You know what I love? I love autumn weather. I absolutely love everything about. Cooler weather, jeans, college football, and beautiful rich colors. For those of you who really know me, you know that I also love photography, so today I decided to combine those elements with something, well someone, else that I love: Kyle. Yes, I guess that I am somewhat cruel. I asked nicely (and begged with brownies) and I convinced Kyle to "dress up" and pulled out my dad's tripod and we took some photos. I didn't really didn't get my "fall colors," but I think that we got some good photos today.

Here are some of my favorites from the day. Enjoy!



P.S. If you are a senior and would like some portraits taken, I would LOVE to photograph you!

Blessings

It has been a while since I have had the time to sit down and write about non-school related things. Even now, I do not necessarily have to time to do this, but alas I am choosing to. The past month has definitely been busy, but I don't know how to live any other way.

This week has honestly not been the best. Midterms have started and that meant a final for my 8 week psychology class. Piles of additional school work and I have just been feeling lousy due to medications and whatnot. Then I have been really missing my dad and my best friend, James this week. My daddy's birthday is this following week and this will be my first October without the unconditional love and support from my very best friend. But, instead of this "negative" ideas, I am going to tell you about how I am blessed.

- I know that my God loves me and that is enough.
- I have a wonderful, loving family that is there to support me during school.
- I am truly blessed to go to school where I can stay at home for a few extra years and have more time to spend with my momma.
- I have a boyfriend who loves me through everything. Absolutely everything.
- God blessed me with a wonderful dad that taught me valuable things, such as: how to bait a hook, develop photographs, to memorize your driver's license #, how NOT to cook pasta, and how laughter is involved in love.
- I have the two greatest big brother who are always there to help me. Whether it is with how to correct a paper or trying to figure how to make a guy not like me (though we never found a definite answer).
- I have a lovely sister who isn't afraid to laugh at me, tell me when I do not match, and that loving records all of my blonde moments.
- I have drinkable water at all times.
- God blessed me seemingly over much with a Proverbs 17:17 & Proverbs 27:17 friendship in one. He sent me the very best friend that I could ever imagine having: James Eunice. James was there for me in a very dark time in my life and demonstrated God's grace.
- I know that I will get to see my daddy and James again and I get to experience the majesty of Christ with them.
- I am blessed to have medicine to help me when I sick.

I could continue about on and on... I will admit that life has definitely not been easy, but I still love my life and I'll always appreciate everything in the past that made it be. I know that He has a plan.

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end." - Ecclesiastes 3:11

Happy Birthday, Daddy.

A little bit of Africa

One month ago today, I was caught up in the chaos of buses, airports, and luggage. Including running back through security, because I forgot something on the bus. Thankfully I have a loving boyfriend who ran from the bus, through the airport to deliver me from my forgetfulness. After one last look of home for two weeks, I and the team of ten (eleven, including me) started off on our roughly forty-two hour journey to Botswana. Four planes, five screaming children, brownies made with love, a beautiful sunset from a new perspective, movies, Mugg & Bean, sleeping in front of the ticket desk, and lots of laughter. All of this is a privilege, just to be the arm's of Christ to love His children.


While writing this all I can think about is the children and their joy. They are truly filled with such joy. No matter how many pictures of their radiant, smiling faces I could take to show you, I do not think you can wholly understand the level their joy. I wish I could share the experience with everyone I came into contact with, because of the effect that it has on your heart. To see the joy and feel it radiate from the children that we think we should feel sorry for. The commercials in-between your favorite late night talk show, tell you the truth. These children may not have shoes, running water, or clothing that fits them. They definitely do not have the cutest purse or headband, and we want to pity them all because we live in a society that tends to base happiness on what new gadget we have. We should want to help, and actually help, it is almost difficult for me to feel "sorry," because of the joy I will ever experience. But, saying that in that manner leaves a bitter taste, because I hurt for each of them. For they have experienced pain far greater than I could ever imagine.


I do not know why God has placed these people and children on my heart in the way He has. There is not a day that passes that I do not pray for them. Since my first trip in 2009, I have prayed for two special little girls named, Neo & Mpho. Now I have more faces that race around my mind through out the day. I would never trade anything for these experiences that God has allowed in my life. For teaching me that these children are real and for letting them teach me.

Late Night Ramblings

I hate change. I really do. I really just hate change.

For those of you who have known me for any period of time, you might be thinking to yourself, "Wait, how can Tregea hate change?" As you are thinking of that, pictures of all the different colors of my hair are creating a little slide show in your head. I know that it is a little ironic that I, who loathes change, do tend to change things about me fairly regularly. I guess that a better way to put it, is that I do not like change that I cannot control.

When I honestly think about it, I have several reasons I do not like change. Change and I have have been friends who are at opposite ends of the fighting ring. I cannot say who is winning; I just know that I am definitely learning. Anyways, for the sake of this blog I will only be talking about a few of the reasons that I am at odds with this topic.

In this past week the majority of my friends have left to go back to school. That is including a lot of my friends who attended school with me this previous year. I wish them all the best. I wonder if and what I am missing out on by staying in my home town for the first two years of my college career. I keep thinking about a popular Ralph Emerson quote, in which he says,

"For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else."

If you understand what he is saying, (which really isn't that difficult) then you can understand part of my frustration. I thoroughly enjoy staying at USC Sumter and having a low-key first half of my undergraduate and that I am saving money. I love that I get to enjoy the comfort of my home for a couple more years. I love that I can still stay up late with my momma and watch George Lopez or The Golden Girls with her. I love that I get to have good sweet tea every morning. Especially after events that flipped my world, I am so thankful for the gift of home. But, I still stop myself thinking about what I might be giving up for this wonderful luxury. Is this where I need to be? Or am I here just because I am afraid of change?

I guess my entire post could be summed into, I do not like change, I think entirely too much late at night and tend to get off topic. As you can see in my favorite quotes, I have Ecclesiastes 3:11 listed. This verse is very comforting to the restless, ever changing soul, so I will leave you with Ecclesiastes 3:11-13.

¹¹ Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. ¹² So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. ¹³ And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.

Hello, Blogging World!

Awhh... Take a screen shot, because this is my first blog.

I'm am starting this blog so that I might share pieces of my life with all who might care to listen, well, read. Know that these pieces of my life may come in all varieties: funny, serious, sarcasm, tips & tricks, photos, and shout outs. The first few blogs will, more than likely, be pertaining to my latest trip to Botswana, Africa. Just so you all might have a heads up.

I would like to apologize in advance for my writing style and for the fact that it will probably change from time to time. I wanted to also start this blog as a way to help develop my writing.

I hate to cut this quite short, but I recently went whitewater rafting and cracked a rib. Let's just say that I was caught between a rock and a hard place. Literally. Anyways, due to this adventure I am on medication for pain, which is making me quite drowsy.
Thank you for reading. <3