2009

Today is the last day of 2008 and tomorrow is the first day of 2009!!!
Where did the time go?
2008 has been a record year in many ways for my family, for the world and for me... 1st completed year of college, daddy loses his job, ride our horses, first black president elected, first college acceptance letter, 26 basketball games attended in one season, new paint job on our house, I turned 18, first cruise (and probably the last), and so many wonderful blessings from the Lord!
The years fly so fast and so I pray that each one of us will enjoy the blessings of each year and be content with where the Lord has placed us and what He wants us to do. Each year is different... full of adventure, trial, and trust in our Savior.
Aside from all the records of this year, more important things have occurred. Christ has become infinitely more dear to me and I marvel in the grace and love that He shows day in and day out. I also feel so very thankful for the people He has chosen to place in my life. Truly amazing and wonderful people that have made life fun, crazy, hard, and full of blessing.
Have the most marvelous New Year everyone!!!! I will see most of you next year!

"To God be the glory, great things He hath done!"
~To God be the Glory

Igloos, snow, and such

After almost two weeks of snow, I finally decided on Friday to go out and play in it. Its sad that it took so long to finally get out there, but when you have to work a lot in the snow, playing doesn't seem all that fun. LOL

It was late afternoon by the time my sister and I made our way out into the deep white fluff. We promptly decided to make a "fort", making me remember the days where forts, lions, and pretend food were all the rage.

There was a huge drift/pile of snow from dad's shoveling job that was in the front yard and we both decided that would be the perfect place to create a snow home.

And so the digging commenced. This digging was done by the best shovels known to man: hands (but gloved hands). Melissa and I took turns digging at the opening to our "home". My aunt quickly informed us that we looked like dogs digging a hole in the ground. I suppose we did, especially as we got deeper and all you could see was the back of our legs and our feet sticking up in the air. :D

After a while a nice tunnel began to take shape and we excitedly ran to ask dad if we could sleep in our igloo ( much better term for a snow house). The answer came back quickly "NO". The reason: it might collapse on top of us.

Now in my mind this did not seem quite right, after all I had taken a geology class and we had learned what to do for an avalanche and two of three feet of snow collapsing over our heads was hardly an avalanche (there is my rather stupid logic).

We finally decided that the igloo was finished when both Melissa and I could fit inside it and turn around. You know, it was quite a marvelous feeling... being in something you made ,being warm, and the novelty of the snow and all.

Melissa and I laid in our igloo talking for about 20 minutes, enjoying the dark and the white snow surrounding us while wondering how we were going to be able to convince dad to let us sleep in it.

Finally we wandered out, wet, hungry and hopeful... but alas, the answer was still no.

So we proceeded to go to sleep that night in our real home... wistfully dreaming of a night that could have been spent inside a tunneled out pile of snow.

Sadness... we awoke the next morning to find that our igloo had fallen in, right where our opening was (due to rain). Dad was right in the end, although I still think it would have been funny to be in there when the opening fell in.

A Christmas Blessing

Merry Christmas!!

I pray you all have a marvelous Christmas!! Remember who this season is about!!!

Hammer in the water tank!!

I was stumped at what to write here... after all I have not written in a long time. :D
Then I thought of it!!!!
We have snow... I know you all are saying "DUH!" But there is more to that story!
Today we went to the boys (fyi that is the horses) and that means chipping ice out of the 100 gallon water tanks. We take axes and hammers and proceed to bang away at the ice. Well, my sister was working on that job today while I was checking quail and chickens when all of a sudden I heard "Haaaannnaaaah" in a rather sheepish but frantic voice. I looked over and with a grin Melissa stated to me that she dropped the hammer into the water tank (on accident) and she couldn't get it out with the pitch forks. I groaned and as I tromped over to the tank I tried desperately to figure out a way to get the hammer out without getting wet. Obviously Melissa was NOT going to get the hammer out, she had made that clear. The wind was howling around us making the temperature -5 at the most. Then I did the only thing I could think of. I took my coat off and peeled my sweatshirt sleeve as far up as possible. I looked at my sister and then plunged my hand in. Oh the pain... it was soooo cold. I yelped as the cold bit at my arm. Finally I had the hammer and I drew it out of the water, plunked it on the fence and tried to warm my frozen arm. Already there was ice all over my arm as the wind had quickly frozen it. I ran out of the stall, rubbing the part of my body that was now numb and covered in ice and as I closed the door I heard that all too familiar "Haaaannnaaaah". My hear sunk as I heard Melissa say "Storm knocked the hammer back into the tank." Before I had a chance to think too long I ran back into the stall, ripped my sleeve up and plunged my hand into the water, screeching as once again the water bit at my arm. When the hammer was out for the second time I quickly informed my sister that I would NOT be doing that again and so she had better make sure the hammer stayed OUT of the water. So that is my story... but it was so not cool!!!!

