Pretty Purple Ninja Turtles

Oh - don't you wish you could be a pretty purple ninja turtle? Oh, but you can! Just come join me on Sunday mornings with the sweet middle school girls at The Village. So, we named our group and I don't think we could come have come up with a better name!

Pretty - let's face it - even though they're middle schoolers...they're still GORGEOUS!

Purple - the color of royalty - and we're all princesses...

Ninja - as Maddie says it - we're fighting for Jesus!

Turtles - we're just coming out of our shells!

So here are the beautiful turtles...


And then - here is my beautiful Julie. This girl is such a rock star and she is only in the 11th grade. She is a faithful servant at only age 16, coming every Sunday to minister to the pretty turtles! I am so lucky that I get to be a part of her life!

That don't kill me can only make me stronger...

Yes, I just quoted a Kanye West song - horrible - but I just love that song. My kids got me stuck on it. The dork in me is trying to figure out how to turn it into a math song... Ha ha - don't you wish you were in my class - the thought of me attempting to 'rap' to a Kanye song makes me even laugh... If it happens I'll let y'all know.

Ok - nothin super exciting - just wanted to update a little more frequently since I promised...

Love you all!

I know I know - its been a long time...

Yes - I am a horrible blogger - it has been WAY TOO LONG since my last post. And I can't really say that nothing has been happening, because if you know me, you know that is not the case.

We started school on Monday and I am so excited to be back. I really am! I have most of my same kids again and I just love them. Its been so fun to catch up and not have to worry about building that rapport with them. (Did I spell that right? Oh well - I teach math, not english!) Plus - its just exciting to see how much they've grown and changed in just 3 months. This is going to be such a fun year - I really can't wait!

In my personal life, the Lord is really teaching me a lot - what most recently has been revealed is that band aids only work for so long. And if I really don't deal with the bruise, or cut, or scrape, or amputation, or whatever, but just put a bandaid on it, then all I'm doing is seeting myself up for some serious infection. (Like my analogy there? I thought so!) I have got to heal. And finally, I can see that I need to. Which is such a weird place for me. I think for so long I've felt like I'm healed enough or that I need to act on the 'now' and not worry about what has happened in the past, but because of this I've developed so much scar tissue that I think I'm starting to not feel. (I'm continuing with the anaolgy...) And I don't want that. I never thought I would be skeptical or hard, but that's where I'm heading right now and I don't like it.

I really can't wait for this semester - I can't wait to spend some serious quality time with my girls...middle school and adult. I don't know if its the 'back to school high' (which there has been some interesting smoke from the boys bathroom) or just me seeing what I need to focus on now - but whatever it is I can't wait!

So that's it for now - I promise it won't be long before the next post! Here are some pics to hold you over -

My favorite new students -



Me & Shane before he left - so sad!

8 Random Facts

I was tagged by my friend Lindsey B to give 8 random facts/habits about myself.

The Rules:

1. I have to post these rules before I give you the facts.
2. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog (about their eight things) and post these rules. (**if you’re a non-blogger, you can email them!)
4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

My eight random facts and/or habits:

1. I worked at Drug Emporium when I was in High School as a cashier. I hated it, yet loved it too - something about getting to handle all the money...

2. I used to have a huge thing for boy bands...and have met *NSYNC, BB Mak, Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre (NKOTB), and the list goes on. Hey - don't judge - we had fun and I never did anything inappropriate to meet them.

3. I interend for 2 radio stations while in college and did voice commericals. Scary, I know.

4. When I was little I got a fake diamond stuck up my nose. Don't ask.

5. I'm deathly afraid of tornadoes. Blame it on Wizard of Oz - but I seriously am so scared of tornadoes.

6. I'm a dance extra in the Justin Timberlake video, 'Like I Love You'. Seriously, I'm in the video for 2 seconds...

7. If I could ask God for one talent it would be to be able to sing.

8. My favorite physical trait is a person's smile.

I tag Stephanie, Anne, Claire, Brooke...

Lesson #1 - People

So - I've now been home for a week and I'm getting to see that the Lord is not going to let me forget what He showed me in Asia.

This week's lesson - People and how I am not supposed to depend on them.

They are not my rock. They are not my purpose for being here. They are not my joy. Of course they are a great source of community and joy - but they are not what I can depend on. And He definitely made sure I realized it. Its funny, I really felt like while in Asia we had a really good understanding that I look to people way too much for affirmation and community. When really, all I need is Him. I felt like I listened as He just showed me areas that I struggle with that. I told Him I surrendered all areas and He could take who He wanted out of my life. You know when you say that and you think, 'Ok, since I surrendered, He's not going to take anyone, like you're doing it so that you can say you did it, when in reality, you're still kinda holding on?'. (Yeah, you may think I'm rambling and I kind of am, but these are just my thoughts.) So yeah, the surrender was put to the test. And He's good - I mean really good. Definitely had a relationship taken out of my life which was not at all what I was expecting. I'm not a fan as to how it was handled, I mean, honestly it hurt. But what I am a fan of...is how He walked through it with me. How He is just let me know that He was in control. That He is there and He's going to help me see the truth - not the lies that I felt Satan just trying to feed... God is so good in that He just kept telling me, 'Hollie, I am all you need. Let me be enough.' And the cool thing - HE IS!!!

