summertime catch-up

I admit, I am the worst blogger ever (if you could even call me that). If you have read any of my other posts, you know that I like to play catch-up; I'll write a post once every few months and share what I've been doing since the last time I blogged, usually in list form. Well, not much has changed and I still tend to keep my thoughts contained in lists, so here is a glimpse into my summer so far:

#senior
Exams came to a close at the beginning of May and I am now officially a college senior. What?! I still can't believe I only have one year left at UNC. The bucket list for senior year has become more concrete, and I cannot wait to tackle it with my best friends in a few short months.

#beach
I spent a week at home after exams before making the trip back to Chapel Hill for the summer. My days in Wilmington consisted of some much-needed family and beach time, and other than catching up with a dear friend, I did little other than hang out with my mom and sit on the beach with a book in my hand.

#books
Speaking of books, I finally got around to completing the Hunger Games series (I have also seen the movie twice now). I'm hooked and am probably a little too excited about the 2nd movie that is not going to be released soon enough. I have also read The Lucky One (yep, Nicholas Sparks), am finishing As Sure as the Dawn (Francine Rivers) and The Weight of Glory (C.S. Lewis), and have started a few other ones. Any suggestions to my summer reading list are welcomed!

#graduation
Soon after my arrival in Wilmington, I turned around and came back to Chapel Hill to watch the Class of 2012 graduate. It was a bittersweet day that just made me all the more happy that I have another year to spend at UNC. I am anxious and excited for all of the new alumni who are starting the next stages of their lives, and am actually kind of looking forward to the day when I can join them in the "real world" as a Carolina Alumnus.

#bub
I'm living in Chapel Hill this summer with some wonderful ladies at "The Bub". I'm absolutely loving it - being around friends 24/7 is so fun and I'm looking forward to another month as their roommates!

#Route56
I'm still hanging out with my sweet 5th and 6th graders every week! We are currently in a study called "Live it Out," where we're learning about how to practically live out our faith everyday. We've talked about things like Baptism and spending time with God, and as always, we're rolling in giggles by the time the service is over.

#babysitting
I'm spending my days hanging out with 3 sweet kids (and 2 other equally sweet kids in the mornings). I have learned that while playing "mom" is fun, it is also exhausting. I'm sure I'll be able to use what I learn from this experience in the future -- you know, when I start having kids in 20 years or so. :)

#Romans
I finished reading Romans the other day! I could go on and on about how great this book is - every time I read it the Gospel becomes more real to me, as Paul explains how as Christians we are free from the law and can experience full life because of Jesus Christ. My current Bible-reading endeavor is to read it chronologically. I'm still in the first few chapters of Genesis, and as much as I really would like to stick to this summer reading plan, I'll let you know how successful I actually am.

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:11


Happy summer!
Love, Kayla

a little of this, a little of that

Life is flying by. In just 2 short weeks I will be all moved into my second home at UNC.....I am beyond excited! I will be living with 2 of my best friends, Amy and Dana, in a dorm located in the prettiest area of campus (and arguably the most convenient). I have devoted a lot of time this week to planning things I need to buy and make, copying down fun recipes for us to try, and putting lots of pictures from the summer in frames for our room! I wish I could just move in tomorrow.

Last week, my family took a little trip to New Jersey where we stayed with my aunt and uncle (once removed I think?) and had a very fun, relaxing vacation. We did quite a few touristy things: toured part of historic Philadelphia, visited Lancaster, PA and the Herr's Potato Chip Factory there, rode bikes through Valley Forge, and cheered on the Phillies at a home game. My sis and I also stayed with our cousin Amy in Philly one night which was so fun, especially since we don't see her very often!

bike ride through Valley Forge

with Amy at the Phillies game

This past Tuesday, Dana and I took a trip to Harrisburg, NC (outside of Charlotte) to visit our wonderful friend Cassy. That night, we all went to see Gavin DeGraw, Train, and Maroon 5 in concert together in Charlotte! Seriously, the best concert I've ever been to. I don't think they could've picked a better group of artists to come together for a night. I loved them all and am so glad I was able to fit that concert into my summer. Tuesday night after the concert we watched Soul Surfer, and if you have never seen it you should go watch it now. On Wednesday morning, Cassy gave us the grand tour of Harrisburg, including the Charlotte Motor Speedway which she is very proud of :)

I'm still missing King's Domain terribly, but am looking forward to being back at the Hill very soon with my Carolina family! I can just feel it......this year's gonna be a good one :)

my Powerhaus Bstud at the Hoedown last year

XOXO,

Kayla

do you remember all the fun times we had?

