My Secret Place - Guest Blogger

Emmy's Note: Today I am welcoming the WONDERFUL Sarah Hayes to the blog! Sarah is one of my favorite blog friends, an aspiring writer, fellow Broadway fan, and an overall wonderful woman after God's heart.  I was so happy when she said she would like to write a post for this month's theme "The Secret Place." Sarah blogs over at Shades of Shayes, tweets at @SarahAnneHayes, and you can find her on her Facebook page Shades of Shayes. 

Also- tomorrow kicks off a new monthly theme! In June we'll be blogging about "Art That Touches My Soul." If you want to contribute contact me! And have you checked out my newest blog sponsor Mindy?

I remember the first time I went there.

It was the summer of 2004, between my freshman and sophomore years of high school. My older sister was going up there to volunteer on staff for two weeks and several of my good friends were just finishing up a week at camp. I was leaving the next day for a different camp and wanted to see them before I left.

The following summer, I spent a week at camp and three weeks volunteering on staff. I did the same thing in 2006. In 2007, I worked on staff during the winter, and in 2008 I heartbreakingly didn’t visit at all. In 2009, I made a brief visit with a friend and in 2010, my dream came true. I was able to spend the entire summer at my favorite place, my secret place, the place I so dearly love.

The Bells of New York City Tell Me Not to Go

After all of my talk about songs, packing, places I want to go, etc. You're probably all wondering -

How was New York????

AMAZING.

Many of you probably read my tweets (many of them were "check-ins" on FourSquare):

The city is simply - amazing. If there was any doubt if I was a city girl is gone.

I am 100% a city girl.

3 Flights, 2 Bags, One Me

In two days I leave for NYC.

Manhattan.

The Big Apple.

New York, New York.

Which means...

Packing.

The Bronx is Up and the Battery's Down

AHHHHH!!!!!!!

I leave for NYC in 4 DAYS!

If you can't tell... I'm a little bit excited.

The other day though, I had a major freak out.

We don't really have a whole plan put together yet.

This entire time I've been sitting here thinking "It'll be like Chicago - just bigger. If we get a bit lost, it'll be a fun adventure."

Then I started to study maps of NYC and got COMPLETELY INTIMIDATED.

As I was freaking out I was tweeting with a friend (@Melbourneonm Mind, who has been to NYC before) and shared how she used the song "New York, New York, It's a Wonderful Town" to help her find her way around.

Showtunes to help with directions?

Um... YES! Why didn't I think of it before!

So... here you go. Featuring two of my favorite singers/dancers/actors, Gene Kelley and Frank Sinatra. <3

Anyone who says that musicals are pointless CLEARLY don't know what they are talking about.

Bulls Eye

I probably spend more time than the average person thinking about relationships.

I don't mean romantic relationships.

Just... relationships.

Friendships

Family

Co-Workers

Youth to Youth Minister

Stuff like that.

Life Update

Life here has been pretty...

Insane.

It really has been a crazy few weeks, so I felt like it would be a good idea to give you a quick update on my life. Especially since I don't actually talk about my life all that often on here.

I feel as though a lot is changing, yet staying the same. It's as though things around me are changing, but I'm still right where I was before. It's strange.

The Secret Place

It was a story about a mid-west girl like me who went to the West Coast to visit her aunt and uncle for the summer.

She spent her summer on the beach.

She made the most important promise of her life on that beach.

I felt like I was her. We had the same thoughts and insecurities. Even now, a character named Christy Miller, and her beach, have a special place in my heart.

The Part Where You Get To Peek Into My Brain

I decided as I was driving up to Chicago this past week to give you all a look into what I think about as I drive.

Beware -

It's a bit scary.

Also, I know I promised I would announce my monthly theme. It IS coming. However, if you want to start thinking about your guest posts - please do! The theme is "The Secret Place." I'll be publishing my post soon, but feel free to interpret that theme however you wish to!

I also am still needing a sponsor swap partner for May! :D

There is so much more crazy that I could have put in here... but I figured it was long enough. 

20sb Vlog Day

This video post is a part of 20SB’s Vlog Day, join us on this Tour de 20SB! Anyone can participate! Details found here.

Note: I got a little too "caption happy" playing around with my movie maker. 

And... this is another announcement for my May theme (announcing it later this week) and I need a sponsor swap buddy!!!!