When I am alone, give me Jesus

I am feeling a lot right now and maybe a post isn't the best solution, but there is so much that I need to say. First, California is absolutely wonderful. I love being here. I had the opportunity to visit Lake Tahoe and the pictures I took do not even begin to do it justice. It was breathtaking. God's creativity and greatness never ceases to amaze me. Being in nature is something that I have loved since I was a little girl. There is something about removing yourself from the real world for a while and sitting in the presence of God. I have never really experienced mountains. I mean I have seen them, and we drive up into them in Honduras, but these mountains are so different. There was snow everywhere and adorable little cabins nestled between the giant trees. I felt like I was living in a fairy tale! I realized that compared to other places, Indiana is super boring. Like we have corn. And Shipshewana is fun, but we don't have beautiful mountains. We have snow, but that is like the most beautiful thing we get in Indiana and half the people hate it. My time here has opened my eyes. I love it.

As my surgery gets closer and closer, my heart gets more anxious. I am so tired of hearing, "Oh another surgery, that's a shock!" or "Man you just really can't wait to have another surgery can you?" I am so tired of these little remarks that are probably made to provide some humor, but they really bother me. I don't have surgeries because I think it is fun. I don't have them because I am bored and decide one day, "Hey, it would be fun to have another surgery! I think I will do that!" This is how God made me, and I don't know why I have needed five surgeries, I don't know why I am in constant pain, and I don't think that I will ever understand the reasoning behind it. I do know that this is in His plan. I have prayed for years asking Him to take away the pain and the dislocations and to heal me, and in all honesty, I think that He is using doctors to heal the dislocations. The pain is another story. For years I have thought: Well when I am better....then I can do this. And recently I have found that this is a lie. I don't know when this pain will end, it may never end and I have let it hold me back for so long that I don't want it to hold me back anymore.  It has been a learning process for me, but I have learned that in my weakness from pain, God is ever present, and ever strong. It is hard to live in that. It is hard to believe it. I know in my head that God is strong, I heard it on Veggietales when I was little, I sing it in worship songs, I read it during devotions, but I think that my heart is just starting to believe it. I constantly remind myself that there will be a day with no more pain.

Now with that being said, I want to talk about joy. Not happiness, joy. I was sitting at home two weeks ago when I realized that I am joyful. Deep down, I have so much joy in my heart. Even during this really hard time. I have never stopped to reflect on joy. When you are in pain, it is easy to focus on the bad and the hurt, it is difficult to focus on the joy. And when I stopped to, I was reminded that the joy of the Lord is my strength. If I let the darkness, and the sadness and at times the anger that all of this brings me overpower me, I couldn't go on. Instead, I have chosen to focus on the joy that is alive in my heart, and I have let that walk me through this. I am not saying that every day is rainbows and butterflies, in fact it is the opposite most days, but I have so much good in my life. It is silly to let the darkness overtake me. I am so blessed. I get to serve some of the greatest high schoolers in the world three times a week. That is a wonderful feeling. I get to fulfill the call that God has given me within this year. I get to move to Honduras and be a missionary which is something I have dreamed about for so long. I get to spend a lot of time with my family, and yes I miss being at college and having that experience, but I am getting a really good education online. There is so much good.

I titled my blog When I am Alone, Give me Jesus because I feel alone a lot. I am missing out on a community of people my own age, I do spend a lot of time by myself, and I also seclude myself because I just feel like people don't always understand me. And I was feeling alone last night, and the song Give me Jesus came to mind. There is no problem that we face where God is not enough. He is always enough. Again, it is something that is hard to believe at times, but in every situation, He is more than enough. And I need that reminder daily. And maybe you have it figured out, and you believe that with your heard 100% not one doubt in your mind. But if you have stuck with this post until the very end, and you need to hear it today, God is enough. He has always been and He will always be more than enough.

Thanks for reading and listening to my heart.

Where Do I Go From Here? Honduras Part 5

This is wrapping it all up, and if you have been reading my posts about this last week, then this shouldn't come as a surprise to you....

I am moving to Honduras!!!! :)

I have no idea what that looks like yet, and I know it will still be a while away, but I decided to listen to the Lord, to pack up my things and GO! It was made overly clear to my several times this week that this is where I need to be. I have talked about doing it off and on, but this time I know that I have to. I am tired of running from my calling, and I think it is time to embrace it.

So here is what is new: I am going to start looking into getting a job at an English speaking school in Honduras. If I need more schooling, I am going to do that, if there is a way I could be there next week, then I would do that. There are still a lot of things that are unknown. Basically all I know is that I need to move there. I don't know anything else. This next semester, I will be in college full time. With a very sad heart, and after a lot of prayer, I decided to quit my job at Trinity :( It was hard to do. I will be doing online classes full time, and looking for a job as a nanny or a housekeeper so I can save up to move.

I have run from my calling several times, and I just can't do it anymore. I am very nervous. I am a planner and I like to know exactly what I am getting myself into before I do it. God was kind of like, "No, I need you to say yes to me right now, and then I will show you what you are doing." So I said yes. This next year, I will work on preparing myself physically and mentally for this. I am going to be taking classes that will begin to prepare me for life overseas. This is saying yes to the Lord. I am not caught up in the emotions from the trip, or making this decision oh a whim. This is after months of the Lord saying, I am going to use you and me finally saying okay, here I am. Please pray for me as I plan for this, and as I receive more information and as plans begin to fall in place. I know God has something big, and I am ready.

