Happy April Fools, guys! Pull any hilarious pranks today? I must confess, the prank I pulled today with a friend was big and successful ;) But enough about pranks: Josie is greater than any prank ever could be. Not only is she gorgeous, she has an amazing sense of fashion and is an insanely talented musician. And let's all just gush about her room a second: slkdfjsdlkjflkf. She's just an all around cool person, and I'm so happy to have her on the blog today.
Find her here: blog + twitter + instagram + pinterest
-cct-

   Hello! I'm Josephina Hope Alex, but on most websites I go by Josie Hope or Josie Alex. And the first thing you should know about me is that I'm terrible at writing about myself. There is just something so difficult about encompassing a whole character and then describing it with words. So we should just meet sometime. Sound good?
   The second thing is my age. I'm sixteen going on seventeen. (Sound of Music, anyone?) I'm a student at Veritas Press Scholars Academy, and I also dual enroll at a local university.
   Even though school keeps me pretty busy, I make time to occasionally photograph an outfit. I document those photos on my tumblr blog, which started out as a 365. Even though I've had it for over a year, I've kept the simplicity of the "1:365" format to avoid writing. Sometimes I also post a few words from someone who said something better than I could. I started the blog for a few far away friends who wanted to see more "OOTD" pictures. It isn't the most important thing in my life, so I've kept it very relaxed and have definitely enjoyed everything I'm learning from having it.


eat 
Lately, I've been playing with juicing, gluten free eating, and vegan dieting. However, I've been a vegetarian for years. I love all different sorts of food, and recently this recipe adapted into tacos, nachos, and salads has been a favorite. I have a bit of an excessive Pinterest habit, but in my defense, I do actually make a lot of the recipes from my "f o o d" board.


sleep
One of my dreams growing up was to have a four poster bed. So when we remodeled our home, I stuck a giant IKEA four poster bed in my room. And I haven't looked back since.

read
One of my favorite books is Till we Have Faces, C.S. Lewis. For many reasons, I always think of that book when I have to make a list. I will also always be a Harry Potter nerd.


wear
Everything. I don't have a specific style. I'm entranced by bohemian looks one day, preppy the next, and after that vintage or tribal. It's always different.

listen
My music tastes are all over the place just like my style. I have a super big crush on Justin Timberlake, but at the same time Lykke Li is too much fun. Some of the older bands I love are Fleetwood Mac (Gold Dust Woman) and the Beatles (I've Just Seen a Face). I listen to a lot of classical and fiddle music too because I play the violin.

wild card
I recently cut off 13 inches of my (virgin) hair. I miss it dearly.

see other interviews here

(such a sky and such a sun 
i never knew and neither did you
and everybody never breathed
quite so many kinds of yes) 
― e.e. cummings

I felt really teenager-y writing that "2k13" in the title up there. I swear, sometimes I feel like I missed the how to be a teenager memo or something, but humor me will ya?

Spring break has been marvelous. It was a tourist-in-your-own-city, mystical bookstore, crazy weather, staying-up-late, work-in-between-the-fun kind of week and it was good. Sometimes the best kind of fun is right under your nose.

And now we wait for the end of lent and the coming resurrection of Christ. Oh sweet, sweet victory.

i. pre-haircut
ii. during
iii. after
iv. signature smolder
v. signature laugh

Dad's been pushing for a haircut for months. We listened to "Suit & Tie" (which has been on repeat lately and no, no shame at all) as his woolly hair fell to the ground. I liked his curls (and cursed my hair genes for not getting the memo), but man, he's rocking the new look. Annnnd he's gained a new nickname post-haircut: Macklemore ;) I have ridiculously attractive siblings.

Oh, and he taught me how to play "Smoke On the Water" today, so he's a keeper.

A beautiful thing is happening.

I've been struggling these past few weeks, I'm not going to lie. I've been stressed, emotionally and physically, and all I want is to escape.

But His mercies are new every morning. EVERY MORNING! Far too often, I lean on my own understanding, thinking that I can do it on my own.

Dear self, newsflash: YOU CAN'T.

I can't tell you how comforting it is to wake up in the morning and know that I don't have to get through the day on my own. If that were the case, well gosh, I wouldn't be sitting here writing this.

And through the hardship, I am being strengthened! I'm not going to lie: the strengthening doesn't feel very good. I fight against it and scream and cry and just want out. But oh, what joyous news it is to know that I am growing despite the bitterness!

God has never failed me before and He certainly won't now. How blessed I am to call myself a child of God!