365 Days of Jessie and Bailey

Day 230 and the Proposal.

2010-09-01T14:48:00.000-07:00

Friday August 27, 2010
It's been while friends. Our summer apart proved to be more difficult than expected, but it was fun to keep up with each other on the blog when we did, and we're back now that school has started.

And boy, what a way to restart the fall. Cale asked me to marry him!

Our story began just over a year ago when we met right before the start of the school year at a church hangout. I remember being nervous when he shook my hand, I thought he was so handsome. Bailey and I met Claire Bellington, who invited us to her Wednesday night LIFE group; the same one Cale attended. It didn't take me long to realized I liked him a lot, but ultimately until he made a move, we would just be friends. The following months involved a lot of trusting the Lord and being patient, which was not easy, just ask Bailey! haha

In the spring, however, the opportunity presented itself to attend a conference in Maryland called NEXT that June with four other friends including Cale. We had so much fun exploring Baltimore, meeting new people together, discussing theology (which at times was way over my head,) silly things, keeping each other awake on the road, etc... After months of knowing he was someone I respected, I realized on this trip that he was someone I really enjoyed as well.

When we got back from the trip we kept in contact via texting and email, even though he was in Houston for an internship, I still saw him on weekends too. A few weeks later he asked me out on my very first date and we immediately began our relationship. Somewhere between all of the mini road trips, intentional conversations, goofy jokes, prayers and coffee shops we fell in love. It happened quicker than I thought it would, but then again, I think I always loved him.

He proposed this Friday. I was in shock of course. He took me on a picnic to celebrate the conclusion of internship and the beginning of the school year. After we ate, he brought out a puzzle for us to put together. It had pictures we'd taken of us on it over the summer; only, a piece was missing. I stood up to see if I was sitting on it, and when I looked at him, he confessed he had it.
"But before I give it to you, I have to tell you..."
That's really all I remember. The rest is a blur until I heard the words every girl dreams of hearing, "will you marry me?"
I was in shock. I didn't respond right away either, just hugged him for a long time.
Then I cupped his face and finally responded with something like, "Cale I'm scared but I love you now, and I'll love you tomorrow, and two weeks from now, and two years from now... Yes! I'll marry you!"

Shortly after this Ryan and Sara Price came out of the bushes screaming, congratulated us and took some amazing pictures of us in all of our excitement. We drove to Mugwalls (our favorite coffee shop in town) where Cale surprised me with a huge party of practically every person in my life who (whom?) I love and adore. Our families, friends from Conroe, old roommates, family friends, church family,oh it was so special! I first remember hugging my mom and crying a bit. Then I began looking for Bailey. It took a while to find her, amongst all of the people and hugs. But I finally did and was just so thankful to have her there when I'd missed her all summer.

I'm so thankful for Cale and his careful planning and thoughtfulness. The ring is perfect. The proposal was amazing. The surprise party after was icing on the cake. The Lord is so faithful in providing me with a young man like Cale, who loves me so much yet loves Jesus more.

I'm looking forward to this new season of life and hope that Bailey and I can treasure every moment of it. We are busy girls now, both with weddings to plan. We may not post as often, but know that we'll keep it up! Thanks for being patient readers!

Love,
Jessie Jean

Day 229 and Adios at Pappasito's

2010-07-29T21:11:00.000-07:00

Hey Bailey,
You've met the Liverett family, right? They've been a huge part of my life since high school and their oldest son (and one of my dearest friends) Thomas, is leaving for New Zealand tomorrow . He's going for a five month long discipleship/mission trip and we are so excited for him! Tonight we had a going away party for him at one of his favorite restaurants, Pappasitos Cantina in Houston. It was great getting to spend time with the Liveretts, Jill and Tyler, other church friends (and of course, Cale.)
Enjoy what's left of your time at Sky Ranch!
Talk to you soon I hope.
Love,
Jessie Jean
P.S. It was so humid outside tonight... hence the light haze on the camera lens. haha

Day 228 and the Hammock

2010-07-27T16:17:00.000-07:00

Hola!

This was Jeff's graduation gift from me and has become one of our favorite things to do. After spending some time at the local coffee shop spending time in the Word, we set up in Tyler State Park and read. We also went to Pier One and dreamed of what our house together will look like. I think we already have some paint colors picked out for his (soon to be our) apartment :)

I feel like I haven't talked to you in ages. Can we talk soon?

Love you!

Bailey

Day 227 and the Surpise Anniversary Dinner

2010-07-25T12:34:00.000-07:00

Hey Bailey,
I'm so glad you got to spend the week with Jeff's family, I bet he was so refreshed by their company and encouragement. Plus I bet y'all had lots of fun! Last night I was invited to celebrate the 25th wedding anniversary of Alan and Melissa Gardenhire. Hannah arranged the whole thing, secretly inviting the Floyd family, who are very close with the Gardenhires. We ate dinner at Madden's in Bryan, and sat outside the Village Cafe for a bit just talking and enjoying each others company. It was so neat hearing how the success of their marriage was a complete testimony of God's faithful work in their lives; they are an amazing family and I've loved getting to know them. It made me so excited for you and Jeff and the journey you two are about to embark on. How great will it be to sit with y'all (and your children) one day, celebrating 25 wonderful years of pursuing the Lord together! I miss you dear friend, thinking of you and praying for you.
Love,
Jessie Jean

Day 226 and the Green's Come to Town

2010-07-23T14:31:00.000-07:00

Jessie,

I love the room! It's fun seeing some of my things already being used! I was also thinking I love how bright and sunshiney all of your pictures are...beautiful! Well, this weekend the Green family (minus Amberly) came to visit us at camp. We went and ate dinner last night and blueberry picked this morning. I think I spent more time eating them than picking them, haha. We are having such a great time...they been such a huge blessing in my life this last year, I can't wait until I'm officially a part of their family :)

Love you friend!

Bailey Elizabeth

Day 225 and A View of the Room

2010-07-21T17:32:00.000-07:00

Bailey,
It's been a tiring week; with working before and after class, and two tests in two days for anatomy, I definitely looked forward to coming home and resting (and reading a letter from a pretty sweet guy) today. ;)
I wasn't in a really creative mood, but when I read your phrase in the 224 post, "pillow talk," my train of thought went something like this: "pillow talk... she doesn't know what pillows I used for the bed!... or the bedspread I used... or what I put over the bed... She doesn't even know what any of the room looks like!" Haha I told you I'd take some pictures of it for you, and here I am delivering. Click here to see more pics on our public Picasa Album .
It was such a pleasant surprise getting to talk to you last night as well. I know it will be hard to leave Jeff (tell him I said hi too!) but I'm definitely going to cherish this last semester together. Hurry back okay?
Love you,
Jessie Jean
P.S. I'm so proud of how "on top of it" we've been with our posts lately!

Day 224 and Reeci Moon

2010-07-21T08:59:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, July 20, 2010Jessie,

So glad I got to chat with you last night and hear about what's going on this week. Although it's going to be sad leaving Jeff at the end of the summer, I am looking forward to spending one last semester with you! Late night pillow talk, wedding planning, 365 adventures...can't wait!

I would like you to meet my friend Reeci Moon. One of my favorite things about my job is getting to play with my John's kids Reeci, Boston, and Charli. Reeci is five years old and all girl! We love braiding hair, dancing, and playing barbies together. One of my favorite things about this girl is her sweet spirit. She is so loving toward her younger siblings, and it so evident the Lord is moving in her heart.

Tell Cale I said hi!

