I'm Engaged!

     So, it happened. The thing that us girls have been waiting for our entire lives. We dream of meeting the right guy...the one that is everything we hoped for and dreamed for and the best we could imagine! We imagine what we will wear, what our hair will look like, where it will be, what he will say, what the ring will look like. what our reaction will be, what his reaction will be...and what everyone else's reaction will be when the "WE'RE ENGAGED!" phone calls start. Well, he proposed! Matthew Davidson proposed to me and I said yes! 


So here's the story: 
     While taking pictures for Christmas cards on November 23, 2010, Matthew proposed to me and made me the happiest girl alive. After taking pictures for an hour (glad that it stopped raining), we ended up by the big Christmas tree in Market Square. We took some pictures and then he suggests that I have some pictures taken by myself. Matthew brings out a wrapped Christmas present to take pictures with in front of the tree. After taking pictures, he takes a step back and says “Brittany, I have a present for you in this box!” I look at him, and start to open the box. As I open the box, I see a pair of TOMS shoes in white, which I love! (side note: I had just given him a pair of new TOMS the Saturday before…its something special for us!) As I continue moving the tissue paper to see the rest of the shoes, I see something written on the shoes. It says “Will You Marry Me?” I wish someone could have transcribed the thoughts going through my head. I was so excited and couldn’t believe it. I looked up and Matthew was pulling my ring out of his back pocket to get down on one knee and ask, “Brittany Duncan, will you marry me?” My response was an excited yell saying …”Yes, yes I will!” I was so excited. Matthew was too. As he was taking my true love waits ring off my finger, he basically threw it on the ground (which I found hilariously ironic) and he put my engagement ring on my finger and made me one of the happiest girls in that moment! The best part was having a photographer there to be able to catch all of it on camera! Looking back through the pictures now you can see the excitement in our eyes and how happy we both are! I absolutely cannot wait to become Mrs. Matthew Davidson on December 31, 2011 :)


Here are some of the awesome pictures I've been ranting about since I started this post! 

 Having fun in the alley way!

 still don't know what was so funny but I LOVE this picture!

 precious!

 I think this was where she said...ok Matthew look at Brittany...and my response was..."and do what?"

 love the umbrellas...I think we snuck a kiss about right there!

 so glad it stopped raining!

 I love this picture...I look so happy looking at him! 

 for future reference in the pictures...we got our pants really wet about right here...

 So glad the umbrella pictures worked out!

 I love what color splash can do!

 Awww

 We look so cute!

 One of my absolute favorites!

 Here begins the story of the proposal...

 He says, "Brittany, i have a present for you inside this box!" me: "Ok..." 

 Opening the box, I see a pair of TOMS which I get really excited about...

 Then I open the box a little more and see something written on the shoes...

 It says "Will you marry me?" Here Matthew begins his proposal!

 pulling out the ring as he finishes his little speech

 down on one knee and everything

 "Brittany Duncan, will you marry me?"

 "YES, YES I WILL!"

 After throwing my true love waits ring on the ground, he puts my engagement ring on my finger! 

 Our first kiss as an engaged couple! 

 Look at him...giving thumbs up to the photographer and her husband!

 could barely keep my hands still from shaking excitement!

 Ok...so how amazing is this picture! I LOVE IT! you can see the smiles on both of our faces

 My TOMS and his TOMS that I bought him just days before!

so the story behind how this picture was taken is quite funny...but it turned out amazing! 

 in the Christmas tree at Market Square 

What can I say...I'm overjoyed to be engaged to the wonderful Matthew Scott Davidson. I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life with him and see what life holds for us! 

PS: There are so many more pictures...so I just picked a few of them...but if you want to see more...you know where to find me! :) 

Fall Fantasy

So, after an interesting start to the school year with about a million things going on in my life, things have finally begun to settle down and feel right again. This semester has proved that it is going to be harder than I expected. My classes are not as easy as I thought...and man are they time consuming. Social life has gone out the window...though I suppose with two jobs, 5 classes, homework, friends and a boyfriend...there's not much time to do much else...including sleep. Yes, I'm aware that it is 11:26 at the current moment and I am still awake for some odd reason despite how much I know I need to sleep! But hey thats the stress of a college kid right? RIGHT?

