what is your favorite taste?

- Shirley Temple sipped from a straw, scooping the cherries from the bottom of the glass at the end
- My dad's homemade salsa
- Death By Chocolate Cake from The Trellis
- Chicken burrito bowl from Chipotle
- Mom's pumpkin raisin muffins and cranberry muffins
- Green and red sour patch kids
- Any kind of cheese
- Kiwi Quencher from Tropical Smoothie
- Thanksgiving stuffing
- Nutella
- Swiss Chalet sauce
-  "house" dressing from The Cheese Shop in Colonial Williamsburg
- Ben's guacamole

2012 Resolutions

Be more administrative

Daily devotions

Be positive, build up, speak love

Start a writing project

Cook more

Make new friendships

Run weekly

Be more patient with my family

Find a place to belong 

Travel

Read 30 books

Get a fulfilling job

sisterly love

sisters stick together.
sisters defend each other.
sisters fight each others' battles.
sisters know just how to make each other laugh.
sisters fight.
sisters know when to let it go and just love.
sisters make it about "you" not "me."
sisters forgive.
sisters share.
sisters are a team.
sisters don't let sisters have bad friends.
sisters protect.
sisters have nightly sleepovers.
sisters are fashion consultants.
sisters encourage.
sisters can talk & listen.
sisters consider one another their biggest blessing.
sisters learn how to practice grace.
sisters have to practice grace in regard to people who hurt their sisters.
sisters are accountability partners.
sisters are roommates.
sisters can be boiling mad one moment and cracking jokes the next.
sisters have thick skin. 

The Moon on the Wing

The wee hours...
They belong to the mothers
They belong to the lovers
They belong to the lonely who stare at tv sets
They belong to the loved who leave one in bed for sunrises and cigarettes
The wee hours, yes, they belong to the babes
They belong to the writers,
to the mourners,
to the ghosts out of their graves.

Listen to the crickets.
Listen to the moon.
Is she comforting to you-- or does she arrive too soon?
She speaks not to me,
but perhaps you hear the sound.
Does she whisper or sing? Is she quiet or loud?

To me, she is cold and distant and blue
Unless she is low and enormous and gold
when she shines like that, I could swallow her up

I'd let her sink deep down into my gut and glow
If I glowed like that maybe then you'd know
how true is my aim
how real is my path
how much I am seeking
how I don't want to do this alone...

The wee hours...
They belong to the pray-ers
They belong to the dreamers
They belong to the hopeless who stare blankly into mirrors
They belong to the angels who stare back with fire and rescue
The wee hours, yes, they belong to the shamed
The prowlers can prowl and the gamblers can game
But the wee hours belong to the weeping and brave.

The sunlight will come and make a new start
Though, before one can start, one must make resolve
It's the moonlight, my dear, that stirs up your heart.

Let her dance in, but remember in the morn
That you promised and vowed and swore the night before
That you'd make a new start when the moon disappeared...
Well, the new sun is coming!
She's coming!
Almost here...

-bethany joy galeotti

Life Lessons from Anne Shirley

Beautiful, smart, determined, witty, well-spoken, feisty, intuitive...Anne has it all. And we can learn so much from this beloved girl.

1. being dramatic is okay if you're elegant about it.

                                                   

2. if he gently touches your face and calls you, 'carrots', KEEP HIM.

3. laugh excessively with your best friend.

4. WRITE, even if the product is a bit shameful.

5. if you need to compete with someone in order to succeed, choose someone as cordial and forgiving as Gilbert Blythe.

6. allow older people to inspire you. 

"tomorrow is always fresh with no mistakes in it"

 7. sometimes, you just gotta embrace that natural hair color.

8. find that romantic bridge and that handsome man in your own life.

9. consider happiness in terms of non-materialistic things.

"We are rich. We have sixteen years to our credit,
and we both have wonderful imaginations. We should be as happy as queens"

10. collect kindred spirits.

11. apologize with style.

12. find your paradise. 

13. fall in love reluctantly...enjoy it rather than rushing it.

14. memorize your favorite poems and quotes to recite when necessary. 

"There she weaves by night and day
A magic web with colors gay
She has heard a whisper say,
A curse is on her if she stay
To look down to Camelot."

15. have the perfect response ready when the man of your dreams tells you he loves you. 

G: it'll be 3 years before I graduate med school,
and even then there won't be any diamond sunbursts or marble halls.
A: I don't want sunbursts or marble halls; I just want you.

XO, 

Destiny 

Sabrina

Linus Larrabee: 
Go ahead, say it.

Fairchild: 
You don't...deserve her.

Linus Larrabee: 
I don't. I know that. But I need her - and I don't need anything. 

excuses

We all have them, we all make them.

"I can't write a book until I am pleased with my writing" 

"I won't wear this dress until I lose 15 pounds"

"I can't let go of old friends until I make new ones"

We use that word in order to limit ourselves and keep ourselves from reaching our true potential -- as if it is conditional. We nestle that word in the back of our minds, always ready to use it. We rely on that word as an escape from possible failure. We enable ourselves to be deterred from our dreams, our future.

What is your "until"? Overcome it! Let go of what ever circumstances are holding you back. Make your bucket list, check it off, live with intention!

UNTIL

...NOW

marriage & women

It is natural for girls to contemplate our future as fiancees, wives, and even mommies. Yesterday, my first NIECE was brought into this world. She is perfection wrapped up in a little human being sporting pink onesies. After her arrival, I began thinking how proud I am of my sister, Taylor, and brother-in-law. They make such great parents, and in order to be that, they have to be great partners. I often view their marriage and parenting as a model for my own future in these roles (how lucky I am). I know that before I can think about daughters and sons, I have to consider my responsibilities and purpose as a woman. Girls, we all want romance, we all want Prince Charming, we all want butterfly feelings. But I've learned that romance is provided for the woman who understands her role in the relationship; romance is given when the woman can be who her man needs her to be -- certainly not the unrealistic, perfect woman, but rather a Godly, Proverbs 31 woman.

