My heart has melted into a pool of love

I went swimming with Chloe

and she kissed (licked) my nose (in my nose)

as if she couldn't get any cuter she goes and does it again!

I was playing with her and she kissed (licked) the inside of my mouth.

and she got embarrassed because my sister and I could not stop laughing

and she quickly tried to distract us

I met Stella today

for the first time..

I made her laugh really hard for a really long time.

and

she is the best cuddle baby

AND

she is just the sweetest thing I ever did see

They'll name a city after us.

They'll name a city after us

and later say its all our fault.

In fall 2008

I got the opportunity to travel the world.

It was one of the best things that happened to me,

for many reasons.

One reason is I was separated from Chase for 3 months with hardly any conversation.

When you do something like this, you change, you change in so many ways, that most of the time, couples don't make it when they come back. It either makes you or breaks you.

Clearly, it made us.

I am so thankful that I went on pac rim while dating him.

It was hard (Probably harder for him)

But one thing that made it easier

was listening to Regina Spektor.

I would listen to her none stop

one song that would give me comfort was

Us

It's wonderful, and I love it.

My favorite part is,

"They'll name a city after us,

and later say it's all our fault,

then they'll give us a talking to,

then they'll give us a talking to,

cause they have years of experience."

So if you are apart from your loved one, I recommend listening to Regina.

where I really want to be...

Let's Start Talking in Japan.

yes if you see that tower up there, that is where I fell from. 223 meters.. you do the math.

oh how I love long flights, and ways I tried to make my hair cute because I couldnt use a straightner or blow dryer

Yes, I had the whole attitude of "Why would you get anything that has to do with American anything on this trip" After 2 weeks in China, I learned I was very very wrong... our first starbucks.

Girl talk with Ryan.

Please excuse my hand signal. I was running on adrenaline.

The great wall, which is SO hard to climb.

possibly one of my favorite memories.

Sweaty Hands. Amen.

There is this beautiful song called Magnificat. It is a four part harmony and it is so moving and beautiful. The first time I heard it was in Ghana, Africa. Man, what a place to learn that song. We taught this song to the Village, they have singing nights once a week where they learn new songs, and it was absolutely wonderful.

The way the Ghanians sing is marvelous and loud and so beautiful. I miss it. They have no fear in singing, they don't care if they can sing well or not, they sing as loud as they can. Well, when you are in singing class you are put into your respective harmony part. All the little boys are put into the alto section.

Well this little boy named Issac was sitting with me, and he held my hand the whole time. When it came to the Alto part, he sang as loud as he possibly could, and was rubbing my hand with his thumb, (our fingers were laced) I cried like a little baby because this is what the alto part says, "the Lord has been mindful of his servant, He has been mindful of me. We will be blessed forever forever, I have been blessed by the Lord."

I went there to help them, I went there to show them my love, but never once in a million years did I believe that I would learn and gain so much from them. I learned love, I learned selflessness, I learned that being happy comes from loving the Lord when nothing else in this world is going right, and when you literally have nothing of value on this world.

Those little fingers in between mine, and that precious little thumb ever so gently rubbing my hand, is a moment that I will never forget. The Lord was telling, reminding, and comforting me that he is always mindful of me, always has, always will, and he will bless me for eternity. here are few picture of the children that blessed my life so richly, and if I never see them again, I can't wait to meet them in Heaven.

P.S. If there is a sign up sheet in heaven for singing sections, sign me up for the Village of Hope Ghanaian section.

The Best Place on Earth (almost)

Ohio gozaimaaaaaassssssssssss!!!!!! Is what I heard after I ordered my first White Mocha Frappaccino in a month. Those words, make your heart so happy. I heard them every morning for five weeks. That and "good murninnnnnggggggg Kenna!" Ohio gozaimas is equivalent to the English Good Morning in Japanese. Ohio means hi. Japan is a wonderful place. They have a 7-Eleven on every corner, without the gas, and its filled with amazing foods. Especially desserts. The Japanese know how to make some desserts and have the best Ice Cream ever.