Honduras Part 4

6. Thursday
This was a great day too! We went up to a mountain village. We got to see the work that the Humanity and Hope United Foundation had begun (https://www.facebook.com/humanityandhope). And then we got to go down by a river for lunch!! It was so beautiful and you better believe that we all took our shoes off and went into the water and played around. It was super refreshing and awesome. And everyone tried to convince me that there was a crocodile and I was totally believing them. I mean when your translator is saying that there is an animal in the water, you are going to believe her... there were not crocodiles but we did see a dead calf floating in the river. Our translators made sure that it has a proper watery burial. Lunch was fun. Then we got to go to someones home. We divided into 4 groups, took a food box and spend an hour or so with a family in their home. We got to learn about them and play with them and then we were able to give them a food box, and another small gift with household items in it. The bus ride too and from the village was absolutely terrifying and I was freaking out. We were on a narrow road, in a school bus, and on one side was a drop that lead straight into the river. I didn't look at exactly how much room there was between our tires and the edge of the drop off, but I do know that it was less than a foot. Soooo that was fun....
I am glad that we stayed on the road though because Thursday night was awesome! We got to go to Rigo and Gabby Galvez's house for dinner. They are missionaries that our church supports. (http://weunlimited.org/) Rigo is a great man of God and Gabby and her mother our prayer warriors. Four years ago they prayed for me, and reaffirmed my calling. This time, they told me not to worry because everything that I wanted to do for the Lord, He was going to have me do. They told me that He is my strength and that He will be that strength in my weakness. They told me that it was time for me to do what I was supposed to do and that God was going to help me. It was powerful stuff. I really felt God's spirit. I felt renewed and ready to take on my calling. I also got to witness my friends and family being prayed over and receive prophecy. It was a really great night. I decided something major that night.... and I will share that at the end.
I bawled like a baby on Thursday.

7. Friday
We got to go rest and unwind at the beach. All of the young people overtook the back of the bus and we had a music and dance party which was super fun! I also got the privilege of baptizing my cousin, and my very best friend, Kara, in the ocean! It was incredible. I got super sunburned, but it was an amazing day.
When we returned to the hotel, I had to say goodbye to two of our translators. Andrea and Adriel. Andrea lives here in Indiana and goes to my church, that goodbye was not too hard. I knew though that saying goodbye to Adriel was going to be difficult. There are people in your life who you just connect with in a really awesome and sometimes in-explainable way. I really connected with Adriel, this awesome 13 year old who has such a caring heart and a wonderful spirit. It was not a goodbye forever, but rather a "I'll see you soon." That was a really hard and sucky part of the trip. Goodbyes are just hard.
We did get to go to a very large church on Friday night, and that was awesome! They had dancers on the stage in three different places, they had a dancing girls group, and a dancing boys group in the front by the stage, they had a flag twirler and a Shofar. It was awesome! I think it was a small glimpse of what Heaven will be like!
And Friday night, we had a pizza party and a sob fest saying goodbye to another translator. Then I went back to my room and Kara held me so I could cry some more because leaving Honduras is really hard. It is really heartbreaking to leave a place that you love. I didn't feel like I was going to be coming home, I felt like I was leaving home.

8. Saturday
We had to leave on Saturday. I tried to stay. I was a mess on the way to the airport, I just cried. But in my crying, I clearly heard God say, "Charlotte, I am going to use you in Honduras. I will use you and I have plans for you here." I needed to hear that. I think I have known it for a while, but clearly hearing it reminded me that leaving was only temporary and I would be back. I cried even more as we said goodbye to the other translators, and our leader and our bus driver. I cried when I looked over my shoulder from inside the airport and realized that I really had to leave. And I cried as we sat at our gate waiting to board the plane. It was a hard day... but I know that I will be going back soon!

Honduras Part 3

5. Wednesday
This day was powerful! So powerful. I think that Heaven opened up and God was like, "here I am!" We went to one village. We arrived and started playing with the kids and setting up the stage so we could do our songs and skits and then pray over the village. I noticed in this village that there were a lot of men who were around. A lot of times the men will stay towards the back of the crowd, but there were a lot that were mixed in with the women and children.
I thought that this was just going to be like every other village that we went to. It wasn't. It started out that way, and then we experienced something I have never seen before. When we started praying, the Holy Spirit showed up. It was so loud from people praying, there were so many tears. You could feel the presence of the Lord dwelling in that village as Hondurans and gringos prayed with one another. We were all one spirit, all children of God. I got to pray over several woman. That was great, but then I got to pray with one of my team members. That was incredible. We just got to hug, and be amazed at what God was doing. And God was working. He was there, in the crowd. WOW. I can't really find the words to describe what was happening. They really do not even begin to capture or paint a picture of what was taking place. I had tears in my eyes, until an older Honduran woman hugged me and began t pray over me... then I was bawling. I really have no idea why, I just think that I was so overcome by the Holy Spirit. I had never seen something so powerful take place when I was worshiping and praying. I just cried and cried and there were many others on the trip who were crying to. In that village, the pastor's wife asked if she could pray for our team, and she took the microphone and began to pray over us. We went down to Honduras to serve, and in return, we were being ministered to. Wednesday was so powerful, and I just have to leave it at that because my words are not even doing it justice.
We went to a street restaurant for dinner and had a great time taking pictures, and selfies with our translators who we all fell in love with this week.  
I cried on Wednesday.

Honduras Part 2

The purpose of this missions trip is to be Jesus' hands and feet. We get to partner with churches and pastors to distribute clothes, hygiene products, toys, and food to those in the village who need it. We aren't ending world hunger in a day... but to those who receive the food, it does take some of the stress away. They villages we visit are so far away from the city. They don't necessarily have the opportunity of purchasing food. We are able to give that box of food to some of the most grateful people.

I am always amazed at the joy that the Hondurans feel when we are able to hand them something. They are so thankful and so receptive.

