Un Dia Sin Zapatos

Today 4/8/10 was an event sponsored by TOMS Shoes called, simply

"One Day Without Shoes"

I pledged to go barefoot for the entire day, and I did it! I was grateful for no snow in Laramie today, but I think I would've tried it anyway. I was a little nervous about what my experience would be, and I felt a little silly at first. I knew that it probably wouldn't be well known and publicized in Laramie, but it didn't matter. As the day went on, I stepped on a few rocks, dodged a few pieces of glass, and walked on some pretty cold concrete... But I was barely inconvenienced or discomforted.


Here are a few facts:

• In some developing nations, children must walk for miles to school, clean water and to seek medical help.
• Cuts and sores on feet can lead to serious infection.
• Often, children cannot attend school barefoot.
• In Ethiopia, approximately one million people are suffering from Podoconiosis, a debilitating and disfiguring disease caused by walking barefoot in volcanic soil.
• Podoconiosis is 100% preventable with basic foot hygiene and wearing shoes.

My situation walking on lovely paved roads, sidewalks, and nice soft grass on campus is nothing compared to the situation these people go through everyday. I am saving money to buy a pair of TOMS and do my part to give a child a pair of shoes! If you'd like to do the same please go to www.TOMS.com to learn more!

One Year Ago Today...

I "Asked a Mormon" :)

Six Months Later...












Six Months From Now :)

"Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass..."
-Alma 37:6

Fresh Start Part Deux

Graduation from Good old Western! Got to sing with some of my best girls and got my Associate of Arts and Associate of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre :) Sorry I don't have very good pictures

After going back to graduate from WWCC I returned to Laramie for 3 weeks of Summer Session. I took a required health class and a super fun Meaning in Art class. I got to go in to the studio for 3 hours every day, jam out to good music, and create FUN art (It was all geared for Elementary school teachers, so we did easy weaving projects, Japanese fish prints, went outside on nice days when it wasn't raining and explored all of the sculptures in Prexy's Pasture. It was a blast!)




(Yes, it is legal to climb and play on the statues! My professor totally took these pics!)

My 3 weeks in Laramie for the summer were a lot of fun, but I couldn't wait to get home again so the REAL fun could begin! Here's a whirlwind view of the first part of summer! It all started with an epic trip to the LAKE with good friends!


Some of us creating our first album cover for when we become a band :) Or something...
Me and my good friend Taylor feeling artistic :)
It isn't really warm enough to swim in the Gorge in June, but we always had great bonfires!

I think Seussical came next... Summer Theatre For Youth is something I've been passionate about since I was 14, and I still can't get enough of it! We had 75 brilliant kids turn out for Seussical: The Musical Jr. and it was a BLAST! I loved every minute of it! I got to Associate Music Direct and do some publicity and just loved it! Here's a few random snaps from the show!

Some of my cute Jungle of Nool animals posing at rehearsals! Love these girls!
Horton sitting on his egg, and the Sour Kangaroo and Baby Kangaroo!
In case you all were wondering...I'm still just a kid at heart! Me with the high school group. I've grown up with a few of these kids (They were the "Little kids" when the program just started!) They've been so fun to get to know over the years and to watch them grow and progress into amazing performers and fantastic people!
Being silly with the HS kids during the cast party on closing night!

That's all for now! This has been a pretty long blog anyway. Love!

Fresh Start. part 1

Well, you caught me... I'm a horrible blogger! HORRIBLE! I forgot I even had a blog until I started following some other blogs (which you should check out...Which I will shamelessly plug in a minute!) and wanting to comment on things and realizing that I had an account. I'm an idiot... What can I say!?

Well, I looked and it has been just over a year since I last posted (haha... SOMEDAY I will get the hang of this...SOMEDAY!)

Since I last wrote... The following have happened:

I met COACH BOONE! (aka Denzel Washington in "Remember the Titans"!) He was so cool!

I turned 21 and did exactly what I wanted which was to spend some time with my family at Western and watched "Aida". They surprised me with a birthday cake at their cast party! Cute little things!

AND...

Made some killer awesome friends in Laramie (Yes... Two of them are wearing Nametags... More later!)

Layout!

Y'all I am super excited b/c I just learned how to do layouts on here and mine is now cute. Hooray! I hope everyone has a wonderful Valentines Day :D Yay! Love to you all!

Sorry this post is boring...but whatever. I also have no idea how to put pictures in my posts which makes my blog extra boring. Haha. I'll work on that :)

Mercies New.

Wow. God is awesome. That is all I can say... Check this out!

Lamentations 3:21-23

"This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope.

Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,Because His compassions fail not.

They are new every morning; Great is Thy faithfulness."

So this verse is in pretty much one of my favorite hymns EVER- Great is Thy Faithfulness
I know most of us know it, but I just wanted to put the lyrics here because they are so beautiful, and I realized today that I have wanted to find and learn the verse for quite some time.