Love you,
Bailey

Day 223 and Dad and Me

2010-07-19T19:38:00.000-07:00

Hey Bailey,
Love the photo, it was so fun (but not too hard) figuring out which pair of legs went with each of you ladies!
I spent the weekend in Conroe celebrating my Dad's 52nd birthday and hanging out with Cale and my family. After dinner on Saturday, we thought it would be fun to show Cale some home videos of us Sartins. So in honor of my dad and the hour we all spent watching us at this stage of life (1992ish) I made a "then and now" photo collage. I couldn't help but be so thankful for my family and look forward to making many more memories of my own one day.
Talk to you soon!
Love,
Jessie Jean

Day 222 and Like Mother, Like Daughter

2010-07-18T19:20:00.000-07:00

Jessie,

I meant to post this yesterday, but didn't get back to camp until late (so you can totally post one tonight if you have it). I walked out of the bathroom and noticed that my mom, Abbey, and I all had the same cuffed jeans on. Not only do we share similar hair colors, the same nose, and those unique hazel eyes, but we also (sometimes) share our taste in fashion. What a great time I had this week with these two women! We laughed and talked so much....how much I cherish these moments, knowing that I will be moving away married in just a few short months.

Can't wait to hear about your weekend!

Love,

Bailey Elizabeth

Day 221 and Our Friend Reunion

2010-07-16T08:25:00.000-07:00

It was a blessing from the Lord that is all worked out. Bailey had the week off from camp and happened to be in Fort Worth; I had Friday classes and work off (meaning I didn't have to get back super early for next day.) Waco was the halfway point so Rachel and I drove up to meet Bailey there for dinner and coffee. Oh how I've missed her, it was great seeing Bailey's lovely face and hearing her sweet voice in person. Rachel, having attended Baylor, was our tour guide, and after dinner at Food for Thought, and coffee at Common Grounds, she told us of this really cool bridge in downtown. The sun was beginning set, making for a great photo op for the project. It was hard to say goodbye, but I'm so thankful for the evening with my bff and can't wait for her to come back to College Station for one more semester.
To enjoy more of our favorite "reunion" pics, check out the Picasa Album...

Day 220 and Home Away from Home

2010-07-14T18:58:00.000-07:00

Hey Bailey,
What a lovely picture of you, the old suburban(?) in the background is a nice touch. haha
I thought I'd get in Day 220 before we met up tomorrow... which I'm so very excited about! Rachel and I were talking about places we could go for pictures, I guess we'll have to wait 'til tomorrow to figure that out.
Anyway, a great amount of these summer days for me have been spent at, yep, you've probably guessed it, Mugwalls Coffee Shop. My anatomy classes have been quite a heavy workload, and having no room for distraction, I discovered that the best way for me to study involves me getting as far from my computer (aka facebook, blogs, emails, etc...) as possible. Usually I leave straight from work and study for a couple of hours each day. It's been really great getting to know the baristas and regulars who come in as often as I do. Maybe in the fall you'll be able to join me :)
Love you and see you tomorrow!!!!
Jessie Jean

Day 219 and the Goat Farm

2010-07-13T20:47:00.000-07:00

Hey Jess!

Well no pictures of actual goats, but this is the view from our new backyard (which overlooks an alpine goat farm). The big plus of this whole move is no humidity out here in West Texas. Good hair day...every day! We spent the day in Ft. Worth with my grandmother doing some wedding planning. We got a veil, shoes, picked out bridesmaid dresses, and invitations! It was such a fun time with the women in my family.

I cannot wait to see you in Waco on Thursday! Yep, ya'll heard it....Jessie and Bailey are reuniting! Any picture ideas??

See you in TWO days,

Bailey

Day 218 and Monkey Bread

2010-07-11T19:53:00.000-07:00

Bailey Dearest,
I'd like you to meet the Gardenhire ladies. From your left is Amy, Hannah, me and their lovely mother, Melissa. Saturday afternoon Cale and I drove down to his hometown in Rockdale to spend the weekend with his family. While Cale and his dad were doing manly things outside after dinner (aka, working on his car) I asked if we could surprise them by making one the family's favorite breakfast treats, Monkey Bread. We all gathered round the kitchen island, and got our hands a little cinnamon-and-sugary so the dough could rise and be cooked in the morning. It was so much fun getting to spend more time with his family; by the time I went to bed my cheekbones hurt from smiling and laughing so much. I hope you get to meet them this semester, they've already been such an encouragement and blessing to me.
Hope all is well in the Sky Ranch world, may the Lord continue to give you strength and energy this last half of summer!

I miss you and love you,
Jessie Jean

Day 217 and the 5th of July Parade

2010-07-09T14:18:00.000-07:00

Jessie,

How wonderful it was to talk to you last night! It blessed me so much just to "girl talk" with you. This picture was taken when a group of us from Sky Ranch went to Highland Park to be in their 5th of July parade. It was a blast! Soon after, I went to the doctor to find out I had pink eye...not so much a blast. I'm so sorry I have stunk at posting. With it being such a crazy few weeks here at camp, it has been difficult to find a few minutes to get the picture up. I promise I have been taking pictures though! Well I'm off next week so I'll be in Brock. Look at your schedule really good and see if you could meet me in Waco one day next week for dinner. It's only an hour(ish) away :)

Love you sooo much!

Bailey

Day 216 and Morning Starbucks

2010-07-06T06:23:00.000-07:00

Bailey Elizabeth,
What a bittersweet time that must have been with your family. I bet they were so blessed by you and Jeff's presence and help. Have fun in Brock!
Cale and I drove to Conroe to spend the Fourth of July with my family. After hanging out late with Jill, Jackson, Sydney, and Jaclyn, we got up early to spend some time together just talking and reading the Word at Starbucks. Afterwards we went up to the church to cook breakfast for the youth group where my grandpa put Cale to work cooking sausage over a hot greasy stove! haha so fun.
I miss you; phone date soon PLEASE!
Love,
Jessie Jean

Day 215 and the Goodbye

2010-07-04T18:41:00.000-07:00

Jessie,

Jeff and I spent all day Saturday helping my parents move out of my childhood home, 271 CR 2430. It was bittersweet packing up and reminiscing on memories from the last 13 years in this house. Oh man, what great memories I had. Building tents in the backyard one summer, riding my bike all around the neighborhood, family meals around the dinner table...these are the thoughts that make me smile. This has been home for so many years, but it's so good to know that it's not this building that makes a home but the people that dwell inside. Well, it's off to Brock, Texas...

Love,

Bailey

Day 214 and A Surprise Delivery

2010-06-29T13:19:00.000-07:00

Dearest Bailey,
That is so neat that y'all went blueberry picking! Did y'all make a good dessert out of them? I look forward hearing about what you and Jeff are learning through the book. (Though I'm really just looking forward to talking to you in general on our phone date!)

Today, my sweet boyfriend sent me the most beautiful flowers, so of course I had to show them to you! The past couple of days have been rough studying for anatomy and dealing with advising issues at A&M, so this surprise just made my day. I pretty much can't stop smiling.

Anyway, I love you and miss you.
Talk to you soon,
Jessie

Day 213 and Blueberry Pickin' in Edom

2010-06-28T07:19:00.000-07:00

Selfish? Maybe. I have been waiting a whole week to post this picture lady! Jeff and I had a morning off last week and we spent it in the little country town of Edom. We left at 6:30 a.m. and headed to breakfast at a diner called The Shed and then went on our blueberry pickin' adventure. It's 15 acres of pure yumminess! We picked a couple of pounds of berries and then headed to get some blueberry lemonade in the store. Yum! We spent the rest of the morning reading out of Sacred Marriage and visiting the antique, jewlery, and pottery shops in the town. What a wonderful date! I'm glad that Cale has joined the blog...does he know what he's gotten himself into with us two crazy girls? I'm excited to hear about your weekend...phone date soon!