This semester has been a learning experience for me thus far. I've learned a lot about  myself that I didn't know. For one, I'm a lot stronger than I thought I was. I can handle stress much better than I thought (well up until a certain point). I also learned that I have a breaking point. I found that breaking point this semester for the first time. I hit that breaking point and hit rock bottom in a lot of things: school, work, life, friends, self-confidence. However, after I hit this breaking point, things turned around for the better. I realized that I cannot control what happens in my life and that all things happen for a reason. One of my friends put up on a quote on twitter that absolutely fits perfectly with how I am trying to view things now. He said "How can I have a bad day when I know that God works ALL things together for the good of those who love Him. Romans 8:28" When I saw this, it struck deep down! I was like wow. That  is absolutely true. And very encouraging and heartwarming at the same time. I'm not in control of my life. I don't have to make things work the right way for me. I put my trust and faith in God and he works sovereignly in my life as I am faithful to Him. 

Ok, so the part I really wanted to get to...this past Tuesday, October 26, was mine and my wonderful boyfriend Matthew's nine month anniversary. It's funny, we always get confused because we started to date in January so the month that we're in makes how long we've been dating one month less than that month (so like, since its the 10th month of the year, we've been dating for 9). But thats beside the point. The point is, I have never felt like this about someone in my entire life. I guess you could call it "head over heels, crazy about this guy!" He's wonderful! Of course, we've had our rough patches, but what couple doesn't? They make you stronger and make you appreciate what you have together. I love getting the "good morning beautiful" text messages and the random messages like the one that just went off on my phone that say "I just love you!" They make me smile and tend to make my day. Now, thats enough mushy gushiness for one blog post, so I'll put up some pictures to take your mind off of all that...

Um so...I think I was going to choke the smugness right out of his face on this one! Cute right?

I love black and white pictures! 

Why do we have a random sheet you ask? 

As a backdrop for a movie we played outside the night before...plus it makes a nice background for pictures! :)

I decided to take Matthew to Norris Dam...for some fun time and some fun pictures!

I wanna hold your hand... :)

At the Grist Mill at Norris...this is one of my favorite pictures! 

Heading back to the car after exploring around some....a very fun day of just being us together!

The last thing that is on my mind for this post is....you guessed it...SCHOOL. It's coming to my attention that I am very quickly heading to the point where I need to think about jobs, internships, finding a way to support myself after I graduate from college and am no longer under "mommy and daddy's care." Kind of scary to think about at first...but also ridiculously exciting! I'm finally taking classes that I like (well the HR and Marketing ones at least) and feel like I am heading in a direction that I want to do. Recruiting and Sales is what I am thinking. I have a couple companies in mind to look into internships for this upcoming summer...which I am quite excited about to tell you the truth. 

I feel like my life is finally settling down and beginning to work itself out. It's kind of refreshing after the start to the year, after the past years of college and wondering "What in the world am  I gonna do when I graduate?" I finally feel like life is moving towards figuring out what is going to happen. My life story is being written and I love the way its shaping up. 

Welcome to the Apple Family... :)

It finally happened...

I've joined the wonderful world of Apple Computers with a 13.3 MacBook Pro thanks to my amazing grandparents and my amazing boyfriend! It's basically amazing! Very different from my PC laptop (much slower than this wonderful Mac laptop) There are so many cool things that you can do on a Mac that just aren't possible on a PC. Not to mention...its so much more user friendly than PCs. I am absolutely ecstatic over getting a new computer! I basically ran to the door, knocked my dog out of the way with my foot, and about tackled the delivery guy holding my computer! Quite funny, huh? As my brother said, "Wow Brit! You look like a kid in a candy store...a BIG candy store!" hehe 

I'm still learning how to use the computer...there are still some things that I'm like uh...wait what? But still, I'm a quick learner so I'm not too worried about it! Not to mention, I'm dating an Apple fanatic who works for the Apple Store! So I'm thinking I shall figure everything in due time! 

Ok, well thats all for now...I'm going to go look at the tutorial website www.apple.com/findouthow and learn as much as I can about my new computer!

Wednesday Wonders...

I tried to come up with a 'nifty' title for today's blog...I think I succeeded in coming up with a good title...however, I'm not completely sure if it gives a good insight into the contents of today's writing. Oh well, here it goes!

