My Boots

After spending five straight days with a companion who exemplifies the list below, here's a word to the "future boyfriend."

BE...

Dependable
Comfortable to be around
Good looking
Supportive
With me whenever I go
Not afraid to get dirty
Walks with me
Adventure companion
Keeps me going forward
Secure and stable
Somewhat expensive, but worth the wait

Just love me like my boots do.
#singlegirlprobs

Just got back from a 5-day camping/hiking/totallyawesome stint in Utah with my siblings.

Take me down south!

Just take me back.

I can feel the taste of that Frappe, sense the rush of coolness and sweet.  Nevermind that it plunges into my body to wreck havoc and destroy my life.  Focus on the positive - it's yummy.

I arrived in Orlando crazy late Wednesday night.  From freezing temps to bright sunny skies the next morning.  It's like magic. Florida is my fairyland.

The Linds and I sipping sweetness

Shopping and Starbucks go hand-in-hand.

Creating our *fan-girl* signs

Some people bring out the silly.  Linds and I laughed and laughed and then laughed some more.

We took personality surveys and assesments one evening and determined that we were very, very, similar!  Linds was a bit more on the merciful/compassionate side than me, but everything else we were buddy-buddy.

Late night quick picture

The pretty lady in the middle... she loves a Boy and has a ring to prove it.  Flipping through magazines, purusing Pinterest, we had fun talking wedding plans - and I even got to meet the lucky Joshua!

Best fast-food breakfast ever.

My trip to Florida must include a breakfast trip to Chick-fil-a for chicken biscuits.  Talk about yummy. 

And...

Birthday GIRL!

...a trip to Strabucks!

Yes, weird lighting.  But this place was seriously amazing.  All us girls pooled together and got our nails done - prepping us for island adventures and sandy beaches.  

First time get my toes done and this place spoiled me.  

Pretty nails!

The group of us "girls".  The moms opted to just take the picture.

Florida is my magic.  Nebraks is my home.

Thank you, Johnstons from the bottom of my heart!

Inside the boat

Royal Carribeans' Majesty of the Seas!

This ^ is my best picture of the boat; captured on our way out to snorkel.  They say it was the smallest of all Royal Carribean's ships.  Coulda fooled me.

Our small and sweet suite

Lindsey and I loved our room.  Our steward quickly separated the beds for us and attened to our every wish.  Cleaning out room, replacing towels, bringing need items... I wasn't used to having my bed made and room cleaned for me while I was eating breakfast.

I was spoiled.  And I loved it.

Wonderful time of day - LUNCH!

By the time we got through check-in and registration we were all famished.  Lunch never sounded so good.  I quickly snapped this shot from the second floor of the Windjammer.  Good thing, because I never took a better picture.

Formal night
Anna, Lindsey, Kori and Andrew

Dressing up for an elegant evening was a special treat.  The food was always delicious in the dining hall, and formal night was no exception.  We were all grouped together during evening meals - at least

Andrew and Kori (having been on a cruise before) took Linds and I under their wing.  We loved tagging along behind them, sharing countless memories.

Ryan and Friends
Ventriloquist

These guys (Human: Ryan, Dummy: Jeffery) made me laugh.  Ryan was a very talented ventriloquist, making a baby cry, singing, male/female voices, arguing with himself and everything in between.

*fan girls!!* haha

Fun Story

Yes, the picture below does have a story to accompany our signs... haha!  Still makes me laugh.

I was in Orlando for several days before disembarking on the cruise.  I was staying with the Johnstons (Lindsey house) and so every night was spent thinking/planning/scheming for the upcoming cruise.  Our friends, the Wissmann's, were going to be some of the entertainment for each evening so Lindsey and I hatched a plan.

We mellowed out our original ideas and decided to bring a little encouraging fan action to the concerts.  Getting out a big red marker and a black marker we made *fan-girl* signs to hold up during their first concert on-ship.  They affectionately read;

We {heart} the Wissmann's

We underestimated the croweded concert room and bright stage lights.  We waved our signs, yelling louder and louder after every song.  Never once did their faces reveal that our signs had been noticed.  Their 30 min time-slot was running out.  We knew our time was running out.  The audience around us had to think we were crazy... and I was beginning to think the same thing.

