This weekend was simply lovely...
walking to starbucks, picking flowers, Carl giving me a broken chair so I fell, driving 2 hours in a car that is breaking down, having to pee so bad I thought I was going to die, the freaky bathroom with mirrors everywhere that we finaly stoped at, Kate being cold and almost making me fall of the bed from trying to take my body heat, singing and dancing in the car, being getto, shocking my aunt by listening to and singing along to grilz, my aunt embarrasing me by telling this lady I should hook up with her son while I was sitting there, laughing, spilling coffee on my shirt at church, jumping in the freezing cold pool to get the net out because no on would get in, being coverd in ants, watching a movie on Mike's lap-top and having no clue what was happening cuz I couldn't hear it, gettting some really exciting purses from my Aunt, and well lots of other silly things that I like doing...
yeah I need more weekends like this.

Well here is one of my faviorte pictures from this summer...It shows the fun, the sweat, the dirtyness and some awesome girls all in one picture! We look so silly. Ashley is laughing and has black stuff on her face from sanding chairs, Hannah is showing the coolness of being a barney by holding her frapachino, I am "glowing" from all the work and heat! and my shirt has black smudges on it from who knows what and then Kelsey has black stuff on here shirt too! I wish I was going back to the hay field this summer. It is so much fun. It is even more fun being a barney cuz they are there just to break the rules. Like taking showers everday instead of once a week!! And other stuff but I won't spill all our secrets ; ) I just pretty much think everyone should go on Royal Servants! Hopefully I will be back at training camp next summer...

This is just a cute story I read awhile back and came across it again today while I was helping my mom.


The Garden - by Douglas Wilson

As my horse trotted wearily up the road, I could see the walls of a beautiful garden ahead. Outside the gate was an equally beautiful woman. At the sound of my greeting, she turned and dropped a curtsey. "Good sir... good morning."

I looked at her, and then at the garden walls extending out to the right and left. Behind her was the garden gate. I said, "I am very thirsty...for something clean." She smiled, and her smile made me thirstier still. But she said nothing. "Is there water here?" I asked.

"There is a stream within my garden." Her statement was simply a statement of fact; there was no invitation at all in it.

I asked, "May I come in and drink?"

"No," she said. "The lord of my mother's garden does not permit that."

"Why is this? Other women have let me drink from the gardens that they tend." I glanced at the fruit-laden branches, which were visible over the top of the garden wall. "You have a lovely garden, but those who let me drink had gardens just as beautiful."

She laughed at this, and her laugh was merry indeed. "I have no doubt that you have been in some lovely gardens. But was the water clean?"

"No," I said, and in spite of myself, turned my head and looked down.

She continued with a question. "Is that why you are no longer in the gardens tended by these women?"

I was ashamed so I did not answer her. Instead I looked past her into the garden. The path through the gate disappeared after a few feet, leaving the view of anyone on the road. "It seems like a shame for such a garden to go to waste."

She seemed both puzzled and amused. "How does it go to waste?"

"Does any man drink from your stream?"

"No, but no man fouls it either."

"But is that not a waste? Was not your stream made to quench the thirst of travelers?"

"I'm afraid you are seriously mistaken. It was made to quench the thirst, not of travelers, but of the lord of the garden."

"Oh," I said, "this garden has a lord?"

"No," she said.

"Then I don't understand. Are you speaking in riddles?"

She smiled. "No, I do not. The garden will one day have a lord, although it does not yet. The stream is for him alone."

"And who will your lord be?"

"When my mother's lord gives a blessing, the one whom I appoint."

"How can the lesser appoint the greater?"

"How can it not be so? When my lord comes, I will grant to him my garden. But until I do, he is just another traveler."

"And what do you look for? I am sure there are many who knock at your gate."

At this she blushed slightly but looked straight at me. "I will not have a lord who does not have a lord himself--my lord must have taken an oath of fealty to the Landlord."

"The Landlord? Who is he?"

"He is the owner of all the gardens along this road. In order to come into my garden, my lord must take an oath before the Landlord to tend the garden well. He must also swear that he will enter no other garden."I had never heard such words as these before. "How long must he stay out of other gardens?"

"Forever."