Picking favorite moments of the summer is proving to be quite the challenge. My mind has been racing ever since I've been home as I have been reflecting on the summer, what I have learned, and the exciting, fun things that have happened. I've even been jotting down little things that I remember so I don't ever forget them again!

I'm going to divide this post into a few different lists: Camp, Weekend & Random Fun, and Things I've Learned from my Mid-Western Friends :)

Okiedokie....here it goes.

Top 10 Favorite Memories from Camp:

1. Princess Party!!! The girls got together one night every week and camped out with their little

ones in the Princess Tent (complete with pink lights, duh). The purpose was to share with them how they are Princesses, beautiful daughters of the Great High King of the universe! Princess Party comes complete with a campfire and s'mores, storytime featuring Gigi: God's Little Princess (I'm planning on adding this to my library ASAP), and Veggie Tales: Snoodlerella. Check out "Pants".....we had some fun with this one :)

2. Singing the little girls to bed/comforting homesick campers - one of the most challenging but rewarding things of the summer

3. Herman the Worm! [and the other camp songs] I would love to share these wonderfully NOT annoying songs with you, so feel free to ask! :)

4. Playing Gaga

5. Speaking and dancing like Star (one of the judges each week)

6. Hydrate: every Thursday night I met with two other girls, Emily and Chelsey, with our hydrate leader/super-mom Kelli to refresh, take a break from the kids, and encourage one another in the midst of a hectic and busy week :)

7. Domainia: the nightly program including singing, dancing, Mail Call, and the 3-part skit to bring home the theme of "Shine"

8. FOB (flat on bunk) aka nap time, which often times turned into hilarious bonding time for my cabin. I feel like I got to really connect with my girls during this time and just have fun, free from lots of extra people and distractions. It was so relaxing to just hang out, even if we weren't really sleeping :)

9. Meal time and all of the funny skits and dances that came along with it [Cha Cha Slide, Cotten-eyed Joe, Domainia Dues (the hilarious rules skit) and "Cheesy Eggs", just to name a few]

10. Pancakes and ICECREAM every Friday morning for breakfast!

Top 10 Favorite Memories from the Weekends/Random Fun Adventures:

1. Russian accents - the female counselors came back from Princess Party one morning and were magically able to "speak Russian"...I think some campers' minds were blown.

2. Euchre - Andrea/Jenn vs. Bryan/Kayla...Final Score? 3-6. Champs.

3. Smelly Cat: sweet Lauren Miller, in honor of her obsession with cats, was serenaded multiple times with this song, complete with 4 ladies circling, clawing, and licking her like cats. You probably just had to be there...

4. Car ride jam seshes (especially Kellie Voss and her killer dance moves)

5. Graeter's icecream. Black Raspberry Chip is my new favorite, hands down.

6. 4-hour-long Starbs (Starbucks) dates with Andrea and Jenn :)

7. Climbing/standing on/jumping off the

Power Pole

8. Hanging out with the sweet Rieske and Steele children

9. Dressing up like cows for Chick-fil-a's cow appreciation day!!

10. The "True Colors" personality test! and analyzing everyone's personality for weeks after that....more to come about that :)

11. (I'm adding an extra item to the list...sorry they won't all be only 10 in length now.) Snuggling/hugging/sitting on laps/etc....yep. I've become a "feeler" [Powerhaus, you would be proud :)] Physical Touch may now be one of my top "love languages." Apparently King's Domain has a way of doing this to people.

