Okay so first, I'm sorry I've been gone so long. I had a feeling I was going to eventually get distracted and forget to post to my blog. But it's all better cause I'm back :) So what's happened in my life since last September... many things. But most recently, TEC.



TEC is my favorite place on Earth to be. And there are many reasons for this, the biggest three being:

1) first and foremost, I can renew and enhance my relationship with God. TEC is what has helped me most in my faith journey. I haven't gotten to the point yet where I live my faith like I want to and like I do at TEC, but I can only hope that in future TECs I can figure it out before I have to stop for a short amount of time for college (hopefully I don't have to though).

2) the people there are just so darn amazing. Some of my best friends are TECies. I don't have the time or space to list my entire TEC family and all that they have done for me and what they mean to me (and I'd probably forget someone and then I'd feel bad). Without them, I don't know what I'd do with myself.

3) the feeling you get at TEC is like none other; you aren't judged in the slightest and the love is overwhelming at times. Weekenders come into the weekend and are instantly barraged by love and welcoming people. Within 48 hours they are one of us, hugging everyone and yelling happy Easter. People let out their secrets during TEC weekends (which is another one of the things I love) to people they barely know and yet trust.


There are so many little parts of TEC weekends that I love but yet again I don't have the time or space to talk about them all. I just thought I'd share the three biggest ones :)

Much love and be free,
Avery

What If...

I had this thought a while back and it intrigued me. What if we stayed with our first loves? Like the first person we actually loved was the person you spent the rest of your life with. That might lead to a few problems, but it's an interesting thought, isn't it? The first person you love might not love you. Would that mean that since you stay with them, they stay with you until they love you and then it's all fine and dandy? And you better hope that the first person you fall in love with is the one you're supposed to be with, otherwise you're screwed. Just a thought I thought I'd share :)

Much love and be free,

Avery

Self Image and My Personal Struggle

Everyone has issues with themselves. I don't care who you are, there is always something you wouldn't mind changing. Whether it's part of your personality or something about your body. I blame the media. The media makes everyone feel like they aren't perfect just because they aren't exactly like the image that they show us. Whether through billboards, magazines, tv shows, movies, whatever. I personally think this is horrible. Everyone is beautiful in their own way, who do they think they are to say we aren't?

I admit, I'm hard on myself. Often. I wish I could say I'm one of those people who doesn't give a shit about her weight or how she looks, but the fact is, I'm not. But the thing I'm hardest on is a certain thing in my past. I just can't seem to let go, no matter how hard I try. I hit a low point in this journey a few nights ago with this vice I can't shake. I could barely believe that the thoughts crossing my mind were actually coming from me. But I wasn't alone. One of my best friends was there to help me. Well, he wasn't actually there, he was hours away at college, but that didn't stop him from helping me. He stayed up with me for a long time, consoling me and reassuring me that I could get through this. With his and my other friends' help, I know I can over come this.

Much love and be free,

Avery

Interesting Photography

Here are a few of the pictures I've come across on We Heart It, FFFFound, and abbysharp and liked enough to share.

The Renaissance

Dressing up, jousting, mead, the royal family, minstrels. That's right folks, we're talking about the Renaissance Festival. I just went yesterday, matter of fact. It's one of my favorite times of year. I've only gone for two years now (well technically I went when I was a baby but since I don't remember, I don't count it) but I still just love it. The whole atmosphere just makes me happy. And since my mom's sisters come out and go with us, it just makes it that much better (not to mention one of them buys me stuff ;)) So, like I said, yesterday we went. It was opening weekend so it was pretty great. We walked around and watched the comedians and belly dancers, ate delicious food, and shopped. We also brought my new dog along and got amused when he met new dogs. So like I said, my aunt gave me money to buy myself something from her for my birthday coming up. So I expanded my rock collection and my castle collection (for some reason I'm a sucker for castles) and I also bought a leather bound journal.

I can't wait until I get one of those fancy calligraphy/ink well pens so I can write in it. I couldn't very well write in it with a normal pen or pencil, that would ruin the beauty of it. I'm planning on filling it with information about the fantasy story I'm writing (more on that some other time). Plot line, characters, cultural history and all that jazz.

If you like the mideval stuff and haven't been to a Renaissance Festival, I highly recommend it. Despite the whole not being historically acurate (according to my history nut friend).

Much love and be free,

Avery

Washing the Dog

Okay so tonight my dad and I washed the dog. Which is always somewhat hard but entertaining at the same time. She doesn't exactly love water. She hates going out side after/during rain so you can imagine how she hates baths.

So first of all, anytime we say the word 'bath' she hides like its the end of the world (which it may seem to her in her little doggy world) and then we have to catch the little bugger which takes about five minutes. Then we have to carry her to the tub. And she shakes. Terribly. Its like she has a motor inside her that turns on at the sight of water. Its sad and funny at the same time.

My dog also sheds like crazy. There are already clumps of hair that appear on the floor moments after vacuuming but it gets worse with the introduction of water. If you happen to pet her during a bath, your hand comes away black with hair.

And she just looks so darn sad during the whole thing it breaks your heart (if you're the type who's heart breaks when they see a sad, wet, shivering puppy dog). So when its all over and done with we practically have to drag her out of the tub and then make her stand still while we towel her off which also catches all the loose hair on her. and when she shakes she gets the cupboards full of hair.

It's quite interesting, giving my dog a bath. I'm hoping the new dog we may be getting will be easier to wash :)

Much love and be free,

Avery

Dreams

I love dreaming. Mine are always so interesting. Well, at least they usually are. I especially like the dreams I have where its the opposite of reality. For instance, last night I had a dream where someone who I am currently not talking to/mad at was nice to me. The rest of the dream was weird but that aspect made it good. Sometimes I like to think my dreams mean something. Like my dream last night. I'm thinking that means that the small feud will soon be over with. I hope so.

Much love and be free,

Avery