So, I've officially declared myself addicted to Bones, thanks to Matthew Davidson (and to Amanda for getting me the seasons so I can catch up)! Yes, the show about the forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan aka Bones and the FBI agent Booth! Reasons I like: 1). I wish I could be that smart and figure stuff out like that (but unfortunately...I think you had to be pretty good at chemistry, biology, anatomy, anthropology...all classes that I had no interest in taking or wasn't very good at!) 2) It's so stinkin interesting...how they piece together everything and can figure out exactly what happened. 3). Not gonna lie, Booth most definitely makes the show nice to watch ;) 4.) I sometimes wish I could be as blunt as Brennan is in her daily conversations...though we all know that will never happen! 5) Lastly, its just awesome!

Also, Amanda happened to bring over Gossip Girls one day (Seasons 1&2)...and I'm going to have to say it...I really enjoy it. Its the crazy high school drama that I said I would never, ever want to deal with ever again times like a million! It's an interesting mix of drama, love, malicious and vindictive plots of the characters to get their way, and somehow good trying to prevail over evil. All in all, a good show to watch when you have nothing else going on.

Ok, now for the real wonders of the day!
1. I START SCHOOL IN 21 DAYS! Yes, that is in all caps and yes I'm excited about it. Call me crazy, I know. I'm one of those kids that actually enjoys classes: the routine, the schedule, the learning (not so much the homework...I have a goal this year...do not procrastinate to the last minute and do not get behind on reading!), and my friends that I have been in class with since sophomore year! I miss it! Not to mention, since I am a senior, finally, it has an even better appeal than normal! I'm almost done! I'll be graduating in Decemeber of 2011 from UT! WOOHOO!
2. I made a list of things I need to do before school starts, a list of things I need to do and keep up with while school is in, a list of Goals I have for myself during this semester, and a list of Wants that I would love to have if I can afford it...needless to say...my brain straight up just about exploded from all the things going on! Good thing I deal with being busy and being under pressure well. LOL
3. I have a really good feeling about this school year, a really good one! I think it might actually be the best ever! For multiple reasons...but I just have a feeling its going to be an AWESOME year! Or at least I hope so! No, let's be positive and optomistic...it WILL be an AWESOME year!
4. I've found out...that somehow...no matter how hard I wish that it were possible, MONEY DOES NOT GROW ON TREES! Which is really just a way for me to say...I've really got to learn to save better...I kind of suck at it! (thats on that list of Goals for the semester in case you were wondering!)

Well, thats all I can think of for now to post...its 12:07 and I've got 53 minutes of work left until I get off at 1 to go home, do laundry for the club, pick up my room, eat lunch, watch some Bones, and come back at 4 to work until 7...oh the joys of a working college kid! Hope you all have a happy Wednesday! :)

Dios te Bendiga!

Late Night Thinking...

So...apparently sleep is not going to come to me tonight...for whatever reason. I don't know if its part of the fact my back is sunburned (ok maybe a little more than sunburned...but thats what I get for not wearing sunscreen), or maybe its the fact I had icecream at like 9:30 at night...or that I've been drinking Pepsi (I really should just give up soft drinks), or the fact that my mind is running with a million things that I need to do, should have done, or wondering...should I have done that? Anyways, you get my drift...I'm apparently going to be up for a while so I thought I would write about some things that have been on my mind recently.

First off, my body is beginning to have an "internal alarm clock" that likes to go off every morning around 6:15am or so...which I guess is a good thing...preparing me for the day when sleeping in is going to be a distant memory. However, most of the time...I try to ignore it. At first you wonder why this is a problem. Well to most people, its not. It's a "hey I can sleep for another hour and still be ok." However, for me...not so much. I fight with my body to go back sleep...and by the time I finally do my alarm goes off and I have to get up for work...or if I'm not working...I fight it so well I oversleep the alarm I set and wake up way later than I had planned. Both ways make me more tired than I started with if I would have just woken up wihen my alarm went off in the first place. This brings me to my next point...all of the things I should be doing if I would just get my lazy butt out of bed.

