The other day I came across all of these ridiculous pictures. enjoy. 

Jordan and I were so happy about baby Tyler...baby Tyler was not so happy about my outfit (handmade courtesy of my mother) and Jordan's nasty bowlcut. 

We loved to have matching Halloween costumes (also handmade by mom)

Sweet T. He was such a little chunk. We giggled alot. 

This picture is just too much. Not only am I in a homemade butterfly costume, but tyler is a freaking flower...with the flowerpot. ridiculous. No wonder I am who I am today. 

Gah I haven't looked this good in my whole life since this moment. Tyler is catching snowflakes. and I have on a turquoise snow suit. 

Thought I was a model in this picture...hair blowing in the wind, pink pants, etc.  Tyler is giggling, as usual. Jordan is wearing purple pants and vans. What a stud. 

Tyler and I were really creative with our games. We played taxi in the laundry basket and pretended like we were potato heads. 

Just so I know where I get my weirdness from...Dad liked playtime more than me. 

Just a blast from the past. over and out, all my loyal followers. 

TWO STRAIGHT DAYS OF BLOGGING. go meeeee.

Even though work takes over my life sometimes, I alllllways have fun there. Tonight was no exception. I was bored and had gotten all of my side work done, and I was just waiting for a table to leave. So I went back to the dish area where the hobart is, and began to dance to the "gasolina-esque" music that was playing. Eventually I was joined by many of the little latinos/kitchen guys in the back and we began to have a small dance party. It was nuts. There was lots of giggling. I may have accidentally shimmied. Others watched and reminded me how ridiculous I am. There was more giggling. Thennnn my manager told me that I was being distracting to them and the rest of the staff. Whoops. It was fun while it lasted. 

Also, the other day I got one of the guys that I work with to come play drumset with me on the hanging pots and pans in the back. It was early morningish and the other employees didn't like that game as much. Neither did my manager who was on the phone. Whoops. i'm surprised I haven't been fired yet. 

I love my job. Being a server opens up so many cool opportunities to meet so many cool people. The other day I met a congresswoman. I've met a retired FBI agent. I've met people from Greece. I've met my friends' friends and relatives. I've met a 90-year old couple who was so in love that I wanted to melt. I've met a non-religious couple who just moved to Knoxville and asked me what church I went to because he could tell that I loved Jesus. (How cool is it that Jesus gives us His light to shine so people will see!) I've met an NYPD training agent who, I later found out, is also involved in Young Life in Long Island, NY and was just visiting. whhhhat? So cool. 

On a different note, I want this little guy in my pocket at all times. 

Anyone wanna buy him for me? 

Still smells like asian food all over the place. Guess I should shower more. 

Oh, and I taught my public speaking class how to "Dougie" this morning. That was fun. 

Happy Humpday!

thoughtzzz

I don't even know what is going on in my mind right now. Sometimes I feel like there are so many thoughts in so many different places that I wish I had a lasso to gather all my little sheep thoughts into a nice little herd and tell them to focus. It's like there is a constant stream of completely random thoughts and pictures and songs and words and ideas going through my mind. all. the. time. Some call it A.D.D...others just know that as my mind.

Today my friend Travis texted me. It said this, "Well, your decision to blog more lasted 2 consecutive days." Then I remembered that I even had a blog. It must have not been in my thought stream lately. Our conversation then turned into us somehow talking about the first conversation that we ever had. Travis told me that we were sitting in the office at Windy Gap while wrangling one weekend. Somehow Harry Potter was brought up (of course) and we talked about our mutual love for it. I then proceeded to ask him if we could yell spells at each other from the tree tops while running the ropes course. great first impression. and somehow he still wanted to be friends with me...amazing.

I have realized that first impressions are not my strong point. Something unfiltered or awkward is  usually said. I'm working on building myself a filter.

On a side note, I had asian take-out for dinner tonight, and I wreak of asian food now. I thought that if i took it out of the restaurant that I would not smell like it! I even showered today too. fail.

Also, shoutout to the my sweet little Rav4, The Green Bean, for being a complete and total bad-a in the storm of the century yesterday. Coming back from Karns was quiteee the adventure. At one point I thought that we were going to float downstream like baby Moses in the basket, but we made it. She is so good to me.

Welcome to the brain of Morgan. Over and out.

Seek the TRUTH, not what is comfortable.

Seek the REAL, not the easy.

-Gerald G. May

mad love for this boy.

Well, I am deciding to blog more. Hopefully on a daily basis. I just need a little accountability and more interesting things to say. I will work on it. However, today is a special day...

My sweet little brother, Tyler Charles Stridde, is turning SEVENTEEN! i'm officially old. 

This sweet boy has been bringing joy to my life for his whole entire seventeen years of life. He has a precious heart. He is sweet and sensitive and has a huge heart for others and for the Lord. He is just a little ball of sunshine. He has a giggle that is contagious. He has a smile that is full of life. And to top it all off, he's just a stud. 