"But what if he is born to travel?"

"Then he is not born for my garden."

"I see," I said, becoming a little angry. "Then why have I never heard of such an oath? I have been in many gardens."

"Yes, you said that before. But was the water clean? Were the gardens tended? That is what happens when there is no oath."

"So that is all? If someone takes an oath before this Landlord, you will make them your Lord?"

"No."

"Well, what else then?"

"There are many men who think they can tend my garden well, and who would be willing to swear an oath before the Landlord saying so. But that does not mean that my mother's lord, or I, share their confidence."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that I know the extent of the garden. I have a knowledge of it that cannot be gained from the road. But no man can share that knowledge until after I have made him my lord and husband. So I must have the measure of the man before."

"So what must a man do?"

"The first thing is to--"

"Yes, I know. He must swear to the Landlord. But after?"

"He must return to me, and ask to see my mother's lord."

"And what would he say?"

"That depends on the man."

At this parting comment, she turned and walked slowly back into the garden, pulling the gate closed behind her. I spurred my horse, which began to trot down the road. I did not know what to think, but I needed to find this Landlord.

Well I am offically not going to college group at my church till october. Oh well. I am to young. Man I really am glad I'm graduating early I just hate being "to young" My dad told me that there are always thorns on a rose and so this is my thorn. I have even been called jail bate now! haha I thought that was pretty funny. Thats me! I think I'm going to just go to college group at a differnt church where some of my other friends go. Anyways no more sad talk I don't wanna be upset I just need to get over it.

I just have to say that my friend Hannah is so funny!!! She makes me laugh so hard. here are some quotes of stuff she has said to me...
"Hannah you are a really messy eater. But that is ok cuz when you make a mess eating it just means you are having a lot of fun"
"That is kinda sketchy , but I think Hannah's like being sketchy so ya know what, I approve"
"I don't get it so lets just pretend likes it funny"
A really funny thing she does is acting getto (whatever that means I still don't know) and she trys to get me to do it also. She really knows how to make me laugh. When she was visiting I think I had a constant pain in my stomach from laughing so hard all the time. Like when I was making malto for our breakfast and she was making our peanut butter and honey sandwiches. I thought I had made enough peanut butter and honey for 3 half sandwichs but she made like 6 out of it!!! That is only because a put a LOT of peanut butter and honey in the sandwichs when I make them and she puts a normal amount in it. : )
Well I just did a whole post about nothing really...oh well.

The Civil War Ball...

Well here are some pictures from the civil war ball we went to a week or so ago. It is pretty crazy how many we have now that people are starting to realize they are fun!haha I have now I think been to six. And then I am going to another one in a couple months with the Macs in Crestline (I've gotta say that is a cool place with cool people)
anyways here are the pictures...

little Lydia on the way to the civil war ball...

Michael and Brittany

a picture from our little photo shoot before the dancing started

Southern belles
Kaleb and I waiting for the dance to start

Well tonight at youth group we were singing this one song and I really started to miss my little park that I used to walk to and do my devos at. I decided next clear day we have I will walk there again. I love sitting outside on the grass with the trees and blue sky as my ceiling. Even though I always seem to go when school is getting out and all the kids look at me funny, But hey I'm ok with that. That picture of a tree is one I took one time at the park.

I just finished reading 'The Great Divorce' It took me a long time to read it because I would read a chapter and then be like 'umm what did I just read' and then read it again. But I finished it. I really enjoyed reading it.


"Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning, Great is Your faithfulness.
"The Lord is my portion." says my soul, "Therefore I hope in Him!""
Lamentations 3:22-24

I love the rain...today driving home from youth group I turned off my music so I could just hear the rain and I even rolled my window down cuz it feels amazing when the rain hits your hands. It's days like this I want to drink hot tea and read a book, well more like drink tea and make my civil war dress seeing as that is what I've been doing all day. But I am happy to say it is almost finished! It should be done tomorrow (hopefully).

I will leave you with a funny picture of me and Britt and 2 of our friends Chris and Kyle. We have known them pretty much forever, well since I was about 2 because that is when we have a video that says how my best friend is Christopher. Then they moved and now we only see them about once a year. It is pretty funny to look back and see how much we've changed.