Wonderbar

So right now, I am soooo incredibly happy! These last two weeks have been so wonderful. I spent the last weekend in March at Grandma's. We went up there "American Big Band," which was a concert/theatrical production of the Big Band era. The show was SOOOO much fun! I LOVE that music, so I totally enjoyed it.


We spent Saturday night after the show with my grandma. I have always called her house a farmhouse, being as she lives on 1000 acres of farmland in VA. However, I was informed by my mom today that she doesn't live in a farmhouse. Therefore, I shall resort to using the term given her farm by my city's local paper, "an antebellum plantation." Anyway, farmhouse, plantation or otherwise, my parents and I stayed there on Saturday night. We had all gotten showers, and grandma, mom, and I were sitting in her little den talking. By this time, it was probably 11:45. I look over at the couch my mother is sitting on, and see this little "thing" come bouncing out from behind it. Naturally, I start screaming for Daddy to come and dispose of whatever I saw. Daddy comes downstairs, wondering why in the world I am screaming my head off. He looks in the corner of the room and discovers a mouse. We set mouse traps, but never did manage to catch the thing.

Then on Sunday, Mom wanted me to go get the clothes out of my grandma's drier, which is located in a damp basement. I went down, put the clothes in a clothes basket, and came back upstairs. I was walking down the stairs for the 3rd time to put the laundry basket back down, when I hit this pipe. I reached out to steady the pipe (no, I didn't break it) and happened to glance down. There was a foot-long copperhead snake that was hanging off of the ledge, that could have bit me 3 times, maybe more! Yet again, I called for Daddy, who came to the rescue. Did I ever say how wonderful Dad's are??? :)

That part wasn't sooo wonderful, but I did get to spend some time with my cousin, Emily, and "our" horses, Shy and Stevie. Note: I say ours, in reality, Stevie is more my cousins, and Shy is more mine.

The Monday and Tuesday following this little mis-adventure, I was downtown at the General Assembly building. It's always so much fun to be downtown. Then Friday, I went BACK downtown to the history museum in order to attend Trinity Academy's "Much Ado About Nothing." I got to spend time with my friends Lizzie and Sarah and their mom, as well as get to see some of my friends in the show. Saturday, my Aunt Martha was here, along with my cousin, Brian, for a swim meet. It was great to get to see them, as I don't get to see the two of them a lot. Though I must admit, I could have done without Aunt Martha's constant lectures on the necessity of me driving every day and the fact that I never could get into W&M, whereas my wonderful, 8-month-older cousin could have if he had wanted to. :)

Finally, this week was spring break for everything but civics/debate. That was....interesting, to say the least. I'm not usually accustomed to getting asked out by the line, "So, are you married?" :) (in case you are wondering, I did turn the guy down.:))Other than that, I've enjoyed not having any deadlines this week. :)

Well, Mom and I are about to go out and $hop!!! :) Happy Easter, y'all!

Wishing

I'm sort of procrastinating right now...I'm supposed to be writing a Lit. essay, but I don't feel like it. :)

There's one place I wish I could be and a few people I wish I could be with right now. I want to be on "my" horse, feeling the cool wind in my hair as I go tearing across the fields on the farm. I want to feel Shy's power, and yet be able to sense her gentleness at the same time. I want to have my "sisters" riding with me. I dream of the summer, and going down to Sandy Creek, putting my feet into the crisp clean water, building forts with the gang, and of course going swimming in it. I can't wait to go over to Joe and Tina's and go swimming in their new pool.

The only thing that is missing from all this is my granddad. It's coming up on the eighth anniversary of his death, and I miss him so much. I'm the second oldest grandchild, but I'm the oldest girl, and so I was always "Papa's fine girl". I miss that. He used to save his loose change in this old glass jar of his. It would sit on his desk in his office in the house (he had 3 offices on the farm), and it would stay there until I could get all the pennies I wanted out of it. I can't help but wish he could be here to see how much things(and people) have changed. I know he'd be so proud that Tyler is graduating high school (in fact, he'd probably want a front row seat). I don't want to go through and name everyone, but I know he'd be so proud of all his "fine grandkids". I am thankful that I had him for nine years of my life.

Anyway, I will see many of you at the tournament tomorrow. :) I love all ya'll!

Stressed!

Did I ever say that school defines my life? Well, it certainly is defining it right now. I have to write 3 more 6-minute speeches, finish typing one up and get it posted in a week. I also have two 1500 word essays due by the 1st week in March. On top of that, I have to finish our reading assignment by Monday, do my lab write-up by Wednesday, and then start studying for an Anatomy test. Oh yeah, and I should probably study for SATs!!!

Emily, thanks soo much for getting me started on the Agatha Christie books!! I am living the world of mystery and crime currently.

Off to be buried under a mass of homework. :)

Happy Valentines Day

I had a relatively good Valentines Day. I woke up this morning, only to be handed a card by my mom from my cousin. Emily sent it with Mom while we were up there this past weekend. And yes, Emily, I did wear the necklace to one class. :) I always find it's good to reflect on Valentines Day, and so I'll leave you with "the love" passage from the Bible:

1st Corinthians 13:

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Debate

I had the wonderful privilege of timing for the debate tournament this past friday. I can't believe that I have waited this long to get involved in debate! One of my friends asked me why it was that I love it so much, but have never done it. I told him I really had no clue, I just thought when I was younger that it was boring, and that no one in their right mind would ever do debate. Boy, have my opinions changed. Now, I can't wait until next year so I can do it! Unfortunately, Mr. Wirtz changed the date for the March tournament, so some of my best friends can't compete. :( Oh, well, at least some of my friends will be there! :)


I was @ my aunts house this past Sunday-Tuesday because Mema had a knee replacement. my 11 year old cousin, MK, and my 9 year old cousin, David, had a snow day on Monday. We had so much fun together, since the three of us were left alone all day while the adults were at the hospital w/Mema. Mk and I sat around in our pj's all day and watched several chick-flicks. I have always had a hard time bonding with mk, so that was a blast.

Can't wait till the March tournament! See y'all there.

SNOW

YAY!!! It's FINALLY, after 2 years, SNOWING!! I am so incredibly happy. I don't have school today, and I don't actually have much to do! It might not be a whole lot of snow, but it is DEFINITELY enough!!!!

Thanks to my wonderful still 12 y. o. even though she is 13 (haha, you know what I'm talking about) cousin, ya'll all know I'm the family poker champ! My aunt says that the games in our family have constantly gone down hill, from backgammon, to B.S, and now texas-hold-em poker. :)

I had a pretty good Christmas. I got an iPod from my parents, and amazing speakers from my wonderful grandmother. I also got a razr cell from the aforesaid grandma. :-) Girls, we really do need to have a sleepover sometime. How about during the summer, we should all go to the lakehouse like Emily and I did, and MKK, you can join us! That would be fun!

As I've looked back over this past year, I've realized what a crazy roller coaster it has been. I've struggled some with fitting into my family. I know several of them read this, so I'm not going to go into huge detail here. That I shall save for my diary. However, I'm trying to learn to be content with the family God gave me, regardless of how imperfect some members may seem.

We did finally have that piano recital (long story). It went relatively well. The piano didn't seem QUITE as bad as it had before.

Oh, yeah. I was just reminded by my mother that 24's season premiere is tonight in about an hour, and I still have some homework to finish. :)