and the movies based on his books. Thank you Bradley!

I guess that's all I'll write about for now...

P.S. Lady dog found a home...
I could enjoy this assignment!

A very blessed girl.

I have a wonderful family and I find that to be true more every day. Tonight I got the honor of doing Lauren's make up for her homecoming at DCA. She looked incredible (What? Did I expect her to look anything less than stunning? Of course not). Last night (Thursday) Lauren spent the night with me after we went to Sanctuary (Church as Lee calls it). It's an hour long praise session. It's become our weekly tradition. We went to sonic afterwards and had quite an experience. We had a sing-a-long with my friend Barrett. When we got home we did her nails and facebook stalked people we love- and people who aren't on our list of favorites. Lauren went to sleep but I couldn't sleep due to a stuffy nose and I'm not a good "mouth breather" apparently. I stayed up and laughed with mom. I made us some scrambled eggs at 3 am. I always have fun with mom. I took her to school this morning then went to her house at 3:30 to do her make up. From there we went to DCA to take pictures and eat dinner. It was a wonderful night! I love her so much. Rain or shine; hell or high waters (that's a quote from Charlie St. Cloud- we saw that movie together).










After Homecoming I came home, talked with mom and sonny, and gave Lady dog a bath- mom told me Lady could come inside and sleep with me! :) picture below-

Oh the joys of being a young girl...

BOYS.

I know right? Just what every parent wants to hear from their baby girls.

Well Matt and I broke up (for those that don't know). Sometimes it's hard to accept, but I know it is for the best and we held on too long anyway. Part of me realizes it's just a step in growing up; while the other part might feel like holding on because I'm not ready to grow up. Either way it needed to happen. We stayed in the same place too long, not growing, changing, or challenging each other to better ourselves. It was just a comfortable spot (for about 5 years).

I've seen a few guys since we broke up, but one just seems to stay around! :) Just kidding- kinda... I want him to stay around. I'm dating a boy named Lee (or Adrian depending on who you ask). He is a sweetheart. He is from Ohio- I KNOW I KNOW HE'S A YANKEE!!!! I don't know how this happened either. He's obviously an Ohio State fan which goes hand in hand with the whole yankee thing. He is a country music fan though so that can compensate for part of being a yankee. He is one of 8! How crazy is that? We have so much fun together- he makes me laugh ALL the time and we have about a thousand little jokes. We met at work at the first of the summer (We've both worked there since January but didn't really know each other).




Well that's him. Just a typical moment of him making me laugh. We were playing chubby bunny! (The marshmellow game). It's blurry because he didn't want a picture taken of his chubby cheeks. Oh that's another thing- He's super skinny. A skinny yankee?? Me?? Wow... But he makes me happy and gives me a few butterflies. Don't tell him that- we don't need him thinking he is all that :)


I just thought I'd update you on my boy life...

Time to get to sleep :)

Good night. Love you all

Little Lady

Well today after class (completely boring) I took Lady (the new dog I previously mentioned) to work for some people to look at her and see if they would like to keep her. She was such a perfect lady in the car. At first she didn't want to get in the car but when she finally got talked into it she just layed there. At one point going down the road- after we had a cheerios snack- she climbed over a little and put her head in my lap. When we got there we were in the parking lot and she kept climbing in my lap and giving me kisses. Of course they liked her but somehow giving a dog away is not an easy task. They have to check with their significant others first.. personally I couldn't care less if they take her or not, but I'll have to find a new home if I can't find her one. I went to walmart and bought her a collar (pink of course), bones to chew on, and some shampoo. I gave her a bath when I got home.


I am in love with this dog. I can't wait to wake up and take her for a walk! She is just a gorgeous sweetheart. She hasn't growled or barked at us once- not even a little bit. She loves it here and I wish she didn't have to leave. It will positively break my heart. Oh well it's okay.

I want to go to New York soon. Mom said something about going back in the summer but I think she changed her mind... I would love to see New York- I wouldn't want to stay but just to see it would be nice. I also want to go to Ireland- it's apparently gorgeous there. And of course my true love- Paris. I hear it's dirty there and just gross but I want to see for myself. I've always wanted to go just to see the city. It looks beautiful in pictures. Maybe Lady and I can go. I themed my room to be Paris so I could always be in my favorite city.


But for now, there's no place like home :)

Just a few thoughts.

