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my weekend in pictures:

This is my bestest friend from high school! She is such a doll and we had an awesome weekend together. It made me

miss home a lot and jus hanging with her and talking with her- so thankful for our time together.

Crazy girls:) 

Hanging out with these girls from high school was so much fun. It is SO refreshing to see girls from high school who don't care who you were then but want to get to know you right now. I love people like that and have had to say bye to friends in the past who expect me to be the same I was in high school- and I'm not about that life and don't want to be. 

I also spent some really special time with my daddy this weekend. My momma was out of town and he made my sis and I breakfast both mornings and made me and Emily dinner one night. He just spends so much time making us feel loved and I appreciate it so much!! 

This is sweetie Peyton! His mommy is so sweet and I am so thankful for time to hang out and talk this week. I got to see what she's doing with her life! She showed me her new garden and it's so cool! We don't see each other enough because I'm running like crazy between Des Moines and Kearney and she has a family of her own now, but when we do get to catch up it is so perfect.  

This weekend really made me appreciate what I have at 'home' and how Kearney will always be my home. It's the place I grew up, fell in love, and met some amazing people. It will always have that special place in my heart. 

The struggle

'I don't want real life.' 

'I like the college life style.'

'I am not ready to move on.'

I hear these phrases all the time and for the most part I would say I don't agree with them. Which causes an internal battle and a struggle for me. I really like my college life and my group of friends here, but I so badly want to move on with life- but this weekend God really clarified that for me and it made so much more sense!  

So here is what he told me-

 'when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.'

So this makes complete sense! Moving on with my life has nothing to do with being 'over' what I have here at Drake University- it has to do with the fact that half of my heart lies in Missouri and that is where this all comes together. I want the rest of my life and post college life and yearn for it so bad because that means one thing- 

SEE YA LONG DISTANCE and hello to my handsome man!  

This made me feel so much better and shine some light on my mixed feelings about everything right now. Jesus always knows when to step in at the right time and I just love him! 

So long story short- I am so over long distance and ready to start my life with my man, and am so thankful for my time at school and how much it has helped me as a person and really strengthened Conrad and I's relationship. 

Just a short 200 days away- with many weekend trips to watch 14 play some ball in the fall! 

Told ya I was excited! 

Memorial Day weekend :)

This weekend was so much fun,

very refreshing, and not long enough- as usual. 

Saturday was such a fun day! 

I started it off shopping with my sister and the best Maid of honor there is. We went to Target, JcPenneys, and Tj Maxx in search of possible engagement shoot outfits. I was really looking for a fabulous high low dress. I found exactly what I was looking for! 

See this beauty?! It looks even better on, I love how the bottom is see through. Now close your eyes and picture this in a beautiful field next to a handsome man. Yep, had to buy it. It made me feel romantic and that's exactly what I was going for. 

We got a few other items including a new eye shadow palette that I am obsessed with!

I think it is made for hazel eyes and since I have hazel/green eyes and since there was silver AND purple I knew it was a must! 

Saturday night Conrad and I went to a FABULOUS wedding to celebrate the love of two very amazing people and I have to say I left the wedding feeling inspired to become a better person. The couple's love was undeniable and so apparent throughout the night and their friends spoke so highly of them and the love they show others. Jesus was shining through them. 

It was so fun to have a special night with this man, since time together is always so limited. Then we finished off our weekend together Sunday morning with a fun engagement shoot at the high school football field and a local waterfall. It was cool to journey back for a few hours and I can't wait to see the pictures that come!

I spent the rest of the weekend with my sweet sister. 

We spent the majority of the weekend convincing people we weren't crying, that in fact our allergies were beating us up. I hate how far apart we are and this weekend just made our relationship so much stronger. I love the fact that after a few rough 'sister fighting' years, we get along so much better and both cherish what we have. 

 

Weekend in a nutshell

As you can probably tell by now I LOVE writing lists! So here is my weekend in a little list:) 

Weekend fun included:

-- Surprising my best friend and bridesmaid Lynn at her house when she arrived home after becoming ENGAGED! Jason proposed to my sweetie Friday night and I was so happy to be included in the night and see how surprised she was. :) It was also because I got to spend that night with BM Emo and I don't get to see her enough. 

-- Attending 3 grad parties all for people who are dear and near to my heart. two cousins and a family friend. 

-- Spending a lot of time with family. Got to hang out with my sweet little niece Finley Joy, which is awesome. 

-- Unpacking a bunch of clothes that I don't need at school this summer and next semester. Always love feeling organized and everything in the right place. ( I think I'm a hoarder)

-- Getting lunch with high school best friend and bridesmaid Em. I just love spending time with her and laughing. 

-- Hanging out with my sweet little sister. I hate going to school so far away from her but I love how far or friendship has come and how close we have become. Plus she taught me how to rock a sock bun. 