3. Monday...
What a day! We got to visit two villages, and they were 2 that I had visited the first time I went. I remembered some of the faces I had seen 4 years ago! That was really cool. I did struggle a lot this day. I was in pain from travel, and I had taken some pain medicine, so I was a little foggy and out of it, but it was a good day! At the first church, I got to bond with one of our translators, Adriel. He is the brother of another translator who actually lives here in the United States and goes to our church. I am very thankful for the time that we got to share. He and I passed out toys together and  the time we got to spend really bonded us for the rest of the week. I also got to witness my beautiful Honduran friends, Andrea and Nataly lead our team. They were the two youngest translators the first time I went, and this year they were our lead translators. It was so great to see how much they have grown. I was so blessed by the way that they lead this week.
I didn't necessarily have a "God moment" at the first church, and that was okay. We all got to pray over the people in that village. I really enjoyed that. And when we were done praying, we got to give a lot of hugs. A LOT. And as we were hugging people this week, they were in return, praying for us. It was beautiful.
In the second village, I prayed over two women in specific. I was just very drawn to them. The one had two little boys with her. As I began to pray for her, she began to weep. I didn't understand her language, and she didn't understand mine. I couldn't ask what she wanted prayer for, so I kinda just went for it. I found myself praying for her family, that God would provide for her needs, that he would open her eyes so she could see him, and his heart so she could feel him, and I prayed for protection. These were the typical things that I would pray for, unless I really felt the Holy Spirit leading me in a different direction. When I was done praying with her, another mother caught my eye. I went over and prayed with her and she too started crying. This time, I hugged her. When we finished praying I hugged her again and she just held me and cried and cried and cried. So I held her and continued to pray for her. When she let go, I asked a translator if she could ask the woman what I could specifically be praying for and the woman said she wanted prayer for her home. And again, I was able to pray for her.
It is humbling. I was overcoming several times watching the passion that the Honduran people have for the Lord. The faith that these people have for the Lord is mind blowing. We don't go down and try to teach them how to be a Christian. I think that I personally realize what it means to be a Christian by watching the people of Honduras.
I cried on Monday.

4. Tuesday
Are you still with me? Tuesday was fun! We went to a village that didn't have a church building. We were in a big clearing next to a soccer field. I really liked this village. There were a lot of kids, and they were just absolutely fun! I got to play the snapping game with several boys. There was this little girl named Franny who just really touched all of our team members hearts. She was so giving and she was serving right along beside us. The village was just a lot of fun. It was really hot, and I think that many of us on the trip had to take small breaks to get out of the  heat and rest. This village was not expecting rain for several months. No rain means no food, so when our leader in Honduras was praying for them, he was praying that God would provide for them. When we hugged the people in the village, it was neat again to have them praying over us. We couldn't understand each other, but God understands us both and that connects us.
Tuesday evening got a little crazy! We were invited by the mayor to come to his town. The town has natural hot springs that we got to swim in. We were at this little resort area. There were two hot spring pools and then another big swimming pool. I got totally stuck in the swimming pool and had to have my dear cousin Kara, and new friend Olivia push me out of the pool which was pretty hilarious. But the funniness didn't stop there. OH NO! There was a news crew that was recording our time at the little resort, and they interviewed the mayor and our team leader. It was pretty great. However, some of us weren't necessarily mindful of where the cameras were at. After swimming, I slipped back into my shorts and a tshirt. After a few minutes, I was like HEY! I forgot to put some deodorant on. So I grabbed two of the girls on my team and I asked them to make a wall for me so I could put some on. I like did it under my shirt and as I was finishing my second armpit, I look up and standing in the corner is the camera man and he has his camera pointing right at me......... SOOOOOOOOOOO some town in Honduras got to watch a loco gringo putting on deodorant while being recorded for the news....

Tuesday night, was major for me. I have felt the call to be a missionary for many, many years. The last few years, my heart has felt very restless. I feel anxious a lot, and I am always searching for something, but I never know what. And Tuesday night, I was just so overcome with a sense of peace. I felt s sense of being Home. For so long, I have felt like I am not where I should be. And Tuesday night it was made clearer to me...

Honduras Part 1

I have been back in the United States for approximately 1 day, 22 hours, 3 minutes and 29 seconds, and let me tell you, I miss Honduras.

I am sure that this comes as no surprise to you as you have probably already read somewhere about my love for Honduras, or you have received a snapchat or a tweet referencing said "Honduras." To you it may seem like no big deal, but to me it has been really hard being back here. There are many reasons why I would rather be in Honduras. Soooooooooo instead of trying to convey over and over the reason I want to be in Honduras, here is a post, explaining my thought process since coming back home.

1. Yes, I did miss things about America while I was on the missions trip. I missed...

• My mom. I really missed my mom. She is often the one who helps me sort out how I am feeling, and I was having a lot of feelings in Honduras and it was hard to not have her there with me. 
• My dog. I missed Lucy a lot. I missed petting her and reading the thoughts in her head in my best "Lucy" voice. 
• Being able to flush TP down the toilet. This is just a cultural thing. See in Honduras, the pipes can't handle tp, so when you use the restroom, you throw the tp in a waste basket. Its not as hard to remember as it sounds, and it doesn't like gross me out or anything, but I grew up flushing tp, so I am glad I can do that again. 
• My Bed... with all 9 of my pillows, my 2 blankets and my giant puffy comforter.  
• My baby....Bubbles, my little car and wonderful companion. 
• My dear friends, Jacob and Joe. Even though I got to text them almost every evening while in Honduras, I missed being able to annoy them constantly with my use of emoji and excessive exclamation points. ;) those guys are pretty great. 
• The wonderful Gorman family. Laughing with Bryan and Michelle, sitting in their basement watching television, swimming with my girls, rocking out with the windows down... it was weird to not see them this week. 
• I only missed Netflix a little bit. Like, hardly at all, but still I kinda wanted to watch Psych all week. 
• Not sweating constantly. In Honduras, I sweat constantly. Here, I don't. I missed that. 
• Jeans. I missed my skinny jeans. and I missed straight hair. I really like my curly hair, but I missed being able to straighten my hair, it is shallow I know. 

Other than that, I really didn't miss a whole lot. I was very content. 

2. What happened Sunday? 

Well, we landed in Honduras on Saturday afternoon. We really did get to relax and settle in before we began a crazy week. Sunday we went to church... WOW! Picture your home church. Churches in Honduras are nothing like that. We went on Sunday morning and Friday evening to a church. I wish I could explain to you how incredible both churches were, but there are really no words to describe them. Everyone sings, everyone claps, or moves when they are singing or has their hands raised or their eyes closed. They know how to pray. They get so passionate about the Lord, its the most incredible thing ever. They are joyful when they go up to give their tithe. They actually get out of their seats and all go up to the front of the church and put their money in. We sang one song, that lasted 30 minutes. Honduran believers don't put a time limit on the Holy Spirit. They just let Him come and do His thing for as long as He wants. Church isn't quiet because people are saying Amen, or praying. There were dancers who were on stage dancing with their whole heart. It was beautiful. It is how I imagine Heaven to be. 

