Every. Last. Bit.

You see, here's the thing. I was created to be exactly who I am. Through seasons of life I've struggled to understand why I was created to be the me that I am. I've felt a burden to myself and not good enough for others. I was not worthy.

Then there are those laughoutloud moments when I think I am the funniest person on earth, with the greatest family, the best of friends, and gifts from God I am grateful to have.

However, while the seasons of struggle are full of lies, those laughoutloud moments are always full of truth. I may not *actually* be the funniest person on earth, but I can be grateful that God gave me a sense of humor and the ability to laugh at myself. When I feel like a burden, I know that I have family and friends who love me dearly just as I am. When I feel unworthy, I know that God has bestowed on me incredible gifts meant for his glory.

Satan would love nothing more than for me to cower away in shame, hiding who I am and who I was created to be. He would love for me to compare myself to others, put myself down, wish I had what others had, judge my sin, tear apart my soul and whittle away whatever confidence is left in me after being battered by what the world considers good, beautiful, and worth it.

I want to live in truth. I realize I am not perfect, and while I was created to be exactly who I am, I was not created to be exactly AS I am. God has work to do in me, and sadly there will always be work to do in me, so long as I live on this earth. While there is room for me to grow, I know that God loves me as I am. He doesn't love me for my potential, he just loves me.

It's time to embrace who God has created me to be.

Psalm 139:13 says, "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb." I'm not much of a knitter, but I know there is a lot of work and intricacy involved in the process. God did not just throw me together. He very intentionally pieced me together in his image. While I am broken and in need of redemption, in me there are remnant's of God's character. Not only in me, but in you too. We are each created in God's image, and it's time we stop tearing ourselves apart and instead celebrate what God has given each of us individually. No one person is the same and for good reason. Only in community are we whole. The same body, but different parts.

Today I embrace that God has created me, Allison Elizabeth Morris. Every. Last. Bit.

If you don't have anything nice to say....

You know that saying, "if you don't have anything nice to say then don't say anything at all"? Well, I think I took the phrase to a new level this past weekend. I've been quite a grump lately and although I'm not sure if others noticed or not, I figured I would save them my bad attitude and hibernate for the weekend. I made sure to be present at the things I was expected to be at, but beyond that I was pretty checked out from reality. Humanity-you can thank me later.

I also hibernated a bit from blogging. I kept up with the usual blogs I follow like this one, this one, and this one, but stayed clear from my own. Like I said, I've been a bit of a grump lately and didn't really have anything nice to say. I took this weekend as my opportunity to have a pit of a pity party, an introvert party, and a "it's time to move on party." Overall it was a good weekend, one I think everyone needs to have sometimes.

Because I didn't share anything with you this weekend, the next few pictures will give you some insight into how I spent my time. Don't get too excited. Unless you were also having a pity party and totally checked out from reality, or if by chance you are my secret stalker, then you will probably be bored to death by the following photos. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Weekend highlight: NO work on Christmas!

The Goods

Sometimes I pretend I live on Little house on the Prairie 

Girl Porn (Note: also downloaded Instagram at this point)

Magazine shopping--must have!

Too good to not text, tweet, or blog for the world to see.
Burly Beards 

And to get back to reality...Thansgiving with friends! Starting last year a group of friends and I have planned and celebrated Thansgiving together (i.e. Thanksgiving). Mondays are typically a dreadful day for most of humanity, but today I had something to look forward to. After secluding myself from the world it was good to be back with friends laughing, eating, mocking each other, and just being. I finally feel human again. You're welcome humanity.

Side Note: 
Can I just say, the beauty of "The Anthropology of a Girl" is that in reality I can blog about whatever I want because by default, anything I write about and anything that happens in my life, has something to do with being a girl. If "anthropology" is the study of something, then every photo I post, word I write, or story I tell reveals just a little more about what it means to be a girl. Part of me wishes every post I write was strategic, calculated, organized, and full of purpose, but that's just not my life right now. THIS is my life. THIS is what it means to be a girl. 

Roller Coaster

In a moment of weakness and irresponsibility last December, I bought an annual pass to Disneyland. I've wanted one since the day I moved into the area but knowing it was not exactly a necessity, I could never rationalize spending money on such a frivolity. Enter the payment plan. Payment plans seem like the answer to every financial woe, right? Ok, well, when you're 20-something it does. 8 months later I'm still making the monthly payments. But it's totally worth it.

I'm sure the added pressure of all my closest friends having passes had nothing to do with my decision. Nothing at all.

Anyways. With the variety of rides at Disneyland, rarely is there a ride that appeals to all of us on the same level. I'm a Tower of Terror kind of girl but the same can't be said for everyone else. Getting us all on that one is like pulling teeth from a snail.

However, the one ride we will all readily agree on is California Screamin'. It's fast, fun, smooth, and no one feels like death is ripping them through the overhead safety bar. But that doesn't mean it's not full of twists, turns, the occasional lull, and speeds that make your stomach drop it like it's hot.

Similarly, being in your 20's is a total roller coaster. Ups and downs, twists and turns. Sometimes you're body is going so fast that your brain and stomach can't quite catch up with you before the next change happens. It's incredibly fun, but you don't always know what to expect next or when it will all be over. There are moments of relief, when you can turn to your neighbor and yell, "ohmygosh I love this!!" or "ohmygosh I'm a mess" or "ohmygosh this is crazy!". But before you know it, you're in the middle of yet another exhilerating moment. Exilerating either because you are loving or hating whatever twist or turn you're on.

There are lots of "ohmygosh" moments in your 20's. "Ohmygosh, I don't know how I will get this done" or "Ohmygosh this is so much fun" or "Ohmygosh, what am I supposed to do with my life?". There are also lots, and lots of questions. What's next? When will I figure out what to do with my life? Will I ever have enough money? Who can I trust? WHO AM I?

That last question probably bears the most weight. Every other question or concern somehow goes back to the "who am I?" question. For the first time in life we are living on our own, choosing our own schedule, paying our own bills, working our first job, and ultimately calling our own shots. We've had 20 years of someone else calling the shots for us, or at least pointing us in the right direction, but now it's up to us. We are navigating our lives for the first time and it's bittersweet. Bitter because we don't know what we are doing or where we are going. Sweet because we are experiencing freedom like we never have before. And laughter. There is a lot of laughter.

In my opinion, there is no situation that cannot be made better with laugher. I laugh at myself, my friends, movies, SNL bits, family, funny thingsgirlssay and so much, much more. While it's difficult at times, I even attempt to find humor when the going gets tough and there is really nothing laughable about the situation at hand.  It's just better that way.

Oh, and roller coasters. I literally laugh my way through roller coasters like it's my job. No matter how scared* or excited I am, I laugh. It's the best way to go really--in life and roller coasters. Laughing makes everything more fun. So laugh at yourself. Laugh at your friends. Laugh at thingsgirlssay. Don't "Just Dance"...laugh!

Hehehe :)

*Read: surprised.