"and oh, how He loves us.....oh"

 For the past week or so, God and I have been having a rocky time.

Check that: I've been having a rocky time. I've been wondering a lot about my future lately, and I have tons of questions......but not really any answers. Being the slight control-freak that I am, I like knowing what's coming; I like being prepared. But for things like college, jobs, and love, I have no idea what's coming.

I felt especially far from God on Sunday. Watching the memorial services on TV and seeing the grief-stricken faces on the 9/11 families made me almost angry with God.

The next few days consisted of me moping around, mad at myself for being angry with God {I think that made sense}. Then, on the way to classes yesterday, one of my favorite songs came on....and these lyrics hit home, big time.

He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, 

I am a tree,
bending beneath the 

weight of His wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions 

eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just 

how beautiful You are,
And how great Your 

affections are for me. 

I could have kissed David Crowder's fuzzy, bearded face for writing those words above. That last stanza: and I realize just how beautiful You are and how great Your affections are for me---wow. 

God loves me, even when I'm angry with Him. His love toward me will never change, even when my fickle feelings do. Another part of the song is this: if His grace is an ocean we're all sinking. 

We really are all sinking in the ocean of God's grace. He has no obligation toward us bratty, silly humans....and yet, He still loves us.
Isn't that amazing?

the will to dream

Some of my dreams are realistic. But then there are the others, the ones that might never come true. This post is about those unlikely dreams. Some are silly, some serious.....but they're all deep from within my heart.

1.Work at Disney World.

2. Have Adam Young sing Vanilla Twilight at my wedding.

 3. Have Brandon Heath sing London at my Sweet Sixteen party.

 4. Open a bookstore that looks like this with Bleah.

 5. Get these bookshelves installed in my bedroom.

 6. Ride a dragon {preferably a Nightfury}.

 7. Meet Edmund Pevensie/Skandar Keynes.

 8. Have my dream guy propose to me right here.

 9. Take a roadtrip around America in one of these.

 10. Find the wardrobe and go to Narnia.

 11. Host a huge party to meet all my blogging buddies.

12. Have this as my wedding set

13. Travel in Mom-mom's footsteps.

14. Write a book that eventually becomes a classic

15. Have a double wedding with Anna {her and Peter, me and Edmund}. 

16. Raise a family in this cottage.

17. Act in a movie

18.  Go to a concert with all of these acts, each playing my favorite songs.

and

19. Be the First Lady

20. Know that I made a difference in someone's life

And there you have it. The dreams that make me who I am. Perhaps none of these dreams will come true, but I am thankful that God gave me the gift of dreams.

Also, visit Jocee's post on dreams  and Bleah's posts on dreams. Both girls' posts helped me think of this post.

I love candy.....the taste it makes me feel so DANDY

I love this video by Christ August. 

 
 I hate it when ants crawl on my bare feet.

I love watching the Scripp's Spelling Bee.

I hate how some kids are so darn smart.

I love free smoothies and delish Chick-fil-a sandwiches.

I hate saying good-bye to friends.

I love days that just ooze with the feel of summer.

I hate the heat that comes with aforesaid days.

I love having funny friends.

I hate it when politics intrudes on youth sports.

I love having television shows come back.

I hate cliffhangers for books/movies/tv shows.

I love songs that just make sense.

I hate guilt.

I love finding a rap song that speaks directly to my heart.


I hate the thought that I may never see Europe.

I love this quote, 'cause it's so true:

love y'all,
~Lily

a weekend checklist

Ride on a school bus for four hours? check

Win the State championship with the private school I'm playing for? check

Fall in love with this song? check
 
Have a sudden yearning to be six years old again? check

Sing Sadie Hawkins Dance with my teammates? check

Attend my community day and get a heart painted on my cheek? check

Survive the world ending, and have a good laugh about the absurdity of it all? check

Sleep on the floor of a moving school bus? check

Go swimming in a hotel pool and wish my neighborhood one was open? check

Get prank-called by a friend? check

Love the way my hair looks in two French-braids? check

 Be thankful for Christian friends? check

Mourn over the ending of my co-op? check

Find a country song that I actually want to buy? check

Have a seriously real, seriously scary, dream? check

Find out that my favorite teacher actually watches my favorite television show? check

Have a sudden urge to watch all the Harry Potter movies? check

Realize I have a seriously bad soccer tan? check

Find this epic quote? check

crazy, but fun weekend for me. As I'm sure you can tell. *wink wink*

love always,
~Lily

All around me smilin' faces.......