"her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life...she is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household...charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised" 

As an unmarried woman, I know I do not have insurmountable knowledge on this subject -- talk to a wife (like my sis) and get the inside scoop, but I do know what GOD expects of me. I do know that I need to become the model that God has so graciously given. If I can be a woman of value, a woman of character, a woman after God's own heart, then I will receive praise and blessings in return. Ladies, when we take time to be the woman God intended, then God will grant us a man that also has sought after the Lord and prepared himself to be the man that satisfies women's specific needs. It's a flawless formula that works.

I think the best way to illustrate and capture the role of a Godly wife would be to include this delicate poem written by my beautiful sister, Brianna.

When you look me in the eye, and I'm the only one you see

I'll look back into yours

And won't hold back any part of me

I'll declare you my lover, my lover for life

Then I'll walk down the aisle

I'll be pure, wearing white

Because I made you a promise, in the form of a ring

My commitment to you: heart, soul, and body

Yes, I'll give you everything

I'll be beautiful, for you, inside and out

I'll love you with this heart I've been saving

You won't ever have to doubt

I'll cook your favorites meals, every night if I'm able

And when you get home late

I'll keep it wrapped, I'll be waiting at the table

Through the joy, through the sorrow

I promise I'll be here

I'll be in your every tomorrow

I'll work on our friendship, I'll talk and I'll listen

I'll give into your will

With quiet submission

I'll kiss you goodnight, wake up with a smile

We'll experience the world together, just you and me,

And I'll never let your wardrobe get outdated in style

When you are sick, ill, or burdened with grief

I'll pray for you, without ceasing,

Until we both find relief

I'll bare us sweet children, a testimony of our love

I'll make you a daddy

Oh what parents we'll become

When you are weak, you fail and you fall

I promise to count our blessing, forgive,

And be with you through it all

When life gets hard, and love is tough

I'll point us to Jesus

He's always be enough

When we get old and have wrinkles from laughter

It's you I will hold

And always look after

And when death do us part, and that day will come

I'll be waiting for you with anticipation,

In the arms of our Love

She covers all the bases. Let's embody these traits. We CAN be powerful women when we follow God's intentional formula. We CAN be what Godly men in this world need and are searching for!

october: full to the brim

October is my favorite month -- nevermind the fact that it's my birthday month -- it's just so lush and promising and chilly and colorful. This October was FULL to the brim with activities, events, monumental milestones, and beautiful people. I found myself looking back on the month (didn't it FLY by?!) feeling very fulfilled. Praises!

I was blessed to be on the worship team for CrossWalk's 10th Anniversary Service. I just LOVED praising the Lord for all he has done in the life of our church. Being on stage, I could look out and see the faces of changed lives and witness the worship of others. I was overcome with thankfulness and anticipation. God has so much in store! 

Plus, the choir ROCKED and Ben played the harmonica which was sweeeet. 

Faith Phipps and her two wonderful sisters came from northern VA to support Landon! He was so happy! 

Craig, my dear friend from high school, got MARRIED! Me, Catherine, and Ricky traveled to Simpsonville, South Carolina to see him and his beautiful bride tie the knot. It was so special to reunite with these precious people for such a memorable day in Craig's life. FRIENDS FOREVER!

The Ben Rothwell Band road tripped 4 hours to lead worship at a youth retreat in Falling Waters, West Virginia. For a whole weekend, we got to hang out and worship with young people that had such incredible hearts for God. We were so blessed! As a band, we got to go with the group to Hershey Park in Pennsylvania. Ben rode his first roller-coaster since 2005!

I discovered my new musical idol. Sara Bareilles. Holy cow, she is flawless. She is quirky, confident, and talented. Her concert for the student body of CNU proved to be some of the best live music I've ever heard. I went with my sweet friend, Brianna Gomez, and our jaws about touched the floor. 

For my birthday, Ben surprised me by taking me to Charlottesville to go apple picking! We picked the juiciest, most delicious Fuji apples, and bought eh, about 2 dozen homemade apple cider doughnuts. The apple orchard is truly a little hidden gem on the top of a mountain. If you're planning on going, bundle up! because it gets even colder in the higher elevation. Also, make sure you leave with some locally grown produce! 

This month, I spent all my friday nights sitting in bleachers watching high school football games. I am not complaining. We were able to cheer on Landon in his moments of glory, and encourage him in those moments that could have gone better. We are so proud of our athlete who loves the Lord with all his heart and relies on HIM for all strength and talent. 

We visited a pumpkin farm to pick out our own pumpkin to carve. Excuse the finished product -- Anderson has been learning all his shapes, so we incorporated that theme.  

xoxo & autumn colors,

D.

music in film

I am a person who likes the movies that matter -- the movies that take a stand, challenge your thinking, affect your heart, portray true love, show real events, and applaud difference makers.

I really like the movies with good music. I feel like the musical score truly enhances and even reflects the ideals expressed through the cinematography, plot, mise-en-scene, and actors. Music is a HUGE contribution to the value of a film, in my opinion. 

my ultimate movie score list: 

 5. The Holiday -- Hans Zimmer

 4. Ever After -- George Fenton 

         3. Lord of the Rings -- Howard Shore

 2. Anne of Green Gables -- Hagood Hardy

 1. Titanic -- James Horner