the best one yet

it's no secret that fall is my favorite season. in my opinion, all things wonderful happen during the fall...

football season

my birthday

changing leaves

fire pits and s'mores

volleyball season

cooler weather

pumpkin waffles

boots and sweaters
the yummiest scented candles

...just to name a few. living in florida for the last two "falls" of my life was taxing to say the least. i missed a lot of my favorites because fall in florida translates to "milder summer." some love it. i just wasn't one of them. i made up for it as best i could with trips to asheville, branson, and denver but trips are temporary. i'm happy to report that fall (and its wardrobe) is back in my regular rotation now. and hopefully forever if i have my way.

this may just be my favorite fall yet. why? because i got to spend it in all of my favorite places with many of my favorite people...

:: asheville ::

waddells + harts

:: branson ::

 
jackie + jenny

april

jane + lindsay + mallory

shayla

lauren

:: chapel hill ::

heather

gracie

i just don't think it can get any better than this, but i'm hoping it does. grin.

bekah

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

supposed to be

image credit

every time i visit branson (aka "Btown" or "hillbilly vegas"), i question my decision-making skills. that little ozark mountain town casts a spell on me and i wonder how i ever managed to leave in the first place. in case you don't remember, it was gut-wrenchingly hard. but i usually snap out of the spell and i'm overwhelmed with gratitude that the Lord allowed me to stumble upon kanakuk and branson to become a local for 3 years. it's a special place for me. always a home.

i just got back from 5 days in missouri and i've returned to eastern standard time a much nicer person. i feel encouraged, refreshed, and like i can finally see a break in the clouds. grin. getting face time with some of my dearest friends and friends turned family is always a treat. i'm nothing short of amazed at how our relationships continue to thrive despite the 1000 mile separation.

[side note: i'm praying that God sees fit to give us the new earth now and rearrange the US geography to place MO next to NC. you've been warned.]

as i caught myself in that spell of wondering how i could ever have left in the first place, i was reminded of the truth that God has me right where He wants me for a reason. my time with kanakuk was a short season, but it was a tremendous blessing with a lifelong impact.

my high school english teacher asked us one simple question every day. i didn't recognize the wisdom in it at the time and typically rolled my eyes when she asked it, but now i just smile when i think of her. mrs. goffin would faithfully ask, "is there anywhere else you would rather be?" (like i said, i rolled my eyes. what high schooler wants to be in english class??) now, however, i realize she was helping foster an attitude of contentment with where the Lord has me in each season of life.

so, while there are days i wish i'd never left branson, i know i'm where i'm supposed to be. that town will always feel like home. i will always go back to visit my friends turned family there. part of my heart remains in the ozarks and always will, but i know i'm exactly where i need to be. and, in that, i rest with anticipation.

bekah

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

weary but so worth it

to say i'm weary is an understatement. i've kept the skies hoppin' lately with my nonstop travel. seriously. my suitcase has been in a weekly cycle of pack-unpack-repack for 2 months now. i'm all for a good road trip (more like flights when you live in florida), but it eventually takes its toll on you. don't get me wrong though, the airline miles & points are completely worth the chaos. not to mention, the fun people on the receiving end of my trips make the chaos completely worth it.

all that to say, and for the sake of not falling too far behind on here, i'm taking the lazy route and giving you a photo recap of my trip to b-town last weekend. i hate saying goodbye and boarding the plane to leave branson, and i have been sick to my stomach (literally) the last two times i left. these friends are family and i just can't get enough. grateful is a gross understatement for how i feel.

rollercoasters with april before the SDC "run to the lights" 5k.

mary beth was my kamper back in the day. now she's doing the tute and becoming a branson local. i'm old.

post-race with tanya. we survived. and the hot chocolate was worth it.

throwin' deuces with shay shay and tanya.

my 15 year old best friend. obsessed.

 
baby shay shay is no longer a baby.

andy's with some branson faves. obvi.

boone girls are my long lost sisters. love them!

trish the dish is beyond words unbelievable. still learning so much from you, friend!

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

nashville meets vegas for old folks...and a little bit more

if you've been around me long enough, you've heard me refer to branson as...