IF SOMEONE SAYS ‘ARE YOU OKAY’ YOU SAY?
'Beautiful Ending' by Barlow Girl
Oh boy...not starting off very well!!!

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
'You Found Me' by Big Daddy Weave
Okay.....well, God did find me.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?
'Somebody's Watching' by Dc Talk and Toby Mac
Hmmm.....not really clear.


WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
'Your Love is Extravagant' by Casting Crowns
When I find the guy of my dreams, I definitely want his love to be extravagant


HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
'Hold On' by Toby Mac
well, I am kind of tired today.....

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE?
'I'm Letting Go' by Francesca Battistelli
darn...I was hoping for something a little more profound


WHAT’S YOUR MOTTO?
'It's On' by Superchick
Okay, good song....but I wouldn't really say it's my motto


WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
'The Love We Had Before' by Fireflight
*sobs* But they still love me NOW!!!!!

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?'
Forgiven' by Relient K
What, they forgive me a lot?

 WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
'I'm Taking You With Me' by Relient K
but...who am I taking? I don't exactly have a 'significant other' yet!!


WHAT IS 2+2?
'Like the Sun' by Stellar Kart
Love the song, don't really love the answer :p

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
'Already Over' by RED
Don't worry, we aren't really over!!!


WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
'Spirit of '76' by The Alarm
haha, now that is really random.


WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
'Who Am I' by Casting Crowns
Now this could definitely be considered my life story----Who am I that the Lord of all the earth would care to know my name?


WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
'Follow Me There' by Third Day
Nah, I want to be a teacher


WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
'Bowling Ball' by Superchick
*cries* NOO!!!! That is not what he's really like!!!

WHAT WILL YOU DO AT YOUR WEDDING?
'Bite My Tongue' by Relient K
But why?!?


WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
'I Don't Regret' by Barlow Girl
I certainly don't regret living for God!!

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
'Angels in Chorus' by Stellar Kart
I like angels...but this is more Anna's department *winks*

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?
'You Are Everything' by Matthew West
I wouldn't say that's a fear...

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
'Myself' by Fireflight
well, that was a complete DUD.

WHAT DO YOU WANT RIGHT NOW?
'Lothlorien' by Enya
mmm, I would like to visit Lothlorien!!!


WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
'Lazy Day's' by Enya
well, we have passed some lazy days together.....

WHAT’S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
'Dynamite' by Taio Cruz
*dances crazily* Great dance song....but doesn't quite make sense as an answer

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
'Deathbed' by Relient K
Dude.....this is such a sad song!!! He definitely had things he regretted!!

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
'Which to Bury; Us or the Hatchet?' by Relient K
What is up with all these Relient K songs? And no, this song does not make me laugh


WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
'Midnight Blue' by Lou Gramm
nah, not a sad song

WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
'You Are' by Tenth Avenue North
FINALLY a TAN song!! but hehe, doesn't really tell me much.


WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?'
What if His People Prayed' by Casting Crowns
This doesn't scare me.....it makes me happy!

 DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
'Bullet Soul' by Switchfoot
uh.....any ideas about what this means?!?


IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
'For the Ladies' by KJ-52
Nah, I wouldn't change anything about this song (:


WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
'All My Heart' by Stellar Kart
At the moment, my heart is perfectly fine...just saying

WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO SAY TO THE PERSON WHO TAGGED YOU?
'Let Me Love You' by Third Day
well, technically I tagged myself....

WHAT WILL YOU NAME THIS NOTE?
'Life is Good' by Stellar Kart
oh yeah....now we're talking. *dances around*


Ah, such a fun tag. If you want to do it, go right ahead! Consider yourself tagged. ;) 

Looking back on the most stressful three days EVER......

I think that a little random {albeit mostly about school} is very much needed.

