Most Magical Place

I have always held a strong love for Disney World. There is just something truly magical about this place! From the moment you arrive-from riding the monorail, arriving at Main Street, smelling the popcorn, and then turning the corner to see Cinderella's castle- one can't help but feeling the magic. I have always dreamed of celebrating my birthday at Disney Wold. However, due to the incredibly priced tickets, this has never come a reality...until now.

Thanks to Disney for offering a free ticket to anyone on their birthday, and thanks to Manatee High School's chorus department for providing free tickets for the rest of my family, we spent the day living up the magic and enjoying being together. Not only did I get to enter Disney for FREE, but they also pinned a birthday pin on me. Anytime I past a cast member, he or she greeted me with a smile and a "Happy Birthday, Mallory!" This may be a selfish confession, but I never tired of hearing this. Ha! Birthday advantage also took us to the FastPass line at Space Mountain even though they were out of these shortcut passes. We only waited in line for 15 mins. rather than 2 hours. On top of all this, one of my best friends, Nicole, drove down fron Nashville to be with us on this specia day. It meant so much to have her there. She's been the sister I never had since I was 4 years old.

The day was truly great- riding, laughing, and enjoying being with one another. And then, the best part of the whole day...the parade and fireworks. What a perfect culmination of the day! Despite the most frigid temperatures I've ever felt in Florida, we were captivated by the lights, music, characters, and tricks in the sky. Magic.

It may seem silly or elementary to be so enthralled by an amusement park, but that was just a mere part of the joy for me. I got to spend the day with my family- the ones that I truly love and the ones that truly love me. I enjoyed seeing them smile, hearing them scream on the rides, and watching them enjoy the day just as much as I had fun riding rides.

It was a great day, and an even greater reminder for me to count my blessings. I think it's funny that my dream of being a Disney Birthday Princess didn't come true until I turned 23 (that's right... I'm old!), but I was nevertheless captivated by the day's magic.

Family on the Road

My four years of college at Trevecca Nazarene University were filled with numerous memories that will last a lifetime. It would not be possible to compile all of these memories into a scrapbook or something of the like. However, I hold these memories captive in my mind so that normal, everyday occurances may trigger a memory and cause a smile, or in some cases, an audible laugh to be released. This past summer created countless memories of this kind.

Last summer was my final summer traveling in EverPraise- one of Trevecca's public relations groups. Being a member of such a group involved singing in Nazarene church services and teen camps; traveling with 12 other people crammed into a 15-passenger van for long durations at a time; playing some intense games of poker and phase 10 in hotel lobbies til all hours of the night; tubing down a river weighing-in at a mere 60 degrees for 3 hours, and somehow surviving hypothermia; spending days on the lake in South Carolina water-skiing, tubing, getting tossed around on the water, and then contemplating the seriousness of a concussion; twisting braids in one's hair and never realizing it; almost getting eaten by a huge water snake; being spoiled with some of the most delicious home-cooked food one's ever tasted; playing with African children and then crying when they wanted to go home with you; "owning" a Best`Western hotel in Gainesville; getting stuck in traffic on the interstate for hours, running out of gas so being forced to ride with the windows down, and then pouring rain causing you to roll them back up...again stuck in traffic for hours; singing karaoke in a podunk town Applebee's and being rewarded with free dessert for your whole entourage; jamming to some last minute coffee bar music by your sultry sounding band; rocking teens from around the state of North Carolina during a night of pure, heavenly, music bliss; the Jonas Brothers; mooning each other outside of Chilis; mooning truckers on the interstate; fighting tears while trying not to laugh everytime a pastor prayed "help us to everpraise you"; creating goosebump-growing music with some of the most talented musicians you have ever, and may ever, work with; watching God change lives all across a region; experiencing God's presence in a very real and intimate way; living with, singing with, and growing with 13 of the strangest, funniest, and most talented friends; becoming a family on the road with them; crying when forced to depart; never wanting it to end.

Last summer was the best summer for all of these memories' sake and many, many more. Every time this crazy group of people reunites, the conversation is overtaken by recalling good old times and laughing hysterically at secrets of life on the road. I would not exchange my days as a member of EverPraise for anything in this world. Many of the relationship formed with people across the Southeast Region are still maintained today. But the relationships among EP and the Grace Notes will last a lifetime.

I love you all!