Love you,
Bailey

Day 212 and Flip Happy on Jessie Street

2010-06-27T21:27:00.000-07:00

Bailey,
I have a confession to make, the ball was in my court for taking and posting a photo, and I selfishly held on to it for too long. Here's the deal. I wanted to introduce Cale to the blog but wasn't sure how, so I've been waiting until the weekend to see what kind of photo opportunities would happen.
Also, I looked back at some of our earliest posts to see how Jeff was introduced to the Project, and honestly it was really quite simple... It was Day 10 and he surprised us with pancakes for breakfast. (However, a couple of times before that, he was mentioned, one time as your "stud boyfriend." haha)
So I thought this was actually pretty perfect. Cale and I drove down to Austin together to meet friends from New Life for a fun weekend at Lake Travis, but before we caught up with everyone, Cale said he a had a surprise that was definitely 365-worthy.
We stopped at a little side walk restaurant, called Flip Happy Crepes, located at 400 Jessie Street! Haha I've never seen a street sign with my name on it, so I was pretty excited. It was a great date, and a good way to introduce Cale-as-my-boyfriend to the Project, who also surprised me with breakfast... for dinner!
Love you and miss you,
Jessie Jean

Day 211 and the Groom's Cake

2010-06-22T13:46:00.000-07:00

Saturday, June 19, 2010This weekend I went to my cousin's wedding, and this was his groom's cake! It was awesome in detail, but it reminded me of that scene from Steel Magnolias with the armadillo cake. I knew this had to be the picture from the wedding!

"But the worst part of the cake is it's red velvet--blood red! People are gonna
be hacking into this poor animal and it will look like it's bleeding to death!"

Day 210 and My Tazmanian Devils

2010-06-19T07:06:00.000-07:00

Hey Bailey,

I'm really indecisive when it comes to picking out the best 365 photo without you. I actually had to get some help in choosing which one to post, considering I've taken several in the past few days with the Project in mind.

For the past two weeks, I've taken my boss's children to swim practice, helped them get dried and dressed, and taken them to a summer enrichment program. I also took another set of kids with them, so throughout the morning I wrangled between four and five kids back and forth in my boss's Chevy Tahoe. I like to call them my Tazmanian Devils, because they seem to be going 90 miles an hour all the time. But really, I love it; it's a fun challenge... no complaints ;)
The other day, while the boys were finished getting dressed, I turned around and couldn't find them. Panic mode almost set in until I heard Gunnar, (the one in the yellow) giggle... they were hiding in the lockers! I thought it was pretty funny so I whipped out the camera and they had a blast being silly with the cool babysitter who took pictures of them hiding in the lockers! haha
I love you and miss you dearly, but it's been wonderful talking with you the past couple of days ;)

Talk to you soon dear friend,
Jessie Jean

Day 209 and the Secret Garden

2010-06-15T09:01:00.003-07:00

Monday, June 14, 2010

Jess!

Forgive me? I have been the worst 365 partner ever! The days seem to slip by with no thought of a picture. Yesterday Jeff and I took a drive to the little town of Edom, Texas. We have a date planned their soon--definitely some 365 worthy ones! We found this cool brick structure with all of these vines growing...kind of like The Secret Garden!

This past weekend mom and I went to Tyler and didn't a little wedding planning. I think I have even picked out our invitations! Woo hoo! Oh, and my parents sold the house! It was on the market for about four days and they had three different offers on it! The Lord is so good and it is so evident that God is moving them across the state for his purposes. Last I heard, they have to be out of their in two weeks!

Jeff and I have another wedding this weekend. My cousin Steven is getting married in the Dallas area. It will be great to be around family and spend some time with my dad for Father's Day.

Can't wait to hear how you are doing and how the move was for you...man I loved that house, I will miss it!

Love you bunches!

Bailey Elizabeth

Day 208 and the Crawsfish Boil

2010-06-09T05:22:00.000-07:00

Sunday June 6, 2010Hey Bailey,
What a beautiful picture! I'm so glad we got to talk on Monday; it was so good hearing the familiar sound of your voice, I miss you roomie!
I should have posted this on Monday, but alas, I've been busy and forgot. In honor of Jill's graduation party, we invited people over for a crawfish boil. We took this picture while discussing how to "look" candid in shot, not knowing pictures were actually being taken... (that worked out nicely, didn't it? haha)
Hope you have a great week!
Love,
Jessie Jean

Day 207 and Sky Lake

2010-06-06T08:00:00.001-07:00

Saturday, June 5, 2010
Jessie,

This is just one of the reasons why I keep coming back. There is nothing like seeing the Lord in such an organic way. Jeff and I were the weekend directors this weekend. We took a quick break and went down to the lake to enjoy this. We are about to start our second week...kids come in just a couple of hours. Jeff is leaving this weekend to go to St. Louis for a wedding and I will probably spend some time with my family before they begin the big move. I saw your pictures from NEXT...it looked like ya'll had such a great time! I am going to call you sometime tomorrow. I will leave a little early tomorrow evening because I worked this weekend. Love you!!

Bailey Elizabeth

Day 206 and A Visit with Honest Abe

2010-06-03T05:32:00.000-07:00

Bailey, you posted literally the day I left for the NEXT Conference.

Rachel, Cale, Jeremy, Eric, and I all loaded up in Chevy Trail Blazer and headed for Baltimore, Maryland a little over a week ago and it's hard to be back.
Everything about the trip was great, we had a blast on the road, (all 27 hours.) It was a great time of fellowship and intentional conversation and the men were such gentleman the whole week. At the conference, we heard Joshua Harris, CJ Mahaney, Kevin DeYoung, Mark Dever, DA Carson and Jeff Purswell speak on the basic doctrines of Christian faith. It was so good for me to dig deeper into God's Word and learn more about who He is. I learned too much to share, but it all points to the Gospel. I am sinner who deserves nothing but punishment, yet God drew me to Himself through Jesus Christ in order that I may receive His love and mercy and walk in freedom from sin! Oh what a sweet reminder I heard every day at NEXT!

At the end of the conference we visited Washington D.C., (and by visit I mean briskly walked.) We found a cheap two hour parking spot, and got to ride the Metro down to the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial, where we met good ol' Honest Abe. It was so fun snapping pictures along the way and enjoying the beautiful day at our nation's capitol.

I miss you Bailey, I hope we get to talk soon!

Jessie Jean

Day 205 and a Visit from a Friend

2010-05-26T07:29:00.000-07:00

Jessie!

I haven't disappeared, I promise. We are closing in on staff training (probably the busiest two weeks of my entire summer), so things should slow down soon. Yesterday while I was making about 1,000 copies (literally, I'm not kidding), one of my co-counselors from last summer, Jackie showed up with my favorite sonic drink! She is one of our die-hard blog followers and was quite upset that it hadn't been updated in a week. So the deal was...if she took the picture with me, I would update the blog. I can't wait to catch up soon. When are you leaving for Baltimore again??

Miss you roomie,

Bailey

Day 204 and Cutting In

2010-05-18T20:10:00.001-07:00

Hey Bailey,
As I read the line, "I am 'his' brain this summer," I thought to myself, "that sounds like what I do!" You're going to be awesome at that job.
I know I emailed you some pictures of the room we will be sharing in the fall several days ago, but there has been a slight change. Because of the layout of the house, Stacey and I thought it might be better to move us into the room next to Rachel's... which had dark red walls. So today I went over to their house and painted... and painted... and painted. While I did most of the cutting in around the molding, Stacey (and Stanley and Tucker) did most of the roll-brush painting. I managed to take this shot while the kids were still napping and Stacey was working in the other bedroom to make it more boy friendly.
I'll probably move in during the second week of June so I have plenty of time to decide, but I'm having trouble choosing between using more of the pinks and greens from our bedroom or more of the reds and greens from the living room. What do you think?
Hope you're having a great week!
Love,
Jessie Jean

Day 203 and The New Job

2010-05-17T20:53:00.001-07:00

Sunday, May 17, 2010

Hello!

