[behold HE makes all things new.]

it has been one crazy year! and since 2015 is here now i figured it was time to write about 2014.

last year i wrote about the 13 things i learned in 2013. it turned into a mini novel by the end. because i learned a whole bunch.

and this year i learned so much more than i could ever tell you about in one blog post. i learned a lot about myself and what the Lord has in store for me. and i'm still learning. i am thankful for beautiful people who are helping me. it has been a year of learning. but

this year i decided to write about my 14 favorite days of 2014.

1 from each month and then two extra. because sometimes life is just so beautiful that one day out of the month isn't enough. and i needed 14. because who in their right mind would write about their 12 favorite things of 2014!?

[ not i quacked the noisy yellow duck. ] - the little red hen.

okay...leggggoooo.

january - on the 29th my big brother moved back to Ohio. if you know me well you know that this may have been my favorite day of the whole year. i missed him every day he was in california. he decided to take his talents to the university of toledo and come back to the land of ice and snow! it shouldn't come as a suprise to anyone that i am beyond excited to have him back around. i got to see him so much this year and each time was a total blast! Sethy Roo - i am so proud of you. the Lord has amazing things planned for you.

february - on the 20th i sat in our music room wrapped in a blanket with a cup of coffee by my side and read one of the most beautiful stories in the world. it was called the fault in our stars. and it opened the door for a whole obsession. i read the book twice and saw the movie 5 times in theatres. many times since it came to dvd. and got the dvd for christmas. confession:: i'm obsessed because well...i'm crazy. it was heartbreakingly beautiful. i read through tears as the story unfolded, and laughter ensued in so many spots. i was absolutely captivated by the young love in this story. hazel grace  inspired me to be a better person & augustus waters was the boy every girl dreams of. i still sit wishing these fictional ones were real so i could be friends with them. jon green created a beautiful story. 

march - on the 20th i hopped on a plane and landed in texas to visit one of my best friends chelsea. she moved there in highschool and has always come up here but i have never had the opportunity to go visit her until now. on the way there i had a layover in detroit. and so did seth. it was crazy! he called and asked where my gate was & his was the one right next to mine. of course i caused a scene in the airport because i was so excited & we took a few selfies. 

once i landed in texas i had the best week ever with chels. I am so thankful for her. laughter, sunshine, catching up & lots of delicious food filled our days. we also took a bunch of naps & climbed on top of a building because...YOLO.

april - on the 6th. i celebrated one of my best sister friends and her growing belly. in other words...i went to a baby shower for chelsea kim! and also got the chance to decorate for it with the fam. her baby boy was so prayed for and the day was full of laughter and tears. chelsea is one of my favorite people in the whole world and has always been an incredible mentor and friend and sister to me. fun fact:: when i was little my life dream was to be as tall as her one day.

may - on may 23rd the pediatric brain tumor foundation featured my story. may is pediatric brain tumor month and something that is very near and dear to my heart! this is the story they ran::

[ Meet today's Starlight, Shelby Elyse: Shelby Elyse Taylor plans to become a child life specialist. After all, she says, child life specialists helped her get through her brain tumor diagnosis in 2005. “They are my favorite people and I wanted to become one of them,” says the college student. Doctors diagnosed Shelby Elyse with an oligodendroglioma when she was 13. She says the diagnosis shocked her and she worried people would view her differently. But support from family and friends poured in. Her classmates sent daily get-well cards that lifted her spirits. “Diagnosis isn’t the end,” Shelby Elyse says. “You need to fight for yourself.” And she did just that. Nine years after her brain surgery, Shelby Elyse is 22 and her tumor is stable. She says she feels great, but does encounter migraines and becomes anxious before routine MRI scans. “My prayer is that one day there’s a cure,” she 
says. ]

that day was beautiful for me. i pray that someone was impacted by my story that day. or that someone felt comfort in their situation because they read about mine. this was a day of celebrating the Lord's faithfulness to us. and a reminder that even in the midst of this hard journey that we are all on He is still good. last march i celebrated 9 years since my brain surgery. i have always pictured this journey to get easier as the years passed by but it just hasn't. i am sure those of you who have read this know my heart well by now and already know this. i pray for the day it gets easier. i pray that one day this tumor of mine will just disappear. but if that isn't the plan i pray that my story changes lives. because as i know full well the Lord works all things for good. 

june - on the 1st mama t was my date to the lady antebellum concert at blossom and we had the BEST time. june was full of weddings and friendship dates and friends coming home. it was beautiful from start to finish. it ended at sunset beach which as you know is my favorite place in the world. but the first of this month was my favorite day. we sang and we danced and we ate overpriced french fries and drank overpriced angry orchard. because we are young and wild and free. love love love lady a. and mama.

july - OH MY LAMB JULY IS MY FAVORITE MONTH. and lambs are my favorite animal. anyways. this month. oh it was so beautiful. surprises and best friends filled my days. the sun was always shining and i was always smiling. july never disappoints. okay you guys. i'm gunna cheat and use my two bonus favorite days on july. BECAUSE LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING:: IT IS HARD TO NARROW IT DOWN TO 3 FAVORITE DAYS IN YOUR FAVORITE MONTH OF THE WHOLE YEAR. and guess what else...this is my blog so even if i wanted to talk about every day in july i could. but i will just do three because i promised 14 favorite days. and you my sweet readers will get 14 favorite days. 