1. Wow. We only have one class left in the school year.......*cue sobs mixed with joyful shouts*
Since I live 'bout 45 minutes away from all my co-op friends, I won't see them hardly at all this summer! And yet.....I'm very glad to have all the work over with.

isn't this cute? I need something cameo in my jewelry box. :p

2. Pretty much all I have left for my co-op is my science honors presentation. I'm doing it on wildfires. Pretty cool, huh? *laughs* A few other people are doing stuff like rockets and combustion. 'Twill be a fire filled class next week!!!

3. I'm really getting into The Scarlet Pimpernel, the movie we're watching in French class. The guy who plays Percy is absolutely hilarious.....and not in the best way. ;) Oh, Gandalf is in it too!! 'Cept, he kind of plays a bad guy.....which is a little discomforting.

how very Middle Earth-ish.

4. I hate getting up in front of people and giving a speech. And yet, I'm in Advanced Public Speaking. Yeah, I don't really know why either. Could have something to do with my mom being the teacher........(:
We gave our 30-minute speeches on Heaven yesterday. Some parents and siblings came, including three former students who graduated last year! It was good to see them before the year ends.


5. For the past few mornings, I've been waking up with a song playing in my head. Mostly Relient K and Tenth Avenue North, but this morning I woke up with Taylor Swift. *shrugs* I wish I could control what goes on in my head during the night.

"and I've been locked inside that house.....all the while you hold the key."

6. Speaking of music.....I'm currently obsessed with Daydreams by Breanne Duren and Shaken by Hawk Nelson. Thank you, my dear friends who have awesome playlists on their blogs. ;) Without you, I would have a teeny-tiny window of music.


7. This summer, I'm going to try and focus on the little things.....long sunny days, trips to the beach, time spent with family. As I'm getting older, I'm realizing that the little moments do become big ones, later on.

8.  It seems like everywhere I turn, love is in the air!!!! I know at least three couples who are seriously involved.......and who really need to get married!!!!! *sighs* Sadly, money is always an issue.....it seems so silly, having to start off married life with a good job. I mean, who needs money?!? *snickers*

so doing this with my husband. (:

Well, I'm off to the library for some much deserved therapy. Fingers crossed I find some good books!!!

love always,
~Lily

Mood: Happy/Hungry

I'm happy, 'cause:

*I get a whole week off from school*

*I have friends who laugh about stuffed animals and hobbies with me*

*I'm working my way through my entire iPod playlist....and I'm on song 638 of 661*

*It's stopped raining and the sun is coming out*

*I got like five compliments today on my outfit*

*I have a new favorite Relient K song *

*I have my whole summer pretty much planned out*

*I don't have a soccer game for two weeks...... which means time to rest up*

*I watched Tangled twice yesterday.....and now I want to watch it again*

*Katie  painted a picture from Tangled....and she knows the in-real-life twin of Flynn Rider. Which means there has to be an equivalent of Edmund out there somewhere*

*I had cookies and creme ice cream last night*

*Alligator Sky has been stuck in my head for a few hours....and it's a great song*

*I'm taking the test to get my driver's permit tomorrow! Please pray that I don't fail*

*I have just enough money to buy one song on iTunes. Any suggestions?* 

*The fourth book in the Inheritance cycle is coming out on November 4th......can someone say countdown?*

Still not sure who this dragon is....can't wait to find out!!!!

I hope you guys don't mind all these happy posts lately.....I just feel like I can't contain it all inside of me!!!
And, 'cause I love you: what stuff is making you happy?

Music speaks what cannot be expressed, soothes the mind and gives it rest, heals the heart and makes it whole, flows from heaven to the soul

So, I figured that I should explain my blog playlist.......I mean, the songs don't exactly go that well together, do they?

My Life's Playlist---As of March/April 2011

via

Teardrops on My Guitar by Taylor Swift

This is on here because I like someone who is just out of reach.....wow, can't believe I just wrote that. *shakes head*

The One by Brandon Heath

I've been listening to this song quite a bit lately, and it reminds me that I can make a difference in this world.

One More Round by Barlow Girl

I've been battling some things, and this song reminds me to never give up.