After church on Sunday, we learned a bunch of silly songs to sing in the villages with the kids. And as it is in America, it is in Honduras... I still can't dance, but man oh man did I try! I got to spend time with our leaders beautiful little daughter, she was adorable!

After dancing, we separated all of the give away items we had so that each village would get enough stuff. It was a good day! And yes, I cried on Sunday. 

And now, I will end here, so that I will not lose your interest, but I plan on going through each day. I am still processing it, and I want to be able to write it down so that I can remember. I also want those who gave us donations, or those who prayed for us, to be able to see the impact that Honduras has had. 

Recovery and the Honduras Trip

Oh look, I finally decided to write a post... It's about time (isn't that right Ashenfelters? ;))

So here is a quick update, I am recovering really well. I am in a lot of pain, but my movement and range of motion is really good. I will begin therapy on Thursday of this week, and I feel very ready for that.

I have been spending a lot of time at home, but I have had many friends who have come to visit me, which has kept my spirits up. Today was a busy day with graduation parties and our first HONDURAS meeting!

And as soon as I got home, I just had to write to ask all of my friends to help me out! My dad, my sister and I will be heading to Honduras at the end of July. We have all been at least once before, and we are super excited to be heading back. Our fundraising is going really well, but we still have a ways to go. If you would be interested in donating (tax deductible!!), let me know and I will gladly help you out with that ;)

This post though, is because we really need giveaway items. We will be filling three suitcases (up to 50lbs.) with small items that we can hand out to our new friends in Honduras. If you would be interested in helping us out with that, allow me to tell you what we are looking for...

• huge bags of Dum-Dum suckers
• Beanie Babies or small stuffed animals 
• Hairclips/bows/headbands
• Nail polish 
• Long Balloons (to make balloon animals) 
• Stickers 
• Match box cars 
• Toy Jewelry
• Any other small trinkets 

If you want to donate, we can work it out to pick things up somewhere.


This is a very short, and not very deep post, so I will try to write again. I pray that you are blessed during this week, and that you find much joy and happiness!  

Easter- Isaiah 53

Here is Isaiah 53:

2-6The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling,
    a scrubby plant in a parched field.
There was nothing attractive about him,
    nothing to cause us to take a second look.
He was looked down on and passed over,
    a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand.
One look at him and people turned away.
    We looked down on him, thought he was scum.
But the fact is, it was our pains he carried—
    our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.
We thought he brought it on himself,
    that God was punishing him for his own failures.
But it was our sins that did that to him,
    that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins!
He took the punishment, and that made us whole.
    Through his bruises we get healed.
We’re all like sheep who’ve wandered off and gotten lost.
    We’ve all done our own thing, gone our own way.
And God has piled all our sins, everything we’ve done wrong,
    on him, on him.

7-9 He was beaten, he was tortured,
    but he didn’t say a word.
Like a lamb taken to be slaughtered
    and like a sheep being sheared,
    he took it all in silence.
Justice miscarried, and he was led off—
    and did anyone really know what was happening?
He died without a thought for his own welfare,
    beaten bloody for the sins of my people.
They buried him with the wicked,
    threw him in a grave with a rich man,
Even though he’d never hurt a soul
    or said one word that wasn’t true.

10 Still, it’s what God had in mind all along,
    to crush him with pain.
The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin
    so that he’d see life come from it—life, life, and more life.
    And God’s plan will deeply prosper through him.

11-12 Out of that terrible travail of soul,
    he’ll see that it’s worth it and be glad he did it.
Through what he experienced, my righteous one, my servant,
    will make many “righteous ones,”
    as he himself carries the burden of their sins.
Therefore I’ll reward him extravagantly—
    the best of everything, the highest honors—
Because he looked death in the face and didn’t flinch,
    because he embraced the company of the lowest.
He took on his own shoulders the sin of the many,
    he took up the cause of all the black sheep.

As I was reading this last night, I was overcome by just how much God loves us. I hope as you go throughout your Easter celebration, you remember the sacrifice that Christ mad for us. While we were living in sin, He came and He died for us. He wasn't even just mostly dead, He died. But the wonderful news is that He rose up and He came back to be with us, and now He sits in Heaven, waiting to return and call us into His arms. I am so blessed to be living in His love and grace. There is nothing anyone else can ever do for us that will even begin to the amount of love Christ showed by giving up His life. 

Genesis and Jeremiah

I was reading the story of Noah last night. I am not the best when it comes to spending time in God's word, and I have no idea why. But literally every time I open my Bible, I am immediately reminded of how much God loves us. This "realization" of His love always overwhelms me and I feel so empowered. Anyways, last night as I was reading, I came to the end of Genesis chapter 8 when I read this:   I will never again curse the ground because of the human race, even though everything they think or imagine is bent toward evil from childhood. I will never again destroy all living things. I was overcome with the thought that we have been failing God for years. He created us, even though He knows that we are going to screw things up and in essence, let Him down. He says "Everything we think or imagine is bent toward evil from our childhood" and yet, He still created us, and He still loves us. 

It breaks my heart. I know that there is nothing I could do to make God love me anymore or any less. I know that His grace and is a free gift and He gives forgiveness when we ask for it. But, I cannot help but feel heartbroken over the fact that we let God down so much. We have been doing it since the beginning of time. It is so sad. And as I was reflecting on this, and my feelings towards this verse, another one came to mind. This one is found in Jeremiah 31 and it says: God told them, “I’ve never quit loving you and never will.  Expect love, love, and more love! And so now I’ll start over with you and build you up again. I don't know about you, but I get chills when I read that. God, in all of His perfectness and holiness, will never stop loving us flawed and broken sinners. He loves us so much. I wish that I could convey that to everyone. I wish that there was someway we could understand just a little bit of how much He loves us, but there is no way that we can. I am so thankful that even though my heart is bent towards evil from childhood, God will never quit loving me. I hope that as you read this, you are reminded too of how much He loves you. 