"nashville meets vegas for old folks"

...and while that's definitely true, there's also a lot that gets missed in that description. like the incredible views of the ozarks and the sunset from my little spot on sunset inn atop mount branson. or the community that rallies to meet needs that haven't even been verbalized yet. the way this community serves each other is unparalleled. it's a special, quirky, little town that stole my heart. forever.

there's something to be said for the safety and familiarity of your biological family. you can be mean, and ugly, and a downright pill, but 15 minutes and an apology later....you know you're still family and you're still loved. because you're family and that's what you do. that's part of sharing your dna. you love the good, the bad, and the really really ugly. and they know the real you. from day one to your current state. they know you. and they love you.

but i also think there's something maybe even slightly more special about friends who become that kind of family too. because they don't have to love that way. that's not the expectation or the norm. instead, they choose to love unconditionally. they see the ugly (and are ever so quick to call me out on it) and then go on loving me just the same. they choose to stand in the trenches with me and choose to fight my battles with me in prayer. not because that's the expectation, but because they've chosen to become my family of friends.

if i've said it once, i've said it a thousand times, my k-world branson fam knows how to speak my love languages better than anyone else on the planet. it takes all of 0.2 seconds into a conversation to feel the warmth, acceptance, love, encouragement, and sharpening take place. it's uncanny. and man, does it make a girl feel like a million bucks!! and it makes me a better person, because i want to look for ways to return the favor. i've learned so much from the men and women in that little ozark town, and i've only begun to scratch the surface on paying my debt of gratitude to each of them.

so in the meantime, as i sit here and bask in my moment of overwhelming gratitude, enjoy some pics from my trip to b-town over labor day.

no trip to branson is complete without some quiet time in the mountains.

devouring andy's with LB and shay after the vb matches. if i had children, they would be my daughters.

proof that my legs are much longer than trish's legs. she graciously loaned me her car all weekend before i could even think to ask. her generosity blows me away.

catching up with dan dan the army man is always a treat.

brunch with my girls. T and LB bring the humor to my life (among many other things).

lunch with my SJVC kiddos. slightly more grown up than when they were 14 and 15. love them!

branson fam: thanks, once again, for welcoming me into your homes, your cars, your lives, and your families. this florida girl aches with every humid breath i take, but i'm grateful for the opportunity to still walk through life with each of you. i'll be back soon because i left my heart and soul with you. my heart can only take so much separation.

bekah

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

september is my favorite

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september is my favorite month for several reasons. and because this is my blog, i'm going to make you read them and pretend to be just as excited as i am. drum roll please...

1.
it's my birthday month!

2.

i'm currently visiting my faves in branson!

3.

i'm doing a reunion weekend in chapel hill with college teammates!

4.

i'm going to an anjelah johnson comedy show in tampa with the parentals!

5.
beth moore simulcast is on the agenda. love her passion for the Word.

i'm looking forward to the month of september like nobody's business. i mean, the only thing that could possibly make the month of september better is if some fall weather [read: cool crisp air and changing leaves] miraculously migrated itself to florida. that would be the creme to my brulee. but since i don't think it will, i'm enjoying a few more weekends by the pool and occasionally by the beach when i'm feeling really adventurous.

bekah

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

from resident to visitor

a line from the book i just finished reading said...

"I realize with a wave of remorse and panic that Andy and I have suddenly, instantly morphed into visitors--tourists--in a city where we once resided."

this, unfortunately, is the story of my life. both Asheville and Branson have become just that for me. vacation destinations with memories of once being home.

yes, part of me will always consider Asheville "home" (i answered a coworker's question in that mindset just the other day actually), but my days of hopping in the car and running errands in this eclectic mountain town every day are done. i enjoy the moments when i'm home, obviously, and i'm tempted to relocate at times, but that's part of growing up and building my own grown up life. i don't get to stay forever. some stay, some go. i'm a go-er. as hard as it is, i'm a go-er.

and Branson is the same way in a different way. no biological family, but pretty darn close when it comes to how much of my heart is invested in the people there. but now i'm a tourist. i can proudly claim the status of a "has been local" though, and you better believe i will. i had my taney county driver's license that was good for local discounts at one point. so can i get an amen?

all that being said, i hope that someday i can say the same about tampa. i don't plan to live in tampa forever. let's be honest, i'm a mountain girl through and through. the beach will never float my boat. i crave the mountains. i crave crisp, cool air. i crave hikes and camping. sand is my enemy. here's to hoping tampa becomes a place full of rich relationships where my heart is fully invested and i can one day look back and say it truly felt like home for a time.

bekah

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

a world away

i looked at the weather today and realized just how far removed i am from a place i call "home"...

old home

new home

Branson, MO....i miss you. i'd love to be wearing a coat today instead of finding myself sweating in jeans because of the humidity. woof.

