date with destiny: September 2011

- I celebrated two years with Ben Rothwell

- I painted on canvas

- I made many mix cds

- I spent 20 hours on airplanes

- I wrote tributes to both my grandparents and parents for their 50th and 25th wedding anniversaries

- I got to spend a week with my nephew and rub the belly of my sister, anticipating my new niece

- I was reunited with my Bulgarian cousins

- I read Anne of Green Gables

- I received a wedding invitation from a high school friend

- I read a lot of John Keats' poetry

- I became a college senior

- I missed my family desperately

- I met Matt Nathanson

- I didn't see a single movie at the theaters

- I ate a lot of Chick-fil-a with Ben

- I experienced yet another successful road trip with the Morrow family

- I saw both my favorite worship leaders -- Joel Houston and Jon Egan

- I got my first speeding ticket

- I only spent 2 hours in Texas, which was unfortunately a layover :(

- I lost a couple friends

- I gained some new, beautiful ones

- I sang a lot of worship songs

- I saw Hillsong United in concert TWICE on two different continents

- I ate at the Macaroni Grill for the first time

- I listened to Tyler Hilton, Katie Herzig, Dave Barnes, Future of Forestry, and Needtobreathe

- I bought a real leather jacket

- I watched netflix movies with my mom

- I spent a lot of time with Catherine DuVal in both England and America

- I wore a rain jacket for 14 days straight

- I took 123 pictures of my sister and her date for her senior prom

- I was encouraged and loved by a dear sister in Christ, Ashley Hudgens

- I ate the English Breakfast daily for nine days

- I saw part of God's plan to provide for me unfold

- I took the scenic route to North Carolina, with peanut fields and wild flowers whizzing past me on both sides of the road

- I wore jackets and scarves in July

- I rode on a red double decker bus

- I held and touched books that were centuries old

- I ordered the british delicacy "Bangers and Mash" at an English pub

- I saw Prince William & Kate's faces more than 1000 times in souvenir shops

- I willingly let my hair get soaked by rain on the rocky beach of the English Channel

- I downloaded and used Apple's facetime app

- I was driven around by my license-bearing 16 year-old brother

- I watched my little sister graduate high school

- I enjoyed having a twelve year-old roommate even though she hogged the entire queen bed

- I witnessed my 3 year-old brother willingly go under water for the first time at our neighborhood swimming pool

- I was scared spitless in the the backseat as my dad drove through a hailstorm

- I made my parents an 11 minute slideshow -- telling their story through pictures

- I saw the Colorado Rockies

- I became responsible for 50 sophomores on the second floor of James River Hall at CNU

- I sat through 39.5 hours of training in the span of two weeks
- I took on the "skyscraper" challenge at a high ropes course
- I learned, despite my prior belief, I am not ready to go 2 months without a mom there to just "be the mom" when you need her

- I was given flowers when I got off an airplane

- I saw Big Ben, rode the London Eye, toured Parliament, walked through Westminister Abbey, and gawked at the Crown Jewels in the London Tower

- I went punting

- I attended my mom's first piano recital and watched proudly as her 7 students performed their pieces

- I sent postcards

- I drank lots of English tea

- I visited 5 massive cathedrals

- I chose family over friends
- I was inspired by various sights, sounds, and people

- I went approximately 58 days without any Anderson kisses, hugs, laughter, or quality time

- I, regretfully, missed more church than ever before

- I survived extended amounts of time without my sisters; still don't know how

- I read, I traveled, I loved, I sang, I drove, I flew, I tried new food, met new people, discovered new things; I grew up.