New York | thirty days of elle

C I N C O 🎉 

Today is all about a picture of somewhere you've been. 

Obviously this picture shall be of my home, NYC! 🏡

I took this picture on July 2, 2015

I love it so very much.

B e c a u s e...

I love the sense of anonymity that comes a long with being apart of a big city. It's like no one knows who you are, so somehow, that makes it that much more clear to you...who you are, and to whom you belong. 

coffee, coffee, more coffee | thirty days of elle

Day Cuatro.

Today was supposed to be about a Bad habit I have, but I really wasn't feeling it. 

I bite my nails, okay? 

I also procrastinate. A lot. 

But enough about that...

I love coffee, so I thought maybe I could talk a little about that today instead. 

College students love coffee shops, too. 

Since I live in a college town...We're infested with them..Coffee shops that is.

Well, students too.

I love Starbucks, but I love Heritage House more. I'm pretty sure HH is a local thing...so if you're ever in T-town, or if you live here...you should give it a try. 

Anyways, here is a list of my top favorite drinks from both places:

1. Carmel Macchiato(⭐️💵) AHHHH. With extra caramel drizzle...TO. DIE. FOR. It is a layered drink with milk, expresso, and caramel...and it is TOO good. 
2.   Snowflake Royal (HH). There's something so super duper about this. I just love it so much! 
3. Caramel Frappe (⭐️💵) It seems traditional. It's good. It's sweeter than a Macchiato, so if you aren't feeling the expresso, go for it. 
4. Eskimocha (sp.?) Latte (HH)! Chocolatey Caramel goodness. 
5. Through the Holidays, Starbucks had this A M A Z I N G drink called a Caramel Brûlée Latte (⭐️💵). It was the best thing I have ever had off of their menu. But as soon as the clock stuck midnight and it became 2017- they got rid of it. I hope to goodness they bring it back this year!!! 
6. Frozen Hot Chocolate (HH)!!!!!! I got this once before I liked coffee and I still love it today! 
7. White Chocolate Hot Chocolate (⭐️💵) is always super sweet.
8. My very first Starbucks love in the 5th (maybe?) grade was a strawberries and cream Frappe (⭐️💵) I love strawberries:) 
9. Okay, Okay, Okay. I've got to add in another shop. Dunkin' has THE BEST iced coffee. THE. BEST. I love it. Order ya a caramel (sensing a trend here?) with cream and sugar. It won't disappoint ya. 
10. SIMPLY BECAUSE I need to expand my coffees and try new things and because I am out of ideas...You know, if all of this sounds horrible to you...Water is great, too. No doubt it looks best in a Starbucks cup. 

Anyways, Happy Monday. Go kill the day and grab a cute drink while you're at it.☕️

Day Three...Ginger | thirty days of elle

Today is a story about a girl who hates selfies and L O V E S attention.
When I saw that this was what today was about, I'm pretty sure I squealed.
"A picture of your Animals"

I've got more than one.
I mentioned before that I love cats, yes?
Well that love is all because of Ginger the cat...she's my best friend.



Our friend found Ginger sometime after a tornado swept through our town in 2011. She was just a tiny little kitten! My friends and I donated some things to an animal shelter soon after the tornado, and they invited us back to see the dogs. I was afraid that I would be too sad to look at the dogs/too afraid of the dogs to go back, so a nice lady offered to let me look at the cats.

I don't know why I went, because I had been praying and praying and praying for a dog and 10 year old Elle didn't even like cats.
But, I did and I fell in love with two orange kittens.
Little did I know that Ginge here was living with another super nice lady who had friends for her to play with!

We got Ginger soon after coming home from the beach early that summer, and she quickly became by new BFF.

However, we don't know if she was actually in the tornado or not.

Here is a fact for each year she's lived:

1. Her made up birthday is May 4!
2. I am her favorite person, although my mom likes to pretend she is.
3. Ginger likes for us to nap together sometimes.
4. She loves to climb on top of doors and then loudly meow until you come get her down...
5. She will be SIX this year!
5.5. Her birthday was chosen to be in May because we already had too many April birthdays in our fam.


   


Super thankful for Ginge...She's the greatest.

Day Two | thirty days of elle

Welcome Back!
Feeling a little disappointed today, as I had the first five or six of these posts already written...and accidentally deleted them.
So, you know, here I am...re-writing.

~day d o s~
Today was supposed to be about the meaning behind my blog's name, but honestly, that story is kind of short and sweet.
The same teacher, mentor, and f r i e n d that inspired my blog by inspiring me to write as my teacher, and inspired me to start a blog as my friend, came up with sosayselle.