Humuhumunukunukuapuaa and a Woka Woka

Well today I caught myself singing the song humuhumunukunukuapuaa from High School Musical 2 a lot. And I also listened to Woka Woka by Shaikra, so that is the title of my post tonight.

I haven't posted about what is going on in my life in a while, and I could use some therapy so here comes a blog post about what is going on in my life.

What Is Going On In My Life

By: Charlotte Walterhouse 

  I am continuing on in my work at Trinity Lutheran School and I absolutely love it! I find myself getting excited to do crafts with my kids, and I love reading books to them and I love bringing movies for them to watch that I used to watch when I was a little girl. This is how I know I am where I am supposed to be. I don't think that I ever grew out of being a five year old, I just got taller and slightly more fashionable (I sometimes do wish I could mismatch my outfit and wear pink cowgirl boots and tutus and not be judged.) I love being back in the school that I never wanted to leave. I love working with people who were so influential in my life and instrumental in helping me become the follower of Christ that I am today! I have found a wonderful friend in my co-worker Kristen. I also love laughing about high school and life in general with my other co-worker Taylor. I love how imaginative and sweet little kids can be and I will be honest, when they run up and hug my knees, or jump into my arms, or tell me they love me, sometimes it brings tears to my eyes. I am so happy being at Trinity. 

   I am also continuing my education through online classes at Ivy Tech. I have decided on Criminal Justice as a major. People who really know me, know that this major totally make sense for me. And those who don't might get a good laugh out of the thought of me ever being a police officer. Luckily for the universe, I don't want to be out on the streets catching bad guys and yelling at people, I want to work in the Juvenile Justice System. So I am going for my degree. God has given me such a peace about this. I know that He still has plans to use me as a missionary, but missionaries don't always have to live overseas in Africa or Asia. Sometimes they can be right next door to you. 

  

 And while I am on the topic of being a missionary, I have postponed my plans of going to YWAM (Youth With A Mission) for the time being. I still feel led to go, and I will when the time is right. I am continuing to have major problems with my right knee (the one I had 2 surgeries on this summer). Until we find out what will need to be done to fix it, I am postponing my plans of leaving the country.  I am not going to lie and tell you that I am fine, because most days this is not the case. I have no strength to go on anymore and I know that each day it is the Lord who is carrying me through. Knee pain is a weird thing. It is time consuming. The tasks that should be easy to do become very difficult and being in constant pain is frustrating and exhausting. I spend a lot of time in my bed, or on the couch with ice packs on my knees. And just like this summer, being in pain can bring loneliness sometimes. It is hard to get out and do fun things, so you have to relay on people coming to you. I am very blessed to have a wonderful family who do everything they can to make sure that I am comfortable and cared for and I have awesome friends who let me vent whenever I am getting stressed out. 

So that is where I am in life. I am just living it in the best way I can right now! I feel very blessed to be where I am. I know that God has big plans in the future, but until I get there I am content to wait and be patient. Life is a constant time of growing and I know that even in the never ending battle with my knees, God is still growing me! Also, being at home has given me the wonderful opportunity of watching Wheel or Fortune and Jeopardy every night while crocheting, so I definitely have the cool factor going for me ;)

You might be Charlotte if...(Part 2)

This is the second installment of my first post entitled You might be Charlotte if...
There are many things I do that are just silly, stupid of just plane weird. So here are a few more signs that you might be turning into Charlotte...

1. You eat waffles every week... Real homemade waffles, not the frozen ones by Eggo which are a really sad excuse for waffles. Seriously. I could write a whole blog dedicated to how delicious waffles are. The secret is to whip the egg whites a ton until they are super fluffy. That makes the waffles puff up. Also, do not put more than half a cup of batter in the waffle iron no matter how badly you want to. It will spill out and there will be waffle batter caked unto your waffle iron.

2. You average 3 episodes of Psych a week.... Even though you have watched all of them except for the current season and half of season 7. And you are constantly trying to decide who you lie better, Shawn or Gus... but on rare occasions, you really like Lassiter. Also, you love Buzz McNabb because he is the coolest police character ever. And even though you have seen some of the episodes multiple times, you still laugh at every joke because it is still so hilarious to you!

3. You have a crush on a Fish and Game Warden from California because you watch a show called Wild Justice and he is a superhero for saving all those deers and bears. His name is Mike Beals and if you could meet any celebrity, you would want to meet him because he is the coolest Fish and Game Warden ever.

4. You want to be a Fish and Game Warden even though you aren't really stable enough to hike the woods every day and if you ever saw a dead body in the woods you would probably pee your pants and pass out. But, deep down you have a desire to live in and be in nature every day.

5. You spend your weekends crocheting in your bed while watching shows about people in prison on Youtube. The scarfs you make are awesome and you really do enjoy watching shows about jail.

6. At least once a week you walk up to your mom and say, "I finally know what I want to do with my life!" And every time you say this sentence, some different life plan comes out. You also text your two best friends saying you know what you want to do with your life even though you know that they know that you are probably not serious and so they shouldn't take you too seriously at the moment.

7. One time you tried to climb the refrigerator while screaming, I am Spiderman. In your defense though, you had just watched Spiderman and you were really hyper and couldn't control yourself. Also after trying to climb the refrigerator, you stubbed your toe and cried because it hurt so badly.

8. You blast 80's music in your car when the weather is nice because it just puts you in such a wonderful mood! And you spend a lot of time trying to decide what your favorite 80's song is, but realize it is pointless because you love them all.

9. You hear weekly, "You are always getting hurt" or "You are always sick." And sometimes you just feel like telling people to shut up. Because it really isn't your fault. You don't intentionally go looking for injury or germs, they jut have a way of finding you! (Also this may be slightly passive aggressive.)

10. You walk around the house singing songs from Wicked or Frozen and that is basically it. I really don't feel like I need to explain this one, but I am pretty sure that both of my parents could sing Let It Go, For Good, Do You Want To Build A Snowman or Defying Gravity even though they have never heard the actual song but you sing it so frequently that they probably know all the words.