One of the things I seem to have a hard time with is having a daily quiet time with God. I hate to even say that I have a problem with it...but I do. I struggle with this a lot. It has been weighing on my heart that this is something I need to do...but I just can't seem to get motivated to get up and do it. I know that when I get up and start my day off in prayer with the Lord, it sets the tone for the rest of the day. I try to pray in the mornings when I wake up, but its so hard to get a full thought together while I'm still fighitng to actually get out of the bed. I need to be disciplined in doing this. I need to be disciplined in reading God's Word. I should be anxious to get out of bed in the mornings and be desiring to search after God and learn as much as I can about Him. It's not that I dont want to, its just this simple: I am not disciplined enough to do it. That hurts to say it but it is true. And what is worse...it hurts God even more. I sometimes feel like God takes a backseat to whatever is going on in my life. Not that I forget about Him, but that He is not at the forefront of everything I do in life. That is not ok. The realization I just had while typing this brought tears to my eyes. He should be my treasure in life, the one thing I search after more than anything else. I need to bring Him to the forefront of my life and I need to do it now. He is sovereign and in control of my life. Not me.

Second of all, I work at a gym...and never work out. How horrible is that. I can work out for free using some great equipment that when used correctly, can absolutely kick your butt (or at least it does mine). Yet, I find an excuse to not do it. I do paperwork, answer phone calls, make phone calls, make posters for the club, clean, or my favorite excuse "I'll do it later!" As I write this blog, I'm apparently the queen of excuses. Which is really not ok. I need to just suck it up, live with what I have and who I am, and go from there. With the extra time I have in the mornings if I would just get up when my body wakes me up, I could go run/jog/walk around my neighborhood. The big loop in my neighborhood is only a mile...but hey I can work myself up to more and doing it quicker as I get in better shape. In fact, I could get up in the mornings, have my quiet time, go run, take a shower and head to work. That would be the ideal start to my day. I should do this.

There are so many things running through my head right now as I write this. I start my senior year of college in about 7 weeks. Crazy, right? I will be 22 in 4 months (which is 3 years away from 25 which is halfway to 50! AhHHH lol...inside joke hehe) In 2 years, I will be basically responsible for myself...out in the real world...wherever my life's journey takes me...which I know will be exciting.

There are so many what ifs about the future...and that scares me beyond belief. I'm kind of a control freak. I like to know what is going on and how it is going to happen. I don't like to be unsure of things...that worries me. I don't like to be unsure of people...that freaks me out. I am terrified of messing up in what I say or do that I run those I am closest to off. I think that is the first time I've admitted that one outloud. That is probably my biggest insecurity of them all. I'm afraid of losing those I am closest to for something I say or do. And most of the time, it is completely irrational fears that I have. I overanalyze with the best of them and it drives me crazy. I, however, don't know how to stop it. I'm wired this way. I have got to get over that. I can't handle it...it drives me insane.... lol I have to give this worrying about being in control to God. Thats one thing I know. Following Him, I have to give it ALL up to him...not just part of it...all of it...even to my very life. I know that God is sovereign and I know He has an exciting plan for my life. I cannot wait to see what He has in store for me.

Now that I have written a small (ok possibly large novel), I am still not anywhere ready for sleep, but I am going to try and lay down at least. Maybe read some (no wait...that might give me more to think about...which would defeat the purpose)...maybe I'll count sheep to help me fall asleep...but I don't even know if that really works...my thoughts always distract me and I lose count! I must not be doing that right. My brain is still moving a hundred miles a minute. There is so much more I can say...probably should say at some point in life...but I'm going to spare you all this much for today.

Summer Reading...

