my last first day of school.

today was the last day of my last summer as college kid. w o a h.
it's weird when the moments that feel so far away are right in front of you, ready to be experienced. it feels like a game of hot potato. you wait for it to be your turn, and then once its in your hand you feel like dropping it. so nuts.

this summer has been close to one of the bests.
i spent loads of time with my family, friends and the outdoors.
i learned how to be alone with my thoughts, how to be quiet, and how to be still.
i intensely hunted down the illness i've been dealing with for nearly 6 years and almost have it beat - still healing. praise jesus.
i relished in the small things like feeding my nephews, walking my dog and sipping coffee slowly.
i deepened relationships with good friends, and had real good times doing so.
i again realized how incredible my family is, and what i vital part they play in my life and who i am.
i relied on my own strength and agenda, got burned, got lost, and ran as fast as i could back to God... never fully understanding why i left His side in the first place.
i was a part of the best day of my best friends life and got to cheer her on in her new marriage.
i got to test my skills both in writing and photography, stretched and grew greatly.
i ate good food, i laughed real hard, a drove with my windows down... i enjoyed my life.

i ultimately lived and truly learned. as weird as it sounds to think or type, it was the perfect way to end all my summers. it was good till the l a s t drop.

and now tomorrow is my last first day of school. so weird.
i can't wait to sit on those crusty bleachers with my best girls, perk up my ears to our pres DBC give a rousing charge at convocation, and start my final academic year with full lungs and an open mind.

This day in history...

My little brain works just like clockwork.
This exact day last summer this is what I was thinking, and wouldn't ya know it... 
its exactly what I'm thinking now. Ha, some things really never change.


"6days6days6days6days6days6days.

Crazy.

I'm in the list making stage.

Soon I will be in the frantically gathering and compulsive late night hanging out stage.

Yikes summer, why'd you have to let fall be a big creeper and hijack all our merriment?"


So hilarious.

nephew l o v e time

i got to paparazzi these bad boys for a few hours the other day... and it still wasn't enough.

i could hang with them all day long. such cool cats that just so happen to be related to me.  

and they also happen to be extremely handsome. love it.

dying to see more?

thought so.

>> click here <<

breathe deep

went camping with some great people this past weekend.

it was magical. like a really good, satisfying deep breath.

we went up past Union Creek and all the campsites were full so we just hopped off the side of a logging road and pitched our 11 person tent (which was only probably intended for like 8 people) and proceeded to get down with nature.

being outside, sleeping in the dirt, counting stars, too many scary stories, making morning coffee runs and strolls by the water, napping by the campfire, being serenaded by harmonicas and guitars, breakfast smores, getting paralyzed by the insanely icy cold river, finally skipping rocks successfully, Crater Lake picnic, lots of giggles and nicknames. made my heart melt over and over.

needed it, loved it, will miss it.

pure g o o d n e s s.

tidbits of The Swell Season show. 

it was on tuesday and my soul is still melting. 

ugh, seriously so great.

thanks for the audible bliss. 

until next time my fine musical friends...

f r e a k i n g out.

in just a few short hours i will bask in the musical glory of these two melodious souls...

Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova & Friends - The Swell Season.

CAN

NOT

W A I T.

just makin headlines, nbd.

check it outttt here. and join the local dish site (it's pretty legit)

best. weekend. ever.

no, i'm not exaggerating. 

i think it really was one of the best weekends there ever was.

here are some (not nearly all, but some) reasons why...

the company. 

these girls, among other fine friends MADE the weekend.

so many giggles.

the beach. 

because well... look at it.

the food. happy hour tacos, wedding buffet & endless justifications that calories eaten in love and celebration don't count. 

(which they don't).

my [21st] birthday.

i will never, by choice, have a birthday in america again. 

it's just waaay to relaxing when you're on vacay.

these guys made sure i was a happy girl all day long. 

lots of love & so fun!

oh, and not having to buy a drink all day was pretty sweet too.

the pool. 

three pools. two happy hours. one swim up bar. you do the math.

the dancing. 

jampacked dance floor from start to finish. so quality. 

including dancing the macarena in a fountain and jumping in the ocean. perfect.

the wedding. 

such an act of worship, the Spirit was definitely present.

beautiful, tearjerking, simple and exciting. so great.

and of course, these guys. 

it was such a crazy joy explosion to celebrate these two. 

still can't get over how epically fantastic it was. love you two & again, congratsss!

Mexico has been ruined for me forever because of this weekend. 

I don't think much can top it.

I also don't think I'm gonna get used to no happy hours, no beach, no $5 tacos and fiestaing for a while... 

Yikes. It was suuuuch a good time.

thing[ish] things.

i have been home for nearly two weeks. and i still can't get over the fact that i have been home for nearly two weeks. i was always convinced time moved slower at home but i'm starting to learn that it moves much faster here because i have no schedule to abide by, so time just does whatever the heck it wants.

since i have arrived, and re-nested in dear old meddy, i have been....

-frantically job searching
-enjoying the heck out of my family
-paparazzing my nephews, as per ush.
-watching tv [luxury, such luxury since my tv-less existence at escuela]
-eating lunches with friends
-s l e e p i n g [both too much & not enough]
-crocheting, which there is never time to do
-drowning in the greatness of mccord bbq's
-working on my online class
-getting stuff to my eyeballs with my gramma's insane cuisine
-watching my brovah play softball
-missing my mosaic whittier family
-whipping my bod into summer shape
-taking life slowly, even though it is racing by already

and i cannot wait to...

-go out on ze boat, mmmm.
-find a stinkin j o b
-adventure about being summery
-hang out with dear friends
-turn TWENTY-ONE [pssst, june 18th, a week from yesterday]
-celebrate my beloved shannon tierney's wedding [a week from today]
-drool over the swell season at britt
-drink boba and swim in the nearest body of water until my brain falls out
-soak up my last summer as a college student... bizarre. SO bizarre.

just for funny's sake, here is evidence of hilarious summer adventure #1 with my dearest brooke...

goal: drink wine

problem: don't have a bottle opener

solution: use a drill to crank that sucker out

result: brooke & rachel = 1, cork =0

cheers my friends.

s is for summer

my bones are achey, my eyes are tired but my heart is happy and my mind is resting because it is SUMMER and i am finally HOME.

i love biola and all that i am blessed to do there and the people i get to be surrounded by, but as long as i live i will always love my dear friend oregon.

so far summer is off to a resounding start at the McCord house, as it always is... complete with unveiling/cleaning/repairing the boat for the summer, Sonic limeade/ocean water runs, communal lunches and dinners fully equipped with bevs, constant nephew entertainment and long overdue dosages of delicious family bonding.

oh summer, you are so lovely.
can't wait to catch up with old friends, unpack and start making plans to have adventures.
soon i'll have to start my 3 online classes and find a job... but for a day or two i plan to be blissfully unaware of adulthood and be a summer love child in every way achievable. duh.

p.s.. you may be sick of seeing these boys but i don't care because they make me smile until my face hurts. A N D they are deathly beautiful, proof:

my heart is home & so happy.

i will, i will.

"I must create a system or be enslaved by another mans; 

I will not reason and compare: my business is to create. " 

{william blake}

this is wonderful. pleasing. calming. beautiful. peaceful.

...this also further reinforces my desire to learn to play the banjo 

and run around like a bear-footed gypsy child all summer. 

which i will do... in 3ish weeks.