11. You have never dated anyone because you spend a lot of time at Walmart and the men at Walmart aren't really your type. Plus you are probably not their type because you don't wear Native American Wolf shirts with dream catchers on them, you are not squished into your clothing so tight that there is skin falling out, you don't have any full leg or arm tattoos of butterflies or Pooh Bear and you also don't have a hairstyle from the 80's such as a mullet. (I think that butterfly and Pooh Bear tattoos have the potential to be done tastefully).

12. You love driving your little car so much! Seriously, your Beetle makes you insanely happy and it is your dream car even if you will not admit it because it is kind of a lame dream car. It is your dream car because Barbie had a Bug and you wanted to be just like Barbie when  you were a little girl. Also you played with Barbies until you were in 8th grade and sometimes you wish that it was still acceptable to play with Barbies because they are kinda fun sometimes.

13. You made a second list about yourself exposing all of your secrets because you hope that it will make people laugh and provide them with some enjoyment.

Best Friends (Collaboration with My Best Friend!)

I wanted to take some time to make a list of the best best friends. I think it is always important to remember who your number one is, that person who will stand by your side no matter what life throws at you. And to commentate on my list, I have asked my best friend and wonderful cousin! Kara Walterhouse is my twin cousin, she is my best friend and a constant supply of love and laughter. I love her so much! 

1. Kara Walterhouse and Charlotte Walterhouse – DUH! I was going to start with us. We are adorable because you will never find two people who love each other as much as we love each other… (that is a pretty bold statement). We would wear matching clothes when we were younger which is precious. Even though we grew up miles and miles away from each other, when we did live closer we pretty much became inseparable. I get tears in my eyes sometimes thinking of how special this beautiful girl is to me. We graduated high school together, we have been there for each other during the good and the bad and I know that she will always be my number 1. (Sorry future husband and children, Kara is my real soul mate). Best Cousin and Friend ever!

You are the best. I agree with everything you said, and I don’t really have anything to add. Except that you make me laugh all the time and I am really happy that we are twin cousins. If I had to choose a different best friend for myself, I would never be able to find someone as fabulous and amazing as you. 

1.5. The Hoodrats- It had to be 1.5 because Kara and I make up 66% of this group. Just throw in Joe and you have the three coolest friends you will ever meet. We tend to bond over stupid songs, milkshakes, donuts, and Helm water. Even though the hoodrats haven’t hung out in a while, you can be sure that we are still some of the best best friends.

I cannot get a milkshake without that song running through my head. Also I can’t ride in Bubbles without making a reference to that other song. Guys, we drank Helm water and thought it was cool… what is wrong with us? Also we tried to make hanging out at the Helm a thing. Who were we kidding? That is never going to be a thing.

            2. Spongebob and Patrick- yes they are annoying and sometimes the things they do makes me question their friendship, but you have to agree that Spongebob and Patrick are pretty legit friends. They do everything together. They raised that scallop, Patrick helped Spongebob almost past his driving test, Spongebob got Patrick a job at the Crusty Crab… THEY GO TO GLOVE WORLD TOGETHER… They really are wonderful best friends, which is my I included them on this list. 

Plus in the Spongebob movie, they totally save Bikini Bottom together. And they almost die together, and don’t judge me, but the part when they almost die brought tears to my eyes. I that something I should admit for anyone to read? Oh well, I don’t care. They are great BFFs,

  3. Peter Parker and Harry Osborn- Notice how I said Peter and Harry… not Spiderman and the Green Goblin… Harry gives his life for Peter… and honestly this moment in the movie makes me a little bit angry and I also cry like a baby. Harry is misunderstood throughout the whole story, and then he gives his life for Peter. The feels are very real. I love how Harry stands up for Peter in High School. I love that Peter takes care of Harry after he hits his head and loses his memory. Yes their relationship has major issues-Peter killed Harry’s dad, Harry tries to kill Peter several times, Harry steals Mary Jane- but in the end, they are best friends through and through. Also had the two combined their powers at the beginning, they probably would have helped a lot more. We can learn that two superhero’s fighting crime is better than one.

How did I know that this would make the list? Yes, they are great BFFs, besides all of the attempted murder and girlfriend stealing. Here is my problem, when Harry dies it should be a very touching moment, but stupid Tobey Maguire is the ugliest crier on the planet, so I end up cracking up when I should probably be feeling bad that his best friend died. But how can you not laugh at that face?

     4.    Raven Baxter, Chelsea and Eddie- Raven and Eddie end up together in the end which goes to show that sometimes loving your best friend is totally worth it. Raven, Eddie and Chelsea had such a legit friendship though. They were all so goofy in their own way and when you put them together, it just made sense. They had their issues (what high school friends don’t?) but they were best friends from the beginning all the way to the end. It was super special. Plus also, Raven and Chelsea dressed as Coffee and Cream inspired Kara and I so much when we were younger (Fluffy and Puffy all day erry day). 

Yes, these three were great. And I appreciate the inspiration for Fluffy and Puffy, but I am going to take some time to talk about my favorite Disney channel BFFs, Lizzy, Maranda, and Gordo. They were great and they hung out all the time and they did ridiculous things that I loved watching. Plus Gordo was hard core in the friend zone with Lizzy, and I always felt so bad for him. But then they kissed at the end of the movie and to middle-school Kara that was the best movie moment ever.  But then it never actually said if they got together which was frustrating. But I still love them.

     5.   Chandler Bing and Joey Tribbiani (and sometimes Ross Geller) - They are the perfect friends. There was a whole show based around 6 people who were all best friends, but Joey and Chandler take the cake as best friends. They lived together, they lost a baby together, and they got matching bracelets. They depended on each other and that is what friendship is about. I like this friendship a lot. 

Plus Joey was able to forgive Chandler for stealing his girlfriend (he made him sit in a box during Thanksgiving, but he still forgave him). And Joey tried really hard to keep Chandler and Monica’s relationship a secret when they didn’t want everyone else to know. They just work through their problems, like when Joey lets the apartment get robbed, or when Chandler moved in with Monica. They are just great. 

6. Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable- they fought crime together and saved the planet numerous times, that kind of bonds you for life. You have Kim, the smart one, and then Ron Stoppable, the comedic relief. Also, they end up together in the end too! How perfect is that. Answer: very! They saved each other’s lives on multiple occasions. They had a truly wonderful friendship and I miss this show so much. PS Kara, call me beep me if you wanna reach me.

I am so happy that this friendship made the list. I love this show so much! It was when they ended up together, because how could they not? It was perfect. Also I like their last names. We need to watch more Kim Possible. Why do we never watch Kim Possible?

7. Drake and Josh- Step brothers and complete opposites, yet they made their friendship work. This friendship provided many laughs for me growing up. I could never decide which one I should have a crush on, bad boy Drake, or sweet Josh. I liked them together. And so did everyone else because Drake and Josh was one of the greatest teen shows ever!

Who couldn’t love this friendship? I was always super jealous of their room because it was awesome. And I had a crush on Drake, because he played the guitar and sang at the beginning and I was a sucker for all of that.

8. Princess Mia and Lilly Moscovitz- their friendship lasts in the movie. In the movie it is perfect. They have their little spats, but they always work it out. The books provide a different story as they end their friendship for a while because Lily is slightly stubborn. I am pretty sure at the end of the series though, they work it out and everyone is happy. If Kara or I ever find out that we are a princess, I hope that we stay friends and don’t have spats like these two. (Plus I hope we can be as attractive too!)

I like her relationship with Lilly more in the movies, but I like her relationship with Michael more in the books, because they actually have a relationship in the book. And didn’t you already find out that you are a princess? I definitely thought that already happened.  I’m totally cool with it.

9. Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber- I never really did care for Bob, but that doesn’t mean that these two did not provide a wonderful example of best friends when I was growing up. They told Bible stories together and helped spread the love of Jesus to all their tiny friends. Plus The Dance Of the Cucumber is one of the greatest Silly Songs ever and they were both in that. Bob and Larry were pretty legit.

The Dance of the Cucumber is my favorite silly song. I know both the English and Spanish parts (feel free to be impressed). I always thought it was kind of lame of Bob to hate on Larry’s favorite song, especially when that song was about reading the Bible. But it is cool because Veggie Tales is basically my childhood and I love them.

10. Sam and Frodo- duh. Do I even need to explain this one? I am going to… Sam loves Frodo so much. I get really frustrated with Frodo because he is just like totally taking Sam for granted. LIKE HELLO FRODO, SAM IS DOING THIS BECAUSE HE WANTS TO! NOT BECAUSE HE HAS TO! Plus total awwwww moment when Sam says: "Come on, Mr. Frodo. I can't carry it for you... but I can carry you!" That’s what best friends do, they can’t always take your burdens away, but they can support you and help you walk through them. Sam is literally the perfect friend.

Don’t hate on Frodo too much, because he was being corrupted by the ring. He probably wouldn’t have been that much of a jerk if he didn’t have that huge burden. But they are pretty great. What better to bring two friends together than a crazy journey across Middle Earth to destroy a ring in a huge volcano? It is some great stuff. 

11. Lucy and Ethel- The perfect girly bff’s ever. Do not try to argue it, they are perfect. They had fun together and made each other laugh all the time. That is all that needs to be said about these two.

Favorite episode: when they get jobs at the chocolate factory and everything goes crazy. Is that everyone’s favorite episode? Probably.

12. Shawn Spencer and Burton Guster- I wish that I could own a detective agency with my best friend. I would also enjoying introducing Kara using different names such as “Hollaback Atcha.” They are the perfect combination of silly and smart and I adore Shawn and Gus. They two have saved each other’s lives on several different occasions. They have also been best friends for years which adds to the awesomeness of their friendship. Kara, lets become detectives and make references to pop culture constantly.

I’m sorry, but I was under the impression that we were already crime-fighting divas. But for real, I haven’t seen much of Psych, but what I have seen is hilarious. I was unaware that Gus’s real name was Burton. You learn something new every day.

13. Thor and Loki- before anyone tries to tell me differently, Thor and Loki were best friends growing up. Thor loved, and he still loves, Loki so much. Also you can see their friendship in the second movie perfectly. And yes, Loki tries to kill Thor a lot, but they are brothers and also best friends and you can’t take that away from them.

Can I be best friends with Tom Hiddleston and Chris Hemsworth? We would hang out all the time and they could talk in their beautiful accents, and then we would recreate scenes from Thor and Avengers. It would be glorious.

14. Any Disney Heroine and her animal sidekick(s)- Lilo and Stitch, Rapunzel and Pascal, Pocahontas and Meeko, Ariel and Flounder, Cinderella and the mice, Esmeralda and her goat… yes. We could keep going on this one.

You forgot Mulan and Mushu, and they are the best ones. I am disappointed that you didn’t say Mulan and Mushu.

15. Sam and Carter Farrell (from a Cinderella Story) - They have a great friendship. They talk about everything, he is there for her when she has a mental breakdown at the end, and they both push each other to be the best person they can be. I like their friendship. Also because they are a boy and a girl and they don’t end up together in the end, which is very unusual for characters these days.

  

I didn’t even think of this one, but it is perfect. He is so sweet to her and he helps her find her prince charming. They are best friends who are really there for each other, and it is really precious.  Plus Carter rocks the snoop-dizzle look like nobody else can.

 

16.   Junie B. Jones, that Grace and Lucille- these three ladies were the coolest friends in my mind while I was growing up. They played horses together, they stole each other’s boyfriends, and they fought about who would get to be a princess on career day. I just have so much love for this trio… especially now that I work with little kids who act like all three of these fictional girls. They make me happy!

I never really loved Junie B. Jones like you did, but I did read a few. It kinda confused me that she called her “that Grace”. But I figured it out eventually. 

17.Leslie Knope and Ann Perkins- The best best friends of all. Leslie totally supports Ann through all of her relationship issues and Ann is the perfect person to handle all of Leslie’s enthusiasm. They are the greatest. Char, sometime I want to compliment you like Leslie does Ann and say, “Charlotte, you beautiful tropical fish.” I think I am going to start saying that. 

