They say lightening doesn't strike twice in the same place....

But here's proof that it does--it's struck our family thrice! ;) We are having a wonderful day celebrating my 18th, Leah's 15th and Levi's very first birthday! :) I am sooo blessed to have gotten a sister *and* a brother as birthday gifts! :D

August 6th, 1994....

August 6th, 1997...

August 6th, 2011

Happy Birthday Leah and Levi!!!

Which of my important nothings should I tell you first?

Getting used to being home...

...catching up on everyone who seems to have shot up when I wasn't looking...

...staying up late just to catch the last fire-fly gleams of conversation with the people I haven't seen for a month...

...making monkey-bread for a triple-birthday celebration...

...laughing just because laughing feels good....

...looking at a shelf full of books I haven't read...

...reading letters from abroad...

...putting pen to paper...

...plotting the purchase of a laptop...

...looking out onto a green field instead of a hotel parking lot...

...seeing FB notifications from friends I left in Georgia, and knowing they're thinking about me...

....kissing Levi and watching him walk...

These are the important nothings that make life so sweet. :)

not in neverland///a growing up post

my "rapunzel" year.

it was crazy.

it was challenging.

it had deep grooves, and high mountains.

at times it made me wonder why?

but in others, it fit like a boot.

it flew by so fast my head's still spinning,

and yet at points it seemed to crawl by like a southern drawl.

As insignificant as a simple number change is, I can't quite wrap my head around the fact that in a few days I will be eighteen years old.

Nope, not at all.

18.

The year I've been waiting for since I was a little girl.

The point in my life where I'd refer to as "grown up." (yeah right!)

And the end of my minor-ness.

My minority.

Argh. The beginning of my Majorly years.

(you get the point)

It's the age that I looked to as if it were somewhere over the rainbow, but in actuality, has crept up on me.

And according to the majority of people out there, it's the curtains closing on childhood.

I don't know about anyone else, but that sort of intimidates me.

Not in a scared, worrisome way really, but more in that sort of "entering the unknown" kind.

I'm definitely a creature of habit, so big changes aren't a very easy topic, even though I know they're necessary. And, because of all these diverse and interesting feelings bubbling under the crust, I decided to chronicle some of the sizeable happenings since I turned 17. :)

-Received the awesome birthday present of a baby brother!

-said goodbye to my sweet black lab
- entered my senior year and all that jazz that comes with it
-finally got my learner's permit
-celebrated all of his "firsts" with Levi
-picked up my 15 year wish of a puppy
-joined in the excitement of a dear friend's wedding
-smiled big and watched the steady and sweet budding of Daniel and Abigail's courtship
-and am in the last days of successfully enduring a month without my 2 bestest chums ever. ;)

It's been a great year. A fantastic one, even. :) And now I'll begin technical "adult-hood".
(Just to clarify, this is not me throwing out all manner of childishness by any means! I'll be the same light-hearted, fun-loving Sarah I've always been. And truth be told, on the 6th I know I won't feel a ton different. ;) Anyways...

Here's to new seasons!

Here's to living life to the brim!

Here's to Birthdays!

"That's the funny thing about birthdays, they're kind of an annual thing."

(all pictures credit of Matthew Walker)

beaches are the bomb

A couple of weeks ago, our family took an evening to check out this historical property nearby. :) Fort Boykins is right on the James river and was built to protect the Jamestown colonists from Indians. Anyways, we heard the beach there is beautiful, so we headed over to see for ourselves.

And the first stop, of course, had to be 7-11 to pick up the traditional summer treat of Slurpees. ;)

Leah, Anna, and I. :)

You have to walk through some woodsy trails before getting to the beach access, but it was really an awesome thing to come upon such a gorgeous beach through an arch of vines! It really reminded me of a beach from Five Children and It, or some other English beach movie. ;)

We were there just in time to watch the sun make it's way down. :) Wasn't it pretty?

Scoping out the depth....hehe

Levi's first time at a beach! :)

I loved my nautical toes. <3

I'm thinking he approved!

We brought a picnic dinner of fried chicken, rolls, veggies, and the delicious red cherries!

 GAHHH!!! Levi's *so* huggable!

 

 

Checking out the water. :)

We had to kind of scurry out of the park, seeing as it closed at dusk. Which brought up the debatable topic:

What is considered "dusk"?

Is it the time where the sky goes from blue to a series of different colors?
Is it right when you can't see the sun anymore?
Or is it more like when the sun's down, but it's not dark out?
;)

Anyhow, I think we all really enjoyed getting out of the house, and doing something very summery to end our week with. :) Oh, and I don't know about you guys, but I'm loving this new look!!!

Next post: A re-cap of the the Girl's Retreat. :)

Take Two: the new look

So....this is the new look, the new name, the new whole thing! :D How do you like it? :) Many thanks to Bree Holloway for making it for us! <3 I personally really love it. :) And everyone applaud Sarah for working out all the details with Bree. :)