Bite My Tongue by Relient K

I really need to work on holding my tongue and not snapping at my family. So yeah, I'm learning to 'bite my tongue' when I feel some mean stuff coming on.

Have Your Way by Britt Nicole

I'm working on letting God have control over my life, and this song pretty much sums up all my doubts and worries.

Every Little Thing by Hawk Nelson

This song helps me remember that, someday, I'll be the girl that a guy loves with all his heart.

All the Pretty Things by Tenth Avenue North

I'm trying to remember what's important in life, and not focus on all the pretty and flashy things.

via

A Love Song by Stellar Kart

I love this song sooooooo much!!!! It's basically a prayer to God, except with music. Gotta love it. ;)

Rainbow Veins by Owl City

This song is all about joy and stuff, which I'm trying to do a better job of spreading around. Plus, it's tune is so catchy. (:

More by Matthew West

This song is an awesome reminder of God's love for us. Which is something I always like to be reminded of. =D

So there ya have it!  The playlist of my life......for now at least. *wink wink*
What songs have been dancing around in your head lately?

you are more than the choices that you've made...

I love Christian concerts.

 I hate big crowds.

 

I love hearing my favorite song live....and having it touch me just like this time.

I hate obnoxious people.

I love friends who laugh about stupid things with you.

I hate going to Subway, ordering my usual ham & cheese & cucumbers &ranch on white bread, and having the {albeit cute} sandwich guy ask like ten times if that's all I want. Dude, I know what I want on my sandwich!!!!

I love the thought that, someday, I will finally meet all of my blogging buddies in Heaven.

I hate brush-burns.

I love having a sore throat from singing too much.

I hate waking up the next morning with aforementioned sore throat.

I love wearing no stockings to church for the first time since September.

I hate being hungry.

I love this dress.   I seriously wish I could be that model.

I hate not having the money to buy new clothes.

I love that I only have about 8 weeks of school left.

I hate soccer players who use their elbows.

I love mac'ncheese

I hate weird music videos. 

 

I love that I can get my driving permit in a little under two weeks.

I hate the thought that I might fail the permit test.

I love this movie couple. Though, in all honesty, I want to steal Mr. Knightley from Emma.

 

How cute it this?!?

   Mmmm, crazy weekend for me. Hopefully I'll have an actual post ready by Monday. 'Till then------go Butler!!!!

love always,

A tag of sorts.....that I kinda stole.

I found this 'tag' as I was perusing through Bleah's archives. You don't mind that I tagged myself, do you dear? (:

List 10 artists in no particular order {before looking at the questions below}.

1. Tenth Avenue North
2. Owl City
3. Brandon Heath
4. Taylor Swift
5. Hawk Nelson
6. Relient K
7. Switchfoot
8. Toby Mac
9. Chris August
10. Stellar Kart

And now, for some pretty neat and thoughtful questions!!!

What was the first song you ever heard by 6?
Um, The Best Thing......love that song.


What is your favourite song of 8?
Probably Wonderin' or Made to Love.

What kind of impact has 1 left on your life?
*laughs* Uh, a big one!!!! Honestly, their songs have helped me through so many difficult times in my life. Which you, my followers, know best of anyone. (:

What is your favourite lyric of 5s?
God I know that you exist, I've been told a thousand times

But my friends they all insist that the truth is just a lie
You see the lives that they all live seems like a party all the time
The temptations I resist, because it's You I glorify.
  --Your Love is a Mystery

How many times have you seen 4 live?
None. *sighs*

What is your favourite song of 7?
This Is Your Life. Without a doubt.

Is there any song of 3 that makes you sad?
Not really.....

What is your favourite song by 9?
7x70. It's such a powerful song about forgiveness and moving on.

How did you first get into 2?
Well....I wouldn't say I'm into Owl City yet. But, Bleah's the one who introduced me to Adam's music.....I guess I have her to thank. ;)

How did you first get into 3?
Give Me Your Eyes was my lifesong for a while, so that's how I first got started on Brandon. Then, I saw him in concert.....and was forever changed. *girly giggle*

What is your favourite song by 4?
*taps chin* Either Enchanted or You Belong With Me.

How many times have you seen 9 live?
Zero, currently. Hopefully, that will change soon.