Wondering where my better half was? He spent the weekend in Illinois at his best man's graduation party.

This weekend was so awesome and I can't wait to go home this upcoming weekend too for some festivities including a wedding and our first set of engagement pictures! 

 

 

Engagement Inspiration!

Even though Conrad and I got engaged in November, we haven't taken Engagement pictures yet. We were going to do some over Christmas break, but decided we would like to do them in the summer instead. Especially since we are having a winter wedding. 

So the dates are rapidly approaching. 

We are doing two shoots, with the first one starting in our home town. And the next one we are letting the photographer choose!

 Below are some pictures I have found and want to use as inspiration for our shoots.

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/550x/21/74/c2/2174c2f6ca7255c411d624c9cc06f123.jpg

http://media-cache-ak1.pinimg.com/550x/ba/f9/b2/baf9b2347905d0607929114fc5a15b5e.jpg

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THESE! 

Football has been a big part of our relationship and therefore we are taking some pictures on our hometown football field. 

I love these on the bridge. We will be taking pictures on a bridge after our ceremony, so maybe some engagement pictures there would be cute also!

This picture was taken back in 2007, the year we started dating. I absolutely love it and love how much we have changed since this. DEF want to recreate this.

This is just a little bit of inspiration I have found and you can find more on my Pinterest "SMILE" board:

http://pinterest.com/samantha19/smile/

xo

Summer plans x2

When one door closes, another door opens and I am so thankful the door to SUMMER has been opened! See ya snow! 

This summer you will find me:

Coaching- I am the assistant coach for the 9th grade softball team at Ankeny High School in Iowa! I am so so excited for this opportunity! I love seeing younger girls play this game and have the passion for the game. I am so blessed to have an awesome head coach with me, who has also played college softball. I am half way done with my first week and love it already, and don't mind the tan skin either :). I can't wait for games to start- already next week! 

Nannying- I have been a nanny for the same family since last August and I LOVE it! I currently watch a 9 month old and almost 2 year old! When I watch them on Friday nights I also have a 4 year old! I am so thankful for this family and love seeing the parents love each other and love their kids. I definitely see God shine through them. So glad I get to stay with them until I graduate from Drake! 

Tutoring- I just recently got a job where I will be tutoring a little boy heading into first grade. I will mainly focus on reading and writing! I am always looking for tutoring jobs. They are easy to find, easy to plan, and easy to tutor since I have had four years of education on how to do so! 

I will also be spending as much time possible with family and friends back home:) I already have a wedding, baby shower, and wedding reception that I get to attend! 

This summer you will find Conrad:

Working out- Conrad is getting ready for his last football season this coming fall! For those of you from home, he plays at William Jewell this year!!! He is spending a lot of his summer training and getting in awesome shape to prepare for season. 

Working- He is also working Monday- Friday on the fix it crew at Truman with his football teammates!

Training- Conrad is training a local eighth grade boy. He is the first QB client for Alliance! Conrad helps him with his football skills, nutrition, and helping him to be a man who knows and loves God. 

Camp- He is also making a trip to Illinois in July to put on a camp for Alliance with Jack!  It will be for kids in the Aurora, IL  area and they are partnering with a local homeless shelter there. This is an awesome kick off to the great things to come from these two men and Alliance Sports Performance. 

HAPPY SUMMER! 

Retired.

Okay- so maybe the title was a little dramatic. But you have come to my blog, so dramatic is what you will receive! 

(Warning- emotional talk ahead!) 

I am not sure if I will be able to put my feelings into words, but here's to trying.

This weekend marked my last weekend of playing softball. 

(For those of you that say I can play slow pitch- that doesn't help and I don't want to.)

It has been an emotional roller coaster, these past 15 years. A roller coaster that I would ride over and over again if I had the chance. 

This poem describes it perfectly. Softball is a huge gift and blessing from God. He has definitely shown me talent I never thought I had in me. He has shown me success and plenty of failure. He has used softball to develop my character and help me grow as a person. He has given me everlasting friends. Friends that I never would have found without this game.

Softball has been my passion and my love for the past 15 years and it will never go away. People say it's time to move on and it has been a blessing. And they're right. It has been, but I will never be able to move on from this sport. The love I have for it is immense and it won't go away and it won't fade. I know that from talking with previous teammates. The love stays the same, and that is something that makes my heart so happy. I know I will never lace up my cleats, slip that glove on my hand, and slide into second base again. and that breaks my heart. but knowing I can teach girls what this game is all about makes me smile. I want girls to know that this sport is a game of failure. and it will let you down a million times over. I want them to know you won't remember your batting average, your strikeouts, or your errors. You won't remember the number of hits you had, how many girls you threw out, or what your record was each season.