So these are my thoughts - sometimes random, somethings rambling, but still my thoughts. Lesson #1 was a good one.

Asia - Really??? Seriously????

One word - flippin amazing!!!! Ok Ok - I know, that's two (I am a math teacher and can count) but seriously, the flippin just adds so much to it! ;)

This by far was one of the hardest trips I've ever been on, yet definitley one of the best. I was pushed and pulled in so many directions, yet the Lord was so great and revealed himself to me in some new way every day. He opened my eyes to how much I depend on me and other people to make it through the day - when really, all I need is Him. Yes I know, I should have been aware of this before, but honestly, this was the first time that I truly lived it. He is so good! I can't find the words to explain just what He showed me, but I will say, I am truly amazed at how great our God is.

Anyways - I met some amazing poeple on this trip. The Chinese students are so friendly and so eager to meet with Americans that they will do anything for you. We had some of the best tour guides because they wanted to show us their city and make sure we were taken care of. When you think about it, how many of us would take a complete stranger to some big Dallas tour attraction just because they were visiting our city and didn't know what all to do? Honestly, most of us wouldn't. But the Chinese are so hospitible and excited to have American friends, that they take such good care of you.

You know - I'm really afraid that I'm on the post trip 'high' and I don't want to lose it. I really have never felt as dependent on God as I did there, and now that I'm back and I'm back in the comforts of my own home, its hard to not just fall back into my old ways. But I can't - not this time. Our God is so big that He is moving all over a dirty, smelly lost country, so why can't I depend on Him when I'm in the comforts of my own home? All I know is that I love Him more than I ever have. Things aren't how I thought they would be when I got home. In a sense, I feel like its the enemy trying to distract me - but you know, as I said earlier, this trip taught me how to rely solely on the Lord, and that's what I'm going to do. :-)

I'm so glad to be back - I truly did miss all of my friends and just being here - but now I'm in a weird place - I miss Asia now too. I miss my friends there. So, I think I may be making a return trip next summer...anyone in?



My team on our first morning in front of the coffee shop -


Sweet girls that we met on our first day -


View from the City Wall


One of the cutest little Chinese boys that we ran into. Isn't he just so cute?!!

View from the City Center


Really & Jessica, Me & Liz in front of the Big Goose Pagoda - love these friends!


Liz & Me at Tang Paradise - its not overcast - its that smoggy!


Me & Joni at the Coffee Shop


SOme new friends heading to see the Big Goose Pagoda


Me & Kevin on the flight home -

Are You Serious?!!!

I can't believe that in 2 days I will be boarding a jet plane on my way to Asia!!! Serioulsy - where has the time gone?!

I am feeling a gazillion emotions - excitement, fear, anxiety, joy, hesitation, you name it - I'm probably feeling it. I know that this is where the Lord is guiding me right now, I just don't feel as prepared as I need to be. I am emotionally & physically exhausted. Not bad emotionally - just feel drained in a sense. Over the past 6 weeks I have felt more emotions than I thought possible. I've got from the the pit to a hang glider - you know - where you feel like you're just floating and enjoying the view - I like that one - remind me to stay away from the pit - not a fan of those feelings.

ANYWAYS - if you think about it - pray for me over the next few weeks - its going to be such an adventure and I'm excited! God can do such great things, I just have to open my eyes and let go of me.

Ok - love you all - will miss you!

Here are fun photos to remember me by! :)

Me & Corrie so excited because we got free blankets! Doesn't take much to make us happy!


Me & sweet Shane. I'm going to miss him when he moves to NY!


Me & Josh - seriously girls - this guy is AMAZING! The girl that he ends up with is one of the luckiest girls - I'm so blessed to have him as a friend!


Hot Date Night with 2 of the studdliest middles schoolers - and coolest leaders, Amanda!


Me & Hanna - LOVE HER!


Maddie & I are so much alike we even use the same lip gloss!

Good girls go to Heaven, Bad Girls go to Cancun!!!! --Eddie (our tour guide in Cancun)

So yeah, Eddie really doesn't know me and Melissa. But I will say - Cancun is a little piece of heaven - Not kidding - put me on a white sanded beach with turquoise water and I am in heaven!

Melissa and I had the best time...and the most relaxing. Nothing too crazy - I know I know, that doesn't sound like me at all, but this was the most relaxing vacation I think I've ever been on. Nothing like rolling out of bed and rolling on to a pool chair and laying in the sun. Loved it! Our typical day - set the alarm for 8 - read a little of the Word by the beach, roll onto a pool chair till about 12:30, then eat a little lunch, move to the beach from 1 - 4:30 - and then head on in to the room to relax (hey - it was an exhausting day). Dinner followed by a great nights reste in preparation for another rough day in the sun.