Freddy

Yes, you see, I feel it necessary to tell you about this new "one" that has entered my life. He is no ordinary creature, in fact you couldn't even call him a creature he is that special. Well, you have probably already looked at the picture and are wondering when I lost my mind, so I had better explain. Freddy, as he was so aptly named, is a penguin (in case you didn't know), and a penguin from the movie "Madagascar". He even has a thing on his back so he can roll and slide around like real penguins do. Freddy came to me because his previous owner deserted him. I know its sad isn't it... desertion? It was the worst kind of abandonment, but at least the previous owner had the decency to name him.

I have decided that Freddy is going to be my school companion. Whenever I go to school he shall go with me, traveling in the top of my backpack where an Ipod (that I don't have) would go. If you want to see Freddy (which I know you all are dying to do) you must treat him with the utmost gentleness and care, for if you hurt him, well... just DON'T.

Already I have been laughed at for associating with such a friend as this, but I shall not be deterred or influenced in any way. Freddy is such a nice little thing, riding along in such a compliant manner and smiling and waving to any passerby who might get the privilege of viewing him. Currently he is on break, or should I call it hibernation, until winter quarter starts. I am quite excited to take him on all sorts of adventures. He shall go to psychology class and get psyched out, to Spanish class and become bilingual, to chemistry and learn the wonders of science, to math class and learn how to count, and listen to all my conversations at school (and yours too, so beware!). What a well-rounded and educated penguin he shall be in a matter of a few years! I am still contemplating taking him to graduation. I will have to see if he behaves himself, and IF he doesn't get himself lost then he has a marvelous chance at walking and receiving a diploma with me.

Saying good-bye to the 2008 school year!

Its OVER!!! No more school during 2008! I am so excited! Wednesday I had a Spanish Oral Exam which went awesome... it was so fun to have a conversation in Spanish. I got paired with this Christian guy and so it was really easy and fun to talk. Then I had my Biology final that was on DNA and genetics. The teacher had said that it was going to be hard, but it wasn't and I actually had a lot of fun taking it!
Yesterday I had a Spanish final... not so good. It wasn't supposed to be a cummalative final but it was. Hence was not quite as prepared as I would have liked. I forgot how to conjugate in a certain tense and so made my own conjugations up. I think I got some of them right. lol After that I tried to study but it was rather difficult because the certain people I was studying with were talking... thats ok, it was funny and laughing is much better than studying. My geology teacher told us that our final was going to be a lot easier than the other tests... ummm, it wasn't. 14 pages of test and a fried brain were the results of that test. But its OVER!
No more homework, I can sleep, eat 3 real meals a day, sleep, clean my room, sleep, see my friends, sleep, bake, sleep, read, sleep, watch movies, sleep, ride, sleep, play piano, and SLEEP!!!
I am going to miss seeing friends everyday at school, but break is going to be AWESOME! Congratulations to all of you out there who have now finished Fall Quarter '08!!! Good-bye to the 2008 school year!

Why I write the way I do

Drama, ah it makes life so interesting! So here is just a quick explanation on my drama. Yes, I am very dramatic in life. Yes, it is normal for me and when I relay my stories they are as honest as I can make them. If they seem over the top, well... thats how I lived it. I apologize if they seem random, wacky, odd, and completely unbelievable. :D
It is really awesome to be able to make people laugh and I love that! Laughing is such good medicine. Anyways, I am not exaggerating or telling tall tales! What happens, happens!
Merry Christmas to all and I pray that those of you in school will live through finals week!