I think I've finally settled into my new job here at the Ranch. I am on the team called "Black Box Cor." Basically, I am the assistant to our Camp Director. He told me that I am his "brain" this summer. This is my desk in his office; I will be spending a lot of time here this summer! I think it will be a lot like what you do at your job. Hope you enjoyed your time with Jill this weekend! Sorry it's so short...I've got a lot of work to get back to...more counselors are coming this afternoon!

Love you!

Bailey

Day 202 and Jill's Senior Recognition Day

2010-05-16T19:24:00.000-07:00

Hey Bailey!

Abbey looked so pretty and grown up; you did a great job on her hair! Hope she had a great time
Jill had her prom on Friday; she did not ask me to do her hair. (Haha I don't blame her.)
Today was the Senior Recognition Day at First Baptist Church here in Conroe. I was running late, (surprise surprise) and got there just in time to hear them call her name out. Afterward the seniors and their family members fellowshipped together over lunch and cake. Seems like it was just yesterday that we were going to our proms and telling everyone where we were going to school in the fall doesn't it?
Have a good day, hope you're getting settled at Sky Ranch!

Love,
Jessie Jean

P.S. If we look tired in this picture its because we drove to Austin yesterday to help Tyler move out and didn't get him home until 2am.

Day 201 and My Sister's Prom

2010-05-15T18:28:00.001-07:00

Dear Jessie,

Today Jeff and I got all of our things ready for camp...we head out there tomorrow! It was also Abbey's senior prom. She asked me to do her hair....notice the bump?? She wore it proudly :)

Talk to you soon friend!

Love,

Bailey

Days 100-200 Rejects (honorable mentions and pics that are just too funny not to be on the blog)

2010-05-14T06:33:00.001-07:00

Day 200 and Moving Out

2010-05-14T06:20:00.001-07:00

Thursday, May 13, 2010So it's been a school year's worth of photographs. Jeff and Bailey came to pack up her things and head out on the road to Mineola, TX.
When I asked Bailey how they were planning on fitting the mattresses in the truck, she looked at me and said, "I don't think you know just how country Jeff is. He'll make it work." And sure enough, with some creativity, strategic planning, and a lot of rope, he made it work. haha
Oh how I'm going to miss my roommate this summer!

Though the school year is over, the project is not!
Bailey and I will be hours apart for the summer, but pictures will still be posted on a regular (hopefully) basis. You may be wondering how this will work, as were we a few weeks ago. We really want to hit 365 photos before she leaves for good in January, so we knew we needed to keep up with the project while apart. Collaborating pictures each day would have been so difficult with our busy schedule, so we came up with this brilliant idea:

Bailey and I will be Blog Pen Pals! Bailey will post a picture of something she did that day at Sky Ranch and tell me a (and other readers) a little about it. Then the next day, I'll post a picture of something I did here in College Station (or where-ever I am) with a description and a response to her photo... and so on and so forth...

So that's the plan. We're excited and hope you are too! Can you believe we we're over halfway done!? Happy 200 :)

Day 199 the Big Fountain Thingy

2010-05-08T06:44:00.000-07:00

Friday, May 7, 2010Bailey and I are determined to reach 200 photos by the end of the semester. Don't worry, though the school year is over, 365 is not. We just thought that 200 was a nice, even number to start the next phase of the project, considering summer is beginning and Bailey and I will be apart for a couple of months.
I had been at work most the day, and Bailey had a final, packed, and had a Muster meeting at Rosa's Restaurant near this fountain. In order to the reach our 200 goal, we had to get a picture in before she left. We both drove to this fountain in separate cars, took the pic, said goodbye and hugged. We'll see each other one more time when she comes back from Jeff's graduation weekend to pack up her stuff for the summer!

Day 198 and Roommate Love

2010-05-06T21:05:00.000-07:00

We had a roommate dinner tonight (the last one of the school year) and drove up to campus to take our picture near the administration building. Oh what a bittersweet time. God was so good in providing them as roommates last year, and has continue to be good in developing our friendships the past year. We are so excited for them as they graduate and enter into the "real world" of teaching, but it will definitely be hard not seeing them everyone morning next semester.

We love you Katie and Emily!

Day 197 and Honesty

2010-05-06T09:39:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

.Inhale.

Time to be honest.
This whole Bailey getting married hit me kind of hard yesterday.
She's not falling off the face of the earth, but Arkansas is far away, and since we're trying to find a place to live for next semester, her last semester here, I had to face the reality of some things I had been avoiding in my mind.
So this is us, talking face to face about how to deal with the changes sure to happen in our lives, how to trust God's sovereignty and rest in knowing He is in control.

.Exhale.

Day 196 and the Business as Usual

2010-05-04T19:09:00.000-07:00

We were on our way to the New Life business meeting. I was looking for a bobby pin and Bailey was keeping her eyes on the road. What sweet year it has been; full of exciting times and quiet ones like these.
The significance of this picture is this: I LOVE taking car pictures. I have no idea why, but this fun photo experiment started over the Thanksgiving holiday of 2008 with my sister and continued for several months. It was my first experience in themed consistent picture taking and eventually led me and Bailey to start what you now know as Project 365. If you're my friend on facebook, look at my photo album titled Car Pictures to see what I'm talking about. :)

Day 195 and the Show at Mugwalls

2010-05-03T22:24:00.000-07:00

Bailey and I went with some friends to a little concert at a local coffee shop called Mugwalls. I was so excited to see our friend, Raquel, (sitting up front and center in the picture) singing the opening act. She did a great job covering few songs and sharing her own. The next band was super cool guitar act similar to August Rush. Lastly a young lady named Sarah DeGroat sang a few songs. What a beautiful voice the Lord has given her! She recently won the Just Sing! contest in Austin and goes to school here at Texas A&M. I loved her music and hope she comes out with an album soon. This was such a great night; I'm so thankful when the Lord blesses us with evenings and friends and music like this.
P.S. Raquel, if you read this, you need to come out with an album soon too! haha

Day 194 and the Statue of Menos

2010-05-02T20:26:00.000-07:00

Did anyone else know that it was called that?? I didn't either...until I googled it of course. Gotta love google. I walk by it everyday, and I had been itchin to take a picture here all semester. I had been trying to explain it to Jessie for the last couple of months "you know, the statue that looks like a figure-eight." Well here it is...the "Statue of Menos."

Day 193 and Jill's Biggest Fans

2010-05-02T08:39:00.001-07:00

Saturday, May 1, 2010My sister, Jill is a senior at Conroe High School and the Lieutenant Major of the Golden Girl Drill Team. She has always been an amazing dancer and the Spring Show has been something our family has looked forward to each year since the Spring of 2007. This event showcases most of the girls' contest performances and pays tribute to the graduating seniors. I'm going to sound like mom here for a moment and say it seems like yesterday I was watching Jill dance in the freshman class number (it was an 80's remix - so fun!) and my friends dance on the stage with their dads. Now it was her turn to have a solo, dance with our dad on stage to Celine Dion's Because You Loved Me, and watch our mom lead the senior moms in ridiculous dance routine! I felt so blessed to call her my sister as I was sitting in the front row awkwardly recording some of her dances. Haha
This picture was taken during intermission with the four of us and Jill's boyfriend, Tyler. Thank you so much Bailey and Emily for coming to Conroe to cheer on Jill with me!

Day 192 and the Driveway

2010-05-01T05:59:00.001-07:00

Friday, April 30, 2010We've taken a lot of pictures in the backyard, a whole lot of pictures in the living room and kitchen. We thought the drive way needed some 365 lovin'...so here you go...

Day 191 and Race Day

2010-04-29T21:51:00.000-07:00

Over Spring Break when I was shopping with Bailey for her wedding dress, I got text from my boss informing me that he placed a bet with another guy at our office (Jonny) saying that I could beat him (Jonny) in a swimming race. Despite my efforts to explain to Jonny that I was a competitive swimmer for over ten years, he insisted that we should race and the he would smoke me.
So the wager was set several weeks ago and since then I've had to endure a lot of Jonny's "talking noise," intimidation tactics, and game face looks. Thursday it was all worth it when I raced (and defeated) Jonny at the Texas A&M Natatorium. Most of the office came to watch (and take pictures) of it, and so did Bailey! What a fun day!

