"I can't wait until my only concern with anything school-related is how i'm going to decorate my grad cap." 

These are the words of my wonderful friend, Aimee Bradshaw, and I feel like she describes my life and many of my friends lives right now so perfectly. Yes, I should be working on my senior project or reading for my psych class, but instead I am going to take ten minutes and just write.

Many people are graduating this quarter and in the spring and life is way too stressful right now. It's hard to look with the end in mind when there is so much to do RIGHT now. For example, I registered this morning for classes for next quarter and at first was having a hard time finding classes. I am currently wait listed for three. And I was first rotation. Trying to figure that out, getting back bad grades, stressing about things that are due, sometimes we just let LIFE take over. But we shouldn't, we know we shouldn't.

I did what I always do when life gets stressful. I went to the Liberal Studies office. 

And I sat on a comfy couch, spread out my lunch, and worked on my senior project for like three hours. At one point Loni just looked over me and just started laughing. And I laughed with her. Because that's what we need. We need to laugh when it gets stressful. So, I look at all my lib studs right now who are working on senior project, I just want to remind you to breath. Take a step back, breath, go on pinterest for a few minutes, run around the block, but know that it will get done. 

Because sometimes we just need to tell ourselves that we truly are "good enough" even when everything around us makes us feel that we aren't. And know that that senior project you are working on, that psych book you are reading, that biology lab you need to finish, and that presentation you have tomorrow, it all has a purpose. I know it's hard to see right now, but it's helping you learn and it's shaping your mind and brain. 

It's going to be okay. And remember to eat your fruits, veggies, and protein. That makes a big difference. 

And as I think about everything that's due in the next week and a half I can't help but laugh when I think about how many times I bumped my head today. (Okay, bad example, but it was kinda funny, I was a little more clumsy than usual today) Anyway, go give your roommate a hug or tell them a joke, unless their real stressed than just let them be! But you know what I mean. 

Okay, I'm not making sense. 

See ya later. Love ya! 

Whit 

Riding camels in Morocco

My senior project paper is due in two weeks as well as a presentation that goes along with that paper. I am sitting in SLO DO CO thinking about my research and watching a dad who just walked in with three little ones in pajamas. Four year old's need late snacks too, I guess. Daddy might need it even more. I am so ready to be done with school and begin my next adventure so naturally, studying has been a challenge. When life is stressful and school is hard I often try and take a step back and think, "What are you looking forward to Whit?" My mom is good at asking me this question. So, tonight, I ask myself that question. What am I looking forward to? 

Riding camels in Morocco. 

So, if Katie and I both end up in Spain, naturally we have to visit each other. Top on the to do list? Riding camels in Morocco. It's funny though, as I sit here and watch this dad squeeze frosting on an already frosted doughnut, I can't help but smile. Because watching dads give their kids more sugar, dreaming about riding camels in Morocco, giggling with Katie, and eating doughnuts. These are what make the stressful times some of the best times. I need to continue to cherish the rest of this year though because before I know it, it's going to be gone. Four years done, just like that. 

As I continue to procrastinate on my senior project paper for just another minute, let me ask you this? What are you looking forward to? Spring break? Summer? Your econ midterm? (Well, I don't know, my roommate's an econ major and she likes it!), But really maybe you have been studying for a test for weeks and you are actually excited because you know you're going pulverize it! And that's great. My point is when we give ourselves something positive to combat the negative, it really can make our days a whole lot better. 

Alright, that's all for now. I'm going to eat a doughnut and work on my paper. And it's really not going to be so bad because I'm writing about something I'm passionate about!

xoxo, 

Whitters 

F e b R u a r y

F e b R u a r y. 

That's how my mama use to get me to spell February. Feb R uary. With emphasis on the R, I always forgot it. She did that with Wednesday too. Wed Nes Day. In sets of three. And now when I write the grocery list, for her, she still corrects certain words and then later says, "Whitney, how do you spell broccoli?" and when I freeze she tells me an easy way to remember how to spell broccoli. Okay, now I know what you're thinking, "you gonna talk about spelling all night, Whit?" Naa, actually I'm going to talk about Valentines day and maybe a little bit about Spain too :) 

Valentines day. 

I need to go pick up some sweet tarts at Target tomorrow, I'm sure they'll be on sale! Last night I was taking care of baby Nicole, she turned 33 days old yesterday! She was kinda fussy last night and I was bouncing her and talking to her and singing. She likes it when I talk to her :) I was reminding her that it was her 33rd day birthday and that she was getting "so" big! After she fell asleep I was thinking about her and how much I have grown to love her and how I wish I could keep babysitting her after I graduate. Then it occurred to me that I will never see her walk or talk and it kinda made me sad. I was thinking, "what's the point of only taking care of her for five months? She'll never know me!" But then another thought came to me (more like whisper from God) and He said, "It's because you have a purpose, Whit." A purpose? Say what, Jesus?

A purpose. 