The texts went something like this:
"Help, I need a blog name!!"
To which she responds:
 
...and SoSaysElle was it.

This is the gal that came up with SSE...
{B} (I made that rhyme intentionally 😊)

She was my seventh grade english teacher, and she loved me through all of that mess...Her friendship is obviously a treasure....Colossians 3:23 (NIV)..."Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters," She is the perfect example of this verse and inspires me to be, too!

T H I R T Y DAYS OF ME

Since my blog is still fairly new, for the next T H I R T Y days, I'm going to be blogging alllll about myself just incase anyone reads my blog and isn't one of my family members who already knows these things.

I came across this idea on Pinterest, and thought I'd go for it...

Although, some of these prompts aren't necessarily my favorite, so I do have some other ideas in mind. However, here is primer día...or in ingles, day one (sometimes I forget not everyone is in La clase de español). 

••U N O••

A recent picture of you and fifteen facts about yourself.

Easy Enough...

This picture is from December 1st...I'll get into that in a second.

1. My name is Elle, and it's pronounced Ellie. My parents just decided to be funky and mess with all the people I come in contact with. 
2. I do this thing a lot where I let my hair grow out and then cut it off again. That's what this picture (above) is from. It works. I like it. It all began in the eighth grade...I know...IT. WAS. TOO. MUCH. 
3. I  am a huge Grey's Anatomy fan. I LOVE it. Like I love it the way Derek loves Meredith. Okay maybe not...But, I love it a lot. 
4. I am completely unsure of what I want to do with my life. I want to be a doctor and a teacher, as well as a journalist, and the White House Press Secretary. We'll see how that works out. 
5. I happen to own socks with George Washington's face on them. I also happen to own socks with Alexander Hamilton's face on them. I'm a pretty big Hamilfan.
6. I love, LOVE, L O V E New York. Like LOVE. It's the happiest place and my heart is the happiest there. Like happier than Disney...the happiest place on earth. Woah. 

7. I have pictures of me and all my people strung upon my wall. I think it looks really cute and I wanted to include it here.

8. I own a guitar, but I can only play jingle bells on it. Simply because it's all I know how to play.

 9. I love to draw. But I love to write more. Like write as in like lettering kind of write. Far from the best, but it's a fun lil' hobby. 

10. I refuse to change my sheets to regular sheets so I'm still sleeping on Christmas ones. 

11. My favorite subject this year is History. I love the history, but I don't particularly care for the DBQs:) 

12. I love Pinterest so go follow your girl here!

13. I love cats (you'll see that one day), and I love lions and especially elephants. 

14. My best friend, Elephant and I have spent nearly every night together my entire life. This is him. p

You can see the love all over him.

15. I'm praising the Lord this was the last one because this is hard! My favorite color is gold, and my favorite Bible Verse is Colossians 3:23. 

That's all I've got, today. I'm just your typical New York/Grey's Anatomy/Cat/ Jesus lovin' girl. 

See you tomorrow for another little bit about me! 

A Letter to My Small Group

My very first blog post was all about how thankful I am for my teachers. 

Similarly, I'm so very thankful for my Bible Study leaders/ teachers. 

So I figured I could write one for them, too. 

Then I realized...that same love and gratitude stretches so far beyond those people. 

So I think this is just going to be a letter to my Bible study class/small group. Both leaders and others...

For holding me as I cried.

For rejoicing with me over my triumphs. 

For praying for me in my heartache.

For truly being my best gals...

I've told Hannah and Maggie a time or two how much of an answered prayer they both (and Jen..I don't think I've told you, but you, too) are. I don't even have the words to express how incredibly honored and grateful I am to get to have each of them walk with me through life. It's the greatest, and

it's the same way for each of my other sisters in Christ. For the ones who I sit next to in class every single day, and who I hold hands with and pray for.

From D-Now, to the Awakening, to Big Stuf, and VBS, to new school years, and different heartache and times of praise...These girls are some of my biggest supporters.

Friends,
Thank you for being just that. Our group is a unique one. We grew up together. We're spending (so far) the best of our lives together, and we will get to see eventually how much better what is to come truly is. 

You girls and friends can be my rock when I've had a bad day, some of my greatest cheerleaders, and some of the best shoulders to cry on. 

Thank you for never ever judging me as I share my struggles with you.

Thank you for letting me text you at any hour.

Thank you for being in ridiculous (but ridiculously fun) group snaps with me. 

Thank you for being what I need in a friend and an encourager, when I don't deserve it at all.

Thank you for encouraging me through my triumphs and trials.