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;

There is no shadow of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;

As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see.

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,

Sun, moon and stars in their courses above

Join with all nature in manifold witness

To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth

Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,

Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

One of my favorite versions of this hymn is by Selah, and you can listen to it/watch it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJHao_5N9d8

So I found it and have really been reflecting on it. This verse/song is a huge part of my testimony, and it never ceases to ASTOUND me that God continues to be faithful to such a sinner as I. Every single day he provides me with multiple miracles-allowing me to live, and breathe, keeping me from danger or getting lost (a constant fear of mine), letting me do things that I love, providing for my needs even before I realize them. He is so Awesome!

Anyway... I just needed to remind myself of that. God Bless You!

Twice In One Week!?! Gasp!

Yes. I am blogging. Haha. I love the word blogging.

I feel like I should be sitting on a leapord print chaise lounge at Starbucks wearing dark eye makeup and a wardrobe entirely purchased from Urban Outfitters (Ya know...Like some trendy winterish boots, funky colored tights, and a sweater dress of some sort, with coordinating winter accessories in colors like cranberry and olive, topped off with a funky hat and dark glasses), sipping a Double Soy Latte and typing on my chic little mac book while snow flurries outside.

But...Alas. I am laying in my extra long twin bed under 3 heavy blankets, with a heating pad and my door wide open, hoping that a little of the warmth from the industrial Space Heater we use to heat our home will find its way into my cozy little bedroom :)
My attire is obnoxiously purple pants with the words MUSTANGS written across the leg, and a gray WWCC T Shirt to match. This isn't some sort of political statement, and wasn't important for the blog. Just helping to give a better feeling of my "blogging" surroundings. (I love that pretty much only Emily P. reads this. haha) Outside my window snow continues to softly and tenderly fall in huge fluffy Christmas card flakes from the sky.

This weekend was really fun and I thought I would document it and show that, like my last post had hoped, "things ARE looking up". Friday I slept in after the despair of the night before. The much needed sleep and laziness did my body good. When I finally awoke I took my time getting ready for the day and even straightened my hair. Stacey and I had a date to a progressive dinner sponsored by Chi Alpha (A Christian group on campus, not a Sorority). It was a lot of fun, good food, and I met some great people. Good stuff all around. Then I went home, chatted with my roommates over fresh baked cookies, Erin and I watched "Countdown to the Crown" and then went to bed.

Saturday I slept in again (Laziest weekend in quite some time), and my morning (or...early afternoon rather) was spent with making mashed potatos and gravy & laundry. Cassi suggested a little Miss America party, so I went to Wal Mart to get stuff to make brownies. While in the car I belted like crazy (I take every opportunity of solitude I can get to sing my heart out. My roommates and I are getting comfortable with one another...but not THAT comfortable yet.) I even ventured to cruise around some of the surrounding neighborhood to savor that alone time, and slowly make myself comfortable driving in my surroundings. (i HATE driving.) When I returned home Erin had just curled her hair with hot rollers, but then calmed it down so it looked natural and pretty. Cassi wanted Erin to put HER hair in hot rollers sometime, just for fun, and Erin got very excited about the prospect of making Cassi a "Rodeo Queen". So the Miss America event planned for the evening also turned into roommate bonding evening with the three of us curling our hair and taking pictures and eating way too much junk food, and best of all mine and Erin's Miss Indiana WINNING! Holler!

Now I know this story was pretty long and fairly pointless, but it makes me happy because I felt like I have now truly bonded with my roommates. Things are getting easier and less awkward around the house, and I feel like I'm truly getting to know them. It's nice.

Today was lovely and lazy yet again. I joined Stace at the Assembly of God church she attends for morning worship and just loved it. I'm definitely going again sometime. Afterwards we met some of her friends at McAlisters (the delicious deli in Laramie. So Good. Any of you who ever come to visit, I will take you there! Besides good food and SWEET TEA, there is a particular guy who works there who is Southern and adorable... Score!) Later in the afternoon Kayla came over and we watched our mutual guilty pleasure...The Lizzie McGuire Movie. Haha. Oh Gordo! How I love him so! Then I basically wasted away in the land of The Food Network and TLC, and watched the whole saga of Joshua Duggar's (The oldest child on 18 Kids and Counting) engagement and wedding (2 hours in all) not once...but TWICE. (I had to watch and comment on the replay when Cassi got home and watched it. More bonding.) Oh geez. I am pathetic. But hey, New Episode of Jon & Kate Plus 8 Tomorrow...They're moving in to the new house! :) So... Yes, I actually do school work once in awhile here at SCHOOL...but a lazy wonderful weekend like the one I just had is sometimes greatly appreciated.

God Bless.
<3 Emily Brooke.