Well just if you were wondering- BAMA won!! (as if that's a surprise, right?) I got to watch most of the game while I was at work- another plus to working at the buffalo.

I got to come home to Lady- She's the new dog currently living on our deck. She needs a home apparently... I think that she thinks she has one here- why hurt her feelings? I don't know- that's for sure. She is part lab and part something else, but we aren't sure what that is. She is so sweet. She really is a little Lady. She is such a loving dog. It will hurt to see her go but I guess we don't really have the room to keep her here. We leave the gate open on our deck so she can roam around but she always comes back. She walks around with you and she'll just stay right by your side. If she ever gets too far and you say "come on Lady" she comes right back to you.

Mom is has developed a case of bronchitis. She coughs all the time- I keep trying to get her to give up the ice water and stick with hot tea but she won't do it. On our cruise in June I had a horrible cough but our waitor Sam (Sam the man, Sam the really awesome man) wouldn't let me have drinks with ice. He always made me drink hot tea and honey. I got a cold soup (I know weird..) one night and he traded me out for a hot soup that ended up being soooo soooo good. I asked for it again the next night and he said it was a one night special. I need to know where to get something similar. I think he said it was a thai soup; but I think if I went to a thai restaurant I wouldn't have a clue what to order... That just got way off subject- but I did warn you in my "about me" section.

Today in history class our professor went on and on about how people don't know when the civil war was. Not only can they not give exact dates they can't even tell him what century it's in. Well then at work my friend said THE EXACT SAME THING. (this would be the friend that also dropped me on the floor- not kidding). I think I am supposed to know this- twice in one day- better believe I'm going to take it as a sign. Just so you know the civil war was 1861-1865.

Now it's time for my daily nonsense to end so I can read and sleep. :) good night.

it's fall again.

I absolutely love fall for the following reasons:

-the crisp air
-college football (ROLL TIDE)
-high school football
-hot chocolate
-apple cider
-sweat shirts
-leaves changing
-and so many more; I could go on for days (or at least paragraphs).

I want to read more during fall for some reason. I am currently reading "The Art of Racing in the Rain". (Thank you Barrett). I'm only in chapter three but so far so good.
I also plan on reading "eat pray love" - not because they made a movie about it but because I believe those are 3 words that accurately describe my life. Also, I will read "The Sun Also Rises". Past these books I don't know what I'll read next. Maybe I will re-read "The Great Gatsby"- definitely an all time favorite.

Gossip Girl season 4 starts on Monday- that's exciting. Hannah and Katie got me in to the show last summer with an all night dvd marathon.

Well I have to go read a chapter of history before I go to class. Yes the "not-so-good-idea" Saturday History class. ugh :/ Oh well in 4,5,6,7 years it will be worth it. Ha I'm kidding. Hopefully I only have 4 more years. Which means it will take me 5 years to graduate; but hey in the long run what's 5 years for a good career??

Trying again.

Well I attempted to keep up a blog during my first semester of college but I didn't really stick with it. This is my second attempt. I'll do my best to keep everyone (mainly family since I'm sure they are the ones reading it) updated on my life.

Let's begin with school- currently just taking gen ed core classes. I'm in health, history, english, and algebra. Health class is on Saturday afternoons from 1-4:15. Did I really think that would be a good idea?? Oh wait that's right.. I didn't sign up for classes in time to get any kind of decent schedule... Well I've learned my lesson. My health professor is crazy. He is about the scariest man I've ever met. He is sweet though- He lets the ladies leave first. The first day of class he had the guys stand as the ladies walked out. Very southern gentleman of him I think.

I learned today that Anderson Cooper is gay. I'm not going to lie it kind of hurt my heart a little bit. And currently I'm waiting on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon to come on- seeing as this is the only way I get to see my love... (in case you weren't aware- Jimmy and I are in love). This paragraph was completely random sorry about that.

Still working at Buffalo Wild Wings in Mt. Juliet. It's still fun most days. I love the people. I understand what my mom was saying about the "restaurant business" though. It's tough to work there and not let it get to you. We do cornhole on Wednesday nights and it is one of my favorite reasons to go to work! Well making money definitely helps me want to go to work. There's a cute boy at work too. There's another plus.

On Thursday I go to Sanctuary with about every other C-O-C student in middle TN. This Thursday (yesterday) my sister, Lauren, went with me! She said she enjoyed it and would go back so that's exciting!

Well that's about all for now. I'll keep posting... I promise... Okay I promise to try :)