Thank you for the gift of crying with you. Of rejoicing with you. Of praying for you. It is one of the greatest honors.

Thank you for never hesitating to talk to me when you need me.

Thank you for letting me be myself around you. That is truly rare.

Thank you for being my friend when it wasn't the easiest.

Thank you for loving me through my awkwardness.

Thank you for listening to me be loud.

Thank you for letting me put glitter allllll over you. 

Thank you for praying about even the smallest APUSH quizzes.

Thank you for holding my hand throughout High School, and continuing to do so until we graduate. 

Thank you for always being excited when I bring breakfast. It makes me excited, too. 

Thank you for the best D-Nows!! 

Thank you for loving me when I felt as if I was the most unlovable. 

Thank you for making this path we get to walk together the most fun. 

My gratitude for you all stretches so far. 

My prayer for each and every one of you friends of mine is that you will somehow be impacted by me in the same way that I have by you. You girls have absolutely NO IDEA how big my love is for you, or how big you have touched my heart. I adore every one of you, and there is no doubt in my mind how BIG God is going to use each and every one of us to shake up his kingdom, either. I am so proud to be your friend and sister in Jesus. Thank you for showing me the beauty of that relationship.

Alllllllllll my love, 

Elle❤

Two people are better than one, because they can reap more benefit from their labor. For if they fall, one will help his companion up, but pity the person who falls down and has no one to help him up. -Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 

Thankful, Grateful, and Oh So Very Blessed

Today I am thankful for so much to be thankful for. 

I'm thankful that our message last Wednesday night completely re-inspired and reconstructed this post. 

I've been working on Gratitude instead of Complaining a lot recently. It's really hard. This video by Terri Savelle Foy shared a lot about how complaining delays achievement. 

It really spoke to me, so I've been trying to find things to be thankful for in the negatives. 

For example, I often complain about having to get up at 6:00 in the morning for school, but seriously, that is such a thing to be thankful for. 

I'm woken up by an alarm on my iPhone (that many teenagers wish to have), I walk in my kitchen with a fully stocked pantry and an abundance of food I could eat (that starving kids would kill for), I go to a great school where I learn so much (so many kids wish they could go to school, or learn, or even be safe at school)...Why do I complain about this? 

So, with that being said, I thought on this most thankful of Thursdays I would make a list of seventy-five things I'm thankful for this Thanksgiving. The Lord has blessed me in so many ways just throughout this past year, and I have SO so very much to be thankful for. 

