Where does the time go?

This is the puppy that my brother Josh brought home what seems like just yesterday some days, and this is him just the other day.

I still can't believe at how big our little Ranger is getting to be, and what joy and happiness he brings to our lives. He is an awesome dog and doing well with his training too!

I know it's been a while but.....

This girl has a good excuse for being away, that and she has been lazy and procrastinated updating her blog for too long, cause my friends need to know what's happening in my life right now!

As of June 23rd which is coming like a freight train, my boyfriend, Ryan and I will have been going out for 6 months, wow! That is awesome to us and we are continuing to bring happiness everyday to our relationship and to each other. We have been able to see each other at LCC where we both attend school, and on the weekends as well. I still can't believe that 6 months is almost come already but think it's great and love it.

LCC continues to bring new adventures for me everyday, and the latest is, I"M DONE! With my GAIT classes anyways, and have finals and it will be official. As of 2:00 today, Wednesday, May 6th, I completed all my classes and didn't push it with anything. I have graduation next Thursday, May 17th, where I will be walking with my class, then full degree in December. It has been a trying semester as I deal with my headaches and the annoyance of the degree of the pain it brings everyday, but they had been good overall, and everyone close to me has been so supportive of me this semester and my time in the GAIT department at LCC as well.

Summer is in the air as I start right back at it close to a week after I end finals I start the summer semester at LCC taking a math class, and blk and white photography with a film SLR camera which my awesome cousins have so graciously allowed me to borrow as I take this class. Sadly though I will not be able to travel back to Wheaton, IL to visit my brother and sister-in-law this summer with my family due to class restraints. I will however be really looking forward to seeing them at Christmas time with they fly down to see us.

Will and Meghan are enjoying life last time I checked in Wheaton as he is going for his doctoral degree in physiology and Meghan teaches. They both have busy schedules and enjoy married life. Josh is working still for DEPS and has his puppy Ranger who is getting bigger all the time and hyper by the day. Ranger continues to bring joy into our lives and is a sweet puppy dog. And the most recent excitement in our family, Tori, the baby of the family finally got her permit! She is very excited and loves driving and had some interstate experience over LCC's Spring Break.

So, to conclude, I want to apologize for having lacked my blog in awhile and hope this update finds everyone doing well, healthy, and happy. Love to all, and God bless each and everyone! More to come about Graduation at LCC.

Meet Ranger!

Meet Ranger,

the newest addition to the Haynes crew! My brother Josh brought him home Saturday afternoon and he is the sweetest little thing. As many of you know and saw on here, our beloved Spot of 11 years died that Monday before, so Ranger has brought much laughter, and happiness to our lives. Ranger is a Yellow Lab, and is destined to be a hunting dog someday.

Spot, an amazing dog.

As I sit here and type this, my awesome dog of close to 11 years Spot, is lying out on our porch dying. It is sad for us all, but we also are very happy to see him getting out of pain. Spot was found to have lymphoma cancer. He has taken it all very well and up until the last few days, has done well for the most part getting around on his own. Today, mom had to get up the steps, and a little while ago he got up, to the door, and back down and could make it back to his house. He is now in the comfort of blankets, and thank God it isn't really cold out there tonight.

As I reflect on all the great times Spot has given us I also think to my cousins dog Buffet that was put down a few weeks ago. So there is a lot of sadness as our animals in our families are getting old and dying. Then I also think about the young, our cat Chloe, my aunts dog Jackson, etc. They are all in there prime and we have many years to enjoy them. Well friends, that's enough for now, but tomorrow looks to be an awesome day, my boyfriend Ryan is coming to church with me, then hanging out with me the rest of the day as we do fun stuff here at the Haynes homestead and then go to a friends house for a Superbowl party.

Well Well Well, yeh it's me

Well friends, I have been a slacker lately when it comes to my blog and I apologize for that. But just a brief of whats been going on since you last heard from me, things are going good so far in the semester with school. I am enjoying the work and having a good semester with all my classes so far. I am also dating an amazing guy now who also goes to school at LCC so I get to see him a lot during the week which is awesome. Church life is good but hectic. Seems like everywhere I turn around got something going on, but love it still as usual. I have a Math class on Wednesday nights so can't attend then but it's all good.

Things with my head have been bad lately or have gotten bad but I figured out I was on my computer too often and that wasn't working so I am trying to wing off of being on it do much. It's working though. Wel friends, more to come later, take care, and as always God bless.