Giving of myself/ Me being a wimp

At the beginning of the quarter my biology teacher told us that if we gave blood we would get 10 points of extra credit. My first and very logical thought was “NO WAY, I am NOT doing that”. She also said that we could get friends to do it, but we had to have proof for it. So I proceeded to ask some of my friends and the result was a very quick “no” and a look that said “Are you out of your mind?”. I didn’t blame them. Who, in their right mind would cause themselves excruciating pain (that is what I thought).
As the quarter wore on, I began thinking more and more about the extra credit. I decided that I would just wait, in hopes that I wouldn’t need the extra credit. This past week, I began to realize that this extra credit could determine a letter grade. A plan began formulating in mind. I would go to the clinic and ask somebody who was giving blood if I could have their slip of paper. They would be my “friend”. Marvelous plan don’t you think? I was planning on introducing myself and asking their name so that they would really be my friend.
Thursday rolled around and I was quickly running out of time. That morning I decided I was going to the blood bank. BUT…….. after geology class, I decided that it would be much wiser to study for my math test and go to the blood bank the next day. Mmmmhmm, procrastinating. :D
Friday morning (yesterday) I took the test, studied at school and then around 12:30 left school for the blood bank. I pulled into Sunset Square with this knot in my stomach. Why was I nervous when I was only going to go make friends? I sat in my car with the blood bank in full view. “I will just sit here and watch until some nice looking person walks in, then I will go and ask them” I thought. No, I then decided that was stupid, I would just walk up to the building and peek in the windows to find that “friend.” The Lord had other plans. I got to the sidewalk as this very scary man walked around the corner. He was looking at me and talking to himself and then I was very scared. My only option was to go into the blood bank.
In I went. The receptionist looked up and smiled. I said “I have a predicament” and without letting me finish she said “You are in science class at the college and if you give blood you get extra credit so that you can get a good grade”. I looked at her, stunned. Finally I nodded my head and tried to explain that I didn’t want to be here, that I hated needles, that this was so not cool, but that I needed the extra credit. Somehow I ended up sitting down filling paperwork out and then before I knew it I was in a room with a nurse. She pricked my finger and I started bleeding. It hurt really bad which was only a precursor to what would come. She said I had enough blood to give, but that they would just give me a piece of paper “saying” I gave blood if I really didn’t want to continue the process. I said something about that not really being truthful and her next words really upset me “Well nobody but us will ever know that you DIDN’T”. I looked her straight in the eyes and said “But I would, and it wouldn’t be honest, so I am giving blood”. End of story.
Out I went. They got me ready and I started to panic internally. I kept asking about the pain, they kept saying you can “hardly feel it”. I warned them that I might cry. They just laughed. Then they said look away, and I as I did I felt pain rip through my arm. The tears welled up and I began crying. Sobs started to wrack my body and I tried super hard to not make a lot of noise. “Hardly feel it”… that was what they told me. ALL LIES!!! Hmph, it hurt so bad.
They got me tissues, water, ice packs. I was feeling nasty and sick. A nurse went and got “meditation” music (as they called it). Then they told me that I needed to start practicing meditation. I looked at them and laughed. Finally it was over. As the needle came out, the pain lessened in my arm only to be replaced by aching. After a while they let me get up. The lady in charge of the food and drink talked my head off, even though I only wanted peace and quiet. After they let me leave I went to my car and called my dad. He was so shocked that I had really done it, as was I . When I got off the phone, I started crying until I felt better.
In conclusion, I hate pain. Giving blood was too much pain. They asked me if I wanted to schedule my next appointment, and I just looked at them. I said that once in a lifetime is plenty. Maybe someday waaaay in the future I will give blood again. But, I do know one thing... I AM A WIMP.

Left to do...

This is what I have left to do for this quarter...
Then I am DONE!

1. Post lab on DNA fingerprinting and gel electrophoresis
2. Biology Final Exam
3. Watch movie in Spanish and write 3-4 page summary
4. Do 2 small research projects for Spanish - each 2 pages
5. Read 5 page story in Spanish
6. Complete Spanish Manual
7. Spanish Oral Exam
8. Spanish Final Exam
9. Avalanche Online Activity
10. Read Fire article
11. Geology Final Exam
12. Complete my sonata's 2nd movement
13. Write my sonata's 3rd movement
14. Take math placement test :D

Almost done!!!! 4 quarters down and 2 more to go!!!
Hope everything goes well for the rest of you taking finals!
Before you know it Christmas break will be here! Happy days!

So....

I am going to write another one of those completely random posts...
Writing at midnight almost always produces randomness!

Here are some things that drive me nutty:
1. People cracking their knuckles
2. When people are turning without their turn signals on
3. Bad concert etiquette (that shall be a post unto itself, right Emily?)
4. When I hear the word "like" from somebody like at least like 40 times in like 5 minutes
5. I can't think of any more... that's a good thing!

Here are some things that I think would be jolly fun right about now:
1. QUITTING school
2. Moving to Hawaii
3. Sleeping
4. Riding horses all day
5. Being able to go for long runs
6. NO homework

So I was going to post some more ideas, but I forgot them. They come and go at such rapid speeds that I lose them right and left. Ho hum...