Day 190 and Don't Make Me Get the Hose

2010-04-29T21:42:00.001-07:00

Wednesday, April 28, 2010Oh... where to begin with this picture.

My office got these new camo hats and I thought they were 365 worthy. And considering Bailey and I never wear camo or trucker hats we thought it would make for funny picture. I'm wearing Macie's camo shirt that Bailey found, and Bailey is wearing one of her Sky Ranch costumes.
We went outside to take a picture in our backyard and Bailey looked down to find our never-been-used water hose. In a thick accent, she yelled, "Don't make me get the hose!" She looked at me and instantly, as if I was reading her mind, I said, "Mrs. Doubtfire!" (We have this thing where I say movie quotes and she tries to guess where they came from, so it was fun to have the tables turned.) We had a good laugh, and thought we'd add it into the picture.

I guess this was Bailey's way of getting me back for all the times I boss her around in these photo sessions. I had it coming. haha

Day 189 and the Annual Terry Picnic

2010-04-29T21:22:00.001-07:00

Sunday, April 25, 2010Have we ever mentioned how thankful we are for the Terry Scholarship?

If not, we should again. Bailey and I are both beyond blessed by this wonderful organization. Once a year, every Terry Scholar from all over the state meets in Winedale, Texas for an afternoon of hanging out, eating great food, and honoring the graduation seniors. I have to be honest, it's hard to go to these picnics and not feel pretty inadequate. One senior girl stood up and said that she was getting her first book published after graduation, another guy was going to be an aerospace engineer, and another was going to work for PIXAR. I had to remind myself that God doesn't call us to a spirit of comparison, does he? We all have our paths to follow and Bailey and I are so thankful we don't have to walk them carrying the burden of school loans. (Because Bailey was one of the graduating seniors, she got to stand up in front of over 500 Terry Scholars and board members and share her gratitude, thanks, and plans for the future. Way to go Bailey!)

Day 188 and the Faulty AC

2010-04-29T21:18:00.000-07:00

Friday, April 23, 2010We've been having issues with our air conditioning. Since spring is quickly turning to summer, Friday was very, very warm in our living room. What else is a girl to do but make a paper fan and cool herself off on the couch under the whirling ceiling fan?
How did people ever manage Texas summers without air conditioners?

Day 187 and the Horse Statue

2010-04-23T09:25:00.000-07:00

Thursday April 22, 2010This was taken at the George Bush Library on Campus that commemorates the fall of the Berlin Wall during the presidency of George H.W. Bush.

I just want to brag on Jessie, who in 12 seconds--hit the self timer button and climbed up on that horse. Impressive.

Day 186 and Aggie Muster

2010-04-23T09:07:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

I've spent the last year preparing for April 21st, the day of Aggie Muster. I have served in the position of Special Operations Sub-Chair and have had the privilege of helping to plan campus Muster.

If you aren't an Aggie, you might be wondering what in the heck I'm talking about. Muster is the celebration and remembrance of all of the Aggies who have passed away in the last year. It is a time of healing for families and time to renew our ties to our school through a Camaraderie BBQ and a ceremony that night. One of the requirements of my job was to write and give a speech to honor the 50th Reunion of the class of 1960 in front of about 14,000 people. You can read the full story here.

My mom, Jessie, Katie, and Emily came on Wednesday to support me. Thanks girls!

Day 185 and Scrabbled

2010-04-19T20:21:00.000-07:00

If our project had a catchphrase, it would probably be:
"Jessie and Bailey, Three-Six-Five... dot blogspot dot com."
If you've spent any amount of time with the two of us, you know you've heard it, haven't you?

Over Spring Break I had the privilege of spending one evening playing Scrabble with Bailey's family, and since then I've had a game of Scrabble sitting in the trunk of my car, waiting to be introduced to the project.

Day 184 and The Antique Window

2010-04-18T19:11:00.000-07:00

Saturday's Garage Sale Steal at the Hendrick's.
Oh the creative potential this window has... but for now it will have to make do as prop for the Project.

Day 182 and Three Girls in a Row

2010-04-17T19:29:00.000-07:00

Here we are, Jessie, Bailey, and Michelle all in a row. Staring up at the stars, clouds, and moon at a New Life hangout. What a good place to be :)

Day 182 and Ring by Spring

2010-04-16T21:35:00.000-07:00

Bailey got her Aggie Ring today!

We took a bajillion pictures, but this was one of our favorites.
Congratulations Bailey on all of your hard work these past semesters!
I love you, Roomie!

Day 181 and Lime Faces

2010-04-15T21:53:00.000-07:00

Bailey and Jeff cut these to serve with the tea they made earlier in the day.
And well, it would be a shame to let them go to waste :)

Day 180 and an Action Shot

2010-04-14T20:02:00.001-07:00

haha

Day 179 and the Mason Jars

2010-04-13T06:35:00.000-07:00

I. love. mason jars.
So when we were left with six of them after Patricia's wedding shower, I spent the next day thinking of how I could use them around the house.
Of course I thought of flower vases, but I didn't feel like picking wildflowers on the side of the road again.
Then I thought of candles, but didn't want to spend money.
As I sat down on the couch, I looked down and saw an old Anthropologie catalog I'd been keeping in case I found some way to decorate with some really cute and colorful pages I loved inside it.

bonne idee!

I cut the pictures out, stuck them in the jars, and placed them on the mantle.
Quick and easy craft that adds a little something extra to your home :)

Day 178 and Frisbee Fun

2010-04-12T18:48:00.000-07:00

In desperate need of a study break, I grabbed the frisbee I magically found in the backyard (no joke, it just appeared there one morning) and Bailey, Emily, and I walked over to the neighborhood park and tossed it back and forth a bit. We thought all of these were pretty fun and couldn't choose just one, so we made a collage of them all!

Day 177 and the Pink and Pearls Wedding Shower

2010-04-11T14:17:00.000-07:00

Our dear friend Patricia had her wedding shower at our house today! The theme was pink and pearls and the decorations were too cute! (This weekend has been great for noting ideas for when we plan Bailey's shower.) Patricia is so fun, Bailey and I met her on Prayer Team during the spring semester of Freshman year and it's been great keeping in touch with her. She always had us laughing and we loved her genuine heart. Every Wednesday night she had great stories from her relationship with Justin, (anyone from PT remember the cock roach story?...haha) Anyway, we are so excited for them and their wedding this June.
We love you Patricia and we wish you and Justin the best in San Diego!

Day 176 and Yard Work

2010-04-10T18:28:00.000-07:00

One day I looked at our yard and noticed 5ft tall weeds growing in our flower bed. Let me just tell you, the were scary.

When we all went to get the supplies at Ace Hardware, the salespeople kept telling us "You have to get it by the root, or it will keep coming back."

I thought, what a great analogy to sin. Without realizing it, we can look over one day and realize that sin has taken over and become deeply rooted. We can fix the symptoms of the sin, make ourselves look good to our neighbors, but without letting the Lord clean us from the inside out, the sin will keep coming back.

"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh."

-Ezekiel 36:36

P.S. (Don't worry, we got all of our weeds by the root!).

Day 175 and Morgan's Wedding Shower

2010-04-10T08:03:00.000-07:00

Friday, April 9, 2010Morgan was in our Aggie Sister's for Christ WIL Group during the fall of 2008. She was wonderful; so very funny and full of wisdom and wit. We also really loved her extensive vocabulary and use of diction. Her love for the Lord is apparent, and it was so cool to see her trust in Him as as she began her relationship with Reagan. Though it's crazy to think that they're getting married in May, we're so excited for the two of them and felt honored to be invited to her shower. We ate a yummy potluck dinner, played a couple of games (my favorite was making the toilet paper wedding dress,) and opened presents.