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

where my heart is (part two)

as promised, there will be lots of pictures on today's post. yesterday, i filled you in on my time at kamp. today is all about my day with the Boone girls and two other special friends.

it all started sunday night when i showed up at casa de Boones and surprised LB, the youngest Boone. shrieking, dancing, jumping, screaming, and all out celebrating took place. cue mushy feelings of knowing how loved and missed i am. next up came surprising Linds (middle Boone). cue spider monkey hug that almost resulted in a football tackle. and last but not least, Mal. homegirl got in late from a wedding and i'm pretty sure thought her eyes were playing tricks on her. SURPRISE!!!! loved it. :)

[for the record, they thought the surprise they were getting was a dog. or some type of electronic awesomeness.]


we basically sat around the kitchen table and in the living room all night gabbing it up like old times. i can't tell you how many nights (and mornings) were spent in that kitchen talking life with Jane and the girls. it felt like i never left. great feeling.

hang time with LB and Linds.

i think i'm loved.

with Mal once she got home.

moving on to monday...the girls and i hit up vista tees for some quality branson tank tops and then headed to springfield. i did lunch with my good friend April and then snagged Andy's with Jenny and little Brody. such a treat. i've missed those women so much!!

after lunch with April. love you so much!!

lunch was delish. can we do that every day?

with Jenny at Andy's. where else would we meet?!

(and yes, my hair is warping because of the extreme heat.)

then, naturally, the girls and i filled our window of time with some shopping at the mall. we found some great deals on jewelry, grabbed cookies and pretzels, and then made the dreaded drive to the airport. boo. i thought about stalling and missing my flight (so did they). it's always hard to say goodbye to the Boone girls. they're like sisters. in fact, the last words i heard before walking through the doors to the airport were, "love you sis!" to which i replied, "love you too!"

ugh. i hate leaving them. we laugh instead of breathing whenever we're together. and we talk life. i love being able to be an influence in their lives. and i pray that it continues to be a positive one.

bekah

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

where my heart is (part one)

love my Shay Shay.

it's no secret that i love kanakuk and all things in the k-world. i struggle to put into words how huge an impact it has had in my life, especially the past five years. i wouldn't own my faith and convictions the way i do. i wouldn't have such a solid core of men and women surrounding me to challenge and encourage me regularly. i wouldn't have such a strong desire to serve and disciple others. the k-world has changed me forever. and i'm better because of it.

i love surprises. especially when they involve people and unexpected visits.

that being said, i snuck out to missouri this past weekend to visit my kanakuk family at their various kamps. it was almost impossible to contain my excitement building up to this trip. i cracked a few times and posted vague tweets about being so excited i could hardly stand it. so, when friday night hit, i made myself go into social media hiding. no tweets. no facebook. i was so close and i didn't want to let the secret out. i was also afraid someone would somehow be able to see my location and know that i was tweeting/facebooking from MO instead of FL. it's possible, i just don't know how. somewhat creepy, i might add.

my time at kamp this weekend was absolutely perfect in every way. i was able to see every single person i wanted to see and get great quality conversations with each of them. that might not sound like much, but in the kamp world of chaos and too many things going on at once, it's quite the accomplishment. i firmly believe that the Lord was orchestrating each conversation's timing. i'm still not sure how i was able to get all those conversations squeezed in, so thanks Lord for making it seem effortless.

i walked away from my 30 hours at kamp with a full heart. it was refreshing to be able to be myself. here in tampa, i'm still meeting new people and getting to know the ones i've met, so i'm still in that "hello, my name is..." phase of not quite being fully able to let my guard down and be real with folks. i dislike this phase of new relationships, but there's no way to avoid it. thus, it was beyond wonderful to be back with people who truly know me and allow me to be real. my conversations were brutally honest, encouraging, uplifting, sharpening, completely ridiculous, filled with laughter and even a few tears. not by me, though i did feel my heart rip out a few times.

[if we're being really honest, i had a few pep talks with myself about how blessed i am to be in tampa and how i know this is the right place for me now despite my strong desire to still be in missouri.]

tomorrow's post will have lots of pics as i recap my day in branson/springfield with the Boone girls and my springfield buddies. seriously, i am one blessed girl. i miss my missouri fam like it's my job and i'm so grateful for those friendships and the fact that they are strong enough to withstand 1,000 miles of separation and still be just as strong.

stay tuned for recap part two tomorrow...

bekah

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

what i miss

so, even though i'm quickly falling in like with Tampa, i still have moments of crazily missing the quirky little town of Branson and everything it represents to me. enjoy the picture journey of just a few of the reasons i find my mind wandering back to the Ozarks. i loved my phase of life in Btown and i can't wait to go back and visit.

working alongside Traci was never boring or mundane. she's going to kill me for putting this picture up, but it's totally worth it.

visits from Chief in my office. he's a troublemaker, but he's a cutie and a keeper!!

speaking of cuties, i loved when Mathias came for visits. he's a Tar Heel in the making!!

cheesy photo ops that were completely normal. abnormally large rocking chair? of course we need a pic!

playing and working alongside April and her team. both an honor and a joy. LOVE LOVE LOVE her!!