I feel like we already give each other super weird compliments, so go for it girl! Also this season is totally heartbreaking because Ann is moving away and that is such a dagger to the heart. I don’t like to think about what will happen when one of us moves away, but I know that it will include a lot of tears and a lot of waffles. Also hopefully we have great guys like Ben and Chris to cheer us up by then! Ann and Leslie are the greatest, brought together over a park…. 

17. 5 Leslie Knope and Ron Swanson- So they aren’t really your traditional BFFs, but you can tell that they really care about each other. Even though Ron hates everything that Leslie loves, he really respects her. And she cares about him. They are both there for each other. Plus, they bond over breakfast food, which is the perfect thing to bring people together. 

If we are going in this direction, then we could also say Tom and Donna! Or April and Ron or Ben and Chris. The truth is that show is so full of best friends. And so is the Office… NBC just creates the greatest best friends ever. Thank you NBC for giving us guidelines on how to love our best friends. I love Ron and Leslie too, though I would say that he is more of a father figure to her… Also he walked her down the aisle at her makeshift wedding which was totally awesome!

And here we stop, even though we could keep going. I haven’t even mentioned Shaggy and Scooby, Zack Morris and Kelly Kapowski, Chuck Bartowski and Morgan Grimes, Elizabeth Bennet and Charlotte Lucus, Wilbur and Charlotte… I really could keep going.  But here I end. Hug your best friend today and let them know just how much they mean to you! 

My Favorite Couples

It is Valentines Day and even though I posted a piece yesterday, I think that today needs another one. SO I am going to make a list of my favorite couples... some will be real, some will be from books or movies or television shows.... So here goes....

1. Zack Morris and Kelly Kapowski - okay duh! Even though they broke up like a ton, they do get married in the end and that just makes me so happy... but Kelly should have stayed away from that older guy.... also Zack should have kept his lips to himself... yep. I would wake up at like 7:30 in the summers so that I could watch this show, and I watched ever episode this summer... I love Zack and Kelly

2. Noah and Allie-again DUH! And even though this is a completely made up it is probably one of the sweetest relationships ever. "If you're a bird, I'm a bird" "I want all of you forever, you and me" "Will you dance with me?" It is sweet on so many levels! For starters, Noah is absolutely charming and I think we can all agree that halfway through the movie or the book we begin to hate Allie a little bit for treating Noah the way she does. Next, THEY ARE OLD TOGETHER! and Noah still loves Allie even though she is loosing her memory and her mind and I JUST CAN"T HANDLE IT! I love it! 

3. Michael Moscovitz and Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Grimaldi Renaldo, Crown Princess of Genovia-Because he saw her when she was invisible, and he treats her like a princess, but in a lovey dovey way, not in the actual way that she is a princess. And in the movies their relationship doesn't laugh... but if you read all the books like a certain person I know, you find out that of course they end up together! Also Can I just point out that Michael is way more charming in the book?! He goes off to try and prove that he is worthy of Princess Mia! How adorable it that?

4. Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez... just kidding, I don't like them at all. 

4. (for real this time....) Maria and the Captain- at first we all secretly can't stand Captain VonTrapp, but then Maria literally sings her way into his heart and this makes them one of the greatest couples ever. Plus, they were real people! How awesome is that? Answer... very! 

5. Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan Tatum- I rarely root for celebrity couples, because well how often do they last? But I love this couple for the simple fact that they met while filming Step Up and they have been together since them and that is just super wonderful. So I like them a lot. 

6. Uncle Si and his Iced Tea- You think I am kidding, but I am not... he takes that iced tea everywhere... 

but in all seriousness, number 6 goes to Phil and Kay Robertson. They have grown old together and they are still best friends. He loved her so much and he is very vocal about that love. They go to show that when your foundation is built on Christ, it cannot be shaken. I think this couple is absolutely wonderful! 

7. Mr Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet- this couple has bewitched me body and soul and I love, I love, I love it! Just kidding, my infatuation is not that strong, but I do love Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth B... no no... E Bennet (that was for you Kara Walterhouse). They overcome their pride and prejudice and find true love in the end which is my favorite part! And I love how they are portrayed in all the movies (ps... Pride and Prejudice A Latter Day Comedy is one of my favorite movies). So here is a couple that was beautifully written into existence. 

8. Jason Derulo and Jordin Sparks- how cute are they?! I just like to believe that all of his songs are about her because they are adorable! Jordin Sparks is just such a cutie, and Jason Derulo writes super romantic lyrics and you put the two together and you have my favorite celebrity couple! Jordin Sparks is definitely his it girl, he will not be riding solo because she took him to the other side and will one day ask her, "Marry me?" Yes... I just adore them. 

8. Jim Halpert and Pam Beasley- You knew from the first episode that they were going to make it! And yes the final season did have me a little bit worried, but Jim and Pam pulled through and left us with a smile on our faces, and tears in our eyes. 

and I have to have an 8.5 to take a moment and appreciate Angela and Dwight who beat all odds and ended up together in the end! 

9. Andy Dewire and April Ludgate-Dewire -what we have here is a cat and dog situation because he is an optimist and she is a pessimist. They make the saying opposites attract a reality- at least in the show Parks and Rec- and I love it! Yay for Andy and April and their super weird not even close to mature relationship! 

10. Shawn Spencer and Juliet O'hara but also James Roday and Maggie Lawson- they play a couple on Psych and they are a couple in real life! Come on... AWWWWW with me! I just love their super cute and sometime dysfunctional relationship and it makes it even better that they are a couple in real life! 

and my absolute favorite couple in the entire world....

11. MY PARENTS, Roger and Susan Walterhouse- My mom knew she was going to marry my dad the first time she saw him and here they are 22  years later and they still love each other! Plus without this couple... I would not be alive and I would not have an awesome little sister or such an awesome family! 

There you have it! My list of couples that I love! (I forgot Flynn Rider and Rapunzel, but they would make the list too!)