We love you Morgan, and we wish you and Reagan nothing but the best as you start this new stage of life together!

Day 174 and Pink Wildflowers

2010-04-08T10:01:00.000-07:00

These pink wildflowers were just too pretty to pass up.
I picked them and put them in a mason jar to grace our kitchen window and greet us as we wash dishes, cook dinner, or make our lunch.

Day 173 and the Little White Flowers

2010-04-06T10:16:00.000-07:00

“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately,

to front only the essential facts of life,

and see if I could not learn what it had to teach,

and not, when I came to die,

discover that I have not lived.”

-Henry David Thoreau

Day 172 and A Week of Flowers: Yellow

2010-04-05T17:25:00.000-07:00

This week has a theme to it.
Wildflowers.
Today was yellow. I wonder what tomorrow will bring!

Day 171 and The April Fools Fruit Stand

2010-04-01T19:04:00.000-07:00

We were pretty excited about the fresh fruit and veggie stand on campus today. The colors were fun, the produce fresh, and I was quietly excited to buy some locally grown food. We took this fun picture, and Bailey left for work. So when I mosied on over to the cashier to asked if the produce was grown locally, he rather unenthusiastically replied with a "No, some of it's prolly from California... maybe Mexico... i dunno."
Haha what a let down. Guess the joke is really on me and my idealist excitement. Oh well, Bailey's idea to take the picture at the fruit stand was definitely worth it, the colors really popped and for a college student living on campus, this fruit and veggie stand is way better than some of the stuff they have to choose from at the Sbisa Cafeteria.

Day 170 and the Garden

2010-04-01T05:05:00.000-07:00

Mary Mary quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells
And pretty maids all in a row.

At life group last night, we enjoyed the beautiful weather and spent some time in the Askew's backyard admiring their garden.

Day 169 and Fundraiser at Chick-fil-A

2010-03-29T18:31:00.000-07:00

We've blogged about Jen Bacak and Meredith Gilbert and their advocacy of Compassion International before, but it's worthy cause to blog about again. The Lord has been really pressing on Bailey and me the importance of using the blessings He has given us to bless others. This organization and fundraiser allows us do to just that. In a nutshell, this is what the organization is all about:

Compassion International exists as a Christian child advocacy ministry that releases children from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enables them to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults.

Founded by the Rev. Everett Swanson in 1952, Compassion began providing Korean War orphans with food, shelter, education and health care, as well as Christian training.
Today, Compassion helps more than 1 million children in 25 countries.
(http://www.compassion.com/about/aboutus.htm)

Jen started a fundraiser in town called Run for Compassion that is taking place here in College Station on April 10th. In an effort to help these lovely ladies raise money for the event, many of the members of New Life and the community ate dinner Chick-fil-A and turned our receipts, so that part of the profits would go towards the Run. What a fun night of making new friends and hanging out with old ones!

Day 168 and Head Wraps

2010-03-27T21:33:00.000-07:00

Friday, March 26, 2010

We wear these head wraps every time we wash our hair. Both were gifts from our grandmothers. I walk into the living room most mornings to find Bailey sitting on the couch reading her Bible with a cup of coffee, wearing her white wrap. She is usually greeted by a groggy "good morning" from me, with my wet hair all bundled up in this handy purple wrap. It was only a matter of time before they made their way into our project. After this picture Bailey asked, "Remember when we used to care about how we looked in these pictures?" Haha I guess it shows how much we've grown to care less about what is on the outside and more about what our hearts look like on the inside. Though I should clarify that I am in no way saying that this photo represents how we are trying to beautify our insides... haha
This is us. Just as we are. :)

Day 167 and Our "Steel Magnolias" Picture

2010-03-27T21:21:00.000-07:00

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Dara and Macie came over Thursday to discuss plans for their Aggie Ring party coming up in April. Of course we started talking about wedding details, which somehow led to quoting Steel Magnolias.

Shelby: My culahs are blush and bashful.
M'lynn: Your culahs are pink and pink.

This was us pretending to pose like we were having a Truvy's Beauty Shop conversation. (But we were really laughing at Macie.) During our conversation, we decided that Bailey can be Shelby, I can M'lynn, Macie is Clairee, and Dara is Weezer. Haha just kidding. I don't know how well we fit these characters, but it was a fun picture to take; it has a movie still shot look to it doesn't it?
Love you girls!

Day 166 and Living Hope Lord's Supper

2010-03-25T06:59:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, March 24, 2010New Life is a sister church to Living Hope Baptist and New Life Bryan. All three churches met last night to partake in the Lord's Supper as a family of believers, and then listen to testimonies of various people who participated in mission trips over Spring Break. We sat next to our good friend, Michelle in the very crowded sanctuary. Thank you Ashley for taking this picture, next time you'll have to be in it!

Day 165 and Enjoying the New Season

2010-03-25T06:52:00.001-07:00

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

See! The winter is past;
the rains are over and gone.

Flowers appear on the earth;
the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves
is heard in our land.

Song of Solomon 2: 11-12

These verses are probably taken out of context, but when winter turns to spring and flowers burst from the ground and blossom from the trees, I want to sing and dance, and enjoy the warmth of the new season.

Day 164 and DeFacebooking

2010-03-25T06:40:00.000-07:00

Sunday, March 22, 2010 I thought about getting rid of my facebook back in January... but felt that was a bit drastic. A lot of communication goes on in the facebook world and I didn't want to be completely cut off. However, I did log on less and stopped facebook chat altogether. Then Bailey began to hate the "false sense of community" that she was beginning to develop through this social network. School work gets avoided because of this tricky site, and phone calls are dismissed because it's easier to write on a person's wall.
So we decided to do something drastic without completely closing our accounts. We made up passwords for each other so that we can only log in if we ask the other person to type in the password for us. No more mindless hours staring at a screen full of news feeds, status, updates, etc... And guess what? It's freeing, the world moves on without facebook, and it's great!

Day 163 and "Say Yes to the Dress"

2010-03-23T20:20:00.001-07:00

Jessie finally made the trip to East Texas to my hometown. This trip had a special purpose....wedding dress shopping, and we meant business. My mom, Abbey, Jessie, and Macie all joined me on my quest for the dress.

We finally found it at Brides and Belles in Tyler and it is beautiful! Jo-Ann (the owner of the store), made it such a wonderful experience as she patiently waited on me. I can't wait until January 8th to actually get to wear it!

Day 162 and Sister Time

2010-03-23T20:18:00.000-07:00

Jessie and I are both the older sister, can you tell?

Day 161 and Spring Break 2010

2010-03-23T20:08:00.000-07:00

Spring Break 2010 included a trip to Arkansas and family time in Mineola for me, and a week at home in Conroe for Jessie. (She was trying to recover from mono).

In this picture, Jeff and I went with several friends at Ouachita swing dancing in Hot Springs at the Arlington Hotel. I didn't have "safety shorts" on under my dress so I didn't get to do all of the flips but still had so much fun cuttin' a rug.

Jessie got to spend some time with two dear friends from home, Lacey and Jaclyn, they had dinner and then coffee at Lake Conroe (hence the "Marina" sign).

Day 160 and Chasing After the Sunset

2010-03-10T19:58:00.000-08:00

It was such a beautiful spring day; a perfect day for a picture.
Bailey and I got home from class and work, ate dinner quickly, hopped in the car on the way to LIFE group, and began to pursue a nice landscape backdrop before the sunset.
We found this little opening on the road leading to the Askew's house, pulled over into a driveway and quickly captured this lovely picture before the sun completely sank out of view.