What is a good memory concerning 10?
Hmmm.....I really don't know! Probably talking with Anna about SK, or just listening and being happy.

Is there a song by 8 that makes you sad?
I don't think Toby Mac really makes any sad songs.....

What is your fave song of 1's?
Really? Do I have to answer this? *grumbles* Fine. By Your Side or Times. Oh, or Beloved. See how hard it is for me to choose?!?

How did you become a fan of 10?
Probably when I heard their song Lifeguard. And then Anna helped me out too. ;)


I tag:
Jocee
Kylie
Lauren
Kels
Kinsey
anna (:
Samarah
Emii
Miss Raquel
and....Haze

Have fun, my darlings!!!

I know I've bared my soul before......but this girl, she's special

I may have said this before-----but I love writing. Like, one of my favorite things to do is plug Relient K into my ears {or Tenth Avenue North or Switchfoot}, take a freshly sharpened pencil, a blank notebook, and write whatever comes in to my head. I try to make it an actual story, with chapters and everything.....but oftentimes, all I can think of is a great beginning and a great ending. Never any 'filler' stuff. I obviously need to work on that.

Also, I don't like sharing what I write. I'm kind of private about what goes from my head on to paper. That being said, what I'm about to share with you is pretty darn special.

The amazingly-talented Sky is hosting this sort of challenge. It's where bloggers think up {or already have} a character, then answer questions about said character asked by Sky!!!

I'm participating, with a girl very dear to my heart: Lenai.

Meet Lenai....or, how I would like her to look.

First, a little background:

Lenai came to me while I was sitting in Study Hall with a blank page in my Public Speaking notebook. I was totally bored, and started to write down a weird thought that popped in to my head.

Lenai was then born, and from her came a score of other characters and thoughts {which I shall reveal some other time}. I'm still learning what Lenai is all about, and these questions will certainly help me. (:

1. What is their full name?  
2. Does his or her name have a special meaning?  
3. Does your character have a methodical or disorganized personality?
4. Does he or she think inside themselves more than they talk out loud to their friends? (more importantly, does he or she actually have friends?)
5. Is there something he or she is afraid of?
6. Does he or she write, dream, dance, sing, or photograph?
7. What is his or her favorite book? (or genre of books)
8. Who is his or her favorite author and/or someone that inspires him or her?
9. Favorite flavor of ice cream?
10. Favorite season of the year?

1. Lenai has no last name, nor a middle. Her parents left her to die, therefore she has discarded their name {the only reason she keeps Lenai is she loves the way Finn says it}.

2. No, not really----other than it makes me think of a bird. And I totally made it up. *wink wink*

3. I think she's somewhere in between---she's not boring and serious, but neither is she super hyper and all over the place. She's a well balanced kind of girl.

4. Lenai talks about everything with her best friend, Finn. He may be blind, but Finn always knows what to say when Lenai is confused or scared.

5. Lenai has this horrid mark on her forehead, which she's had since birth {it's the reason her parents left her}. The only thing she is afraid of is Finn regaining his sight, seeing her mark, and thinking she is ugly.

6. Lenai dances a little bit, and she has a fabulous singing voice.

7. Well......Lenai lives in a forest, and I don't think they have a library in the Silent Wood. In her head, however, Lenai likes adventure mixed with a bit of romance.

 8. Lenai doesn't have a favorite author.....but she is inspired every day by her little group of friends, each with their own set of problems.

9. Lenai is more of an Italian-ice girl, and her favorite flavor is lemon.

10. Autumn. Definitely autumn.

As a random addition, here's a song that Bleah introduced me to. I'm in love, and for some reason it totally reminds me of Lenai! Go figure. ;)

love y'all,

St. Patty's Day + Random = one happy girl

1. Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!! While this is a fun holiday, don't forget about the actual Saint Patrick, who helped convert the 'wild' Irish. *wink wink*

And please, if you do see someone who isn't wearing green.....don't pinch them too hard. ;)

So cute....but not my image

2. March Madness is here! I love college basketball, and the two weeks or so leading up the NCAA championship game is such an exciting time for my family. This year, I'm rooting for Pittsburgh. Go Panthers!