12. Oh shoot, I have to add another one. Crud Wards/Slip-in-Slide counselor style! We had an epic boys vs. girls Crud Wars when there were no campers.....so fun! and I still probably have bruises form the slip-in-slide :)

Things I've Learned from my Mid-Western Friends:

1. "Pop" is the preferred term over "soda" (usually)

2. Drawn out vowels indicate being from the south (for example: Biiiible Study) and if you say "y'all" it's a dead giveaway.

3. Jank (adj.): broken, "messed up," not up to par, etc... "This bus (with it's engine that won't start and door that doesn't open properly) is so jank."

4. Euchre brings people together..a little friendly competition didn't hurt anyone

5. To go along with Euchre..."in the barn": When a team is one point away from winning and flip both point cards down to show 9 points, often accompanied by using a hand gesture to milk the

cows (courtesy of the ever-reliable Wikipedia). Sounds super-weird, but it's really not, and if I could demonstrate I would, but you're just gonna have to take my word for it :)

6. Mid-Westerners are loyal to their professional sports teams (mostly football and baseball) and from my experience, the most loyal fans either cheer on Chicago or Indianapolis teams. I have recently decided/been persuaded to be a Colts fan....thoughts?

7. Speedway and it's $.89 slushies/drinks cannot be beat. Everyone has a Speedway points card which earns them rewards such as a free tank of gas when you reach a certain number of points. I have some friends who are well on their way to some big

prizes.

8. It is illegal to make U-turns in Ohio. Not very efficient if you ask me, but just one more thing that made my summer a unique experience! :)

9. Ohio State University is really THE Ohio State University....don't mess. [I really love this and kind of wish UNC was like that.....THE University of North Carolina :)]

10. Michigan State basketball plays UNC on 11.11.11.....the countdown begins.

As you can tell, I have lots of favorite memories from the time I spent at King's Domain.....I'm sure I could've made these lists much longer (but that would've been slightly obnoxious haha) so whenever you see me PLEASE ask me to share some funny stories from the summer. I would love to share them with you (and sing/dance to any camp songs if you would like to experience them for yourself)!

Love y'all tons!

- Kayla

catching up on the last 2 weeks!

7 weeks of Summer Project have already come and gone.....weird. I'm currently sitting in Port City Java (a local favorite here in Wilmington) and thinking back on the last 2 months that I spent in Oregonia, Ohio..a place that probably doesn't come to your mind when you first think "summer missions project". Well, it wasn't on my list of places to travel this summer either, but that's where I ended up and I don't regret it one bit.

I don't think I could really write about everything that happened in the last 2 weeks, so I hope a summary list suffices!

The last 2 weeks consisted of:

FUN

kids

challenges

learning & growing

hugs [lots and lots :)]

camp songs

paintball (I have 2 battle scars to prove it)

rafting

30 ft. power pole (climbed it, stood on top, jumped off...nbd)

ice cream

time with new friends & old friends

cows (hello free Chick-fil-a!)

Euchre

fun car rides

tears

dancing

goodbyes :(

I think I can officially say that this summer at King's Domain was the best I've experienced. I learned so much about myself, others, and my relationship with Christ. I got to hang out with kids at CAMP (one of my favorite things ever!). Most importantly, I made friends with some amazing people who I miss very much!

Thank you so much to everyone who made this summer possible for me...King's Domain will always have a very special place in my heart. Who knows? Maybe I'll return in the future..... :)

I love you all very much!

Kayla

coming soon: "favorite memories of the summer"

some of the girls before our banquet

2 of my campers from Week 4!

with Andrea and Jenn at Graeter's

eat more chicken!

on top of the power pole!

2 weeks

In exactly 2 weeks I will be in Ohio at King's Domain!!! The excitement is building, but it still doesn't feel real. I've been a pro these last few days at just enjoying summer and being lazy. I should probably finish organizing all of my school stuff and unpacking (and then re-packing).....

With Summer Project only 14 days away, I still need to raise about $400. I am trusting the Lord that He has this covered and knows exactly how and when the support will come in, but I am asking you to prayerfully consider joining my ministry team and giving whatever you feel led to give, even if it's just a couple of dollars. It all adds up, and anything helps! :) PRAYERS are the most important thing you can give, and those are appreciated as well!