What you will remember is the feeling you get when you run onto the field. You'll remember when your cleat hits the grass and you look into a sky full of clouds. You will remember the tears and laughter with your teammates who become family. You will remember the long bus trips and the everlasting memories. These are the things I will miss. I will miss more than anything being a part of a team. Feeling so close to a group or girls and relying on them and loving them through thick and thin. I won't find anything else like it. This sport will give you memories you will never forget, with friends that will always have a place in your heart. 

I can no longer say I play softball for Drake University. But what I can say is I played for Drake University and that is so damn cool. I am leaving this program with my head held high and my heart completely full. I am beyond blessed with my opportunities and blessings that have come my way. I have had my fair share of hardships, but I know they were a part of His plan and it all ends up well. I am so thankful for the friendships I have made and the experiences I have shared with the girls. 

So thank you softball, for all you have taught me. 

This isn't a bye, but a see you soon.  

--Whats next? Stay tuned!

Bri.

After Conrad and I strut down the aisle we will pack up our bags, enjoy a honeymoon, and then move our new life to the wonderful state of Illinois. This has been a hard concept for my to grasp, just leaving my family, but I am SO excited to start my own family with Conrad. (no, not kids yet! just us two) There is no better way to do that then by moving to a state and starting an adventure together.

Nothing eases my heart more than knowing I already have a friend there. Her name is Brianna:) She dates Conrad's business partner, Jack! I just think so highly of Jack and I knew his girlfriend would be awesome, but I had no idea how awesome.

She is dramatic, just like me. She loves The Lord, just like me. She is a nanny, just like me. We love our men. Love our jobs. Love nights in with movies and junk food. and I can't wait to be in Illinois with her!!! She already makes my heart happy and adds so much to my life and I am so thankful for how fast our friendship has progressed, and I know God's hand was in on it all.

KEL!

I don't even know where to begin with Kelli. She gets me like no one else does in this world. Even Conrad! Conrad can support me even when he doesn't understand my tactics, but Kelli understands why I do what I do and is all for it! I had the pleasure of living with Kelli sophomore year of college and it was so interesting. We had some of the best times of my life and since them we have become amazing friends. We both love working out and have a passion for teaching. We like bad food and love laughing.


Kelli is getting ready to follow her dreams and move to Colorado. She has a teaching job there that starts next school year and I am so proud of her! It seems crazy that we are ready to move into the real world but she inspires me by how she is chasing her dreams. I can't wait to visit this sweetie and see what her new life has in store, and I'm so glad that even though she is moving we will always stay friends.  

lynn:)

Have you ever been placed in a situation where you just need your friend so bad? This happens frequently with Lindsey for me. She has so many character traits that I don't have and that I need in my life, and I'm thankful that I can have them through her.

She is rational, calm, cool, and collected. All of which i am not. She is so much fun and down to earth. I love what she adds to my life and definitely need her to stick around. We have been friends since freshman year and have lived together for two years now. I have had the pleasure of watching her fall in love and it has been so amazing! She has done long distance for so long and to see her and J's relationship thrive through all of that is such an inspiration. I am so glad I have had her by my side through softball considering we have been through a lot of the same things. She is a blessing to be around.
I am thankful for my Lynn! I am def gonna enjoy her rational and purposeful thoughts on my wedding day!

Macie:)

And the award for the most improved friendship goes to----
Macie and Sam!

Coming into freshman year, Macie and I didn't hit it off. But one beautiful summer and a glorious week and a half spent in the taco stand with this beauty was all this friendship needed and the rest is history. But for real- Macie needed someone to help work in her family's taco shop. I volunteered. We both were nervous heading into that weekend and I know neither one of us expected it to bring us together like it did. I am SO thankful for those brutal eleven days in the hot as hell taco stand.
Macie is so important to me I can't even put it into words. She is always there to listen to me and support me. We get each other, especially when it comes to softball. I wouldn't have been able to do it without her. So thankful for a crazy person like her to have in my life. I love our sleepovers and our talks in the outfield. They are memories I will cherish forever.
I am so glad this girl will be by my side on my wedding day!

EMO!

You are about to meet my friend EMO! Her real name is Erin, but it freaks me out when people call her that. I was so blessed to spend 3 years of my college softball experience with her right by my side and even more blessed that we have stayed in touch since she graduated and moved back to Illinois.
I don't know what I would do without my wonderful friend. If we go a day without talking it freaks me out!

What I love about Emo:
- She is so sweet and caring.
- We have the same hobbies. We both love softball and crafting!
- She has put in so much effort to stay in touch with me and it's meant the world to me.


I cannot wait to move to Illinois in hopes that this sweetie pie will be there also! I love her so so much and I'm so thankful she is my best friend!