3. The high for today is in the 60's......which makes me happy! Here's to hoping the weather stays this way for a while.

4. My lil' bro Owen has his States gymnastics meet this weekend! He's worked really hard this year, so I'm praying he does well. And, of course, wins some medals. =D

5. I made zucchini and carrot bread last night. It was delish! And, because I could see little pieces of carrot in the bread, I felt super healthy eating it. *loud guffaw*

6. I have a post coming that I'm super excited about....and I think y'all will like it too. It will probably be coming tomorrow night....so keep your eyes peeled!

7. One last thing----as my followers, what do you think of my music? Do you like the stuff I have on my sidebar, or should I put some quieter stuff on? Or should I nix it all together? Any feedback would be great!!!

Love always,

Warning: You are about to enter a fan girl zone, right about.....

now. There. You have been warned.

Normally, I would not describe myself as the 'fangirl' type. But then I heard Brandon Heath live. And, like I said before, I am forever changed.

Just for the record, this is going to be filled with some fan girl moments. Just saying. *raises eyebrow*

Give Me Your Eyes was my very first lifesong, so I was psyched to hear him perform it live!!! Along with a few other thousand voices too, of course. (:

I love Brandon's voice! And not just his singing one either. His accent is sweet {he's from Nashville} and sounds genuine to me. Aiden disagrees....but who cares what he thinks? *shoves Aiden*

Oh yeah....and Brandon was wearing a plaid shirt. Can you say, totally and utterly fantastic?!?!?

During Give Me Your Eyes, Brandon went out on the catwalk. As he was singing,
"See a girl and our eyes meet
Does her best to smile at me
To hide what's underneath"
he reached down and high fived somegirl. Oooh, I was so jealous of her at that point!!!

*takes breath* I didn't realize how much I liked his song I'm Not Who I Was until he performed it that night. 'Twas an eye {or ear?} opening experience.

See how awesome his shirt is?!? A checkered flannel shirt.......*dreamy sigh*

Owen, Dad, and I waited in line for a little while. Thankfully, it wasn't a long wait!!!

*covers face* Ugh, can you see me blushing? And he hadn't even turned my way yet! I am such a mess. *shakes head*

He finally looks at us....and my face get even pinker. I'm praying he didn't notice...after all, the girls in front of us had practically been screaming at him!!!!

Mom, I have never loved you more than this moment.......she actually got a picture of me shaking Brandon Heath's hand!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*takes breath* Okay, I'm better now. But, seriously....his handshake was spectacular. Nice and firm, but not crushing either....just perfect. 

Me: I'm a huge fan, but I don't have your new cd yet. *insert shameful face*

Brandon: Well, you'll just have to go over and buy it! My merch stand is right over there. *points to his left*

Dad: Oh yeah, we'll totally do that!

Brandon: And after you buy it, come on over and I'll sign it for you

I almost faint at this point

Brandon {to the security guard}: Once she gets back *points to me* with the cd, just let her in the front....she doesn't need to wait in line again.

Dad: Oh, thank you so much!!!

I'm still in a stunned stupor

Ha, that's actually pretty much what happened. So we all race off to the merch stand.
The line is so long, but we still get in. As we slowly move forward, I send two prayers up to God: "Please Lord, don't let them run out of cds!" and, "Please Lord, don't let Brandon leave!"

Obviously, we got the cd. *rolls eyes* I was just being a worry-wart, as usual. In this picture above, Brandon is actually asking my name!!!!!!! *insert a cliche fangirl scream here*

.....and here, he's signing right on the cd!! I had been expecting him to just sign the case....but no, Brandon was a sweetheart and actually opened the case and wrote on my cd! *swoons*

And here is {part of} the family, after a very successful concert. Don't we all just look so happy?!?

So wow, I hope I didn't totally annoy you guys with all these pics of Brandon. *giggles* Can ya tell who I've been crushing on lately?!?

Of Toby Mac....and fun......and craziness.

Two Saturdays ago, my family and I went to the Winter Wonderslam, featuring Toby Mac, Brandon Heath, and House of Heroes.

And let me tell you: it was amazing.