Funny story. People from our LIFE group drove by and saw us taking this shot. One of them called me to check on us, another friend drove back to see if we were okay, and another drove by wondering who those crazy girls in dresses were trying to climb on the fence. *Blushes*

Day 159 and Friends, Fun Lighting, & Fire Places

2010-03-10T15:53:00.000-08:00

Friday, March 5, 2010

In case you were wondering what in the world happened to our project, when a girl gets sick with mono, she's just too tired to do much of anything, much less keep up with Project 365.

Since I haven't been out much, Kristin and Rachel came to visit Bailey and me on Friday. It was so good to just sit on the couch, catch up, and watch the movie Hitch with them. Before they left we asked them to take a picture using a flood light my cousin let me borrow. Yay for friends and fun lighting and fireplaces!

Day 158 and Jazz Hands

2010-03-10T15:36:00.000-08:00

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Thursday night = Her Hands night.

We've talked about it before, but Her Hands is Bible Study dedicated to teach us how to live as young women who love and honor the Lord. It's been so challenging and wonderful and humbling and fun meeting each week with so many amazing young women who want to let go of the world's propaganda for women and learn how submit to God's plans for our lives.
Before class started last, some of us, (Ashlee, Kristin, Bailey, Me, and Heather, who leads the study) snapped a jazz hands shot for kicks.

Day 157 and Our Tervis Tumblers

2010-03-10T15:27:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

They don't sweat and they keep your ice colder longer.
Jeff's mom, Mrs. Green, gave one to Bailey for Christmas... and so shortly after I had to get one for myself at Bed Bath and Beyond. We drink from them ALL the time and you should too! haha

Day 156 and "Whatcha Makin'!?

2010-03-10T15:15:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Apparently a whole lot.
Not only was Bailey making dessert for LIFE Group, she was also preparing breakfast food for her morning Muster meeting.
...and I was being so helpful. haha

Day 155 and Sweet Eugene's with Jenny

2010-03-10T15:02:00.000-08:00

Friday, February 26, 2009

Jenny was how Bailey and I met.
Well, Aggie Sisters for Christ Prayer Team in the spring semester of 2009 was, but Jenny was Prayer Chair. Every Wednesday night at 10pm we'd meet at her house and talk about life, God, our joys and concerns, and pray over the girls of ASC.
Honestly, I'm not sure what I would've done my freshman year without these weekly late night pow-wows.
Anyway, Jenny is awesome, but she moved away to Spain and then to Dallas after Spring '09. We love when she comes back to share meaningful (and sometimes just silly) conversations with us over a cup of coffee in College Station.

Day 154 and Killing Nemo

2010-02-25T16:44:00.000-08:00

Bailey and I came home today from class to find that we had a new pet fish. Katie is a student teacher and brought him home from school where they used him for a science experiment all day. Bailey thought we could use the fish for 365, and we agreed to take a picture with him before she left for her Muster meeting. At 5:45 he was happily swimming in his cup, and by 6:15 he was floating dead on the bottom. We killed him! (It was an accident I promise!) Poor little Nemo, we didn't even have a chance to name him until after his death.

Day 153 and the Snow-Morning

2010-02-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

We didn't get a full day off from school due yesterday's snow, but the 8 and 9:10AM classes were canceled. Yippee! In honor of this snow-morning, we turned on the television to watch early morning cartoons and sat down with a bowl of cereal like we would have as kids. Conclusion: Mickey Mouse just isn't the same as he used to be.

Day 152 and Snowfall

2010-02-23T16:24:00.000-08:00

I must not have paid much attention to the weather man this morning, because I was shocked to see it snowing outside around lunch time.
Campus came alive today in a way I've never seen before; grown men were sticking out their tongues like little boys trying to taste a snowflake, while others went crazy with the snowball fights right in front of lecture halls. Nothing like a drastic change of weather to change an otherwise ordinary day into something quite special.
Bailey and I were both pretty bummed that we couldn't take our picture then right then, the snowflakes were light and fluffy and magical, and we were nowhere near each other. However, my last class of the day was canceled and we were able to share the experience of today's snowfall with each other before the day was over. Yay!

Day 151 and the Planners

2010-02-23T05:37:00.000-08:00

Monday, February 22, 2010

As you can see from our planners, life has become very full these last few weeks. Jessie is balancing her teaching classes, work, and church and I have entered the world of wedding planning (did anyone else know this was a full time job??) along with my usual responsibilities of school, work, and Muster.

So, bare with us as we continue Project 365. We know it's not going to be easy and it will stretch our creativity...but we are up for the challenge!

Day 150 and The Rough Week

2010-02-21T19:25:00.000-08:00

Honestly, I don't even remember what day we took this... what a let down for Day 150. ha
It's very representative of the week we've had, though.
Bailey has been really really busy, and I got sick with a virus.
We've done a pretty pitiful job of keeping up with the blog, and for those of you who follow us, we apologize. It's going to be a crazy semester.

Day 149 and "Take a Quick Pic Before We Walk Out the Door" Pose

2010-02-13T14:40:00.000-08:00

Thursday, February 11, 2009We were both leaving College Station for the weekend Thursday afternoon and wanted to get in a picture before we left in the morning. I had my bags packed, and Bailey was almost done getting ready for the day. Macie and I bought these purple flowers for the engagement party because Jeff bought them for Bailey on his first trip as her boyfriend to College Station (See Day 9 of the Project) We wanted to pay homage to them once again in our Project... yep, that's about it...

Day 148 and Reflections

2010-02-13T14:29:00.001-08:00

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

It was a rather late Wednesday night after LIFE group, and Macie came over to take all of the decorations from the engagement party home. Thinking about how Jeff insists that there's this unspoken competition between him and Macie on who makes more appearances in our project photos, I said aloud, "Macie, we need to mess with Jeff and add you in our picture today."
As we stood there for a minute in the kitchen, all trying to come up with an idea, I saw our reflections in the mirror. This will work I thought, and we struck a "Charlie's Angels" pose of sorts.
Do we have a running tally, Jeff? haha

Day 147 and "We're Planning a Wedding!"

2010-02-09T19:41:00.001-08:00

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Flowers...

Dresses...

Napkins...

Cakes...

Obviously, we've got a lot to learn. Good thing we have Martha Stewart as our teacher.

Day 146 and the Engagement Party Decorations

2010-02-09T15:03:00.000-08:00

Monday, February 8, 2010

Macie will be by later this week to pick them up, but they are just too fun not to play with :)

Day 145 and "We got Engaged!!"

2010-02-09T14:11:00.000-08:00

Sunday, February 7, 2010

"We got engaged!" Jessie exclaimed last night to some friends.

Did Jeff know that he got two for the price of one?

This special day was the orchestration of not only my fiance :) Jeff, but also of my closest friends, family, and of course....Jessie. Remember that call this summer I made to you Jessie? "So...there is this guy, Jeff..."

This past weekend, I had been on our Spring Muster Retreat while Jeff had been at the Sky Ranch COR Leadership Retreat. I had not talked to him all weekend except for a brief conversation on Saturday morning, so I was so excited for the phone date we had planned for 2pm, as he drove back to Ouachita.

When I got back at 10:30 from my retreat, I took my usual weekend trip to the grocery store and then came home to begin my homework for the week. I was very overwhelmed at all that I had to accomplish and wasn't very excited when Jessie said she had a great 365 idea to get dressed up and take a picture on campus. We would be meeting Katie and Emily at 2pm.

I had Spanish homework. I was tired. I already had a phone date planned with Jeff at 2. I did not want to go.

I asked Jessie if we could take the picture somewhere closer, and when those words came out of my mouth she looked devastated. I began to tear up. She walked back to the room and until 1:15. She came to the kitchen table and in her best mom voice said:

"Bailey, we are taking this picture today. I have a dress laid out on the bed, and you will be ready to go at 1:45."

There was no messing with this tone. At this point the thought of a proposal did cross my mind, but I quickly dismissed it because of all the factors that would keep it from happening.