Yes, I ate an ice cream bar everyday. Yes my host mother fed me enough for two every meal, because its the "American Way" but I do not regret any part of it. What I ate was amazing. Well, everything but the eggs with baby fish in them. Japan is probably one of the cleanest places on Earth. They have recycle bins everywhere, recycle bins are their trash cans. They have three separate ones all but together, and you sort your trash as you go. Their is never trash on the ground, and you would be amazed in a big city, how clean the streets and sidewalks are.

Japanese people are so nice and polite. It's amazing. While we attended Ibaraki Christian, we had a lot of classes that discussed how different we are, and how they are just naturally quiet, we summed it up as, they are silent leaders. They bow in Japan, and yes its a little awkward, but just do it. It's just like them shaking our hand, they don't do that. My first bowing experience actually happened in China, and a girl on my trip and I were walking out together, and kind of freaked out, and when we went down to bow we actually bowed into each other. It was disastrous.

2 weeks at Capital Normal University

So, how would you feel if your University sent you and 23 other fellow students from Oklahoma Christian to Capital Normal University in Beijing, China, Offended? Relieved? The only thing that got offended in my life was my bank account. Oklahoma Christian didn't send us because we are "a different kind of bird" or just a little "left of center" they sent us because we were willing to cough up all the change we had, and pay them for a trip of a lifetime titled Pacific Rim. We well, traveled the Pacific Rim for 3 months, it honestly was the best thing that I ever did for myself.

Our first stop was Beijing, China. We stayed at Capital Normal University, in the dorms there. It was quite different because boys and girls are allowed to stay in the same dorm, but unlike the ones I am familiar with that have 2 doors, one you have to use your student id and pin number to get through, and a million cameras, and a testosterone detector on the handle. Wego to stay in the same hall, and were actually allowed to go, are you ready for this, we got to go INSIDE of their rooms, and NO curfew. Who knew? That is probably one of the best ideas to let us all stay together, we had some great bonding time, and it was good we were all together.

If you EVER get to go to Beijing, please eat at Cat's Eye. Its wonderful pizza. Oh my goodness, its such a great escape from food you do not know the name of or what is in it. I miss it, I probably ate there oh, 5 times at least. Also, on any menu that you are looking at (hopefully it has pictures) and pick out what looks most like sweet and sour chicken, and bet your bottom dollar it is, because sweet and sour chicken is bomb there. There is also this one dish, that is fried tofu (I think) and is spicy. Its really good. Also, there are these green bean/asparagus sticks with spicy crunchy batter on them, AND there is pumpkin sticks with this sweet cinnamon powder on them. SO good. Chinese food staple is duck. yuck. Try it, but just get ready, I hated it. So much. Also, drinks you should consume since water there is not good for you, don't drink it, get Pocari Sweat, awesome, I miss it. Also, I got grapefruit minute maid everyday. Its so good, it tastes like you are bitting into the fruit. All of the minute maid drinks are so good. (just drink the water out of water bottles)

One of the best things I experienced in China is the Great Wall. Oh boy, its so tough to do, you are doing a StairMaster with uneven steps for 2 or 3 hours. Up and down. Wear tennis shoes, shorts, and bring a light jacket, iPod, and Sigg Bottle (filled with Pocari Sweat) .Prepare to sweat, and breathing get harder since you are getting higher and higher (its on a mountain) Its really hard to do, but its so worth it. It is so beautiful all around , and it truly is unbelievable, that they were able to build this, and that it has stood the test of time. Each step of my journey has made me into a new person, a better person, and I do believe that climbing this was a huge step, no pun intended, in transforming me.

Other things you need to do while in China is, Tianamen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, other shrines that they have, and Bar Street. Summer Palace was one of my favorites, its by water, and has trees everywhere and the gardening is fantastic, let alone, the buildings are so beautiful. The architecture of them is so intricate and beautiful. Granted, all the buildings resemble each other, but they are still beautiful. Bar Street, is exactly what its name is, but it was a lot of fun when we went, they have vendors on the side that try to sell you a ton of different gadgets, and on the other side, all the vendors are different types of food. I did not partake in this part, I will not eat scorpions, baby birds, lamp genitalia, and "chicken". No thank you.