We made desparate move; ran up and sat right in front and held our sign while they were singing.  Several smirks and smiles told us our effort had not been in vain.

The emcee for the evening, Ryan himself, came on saying;

"Wow!  Wissmann's evening have their own fan club that follow them everywhere.  What devotion, going on a cruise just to show their support!"  He smiled at us and continued; "I've always wanted my own fan club!"

That was all the encouragement we needed.  That night, after asking our steward for a piece of paper and scrounging around for a suitable marker, we made an extra sign that read Jeffery. 

We had to wait several evenings for Jeffery, the puppet, to make his appearance.  It was worth it.  Lindsey and I learned from our past mistakes and just ran right up front as Ryan and Friends began their performance.

Unknowingly, Ryan prepped our *fan-girl* moment perfectly.  Here's a tast of what he said;

"Jeffery was quite excited about coming on this cruise with me.  He loves the beaches and all that, but more importantly he was hoping to pick up a girlfriend on this boat..."  that's all the further he got.  Lindsey and I screamed like a typical teenage girl when she sees her favorite star in-person. We held up our signs;

We {heart} Jeffery!

The reaction was priceless.  Ryan was speechless.  He bent over and laughed.  And then laughed some more.  And more.  Lindsey and I were pleased.  There aren't many opportunities you can render a ventriloquist speechless.

Thanks, Linds!

Wissmann Family

I met several lovely ladies on the boat.  Check out their blogs for wonderful pictures and stories.

I wish I had taken more pictures of the ins and outs of boat life.  But I was too busy living every moment.

Food.  Did anyone mention food?  I miss the cruise food.  Seafood heaven.no joke.

Salmon, scallops, roasted duck, fried cod, shrimp... and we could have as much as we so desired.  Trust me, it was amazing.


And on that tasteful note; have a wonderful week!

Blogs:
Rebecca Vandermark
The Wissman Family
Alison Turner

Island Bliss

Southernmost point in the US - Mile 0

::Bahamas::

Tuesday morning dawned bright and beautiful.  Sleeping could wait; we had an island to explore; snorkling to experience, and memories to make.

Lindsey and I signed up for an on-shore excursion.  Snorking off rainbow reef.  Best decision.  So much fun.

We hit a couple shops in the morning, waved goodbye to the rest of the group and headed back to meet our guide.  We strolled through the streets, along with 50 other snorkeler newbies, making out way to a double-decker boat - pictured above.  A thirty minute jaunt out of the harbor was beautiful.  Soaking in the sunshine never felt better.  

After gushing on Paradise Island, they weighed and anchor and briefed us on snorkeling.

Atlantis.  The center 'bridge' is the Michael Jackson Suit - rented at $25,000/night with a mandatory stay of four nights. 

Yes.  I held a real-live starfish.  It was every bit as cool as I had ever imagined.

I had never worn a snorkel before.  Not in the pool, not a lake, not ever.  Breathing underwater goes against all my natural inhibitions. 

Quick Story:

The guide demonstrated how to put on the snorkel, fins and all the ins and outs of safe snorkeling.  Then, the gate was opened and the stairs that led to the water were available.  Bottleneck in the extreme.  50+ people tring to fit down a little staircase.  Our guide assessed the situation and called over his megaphone;

"Go ahead and jump over the side, don't wait for the stairs.  Just make sure you hold onto your goggles before you jump... jump over the side, off the railing, anywhere..."

I stood in line with all the rest.  One brave soul jumped ship, and seemed to do just fine.  I glanced back and the guide saw my wondering gaze and said confidently "just jump, hold your goggles and avoid all the traffic."

I smiled and said "Great idea!" Ha.

Slapping my fins against the wall, nearly tripping as I clumsied my way onto the edge I prepared to jump.  'Hold onto my goggles, put my mouthpiece in, hold onto my goggles...'

