He is my hope.

I stand on the back porch of the beach house staring out at the ocean.

He is my hope.

Emily and I sit on the beach, a book in each of our hands. Soaking in the sunlight shining on our skin.

He is my hope.

We ride down the road on our bikes to the shopping center to get ice cream. We laugh.

He is my hope.

We go see Little Women the play at the local youth theater. We laugh all the way home. Memories are made. Ones that will never, ever be forgotten.

He is my hope. 

I walk down the beach, my toes barely touching the water. The clouds are pink- cotton candy pink. I think of Lissa's mom. I think of Paige. She would have loved it.

He is my hope.

I hold Harper in my arms. Rocking her to sleep as she cries softly. Paige will never get to meet her. I soak up these moments with her. Because even if I'm not thinking about it now... They're moving. Eventually. And she won't be little forever...they won't be here, close to our home, forever.

He is my hope.

We go into one of the shops. I see the doll we sent her. It was a "Preppy Paige" doll. Completely opposite of who she was is. We sent it because it was funny.

He is my hope.

Sadness fills my heart. I feel cheated. I can't send her pictures of all the beautiful things I'm seeing. I used to share all this with her. Now, well, now I can't.

He is my hope.

I stand beside Lissa in church. Her heart is hurting more than I can imagine today. I hold her sweet girl close to me as we pray.

He is my hope.

I fill out my Summer With the Arts form. Tears come to my eyes. I just think about that week. It makes me sick. And I hurt all over again.

He is my hope.

My birthday without her- again. My 16th of all things. Camp without her. Uganda without her. Summer With the Arts...without her.

He. Is. My. Hope.

Yes. That He is. Always.

HE. IS. MY. HOPE.

It's Summer!!!

Even though it's technically been summer for quite some time, it's just now feeling like it.

And sadly the business of summer has hit, and though it is wonderful- it is sometimes a bit crazy.

We've had VBS this week, and I've been with three year olds, and wow. I am so tired. They are CRAZY. But I love them and I constantly have a cloud of little children surrounding me and about four children asking to hold my hands. Apparently they don't understand that when I have one kid on each hand it means I don't have any more hands to go around...so they just grab my arm instead. But I'm totally okay with it...mostly because I just love them :)

This weekend is going to be packed and I'm so excited about it!

I have a 16th birthday party for one of my best friends at the lake on Friday, Amanda and Nick find out that same day if lil' Land is a boy or girl(what do you think??? Tell me please!). I think that the baby (who is already moving inside it's mama!) is a boy! I plan to go scrapbook shopping Saturday for more scrapbook stuff for this lil' peanut...We of course have church on Sunday and who knows what else it will bring!

Oh, but yesterday- I finished Little Women. It was tragic. But yet amazing. Very bittersweet. And that's all I can say. I just LOVE that book.

Oh and it's almost been a year since the Taylor Swift concert :) Such WONDERFULLY AMAZING memories :):):)

We've been swimming a whole lot this week- in fact we are going swimming today with some friends!

I can't wait to see what the rest of the summer has to hold- and I can barely wait until Summer With the Arts!

What have you all been up to this summer so far?

Have a great rest of the week!!!

~Bailey

I guess everything ends...

Have you ever read a book, and it was so good you wanted to finish it, but didn't want it to end?

I have, twice now.

Oh, Little Women. I feel like part of me is dying.

I have way less than 100 pages left, such a small portion of the book. Ya'll, I've read 100 pages since MONDAY. I just love it, I feel like we(the book and I) are emotionally attached.

I know, it's sad, but not for me. Books, reading, writing- they are my passion(and Jesus, and my friends, and my family, and card making but that's besides the point.)...I love them so.

And my dream is not only to have a book published, but to be as good as a writer as Louisa May Alcott. I cherish her writing, I get consumed with her characters and the life they live. And(spoiler alert) when Laurie proposes to Jo and she refuses him, it KILLS me every.single.time. And yesterday as I read that chapter, I almost cried and you know I never cry. They are supposed to be together...anyway...

I feel like I know the deepest feelings of Jo, Beth, Amy, Meg, Laurie and all the other fantastic characters. In fact, if Laurie proposed to me right now, I'd say yes.

I just love it. And I want to read it over and over and over again. I don't care what other people say, I feel like these characters are living right around me.

I've read this book twice now, and I would start it again as soon as I finish it(but I'm not going to, don't worry).

I feel like part of me is dying...and I'm so sad to finish the book, but every good, great and wonderful thing has to come to an end at some point. So it might as well be now.

As I have learned so much about faith, love, family and writing from my favorite author of all time....grieve with me, as I read the last pages of my beloved Little Women.....

Have a wonderful rest of your week and weekend!

Oh, if you haven't read this book- you MUST read it!

~Bailey

How Wonderful

This week has been fantastic. We're taking a (sort of) spring break.

And oh...how wonderful it's been. It's after 9, and I haven't eaten breakfast or started school or done anything productive. I've just watched icarly with Sonia and looked on Pinterest.

Since we have exams the week after spring break- cool, right(hint of sarcasm there)- I've had some studying to do, so everyday I work for about 2ish hours and then relax and do whatever the rest of the day.

Which mainly consists of playing babies with Sonia...writing a book(because that's what all 14 year olds do in their spare time, right?) and reading Little Women...again.

Yesterday Amanda came over and we did school and just talked and chilled...didn't do much of anything. It was quite fun actually. We watched Bedtime Stories...great movie by the way.

Monday we went to a friend's house and played by their creek and in the HUGE yard and just had fun!

Today...I have no idea what today...or tomorrow will bring...but I'm going to enjoy every minute of it. And thank God that he has given us such beautiful weather and such a wonderful time to enjoy together.

Have a marvelous week- and I hope that you had a great Easter!

~Bailey

Oh- and if you're up for a good laugh, read this blog post by Jenny B. Jones. It's really, really funny. Jenny B. Jones Blog