A purpose, that's right, even though I may only be in little Nicole's life for five months, but those five months have purpose. And I am a critical part in her life right now and she may never know who I am and her parents may never talk about me, probably won't talk about me, but that's not the point. The point is that I am here to love this little girl as much as I can and remind her about how much Jesus loves her and to sing to her and to get really excited when she is 33 days old! God always has a reason for everything. And baby Nicole and Whitney Rose need to be best friends right now. 

Again, I know what you're thinking, "what does this have to do with valentines day, Whit?" I'll tell you why. Because for the past week I have been thinking to myself, "what is the darn point to valentines day?" It just seems so silly to me. (Maybe I would feel different if I actually had a significant other) but you know as I was holding little Nicole last night, God gently reminded me again. It's not about me having a surfer boy, cowboy, or Mr. dark and handsome, it's about Jesus' sacrifice and God's love and baby Nicole. Yes, it's about Wyatt and baby Lauren who I babysat today, it's about all the Mountainbrook kiddos, it's about Bodi and Givan, it's about Grant and Kaedra. It's about Paige and Merry and Leah and Meggy. It's about showing Christ's love to everyone you care about and even more so to people who you may have a hard time getting along with. 

It's not about the chocolate and the flowers. (even though chocolate tastes good and flowers smell nice) 

This year was probably one of the first years on this holiday where I have felt content. Content in being single. Confident in myself. And knowing that I am not defined by any man, but only by the greatest father. It took me a long time through the high school years and college to be at the point of where I am today. But I am at this place where I know that whoever I do meet someday, will happen in its own time. And I am okay with that. It is what it is. And I'd rather be confident in myself and continue to become the woman I am today than worry about all the "what ifs" of my future. 

Let's be real. I am going to SPAIN in August for six months! I don't want to be with someone right now. I am ready for my adventures! I am so proud of the girl I am becoming and that is such a good thing. 

God is funny, who would have thought that this girl would be going to Spain after college. Not me. But I'm ready. And the future jar has 207 dollars in it! Yes, we still have a way to go, but we'll get there, we will get there :) 

Happy Valentines day, friends :) I hope you feel loved every day. And if we haven't had a coffee date in a while. let's do that :) 

xoxo, 

Whitters 

Home schooling, Spain, a little of this and a little of that.

I'm sitting in a coffee shop down by the beach and I am suppose to be working on my senior project outline, but instead I'm drinking a vanilla bean latte, calling my mom on the phone, and talking about home schooling. I mean that part is good because my senior project topic is homeschooling. I am sitting here staring at a blank screen with 

Homeschooling: A new Trend 

staring back at me, and yet I don't know what else to say. Starting is always the hardest. I have all of these memories, knowledge, and information in my brain about home schooling and I just want to spit it all out on the screen, but for this, I can't. I'm suppose to talk about the pros, cons, history of, types of, and then at the end, my opinion of, homeschooling. Easy enough... 

I'm not saying everyone should be home schooled. Because everyone should not be home schooled. But also everyone should not go to public school and also everyone should not go to private school. Some kids need to go to public school, some kids need to go to private school, and some, like me, needed to be home schooled. My mom always tells me that every student has a different educational journey. I really believe that to be true, too. 

I think one reason why I chose this as my topic is because I wanted something that meant something to me and would be applicable to my life. Right now, I do not want to teach elementary education in the public school system, but I DO want to home school my own kids some day, therefore, the rising trend in homeschooling, has developed. I also wanted to write about it because I feel like so much of my life growing up was, Why were you home schooled? What is home schooling? Do you have any friends? Isn't that illegal? And of course, "Oh that explains a lot." 

What is the most important thing to say in my senior project is just like with anything else, home schooling varies from child to child and family to family. YES, some kids who are home schooled are not socialized with others. BUT not ALL home schoolers. Yes, some kids who are home schooled might have benefited better in a public school, but not ALL home schoolers. So, in a sense, when I am talking about pros and cons, the positives are not for all home schoolers and the negatives are not for all home schoolers. But you know. I think what I just need to remember throughout this process is I am proud of to have been home schooled, I am proud to be a graduate from Ramona High school, and I am going to be SO proud when I am a graduate from Cal Poly. 

As the process has moved along with Mission Nanny and I wait to hear back if I will be in Spain or Honduras in the upcoming months, I feel so overwhelmed with joy and nervousness all in one. The other day it dawned on me that I am really doing this and it was a little terrifying. But I am so excited for this next step in my journey. 

Through conversations and self analysis this year I have had many moments where I said to myself, "And that's great because that's who you are." Whether it be the way I get really excited when I see my friends, or run around the house with Mushu singing Let's get down to business, or how playing leap frog last year in kine made me giggle for days and  how I actually enjoyed it, or how the littlest things can make me cry, and how I love giving people good hugs. But I've realized I am a very passionate person and emotionally I can be all over the place at times, but if I giggle I giggle long, if I cry, I cry a lot, if I yell, it can be loud at times, and if I show you a love you, I sure hope you can feel it. I know some people think I'm weird and I know I am, but I've realized that's who I am and I am really proud of who God has made me to be!

Alright alright, I'll get back to this outline, happy Saturday you guys and who ever stuck it out and read this whole thing, thanks for listening :) 

xoxo, 

Whit