1. I'm thankful that I have a lot of things to be thankful for. 
2. I'm thankful for parents who love me and support me.
3. I'm thankful for a loving and supportive extended family. 
4. I'm thankful for my sister who always  brightens everyone's day (unless she's pulling my hair...I mean...) 
5. I'm thankful for the faithfulness of Jesus. 
6. I'm thankful for a home. 
7. I'm thankful for all of the school supplies I use daily. 
8. I'm thankful for many years of friendship with Emma and Mary-Harbin. 
9. I'm thankful for the laughter Baylie, Sarah, and Abby Kate have brought me. 
10. I'm thankful for Bible Journaling. 
11. I'm thankful for my School(s). 
12. I'm thankful for my sweet friendships. 
13. I'm thankful for the sweetest teachers. 
14. I'm thankful for Grey's Anatomy
15. I'm thankful for Doctors. 
16. I'm thankful for people who are serving/ who have served in the military. 
17. I'm thankful for daily selfies with Elle and daily messing around with Amy. 
18. I'm thankful for my Sunday School Teachers. 
19. I'm thankful for my Church and for my Pastor
20. I'm thankful for old teachers who still are willing to help me with things I don't understand (Both academically and personally). 
21. I'm thankful for Joey, Ross, Rachel, Monica, Chandler, and Phoebe. 
22. I'm thankful for the JOY that the Lord gives. 
23. I'm thankful for Starbucks! 
24. I'm also thankful for Heritage House.
25. I'm thankful for Essays that improve my writing (even though my English teacher thinks it's cute to have one due the day we get out for Thanksgiving Break when we already have 26662 tests, 3 projects, 2827262762 notecards to make, and a blog to write. Anyways. Like I said. Gratitude instead of complaint is hard). 
26. I'm thankful for some FINALLY cooler weather.
27. Oooh. I'm also thankful for sweaters!!
28. I'm thankful for God's Word
29. I'm thankful for Medicines that heal people. 
30. I'm thankful that I have clothes. 
31. I'm thankful that I have cars to transport me. 
32. I'm thankful that I'm almost 16. 
33. I'm thankful for my lunch table and the girls I share it with. 
34. I'm thankful for my Ginger Kat. 
35. I'm thankful for service clubs that push me to step out of my comfort zone. 
36. I'm thankful for smiles. 
37. I'm thankful for hugs. 
38. I'm thankful for blankets. 
39. I'm thankful that I have shoes. 
40. I'm thankful for Hospitals. 
41. I'm thankful for God's Perfect plan.
42. I'm thankful for people who changed my life. 
43. I'm thankful for a bed to sleep in. 
44. I'm thankful for a shower to cleanse in. 
45. I'm thankful for Alexander Hamilton (without him we wouldn't have a financial system and no financial system = no shopping soooooo??). 
46. I'm thankful for the History of my country and I'm thankful that I love learning about it. 
47. I'm thankful that I love learning in general. 
48. I'm thankful for my cousins and the joy they bring me. 
49. I'm thankful for my Bible Study Class. 
50. I'm thankful for Planners. Mine keeps my life together. 
51. I'm thankful for the past.
52. I'm thankful for the future. 
53. I'm thankful for sunrises and sunsets. 
54. I'm thankful God's mercies are new every morning. 
55. I'm thankful for Biology (even though it's harder than chemistry, it's still my favorite science). 
56. I'm thankful for elephants (especially the one and only Elephant who has been my best pal since the beginning of time). 
57. I'm thankful for kindness. 
58. I'm thankful that God's thoughts and ways are higher than mine. 
59. I'm thankful that this school year is everything I prayed it would be. 
60. I'm thankful that I have good friends. 
61. I'm thankful for the book Wonder. It's my favorite. 
62. I'm thankful for happiness. 
63. I'm thankful that I can choose joy. 
64. I'm thankful for Algebra. It is the only easy math (Am I right?).
65. I'm thankful for sunshine. And trees. And fresh air. 
66. I'm thankful for Walton's before church on Wednesday Nights.
67. I'm thankful for a super duper fab Youth Pastor and his awesome wife (Sometimes....I don't agree with their Grey's Anatomy opinions). 
68. I'm thankful for daily messages with my cousins and my Granddaddy. 
69. I'm thankful for New York. Gah I love that place. 
70. I'm thankful for Friday Night Lights, Adams' Army & a Great football season. 
71. I'm thankful for heartache. I'm thankful that the Lord picked me up when I was in a million pieces and molded me back together. 
72. I'm thankful for the perfect timing of God. 
73. I'm thankful for His sovereignty 
74. I'm thankful for a Hot Chocolate, Christmas Movies, and Candy Canes. 
75. I'm thankful for Pentatonix's version of "Mary Did You Know." I mean WOW. New Christmas favorite! Everyone should listen!! 

But, here's where the reconstruction comes in. 

Last Wednesday, our message was entitled "I am Thankful" 

He started out my sharing his list of things he was thankful for, similar, but condensed into three main categories. 

He talked about heartache and joy and the goodness of Jesus. He shared that it is Jesus who makes you thankful. 

Which sounds totally confusing yet totally true alone, right? 

Anyways, I feel like it would if you don't know the entire message. 

I'm getting there...bare with me. 

Thankfulness is about being rooted in JOY even when there is pain. It's about choosing joy and chasing the Lord in the hardships. But, If your thankfulness is based on what you have and what you do, then your thankfulness will always be wavering. 

The only way to have consistent thankfulness is to have a consistent relationship with the Lord. 

And listen, listen, listen...

All of the pain you have witnessed can turn into thankfulness because your thankfulness is rooted in a relationship with Jesus not in temporary things.

I look at my list above, and I see so many things that weren't produced by a relationship with the Lord. So many things that are just random examples of temporary happiness in my life. These temporary things will not last. They will fail me. Everything from my family, to my friends, to my Sunday school teachers, and teachers, and pastors, to Grey's Anatomy, to Alexander Hamilton, will fail me. 

But the Lord, his faithfulness, his love, never will.

So today, I am thankful for that most of all. 

I'm thankful for his faithfulness in my life. 

For the times where he picked me up and put me back together. For the healing, for the blessings he has sent my way. 

I'm not saying it's bad to have a list of things you're thankful for, because I am thankful for all seventy-five of the things named, but what is bad is when those temporary things are the base of my thankfulness and if they're taken away, I'm no longer thankful. Ninety percent of the things on that list are temporary.

But the Love of the Lord is not.

His faithfulness is not. 

His perfect plan for my future, and his perfect plan for my past, are not. 

And without his faithfulness, his perfect plan, and his love, most of those other things would not be here either. 

Happy Thanksgiving, Sweet Friends. 

I'm thankful for each and every person who reads this extremely long post!