He was (supposed) to be in East Texas, he was (supposed) to be working that night. I talk to him all the time and I know that he hasn't been ring shopping, much less taken a trip to Dallas or East Texas to ask my parents.

Little did I really know....

When we arrived to meet Katie and Emily, they were standing on a bridge at Spence Park on the A&M Campus. Jessie proceeded to read a letter from Jeff that described what was about to take place, and the journey that we were about to embark upon. They each spoke of our friendship and the encouragement that I have been, then they prayed over me.

Then they asked ..."Can we take this walk with you?"

Next, they brought me to two of my co-counselors from Sky Ranch this past summer, Alana and Amy. They repeated the same process and then asked..."Can we take this walk with you?"

We then walked to two of my dearest friends, Macie and Kaitlyn. They, too, spoke of our friendship, read a letter from Jeff, and prayed over me. Finally they asked..."Can we take this walk with you?"

They then took me to the top of Rudder where I was greeted by the Green family. A nine hour drive they took to support us and welcome me into their family. They also wanted to know "Can we take this walk with you?"

I saw my mom and little sister, Abbey, and lost it. As we cried together, they spoke of how excited they were for this day and how happy they truly were for both of us. What a sweet moment as we prayed as a family and they asked..."Can we take this walk with you?"

They brought me to Academic Plaza, where he was waiting. As our friend Chris read aloud the final letter, based on Hebrews 11, we were surrounded by our own "Great Cloud of Witnesses"; They were friends and family that have walked this journey with us. They have prayed for us, encouraged us, and guided us since we began our relationship seven months ago. They have been the biggest blessing, and will continue to walk with us as we enter into marriage. They each said a prayer, blessing us as we begin our own walk together.

Jeff asks to take the final walk with me as we walked to the Century Tree. He gets down on one knee and asks..."Will you marry me"

"Yes!," I said. Then he proceeds to put the ring on the wrong hand. :)

As our first act of being engaged, we thanked God through prayer and remembered Him and what he has done for us by taking the Lord's Supper.

While Jeff was proposing, everyone else had gone back to our house to set up the wonderful engagement party that Macie planned (thank you, thank you, thank you!).

Friends and family came to celebrate with us. There was ice cream cake, food, punch, beautiful decorations, and presents!

As I sit here at the kitchen table staring at my ring, I am still amazed at this journey God has brought us on. Eight months ago I didn't know him and now....I can't imagine life without him.

We've got some exciting changes in store and a lot of 365 pictures to take, capturing each moment.

I still can't believe it! "We got engaged!"

Day 144 and Greeting the Sun

2010-02-06T10:42:00.000-08:00

After a whole week of dreary weather, Bailey and I were able to walk outside and say to the day, "Hello Gorgeous!" It was so good to stand in the front yard and greet the warm sun's rays with open arms.

Day 143 and Lollipops

2010-02-05T21:34:00.000-08:00

Someone gave these to me as a gift, and in honor of Valentine's Day being a few days away, we decided to open them up and use them for 365.
Next time I'll remember to stand on my tip-toes and not open my mouth so wide.

Bailey, you look cute.

Day 142 and The Word

2010-02-05T05:31:00.000-08:00

Thursday, February 4, 2010

I promise we don't normally stare at our Bibles like this.

Bailey and I are both in a Bible study called Her Hands this semester, and this week we've been learning about how Wise Women Delight in God's Word.

Have you ever read Psalm 119? All of it?

David says in it that God's word preserves his life, it allowed him to walk freely, it guided his paths and he could put his trust in it. David valued the Word of God, more than silver or gold, more than the taste of sweet honey, (and he didn't even have the New Testament!) He asked for help in understanding his need for God's Word and he put his faith in the eternal, boundless, unfailing truth of the Scriptures.

Isn't it crazy that ALL that of what we know of God comes from the Bible? Sure I've learned a lot about Him from the teachings of other people, but they learned it from somebody, who learned it from somebody, who learned it from somebody, etc... who READ IT IN THE BIBLE! (the list doesn't even have to go this long, haha) Sara Groves puts it nicely.

I've done every devotional,
been every place emotional,
try to hear new word from God and I think it's very odd,
that while attempt to help myself,
my Bible sits upon the shelf,
with every promise I could ever need.

A knowledge and understanding of the hope, the freedom, the salvation, etc... of God all come from the Word that He breathed to life! Isn't it awesome that we have a God who loves us enough to not leave us without something tangible to run to and cling to in our time here on earth? The Bible and its ability to withstand time and the generations before and after us once again reveals the power of our Mighty God! He is so good.

Your word, O Lord, is eternal;

it stands firm in the heavens.

Your faithfulness continues through all generations;

you established the earth and it endures.

...To all perfection I see a limit;

but your commands are boundless.

Psalm 119:89-90,96

Day 141 and the Winter Hats

2010-02-03T19:28:00.000-08:00

You might remember this post about hats a few months ago...

It's amazing what a hat can do for your day. I got oh so many compliments today on how the yellow-orange gave me crazy eyes (That's a compliment, right?). And, I know when Jessie puts on one of her hats she looks so hip and cool (jealous? maybe.)

Take this as inspiration and you too can conquer that fear of hat hair...

Day 140 and the Bedtime Story

2010-02-03T19:22:00.001-08:00

Lately, right before we set our alarms and turn off the lights you can find Jessie and I curled up in bed reading a book.

I have always complained "I just don't have time to read for fun!" Well, I decided to consciously turn off facebook and open up a real book before bed. Just so you know, it's amazing how much time has appeared...

Day 139 and No Impact Man

2010-02-01T20:49:00.000-08:00

We read about this documentary on Heather's blog post.

She said that after her husband watched it, he "walked away deep in thought about life, what it looks like to live radically different from the world around us, the importance of community and how incredible it is to see anyone living out their convictions."

Intrigued, Bailey and I went to watch this movie with friends about a man who tried to live a life with little to no impact on the environment. No paper, no plastic, nothing not locally grown, no cars, no television, etc... for a year... A compost growing in his apartment, living by candlelight and growing closer with his family, developing an appreciation for the earth and for people and community. Though he may never recognize them, nor title them as such, it was awesome to see how this man "unearthed" so many God-centered truths in his year long project.

Day 138 and the Oak Tree

2010-01-31T13:22:00.000-08:00

No story here. We just liked this tree (we think it's an Oak) and thought it would make for a pretty picture.

Day 137 and Texas Weather

2010-01-30T11:46:00.000-08:00

My, my it's cold outside. Just when we thought the warm weather was here to stay.

Day 136 and Make the Face You'd Make if You...

2010-01-30T11:43:00.000-08:00

Friday, January 29, 2010

...WON THE LOTTERY!

Being Silly at Rachel's (far left) 22nd Birthday Party

Day 135 and the Ugliest Face Ever

2010-01-28T21:26:00.000-08:00

1, 2, 3...Make the ugliest face ever:

Day 134 and the Idea

2010-01-28T20:50:00.001-08:00

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Sometimes our picture comes from a well planned out idea or an event or a trip and sometimes our picture comes from something like this....

Jessie: "I've got an idea...just go with me. Put your arms like this and get on my back."

Here is the result....

Day 133 and Where We Sit

2010-01-26T19:45:00.000-08:00

Every day, this is where Bailey and I do homework, study, check our email, blog, eat breakfast and dinner... the list goes on and on.
We are creatures of habit and we always sit in these same spots and talk about our day or plan for the next. Welcome to our office or kitchen. Have a seat behind our desk or at our table. More than likely, if you ring our doorbell, you'll find at least one of us here.

Day 132 and Our Hands

2010-01-25T19:24:00.001-08:00

With His hands, the God of the universe can carefully guide and control a massive hurricane.
And with the very same hands, the God of the universe can carefully guide and control a tiny atom.
And I can't help but ask, what have we done with our hands today?

Proverbs 14: 1 says,
The wise woman builds her house,
but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.

So did we build today, or destroy?