On our way...

Liberty is my favorite part of the season...and this week has BIG potential of being great. I pray God will bless my team and the others going to Liberty. Not only on the court, but some of the last memories we make off the court with each other. I have been so outragiously blessed to be able to play high school sports with these amazing people. I plan on making this week the best yet.

"It's not my ability, but my response to God's ability that counts" ~Corrie ten Boom.

I'm pretty sure I repeat myself every post. Life is just so busy, but I guess life would be no fun if you had nothing to do. God has blessed me with such a great life.

I have a little over half the money for my Uganda trip! God has provided the $1,500 in such cool awesome ways, I can't wait to see how the rest of it will come! Cupcakes on a Mission has been such a big hit. We've sold over 700 cupcakes so far! Everyone keeps asking when we're opening a shop..haha just sticking to it as a hobby for now.. :)

We had our Awards night for basketball the other night. It was a very bitter sweet night for us Seniors. A lot of us have been playing or been apart of Lighthouse Basketball and it's sad to see it come to end. I have developed some of the greatest friendhships and some of my favorite memories through highschool have to do with basketball. Now, I'm a senior...but since I'm staying around doing community college next year, and my family basically runs the program, I'll definitly still be around the gym. :)

The Liberty tournmant is in 3 days! I'm am so excited. Liberty is my favorite part of basketball season...and it being my last, I plan on making it the best. whoo hoo :)

We fly high...

My basketball team..the Lighthouse Varisty Lady Eagles, made up of 10 seniors just finished an undefeated season 20-0. Became NCHE East Regional Champions, and after last night are the NCHEAC Varsity Girl State Champions. We have a all been through so many highs and lows as a team these past two years, and God has just blessed us immensely this season. I can't wait for the HSPN East Coast Championships at Liberty University in a couple weeks....my favorite part of the season :)

"but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." - Isaiah 40:31

busy? busy.

Busy. So so Busy.

6 classes..one to go to everyday. And I'm just super lucky to go to two on Mondays. The best day of the week. ha. lots of homework.. and then some more homework. BUT GRADUATION IS IN 4 MONTHS! 4 months?? 4 months! So exciting, weird, sad, scary, and good! I got my cap and gown this week..trying it on all on I felt like a mix between a penguin, gospel choir singer, nun and a jelly fish. all at the same time. Though I did find that swinging your tassel back and forth in front of your face can be more entertaining then you think. I now know how I'm gonna kill time during the ceremony....

Basketball is so great! A team made up of 10 seniors who love each other so much. Not only are we team mates, we're sisters, but most of all daughters of the King. And it's not with out him that we could of accomplished what he have this season. UNDEFEATED 19-0. God has done such awesome things with in and through this team, and I'm so happy I'm finishing my high school basketball career with this team. We've got our last season game tomorrow and then it's off to getting ready for Regionals..and then States...and then LIBERTY!

Prom planning is going wonderful. We got a new website made this year, which is the bomb.com ...get it? .com..haaa...we already have 80 registrations in..which is so better then last year when we were a week before prom and had like 20.( 100 more poured in with in days before the event!) So this year we actually have the money to put the deposits down for our venue - The Sutherland Estate. and our dj and caterer. Andd still have money to start figuring stuff out for decorations and such. We're hoping for even more people this year than last. I'm so excited! now just have to find a dress....

Erica and I are coaching a 1st and 2nd grade Upward basketball Boys team at New Life camp. We've only had two practices...but these little boys are some of the smartest funniest 1st and 2nd grade boys I've ever met. This season is gonna be such a blast, and I love that erica and I get to act as silly and like a kid as we want with them and they still laugh and smile. Andd I have a feeling we're going to dominate.. :)

Cupcakes on a Mission

In order to go on the Uganda trip, I need to raise about $3000 ( depending on the final cost of the airline tickets ) This number seems insurmountable, but I KNOW, because I have seen with my own eyes, that God is in the miracle business and provides for us in ways far beyond what we can ask or imagine. So I am trusting and making plans in faith that the funds will come.

My mom and I both love the Food Channel, and lately had an obsession with "Cupcake Wars" and baking gourmet cupcakes! So we came up with fundraiser to help raise money for the trip called "Cupcakes On a Mission"! We are offering a different flavor cupcake each week....which friends can order in exchange for a donation of $12 for a dozen or $6 for a half dozen.
The flavors we're doing are...

