"all we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."

With all that is going on right now this Lord of the Rings quote seemed quite appropriate. My first semester of college came to a close and I am now back home. Now that in itself is a reason to praise God, besides the fact that it is now one of my favorite times of year... CHRISTMAS. I am so happy to be home and get to spend this wonderful time with my most treasured friends and family. Also, it is my first Christmas spent in a relationship with my amazing Creator. I am so blessed and so happy.
However, with so many things going on I can take for granted one of my most precious gifts- my time. I get to choose how I want to spend it and with whom, but I can often make bad decisions when it comes to my time. I let it slip away, I spend it doing things that are not worthwhile, and I am often not purposeful with it. This Christmas I want to be purposeful with my time and spend it on people who deserve it and need it. I want to be outward focused this Christmas season and love those around me and show that love in the way I spend my time.
This Christmas I am so grateful for the amazing people in my life. The people who make coming home so special and so wonderful. The families and friends that God has put in my life. I can't help but smile when I think of all you wonderful people.

it has been so encouraging to get to see and catch up with some of my wonderful friends. 

Now, this week is packed with people and festivity and I just want to keep sight of what really matters and what is important during this exciting time. So in the words of Taylor Swift, "Here's to the birthday boy, who saved our lives."

Merry Christmas all you lovely people!

~haley grace

my excuse for everything... EXAMS.

so it's been a while since I've posted... it's because of exams.
I may be emotionally unstable for the next two weeks... it's because of exams.
I might not be emotionally and mentally prepared for christmas... it's because of exams.
sorry I started crying when I spilt coffee on myself... it's because of exams.
If I look like I forgot how to dress myself... it's because of exams.

you get the picture right? please don't hold anything against me that happens in the next two weeks because I'm pretending that exams are a valid excuse for all of it (I know it's not).
If anyone wants to send encouragement my way or remind me that I need to stop acting like a psycho here's my exam schedule with a guide on the level of crazy you can expect that day:

Friday the 5th: Weather and Climate Exam; not cumulative but need to do really well so a moderate level of crazy.
Monday the 8th: Math Exam; cumulative and it's math so obviously high levels of crazy.
Tuesday the 9th: Communications Exam; not cumulative so low levels of crazy (hopefully).
Thursday the 11th: History Exam; cumulative and last day to this one is hard to predict BUT I GET TO GO HOME AFTER!!

and for all you people who ask me in the near future how I'm liking college and I say I want to be home it is not because I don't like wilmington because I promise I do, it's simply because it's december and I need and want to be home for all of the festivity!

can't wait to see all of you beautiful people on the flip side!

and here's a pretty accurate description of finals week as told by one of the greatest christmas movies of all time that I may have laughed at hysterically because I'm already losing it:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/lucyh3/exam-week-as-told-by-elf-147h

wish me luck!
~haley grace