 1. so on the 11th Lebron came home. i told everyone for the weeks leading up to that decision that all i wanted for my 23rd birthday (which is july 18th by the way in case any of you are feeling led to send me birthday gifts next year.) was for #23 to come HOME. and LBJ made my wish come true. i had dreamed of seeing him somehow or pulling into swensons and seeing him in the car next to me. none of those happened. but he came home. so happy 23 to me! 

 2. on the 15th. my best friend erin pulled off an epic birthday surprise. there were screams and tears and a car ride full of questions. she picked me up. and drove me all the way to columbus. i had no idea where we were going or why. about 10 minutes into the trip she gave me a bag of organic cheetos. because she knows my heart and that organic cheetos are my favorite junk food. then she hands me an envelope: in it is a letter from one of my best friends Chad. he lives in south carolina. immediately i got teary eyed and called him. the rest of the trip i opened up 21 other envelopes. all with letters from people who i love dearly. it was beautiful. then we stopped for dinner. and then all of a sudden she parked the car on this random street in columbus. when i stepped out she handed me the last note. a letter from none other then my forever crush and favorite singer and singer parter TYLER HILTON. i about died. i mean not really. but you know what i mean. the concert was a blast. we talked to him after. took polaroid pictures and much more. oh my heart was SO FULL that day. t-hilton i love you! also...that day we met tony luca and drummer boy ryan. they were kinda cool also as well. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY! and i have amazing friends.

 3. on the 25th. a dream came true. I WENT TO SEE JAMES TAYLOR IN CONCERT. mama t daddy and my best friend erin were my dates. it was my birthday present. if you know me well you know I LOVE JAMES. i occasionally refer to him as uncle james. because we have the same last name you know. and that is a wonderful thing. anyways. the whole day was surreal. we had a lovely dinner before and then headed over to blossom music center for a night filled with music and memories. ever since i was a little girl my dad and i would dance around the house to copperline by james taylor. it became our song. and it was such a special moment to dance with him listening to jt live. 

august - august ended with my heart totally broken. as precious kate was diagnosed with brain cancer for the third time. please continue to pray for her. i would take her place in an instant if i could. we continue to believe for a miracle. join us. 

but august also held so much joy. days spent with family and friends. my precious grandma taylor turned 87. my niece turned 1. and my best friend since i was two ana took me on a shopping adventure ending with my beautiful friends at another birthday dinner for me. oh my heart was so so full. my birthday celebrations lasted like a month. 

but my favorite day in august was the 23rd. 

on that day we got to celebrate my daddy. wow. what a beautiful day it was for our family. we got to celebrate dad's 30 years of service at cvca with everyone who loves him. it was beyond overwhelming to watch person after person stand up and talk about how he has impacted them and how he is a true reflection of a Godly man leader friend husband and father. i spoke and sobbed most of the way through. and quoted what about bob of course. dad:: i love you very much. i think your special. and i'm very proud of you. 

september - in september i don't think i had a favorite day. but i had a favorite decision. i  decided to join a small group. it was a total God thing -- everything always is. one september day i texted one of my best friends rachel & asked her if i could go to bible study with her that night. she told me it was the first night. well. i went and loved it. and i've gone back every time. except once when i was basically dying. well not actually. sorry. drama. all the time. but anyways. i've made some wonderful friends there. thank you Jesus for that! my small group is actually not small. it is like 50 people or more sometimes. but whatever. i still love them. i can't wait for small group to start again!!!

october - october was pretty non eventful. i mean other then the fact that we found out my heart changed...but i already told you all about that...and if you wanna read about it just scroll down and find the post called "and then her heart changed...or at least she understood it." that was not my favorite day at all. i did have good days though! we celebrated 4 years of my tumor being stable. thank you Jesus! but perhaps one of my favorite days was our annual friendship day to amishland. yes i know you all call it amish country. but we call it amishland. deal with it people. 

november - november was also a beautiful month filled with joy. one of my best friends ana got engaged. dad and malakai and my cousin kellie had birthdays. and so much more. but my favorite day in november was thanksgiving. every family member on my dad's side was there except my brother and my cousin cortney's husband nic. we celebrated my cousin Korrie being over 30 weeks pregnant with her baby girl. a baby who was so prayed for. then we found out my cousin Kellie is pregnant with a little boy. another baby who we prayed for even before we knew he existed. as you can imagine tears and laughter filled our day. artwork by:: the bravest little dude i ever met. ian franklin.  i bet everyday in heaven is thanksgiving & i am so jealous

december - the 16th was my favorite day. i had my bi-annual MRI & the news was wonderful. the day still held tears. it always does. it never gets easier. but. He promises Joy! i am one very joyful little lady! mr. brain tumor is still stable & i get to wait 9 months to go back. we were praying for a year but God's timing is the best timing! we are beyond thankful. thank you to all of you who have walked this journey alongside us. and prayed us through the hard days. you make this crazy adventure i'm living more beautiful. i couldn't think of a better way to end the year. 

well. thats all i got. happy 2015 people.

i love you all.

BLESSED by a heavenly Daddy,

Shelby Elyse