He is the one who will come and snuggle in my bed with me when i'm having a bad day. We used to build forts and nap in them. He used to play barbies with me. I used to play video games with him. One morning we tried to wake up at 5:30 to run before school...I made it about a half mile. He pushed me further. We kept each other sane when Jordan left for college. 

He lets me take lots of pictures with him. We sit through weddings and boring graduations together. We would sled down the stairs in sleeping bags until one of us would get hurt and start crying. Once my older brother got engaged it always felt like we were on a double date with mom and dad, Jordan and Abby, so we decided to call ourselves TK4L (Team Kid 4 Life). Now that he is older and has lots of money, he takes me on sibling dates. He's the best. 

 People say we look alike. I just embrace it. I look like a 17 year old boy. 

 I'm spoiled and blessed with the best little brother in the world. 

Happy birthday, Sweet T! Love you tons. TK4L.

we are our Daddy's children.

The other day I was talking to one of my friends about this semester. I mentioned how school is hard for me because I don't necessarily want to be here. Don't get me wrong, I am so incredibly thankful for where I am and that I am getting a degree. What kind of degree? That is to be determined. I know the Lord wants me here right now. I am thankful for that. I am thankful for my incredible community. I am thankful for what I am being taught. And lets be honest, I have a pretty fun life. 

But at the same time I want to be there. I don't actually know where there is, but I am more and more aware of how ready my heart is to go when the Lord tells me to. I want to be in Guatemala hugging Luis or Elle. I want to be in Jamaica with Ne-yo snuggling in my lap or Kishmar chasing me down the hall. I want to sit in the orphanage floor and let the kids pull and "style" my hair. I want to tickle Usain and Emmanuel and hear them giggle and fight me until they have no fight left and I can squeeze them tight and kiss them on the cheek and let them know that they are loved. I want them to know that their Daddy loves them. 

My heart hurts.

It hurts that these kids don't have mommy's or daddy's to squeeze them and kiss them. 

It hurts that they have been abandoned.

It hurts that they are not wanted.

It hurts that they feel the pain of loss.

It hurts that they are alone.

But God is faithful.

He is the almighty Father and He showers them with kisses.

He will never abandon them.

He wants them more than anything.

He restores and brings healing.

He is always with them. 

I am so thankful that we are not orphans, because we have been adopted into the Kingdom of heaven. Praise the Lord for that. I am anxiously awaiting the day when I get to go back and hug these kids and tell them that they are not orphans, because their Daddy loves them. 

A big piece of my heart is thousands of miles away, but I am working on being present and focusing on what the Lord is teaching me in this time. He is good. alllllllways.

and plllllease try and tell me that these faces don't melt your hearts..

 

THAT time of year. The most important time of year.

I haven't blogged in a while, my apologies on being a stingy blogger. Firstly, I have no homework or studying to procrastinate on, so I find myself being away from blog-land more. 

Secondly, I was in Costa Rica for 5 days. I went with my friend Mollie who I did work crew and summer staff with the last two summers. We laid on the beach, ate a lot, met some Costa Rican boyfriends, rode ATVs to the rainforest and zip-lined, and relaxed a lot. It was a much needed get away. and i'm even a little sun kissed!

 This is our "before tan" picture. We forgot to take an "after tan" picture though. 

Convenient, huh?

 A little sunset over the Pacific Ocean? Don't mind if I do.

 I haven't worn one of those masks since the Swine  of '09.

Just one of those "outdoorsy" pics. 

In the midst of the 87 degrees and sunny it was hard for me to remember that it was Christmas time. I feel like since I've gotten back and I have been in such a lastminutechristmasshopping and workingallthetime frenzy that I haven't had the time to prepare Him room in my heart this season.

My fear is that I will miss it, like so many people do every year and like I have in the many years before. Going through the holiday season in routine, looking forward to the traditions and forgetting the reason.


& then I realize that it's hard to miss it. He is pursuing me every day even when I ignore Him or try and control things or act like my plan is better than His. How can I miss it when I am constantly surrounded by the love and grace that He gives. He was HERE. In the flesh. He came to the shepherds who were the lowest of men. He came to ME who doesn't deserve any of it at all. He came to all of us. and He came only to be humbled and die for us. He saved our lives. and because of that we live freely. I live in that freedom and everlasting joy every single moment. How can you miss that?

Behold the Lamb of God.
Oh, come let us adore Him.
Joy, to the world.

I pray that you are reminded of the depth and beauty of this story.
Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday, Jesus!


Also, if you have never heard it you need to listen to the song "Labor or Love" by Jill Phillips and Andrew Peterson. And make sure you have a tissue nearby.


"But the baby in her womb
He was the maker of the moon
He was the Author of the faith
That could make the mountains move"