          One thing I enjoy so much about summer is being able to read just for fun...to be able to pick out a book that interests me and sit down and read it in the free time that I have. It's such a nice break from the normal reading of school where you have to read, take notes, understand, and remember what you read for a quiz that may or may not happen at the next class meeting or for the exam that is creeping up on you ever so slightly as the weeks move on. Summer reading...it's almost like an escape into the world of fiction, romance, literature, non-fiction...really whichever you choose to read...it can be almost as good as traveling to a new place if you allow yourself to get lost in the story in front of you.
          Last night, I completed my first summer read. It was called "Safely Home" by Randy Alcorn. It was 395 pages of a novel that had an awesome true story weaved into it. This was a story about the persecuted church in China, how people change throughout the course of their lives: some relying more and more on God each day, others trying to convince themselves they are fine on their own, about how businesses can look the other way when they can find cheap labor, and about how people learn to stick up for what is good and right in their lives and the lives of other people they care about. It's a book about finding out where you true home is and returning "safely home" to it at the end of your days here on Earth.
     This book really challenged me to think about things a little differently. I am a Christian, I am a follower of Jesus Christ. He is my Savior, my Lord, and my King. I can say that because here in America I have no fear of following Him. We have freedom of religion, where we can choose who we want to follow. Though I know that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). I face no persecution for following in the footsteps of my Lord. I do not have to hide my Bible under the cement floor for fear that if someone found it I could be beaten, thrown in jail, lose everything, or worse, be killed. I do not have to travel at 2am in the morning to hide in the darkness to meet secretly in a house church in order to worship my God. Here in America, we can worship on the street corner if we want. I can walk down the pedestrian walkway at UT and sing my praises to Him if I wanted. Though at some point it can be uncomfortable when someone finds out you are a Christian in say a biology class at a liberal college that believes in evolution...you might even get made fun of or called "unintelligent"...or in the worst case scenario...you may lose a few friends who think that religion is stupid. Other than that....you probably are not going to face anything worse. Certainly nothing like those in say China, Africa and many other places who have the government tell them what to follow and who to follow. The Christians in these areas know the true meaning of "take up your cross and follow me" and like when Jesus told the rich young ruler that in order to follow him he had to give up everything he had, to sell all his treasures, to hate his father and mother and follow him...to trust only in Him...they understand that. I think these amazing people understand that more than I ever will understand that.
          I am a Christian. I love my Lord and Savior with everything I am. I have faced no persecution for being a Christian. I really have never faced any type of persecution at all. After reading this book about the persecuted church and how the characters of this book, the people in China, Ben Fielding (one of the main characters from the US) learn to depend on God for absolutely everything in their lives, even unto the point of asking "Is this the day I die?" because they know it is coming and they are willing to die for their Lord or "Yesu" in Chinese. It is uplifting to see a story like this fold out and realize that there are people living this life at this very moment. As I am sitting here watching TV while I'm off work for the day, typing this blog out on my laptop that is connected to the wireless internet, writing about Christ and what he can do...there are people dying (physically dying) for Him and for their witness to Him. It both encourages and challeneges me to really stand up for my faith, for what I believe in. It makes me want to change how I go about everyday life. I want to be radical for Jesus. To do something crazy for Him. I want people to see a difference in me, and when asked what that difference is...to be able to witness to them about the gospel and saving grace of Jesus Christ.
          Not your typical light summer reading...but a book with a great story, a great message, and a great challenge to Christians. I pray that one day, I too, will be"Safely Home" to be with my Lord and Savior, celebrating and singing praise to the one who gave it all for me! I want to leave you all with a quote from a song sang in the book that has been on my heart since I read it:

"I am willing to take up the cross and go forward,

To follow the apostles down the road of sacrifice.

That tens of thousands of precious souls can be saved,

I am willing to leave all and be a martyr for the Lord.

Wow...

Wow...
I can't figure out exactly where the time has gone. It seems as if the last few years of my life have flown by! I remember walking around UT with my dad a week before classes started in August of 2007 and getting these awful blisters that made having to walk everywhere, at a high rate of speed normally, on campus HORRIBLE. Fast forward, its been 3 years...I no longer get blisters from walking around campus at UT. I can walk up the Hill and only be a little out of breath. I can make it from one side of campus to the other in 15 minutes with no problem with a 35 pound backpack. I no longer get lost walking around the massive campus. I like to hang out in the library, I get more work done there.  I no longer feel like an outsider in a campus of over 26,000 people. It feels natural to be there. I am a senior...finally.

I am a senior. This means that in 3 semesters (yes I am taking an extra semester to graduate), I will no longer be in the comfort of being in school...something that has become my identity over the past oh I don't know...16 years of my life. Crazy as it seems...I actually like school. I like to learn. I like the atmosphere of college. I like meeting new people and learning how to interact with differnet kinds of people on differnet levels. Call me a nerd, call me a dork, call me whatever...but I can't help it! I've always been like that.

For right now, I am taking the summer off! No summer classes! Just working as much as I can to save up for the semester when I can't work as much. The summer is one of my favorite times. Not just because of the weather and the break from school (though that is nice). I like having my friends home from college, having a little bit more time to spend with those friends and family and to make new friendships all while strengthening other friendships that already exist! Summer is a time for new things, exciting things. I can't wait to see what all I can get myself into this summer! Welcome Summer 2010...it's gonna be great! :)

I'll try to keep posting as things come about this summer! Have a great summer everyone! :)