Branson High School Volleyball. the reason i stuck around Btown in the first place. conversations with these three on the bench mid-match are forever etched in my memory.

doing daily life with these two was a privilege. talk about two godly young women who passionately pursue the Lord. they truly get it more than i ever did in high school! not to mention, i don't think i've ever laughed that hard and that consistently in my entire life. what's not to love?? 

never a dull moment when you spend your weekends with crazy 15 year olds like these two knuckleheads. 

these nine girls gave me a glimpse into motherhood. i would do absolutely anything for them and i don't think it's possible to be any more proud of who they are as individuals and how hard they worked to become better volleyball players. i gave them my heart and they stole it. i'm not asking to get it back any time soon.

Trish and Shay are two phenomenal friends. i have never felt so unconditionally loved in my entire life than by these two incredible women. i adore them.

* * * * 

if i was a crier, now would be the time where i tell you that i need to go grab the kleenex and take a moment before i continue. but i'm not, which shouldn't come as a surprise to any of you. but i am sitting here in my new home in tampa with a heart that's absolutely bursting with love and joy and memories coupled with a deep ache to see each one of these people right now. obviously that's not possible unless one of you knows how to master the art of teleportation.


i'm glad i like Tampa so much already, or else i think i might be overwhelmed by feelings of homesickness or loneliness or the desire to pack up and move back. thankfully, that's not the case, but i do long for the return of my fabulous Bransonites into my daily life. and when i say "Bransonites," i'm including my loves in Ozark, Springfield, etc. so, who's up for a beach trip?? seriously.


much love to my Bransonites. you have captured my heart forever.


bekah


live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.

branson missouri

it's not every day you can claim a top 10 vacation destination as home. turns out my little town of branson is just that. who knew? seriously, before you start doubting me, look at this list from the travel channel.

now, i don't know about you, but i'd love to call several of the other nine places home. especially paris, london, or rome.  stamp that passport. yes, please! but, before i go daydreaming of making my home abroad, let me share with you some of my personal branson faves. from a local if you will...

1. Tanger outlet malls. dangerous for the budget, but so fabulous!
2. Andy's frozen custard. i joined the yum squad.
3. SIX. a cappella awesomeness. best show. hands down. don't argue with me. go see it.
4. discounts everywhere just for being a local
5. Bleu Olive. best hummus i've ever tasted. fabulous mediterranean cuisine.
6. Danna's BBQ. pulled pork nachos. hold the jalepenos. it's worth every calorie.
7. Grand Country's indoor putt putt
8. Silver Dollar City especially at christmastime. best hot cocoa ever. you can sip while you ride the train.
9. hourly fire and fountain show at the Landing
10. Dixie Stampede. just sit high enough to avoid dirt or horse hair landing in your food. no thank you.
11. Whitewater. keep your eyes peeled for mullets and one-pieces with ruffles.
12. my run route from Alexander Park, down the Landing boardwalk, past the round-about, and ending in Stockstill Park. do a 180 and repeat in reverse order.
13. Tijuana Willie's. arguably as good as Chipotle. i love that they say, "have a willie nice day" when you leave.
14. White River Fish House chocolate chip cookie skillet dessert. insanely good!
15. Japanese Kitchen. hole in the wall, but the best chicken fried rice i've ever had
16. wander through the booths at Cadwell's downtown flea market. crazy good finds
17. Vintage Paris coffee and wine shop. very charming and, surprisingly, they have great paninis!
18. Big Cedar Lodge. what can you not love about Big Cedar? i especially love when Clay is entertaining with his country charm in the Buzzard Bar.
19. Branson Ridge Winery. local is always the best. harmonie & sweet blossom are my two personal faves
20. the IMAX and Elite Cinema III with 3D. yes, please!! i'm a sucker for 3D or IMAX any day of the week.
21. and it goes without saying that Table Rock Lake is also a staple in the area. that's just a no brainer. lake. sunshine. duh!

hope you enjoyed my list of branson faves. i'm contemplating lists for a few other cities that are near and dear to my heart, but you'll just have to wait and see.

bekah

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.