SPLASH!

I plunged beneath the surface, overjoyed.  While I was still submerged in salty ocean water the thought raced through my mind "I can breathe underwater!  Don't panic, just breathe!"  Bad idea.  I think panicking would have been better.  Snorkels are made to breathe when just your face is laid against the surface, not several feet under...

Spluttering and coughing I spit large amounts of freshly inhaled ocean liquid out of my mouth.  I glanced up and the guide was laughing; throughly enjoying this amusing scene.  

Needless to say, when I jumped again, I didn't breathe while 4 feet underwater. ;P

Bahamas - sipping a real coconut

Purusing through the streets on our way back to ship, Ruth and I passed a lady and gentleman sipping out of a great big green coconut.  I had a cool, fresh coconut while in Honduras last spring and absolutely LOVED it.  I asked the lady and she pointed to a man who sold them.

I saw Ruth's eyes light up and she knew I had a special place in my tastebuds for coconut water.  But we walked past with the excuse "we have to get back to the boat..."

We turned around.  

It's not everyday you walk through an island with the opportunity to sip coconut water and then dig out the coconut flesh.  Yummy-yum-yum.

Coco Key - Loving the sunshine.

::Coco Key - Cruiseline private island::

Not many pictures from this excursion.  Too busy splashing in the water, snorkling off-shore, soaking sun, chatting with friends, eating yummy beachy bbq... you get the idea.

Most of us remembered this day for quite some time.  Rubbing aloe vera gel on sunburn helped to smear the memories. :)

Picture compliments of Allison Turner (a lovely friend I met on the cruise)
Thanks, Allison!

Key West - 1 pound cookie
Think of you, Bethany!  We missed you every.single.day! <3

::Key West::

Quite possibly on of my favorite stops.

Lovely shops town.  We disembarked in the morning and just meandered through the streets.  Overhanging palm trees, old houses, gorgeous flowers, summer clothes... and the best Key Lime pie I've ever tasted.  Seriously wonderful explosion of lime, tart and a bit of sweet.  Key West was to me like a slice of pure key lime bliss!

Silly cruisers

"Wonderful memories" fails to capture my time on board this boat.  It was more than sunshine and yummy food.  More than cool islands and constant room service.  More than dressing up or wearing a swimsuit.

The companionship of friends was what made the tip for me.

Rich conversations, laughter and spurring one another one to love and pursue Jesus.

The spot you only dream of relaxing

"The Lord lives!  Praise be to my Rock!  

Exalted be God my Savior!

...I will praise You among the nations, O LORD; 

I will sing praises to your name."

Psalm 18:46,49

Tropical Adventures

I found myself staring at a cruise boat.  A very large cruise boat.  I adjusted my sunglasses, gripped my carry-on and smiled.  

Tropical adventures are irresistible. 

{my first view of Majesty of the Seas - taken from the boarding window}

 

Windblown and excited, Lindsey and I took our first picture on-board the boat.  We were floating on the water, bound for places I'd only seen in pictures.  

First stop; Bahamas

Write-Up Wednesday {Wild Goose Chase}

Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson
Reclaim the adventure of pursuing God

Get up on your feet.  Begin living.  "Set God-sized goals."

A small-ish book, but one that'll get you thinking.  If you love a safe, routine, ordinary, un-exciting life, then this book might just rattle your cage.  If you're bound for adventure, love change and all the uncertainty that accompanies it, Wild Goose Chase will encourage those thoughts and plans.

Very similar to his best-selling "In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day",  Mark Batterson challenges the reader to go beyond, think bigger, act more and seek God.



Here are a couple of his 'one-liners.'

Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention.

Don't let fear dictate your decisions.

Don't maintain the status quo.

You have to stop repeating the past and start creating the future.

Expand your horizons.

Take off your sandals.

Don't let what's wrong with you stop you from worshipping what's right with God.

Burn sinful bridges.

Don't make a living.  Make a life.

Chase the Goose!

Rating: Easy read, humorous writing style, overall - 2.7 stars