Riding4aReason

Tomorrow at 12:00 midnight my dad will set off on his bike from Atlantic Beach, NC to San Diego, CA. Why 12:00 am? Because he is trying to set a record of riding this distance in 10 days or less and the clock starts at 12:00. More importantly, he is trying to raise money for the Boys and Girls Club along the way. He will ride 18 hours a day, totaling about 300 miles a day, all to bring awareness to the underprivileged kids across the country that need our help the most. He rode from NC to Key West, FL and from NC to Canada and raised over $100,000. He has a passion for these kids and believes that without the Boys and Girls Clubs, they don't have a fair shot at success like the rest of us. The B&G Clubs are keeping these kids off the streets after school and helping them complete their homework. The Clubs are a support system for them when they may not have this at home.

My dad's journey can be tracked live on www.riding4areason.org and you can see where he is all throughout his trip! If you feel compelled to donate, this can also be done from the website! Also, they have created an Instagram: riding4areason.

I am asking for prayers for my dad, as this task is very dangerous. Not only is it going to be incredibly hard on his body but he will be riding right beside cars, avoiding dogs that chase him, and riding 1/3 of the time in complete darkness. Please pray for his safety and health!

"My mind and my body may grow weak, but God is my strength; He is all I ever need." -Psalm 73:26

4 years

4 years ago Garrett Winston Davis asked me to be his girlfriend. I still remember exactly what he said. He seemed so nervous while we were watching tv then he finally said, "I really like you, and I think you really like me? We have so much fun together. Would you like to officially be my girlfriend?" It was so adorable. 4 years later we are preparing to become husband and wife.

People always ask me if I knew right away that he was "the one". The truth is, I HOPED he was the one, but I felt like I didn't deserve him. He was the most good looking, respectful, thoughtful guy I had ever met. Usually these characteristics don't go together ;) After our first date I called my mom and told her how hott and amazing he was and that I was sure he would never call me again. Two minutes after hanging the phone up he asked me out on date #2. It all seemed too good to be true. Thankfully, it wasn't.

Garrett takes such good care of me, respects me, treats me like a princess, and gets excited over the smallest things with me. We truly are best friends. I could hang out with just him every day for the rest of my life and be content. I am so thankful God chose him for me. And I pray that I never take that for granted. Here's to 100+ more.

The first picture we ever took together

Visiting him in Cape Cod while he spend the summer there playing baseball

Confession

Confession: I am 100% type-A, overachiever, perfectionist. In PA school this is both good and bad. This personality is good for making sure all my work gets done, that I am on time, and that I am organized. My planner looks like a work of art, no joke. Everything is color-coded, checked off, etc. However, this is bad because with 6 tests in one week, it is physically impossible to complete everything 100%. I do NOT like leaving things incomplete. But with 6 tests, you never have enough time to completely learn all the material. I admit that I am not used to making "bad" grades. In undergrad, I would study hard and I was rewarded with good grades. Now, I study hard and get average or below-average grades. IT SUCKS. But it is teaching me to be content with not being perfect. Though I am just average here, I am happy with my small victories and I am relying on God and not myself to carry me through.

The past 2 weeks have been SO busy. Between getting into school mode and trying to pick out stuff for the house, I have been crazy busy. Garrett came to town Friday so we could get a bunch of appointments packed into one day then we headed to the beach for the last weekend of the summer (tear). This makes me super sad and super excited at the same time. Last beach weekend of the summer= fall is around the corner= wedding is SO CLOSE. Speaking of wedding, there are so many small things that pop into my head during class that I tell myself I need to do for the wedding, but there is never enough time. You see, I go to class 8-5, go straight home and give my brain a break to workout, eat dinner, then study until bed and wake up and do it alllllll over. Where is the time for wedding planning? There isn't any. However, there is a [semi] light at the end of the tunnel. Next week I have 6 exams so IF I survive that week, I will be able to do some wedding stuff the following week.

Bella's 2nd birthday was last week so we had a birthday party for her at the beach. Yes, she is a dog. But she is our furry baby and we love her so much. She loved her pup-cake and all her new toys, but didn't like the birthday hat I made her wear so I could snap her annual birthday pic.

Hope everyone is having a great week!

Xoxo,
O

Our cute little house is coming along!

Happy birthday Bella boo! I love you!