Jan.31–Feb.5
Mexican Hot Chocolate - chocolate cake with a kick of spice topped with a mound of cinnamon buttercream and a dusting of cocoa

Feb.7-12
Carrot Cake - dense moist carrot cake studded with walnuts and pineapple, topped with a decadent cream cheese frosting

Feb.14-19
Chocolate Mint - rich devils food cake filled with chocolate mint cream and frosted with a mound of smooth pink peppermint buttercream

Feb.21-26
Chocolate Peanut Butter - moist chocolate cake filled with peanut butter cream, dipped in silky chocolate ganache and topped with a swirl of peanut butter frosting

Feb.28 –Mar.5

Pumpkin - moist pumpkin spice cupcake topped with out-of-this-world maple cream cheese frosting

Mar. 7- 12

Boston Cream - golden sponge cake filled with smooth vanilla cream and double-dipped in dark chocolate ganache

Mar.21 -26

Chocolate Chip Cannoli - vanilla cupcake filled with chocolate chip-ricotta cannoli filling and topped with sweetened whipped cream and chocolate curls

Mar. 28 – Apr.2

Mocha Cappuccino - mocha chocolate chip cake topped with a coffee meringue buttercream

Apr. 4 -9

Sweet Coconut - moist coconut cake topped with a mound of vanilla buttercream sprinkled with more coconut

Apr. 11 -16

Strawberry Lemonade - tart lemon cake with chunks of fresh strawberries topped with a swirl of sweet strawberry buttercream

Where you lead me...I will follow.

For the last 4 years I have had a growing desire and heart for international missions. After four years of trusting God, waiting for his perfect timing, he's finally given me the opportunity to go on a missions trip this summer. So please pray with me as I start this journey to travel in August, to UGANDA! I'll be going with a non-profit organization friends of ours started called Ten Eighteen. They had been doing some awesome things in Uganda over the last couple of years. The main purpose of this trip we will be running a sports camp for the street kids in the slums of Kampala. I am so excited that I'll be able to use something I love (basketball and volleyball) to serve God in Uganda! how awesome!
We're at the beginning stages of preparing...so please pray with me with as I start raising support to reach the $3,000 needed. I know God is faithful, and if this trip is His will He will provide in ways I can't even imagine.

looking back...

2010 was such a packed year full of lessons, miracles, struggles, blessings, stress, and laughter. It was nothing like I thought it was going to be...but I wouldn't of changed one thing. God taught me so much this year through everything, I feel like I've just grown so much. God's plan is always so much better then your own, even when you can't see how at the time. I'm so blessed to be able serve such an awesome God and I can't wait to see what he has in store for 2011.


A couple highlights of 2010..

Liberty tournament...HSPN East Coast Varsity Girls Championship runners up

Washinton DC with Emily's family

Prom!

Family camping trip to Mammoth Cave National Park

After 4 years, I finally finished my quilt!

World View Academy Leadership Camp

NCHE Volleyball Varsity Girl State Champions.

Lots of Adventures with some of the most amazing friends God has blessed me with.

holiday overview.

Thanksgiving was wonderful. The whole family was home, there was a lot of yummy food, naps were taken, movies were watched, What more could you ask for?seester, mommy, and me!

the childrenn
the boyss.

We went to Massachussetts to spend Christmas with the family. It Snowed. a lot. and then it snowed a lot again. And then there was more snow. Infact there was so much snow we couldn't get home and had to delay our departure home for a day, and then it took us 17 hours to drive back. I wanted to cry. and then cry again. But Christmas was good! Spent Christmas Eve at my aunt and uncles cafe for the annual Donatelli christmas eve party. This is the Italian side...so lots of deliciouss homemade food. Christmas we spent at my grandmas, went to the movies to see Tron, and ate more food. (We ate a lot on this trip...) Got an Ipod touch! :) Rest of the trip was spent hanging with the cousins, playing video games, watching movies, an intense game of monopoly, and my 13 year old cousin complaining I breath to loud when sleeping. haha she got over it quickly.

New years we went to some friends house to play games, eat food, the big count down, drink sparkling grape juice, and play with sparklers. :)

I love all these holidays...and I kinda sorta not really maybe? want them to be a little more spread out through the year...because all of a sudden it's all over and you have to wait another 365 for them again. and that's dumb.