Merry Christmas!!

Just wanted to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas is to me the proper way to wish everyone the seasons greetings. For it shows the real reason for Christmas, which is Christ the Lord, who came to earth as a baby boy many years ago, to the little town of Bethlehem, where he was born in a manger cause there was no room for them in the inn. What an amazing story it is, but we mustn't forget that Jesus wasn't just a baby in a manger, he grew up, and died on the cross to pay the sins of every single person born on earth. That means that he paid for your sins and mine too. This CHRISTmas season, remember that he did all that so that you might have eternal life through him, and live with him forever in Heaven, instead of a place known as Hell. Merry CHRISTmas to one and all.

From my family to yours,

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,

Hillary

Christmas time is here!

Well friends, it's over, finals, school, projects, and tests are all over with until January! I am so thankful for all that God has done for me over this year and as it comes to a close, it has been a awesome year with friends, family and laughter to go around.

Over the past week I have fought through stress, tests, and finals to get through final exams at LCC and be done, and I can honestly say, it was all worth it. I am so happy to finally be done and have a much deserved break, see family, and enjoy time with friends with plenty laughter to go around. Just some updates for you all who want to know what's going on in my life and those close to me.

The newly weds Will and Meghan Haynes are living in Wheaton, IL and are doing great. They are getting plenty of snow as we can tell and have heard, and are happy. Meghan is teaching at Wheaton Christian Grammar School where God is blessing her there, and Will is on his way with classes to getting his doctoral degree. They are flying in from NJ the day after Christmas and we are meeting them in Raleigh on our way to Asheville to visit family for a few days. We are also making time to visit with our Greensboro crew as well during that trip.

Things are going great with the family here at the Haynes homestead as dad continues to work hard and mom and Tori work on school work still at home on a daily basis. Josh works for DEPS where he installs alarm systems and the like, and is enjoying it. All in all everyone is doing great!

Tori and I are still members of Neuse Baptist Church or NBC as we like to call it and are very active and busy there. This past Sunday we performed our Christmas Cantata 4 times that day, 3 at the church and one at a local nursing home. All through the month of December we have fun things going on to celebrate the season. We are still active in the choir, Tori is very active in the youth group at NBC, and I am active at the time in the kids activities like: nursery, Mission Friends, Team Kid, etc. We have a lot going on and are also in the process of raising money to move church locations. All in all things are going great at NBC for all who go there.

A lot has been going on and much to share, here is just a glimpse of what's been going on with my family and friends over the last few months. More to come later on in the life of HillaryC.

NBC had it's Fall Festival to raise money for an

upcoming youth trip on Saturday November 22nd.

Tori and I went to see 2 of our favorite Bands on:

Friday December 12th for the 1st time in Greensboro, NC.

My Aunt and Uncle came down to have Thanksgivin with us.

They also brought their dog Jackson with them.

Josh has been killing many deer this season,

we have more. than we know what to do with.

the amazing things in life.

I am finding as I am getting into a good rhythm of homework, school, and reading God's work daily that my life is going along great! I keep thinking that even when I get frustrated, it's all good and life is great. think it's amazing how I do my verse of the week and what those verses really mean, homework gets done, reports are getting done no matter how frustrating they can be and really, it's life.

All the little things are all life, including school, tests, mid-terms, and finals, not to mention, reports. I just wanted to share what God has been showing me these days, and please continue to pray for me as I march strongly towards the day of battle in finals, and my busy, busy, busy weekend that week between final days. More to come when it can over the next 3 weeks or so. Love you all, take care, and God bless.

Bible Verse for the week!

Tonight just now as I was reading my scriptures for the day, I came accross this verse and it shouted out to me because it is in one of the songs we are singing in our church's Christmas Cantata that is in less than a month.

It is Matthew chapter 4 verse 16 and says this:
"the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of shadow of death a light had dawned."

What an amazement it is that that song is one of my favorites from the Cantata and yet I read it in scripture tonight as I meditated on the song earlier at choir practice. What a mighty God we serve.

It's coming!!! It's coming!!!

Well friends, as I get into the busy end of the semester stage of getting things done before it ends in a month from this Thursday or Monday. I just wanted to let you all know that even though you probably won't hear from me if any at all, please be in prayer for me as I get into the stages of finals once again at LCC. I love you all and hope to write to you more as Thanksgiving nears. Take care and I will be talking withyou later on.