Flashback 10 Years

My friend, Chelsey did this recently and I thought it was neat, so I decided to do mine! At first, I was thinking that it was hard to remember back that far and didn't think I could remember much because I struggle with remembering things, so I thought this would be a good memory exercise. What is funny....is what I remember. I'm sure at the time some of these things were not that important, but 10 years later I remember them. This list has things that I have done that were bad and wrong, but it shows how I have grown as a believer in Christ, too! Have fun..... :/

2000

• I was in eighth grade at Gilbert Middle School.
• While playing bass clarinet in the band, I tried out for the High School marching band's colorguard and made the team.
• I went to the movies for my first date and kissed a boy only to rush back to the car and tell my mom that it was horrible and I would never do it again.
• I began 9th grade and my middle school best friend and I went in two different directions in life and were no longer close friends.

2001

• I made a new friend from the colorguard who convinced me to try out for the Varsity basketball cheerleading squad. We both made the team, a total of 8 girls in all.
• I was really into dating boys. I think I "dated" someone new every other week... not kidding.
• I really wanted to drive and have a car and I urged for freedom.

2002

• My parents let me have a "Sweet 16" birthday party at my mom's dance studio. I invited friends, played loud music, and hung out with friends. Later that night, I lied to my mom and said I was spending the night with a friend, when really I went to a party. (Sorry, Mom!) I got caught and was grounded for life. I was not allowed to have a car and had to work for it.
• I started dating a guy really seriously. He was 2 years older than I was. I went to prom with him as a sophmore.
• As soon as I turned 16, I applied for a job as a cashier at K-mart. I wore a red vest.
• Not long after working that job, a girl named Elizabeth started working with me. We talked a lot about boys, but she also talked about God and invited me to go to youth group with her at Lexingtion Pres. Church.
• We became best friends.
• I started dancing at Southern Strutt and performed at basketball games to a Michael Jackson routine.

2003

• I continued dating my boyfriend. He graduated and continued working at BiLo, instead of going to college. He gave me an "i love you" ring. (I thought I was in love).
• I started to get more interested in Jesus. I had some serious issues realizing what sin was. I thought I was fine for too long.
• I finally had enough saved to buy my first car. My dad rewarded me by matching all that I had. I got a black Chevy Cavalier.
• I tried out for a better dance company and made it. I began dancing 4 days a week.
• I started thinking about college, but not really.
• I became a Peer Mediator in the Guidance office and made the Beta Club. (My dorky side).
• I choreagaphed the school pageant for Miss GHS.
• I continued going to youth group, but didn't understand why going to a regular church service was important.
• I continued battling being in a relationship with my boyfriend. I wanted to break up with him, but couldn't. This went on for like a year.

2004

• I broke up with my boyfriend. He still worked at BiLo.
• I think I got serious about loving Jesus, but still had trouble leaving sin behind. I was very emotionally attached.
• I graduated and started college at USC. I only applied there because it was where I wanted to go and I knew I had the grades to get in.
• I fell into partying, but really struggled with it and decided I needed Christian friends, so I got involved with RUF @ USC.
• I felt really alone in my Christian walk and began to pray for a close friend and my husband. I went on a boy boycott. "No more dating until it was the RIGHT one."
• I interviewed for a job as a Christian camp counselor at Pine Cove Christian Camps.

2005

• I got the job out of about 10,000 college students. This summer changed my life. I WAS a Jesus follower. It taught me how to love like Christ.
• I met Hart at RUF, but was planning to study abroad in Spain for 6 months. He tried to pursue me, but I said that I didn't see how it would work.
• We kept hanging out in groups of friends. We started dating on December 3rd.
• I got really sick with a disease called Ulcerative Colitis. I went to this pysco doctor that tried to put me on a natural diet and made me drink juiced vegetables.
• I got worse and was hospitalized right after my last exam was over of the first semester of my sophmore year at college. I only had half of the blood supply a normal person should have. I almost died.

2006

• I couldn't study abroad because I was still in the hospital and not any better. Hart visited me almost everyday for about a month. I transfered to Duke Hospital in NC for a second opinion. I had emergency surgery to take out my colon. I was 5'8'' and I weighed 99 lbs. I told Hart that I loved him right before I went under the knife.
• I had to learn how to live life with an ostomy.
• College started without me. I came home and Hart took me on our first REAL date. I was still frail.
• I had two more surgeries in 2006 and God stripped everything away in my life, except for my loved ones. It was an intense trial that refined my faith like gold. He rewarded my faithfulness with my future husband, Hart.

2007

• I got to start back at USC to finish my major. I was out of school a total of 1 year.
• Hart and I continued dating. We knew we were going to get married.
• We started going to Christ Church of the Carolinas.
• I lived with 4 other girls in an apartment right next to Capstone at USC. They were all Christians and super amazing. I became best friends with Stephanie who had been praying for me so much, even though she didn't really know me, she had only heard of me.
• I studied abroad in Valladolid, Spain for 6 weeks during the summer.

2008

• Hart asked me to marry him in January.
• We planned a wedding.
• I started my last year of college. Finally!
• Hart bought a house. Our house.
• We were married on December 20, 2008.
• We went on our honeymoon to Savannah, GA and the Bahamas over Christmas.

2009

• We started life together as a married couple! We loved getting to fall asleep together!
• I graduated from college with honors from the Spanish Department. I minored in Secondary Education.
• We got a Golden Retriever puppy. We named him Abe. He is from Gilbert, too.
• I got a job as a 4th grade teacher at Heritage Christian Academy in Lexington.
• Hart and Charlie started The Mather Company, real estate.
• We started going to church at Columbia Crossroads Downtown.

Well, thats it folks! Pretty crazy 10 years! God has really grown me alot! Praise the Lord!