Here's to Us.

I woke up this morning with a to-do list about five miles long, a to-do list so extensive that even if I found the motivation to attack it with every ounce of my being, I'm not sure if would even finish. And anyway, who really wants to sit down and bust through five or more consecutive hours of mind-numbingly boring work? Umm.. I'd rather watch Netflix.

I'm blogging today not to fulfill some responsibility, or to check something off my list (since it's been two months since my last post, I think it's safe to say that that ship sailed a long time ago), but because I needed to. I needed to connect with you guys.

They say that social media doesn't really connect us to people-- it makes us feel connected, while we isolate. On a surface level, that's something I agree with: simply scrolling through feeds and liking different posts doesn't constitute as human interaction. But blogging is different. Blogging lets us express who we are, sometimes even down to the recesses of our souls, and lets connect with other people who go through the same things.

At least, that's what it does for me.

My word for 2015 is connect. I was deciding between connect and trust, but connect came to me first, and I'm told it's better to choose the "wrong" word than not choosing one at all.

Connecting is important. Because people need people. And... I guess today, I just want to take another step forward in making it a forever-part of my lifestyle.

So here's to connecting. Here's to loving our neighbors as ourselves. Here's to rejoicing with those who rejoice and weeping with those who weep. Here's to fighting for what is beautiful, and never forgetting to share what we find with each other. Here's to family canoe trips and sunny days and shared memories.

Here's to you, me, and we. Here's to us.

xoxo,

Ireland

Morning Jogs & Mile Markers

 

Since school started a month ago, staying in shape has taken a backseat to the piles of homework that I have accumulated. I'm trying to carve out some time for physical activity, though, because without it I have been feeling kind of sluggish. Anyway, when I woke up this morning, I decided that I just had to go jogging after breakfast, and I'm so glad I stuck to my resolve.

 

There is a trail behind the neighborhood I live in that goes through the woods on one side and comes out on the water. As I alternated between the gravel and paved roads, I realized for the umpteenth time how gorgeous this area is. Check out some of the pictures I took:

 

 

 

 

Once I was out of the woods, I arrived right at the waterfront. These are shots of some private piers.

 

... and this is the sidestreet that took me back home.

 

 

Even though I took these pictures just this morning, it blows my mind to think that they were all captured within a mile of each other. The landscapes are so beautiful and varied here, and I absolutely love it. My dad told me this morning that one of the reasons we moved to NC was so that I could take the beauty around me and do something with it. I'm not sure what means for me yet, but I know God has it all figured out. And that's enough for now.

 

 

xoxo,

Ireland

 

 

Next Stop... Wilmington

Happy August, everyone! As we roll into the last few weeks of summer break, I find myself surrounded by empty bookshelves, stacks and stacks of cardboard boxes, and overexposed beige walls. That's right, we're moving-- again! This time, though, our end destination (umm, that being Wilmington, NC) is only about an hour away. Much simpler than the 500-mile trek from Knoxville to Southport.

As my family transitions into the next phase of our life, this picture serves as a tribute to Flashback Friday. From left: my mom Karen, late grandfather Ed, uncle Carey, me, and my cousin Reise.

I love beautiful memories... but at the same time, I'm looking forward to making new ones.

What do you think is the hardest part about leaving home? What's the best?

xoxo,

Ireland