Here are some pics - now remember - when you travel with just 2 people, you end up taking a LOT of solo shots. No, Melissa and I are not models - we just take really good pictures. :)

Sweetly Broken....

Hello all - so - I'm sitting here reflecting on the past 6 months, while listening to a new worship song I heard while at camp - Sweetly Broken -

'At the cross you beckoned me, draw me gently to my knees and I am so lost in words, lost in love, I'm sweetly broken, holy surrender'. Wow. Could a song be more fitting of the path the Lord has taken me on this year? How beautiful is our God? I think about the hurt and pain that I've felt, the laughter that I've had, the times that I truly have felt His presence and I am so thankful.

I am so undeserving of the love that the Lord has given me. As much as I think I've done certain things right, I haven't earned any of His grace.

So, now I sit here with such joy. A smile is on my face - regardless of how my summer ends up, I will praise Him. I will draw near to Him. I am thankful for Him breaking me, thankful for Him revealing little ways that He loves me, thankful for the encouragement He's given me through music and through friends. Just thankful to be one of His children.

Life without Jesus is like a donut...

There's a hole in the middle of your heart!!! Ha - can you tell I just got back from Middle School Camp?

So - just got back from camp and it was AMAZING! Seriously, one of the best weeks of my life. There is just something about being in the outdoors and having the freedom to be as silly and goofy as you want - and having the opportunity to seek out and listen to the Lord. I know that life should always be like camp - it shouldn't take me being in the outdoors with middle schoolers to take the time to truly listen for Him. This just proved to me how much I let the 'noise' and 'static' of this world get in the way of truly knowing Him.

We had such a good time though - I love my girls - and now some of the guys! Just fun spirits! We played the best game which just created some really fun memories...its called Remember when - and lets just leave it at the fact - the memories you get from remember when are some of the best!

Here are some pics from such a fun week:

Turning 29...

So - this has been a very interesting week. I'm not going to lie - turning 29 has not been easy. I mean, really, it sounds old. And old is the last thing I feel. I feel like at 29, you're supposed to have everything together - your life is supposed to be all figured out - and mine is the furthest thing from it. I still feel like I'm 25 - I may not look it, but I feel it.

So then I think about what all I've gotten to do in my twenties - how fun its been... I mean, I've lived in College Station, Houston, Newport Beach, Australia and now Dallas. And each one of these places has brought about so many adventures. I know that the Lord has orchestrated all of these moves, and He's been a part of all of these adventures, so I need to trust Him that He has me right here, right now for a reason.

But in the mean time, its been fun to dig through some of my fun memories...which I'm going to post some pics of - Enjoy!

Hitting the Bahamas with Angela



Steph & Me in LA - we've had so many adventures - LA, London, Australia and more to come!


Meeting the Olsen Twins at Dolce in LA (look front row center - and no, I'm not standing on a stair, they really are that short!)


Me on the Hollywood Walk of Fame -


Bells Beach in Australia


Trent & Brock on Christmas Day - My Aussie Christmas


Sailing the Whitsunday Islands



Diving The Great Barrier Reef



NYE in Australia - the girls and our 'Godfather' Boss



My sweet niece Emily right after she was born!


Sunset on The Great Barrier Reef


The girls heading out in Cairns



NYE 2005/2006 with Scott

I'm Back and Celebrating...well almost...

So I'm back! And before I forget - here are pictures of Lindsey and her sweet husband Jason, and then a pic of me and Linds -




Like I said - they are amazing and I love them. Just spending time with them was such a blessing.

But I am so glad to be home. I missed my roommate! Seriously, I have the most amazing roommate in the entire world. I thank God constantly for the gift that she is to me. If you don't know Melissa, you're missing out. She is one of the sweetest most encouraging people I know. And I love getting to be real with her and struggle with her, and I'm so thankful that she's letting me be a part of her life. Here she is:

Isn't she so cute?!


I went to CR tonight - and I'm not sure if I'm quite celebrating yet - but I'm excited about being at a point where I am going to work through this crap that I apparently have buried way beneath the surface and keeps showing up when I really just don't want it to. Everyone keeps saying that this is going to be an amazing experience. But I'm a little scared. Wait - I take that back, I'm a lot scared. But if it means freedom, then I'm all about it.

So - another realization that keeps popping up - I'm about to be 29. Seriously...29?!!!! How the heck have I lived 29 years? Is it bad that I still feel like I'm 22? Honestly - I do not fit in my age bracket. I'm sure I'll do more reflecting on my '29-ness' over the next couple of days - so expect a blog out of that one...

Ok - for now - goodnight my loves. Thanks for reading...sorry if its boring! Sleep well.