Hello, Seattle. I'll see you in October!

My college applications are turned in! I applied to Union and Seattle Pacific. Those applications stressed me out more than they were supposed to, I think. All that's left to do now is wait :)

Lately

I have been reading quite a bit lately. I used to read obsessively when I was a kid (which, by the way, when I stop being a kid? When did it become okay for me to say 'when I was a kid'?), but I stopped for a few reasons. I was too busy and mainly, I couldn't find any books that really interested me. Of course, being a teenage girl, I had to read twilight, but by the time I was done with the fourth book, I was sick of it. I wanted to read something that made me think about things that are easier to forget and pushed me to do what I haven't been doing.I picked up The Same Kind Of Different As Me not too long ago (apparently at the same time as my sister who finished it just a few days after I finished it. and we didn't know the other was reading it. Weird, right?). It was an absolutely incredible book. Defineitly recommended. I don't want to ruin it for anyone who is looking to read it, but it's basically about an amazing woman who surrendured to God completely and through this book you can witness the effects of it. It is an amazing true story. Right now, I am currently reading A Long Way Gone. It is the story of a boy who witnessed the war in Sierra Leone. It is weird to read this book after physically seeing some of the places he mentions in the book. When he talks about children loosing their parents, it hits me in a different way. I can picture the sweet faces of the Wellington Orphanage kids and it blows me away that this is not a made up story. These kids, my precious brothers and sisters, went through this. They saw things I can't imagine and yet wake up with more joy in their faces than so many people here. I am only a few chapters into the book, but it's already one of my favorites.

I have also been reading this blog a lot lately (kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com) This girl is not much older than me. She moved to Uganda and now has fourteen beautiful adopted daughters. Reading her story challenges me. It makes me so eager to go back and help in any way I can. It also frustrates me, not only with my culture, but with myself. I find myself feeling guilty for buying a Starbucks when I could have fed a child instead. I get angry at those four person families who are buying million dollar homes with 9 bedrooms when there are people literally living in cardboard boxes. It is just so amazing to me how easily forgotten those who have nothing are. How easily I get caught up in my day to day life that I don't stop and just pray for the kids in the orphanage. For that baby who I had the priveledge to hold for thirty minutes during a soccer match in the dirt field of Wellington. Anyways, if you have a few minutes, take a gander at it. I'll stop my rambling now, it is really late and I am pretty tired. Goodnight all.

Wedding Dress

By Derek Webb

if you could love me as a wife
and for my wedding gift, your life
should that be all i’ll ever need
or is there more i’m looking for

and should i read between the lines
and look for blessings in disguise
to make me handsome, rich, and wise
is that really what you want

i am a whore i do confess
but i put you on just like a wedding dress
and i run down the aisle, i run down the aisle
i’m a prodigal with no way home
but i put you on just like a ring of gold
and i run down the aisle, i run down the aisle to you

so could you love this bastard child
though i don’t trust you to provide
with one hand in a pot of gold
and with the other in your side
i am so easily satisfied
by the call of lovers less wild
that i would take a little cash
over your very flesh and blood

i am a whore i do confess
but i put you on just like a wedding dress
and i run down the aisle, i run down the aisle
i’m a prodigal with no way home
but i put you on just like a ring of gold
and i run down the aisle, i run down the aisle to you


because money cannot buy
a husband’s jealous eye
when you have knowingly deceived his wife


i am a whore i do confess
but i put you on just like a wedding dress
and i run down the aisle, i run down the aisle
i’m a prodigal with no way home
but i put you on just like a ring of gold
and i run down the aisle, i run down the aisle to you

Welll,

You know, I absolutely love it when people update their blogs. I find it so fasinating getting inside peoples brains, even if it is just for a minute while reading their blog. People tend to blog about what they are passionate about, whether it be their kids, their missions, whatever. And honestly, what is more intriguing than listening to someone talk about their passion? Maybe it's just me, but anyways, I have decided to try and blog more. No, I do not have crazy kids, and funny stories and exciting adventures for you to read about, but what I do have is a lot of thoughts. So, if ever you wanted to get inside my head for a bit, here's the way to do it. And of course, I would love to know your thoughts.

After moving 582 miles away from everything that I knew as normal, I have come to so many realizations. Such as, I really am a very independent person. I never realized how okay I am with being by myself. I can sit in my room and read, journal, listen to music, and watch movies by myself without getting bored. Sure, I like to get out of the house, but I even enjoy just driving around by myself. I don't know. Something about it is just nice. I can think and think and think without having to explain my thoughts to anyone. In Oklahoma, I was crazy busy, I had no alone time, I had no time to sit down and really just be. Now that's all I have and I can't tell you how grateful I am for it. Because of it, I have come to such a deeper knowledge and appriciation and overall love for my Savior. He has been conforming my heart to care about the things He cares about. I have fallen in love with Him on a whole new level. I have realized that the things that are important to Him, should be a number one priority to me. His heart's desire is so obvious throughout the whole Bible. He passionately desires each and every one of His children to know Him on a personal level and to know the love that surpasses all understanding. And He has given me the responsibility to help share that. He has opened my eyes to the broken world before me and He has said "Whom shall I send?"

I said, "Here I am, Send me." And He did.

What's been happening as of late

Well, it's been a crazy few months. I am now a certified high school graduate :) I turned 17. My parents and I took a 2 week vacation to Jackson and LOVED it! Those boys are just too precious! I absolutely adore them! They get so big every time I see them.

Anyways,in case you haven't heard, my parents and I are planning on moving to TN in just a few short weeks. We have a contract on this house and the moving date is July 15th. I cannot believe how quickly everything has been happening!

As most of you know, I will be departing in just 16 days to go to Sierra Leone, Africa. I have wanted to go to Africa since I was a little girl. God has finally opened the door and I literally CANNOT wait! I will be staying in the Wellington Orphanage with kids who lost their parents during the brutal civil war. Anyways, if you want to read about the trip while I am there, there will be a few of us blogging our experiences on this blog (pushingbackdarkness.com). So, be sure and check that out! The team leaves July 9th and we return home the 22nd. We would love your prayers and support during this time. It will be such a life changing experience for me and I am so thankful that I get to experience it.

Spring Break

Spring Break started out with us taking a trip to Jackson, Tennessee, and let me tell you, I fell completley in love with Dillion and Isaac! They are some of the most precious boys I have ever met! I am missing them so much already! We snapped more than a few pictures while we were there, but here are just a few. If you would like more of the pictures just email me (hope_stover@yahoo.com) and I will be happy to send them to you!

Dillion was walking!

Sweet Isaac

Seattle visitors have come and gone.

So, Jenice and Jack left about a week ago and we allll miss them! Kobi has been running around like crazy looking for someone his size to play with and I miss getting my good morning every morning. I hope it will not be a year until I see them again because Jackson has just gotten so big! Here are some of the pictures that I took a couple days before they left!

Giga ball races!!