my first solo adventure | my tennessee trip

i. My flight from Denver left at 12:59am. Aside from *almost* sitting in the wrong seat, (Really, Marcia. How hard is it to find the little sign saying "A, B, C" over the right side, and "D, E, F" on the left side.) everything else went smoothly. Flying during the night has got to one of the most gorgeous sights, it's definitely worth losing sleep over. (Hey, sleep is important, but most times we spend some of our most valuable hours sleeping instead of living.) As we started getting into Charlotte, North Carolina, we ran into a little thunderstorm. And here's the fun part... I was watching some distant lightning, when suddenly the lightning struck the wing of the plane, which I was sitting directly behind. It literally blinded me for about four seconds, and all I could see was bright electric white. Once we finally landed, I had a four hour layover, and it was quite delightful. (Pumpkin Spice Lattes and Wives and Daughters combine quite well.) My connecting flight was an adventure too. The plane I flew in was the smallest little old thing, the sound was almost deafening. But the people were amazing. I JUST LOVE THE SOUTH. My flight attendant was a really tall black guy with the coolest Southern drawl. And the flight buzzed with conversations the entire flight. I had the sweetest older gentleman sitting beside me. We talked about places we've traveled, what I was planning to do in the future, his wife and two boys, and he told me to stay in school. 

Also North Carolina mountains in October are beyond beautiful.

ii. The entire reason for my trip was to help my aunt who just had baby who was two months early. She also has a two year old with almost endless energy and spunk, so she was slightly busy. ::wink:: My dad's entire family lives in the same area, and it was so good to see family again. (All of my relatives live out of state, so it's a precious treat whenever we get to see them.) I had forgotten how much I missed hearing my Grandpa constantly crack jokes followed by that deep chuckle of his.  I got to watch my Grandma continue to try to be superwoman and do everything she possible could in a week's time. And I watched all my little cousins (who are growing up way to quickly) run around and playing in all my old haunts around the home-place. 

It's funny how things can change so much, yet still be so much the same. 

iii. One Saturday, we set up a small booth at the local flee market. I know what you are thinking, "Oh, cute vintage dresses, record players, film cameras, and antiques." Um, no. Guys, it was redneckkk. There were no hipsters there, I'm telling you. We had multiple people buy an item after standing there for two minutes saying "I really don't know what I'm going to do with this." Some of the other vendors came to our booth and bought items to resell at their own booths. (Free enterprise at it's finest.) And there were plenty of old fellows all wearing various forms of plaid and coveralls all talking about something that happened a few weeks ago. It was quite the experience! (and boy, did we ever have a lot of laughs about it later! :))

iv. It all went way to quickly, and two and a half weeks seemed like one. But it was good, really really good.

 It was a chance to test my wings, and realize I can fly, even if it's just a short distance.
But no matter how much I love travels and adventures, it's always so good to be home.

(excuse the long rambles. those were just some of the highlights of my short adventure)
xx. marcia

jaxton | a short photo essay

    meet my darling little cousin, jaxton

    he's one of the little guys that I helped care for when I flew to tennessee a few weeks ago.  

    isn't he the cutest??

   

    xx. -marcia

can she bake a cherry pie, billy boy?

"Can she make a cherry pie, Billy Boy, Billy Boy?
Can she make a cherry pie, Charming Billy?
She can make a cherry pie, quick as a cat can wink an eye,
She's a young thing and cannot leave her mother." - (x)

On Saturday, I made a cherry lattice top pie for the first time. check: number 21 on this list. And it turned out really well, at least for the first time. I also made an apple pie and a pumpkin pie, but my pumpkin pie had a crack the size of the Grand Canyon in the middle.... okayyy, maybe that's stretching things a tiny bit. (note to self: next time let it cool down slowly.)

I think pie might be my favorite thing to bake, even if it takes more time and practice.
You can be so creative while still being traditional, and that's just cool.
xx. marcia

ten things i need to hear more often.

i. be happy, even when things look difficult. (for the joy of the Lord is your strength. nehemiah 8:10)

ii. you don't need their stamp of approval on your life or life decisions to be happy.
happiness doesn't exist in them- it exists in Jesus.

iii. kindred spirits are to be cherished. (they aren't replaceable.)

iv. just because things don't go as planned, it doesn't mean they don't turn out well.

v. everybody deserves a second chance.

vi. your decisions don't only affect you. they affect others around you in ways you will never know.

vii. sometimes love is quiet on the outside, but it's LOUD on the inside.

viii. it's okay to cry sometimes. tears have a way of healing.

ix. someday all the pain will be worth it. (He works all things together for the good of those who love Him. romans 8:28)

x. be thankful for every little thing. cherish the laughter. remember  the good times.

goodbye october, you were quite lovely. 
hello november, please be good. 
xx. marcia

also, i'm back from my trip to tennessee. actually i came back a week ago, but let's not talk about that. but, i have a few posts in the works to tell you all about the adventure. (1:00am flights, redneck flea markets, southern accents- i think yes.)
and a huge shoutout to the ever so lovely mikaliah, who ended up being the only guest poster that worked out, but i think she had enough beauty in that one post to cover the lack of posts in the entire month of october. if you missed it, you can read it here.

a letter to fall / guest post

you are many things;
smells, sights, emotions,
colors, feelings.
a myriad of colors;
a rainbow of deep reds,
dusky browns and bright yellows.
you are dotted, layered,
crinkled, dried, patterned.
dusky, at twilight;
soft, scattering shadows in
the misty morning haze.
vibrant;
the color of your leaves when the
weather turns and the sky turns dusky
with clouds of ashy grey.
you never seem to notice
the changing weather;
you only accept it for what it is,
like the sand welcomes the
rolling tide that comes and goes.
predictable, free.
every hour at the appointed time,
washing up reeds and shells,
indenting the shore with
the quiet ripple of the last rolling
wave that kisses the shore before
pulling away, leaving only
residue behind.
you don't notice change,
you are change.
the very essence of it,
reminding us that nothing
lasts forever.
nothing is predictable, or
untouched by the fingers of
alteration that the whole
earth is swept with.
clinging with rigid fingers,
turning white at the knuckles
as we hold on tightly to what
is inevitably leaving.
you sweep in, and fade away,
never resisting what is to come,
but refusing to be forgotten as soon as
winter's snow covers the traces of
your crumbling leaves and dried
grasses, raising the sweet
aroma of memories forgotten since
last year.
like a lost friend, you remember
your place among us,
nudging summer away when
the air begins to cool, and
enveloping the earth in your
embrace that shifts and
changes all that we grow
accustom to in the short months
between the fluctuating patterns
of life that are, although familiar,
never the same.

///////////////////////////////////////

hey there! i'm Mikailah. i'm a 17 year old, Christ following young lady with a free spirit, a passion for life, beauty, and a fondness for the unexpected. my home is in Arizona, but my heart is in the East. i drink tea like water, laugh at the strangest things, write at midnight, take pictures, gather memories like flowers, and am always ready for an adventure. you can find me writing and sharing bits and pieces of my crazy life here. nice to meetcha, friend! let's chat sometime, eh? 

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