It all started a few months ago, when we found out that our friends live two doors down from Mr. Ken McKeehan. Yeah, that's right-----Toby Mac's dad.
So, my brother Aiden took it upon himself to introduce himself to Mr. McKeehan. And thank goodness he did!!!!!

Fast forward to two Thursdays ago. Mom had just finished reading our history when the phone rings. Caller ID says 'Ken McKeehan.' I start to hyperventilate as Mom answers the phone. She and Mr. McKeehan talk for what seems like forever, until they finally hang up.

The boys and I practically pounce on her. She's like, "Well, Mr. McKeehan said that, if we were going to the concert, he could get us VIP passes to meet Toby."

*insert girly scream mixed with boy screams*

Originally, we weren't going to the concert {not in the budget} but once Dad found out that we would get to meet Toby Mac, he was totally on board.

I'm going to let these pictures now tell the rest of the story...with a little input from me here and there. ;)
And yes, I am breaking my rule about not showing my face....you all can just pretend not to know who I am. *giggle*

So yeah, that's us.....with Toby Mac.  To say we were excited would be the understatement of the year. Do you see Toby's hand on Aiden's shoulder?!?!? How totally cool is that? And then his scarf matches his eyes....no joke. If you care to zoom in on his eyes, you'll totally see it. (:

Well, like the picture says....this is Mr. Gabe, Toby's 'assistant.' I'm thinking he's a little more than that....considering he sang all the songs with Toby. *laugh*

{btw, I made these pictures extra large, just so you guys could have a better look}. Here's one of the opening songs.....probably Tonight or Showstopper.

Ha, my brother and I made a bet on which song Toby would play first: Tonight, or Showstopper? Aiden went for the former; I for the latter. *grumble mixed with a sigh* Of course, Toby played Tonight first. Which means I owe Aiden a soda.....how annoying is that?!?

After a few 'hard' songs {mom's quote, not mine!} Toby, Gabe, and his guitarist came out on the catwalk and played a few 'softer' songs....Hold On, Gone, and a few others I didn't recognize. But what made it totally awesome was that, instead of drums, Gabe himself became a human-beatbox. He literally, with his voice, made up the beat. *amazed face*

We really weren't as close as these photos suggest.....my mom's camera just has a pretty good zoom. =D

All the songs performed were breathtaking. Especially Funky Jesus Music. As that was played, up on the bigscreen came a cool video of other Christian artists dancing and singing along!!!! The list included Mercy Me {which was hilarious}, Barlow Girl {totally cool}, David Crowder{oh, so funny}, and Third Day {which made Mom happy}. If you care to watch, here's a pretty good version. Mind you, this is NOT MY VIDEO!!!

Okay, so this photo actually has a funny story. The one in the hat is Toby; his buddy {lol} is Brandon Heath.
A little earlier, Toby made a crack about how sick and tired he was of hearing Brandon's song, Give Me Your Eyes. He was like, "Everywhere I turn, I hear that song: in the grocery store, on my son's Ipod, on my car radio, and even on the way here, the lady who was driving us....her phone rang, and what was the ringtone? Give me your eyes, for just one second......." Toby sang the lyrics in a really obnoxious way, just to show us how annoyed he was.
And then, to top it all off, he said: "Seriously, if I hear that song one more time, I'm gonna KILL Brandon Heath!" *insert crowd laughter here*

He laughed too, then replied, "Nah, I'm just teasing. Brandon's a great guy, and I've been blessed to have him on this tour with me. "
Then, of course, out comes Brandon wearing a Toby Mac t-shirt!! The crowd starts cheering as Toby and Brandon start to sing Lose My Soul. *contented sigh* Now THAT was wonderful.

And then, way before I was ready for it to be over, Toby said goodnight and was gone. Well, being the great crowd that we were, we all stood and clapped. And clapped. And clapped. 
Finally, Toby got the hint and came back on. He and his band {Diverse City} really ended with City On Our Knees. Oh my word, that was one of the most perfect moments of my life. The whole arena was singing along with Toby.....and I really think God was pleased by our melodies that night.

So yeah, that was one of the best concerts I've ever been too. Don't worry---I have part two coming up very soon. And it's a personal favorite of mine. *wink wink*

Love you all,