Follow this link to give (I know it looks like I've only raised $50, but it's just not updated :)

I love you all and am so excited to share this summer adventure with you!

Love, Kayla

17 days.

Only 17 days until I'm on a plane (by myself, ahhh!) to Ohio. 17 days to buy everything I need (I should probably start making a list...) and pack it all up. 17 days to finish raising support. It kind of sounds like a long time, but I know it's going to fly by.

I've been home for about a week now and since not much has happened so far, I have had plenty of time to "stalk" camp pictures from the last 2 summers and actually start getting excited about spending 6 weeks hanging out with kids and sharing Jesus with them! I'm going into this kind of in the dark - most of the people I've talked to have been to King's Domain for the last one or two summers and I'm coming in as what feels like one of the few newbies (and one of the few southerners ha). While I don't know much about what a summer at camp looks like, I really feel the Lord preparing my heart to learn from those who have been before and to be open to the friends I am confident He has waiting for me there. Ahhh the excitement is building!

Other than mentally preparing for Summer Project, I've been spending time at my friend's lake house in Virginia (hellooo sunburn), hanging out with my family, going to the movies (go see John

Krasinski in Something Borrowed - so adorable), catching up with Wilmy friends, catching up on a significant number of TV shows, and picking out books to get me through three months of summer (everyone go read Radical by David Platt...amazing). I have been loving every minute of it, but am still baffled by the fact that I am a junior in college. I've been missing Chapel Hill a bit and all of my friends there, which just gives me so much more reason to look forward to moving back in August!

I guess this post kind of starts off my summer of blogging about my adventures on Summer Project in Ohio! I'm going to try and keep everyone updated on what's going on in my life and at King's Domain while I'm there, but if that fails, I'll definitely be updating the blog when I get back in July :)

Much love!

Kayla

no words can describe this feeling

Sophomore year of college has ended. The sad goodbyes have happened. I'm back in Wilmy (for only 25 short days). Friends are getting MARRIED. I'm turning 20. My little sister is graduating highschool.

Where has the time gone??

It seems like just yesterday I was being left at UNC for the first time, worrying about finding friends, hoping I would like my roommate, not sure what to do as I was sitting in my room by myself...

Oh my, how things have changed.

These last 2 years of college have been a time of worries put to rest, prayers answered, friends found, and memories made. I would not trade them for anything. I have made friends with some of the coolest, funniest, most adventurous, kindest, encouraging, Christ-loving people at UNC. They are definitely what I would consider "friends for life," and I'm not just saying that.

I have learned way more than just a subject in a textbook (or many subjects considering I've had 4 majors so far). I have learned how to love people, how to be there for my friends, how to pursue Christ, how to be a little more laid-back, how to be patient, how to study (kinda), how to relax and have fun, how to love the world, and wayyy more than this one little post has room for.

I would say I have changed. My relationship with Christ has been literally turned upside down, spun around, and set back down in a much better place. My relationship with my family has never been better. Even my taste of music is different! I like a wider variety of foods, TV shows and clothes. I enjoy doing spontaneous things. I have now officially been camping. I even have a twitter account (never expected that one).

I am not ready for college to end. Good thing I still have 2 years! even though I'm praying they feel like 10...

Together we are a force for good

Hello friends! I am so blessed to have been given a wonderful opportunity to serve the Lord and his children at a camp in Ohio called King's Domain this summer! This trip is a Summer Project through Campus Crusade for Christ and has a large focus on ministering to inner-city kids. I am beyond excited about being at a camp again this summer, and I love Campus Crusade's focus on sending people out into the world, both in the US and abroad, so I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this. In order for this to happen, I must develop a team of ministry partners who will support be both in prayer and financially. $2500 must be raised in the next few months and I have fully trusted God that he will provide. If you would like to be a part of this ministry, visit my online fundraising page to make a donation of any amount.

God bless,

Kayla

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20